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"Teaching
the things concerning the
The
Seven Spirits of God
By J.
Preston Eby
Table
of Contents
Chapter
Title
Page
2 The Characteristics of the Holy Spirit
16
5 The Seven Spirits (cont.)
53
8 The Spirit of Wisdom (cont.)
88
9 The Spirit of Understanding
104
12 The
Spirit of Knowledge
150
13 The
Spirit of Knowledge (cont.)
159
14 The
Spirit of Knowledge (cont.)
173
15 The
Spirit of Knowledge (cont.)
184
16 The
Spirit of the Fear of the Lord
199
17
The
Spirit of the Fear of the Lord (cont.)
212
18 The
Spirit of the Fear of the Lord (cont.)
231
19 The Seven Spirits of God And the Work of Judgment
243
The
Seven Spirits Of God
Who also hath made us able ministers of the
new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the
spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was
glorious, so that the children of
These verses
contain two highly significant phrases: Who hath made us able ministers of the New
Testament
OF THE SPIRIT and the ministration of
SPIRIT.
The New Testament
is not the black, leather covered, book called the BIBLE containing four Gospels,
twenty-one Epistles, one book of History and one book of Prophecy. This book is what Paul
calls the letter. It is the law, the record, the history which tells us many
things ABOUT the historical man called Jesus, the Son of God. Many Christians have found
the New Testament only in this realm of the letter. They know much ABOUT GOD,
can quote volumes of scripture, and articulate persuasively their particular doctrines and
beliefs. To these, their intellectual understanding of God and the Bible is an end in
itself. But the New Testament is NOT THE BIBLE! The twenty-seven books called the New
Testament are merely the letter
the guide given to point us to the TRUE NEW
TESTAMENT, Jesus, the Christ of God! Ah, Jesus never carried a copy of the Old Testament
when He taught the multitudes. I have in my library many Bibles including the Literal
Bible, the Comparative Bible, the Analytical Bible, the Emphasized Bible and the Amplified
Bible. But Jesus Himself is the EXEMPLIFIED BIBLE! He is the PERSONIFIED BIBLE! He is the
true picture of His Father, the Living Word of His Father. He is the full and complete
revelation of His Father. He is the full and abundant Life of His Father unto all who
believe in Him.
Never once in
scripture is the New Testament called a book or referred to as being written on parchments
or paper. Consider these statements:
And He
took
the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament IN MY BLOOD, which
is shed for you (Lk.
Who also
hath made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but OF THE
SPIRIT (II Cor. 3:6).
Jesus did not
say, The Bible is the New Testament. He took the cup and said,
THIS is the New Testament! He didnt say, The New Testament is in
the Bible. He said, This is the New Testament IN MY BLOOD. This means
that the New Testament can be found only in the blood of Jesus Christ. One of the
redemptive laws of God is found in Lev. 17:11: I will even set My face against that
soul that eateth blood
for the life of the flesh is in the blood. Blood speaks
of life, for the life is in the blood. The life of the Son of God is in the blood of the
Son of God. This is why Jesus declared: Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man,
and DRINK HIS BLOOD, ye have NO LIFE IN YOU. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood,
hath eternal life (Jn.
The English word
testament is from the Greek DIATHEKE which means a covenant. The
word is translated testament 18 times and covenant 20 times in the
King James version. With this in mind let us turn to Heb. 8:7-11. For if that first
covenant (testament) had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the
second. For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when
I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of
Herein is an
arrangement that will work the old covenant was written and engraven in stone and
the people were unable to keep it.
The New Testament
is not a book; it is a PERSON. The New Testament is CHRIST Head and body. Jesus
said: Search the scriptures; for in them YE THINK YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE: and they are
they which TESTIFY OF ME. And ye will not come unto ME, that ye might have LIFE (Jn.
THE
DISPENSATION OF GOD
This reveals to
us the true purpose of God in Christ: to dispense Himself into humanity. Let us read I
Tim. 1:3-4 from the American Standard version:
that thou mightest charge
certain men not to teach a different doctrine, neither to give head to fables and endless
genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than A DISPENSATION OF GOD which is in
faith. Another translation makes it even plainer: that you might command
certain ones not to teach different doctrine, nor to pay attention to false stories and to
genealogies, which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions
rather than A
DISPENSATION OF ANYTHING BY GOD. So Gods purpose is Gods dispensation
which is nothing else than God dispensing Himself into mankind. In this divine
dispensation God, who is almighty and all-inclusive, intends to dispense nothing other
than HIMSELF to us. This needs to be meditated upon at length in order to impress us
deeply!
Herein is
revealed the difference between FACTS and TRUTH. How many of
THE TREE OF
LIFE AND THE TREE OF DEATH
That Gods
eternal purpose has been to dispense Himself into us can be seen from the very beginning
in the garden of Eden. God is there seen creating man as the center of the whole creation
for the purpose of expressing Himself. We subsequently read in Gen. 2:8-9,17: And
the Lord God planted a garden eastward in
In order to
understand Gods purpose we must be thoroughly clear about these two trees and what
they represent. What does the tree of life signify? Most assuredly it represents a realm
of life beyond what Adam already possessed. Adam already had perfect human life, and it
was not necessary for him to eat of the tree of life in order to perpetuate
that human life. The only thing that could cause the termination of his human life was the
eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God had not said to Adam, You
must eat of the tree of life so you wont die, but rather, in the day
that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall die. Therefore,
the life offered to man in the tree of life is a HIGHER KIND OF LIFE than the human life
Adam possessed even God-life.
One thing is
certain: the tree of life in
When fruit is
eaten it first enters the stomach. There it begins to be digested and the nutrients are
absorbed into the bloodstream. The blood then carries the nutrients and delivers them to
each and every cell of the body, internal and external. Thus the life in the fruit is
ministered to the body and the whole body becomes literally FILLED with the life-giving
properties of the fruit. In this we see the picture of exactly what God has desired for
man from the beginning that he would eat of the fruit of the tree of life which is
the life God in Christ. God intends to so dispense Himself into man that man will express
Himself as the center of the whole universe.
But what actually
happened to man? The mystery of this is contained in the symbolism of the second tree, the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree represents nothing else than the realm
of the carnal mind. The second tree brings death, because it is the very source of death.
The first tree is the source of divine life on the one hand, and the second tree is the
source of death on the other hand. A scripture showing what the instrument of death is in
What scientists
have discovered makes it relatively easy to believe in the existence of worlds, or spheres
of life, beyond the comprehension of human senses. In the realm of sound, for example, we
know that the human ear is quite limited, that sounds which are very real are inaudible to
us if they are below or above a certain range of frequency. And the same is true of sight.
The existence of radio waves, gamma rays, ultra-violet light rays, etc., also helps us to
realize the power of invisible forces which are beyond our comprehension. In Eph 2:2 Satan
is described as the prince of the power of the air, the SPIRIT that now worketh IN
the children (sons) of disobedience. The Amplified Bible says, At one
time
you were following the course and fashion of the world
following the
prince of the power of the air. You were obedient to him and were under his control, the
demon spirit that still constantly works (Gr.: energio, energizes) in the sons of
disobedience
for we are not wrestling with flesh and blood contending only
with physical opponents but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the
master spirits who are the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit
forces of wickedness in the heavenly (spiritual) sphere (Eph 2:2; 6:12). Oriental
imagery is never more graphically displayed in all its eloquence than in the use of the
biblical word SERPENT as a figure of Satan, the Devil. This symbol, along with a number of
other word pictures, is very expressive of his nature and activity. I make no apology for
declaring to you the truth that each and every creature of earth typifies a higher reality
in the realm of SPIRIT good or bad, positive or negative. This can be seen clearly
in the words of Jesus when He says in Lk. 10:17-19, And the seventy returned again
with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name. And He said
unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven (the realm of SPIRIT). Behold I
give you power to TREAD ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, and over all the power of the
enemy. Spake He of the serpents and scorpions of the fields? Nay, my brother, He
spake rather of SPIRITS possessing the nature typified by serpents and scorpions, hidden
and cunning, slithering about in the lowest realms of mans earthiness, in the
thoughts and desires and ambitions of the carnal mind, full of deadly venom. Even the
fowls of heaven, as the law of Moses shows us, clean and unclean, each bespeak of a kind
or quality of nature, expressing those characteristics that originate in the spirit realm.
Hence, in scripture unclean birds are a type of evil natures, as John the Revelator shows
in Rev. 18:2, And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great
is fallen and is become the habitation of DEVILS, and the hold of every FOUL SPIRIT, and a
cage of every UNCLEAN AND HATEFUL BIRD. We know the Lamb, the meek and sacrificial
nature of the Christ within, the Son of God, gentle, kind, compassionate, redemptive,
blessing all He touches; but have we not known also the nature of the beast, wild and
ravenous, that spirit, so obvious in the world, which stomps and rends and breaks in
pieces and devours, of whom Peter warns us, saying, Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour (I Pet. 5:8).
Some teach that
in all the universe there is but ONE SPIRIT the Holy Spirit of God. I solemnly tell
every person who reads these lines that the scriptures are clear, and give us a wonderful
understanding of the workings of SPIRIT. SPIRIT, like everything else in nature, has its
opposites positive and negative, good and evil, light and darkness. As was pointed
out in previous messages on this subject, spirit is not good neither is spirit
evil. Spirit is just a type of thing, just as flesh is a type of thing. For that matter,
flesh is neither good nor evil. It is just there. Flesh becomes evil when its use is
perverted. Flesh is good when it is properly used as the
Let us take a
closer look at some of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit. He is variously defined as
The Spirit of God, The Spirit of Christ, The Spirit
of Holiness, The Spirit of Truth, The Spirit of a Sound
Mind, The Spirit of Liberty, The Spirit of Burning,
The Spirit of the Father, The Spirit of the Son, The Spirit
of Promise, The Spirit of Meekness, The Spirit of
Understanding, The Spirit of Adoption, The Spirit of
Prophecy, The Spirit of Glory, The Spirit of Counsel,
The Spirit of Grace, The Spirit of Adoption, The Spirit of
Prophecy, The Spirit of the Lord, etc., etc. These various titles,
repeated many times, and used interchangeably, give us a full, proper assurance that they
all relate to the same HOLY SPIRIT indeed, frequently the word Holy is
added in, combined, as for instance, The Holy Spirit of God, The Holy
Spirit of Promise, etc. These various expressions are descriptive of the spirit,
nature, disposition, power and glory of one God, the Father, and also the spirit, nature,
disposition, and power and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the expression of
the Father; and also it is the spirit, nature, disposition, power and glory of all who are
truly the Lords in proportion as they have been made ONE IN HIM. He that is
joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT (I Cor.
Each of these
characteristics is a form of the energy of God. This energy is transmitted from the spirit
into soul and body to produce its power within us, just as electricity is transmitted from
a battery to an engine to make it function in a certain way. When the Spirit of
Holiness is transmitted into our lives and consciousness we begin to function in our
personality in that characteristic of Gods holiness, thus becoming holy. When the
Spirit of Wisdom is transmitted into our consciousness we cease from our own
natural reasoning and commence to act in accordance with the higher wisdom of God. When
the Spirit of Life permeates our being even our bodies shall be quickened by
His life within until this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal
shall have put on immortality. Then shall be fulfilled the word which was spoken, We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed (I Cor.
Our failure to
see that the Holy Spirit of God is not the only form of spirit in the world leads us into
all manner of error and misunderstanding. There is another spirit mentioned frequently
throughout the Word of God, and in opposite terms, namely, The Spirit of Fear,
The Spirit of Bondage, The Spirit of the World, The Spirit
of Error, The Spirit of Antichrist, The Spirit of Jealousy,
The Spirit of Slumber, etc., etc. These terms signify the WRONG SPIRIT
the spirit, nature, disposition, power and will which has its chief exemplification in
Satan, the Devil, the Serpent, the Adversary; the same spirit manifesting itself in all
who walk in and live out of the carnal mind. Sin, error, darkness and death are all
characteristics of the SPIRIT OF THE NEGATIVE REALM, even as holiness, truth, love, life,
etc. are all characteristics of the one Holy Spirit.
As mentioned
previously, there are brethren who are convinced that all spirit is the same spirit and
that there is only one spirit in the world, which is the spirit of God in every man. But
we are constrained to take heed to the testimony of the Holy Spirit wherein He says,
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but TRY THE SPIRITS WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world (I Jn. 4:1). Both the HOLY
and the UNHOLY spirit bear the characteristics of personality, both alike are invisible,
both are powerful, both are spirit, both are energy!
The poison of
death in the fruit was taken into Adam, producing death. That same poison has since been
transmitted by nature to all Adams descendants, subsequently working death in each
one. Oh, this is not a small matter! Not many Christians have realized the fall of Adam in
such a way. Satan injected the poison of his own nature of sin and death into the fruit of
that tree. This is why God warned Adam that if he ate of it he would surely die! Through
the fruit Satan entered into Adam and became a part of him. Through the activity of the
carnal mind the poison of Satans own dark spirit nature became operative in man.
Since Satan and man became one through the second tree, Satan is no longer outside of man,
but in man. Now you can see that the fall of man was not just a matter of man committing
something against God, but of man receiving something into his body, into himself. Satan,
from the time of the fall, dwells in man. This is what happened when man partook of the
second tree.
We have seen that
the purpose of God is to dispense Himself into man. II Cor.
God the Father is
the universal source of all things. Paul tells us in
The second step
in the dispensation of God to man is found in the manifestation of God in the Son.
Formerly it was impossible for man to know the Father, for from the time when Adam and Eve
were driven forth from His presence mankind was shut out from any vital relationship with
Him. He was exclusively God and His nature was exclusively divine. There was no bridging
of the gap between God and man, not because of a deficiency on Gods part, but due to
the deficiency on mans part. For natural minds to comprehend things spiritual is
equally as impossible as for worms of the earth to comprehend things human. Humans are of
a higher order than are worms.
Likewise, God in
His being is of an infinitely higher order than are fallen mortals. There is no common
ground of knowledge. Therefore humans are totally incapable of comprehending that which
pertains to that higher order. And so, until God, through His own infinite ability,
manifests Himself on a level in which He can communicate with man, it is impossible for
them to have any understanding, either of God, or of His Word or ways. So in His
redemptive process God acted to make Himself available to man.
Jesus is indeed
the expression of God, or GOD EXPRESSED. No man hath seen God at any time; the only
begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him (Jn.
Now let us read
Isaiah 9:6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given
His name shall
be called
Mighty God, Everlasting Father. A brother has written: It does
not say mighty man, but Mighty God. A little child is called the mighty God! All
Christians agree with the prophecy of this verse. The child mentioned here refers to the
child born in the stable in
When Jesus came,
He came to take the place of Adam to fulfill the eternal purpose of God for man to
become the expression of God to the whole universe. As man, His first emphasis or
principle was: I will be a man and I will fulfill the divine plan. I will be a man
living wholly unto God. His first consideration was not evangelistic that is,
toward man. His first consideration was towards God. I will live unto God; I will
live by God the Father; I will draw upon His life; I will simply be a vessel filled with
God; I will manifest Him, reveal Him. I will not do anything on My own; I will not
initiate anything. I will not show how much I can do, how much I know, how much power I
have. I will not display My own attributes. I simply will be HUMANITY, a human vessel, a
simple human personality; but God the Father will be in Me, living out His life, His
nature, His will. THAT is Sonship!
When Jesus came
into the world He said two things. In Heb. 10:5 we read, A body has Thou prepared
Me. He was saying, I have a means of expressing God among humanity. A
body is for expression. If I never moved my hands, or my mouth, or my eyes, you never
would know what I was thinking. But having a body, I have these unique physical
capacities, and am able to express what I am. Well, Jesus Christ said, I will not
express what I am; Ill express what HE is. THAT is Sonship! Jesus said on
another occasion, I do nothing of Myself. Oh my! That is just contrary to what
we have thought. We have thought, Why, Jesus could do ANYTHING! Yet He said,
I do nothing of Myself. As I hear, I judge. He as much as said,
My judgments are just, because I judge no man, My Father judges and My Father never
makes a mistake. He knows whats going on. I just listen for His judgment and as I
hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, for it is not mine, but His.
Again Jesus said,
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I
speak unto you, I speak not of Myself: but the FATHER THAT DWELLETH IN ME, HE doeth the
works (Jn.
Now here is the
second thing Jesus said when He came into the world. I delight to do Thy will, Oh
God. Jesus never stopped to consider if He was going to be understood or
misunderstood. He never stopped to consider if He was going to suffer. He never stopped to
think about whether He was going to die. He knew that as long as He walked in the will of
His Father, nobody could take His life from Him, prematurely, because it was the
Fathers life. What ever His Father willed moment by moment, that was all He could
will. I come to do Thy will, oh God. THIS is Sonship!
As marvelous as
it is to behold the Father in the Son, God, however, cannot COME INTO US through the Son.
We still need a further stage, a third and final step, for God to dispense Himself into
man. We see what God is like by looking at Jesus, but that doesnt put God in Christ
into us. Lets be more specific.
II Corinthians
There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one (I Jn. 5:7). The Father in heaven is the unseen, invisible God. The
Son is the visible manifestation of God in human flesh the WORD made flesh in the
Person of Jesus the Christ. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we
beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (Jn.
The English word
spirit is from the Latin SPIRARE, meaning to breathe, the words
respiration, expiration, and inspiration all being
derived from the same source. Similarly the Greek word PNEUMA comes from PNEO, meaning
to breathe or blow, and the Hebrew RUAHH is believed to come from a root
having the same meaning. Since one cannot live without air and breathing in the realm of
the physical, wind and breath are used symbolically of the Holy Spirit, apart from whom
there can be no life in the realm of the spiritual. The Holy Spirit is Gods breath,
Gods out-breathing, Gods ENERGY FORCE by which He accomplishes His purpose and
executes His will. Many times we have thought of the Holy Spirit as power, and
certainly He has power, but power is basically the ability or capacity to act or do things
and it can be latent, dormant, inactively resident in someone or something.
Force, on the other hand, more specifically describes energy projected and
exerted on persons or things, and may be defined as an influence which produces or
tends to produce motion, or change of motion. Power might be likened to
the stored energy in a battery, while force could be compared to the current
flowing from such battery. Force, then, more accurately represents the sense
of the Hebrew and Greek terms as relating to Gods Spirit, and this is borne out by a
consideration of the scriptures.
Thus, the Holy
Spirit is Gods ENERGY FORCE. It is Gods energy force projected and exerted
upon man. It is Gods motion, action and influence in one measure or another upon
man. Yahweh accomplished the creation of the universe by means of His Spirit or ENERGY
FORCE. Regarding the planet Earth in its early formative stages, the record states that
The Spirit (energy force) of God was moving to and fro over the surface of the
waters (Gen. 1:2). Ps. 33:6 says, By the word of the Lord were the heavens
made; and all the host of them by the breath (spirit) of His mouth. Like a powerful
breath or blast of living wind, Gods Spirit can be sent forth to exert power even
though there is no bodily or visible contact with that which is acted upon. Where a human
craftsman would use the force of his hands and fingers to produce things, God uses His
Spirit. Hence that Spirit is also spoken of as Gods hand or
fingers. Jesus told the Pharisees, If I cast out devils by the SPIRIT of
God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you (Mat. 12:28). But Luke, in recording
the same event, expresses it thus: If I with the FINGER of God cast out devils, no
doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you (Lk. 11:20). The Spirit of God is the
finger of God, the working, the activity of God usward. How great is His working!
Now our spirits
can breathe deeply of the sublimity of the truth revealed by Jesus when He said: And
I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with
you forever; even the Spirit of truth
ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU (Jn.
We must
understand that God has always been Spirit. But formerly God contained His Spirit within
Himself. He did not share it. Angels do not have Gods Spirit although they are
spirit beings. Their spirit is of a different order than the Spirit of God, for unto
which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten
thee? (Heb. 1:5). Angels are not born of Gods Spirit and therefore are not of
the same spirit substance of God. They are created spirits of a different kind of spirit
life. God had not shared the uniqueness of His own Spirit with any other being until
Jesus. In the Old Testament the anointings of Gods Spirit came and went, fell and
lifted. The Spirit was never completely given to any man prophet,
priest, or king. This is why we read such statements as these: And when they came
thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came
upon him (Saul), and he prophesied among them (I Sam.
John bore witness
to this when baptizing Jesus as
This truth is
worthy of deep meditation and prayer. Jesus was telling these distraught men that His
going away would mean the coming of the Spirit. He told them plainly that it was better
for them that the Spirit should come to them than that He should remain with them! How
deeply this needs to impress us! Blessed and marvelous beyond description was His own
presence and ministry among them; yet far more blessed would be the ministry and presence
of the Spirit within them. Truly Jesus was Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. But what unspeakable
glory to experience the coming of the Spirit which is GOD IN US! This does not depreciate
Jesus in any sense, for HE IS THE SPIRIT! He assured His disciples, And He shall
give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the SPIRIT OF TRUTH,
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know
Him; for He dwelleth WITH YOU (as Jesus), and SHALL BE IN YOU (Jn.
Wonderful as was
the presence of Christ in the world, that physical presence cannot be compared to the
magnificent glory of the Spirit of Christ dwelling in the heart of man. No outward
manifestation of power or glory can take the place of His indwelling presence! It is from
within and not from without that the work of transformation is to be carried forward from
glory to glory until we shine in that same image of Christ. Though Christ had walked and
talked with His disciples, eating with them, praying with them, teaching them, and
continually demonstrating the mighty works of God among them, even giving them power to
heal the sick and cast out devils in His name, yet at the time of His departure there was
but little sign of any work of transformation within them. All was by grace. Peter was
still capable of cursing like a sailor and lying like the devil! Judas was still capable
of stealing, fraud, and acting a traitor. In the face of pressure they were all capable of
forsaking Him and running away in despair. They were still very natural, carnal men, as
almost all the Old Testament saints had been. God in Christ had indeed been among them,
for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, but He was definitely not IN THEM! Transformation
does not take place from without. It must come from within. All the evil in the world
today, even as Jesus said, comes from within the evil heart of man. Therefore, since all
evil begins within and not without, then transformation must begin within and not without.
A man who makes his New Years resolutions to change and reform his habits has only
an outward change, and usually temporary at best, while his heart remains unchanged. But
the man who ceases his sinfulness and carnality because his heart is changed is changed
from within and is indeed a New Creation man. Herein then lies the first and greatest
blessing of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had been with them, but now He would be
IN THEM, changing, transforming, renewing them from within. He would become the
dispensation of God into man by the Spirit. How wonderful it must have been to walk the
hills of
THE
ALL-SUFFICIENT OF THE SPIRIT
If your desire is
to truly be an overcomer in this hour, a most wonderful key is found in I Jn. 1:7.
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. There is a
way for the Lords people to be freed from ALL SIN! If we walk in the
light. How? AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT! To walk in the light as He is in the
light, means to expose ourselves to the Spirit even as He exposes Himself to the Father.
There is a great principle here! Paul says in
But havent
we always had it turned around in our thinking? Havent we always been struggling to
die so we can live? How often have we said, If somehow I can get rid of
my old man, if I can just conquer this habit, this nature, this temper, this
lust, this
this
this
THEN I shall be able to have the LIFE of Christ
manifested in me! We have been trying to get rid of sin so we can have
righteousness. We have tried to get rid of death so we can have life. We have worked at
eradicating from our lives all the darkness so we can walk in the light. But friend, we
have been putting the cart before the horse! That is like saying, I will stand here
in this dark room and rebuke the darkness, and when I get all the darkness out, I will
have light. You can rebuke the darkness until you fall dead but it will never leave
until you TURN ON THE LIGHT! There is no vacuum machine that can suck up darkness, no
chemical that can wash it away, no force that can move it. The problem is not to get rid
of the darkness, but to produce the light. The LAW OF LIGHT is that it always dispels
darkness. It never fails! So if you have been trying to get rid of the darkness in you,
the carnality in you, by rebuking it, fighting it, struggling with it, trying to reform
it, praying to be delivered from it, having hands laid on you for it
FORGET IT! None
of those things can remove the darkness in us. Only the LIGHT can do that! Brother,
sister, TURN ON THE LIGHT in your life, expose yourself to the mighty presence of the Holy
Spirit in your life, and the law of the Spirit of life working in you will make you free
from the other law of sin and death. You cant take death out of a corpse to make it
live, but put LIFE IN IT and it will live! And you cant take the law of death out of
you, but you can put the law of the Spirit of life in you and the death will be swallowed
up!
The light is
turned on as we yield to the Spirit. The way to learn to yield to the Spirit is to first
of all BE FILLED with the Spirit. I am not speaking of merely receiving an initial
experience of the baptism in the Spirit and speaking in tongues. I speak of BEING
CONSTANTLY in that state of being FULL of the Spirit. In Eph.
I have had that
experience of facing the pressures of everyday living until the vital presence of God has
been crowded out of my life. This has usually happened when I failed to give myself daily
to prayer and praise, to the Word of God, and fellowship with the body of Christ. When we
spend all our spare time visiting on the carnal plane, reading the newspaper, watching
television, tinkering with hobbies, and any number of activities which may not be wrong in
themselves, WE CROWD THE SPIRIT OUT OF OUR LIVES. How filled our lives are with EARTHLY
THINGS! Always going, going, going, and doing, doing, doing. Once in a while we spend a
few minutes in prayer, or in the Word, or with some brother or sister in fellowship, or in
some dead meeting, and then we wonder WHY we have no power in our lives and WHY we are not
overcomers!
There is a LAW OF
LIFE that must be at work in us. But you dont really need to be concerned about the
LAW of life, you just need the LIFE! The law will work naturally. When the life is there
the law will work. When the law is working, death and darkness are swallowed up, put
neutralized in us. Seek LIFE! If the glorious presence of God the Spirit can keep me in a
spiritual state of overcoming life for TEN MINUTES
or for TWO HOURS
or for
THREE DAYS
then that same anointing of HIS LIFE within can keep me in that state of
victory for as long as I MAINTAIN THE FLOW OF HIS LIFE! This is the absolute UNFAILING KEY
to victory and overcoming! Maintain the flow of the fullness of His presence and you will
have little trouble with the flesh. This is the LAW OF THE SPIRIT. It WORKS! As Paul said:
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the works of the
flesh (Gal.
You will see the
law of life at work. The old carnality, the old ways, the old desires, the old
frustrations, will begin to fade away and become dimmer and dimmer in your life. Life will
swallow up death. Light will dispel the darkness. Yielding to the Spirit is simply
giving yourself to His presence and working in your life. Dont try any
longer to get rid of, or quit doing, or kill, or
die, or change anything! Seek LIFE! Seek HIM! Give your whole
being to Him, expose your whole life to the light. You will begin to live by the life of
Gods dear Son.
Adam and Eve in
the beginning never were FLESH-CONSCIOUS until they ceased to walk in the Spirit. As long
as they were totally caught up in God they werent aware of the flesh. When they
departed from the Spirit they immediately became aware of flesh and perceived that they
were naked and commenced to try to cover their shame. As long as they walked in Gods
presence there was no shame, for the motions of sin were neutralized. The measure of the
rising up of His life within will, in that same measure, check the appetites of the carnal
mind.
God is seeking
the fully developed life of His Son in us in order to manifest HIMSELF through us as the
central manifestation of Himself to the whole creation. God in Christ in the Spirit IN YOU
is His purpose!
The
Characteristics Of The Holy Spirit
In our last Study
we wrote of the great truth of Gods eternal purpose to dispense Himself into man. We
saw that God has manifested Himself in three aspects of His Person to accomplish this.
Electricity can be used to illustrate this three-fold operation of God. It includes these
three stages: the source, the manifestation, and the realization. These seem to be three
different things, but in reality they are one. The source, the manifestation, and the
realization are all three activities of the electricity. Electricity is energy, and if
energy did not exist there could be no source, no manifestation, no realization. As there
is electricity in three different stages, so there is one eternal God with three distinct
aspects and operations of His Being. At one end there is the source of the electricity
the generator producing it. Then there is the manifestation of electricity in a
thousand different ways: the hot coils of the stove, the lighted filament in the bulb, the
running engine in the machine, etc. Finally, there is the realization of electricity
the light coming from the bulb and flooding the room, the heat coming from the
stove, filling the room, etc. The light that you read or work by, the heat in the house
which makes you comfortable, these are simply electricity realized. As you read and work
in the light you dont think very much about the bulb on the ceiling, or about the
generator miles away. You just utilize and enjoy the light in the room! And yet, without
the bulb there is no light, and without the generator the bulb can produce no light. Each
stage is necessary. Similarly, God the Father is the source of our divine life the
generator. God the Son is the manifestation of that divine life the bulb. And God
the Holy Spirit is our realization of the divine life the light (life) filling our
room: our hearts, minds, and bodies. But these are just three stages of the very SAME
THING! The thing proceeding from the generator is energy, the thing flowing and
manifesting through the bulb is energy, and the light filling the room is energy! Not
three different energies, but the same energy. Likewise, the divine life in the Father is
GOD, the divine life in the Son is GOD, and the divine life transmitted to us as the
Spirit is GOD. Not three different Gods, but the one God! The Holy Spirit is in us as the
very transmission of God, transmitting constantly all that God is in Christ to us.
There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these
three are one (I Jn. 5:7). The Father in heaven is the unseen, invisible God. The
Son is the visible manifestation of God in human flesh the WORD made flesh in the
Person of Jesus the Christ. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we
beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (Jn.
OUR NEED OF THE
SPIRIT
The great work of
God in bringing many sons to glory could not be properly considered, nor clearly
understood, if the work of the Holy Spirit, in connection therewith, were overlooked or
ignored. It was under the anointing influence of the Holy Spirit, received by our Lord
Jesus at His baptism, at the beginning of His ministry, that His consecrated heart was
enabled to see clearly and distinctly the Fathers will, the proper course, and to
appreciate the exceeding great glory which lay beyond His humiliation, ignominy and death
at Calvary. By the Holy Spirit, therefore, our Elder Brother was enabled to perform His
great work, being guided, influenced, and empowered to do that which was pleasing and
acceptable before the Father. Similarly the Holy Spirit is identified with His body, the
Church. Only in proportion as we receive the Holy Spirit of God are we able to come into
proper relationship with the Father, and with the Son, so as to be able to prove
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, and do it. Only by the Holy Spirit
are we guided beyond the mere letter of the Word, into the glorious and eternal reality of
the deep things of God, even all those things which God has in reservation for
them that truly love Him, which the human eye hath not seen, the human ear hath not heard,
neither hath entered into the human heart to understand and appreciate (I Cor. 2:9-10).
THE MEANING OF SPIRIT
It is our purpose
in writing these truths to set forth both in depth and simplicity the awe-inspiring and
marvelous things of the precious Spirit of God. It is befitting to inquire at the outset,
What senses or meanings attach themselves to the words Holy Spirit as used in
the scriptures? What qualities, qualifications, or characteristics of God are represented
by the word Spirit?
The English word
spirit is from the Latin SPIRARE, meaning to breathe, the words
respiration, expiration, and inspiration all being
derived from the same source. Similarly the Greek word PNEUMA comes from PNEO, meaning
to breathe or blow, and the Hebrew RUAHH is believed to come from a root
having the same meaning. Since one cannot live without air and breathing in the realm of
the physical, wind and breath are used symbolically of the Holy Spirit, apart from whom
there can be no life in the realm of the spiritual. The Holy Spirit is Gods breath,
Gods out-breathing, Gods ENERGY FORCE by which He accomplishes His purpose and
executes His will. As someone has written: In English we describe breathing as a
succession of two acts: inspiration, expiration
inspire, expire. I have
expired means I have breathed out, or, in the ultimate sense, I am out of breath and
therefore dead. I have inspired means I have breathed in; if changed slightly
to I am inspired it could mean I am filled with an enlivening breath from the
artistic muses or, in a religious context, filled with the Holy Spirit. The writers of the
Bible claim to have been inspired, or in-breathed. Linguists love to speculate on double
meanings, guessing why the ancients borrowed that word to express this concept. The
relationship between breath and spirit is obvious. Jesus referred to one parallel in His
conversation with Nicodemus: The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born
of the Spirit (John 3:8). An invisible force from far away, whether wind or Spirit,
has visible manifestations.
The word
spirit, in the Old Testament, is the translation of the Hebrew word RUACH, the
primary significance or root-meaning of which is WIND. The word spirit in the
New Testament comes from the Greek word PNEUMA, whose primary significance or root-meaning
likewise is WIND. The English word ghost used in the King James version,
though now somewhat obsolete and not in general use, is derived from the Greek PNEUMA, its
original meaning being exactly the same as the word spirit, meaning WIND. But
let no one hastily conclude that we are about to attempt to prove that the Holy Spirit is
a holy wind, for nothing could be farther from our thought.
There are two
basic characteristics of the wind which qualify it to so fittingly serve as the supreme
symbol of the Holy Spirit. The wind is first of all a POWERFUL FORCE, and secondly it is
INVISIBLE. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of
the SPIRIT (Jn. 3:8). You cannot see the wind, and yet you are aware of its reality
because of its power with the visible effects of that power manifested around you. In
earlier times the wind was used broadly as a source of energy. Man has always known how to
use sails on a boat or ship. Later, he learned to use the same principle to construct a
windmill, using the force of the wind to turn grindstones, pump water, and do many other
kinds of work.
SPIRIT IS
ENERGY
It is important
for us to understand that spirit is used not only of PERSONALITY, but also of
the attributes, virtues, characteristics, nature, disposition, attitudes, mind, will, and
influences of the personality. For example, you exist as a person, a personality, but
inherent within your personality are all of your faculties, attitudes, nature, abilities,
etc. These characteristics are all a part of what makes you you you would not be
you without them! So one cannot truly differentiate between a person and the various
attributes and characteristics of that person. It is through these characteristics of your
personality that you are able to express yourself and influence the world around you.
We must
understand that life (spirit) is ENERGY. This means that you as a person, a personality,
are ENERGY. Energy has many forms, but it is not something that you can see or hold in
your hand. You can think of energy as something that can make things change. For example,
a moving object has energy because it can change things by crashing into them. Heat is
another form of energy. It is a sort of motion, too the disorderly motion of the
tiny atoms and molecules that make up all materials. Heat
energy can melt ice, changing it to water, and heat it more, changing it to vapor. It can
run the engine of an automobile, jet plane or rocket. There is another kind of energy,
called chemical energy. It is in the coal or oil that heats buildings. It is in the food
that nourishes your body and keeps you active. There is atomic energy which can be set
free from the atoms of some materials. And then there is the energy carried by light
waves, called electromagnetic energy. It is the electromagnetic energy in sunlight that
warms the earth. Light waves, streaming out of the sun, carry energy to us across nearly a
hundred million miles of space. When the energy of the light hits the earth, part of it
changes to heat.
Another kind of
energy which we, as the people of God, are aware of is SPIRIT ENERGY. In physics energy is
known as the capacity for doing work. The Greek word for energy is ENERGEIA. This word is
used in the Greek New Testament several times. Because of the association between
doing work and energy, the word is generally translated into the
English as working. Since so much has been learned about energy in recent
years it would now be far better to translate the word for just what it means
energy. Let us look at a couple scriptures. That ye may know
what is the
exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working (Gr:
energia, energy, energizing) of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He
raised Him from the dead (Eph.
These principles
show us that God is a Holy Spirit BEING, possessing Holy Spirit CHARACTERISTICS, and
exerting Holy Spirit INFLUENCES. The influences of God are no less God than is the Person
of God. The characteristics of God: His nature, virtues, attributes, power, mind, etc. are
no less God than is the Person of God. God Himself is supreme energy able to
influence and change ALL THINGS! But the characteristics and influences of God are
likewise energy, spirit energy. The Bible declares that God is love. It doesnt say
that God has love, but God is love. This is His nature. Did you know that love is energy?
You wont have to think about that very long to realize that it is true. Love is a
force that can influence and CHANGE THINGS. Love is invisible, like the wind, but it is
powerful! And love can be transmitted, invisibly, from person to person, even as light
rays are transmitted from the sun to the earth. The qualities of love can be received by
those around us even as the life-giving qualities of the sun are absorbed and utilized by
every living thing on earth.
We read in Rom.
How about joy?
You cannot put joy in your pocket or roll it up like a wad of bills. But can joy be found
in the world today? Can we attain joy, individually? Yes, joy is real. Joy is SPIRIT! Joy
is ENERGY! What is righteousness? Is there any righteousness on this earth? Righteousness
is living right, right attitude, right motive, a desire to right living according to
Gods standard. When you receive a new spirit, or right spirit, or Holy Spirit, you
are destined to right living; you are destined to righteousness. Right living is
attainable on this earth now because of the right spirit, the Holy Spirit, Gods
Spirit. I have good news for you
you can receive a new spirit, a new energy, Holy
Spirit, Holy Energy, and as a result attain a walk in right living, a walk in
righteousness. That is what God is!
The above
characteristics all qualify as spirit for they are realities which are both invisible but
powerful. They all qualify as energy for they are real, invisible forces that can MAKE
THINGS CHANGE. How we need a receptivity to these influences in the world today! Thank
God, He is bringing to pass such a receptivity in a first-fruits company of His chosen
ones in this hour! If there were no receptivity in the trees and flowers and shrubs, we
should have a desert around us. These things spring to life because of their quiet
receptivity of the energy of the sunlight and moisture poured on them. What they receive
they utilize. That is why the primary function of all creation, animate and inanimate, is
receptivity. Your basic function, and mine, is the same simply to receive of that
essence of God which is so bountifully poured upon us through the Spirit!
On
THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPIRIT
That
spirit is a proper term for nature, ideas, thoughts, attitudes, desires, mind,
will, and all such characteristics is illustrated by a story I read recently. An Elder was
telling of a young lad in a certain congregation of the Lords body. This boy was a
devotee of baseball. He was a little leaguer. When the world series ran he came to the
meeting of the Church dressed in a baseball outfit, a glove on one hand and a small
transistor radio in the other. His pocket was stretched by a ball. He didnt hear the
message. His ear was glued to that radio. He refused to miss one word of the
announcers description of the game. Now, that boy was filled with the spirit of
baseball. He thought baseball. He talked baseball. He even took his bat to bed. It was all
he cared about. He was filled with it. It was his life!
As I am writing,
equal rights is a big issue in our land. There are people filled with the spirit of
womens rights, gay rights, or the perceived rights of some other group. They
dont have time for anything else. They are consumed with a desire to petition,
lecture, organize, march. Nothing else matters. They eat, sleep and dream equal rights.
Their money, time, talents and energies are exhausted as they pour themselves into the
struggle for equality. They are FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT of equal status for all people.
These people are filled with an attitude, a mind, a disposition, a will, and all these
characteristics produce a tremendous INFLUENCE upon the thinking, attitudes and actions of
multitudes of citizens. Perhaps now we can understand what it really means to BE FILLED
WITH THE SPIRIT. It means to not only be filled with the Person and Presence of the Holy
Spirit of God, but with all the characteristics of the Spirit: His nature, will, mind,
ways, virtues, disposition, purpose, etc. How many Christians settle for something so far
less than this! We are living in an hour when it is popular, the in thing, to
be a Spirit-filled or Charismatic Christian. But truly I say to
you that multitudes have settled for some superficial experience of tongues,
or a gift, or feeling, and have never even dreamed of what it
means to become literally FILLED with EACH and EVERY characteristic of the divine nature
and power of GOD! Becoming filled with the Holy Spirit must do far more for us than cause
us to repeat some gibberish whispered in our ear, or to become ecstatic in our
emotions. To be filled with the Spirit means to be filled with ALL THE SPIRIT IS. Jesus
was so filled, for He possessed the Spirit without measure. And Paul prayed
for the saints that they might be filled WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD (Eph.
I cannot
overemphasize the importance of this! Let us take a closer look at some of the
characteristics of the Holy Spirit. He is variously defined as The Spirit of
God, The Spirit of Christ, The Spirit of Holiness, The
Spirit of Truth, The Spirit of a Sound Mind, The Spirit of
Liberty, The Spirit of Burning, The Spirit of the Father,
The Spirit of Promise, The Spirit of Meekness, The Spirit of
Understanding, The Spirit of Wisdom, The Spirit of Glory,
The Spirit of Counsel, The Spirit of Grace, The Spirit of
Adoption, The Spirit of Prophecy, etc. etc. These various titles,
repeated many times, and used interchangeably, give us a full, proper assurance that they
all relate to the same Holy Spirit indeed, frequently the word Holy is
added in, combined, as for instance, The Holy Spirit of God, The Holy
Spirit of Promise, etc. These various expressions are descriptive of the spirit,
nature, disposition, power and glory of one God, our Father; and also the spirit, nature,
disposition, power, etc. of our Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the expression of the
Father; and also it is the spirit and disposition of all who are truly the Lords, in
proportion as they have come into oneness, or harmony, with Him.
Each of these
characteristics is a form of the energy of God. This energy can be transmitted to us, to
produce its power within us, even as electricity is transmitted from a battery to an
engine to make it function in a certain way. When the Spirit of Holiness is
transmitted to us we begin to function in our personality in that characteristic of
Gods holiness, thus becoming holy. When the Spirit of Wisdom is
transmitted to us we cease from our own natural reasonings and commence to act in
accordance with the higher wisdom of God.
HOW SPIRIT
INFLUENCES
This gives us a
most wonderful understanding of the workings of the spirit. We see that there are two very
real spiritual invisible forces in this world in which we live. You and I are the vessels
in which they operate, through which they express themselves on the physical plane. Their
power is a spiritual power or influence. The negative power, Satan, is an influence of sin
and unrighteousness, of deception and rebellion. This Satanic influence, energy, permeates
the very atmosphere around each of us. He is indeed the Prince of the power of the
air. But more than that it is also the spirit that WORKETH WITHIN those who sin. Of
this spirit-influence Paul says: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that
are lost: IN WHOM the god of this world hath blinded the MINDS of them (II Cor.
4:3-4). This influence is clearly upon the MIND of man. That is how we may be tempted,
deceived, or overcome. Notice the following Scriptures: To open their eyes, and turn
them from the darkness (wrong understanding, perverted knowledge) to light, and from the
POWER OF SATAN unto God (Acts 26:18). And supper being ended, the DEVIL having
now put it IN THE HEART (mind, desire) of Judas Iscariot, to betray Him (Jn. 13:2).
The Word declares
that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted of THE DEVIL. How often, with our
childish and immature understanding, have we pictured Jesus confronted by that legendary
figure in the red suit, with horns on his head, and a pitchfork in his hands! But this is
nothing but foolishness, for Satan is a spirit, and spirit is invisible to human sight.
How many times have you been tempted of the devil? Can you count the times? How many times
has he spoken to you, enticing, suggesting, compelling? Have you ever seen him, or audibly
heard his voice? Certainly not! And yet, you HAVE heard his voice, you HAVE sensed his
presence, you have felt his power! It was all in your mind, the inner knowing, the hunger,
the confidence, the sense of His presence, but it is all totally apart from our natural
senses. Because it is in our mind does not mean that it is imagination or hallucination!
In words fraught
with eternal significance the inspired apostle exhorts, 'Be renewed in the S-P-I-R-I-T OF
YOUR MIND' (Eph. 4:23). One has so aptly written, commenting on this verse: Note
that it reads: in the SPIRIT of our mind, for this is far more than just mental gymnastics
of our own self-efforts. It is the energizing of His Spirit upon our human spirit which in
turn takes dominion over our mind and brings our mind into subjection to the Spirit of
truth. There is beneficial results in the power of positive thinking, even on natural
realms. But true transformation comes when it is in THE S-P-I-R-I-T OF YOUR MIND. Oh, it
may become the norm of our life to just be thinking HIS thoughts, because of the
enlargement of His Spirit force within us. It is more than merely a renewing of the
mind it is the renewing of SPIRIT the spirit of the mind. It is an absolute
must to receive from a realm higher than Adam can give in order to have our minds renewed.
The change comes from the Lord from heaven, out of the spirit realm of God, uniting with
our spirit. It is the heavenly Jesus dwelling in our hearts, making us ONE IN HIM.
Elwin Roach has
shared this illuminating thought concerning the transformation of the mind: This
word, renewing, is adequately rendered in Rom. 12:2; however, to be a little more
accurate, the word could be translated RENOVATION (see Strong's Exhaustive Concordance).
We are then transformed by the renewing of our minds. There is only a slight difference in
the two words, but when renovation is used, we get the thought of a complete house
clearing, house cleaning, and then a total refurbishing. Everything old is removed and
replaced with all new furnishings. God, however, does something differently in His
renovation. He does it just the opposite. He does not clear out the old things and leave
our minds a total void and then start filling them with new thoughts. He starts bringing
in the new thoughts first, and with this the old passes away and gives place to the new
and all this is of God. Think about it!"
The activity of
the mind is primarily in the realm of THOUGHTS. Thoughts are very real and alive. Thoughts
are SPIRITUAL REALITIES, transmitted energy, coming upon your person via the gate of your
mind. This energy (thoughts) is transmitted into your conscious mind from the unconscious
to cause you to act and react in a certain way. Thoughts do not originate in mortal brain.
Thoughts are invisible and powerful entities which have their origin in the dimension of
SPIRIT. Thoughts do have an objective! You should know and become aware of the objectives
of the thoughts that enter your mind. Every decision you have ever made or ever will make
has its origin, intent and power in the INVISIBLE REALM, the realm of spirit. You will
never understand the mystery of life until you thoroughly know that there is a negative
and a positive spirit force. The negative leads to death; the positive to life. The mind
is the gateway, the channel through which these energy forces affect our lives. The
thoughts that come to us bear the characteristics of the spirit force operating in us. Let
us list some of the characteristics of the negative realm: ...unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, debate, deceit, malignity,
whispers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil
things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful" Rom. 1:29-31). What a list! Search your mind...
stop and think! Are some of your thoughts carrying these characteristics? They carry
within them the power of death!
Now let us list
some of the characteristics of the spirits (thoughts) which come from God. "But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23). Thoughts carrying these characteristics come
from God, the author of life. Each of these characteristics will cause you to take on and
express the very NATURE OF GOD, for they are the energy producing the very power of God's
nature in the life. What frame of mind do you find yourself living in much of the time?
Think now! Is it creative, holy, virtuous, joyful, confident, loving, life-giving, humble,
temperate, peaceful? Or is it depressed, discouraged, uncertain, frustrated, angry,
fearful, hateful, proud, self-centered, intolerant? You are what you are because of what
you have been THINKING! We are constantly entertaining and being influenced and shaped by
thoughts which have an origin. They are spirit. They are like the wind they just
"blow" into your mind. They are energy: motivating, directing, compelling your
actions. They are POWERFUL, INVISIBLE FORCES that shape your destiny!
Prov. 23:7 says,
"For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Well did the prophet assert:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose MIND is stayed on Thee" Isa. 26:3).
To which is added the inspired testimony of the apostle Paul: "If ye then be risen
with Christ seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of
God. Set your affections (thoughts) on things above (spiritual, heavenly), not on things
on the earth (natural, carnal)" (Col. 3:1-2). And again, "Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK on these things!" (Phil. 4:8). This we can
do, praise His name, for "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
though God to the pulling down of strongholds; CASTING DOWN IMAGINATIONS (thoughts), and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity EVERY THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor. 10:4-5).
YOU CAN
MINISTER SPIRIT!
Beyond the effect
of spirit upon us and the energizing of spirit within us, there is that ability to
MINISTER SPIRIT. Every child of God should seek that God would open his eyes to show him
this wonderful ministry of the Spirit. Paul spoke of it in these inspired words, "Who
also hath make us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the
SPIRIT: for the letter killeth, but the SPIRIT giveth life... if the ministration of
death... was glorious... how shall not the MINISTRATION OF THE S-P-I-R-I-T be rather
glorious" (II Cor. 3:6-9).
This passage
contains two significant phrases: "Who hath make us able ministers of the New
Testament... OF THE SPIRIT and the ministration of.. . SPIRIT." The New
Testament is not the black, leather covered, book called the Bible. This book is what Paul
calls "the letter." It is the law, the record, the history, the form which tells
us many things about the historical man called Jesus. The twenty-seven books called the
New Testament are merely the guide given to point us to the TRUE NEW TESTAMENT, Jesus, the
Christ of God! "Search the scriptures," said Jesus, "for in them ye think
ye have eternal life: and they are they which TESTIFY OF M-E' (Jn.
You may say,
"Who, me? Me a minister of the SPIRIT? Why, I can't even testify without stuttering
and my knees knocking!" How can we minister spirit? We know how to minister tangible
things: our hands minister food to our mouths, they wash our bodies, clothe our bodies,
minister ointments and medicines to diseased or painful members, and serve others in a
multitude of ways. This is not hard to understand but how can a person minister SPIRIT?.
We minister spirit when we minister WHAT THE SPIRIT IS within us! As we walk in the
attitude and will of God, speak the words of God, act in the wisdom of God, express the
character of God, manifest the nature of God, there is transmission of spirit energy to
the people, events, and circumstances about us.
How can we
describe that Holy Spirit which is within us? We can describe the fruit of the apple tree
in terms of the characteristics of the apple, i.e., peeling, meat, stem, core, seeds,
texture, flavor, etc. The characteristics make up the description of what an apple is,
what it is like. Similarly, we may describe the Holy Spirit in terms of the virtues or
attributes of the Spirit called "the fruit of the Spirit." Now the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23). This is the image of God, what God the Spirit is like!
And the new man of our spirit is created in the image and likeness of God (Eph.
What kind of
fruit does a natural tree bear? You will answer, "Natural fruit, of course.
That is right. In nature everything produces "after its kind." Apples produce
apples, oranges produce oranges, vegetables produce vegetables, etc. If natural trees
produce natural fruit, what kind of fruit should we expect from SPIRIT? The answer is
simple: SPIRIT FRUIT! The fruit is of the same nature and substance as that which produced
it. If God is Spirit, Holy Spirit, then it follows that the fruit of the Spirit is
likewise Spirit. To minister Spirit, therefore, means nothing more nor less than to
minister the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit to another person. It does not mean to
minister the letter of the Word, or pronouncements of judgment, to preach sermons, or
convince people through argument of a doctrine, or show people where they are wrong,
ungodly, or under condemnation. NO! That is all the ministry of the letter which killeth!
We are called to minister the SPIRIT WHICH PRODUCES LIFE!
God is not
complicated. Spirit is not complicated. God is Spirit, and God is love. Love is not
complicated. Love has no problems communicating, influencing, ministering. When those
around us are discouraged or distraught, we can minister encouragement to them by our
word, attitude and action. When people are sad and sorrowful, as ministers of Spirit, we
will minister joy and faith unto them. In the presence of fear we will exude and speak
peace. When our enemies hate us we will love them in return. When men curse us we will do
good to them, when they revile us we will bless them. When our friends are depressed,
uncertain, and frustrated, we will manifest such calmness and confidence that will lift
them from the shrouding gloom of despair into faith and victory.
It is a
significant fact that all the virtues and characteristics of the Holy Spirit are spirit,
and therefore ARE ENERGY POWER! In the area of will, attitude, nature, mind,
disposition, etc., there is always a transmission of energy. Haven't you noticed how one
person's attitude will "rub off on to another person? One can begin complaining
and soon everyone is complaining. One begins to be argumentative and before you know it
everyone in the room is in a heated argument. Or a whole group of people may feel
frustrated and hopeless in a situation, and just one person can enter the room with a
cheery smile, radiating the aura of confidence and assurance, speaking a positive word of
encouragement and victory, and soon the whole atmosphere changes, becoming charged with
this new expectation, the spirit of the whole group being raised up into hope and
anticipation. What is this? It is the work of spirit-invisible, intangible energy
POWER! Invisible, but very real. And very powerful! There is constantly, in this world,
the definite transference of spirit energy from person to person, negative or positive.
The rise and success of false religions, ideologies like Nazism and communism, rock music,
immorality, etc., are the direct result of negative spirit influence transmitted to the
masses through faithful ministers of unrighteousness who have become FILLED WITH THE
UN-HOLY SPIRIT, and consequently transmitters of the same.
Think not, dear
friend, that in order to minister the Holy Spirit you must speak idle words, put on a
front, or exert some self-effort to impress someone. We are not subscribing to Dale
Carnegie's concepts of HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE. Such methods are soulish
pretense and carnal hypocrisy. But you do have a right to know that since your spirit has
been quickened by HIS Spirit all the virtues and abilities of the Holy Spirit actually are
inherent within your nature. By recognizing the reservoir of life, ability, power and
nature within (our true identity) we are enabled at any and all times to appropriate it
for ourselves and minister its realities to all whom we contact. And this is P-O-W-E-R
the very POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD!
One thing must be
very clear. There are three dimensions of spirit energy which daily touch our lives: God,
the satanic, and the human. Every thought, word and action of mankind emanates from one of
these three invisible but powerful sources. As sons and daughters of the Most High we are
called to the high calling of being transmitters of the life-giving energy of God here
upon this earth! Yes, you can minister SPIRIT HOLY SPIRIT! Hallelujah!
THE SENSES OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT
We are aware that
the natural man judges his affairs by his five senses sight, hearing, touch, smell,
and taste. Let us be mindful that these five natural senses are extremely subject to the
influence and control of the spirit of error for the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned (I Cor. 2:14). Also
to be
carnally minded is death
because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (
The following
words by George Wylie beautifully express the truth I now seek to press home to your
heart. He wrote: The natural man lives externally. Everything he has and knows comes
to him from sources from outside himself, he lives in the realm of his senses. All his
knowledge has come to him through the channel of his sense, from exterior sources. He
learns by what he hears, by what he sees, by what he reads. He goes to school and listens
to the teacher expound from the text books. From the time he is a baby he is learning. He
learns to know his parents and brothers and sisters by seeing them, and by hearing their
voices. It has just been discovered that a baby knows the sound of his mothers
voice, even before he is born. He learns to know whether things are bitter or sweet, sour,
or good tasting, by his sense of taste. He learns to know if objects are hot or cold, hard
or soft, by his feeling. By the time he is two or three years old he has accumulated a
vast storehouse of knowledge, and has learned to understand and speak a language; but it
has all come to him from external sources. Little, if any, knowledge is inherent in him.
He will continue to learn in this way the rest of his life: and it is amazing the amount
of knowledge a man can pack into his head, and how quickly a little child can learn. No
matter how old a man lives he will continue to accumulate knowledge, When he is old enough
to go to school he will learn how to read and write; how to do mathematics. He will learn
about science, physics, biology, and dozens of other subjects; but all this knowledge
comes to him from external sources.
He is
dependent on external things for his peace of mind, his joy, pleasure and satisfaction. As
long as external circumstances are right and to his liking, he will have peace; but when
things go wrong, when he loses his job and there is nothing coming in to support him and
his family, his peace of mind and heart is gone. If he loses his health and is afflicted
with some dread disease as cancer, his peace has taken wings and flown away. You see, his
peace is completely dependant on external conditions. When circumstances which make for
peace are nonexistent, then his peace is also nonexistent.
He gets his
joy, pleasure and satisfaction also from things outside himself. The list of things in
which the natural man finds pleasure is endless, and how much money some will spend on
things to find pleasure in. We have a sportsmans Center here in N. Battleford, and
the inventory must run into millions. I drove past there the other day and saw acres and
acres of new camper trucks, hundreds of them, and each one would be well over $20,000. I
wondered, who on earth is going to buy all those things. But they seem to go. From where I
sit I can look out my window and see thousands of boats of all kinds, trailers etc, and
inside the huge building there are hundreds of motor cycles, snow mobiles, guns, skis,
fishing equipment, and what have you. People spend thousands of dollars on these things
just to have a few hours pleasure. The natural man has to look to these things in order to
enjoy life, as they say. He does not seem to find any joy or pleasure in himself, he has
to find his pleasure in external things.
God made
man a natural creature; he was made of the earth, and is of the earth earthy, and it is
perfectly normal and NATURAL for him to live this way. He is of the earth and can only
find his life and pleasure in the things of the earth. He has to eat to sustain his
natural life which is the life of his body, his flesh. All his food and drink has come
from the earth in the first place. The vegetables, fruits and grains which he eats, have
come directly from the ground. The meat he eats has been produced by the grasses and
grains which the animals and birds have eaten. His body is made of the dust of the earth,
and the cells of his body are worn out and cast off they have to be replaced by other
earth atoms; this he does by eating and drinking. The joys, pleasures and satisfaction he
gets out of living are sensual or soulish, because he is essentially a sensual and soulish
creature.
There is
nothing wrong with this, for God made him this way, and this is the way God ordained he
should live. There is no other way the natural man can live and get some enjoyment out of
living. God has given him a sense of taste so he can enjoy what he eats. He has sight so
he can enjoy the things he sees. The world of scents and perfumes is wonderful, and how we
can enjoy these. I have a house vine and when in bloom it fills the house with the most
exotic scent imaginable, and I love it. Pity the person who has lost his sense of smell.
Women, and men also, will douse themselves with perfume so to make themselves more
appealing to the opposite sex. And who doesnt enjoy those sweet scents. Insects find
themselves mates by the scent the opposite sex exude. The sense of feeling is also
wonderful. How much pleasure we can get by touching and feeling things. The enjoyment a
man and his wife can get by touching, feeling and caressing each other. When our little
daughter was a few months old we were visiting some friends; we didnt have a cat,
but they had a lovely big fluffy one. Our little girl was sitting on the floor and the cat
strayed within her reach, when she reached out and felt that lovely soft fur she squealed
with delight, and every time she took hold of the cats fur she would squeal again.
She got great enjoyment out of feeling the fur.
This is the
way the natural man is, because God has made him that way, and it is wonderful, but God
does not intend him to remain this way. God wants to change him from a natural creature
into a spiritual one.
The natural
man is a carnal man, that is, he lives in the flesh and according to his senses. To be
carnal does not necessarily imply sinfulness, nor does living after the flesh mean that
one is living in a sinful manner; it just means that he is living in the natural way God
has designed the natural man to live.
By our
senses we are world conscious. Through them we are conscious of our environment, and our
surroundings are real to us. Without any of our senses we would not be conscious of
anything; we would just be a vegetable. Even though we might be alive we would know
nothing of the world around us; we would not even be conscious of being alive. So God has
given us our senses so we would know we are alive and be conscious of the world in which
He has placed us, and that we can enjoy the things He has provided for us. The trouble
with this natural, sensual state is, that though it functions perfectly in the natural
realm, it is not capable of understanding spiritual things: the things of the spirit state
it knows nothing about; it can have no comprehension of the things of the Spirit.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually
discerned. (I Cor. 2:14). The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Rom. 8:7). So it is not possible
for us to know God, or be conscious of His being, or understand the things of God, by our
natural senses. We have to have a new birth for that.
Now I am
going to say something that has puzzled me for years, and only recently have I received an
understanding of it. In Gal. 5:25, we read, If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit. Now what did Paul mean by that? This scripture puzzled me for
years.
What does
it mean to be in the Spirit and live in the Spirit? I think we have our answer to that in
Rom. 8:9. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwells in you. So when we have received the Spirit of God we have been
brought into the realm of Spirit; a new world has been opened up unto us. We have been
born into a new state. So we are living in a new environment. But it is possible to be in
this area and not walk in the Spirit but to continue to walk in the flesh, and be carnal.
Once we have been brought into the realm of Spirit, we have to learn to walk in the
Spirit. This isnt something we learn overnight. We can be brought into this Spirit
state and not walk in the spirit, but continue to walk after the flesh.
First
Corinthians is a good example of this. What does it really mean to be spiritual? What
makes us spiritual? Christ is presented to us as the spiritual man in I. Cor. 15. In
contrast with the first Adam who was a natural man. Christ alone is spiritual. We are only
spiritual to the extent we have put on Christ, and are conformed to his likeness. Knowing
a lot about the Bible, being able to pray long prayers, having great gifts of the Spirit
and eloquent ministries does not make one spiritual. The Corinthian Christians had all
this yet were not spiritual.
In the
first chapter of first Corinthians Paul says, I thank my God always on your behalf,
for the grace of God which is given you by Christ Jesus; that in everything ye are
enriched by Him, in all utterance and in all knowledge; so that ye come behind in
no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Vs. 4-7. They had received
an abundance of the grace of God; they had great knowledge of the Word of God, and were
able preachers. They had great utterance of the knowledge of the things of God. They had
all the gifts of the Spirit, as he said, ye come behind in no gift; they were
in the realm of the Spirit , and yet Paul had to say to them, And I, brethren, could
not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as babes in Christ.
(I Cor. 3:1). You see, in spite of all they had received from God, the great gifts and
ministries they had, they were not spiritual, but carnal, For ye are yet carnal
and walk as men. V. 3. Though they were in the Spirit, and perhaps even
ministering in the Spirit, they were not walking in the Spirit but were walking as men:
that is, in the flesh, carnal. It is possible to do this, and that is why Paul said,
If ye live in the Spirit, then also walk in the Spirit. They were walking in
the manner of the natural man, and not as the sons of God.
The natural
man is dependant entirely on external things for his life and existence. Only in the realm
of the Spirit can we live beyond and above eternal things. God is Spirit, and only when we
have learned to walk and function in the spirit, can our lives be fully acceptable to Him.
Jesus said, God is Spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and
in truth, for God seeketh such to worship Him. Only such worship and service is
fully pleasing and acceptable to God. I am afraid that a lot of what goes on in many of
our meetings, which we think is on the Spirit level, is not at all. If we have to prime
the people to get them to sing and praise God, even if they respond in a wonderful manner,
it is still not spiritual worship. If it isnt coming from the spirit, it is not
worshipping God in the Spirit. If we are worshipping God in Spirit we need no pumping or
priming, our hearts are full of praise to God because of our love for Him and appreciation
for what He is and what He has done for us. If we are worshipping God in Spirit, we need
no incentives, it just flows from an overflowing heart. Even some of the meetings that we
think are wonderful, where the singing and the praise has been effervescent and
spontaneous, may not be spiritual at all but soulish and emotional. There is a difference.
Many such meetings are conducted on the soulish level. People are stirred in their souls
and emotions, but not necessarily in the spirit. Many will come to such meetings and get
stirred and excited, even come to the altar to give of themselves to the Lord; but in many
cases it doesnt last. Why? Because they have been reached and stirred in their souls
but it has not gone deep enough to get into the spirit.
To be
spiritual means that we have come to the place where we live and function, not in the area
of the flesh or the soul, but of the spirit. In this wonderful place is where we come in
contact with God, where we meet with Him, and draw from Him all we have need of for life
and existence. Our joy and peace, our health and welfare, and everything that pertains
unto life and godliness, is coming to us, not from external things, but from internal,
from the spirit, the Holy of Holies, where God dwells within us. In Phil. 2:12,13, we are
told to Work out our own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who
worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Work out your salvation.
Most of us are trying to work IN our salvation by external things, trying to build up
something within us by external means, when God says, Work out your salvation,
not by external things but by that which is internal, in the spirit; for It is God
who worketh IN you, both to WILL and DO His good pleasure. We come to full salvation
and perfection, not by things outside of ourselves, but from that which is within, GOD
Himself. It is God working in us, working from within, and not from without, that will
bring us to the completeness of our redemption.
When I
think of the tremendous potential that lies within us I marvel at the greatness of
Gods purpose. We struggle so hard to gain a little bit of knowledge. We study and
ponder over things, trying to get them into our minds, when all the time within us lives
the one in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Paul said, Now we
know only in part, but when that which is perfect is come,
then we will know, even
as also we are known. Can we even begin to fathom the greatness of what God has done
when He sent His Son to dwell in these temples of clay? We keep looking to the God we
believe is in heaven somewhere, out there in space. We keep trying to appropriate
something He did almost two thousand years ago, when all the time He is dwelling in the
Holy of Holies of our being, to accomplish, and fulfill the fullness of the redemption He
purchased for us.
Can you
believe, that in you resides all the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord of the universe? We
keep trying to get some little crumb of knowledge from external sources, when all the time
we could be drawing from that fountain of knowledge that is within us.
This is the
difference between sense knowledge and revelation knowledge. Sense knowledge comes to us
from the outside through our senses, revelation knowledge comes from within, from the one
in whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Can you believe that in you
dwells all the power of the universe? For He who is the Lord of the universe, the one who
said, All power in heaven and earth is given unto
Can you
believe that within you dwells the fullness of the life of God? For He who lives within
you said, I am the LIFE. When we begin to live internally, and allow the one
who lives there to live out through us, the one who is the spiritual man, then we are
coming into the realm of the spiritual, and we are becoming spiritual, living and walking
in the Spirit.
How wonderful to
thus be assured that the Holy Spirit does indeed possess ALL the faculties, abilities,
senses, etc. that mankind possesses, but all in that higher and purer realm of divine
Spirit. When we are born of the Spirit EACH and EVERY element of the Spirits
Personality becomes the elements of the personality of our New Creation Man, our new life
and nature in Christ. Truly I say to you when we are born of the Spirit the five
senses of GOD become resident and operative in our spirit and we may be considered as
having a complete set of spiritual senses five additional senses corresponding to
our earthly senses. Gradually, as we are quickened to become aware of these senses,
the EYES of our understanding open wider and wider to the things not seen by
the natural eye; by degrees the HEARING of faith increases until every good promise of God
is established as truth within; in time we come into TOUCH with the Lord and His invisible
powers; little by little we TASTE and see that the Lord is very gracious; after a time we
come to appreciate those sacrifices and incense-prayers and praises which are of SWEET
ODOR to the Lord. As the natural senses can be cultivated, so can the spiritual; and the
cultivation of these spiritual senses constitutes marks indicating our growth in grace
our development as Sons of God to the completeness of our new selves in the
glory, honor and immortality of the divine nature.
Since our baptism
in the Holy Spirit we are literally plugged in to Gods unlimited and
inexhaustible energy supply. This energy of the Spirit is invisible to men, but its
effects upon them are tangible and visible. This may be illustrated by the electric
current in the wiring in your home. It is invisible, but the moment the cord is plugged
into the outlet the power is manifested in the function of the appliance on the other end
of the cord. The very same current produces light from the lamp, heat from the stove,
sound from the radio, pictures from the television, vibration in the electric toothbrush.
All of these, and many more, are its blessings under proper arrangements. So the Holy
Spirit is the spiritual energy or power of God which moves, enlightens,
regenerates, changes, transforms, renews, leads, instructs, and strengthens all who,
having the proper condition of yieldedness and submission within themselves, are brought
into connection with it.
Introduction
God has revealed
Himself in two great dispensations. In the Old we have the time of promise and
preparation, in the New the time of fulfillment and reality. As we look at these two
dispensations we see that, in relation to them, there is a two-fold working of Gods
Spirit. In the Old Testament we see the Spirit of God coming upon men, and working on them
and through them in special ways and times, ever coming and going, and always working from
above and without, working inwards. In the New Testament we have the Holy Spirit entering
into them and dwelling within them, abiding, always working from within, working outwards
and upwards. In the Old Testament we have the Spirit of God as the Spirit of the Almighty
and Unapproachable One. In the New Testament we have the Spirit of the Father, in and
through Jesus Christ.
Jesus, as Head of
the New Creation, was the first man to receive the Holy Spirit in full measure and as an
ever abiding reality. Under the Old Covenant the Spirit came upon men at special times and
for special purposes, moved upon them, fulfilling momentarily that special purpose of God,
after which, the anointing lifted from them. It was this entirely unique experience of the
abiding presence and anointing of the Spirit which marked Jesus as the Messiah, the
Anointed One, He Himself being not only the recipient of the abiding Spirit, but the
giver, the source, the baptizer with the Holy Spirit!
John the Baptist
knew this, and said, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it
abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same
said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and REMAINING ON HIM, the
same is He which BAPTIZETH WITH THE HOLY GHOST. And I saw, and bare record that this is
the Son of God (Jn.
The Old Testament
stood in the law of a carnal commandment; the New Testament in the power of an endless
life. All that the Spirit works within us is eternal in its nature and substance, after
the power of an endless life. This eternal reality dwells within us, ever working form
within the spirit, working outwards and upwards, into soul and body, unto the full measure
of the stature of the Son of God.
THE SEVEN
SPIRITS OF GOD
Grace be
unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from THE
SEVEN SPIRITS which are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And out of
the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 4:5).
In the
midst of the throne
stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 5:6).
For many years we
did not know that God had seven Spirits! Although we had read the Bible through, and were
raised in a Spirit-filled environment, we had never seen or heard anything
about seven Spirits.
We all knew that
there is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your
calling (Eph. 4:4). We all thought that when we received the one Spirit, in the
baptism in the Spirit, that was the beginning and the finish of it! We spoke in tongues
and prophesied, did a few miracles, danced in the Spirit and rejoiced with unspeakable
joy, and that was it! This is all we knew God had for us this side of heaven.
Seven
Spirits means, in the original text, seven Spirits. The question follows: Are there
seven Spirits of God? Does God indeed have seven Spirits? Whether you can accept this or
not, the scriptures do speak of more than one Spirit. We are misled in this respect
because of what Paul said about there being but one body, and one Spirit. Does Paul
contradict what John wrote when he recorded that He had seen the seven Spirits of God? Let
us consider. Did not Paul also say that there is one baptism? Is it true that there is
only one baptism mentioned in the scriptures? To my knowledge there are several. We all
know there is such a thing as water baptism that was practiced in the New Testament. There
is also a baptism in the Holy Spirit. Then there is a baptism of fire. The Lord Jesus
spoke of a baptism He had to face. He said, But I have a baptism to be baptized
with; and how I am straightened till it be accomplished! (Lk. 12:50). He had already
been baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit when the disciples, James and John, asked
the Lord for the chief positions in the kingdom, He responded to their request by asking
them this question: Are you able to drink the cup that I shall drink of, and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? (Mat. 20:22). So the scriptures
speak of various baptisms. What then did Paul mean that there is ONE baptism? We must
understand that Paul was speaking in a very limited sense. He was talking specifically
about the body of Christ and the unity of that body. He said, For by one Spirit are
we all baptized into one body. (I Cor. 12:13). That one Spirit is the
spirit of Jesus Christ, for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
His (
All that God says
is true. When God says something that to our unenlightened mind seems a contradiction, it
is never either/or. In other words, you are not called upon to choose one in opposition to
the other. When God says a thing that appears to conflict, the resolution always lies in
the correct harmonization of BOTH. Both are true! We may not immediately understand it,
but that is how it is. If God says there is one Spirit, then there is one Spirit; if God
says there are seven Spirits, then there are seven Spirits. Thats simple, isnt
it? One of the keys to this mystery is found in the verse in Rev. 4:5: And there
were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of
God. In the Old Testament, the structure of the lamp stand (candlestick) was quite
unique: below was one lamp stand, above there were seven branches, and in each branch
there was a lamp (Ex. 25:31-37). It was one lamp stand, yet it had seven lamps; there were
seven lamps, yes it was but one lamp stand. The same picture is presented in Zech. 4:2.
Therefore, it is correct to say that there is one lamp stand, neither is it wrong to say
there are seven lamps! So also is the Spirit of God. Without question, He is one Spirit;
but He is also called the seven Spirits, that is, the sevenfold, intensified
Spirit of God.
Seven, in the
scriptures, is the most sacred number of the Hebrews. This number is used more often, in
the Word of God, than all other numbers, save the number one. It is the number denoting
spiritual perfection and completeness. In this connection it is interesting to note that
in the title Holy Spirit the word holy, according to Webster,
comes from a root meaning whole. Hence, the Holy Spirit is the Whole
Spirit! The seven Spirits of God, seven denoting spiritual perfection and
completeness, are likewise a figure of the Holy or Whole or
complete SPIRIT. When we understand that the number seven conveys the idea of
unity and completeness, rather than diversity, then we can see with unclouded vision that
the seven Spirits of God are the sevenfold, intensified Spirit of the Lord the
absolute FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD!
The one Spirit
and the seven Spirits are like the color spectrum. Sometimes when the sun is shining
during or just after a rain, we can see a rainbow in the sky. A rainbow is made up of
bands of different colors and is caused by the fact that the light from the sun is bent by
the drops of rain or moisture in the air, just as white light is divided when it passes
through a three-dimensional prism. Sunlight appears white but actually is composed of
several colors. If you have ever seen a wheel that had different colors on it, you have
noticed that the faster the wheel spins, the whiter it appears. Bending light breaks it up
into its different colors. So is light one color, or many? BOTH! Light in unity is
white, divided into its parts, it is several colors. And so are the seven Spirits of God!
As Gods nature flows through our triangular being we, too, express the nature of God
on many levels of His Spirit, such as wisdom, understanding, might, counsel, knowledge,
and the fear of the Lord Gods Spirit coming forth as light which is the true
expression of life denoting righteousness, peace and joy.
Where is the
source of these seven Spirits of God? Jesus is! In the midst of the throne stood a
Lamb
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God
(Rev. 5:6). The Lord Jesus said to John on
THE LORD IS THE
SPIRIT
And I will
pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you
forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him
not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
I will not leave you comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU (Jn.
I am indebted to
William Law, Andrew Murray, and another writer unknown to me for some of the thoughts I
will share in this section, a portion of which has been gleaned from their writings.
As Jesus was
preparing to leave this earth realm, He promised His disciples that His departure would be
their gain; the Comforter would take His place, to be to them far better than He had been,
or ever could be, in His bodily presence. This would be true because His own relationship
with them had been very much external, and in consequence of this, had not resulted in
what might have been expected. He had been with them, and they were still very carnal,
earthy. But the coming Spirit would be IN THEM; He, Jesus, would return to them as the
Spirit, in an intimacy and vitality they could not know as long as He was outside of them,
merely with them. He would return to them, not in flesh and bone, but as the Spirit, as an
Indwelling Presence, in the power of which they would have at their disposal, and as their
own possession, yeah, even as their very own being, ALL THAT JESUS IS!
the
Spirit of truth
He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you
comfortless: I WILL COME TO YOU. The thought of Jesus walking with men on earth,
living with them, leading, teaching, guiding them, is so clear. But the thought of Jesus
becoming a Spirit and hiding Himself within them, and speaking, not in audible sounds, but
only in the depths of the life, was too staggering a thought for these yet carnal men.
Their minds were not yet blinded to spiritual realities. They still needed to be educated
(as do the multitudes of religious today) to acknowledge that God desired to rule, not by
an outward law, but by an inward life. As long as Jesus was with His disciples as a
physical being, He had to work from without inward, and yet could never effectually reach
or master their inmost parts. When Jesus went away He then returned as the Spirit to be IN
THEM, that now He might work mightily from within, outward. Taking possession of the
inmost recesses of their being by His Spirit of Life, He would cause them, in their
surrender to His will, mind, nature and power, to personally become what He Himself is.
The shaping of their life, the forming of their character, the development of their
abilities, would be by the power of the Spirit of Jesus, who really had become their
spirit.
Oh! how our
gracious and all-wise God and Father would have us understand that it REALLY I-S BETTER
for us that Jesus should not be here on earth! Wonderful beyond words is the truth He
declared to His disciples long ago, Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is
profitable good, expedient, advantageous for you that I go away. Because if
I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you
but if I go away, I will send
Him to you (Jn. 16:7, Amplified Bible). Jesus said again, Howbeit when He, the
Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: He shall glorify Me: for He
shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are
Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you (Jn.
I am convinced
that it is right at this point where so many of the Lords precious people need this
teaching: It is EXPEDIENT (advisable, desirable, advantageous, profitable, to your
interest) for you THAT I GO AWAY. Like those disciples, so many sincere Christians
have believed in Jesus with all their hearts, love Him, and seek to follow Him but,
the Jesus they believe in, the Jesus they love, the Jesus they seek to follow and obey, is
the Jesus in the picture of the wall; the Jesus with soft, penetrating eyes, flowing
chestnut hair, fine chiseled features, well-trimmed beard, Galilean robe. It is the Jesus
of Bethlehems manger, of
How many of
Gods dear saints are yet worshipping the Jesus of the flesh! Truly they believe on
Him, love Him, and long to see Him when He comes. And yet, in their longing to see Him,
some glad day after while! they find that He is not presently their satisfying portion,
their all in all. There is yet such a lack in their lives; so much carnality, strife,
struggle, weakness, insufficiency and limitation. The only reason can be this: they have
not yet fully inherited the promise: The Spirit shall be IN YOU
He shall
glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. The absolute
imperativeness of Christs going away, the absolute reality of His coming again as
the Indwelling Spirit, they do not fully understand nor appreciate. They have not yet been
able to say, Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet NOW HENCEFORTH know we
Him no more (II Cor.
To many it is a
very difficult thing to set aside the Christ of the flesh, to know only the Christ of the
Sprit; to set aside the Christ who works through the agencies of the external, through
efforts, systems, ceremonies, methods, influences from without, of men and means, and come
to know only Him who works INTERNALLY after the power of an endless life. As many as
RECEIVED HIM (as Spirit), to them gave He power to become the SONS OF GOD (Jn.
II Cor.
Todays
Christians, steeped in the false doctrines of
The Lord who is
the Spirit is not the Jesus of the flesh, nor yet the resurrected Jesus who appeared to
His disciples for forty days. The Lord the Spirit is the exalted and glorified Lord! If
the resurrected Christ would have been the Lord the Spirit, then there would have been no
need for Him to ascend so the Spirit could come; He could have remained here and simply
disappeared into His disciples. He did not say, It is expedient for you that I be
resurrected: for if I am not resurrected, the Comforter will not come unto you. He
said, rather, it is expedient for you that I GO AWAY!
The resurrection
of Jesus was a first step toward the last man Adam becoming the quickening Spirit. But
notice what Peter says in Acts 2:32-33: This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we
all are witnesses. Therefore BEING BY THE RIGHT AND OF GOD EXALTED, and having received
(in His exaltation) of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this,
which ye NOW SEE and hear. In Eph.
THE
ALL-SUFFICIENT SPIRIT OF CHRIST
The value of
knowledge, that is, true spiritual knowledge, in the life of a child of God can hardly be
exaggerated. Just as a man is none the richer for an inheritance that comes to him, or a
treasure in his field, as long as he does not know about it, or does not know how to get
possession of it, or to use it so the gift of the Holy Spirit cannot bring His full
blessing and reality until we know and, in knowing, truly apprehend and posses Him in all
fullness. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and it is the
excellency of the KNOWLEDGE of Christ Jesus, our Lord, for which all sons of God must be
willing to count all things but loss. It is because of the lack of a true knowledge of
what God in Christ is unto us that the lives of many brothers and sisters are so weak and
feeble.
In order for us
to know and properly understand the all-sufficiency of the Spirit of Christ within us, we
must first see what Christ is. I do not say who Christ is, but
what Christ is. There are many different titles and names ascribed to Christ
in the scriptures; however, we will not here consider the names of Christ, but the
substance of Christ, His very essence. My automobile, made of metal, is called an
automobile, but its essence or substance is metal. What is the substance of Christ?
Now the Lord is THE SPIRIT (II Cor.
If we read the
scriptures carefully, and as the light of Gods divine revelation bursts in blazing
glory upon our consciousnesses, we will come to see that the main thing God is after, and
has always been after, is to work Himself into us, to reveal the very fullness of Himself
through us, as the vessels of His glory. For what purpose did God create man? Only that
man might be His container, His expression, both the revelation and the source of God for
the whole creation. In fact, the whole universe exits because Spirit has chosen to have a
body in which to manifest Himself. Truly it is as the scripture says, The whole
earth is FULL OF HIS GLORY! Christ has entered into His glory as the Spirit unto
this very end, that now, in a divine way, He might FILL ALL THINGS (Eph
Through the
Spirit the creation is brought into a living relationship with God, so that He can
manifest Himself in His perfection of life and love and power through us. If God FILLS ALL
THINGS, as various scriptures state that He does, then all things are containers of Him.
But the rest of the creation can contain only manifestations of God, while we can contain
GOD AS A PERSON. A person cannot manifest himself as a person through anything else than a
person. You can appreciate a cat, or a stone, or a rainbow for what they are, but you
cant fellowship with them. I can fellowship with you, and you with me, because we
are of the same makeup. The heavens and the earth declare the glory of God, and the
firmament showeth His handiwork. We can view their marvels through the microscope and the
telescope, and stand in awe before their magnificence, but we do not say, That is
God. The greatest marvel of the ages, the height of being, is when we can look at
another personality and say, God is there! Certainly Paul had this in mind
when he wrote in Gal. 4:6, And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit
of His Son into your hearts. God has made us His sons! And because we are sons, God
has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. True fellowship is person to person.
But for God to manifest Himself, His Person, through a fallen, unregenerated human being
is like me trying to manifest my personality through a dog or a horse. There we have two
different natures! The two are not compatible. Therefore, God appeared to be on the horns
of a dilemma when man fell. He wasnt, of course, for He knew His own purpose from
the beginning. But it appeared so because God had created man to reveal HIS IMAGE to the
whole universe. This is why God, in the beginning, created the whole inexhaustible heavens
and the earth, and, having finished the host of them, said, Let us make man IN OUR
IMAGE, after OUR LIKENESS. Man was to be the visible manifestation and revelation
and source of God to the whole of the physical creation. But man fell from that IMAGE OF
GOD, into a condition of darkness and death, where there is no longer a compatibility
between the nature of God and the nature of man. This is why God first constitutes us His
sons, through the justification of faith, and then sends forth the fullness of His own
divine life in the Spirit into our hearts. As sons of God we become containers of HIM
of the very SPIRIT of GOD!
We have been made
to be containers and God intends to be our only content. Bottles are made to contain
liquids of various kinds, cans contain food, tanks are designed to contain water, electric
wires to contain electricity. If we look at these we will realize that each of these kinds
of containers is peculiarly made to contain a specific substance. Sons of God
are also peculiar containers, for we have been designed by our Creator (of the
New Creation) to contain a specific substance the SPIRIT OF GOD! If we do not come
to know God as our only content, we become a meaningless contradiction. No matter how much
of the wisdom of this world we imbibe, regardless to what heights of human recognition and
position we may attain, notwithstanding how accomplished in the human abilities and
functions of this present world, we are still meaningless, since we have been purposely
made to CONTAIN GOD AS OUR SOLE CONTENT; to reveal Him as our unique purpose! Although
this word may seem elementary, it is the word which points out the core of the eternal
purpose of God. That purpose in a word is this: God is the content, and we are the
containers, especially and uniquely fashioned into a New Creation to express, reveal, and
become the source of God for the entire universe! As it is written, And to make all
men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath
been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be KNOWN BY THE CHURCH the manifold
wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus
(Eph. 3:9011). How glorious!
When Jesus the
Spirit comes into us, He comes to fulfill this High and Holy calling. He comes within as
the all-sufficient Spirit to make us all that we must be as God-men. In our modern era man
has learned much about nutrition. Nutrition is the science and study of the foods that
build the human body and make it strong and healthy. The body gets the nourishment it
needs from the raw materials contained in foods. Starch, sugar, fat, protein, minerals,
vitamins and water are all raw materials. From these raw materials the body builds bones
and muscles, and makes blood. There are some foods that build body tissue, others that
make strong bones and teeth. Many of these materials are minerals. One of the important
materials that helps the body grow and function is vitamins. There are several different
kinds of vitamins and each has its particular use. All of these minerals and vitamins are
important. For instance, Calcium promotes proper formation of teeth and bones. Iron helps
build red blood cells. Vitamin A aids good eyesight. Vitamin B1 is good for the nerves.
Niacin builds healthy skin. In order to get all the vitamins and minerals our body needs
you can go to the drugstore and purchase them in tablet form. There you will find bottles
containing calcium, bottles containing iron, others of niacin, vitamin A, vitamin B,
vitamin C, D, E, etc., etc. You could soon fill your entire cabinet with bottles of all
kinds of vitamins, minerals, and food supplements. But the medicine companies have
simplified all this for us by creating the multi-vitamin-mineral tablet. One
of these tablets will contain sufficient amounts of every known vitamin and mineral needed
by the human body. You dont have to swallow 25 or 50 different pills you just
take the one! This one-a-day type is the all-inclusive dose! And friends, have
we ever realized that Christ the Spirit is the best dose in all the world? HE
is the one complete dose which is enough to meet all our need. The Spirit of Christ is all
that God is. All the Father is is in the Son. And the Son IS THE SPIRIT! Hallelujah!
Your human body
needs all the vitamins and minerals in order to develop and function. The BODY OF CHRIST,
the New Creation MAN, needs the all-inclusive dose of the Spirit of Jesus, the last Adam,
in order to develop and function as the perfect God-man. Soon, now, there shall come that
long awaited manifestation of the sons of God to this sin-cursed world. Creation shall be
set free from its bondage to corruption. We shall see the glory, wisdom, and power of the
Son of God manifested in all fullness in a many-membered body right here upon this earth.
How the whole creation groans and travails for this! The work of preparation for this is
even now taking place among Gods end-time saints. The body of Christ shall finally
arrive at the measure of the stature of the FULLNESS OF CHRIST. Paul tells us that this is
when Christ shall come to be GLORIFIED IN HIS SAINTS, and to be admired IN ALL THEM
that believe in that day (II Thes.
Adam had the
opportunity to become the full revelation of the image and glory of God to the whole
universe. This was offered to him in the tree of life. The tree of life was nothing else
than the Life of God in Christ. The tree of life was the all-sufficient dose
which would have built eternal Spirit life in Adam, even making him the source of that
life. But Adam refused his dose of incorruptible life and, consequently, sank
into weakness and death. In the natural, a person who does not get enough vitamins may
have poor eyesight, rough skin, or sore gums and weak teeth. People who are too thin or
feel tired much of the time usually need more vitamins. There are ugly diseases, such as
pellagra, scurvy, and beriberi, that occur when the body does not receive enough vitamins.
Can you picture the miserable condition of a person suffering acute mal-nutrition? The
eyes are large and protruding, the cheeks sunken, the stomach bloated, the legs thin and
bony, and other awful conditions. I have seen this scene thousands of times in some of the
under-privileged countries of the world. It is a heart-rending sight! And friend, this is
the spiritual portrait of fallen Adam! This is but a picture of the horrible spiritual
image into which Adam sank when he refused his dose of the all-sufficient Life
of God in Christ, and chose instead, the deficient diet of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil.
All of mankind
today, enslaved under sin, sickness, sorrow and death, are manifestations of Adams
wretched condition. Mankind today, after six thousand years of degeneracy and
impoverishment, bears absolutely no resemblance to man as God intended him to be in the
beginning! But, thank God! He has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ! For
if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more,
being reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED (from our condition) BY HIS LIFE (Rom.
WHAT CHRIST THE
SPIRIT IS
How often we try
to channel in some of what God is into our lives. Its as though God is outside of
us, and we are endeavoring to draw from Him some of His virtue, nature, power and life. I
once walked that route myself. I was always expecting that somehow the Lord would pour out
upon me, or into me, what I needed. But one day I discovered an important truth in I Jn.
4:8: God is love. Suddenly the is stuck out. What dawned on me was
something like this: It doesnt say God has love, but God IS love. If somebody has a
thing, then it isnt he himself, its just something attached to him, as if you
have a pair of shoes on, or some money in your pocket. You just have it, and you can share
it. But the Bible doesnt say God HAS love, but God IS love. Love, therefore, must
not be a thing I can have, it is not something God has, that He can just give me a little
of. Love is exclusively a PERSON. GOD is a PERSON. God IS LOVE. Therefore, there is no
other pure, self-giving love anywhere in the universe apart from God Himself. Love is
exclusively the nature and character of one Being in the whole universe and
thats not me, J. Preston Eby.
This set an
entirely new trend of understanding going in my life. Suddenly I began to see that I
dont have one iota of love, never have, and never will! God is love period.
No one else. I can only possess love, I can only become love, to the degree that I take
the reality of God into me, to the degree that God HIMSELF is worked into my life! As I
surrender to Him, I surrender to love. As I become filled with HIM, I become filled with
love. I will never be able to love. HE is always love!
Soon an entire
new world began to open before me. I began to relate this principle to all those things
which pertain to what I must become as a son of God. Suddenly another truth burst upon me
from I Cor. 1:24 where it says that Christ is the power of God. Not Christ has
the power, but He IS the power! Here too, I had thought power was something which God
possessed, which He could give me some of, and receiving enough of it, I would
become Gods man of faith and power! But now I knew that power also IS A
PERSON. I am not power, I have no power. God does not have power, but Christ IS THE POWER
OF GOD. Then I began to discover that God doesnt have anything, but He
IS EVERYTHING! He doesnt give us anything, but He BECOMES EVERYTHING
within us! Jesus said, I AM the truth, I AM the life. To Martha He said,
I AM the resurrection. I thought the resurrection was a day. Now I
see that the resurrection is a PERSON. I needed wisdom. I Cor.
Finally I came to
a statement which gathered all together and placed the capstone on the whole structure.
The verse was
Now the
Lord is THE SPIRIT. He is the Holy Spirit. He is the Whole Spirit. He is
the completeness of the Spirit. He is the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, all the fullness of the
Divine Spirit. The seven Spirits of God are simply the wholeness of HIMSELF
completely and eternally revealed and manifested and ministered to the universe through
that people who become HIS IMAGE before the creation.
The
Seven Spirits
Grace be
unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from THE
SEVEN SPIRITS which are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And out of
the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 4:5).
In the
midst of the throne
stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 5:6).
For many years we
did not know that God has seven Spirits! Seven Spirits means, in the original
text, seven Spirits. Since this is so, let me ask, Are there really seven Spirits of God?
If you say that God has seven Spirits, that makes you a heretic! If, on the other hand,
you say that the Spirit of God is not seven Spirits, you are contradicting the clearly
revealed Word of God! Is the Spirit of God, then, seven or one?
One of the keys
to this mystery is found in the verse in Rev. 4:5: And there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. In the Old
Testament, the structure of the lamp stand (candlestick) was quite unique: below was one
lamp stand, above there were seven branches, and in each branch there was a lamp (Ex.
25:31-37). It was one lamp stand, yet it had seven lamps; there were seven lamps, yet it
was but one lamp stand. Therefore, it is correct to say that there is one lamp stand, but
neither is it wrong to say there are seven lamps! So also is the Spirit of God. Without
question, He is one Spirit. For there is
ONE SPIRIT (Eph. 4:4). But this
one Spirit is also called the seven Spirits, that is, the sevenfold,
intensified Spirit of God.
Seven, in the
scriptures, was the most sacred number of the Hebrews. This number is used more often, in
the Word of God, than all other numbers, save the number ONE. It is the number denoting
spiritual perfection and completeness. In this connection it is interesting to note that
in the title Holy Spirit the word holy, according to Webster,
comes from a root meaning whole. Hence, the Holy Spirit is simply
the Whole Spirit! The seven Spirits of God, seven denoting spiritual
perfection and completeness, are likewise a figure of the Holy or
whole or complete SPIRIT. When we understand that the number seven
conveys the idea of unity and completeness, rather than diversity, then we can see with
unclouded vision that the seven Spirits of God are the sevenfold, intensified Spirit of
the Lord the absolute FULLNESS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD!
This is the
fulfillment of the ancient type, the candlestick which stood in the Holy place of the
tabernacle in the wilderness, which was made of pure gold (divine nature) and had seven
golden lamp stands and seven lamps burning pure olive oil, a symbol of the Spirit of God.
In the book of Revelation, not only are the seven lamps said to be the seven Spirits of
God, but also the seven horns and seven eyes of the Lamb are the seven Spirits. The Lamb
has been given all POWER (horns) and the Lamb has full understanding and perception
(eyes). George Hawtin has written:
I am
powerless to describe the magnificence that is here, seven Spirits of God blazing
as seven lamps of fire, radiating forth the perfect light! As the seven lamps of the
candlestick are but one candlestick, so also the seven Spirits are but one Spirit, even
the holy Spirit of God. The seven horns of power on the head of one lamb, even the Lamb of
God, are but one Spirit of power, and the seven eyes likewise are one Spirit of God.
Wonderful beyond words are the glories portrayed here, but our hearts well nigh stand
still as we behold with John the dazzling glory that appeared before him. John saw one
sitting upon a throne, and He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone:
and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. A rainbow is
one but it has seven colors, and the seven colors of that glorious rainbow represent the
sevenfold Spirit of God, even as the seven lamps of fire, the seven horns, and the seven
eyes.
The first
rainbow that ever appeared to men was a promise and a covenant from God to assure the
world of His goodness and mercy. Here again it appears in the glorious age that even now
casts its rays of dawn upon us, promising the world that all its inhabitants will be
governed in righteousness by the elect whom God has chosen and upon whom shall rest
forever the seven Spirits of God. And there was a rainbow round about the throne! What a
magnificent promise for a benighted world that from time immemorial has known nothing but
unrighteous government!
These are
the seven Spirits continually before the throne of God by which the world will be governed
in righteousness. These are the Spirits that will rest upon all the sons of God in that
great kingdom when the whole world shall be governed in righteousness by that man whom God
hath chosen. It was of these seven Spirits that John spoke when he wrote, John to
the seven churches which are in
Our Lord Jesus
Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit without measure. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the One
who has the seven Spirits of God These things saith He that HATH THE SEVEN SPIRITS
OF GOD (Rev. 3:1). Our Lord Jesus Christ is the great giver, the great shedder-forth
of the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6). But the ANOINTING which ye have received of
Him abideth in you
the same anointing teacheth you
(I Jn. 2:27).
But yet have an UNCTION from the Holy One, and ye know all things (I Jn
The elect church
is to be a royal priesthood (king-priests) under their Lord and Head
members of the body of the Anointed (the Christ) (I Pet. 2:9; I Cor.
The signification
of unction (and of its Greek original chrisma) is smoothness, oiliness,
lubrication. From custom the word carried with it also the thought of fragrance, perfume.
How beautifully and forcefully this word represents the out-raying of the nature and
character of God from those who come under this antitypical anointing holiness,
gentleness, kindness, knowledge, wisdom, power love! What a sweet, pure perfume
does this anointing of the Holy Spirit of Gods glory bring with it to all who
receive it!
THE SPIRIT
BY MEASURE AND WITHOUT MEASURE
In relation to
this anointing of the Holy Spirit upon both Head and body of the many-membered Christ,
there is one important distinction to be always remembered; vis., that our Lord Jesus, the
Head of the body, received the Holy Spirit WITHOUT MEASURE, unlimitedly (Jn. 3:34), while
His body, up to this present time, has received the Spirit BY MEASURE, or limitedly
a measure of the Spirit being given to every member in the body. Paul tells us in Rom.
12:3-8, For I say
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every
man THE MEASURE of faith. For
all members have not the same office
having
gifts differing according to the grace that is given. And again, But unto
every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ
from
whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplies, according to the effectual working IN THE MEASURE of every part, maketh increase
of the body unto the edifying of itself in love (Eph. 4:7,16).
The reason for
this difference between the measure of anointing on the Head, Jesus, and the body is that
our Lord came and walked as a perfect man, while we, the members of His body, although
accepted in the beloved are actually very imperfect. The perfect man Jesus, as the very
image of the Father, could be in the fullest harmony with God and with His Spirit of
holiness and power, in every and all particulars; but in proportion to the degradation
through the fall, our harmony with God and His Spirit has been impaired. No imperfect
mortal is capable of receiving the Lords Spirit to the full, and it would be
dangerous beyond comprehension for one to so receive, even if he were capable! Can you
imagine unlimited, ALMIGHTY POWER at the disposal of men still walking in a carnal nature?
No imperfect mortal is capable of receiving Gods Spirit to the full because it is
impossible for him to be in absolute harmony with God in every particular. This is why the
writer to the Hebrews exhorted the Lords people: LET US GO ON TO PERFECTION! This is
why Paul pointed out in Ephesians chapter four that God has placed ministry-gifts in the
body of Christ for the PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS
till we all come
unto a
PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST (Eph.
4:11-16). Thus we can see that it is only in perfection that one can know THE FULLNESS OF
CHRIST. And hence, amongst those apprehended ones, who consecrate themselves, and who
receive the Holy Spirit of adoption, we find the Spirit possessed in different measures
depending upon the degree of our departure from the divine image, and the degree of grace,
faith, and maturity attained since coming into the body of Christ.
To the extent
that the apprehended ones resign themselves to the Lord, and, ignoring their own wills and
way, seek to walk in His ways, they come to be led by the Spirit, taught
of the Spirit, and can serve the Lord in newness of Spirit. To continue
under this leading and instruction they must have a Spirit of meekness (Gal.
5:22, 23; 6:1), so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
can give unto them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Him; the
eyes of their understanding being enlightened, that they may know what is the hope of His
calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints (Eph.
1:17-18). It is only through being conformed to the image of His Son that we
can qualify, and become capable of receiving that same measure of the absolute fullness of
the Spirit of God that Jesus possessed. The initial infilling of the Spirit is a free
gift, but the fullness of God must be appropriated from glory to glory and
pressed into.
In Jn. 1:1 and 14
we read: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, FULL of grace and truth. Here we find that
Jesus was FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. Then verse 16 tells us, And OF HIS FULLNESS have
all we received, and grace for grace. This does not say that we have received His
fullness, but OF His fullness. The Amplified Bible reads: For OUT OF HIS
FULLNESS (abundance) we all received all had a share and we were all supplied with
one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, and even
favor upon favor and gift heaped upon gift. If I have a million dollars in the bank
and withdraw of or out of my account, I withdraw only a portion, a
part, a measure of my abundance. Similarly, Jesus was FULL of grace and truth, and as we
receive OF His fullness we receive a measure of that fullness which is in Him,
but, bless His name! an ever increasing measure, for it is ever grace for
grace or one grace after another.
Fullness is
relative. It is relative to the capacity of that which is being filled, and the abundance
of that with which it is being filled. It is like a balloon. You can blow several puffs of
air into a balloon and the balloon is, by definition, full of air. There is air from side
to side, from end to end, and there is no place within the balloon where there is not air.
And yet, you can still blow more air into the balloon! The balloon is full, but it
possesses the unique characteristic of being able to be EXPANDED, its capacity being
INCREASED and ENLARGED due to this ability to stretch. So, although at any given point the
balloon is full, you can just keep on blowing and blowing until the rubber stretches to
its limit. Thus it can be seen that, under proper conditions, it IS POSSIBLE to be full
and yet CONTAIN MORE after you have been filled! When we were first baptized in the Holy
Spirit we were indeed filled with the Spirit, as were those on the day of
Pentecost, but we were only filled in proportion to our capacity our ability to
contain Him! We held all of God that we were capable of holding at that point. We really
were full of the Spirit, but we now know that we can still receive MORE, becoming filled
with ever increasing measures of His fullness! God is wanting to EXPAND US FROM WITHIN, to
increase our capacity, to enlarge our spiritual amplitude. Hallelujah!
It is right at
this point that the average Christian sells himself short. Especially the average
Pentecostal or Charismatic! How many of the Lords precious people who seek the
baptism in the Holy Spirit are mistakenly seeking a blessing, or an experience. To speak
with tongues is often their highest aim, or to be slain under the power, and
if they can attain to that phenomenon then they are happy and satisfied in their belief
that they have received all, or at least almost all, that God has for them in this life.
How pitiful is such an understanding! How desperately short we sell ourselves when we seek
the Holy Spirit as an experience that we are to attain instead of presenting
ourselves as empty vessels to be filled with all the incomprehensible inexhaustibleness of
GOD! This Spirit, who IS GOD and is sent forth by God, full of wisdom and truth,
understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and glory brings in His mighty fullness ever
increasing measures of His own unlimited and unfathomable abundance. Yea, God would fill
us and then expand us that He might fill us the more, and yet again, and again, until we
attain even that measure of the stature of the FULLNESS OF CHRIST, Which
measure is nothing less than the absolute fullness of HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL!
The measure of
God unto which we have been called has been seen in Christ. For it pleased the
Father that in Him should ALL FULLNESS dwell (Col. 1:19). For in Him dwelleth
ALL THE FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily (Col. 2:9). Though we, as members of His
body, have received of that fullness, yet the Father is concerned in this hour
that there come to pass a further ENLARGEMENT of our capacities to contain Him, for He
seeks a body through which He can manifest all the fullness of Himself to the creation.
Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers unto this end: That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend
with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height (of capacity); that
ye might be FILLED WITH A-L-L THE FULLNESS OF GOD (Eph.
Hear now the word
of the Lord! But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, MAKETH INCREASE (enlargement) OF THE BODY unto the edifying of
itself in love (Eph 4:15-16). Yes, there is an increase, and enlarging of the body,
and with that increase comes an expanded capacity for containing HIM!
In the natural a
baby begins eating solid food by taking only half of a small jar of baby food. When he has
finished that small quantity he is FULL. But at age six, will he still be eating half of a
jar of baby food? Certainly not! By then he will be eating a childs plate at the
restaurant. It will take the portion on the childs plate to fill him. Progressively,
over the period of six years, his capacity has been enlarged! The growth and development
of his physical body has produced this. And he will keep right on growing, expanding,
enlarging, increasing his capacity until he arrives at the FULL STATURE OF MANHOOD. Then
he will be able to eat a 16 oz. steak with salad, baked potato, vegetable, coffee and
dessert! And so we read in Col. 2:19, And
holding the Head, from which all the
body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered
INCREASETH WITH THE INCREASE
OF GOD. Hallelujah! Press on saints, for we are increasing with the increase of God!
Dont stop now wherever you are! If you have been born again by the
incorruptible seed of the Word of God, you have only been wrapped in the swaddling clothes
of your spiritual existence. If you have been baptized in the Spirit you have merely taken
your first baby step into the Kingdom! If you speak with tongues, prophesy, see visions,
heal the sick and cast out devils, you are yet in the kindergarten of Gods glorious
and eternal reality! The burning desire within my heart in the end of this age is that
Gods people might with me become aware that there is yet before us the full
comprehension of what truly is the breadth, length, depth and height of that realm
available to us where abides ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD. When the majesty of this
transcendent potential breaks upon our groaning spirits we shall cease to glory in the
fact that we are Evangelical Christians, or Pentecostal Christians, or Charismatic
Christians, or even end-time saints, or new-day saints for
we shall perceive that WE ARE NOTHING AS WE OUGHT TO BE, for truly that portion of our
inheritance which lies before us is greater and grander than all we have possessed up to
this present time!
THE SEVENFOLD
BRIGHTNESS OF GODS GLORY
This fullness of
which we speak is THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD. As we have previously noted, the seven lamps
of fire burning before the throne of God are the seven Spirits of God. The seven horns and
the seven eyes of the Lamb upon the throne are the seven Spirits of God. John saw one
sitting upon a throne, and He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone:
and there was a rainbow about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. A rainbow is one
but it has seven colors, and the seven colors of that glorious rainbow represent the
sevenfold intensified fullness of the Spirit of God, even as the seven lamps of fire, the
seven horns, and the seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God.
When the fullness
of these seven Spirits of God is realized in the body of Christ then shall be fulfilled
that which was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying, Arise, shine; for thy light is
come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover
the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His
glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles (nations) shall COME TO THY LIGHT, and
kings to THE BRIGHTNESS OF THY RISING (Isa. 60:1-3). In that day it shall also come
to pass that the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light
of the SUN (the glory of Christ) SHALL BE SEVENFOLD, as the light of seven days, in the
day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their
wound (the work of restoration in the last days) (Isa. 30:26). Malachi prophesied of
this day too, saying, But unto you that fear My name shall the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
ARISE with healing in His wings
and ye shall tread down (overcome) the wicked
in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of hosts (Mal. 4:2-3).
Gods
promise is the sending forth of the Sun of Righteousness (Christ), not in the single light
of the man Christ Jesus (Mat. 4:13-16), nor yet in the double portion of the Spirit, the
former and latter rain in the first month, upon the end-time body of Christ, but AS THE
LIGHT OF SEVEN DAYS CONCENTRATED IN ONE. Many are the figures of this coming sevenfold
glory of Christ upon His people. When Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration His face
shone as the sun. Saul of Tarsus, on the road to
The Church of
Jesus Christ must move out of the darkness of tradition, bondage, carnality, immaturity
and limitation and move into the bright light of the fullness of the glory of God. The
history of the Church is a history of darkness and sorrow and bitterness. But, thank God,
rays of promise are even now beginning to break forth from the heavens, and there is a
small company of apprehended ones who are even now rising up into realms of the Spirit to
drink in the intoxicating freshness of the morn! To them God is witnessing that He shall
bring forth a light that is sevenfold in its intensification, so that there will be
nothing hidden from it, and its heat and brightness will consume and destroy everything
that opposes. Nothing short of this will lift up this sin-cursed world out of the dominion
of darkness into the
The early Church
with all its glory and power did not bring in the kingdom. Its glory was eclipsed,
producing that which even secular history records as the Dark Ages. The Reformation in
Martin Luthers day was unable to bring the kingdom in. All the mighty revivals of
Church history failed to deliver the groaning creation. The Pentecostal and Charismatic
movements have not done so either, neither shall they. All the methods and programs of
religion, all the missionary and evangelistic crusades, all the deliverance ministries and
healing campaigns, have in turn failed to turn this old world around from its path to
destruction. The Bible Societies, the door-to-door witnessing campaigns, the tons of
Gospel tracts, prayer meetings, the Christian radio and television broadcasting, and all
the other feverish activities and promotions by the worlds Churches have not gotten
the job done.
All of us are
thankful to God for what we have known of His power, we rejoice for every evidence of the
power and glory of God today, and we are thankful to God for everyone who is demonstrating
today any measure of the life of God, and accomplishing anything unto His glory; but to
break the dominion of sin and Satan over the nations in this hour of overshrouding gloom
and darkness will require a SEVENFOLD REVELATION OF THE LOVE AND POWER OF GOD! God intends
to send forth this sevenfold brightness of His life, light, glory, love, grace,
righteousness, peace, joy and power. Scientifically we know that there is no greater
consuming, purifying, and life-giving power than light, and the brightness of the light of
God will bring judgment upon all the evil of this wicked and adulterous generation, and
clarification and quickening in the minds and souls of men everywhere.
I would not want
to be a politician, president or prime minister in the governments of the world today.
Everyday more darkness and perplexity descends upon the minds and hearts of the people.
None of the princes of this world have the answers to solve the problems of this dark day.
But, blessed be God! HE has the answer! His answer is to arise upon the body of Christ in
THE SEVENFOLD BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY! When this happens, and that glorious company of
Gods Sons are manifested, then shall come to pass that of which our Lord spoke when
He said, The works that I do shall ye do also, and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL YE
DO (Jn.
MOVING FROM
GIFTS TO FULLNESS
I have observed
in the ministry of Jesus that there was never a problem He faced that He could not solve,
never a need that He could not meet, no victory He could not win, no realm of revelation
or relationship to God that He could not possess. Some of us speak of the exploits we have
done in Jesus name, but we seldom mention all the times we have failed! Some of us
fast and pray and wrest an answer from the Lord and then run squarely into another problem
that we cant solve at all. If Jesus Christ, the firstborn Son, needed the seven
Spirits of God, the Spirit without measure, then we as His body need them too!
It is interesting
to note that nowhere in the Gospels is the supernatural ministry of Jesus Christ ever
associated with the gifts of the Spirit. No place does it ever say that Jesus ever
received or operated in a gift of the Spirit. However, like most of us, I assumed that He
did! And I could always make it fit. Every time Jesus healed someone I assumed that He
exercised the gift of healing, although the scripture didnt say so. Every time He
prophesied coming events I said that He exercised the gift of prophecy, although the Holy
Spirit and the scripture never said so. Every time He spoke to a Nathanael, revealing the
secrets of his heart, I said that He spoke a word of knowledge although the
Record says no such thing. How is it that Jesus did not move in the gifts of the Spirit?
Because when you function in the gifts you function in LIMITATION! Paul said of the gift
realm: Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they
shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For WE KNOW (in the gift of
knowledge) IN PART, and WE PROPHESY IN PART. But when that which is perfect (the full
measure, the seven Spirits) is come, then that which is in part SHALL BE DONE AWAY (
For many years
now there has been a great moving of the Spirit of God across the land and around the
world. It has manifested itself through many movements on various levels. We have
witnessed great evangelistic ministries, the divine healing ministry, the restoration of
the New Testament Church order with its five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers, the nine gifts of the Spirit, and confirmation of the
ministries through prophecy with the laying on of hands. But I can testify to you that
none of these ministries have come within the range of the ministry of Jesus Christ. No
matter which of the healing evangelists you watched, no matter what prophets you heard, no
matter what miracle, sign or wonder, it did not measure up to the ministry of THE SON OF
GOD. We kept saying, We have the same anointing, the same Holy Ghost, the same
power, and we can do all the works Jesus did! And as hard as we tried, and as much
as we wanted to believe it, it still just wasnt true! We had the same anointing
alright, and the same Holy Spirit, and the same power, but, we had it BY MEASURE
not WITHOUT MEASURE, as did Jesus!
This puzzled me
for many years. Then one day the Spirit drew my attention to a scripture in Isa. 11:1-2.
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow
out of his roots: and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of
the Lord. This does not say that Jesus would receive a gift of the
word of wisdom. It says that what He received was the SPIRIT OF WISDOM. It
doesnt say that Jesus had a gift of healing or a gift of
miracles. He received, instead, the SPIRIT OF MIGHT. Jesus didnt have just a
gift of the word of knowledge. He possessed THE SPIRIT OF
KNOWLEDGE! Not a fragmentary word of wisdom here, or a fragment word of knowledge there,
or a gift of healing operating tonight and a gift of prophecy operating tomorrow night.
No! Upon the firstborn Son rested all the fullness of the sevenfold Spirit of Sonship,
even as Isaiah prophesied of Him, saying,
The Spirit
of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of
Wisdom and Understanding;
The Spirit of
Counsel and Might,
The Spirit of
Knowledge and Fear of the Lord.
This sevenfold
Spirit of God is the fullness of the wisdom, glory, nature and power of God. This is the
Spirit WITHOUT MEASURE. This is the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD. This is the sevenfold BRIGHTNESS
OF GODS GLORY! Not by might, nor by power, but by MY SPIRIT, saith the
Lord! (Zech. 4:6). This is why Jesus Christ could heal every disease, could cast out
every kind of devil, could raise the dead even after they were decayed and stinking
could discern every thought and intent of mens hearts, could command all the
elements of nature, and even die and rise again from the dead! Some of us have been able
to do a very limited amount of this. Some of us have had a gift of healing and have healed
some sick people, but who has healed them ALL, even in one meeting? I heard Oral Roberts
many years ago admit that only about one out of every five people he has laid hands upon
have received any discernable touch from God. Some of us have been healed ourselves, but
who among us has been healed EVERY TIME? Some of us have prophesied, have had a word of
knowledge, but which one has had every word that he has ever spoken come to pass? Some of
us have had miracles of supply: gas put in our gas tanks, batteries charged, money sent
through the mail from unexpected sources, etc. But who among us has walked on the sea or
fed five thousand men, plus women and children, with five small loaves and two fishes?
Some have had their countenances lighted by the joy of the Lord, but who has stood on the
Mount of Transfiguration with even their raiment shining as the brightness of the noon-day
sun?
FULLNESS AT THE
END OF THE AGE
When we look out
into the natural realm in this hour, at the end of the age, we see the natural man doing
exploits in the natural realm. We see man sailing in atomic powered submarines, in the
depths of the sea, sailing under the polar ice caps. We see man soaring through the skies
faster than the speed of sound, and going out in space to explore distant planets. In the
fields of science and technology man is accomplishing the incomprehensible, breaking all
bonds of limitation. This was prophesied for our day! But thou, O Daniel, shut up
the words, and seal the book, even TO THE TIME OF THE END: many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge shall be increased (Dan. 12:4). But that natural revolution is only a
figure of things to come in the spiritual. Why this sudden progress in the natural world?
Because it is now time for a great change in the spiritual world!
Is the Church of
Jesus Christ to end this dispensation in failure and defeat? Is a little flock of faithful
saints to undergo an emergency evacuation by a rapture at the last
moment just before the devil takes over the whole world? Not if the Word of God is true!
Said Daniel of this day: But the people that do know their God SHALL BE STRONG, and
DO EXPLOITS (Dan.
Only under the
sevenfold intensified fullness of the Spirit of God can this mighty work be accomplished.
It is important that Gods people understand that the gifts of the Spirit, the Spirit
by measure, the earnest (down-payment) of the Spirit is given for the EDIFICATION OF THE
BODY OF CHRIST and not for knocking Satan off his throne and bringing in the
For He whom
God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto
Him (Jn.
The triumphant
risen glorified Lamb of God seen in the midst of the throne by John has seven horns and
seven eyes, which are the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD SENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH. You can
never come to share His throne without possessing the seven Spirits of the Lamb upon the
throne. Those under this sevenfold anointing sent forth into all the earth are those who in His dominion shall bring
deliverance to the whole creation.
How often we ask,
Why have we still been faced with failure? Why have we been limited? Why have we not
seen more happening? I will tell you why! There is nothing worse than a partial
success. There is nothing worse than seeing a few more people saved, a few more people
healed, a few more baptized in the Spirit, a few more gifts and manifestations of the
Spirit in our midst, because any Church or minister who has that kind of PARTIAL SUCCESS
will think, Praise God, this is great! And will SETTLE FOR IT. All of us are
so constituted! If you have just enough to show that you are alive and that God is still
working, you are satisfied. I will tell you what God is doing in this hour. He is doing
just the opposite to what most folk believe He is doing! Most people believe that we are
seeing a greater and more powerful moving of God today than ever before in history. That
is not true! We are seeing MORE PEOPLE being affected by the moving of the Spirit, GREATER
NUMBERS of people involved in this end-time move, but we are NOT seeing greater miracles
today than ever before, we are NOT seeing more spectacular healings, nor more supernatural
signs and wonders, nor more anointed praise. Nor a more forceful or pure flow of prophetic
utterance. We are witnessing an increase in QUANTITY in the things of the Spirit, but I
declare unto you that at the same time we are seeing a DECREASE in the QUALITY of the
manifestations of the Spirit of God. And this is of GOD! God has limited us, He has
weakened our strength until we are beginning to realize: Oh God, we can do nothing to meet
the need! We are NOTHING AS WE OUGHT TO BE! The situations are too great for us! God
is doing this that we might not trust any longer in our PARTIAL SUCCESS, that we might not
rest in the in part realm of the Spirit, but that we shall cry out unto the
Lord until he moves afresh in the earth and brings forth in us THE SEVENFOLD BRIGHTNESS OF
HIS GLORY!
What a high,
holy, heavenly calling! And how reminiscent of Paul's statement in Eph. 2:4-7: "But
God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might
SHOW the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Jesus
Christ." So vast, so marvelous are the wonders of His grace, it will require the ages
to come to continue to unfold these wonders, and He has purposed that there should be a
people through whom He would give this demonstration that in the ages to come He might
show..." "Show" is from a Greek word meaning "to exhibit, to put on
display like a work of art, to demonstrate." The Amplified Bible reads, "He did
this that He might CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE through the ages to come the immeasurable
(limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace in kindness and goodness of heart toward
us in Christ Jesus." Kenneth Wuest translates, "In order that He might EXHIBIT.
. . in the ages that pile themselves upon one another in continuous succession the
surpassing wealth of His grace in kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Show
demonstrate
exhibit the riches of His grace unto whom? Not to those who
already know it that would be useless nonsense. But to those who do not know it! To
the whole vast creation of men and worlds who dwell in darkness with the insatiable desire
to receive, but to whom has never been revealed the true and eternal and unbounded source
of life and reality.
Ah, God is
preparing a divine show for all the earth, indeed for the entire universe. The mighty
Barnum, in describing his circus, said it was THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH. True, Mr. Barnum
was a great showman and, for its kind, he had a great show, but God is the Master Showman
and is preparing to give the world THE GREATEST SHOW IT HAS EVER SEEN. It is a theatrical
of MERCY and GRACE and LOVE in a world of wrath and violence. This will be God's master
stroke as the curtain rises on the world's greatest drama God's Great Show
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD! Praise His name, once the finishing touch is put on
the last stone of His living temple of Kings and Priests, the firstfruits of His
redemption, in ages yet to come He shall put His grace and kindness inwrought in us ON
DISPLAY so that the entire creation may walk across the stage of His cosmic theatre and
behold and see and finally come to understand and appreciate WHAT GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR ALL
MEN IN CHRIST. All who have ears to hear must hear what the Spirit is saying to the
Churches. Across the land and around the world the Spirit is saying today that He is
preparing a people, He is preparing a body, He is preparing sons who shall be conformed to
the image of His Son, who shall be partakers of the divine nature, who shall have the mind
of Christ, who shall be brought to glory and who then shall become the very express image
of the Father, the brightness of the Father's glory and the outraying of the Father's
person. These shall receive of His fullness until they have within themselves conquered
all sin, sickness and death. God is now preparing sons, God is now preparing a body for
that first Son, we are the body of the first Son, the body of the Christ, the body of the
King of glory, the body of the great High Priest in the heavens after the order of
Melchizedek. We are the body of the Giver and in and through these sons, when all have
been brought to His fullness, having received of all His glorious and eternal reality, His
salvation shall be manifested, exhibited, and demonstrated unto the ends of the earth and
unto worlds yet unknown. The Lord is saying to His people in this day: "For this
cause have I raised thee up and sent thee to be a light unto the nations and thou shalt BE
MY SALVATION to the ends of the earth" (Isa. 49:6; Acts.
When those who
treasure the beautiful hope of sonship speak the words the Spirit is speaking to the
Churches in this hour, people demand, "Who do you think you are?" When we
declare that we are called to be the manifested sons of God, to grow up into the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ, to partake of a greater ministry than that of
the Church-age, to set all creation free and reconcile all things in heaven and in earth
back into God, people ask, "Just who do you think you are?" It really makes no
difference who WE think we are, but it makes a great deal of difference that we know WHO
AND WHAT WE ARE APPREHENDED TO BE IN HIM. Our ears have heard the sound of the trumpet, we
cannot dare not settle for anything less, we must follow on to know Him in
all His wonderful fullness, to desire to receive of all that He is and has so that we can
in turn become His Givers unto all. HE THAT HATH AN EAR LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT
SAITH. Let us not sell creation short in these days. The whole creation is groaning and
travailing together in pain to be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Mankind is
sick and tired of sin and fear and hatred and sorrow and pain and empty religious
platitudes, rituals, ceremonies and doctrines. The whole race is gripped by the most
intense DESIRE TO RECEIVE there is everywhere an unprecedented hunger for
deliverance, life and reality. Let us not deny the Lord who purchased us to be a
Upon whom shall
the Lord arise in the SEVENFOLD BRIGHTNESS OF HIS INTENSIFIED GLORY AND POWER? We trust
that it shall be upon you and me. Today our hearts are expectantly crying, Oh Lord,
let that sevenfold brightness be revealed, that the glory of God shall so fill our lives
that the radiance of Thy presence shall fill the whole earth! Amen!
The
Seven Spirits (continued)
Grace be
unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from THE
SEVEN SPIRITS which are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And out of
the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 4:5).
In the
midst of the throne
stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven
eyes, which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 5:6).
The vast majority
of Christians are unaware that God has seven Spirits. Seven Spirits means, in
the original text, seven Spirits. The question follows: Does God indeed have seven
Spirits? If you say that God has seven Spirits, that makes you a heretic! But if you say
that God does not have seven Spirits you contradict the plain statements of the Word of
God! Is the Spirit of God, then, seven or one? One of the keys to this mystery is found in
the verse in Rev. 4:5: And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne,
which are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD. In the Old Testament, the structure of the lamp
stand (candlestick) which stood in the tabernacle in the wilderness and later in the
temple in Jerusalem was quite unique: below was one lamp stand, above there were seven
branches, and in each branch there was a lamp (Ex. 25:31-37). It was one lamp stand, yet
it had seven lamps; there were seven lamps, yet it was but one lamp stand. Therefore it is
correct to say that there is one lamp stand, but neither is it wrong to say that there are
seven lamps! So also is the Spirit of God. Without question He is one Spirit. For
there is
ONE SPIRIT (Eph. 4:4). But this one Spirit is also called the
seven Spirits, that is, the sevenfold, intensified Spirit of God.
We meet this lamp
stand in a most unique setting in the days of Zechariah. Zechariah was a young man, a
young prophet of God with a vision. Through the course of his prophetic ministry he had
ten visions. God raised him up in a day of discouragement and defeat in
To get a picture
of that day, we can go back to Nehemiah who was a contemporary with Zechariah. Nehemiah
gives us a birds-eye view. When he came to
Now let us look
at one of the visions God gave to Zechariah. It bears a message for us also. And the
angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his
sleep. And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a
candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and
seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof (Zech. 4:1-2). This
vision is very simple. It corresponds to the lamp stand in the
Now when
Zechariah saw the lamp stand in his vision, it was like the lamp stand in the tabernacle
except for the addition of two added accessories which were not on the original lamp
stand. He sees something here that is unusual. There was a great bowl on top of the lamp
stand, a bowl that served as a great reservoir. The lamps, as God instructed Moses to make
them, each had a wick in them, and they would draw up the oil through the wick. In the
days of my youth we had lamps like that. I still remember the kerosene lamps we used both
at home and in the church building when I was a boy in south
Something else
has been added, which we find in the next verse: And two olive trees by it, one upon
the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof (Zech. 4:3).
Again this adds a deeper dimension to the abundance of power that is available. The bowl
which supplies the lamp stand of seven lamps, each one fed by seven pipes coming out of
the bowl, is in turn connected to two olive trees. The oil comes directly from its source
right to the consumer it doesnt have to be hauled in tanker cars or trucks.
No one has to go anywhere to get the oil. It comes to the lamps directly from the living,
all-sufficient, ever-flowing supply! Im sure that many who read these lines would
love to own an oil well and refinery and to have a wonderful elastic rubber hose that
would stretch as far as you want to go, one that you could just stick in the gas tank and
it would stretch anywhere you take a trip and keep your gas tank filled up. What a
marvelous thing that would be! And that is just the kind of supply the vision indicates.
The lamp stand has a direct connection with the source of power. There is a full and
abundant and eternal supply!
So I
answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my
lord? (Zech. 4:4). Zechariah had no inhibitions about seeking understanding of what
he saw. He pressed his way in and inquires, What are these? Now he was
familiar with the lamp stand. He knew what it was and he knew what it signified. His
question is, What does this whole vision mean this lamp stand with all these
extra and unique features what is the message in all this? What is the application
for us today as we are trying to rebuild the
Notice that this
is Gods message to Zerubbabel. Now who is Zerubbabel? Zerubbabel was among the
exiles of
Let me give you
the message now as it applied to Zerubbabel: This is the WORD of the Lord unto
Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my SPIRIT, saith the Lord! It
was the WORD of the declaring that God will not do His work by might or power (human
effort or ability), but BY HIS SPIRIT. The WORD and the SPIRIT! These are the two
witnesses, the two agencies, the two candlesticks, the two olive trees which stand before
the God of the whole earth (Rev. 11:3-4). The Lords work has never been done, nor
can it ever be done, by mans efforts or the works of the flesh, but only by the
Spirit. Therefore, the building of the temple in
How small, how
weak, how insufficient and totally incapable we feel in this hour beside the grandeur and
magnificence of Gods great purpose in sonship! But, praise God, the WORD of the Lord
to us is just this: Its not by brawn (might), nor by brains (power), but by my
Spirit, saith the Lord! God will see to it that His house of sons in the image of
God and anointed with the sevenfold, intensified Spirit of the Lord, is perfected and
fitly framed together, growing into an holy temple in the Lord to bring His rule and
deliverance and life to all men and nations. He will do this totally apart from all human
resources. I find it very encouraging to know that God is saying in effect, I will
do it. I will not have to depend on your weakness. I will not have to depend on your
ignorance. Ill not have to depend on you. (I WILL DO IT.) I will do it in you and
through you. But it will not be by brawn. It will not be by brain. But its by my
Spirit. Jesus is the firstfruits of such a victory. First and foremost the lamp
stand is our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who has the seven Spirits of God. He is the
Lamb in the midst of the throne having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven
Spirits of God. To behold the Christ of glory, seated at the right hand of the Father, is
far more beneficial than to continually see our own weaknesses and limitations. The vision
of the heavenly sanctuary, the completed body of Christ, with Christ Jesus as the
established Head of that body will greatly encourage us as we press on to enter into the
fullness of God. To see Christ gloriously adorned with the fullness of the seven Spirits
of God, and to keep our vision centered on Him, will inspire us to keep pressing on to the
prize of the High Calling.
Speaking of this
great work of God typically in and through Zerubbabel, Paul Mueller has written:
The wisdom of Solomon has declared, Where there is no vision, the people
perish. (Pro. 29:18) The leaders of the church system are well acquainted with this
truth, therefore, they continually overburden the people with visions of their little
kingdoms. They would keep the vision of new, larger, and better furnished church
buildings, hospitals or recreational facilities, constantly before the people. Or, they
fill the minds of the people with their own grandiose plans and programs of evangelism to
keep them occupied and busy fulfilling their vision. It is true, without a
vision the people perish, but the Lords elect will not allow their hearts and minds
to be filled with
Let us then
partake of the magnificent vision of the grand and glorious purposes of God, a vision the
prophet Zechariah presented with the eloquence of one who was truly anointed of the
Spirit. Zechariahs prophecies were instrumental in presenting the vision of a
restored temple with such dynamic power that the building was soon completed by
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the willing hands who worked tirelessly to hasten its
completion. And we may also be sure that the same omnipotent Spirit that guided all those
hands to complete that literal temple many centuries ago, will also see to it that the
temple of the body of Christ is completed on time and with everything in place according
to the heavenly pattern.
Zechariahs
prophecy declared that Zerubbabel had laid the foundation of the temple, and he would also
finish the building. (Zech. 4:9) The prophecy continues, For who hath despised the
day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of
Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through
the whole earth. (vs. 10) The plummet was a stone of tin,
perhaps with a string attached something like a plumb line. When the workers would see
Zerubbabel at the building site with his plummet, they would be greatly encouraged.
Of greater
significance is the fact that the plummet was seen with those
seven, which are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole
earth. Now, it is easy to see that the eyes of the Lord running to and fro through
the whole earth had very little to do with building that literal temple which was located
on one spot in the city of
A few years
ago, a Christian friend told me that he thought a certain charismatic evangelist well
known for his brilliant mind, his congenial personality and his TV programs, was the best
qualified man to unite the body of Christ. I could scarcely believe my ears for the lack
of understanding this man displayed. No doubt there are many Christians who suppose that
God is going to use some charismatic preacher to bring unity to the body of Christ. If we
will remember the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel whereby the body of Christ shall be
raised up in true unity, we will readily see that God will not use the might and power of
the flesh for the completion of His body, for it is Not by might, nor by power, but
by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Not only will our mighty, omnipotent Lord
complete the formation of the body of Christ by His Spirit, but by that same Spirit,
Christ will take His rightful place as Head of His body.
This truth
was also declared by Zechariah: Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel
thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings,
crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zech. 4:7) What a wonderful promise, for he who is
typified in Zerubbabel shall bring forth the headstone, to complete the formation of the
body of Christ, with Christ in His rightful place as Head of His body. This
headstone answers to the capstone of the Great Pyramid which has never been
placed, but is The stone which the builders refused and is become the
head stone of the corner. (Ps. 118:22) Likewise, Jesus said, the Son of man
hath not where to lay his head. (Mt. 8:20) Jesus wasnt speaking of a pillow
where He might lay His physical head, but of that position of Headship in the body of
Christ. Now, in the end of this age, the Son of man will have a place to lay His head, a
place on His body that has been prepared and completed by the Spirit.
Who
art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. There were
undoubtedly many mountains of resistance, opposition, and impossibilities that stood
before Zerubbabel to attempt to prevent him from building the temple in
The greater
work of the Spirit presently involves the raising up of the body of Christ, the true
temple, and there are also many mountains of opposition that may try to
prevent the formation and glorification of that choice company. Standing before the body
of Christ to resist the perfection of that illustrious company are all the principalities,
powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places. (Rev. 11:5,7-10) But, just as the
construction of that literal temple could not be prevented, even so shall it be impossible
for any power, whether earthly or spiritual, to prevent the perfection of the more
glorious body of Christ. We may be unequivocally confident that the growth, perfection and
ultimate adornment of each member of His body with the resurrection life of Christ is as
certain and absolute as was the growth unto life of Christ, the first Son.
THE ADOPTION OF
SONS AND THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD
For ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Rom.
It is rather
unfortunate that the English word adoption was used in our text. The Greek is
something far above and beyond the ideas bound up with this word. It has been infinitely
better rendered in the RSV where we read, He destined us in love to be His sons
through Jesus Christ. But even this is not enough. Let us take the Greek word apart.
It is huiothesia. The first half is huios the common noun for an
adult son. The latter half is thesia meaning a placement, an installation, a
setting of a person or a thing in its place. So the whole word means not so much adoption
as the PLACING OF A SON.
At one time in
the
This proclamation
gave the son certain privileges not enjoyed by him before this time. These privileges are
very important and will teach us much about the ADOPTION OF GODS SONS if we think
upon them. First, the son at the adoption ceremony was given the right to USE HIS
FATHERS NAME. He had the power of attorney and could buy or sell and do business in
his fathers name. Secondly, at this time the son was given his INHERITANCE, all the
wealth that the father would entrust to him. Thirdly, but of tremendous importance for our
consideration, the son was promoted to EQUALITY WITH HIS FATHER! But none of this was his
by right of birth, but only as an attainment received following years of growth,
development, discipline, schooling, and experience. Ah, at this present time we know in
part, prophesy in part (I Cor. 13:9) and our spiritual life and ministry is limited to
that measure given to us at this point of our development as children of God.
But the Spirit witnesses around the world that the hour is wonderfully close at hand for
the ADOPTION, the PLACEMENT, the MANIFESTATION of the Sons of God whom the Lord has been
calling and preparing for the past 2,000 years during the Church age. What a day that
shall be for us, and for the whole world that groans and travails for deliverance!
Experientially we
are NOT SONS of God now, we are the CHILDREN of God moving on toward the full stature of
Christ to receive our ADOPTION as SONS. For the SPIRIT which you have now received
is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received
the SPIRIT OF ADOPTION the Spirit producing Sonship in the bliss of which we
cry, Abba, Father! (Rom.
To see the
difference in meaning between a child and a son as it is indicated
in the Greek Scriptures, let us use this example. Suppose you are driving down the street
and pass a store with a sign out front that reads, BROWN AND SON HARDWARE what does
this suggest to you? Naturally, it suggests that Mr. Brown is the owner of the store and
that this son is GROWN, that he has reached an age of maturity, experience, and
responsibility where he can be taken into his Fathers business AS A PARTNER
as a mature BUSINESS MAN! You certainly would not expect, upon entering the store and
asking for the son, to be presented to a ten year old boy or an infant in a playpen!
Neither have we ever seen a sign across the front of a store that reads: BROWN AND CHILD
HARDWARE! This, then, is exactly the difference between a child and a
son. This is the difference between the children of God and the
sons of God. A child is born, but a son is developed. Since we have been born
of God we have Gods NATURE, the divine nature. But we must grow up into Gods
CHARACTER and ABILITY! This is what it really means to be the MANIFESTED SONS OF GOD!
After passing
through thirty years of spiritual development under the dealings of His Father, learning
HIS WAYS and complete obedience, in a public ceremony at Jordan God declared His
Sons SONSHIP: And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending
like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo a voice from heaven saying, THIS IS MY
BELOVED SON, in Whom I am WELL PLEASED (Mat. 3:16-17). From that day forward Jesus
assumed the responsibility of His Fathers name, wealth, and power, and Gods
SON became manifested to the world, glorifying the Father in word and in deed.
Likewise, our new
birth is nothing more than the beginning of a never-ending heavenly GOD-KIND of life. Then
the born one may become a full-grown Son in the God-family, or he may remain a baby spirit
delighting only in the fact of an immature and childish eternal existence. The life of God
is a free gift of unmerited mercy and favor. But heavenly attainments of spiritual wealth
and power and glory and usefulness are given to those who follow on and GROW UP into the
measure of the stature of the FULLNESS OF CHRIST (Eph.
So many
Christians today are satisfied with merely an entrance into the family of God. Their eyes
are blinded to the higher purposes of God, any efforts to lead them on to a higher ground
are rebuffed and resisted by a human reasoning which asks why one should waste time on
deep things when they are already saved and on their way to
heaven. But salvation, while it is the most astounding miracle of the ages, is,
nevertheless, but the birth of a mere SPIRITUAL INFANT. There are many further steps which
must follow this birth if one is to come into all the glories and the full heritage which
is prepared for those who FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD. There is a great glory, wisdom,
power, and heavenly wealth awaiting those who grow up to be Gods SONS. The whole
creation is standing on tiptoe to see the glorious sight of Gods Sons coming into
their own!
FROM REVIVAL TO
THE KINGDOM
The Word of God
clearly teaches that the manifestation of the sons of God at the close of this age brings
FULL SALVATION, which, of course, includes the BODY OF INCORRUPTION salvation for
spirit, soul and body. The purpose of this manifestation is twofold: first, to bring full
redemption to Gods elect; second, to bring deliverance to all peoples, kindreds,
tongues and nations, to those now living as well as to those vast multitudes who have
lived and died throughout the ages, until sin, sickness, sorrow, darkness, pain and death
shall exist no more anywhere in Gods unbounded universe, worlds without end. Let us
notice how the apostle Paul reveals this purpose of God in the following words: For
even the whole creation waits expectantly and longs earnestly for Gods sons to be
made known waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship. For the
creation was subjected to frailty to futility, condemned to frustration not
because of some intentional fault on its part, but by the will of Him who so subjected it.
Yet with the hope that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and
corruption and gain an entrance into the glorious freedom of Gods children. We know
that the whole creation has been moaning together in the pains of labor until now. And not
only the creation, but we ourselves too, who have and enjoy the first fruits of the Holy
Spirit a foretaste of the blissful things to come grown inwardly as we wait
for the redemption of our bodies from sensuality and the grave, WHICH WILL REVEAL OUR
ADOPTION, OUR MANIFESTATION AS GODS SONS (Rom. 8:19-23, Amplified).
When Paul by
inspiration penned these blessed words of hope he did not have in mind another great
revival of the kinds we have experienced in many localities and nations
throughout this age of grace. The creation is not groaning for another evangelistic
campaign, nor for another healing service, nor for more gifts of the Spirit, nor for more
apostles and prophets and teachers, nor for more signs, wonders and miracles, nor yet for
144,000 flaming evangelists just like Jesus when He walked the shores of blue Galilee. In
two thousand years none of these things has even produced a perfect Church, nor have they
ever brought the fullness of the Kingdom of God, and not even one of them or all of them
put together ever delivered the creation from its bondage to corruption! It is not just
another patch-up job we want, but a full and complete and eternal deliverance
from the whole dreadful realm of corruption in spirit, soul and body!
How we praise God
and bless Him unceasingly for every blessing so lavishly bestowed by His bountiful grace.
We rejoice exceedingly in His provision of our daily need, for those healings which have
preserved alive these mortal bodies unto this day, for each sign and wonder that has
quickened our faith and given assurance of His wonderful love, yet we are aware that none
of these is that for which creation, with ourselves, groans and travails. We cannot
dare not be satisfied until we AWAKE IN HIS LIKENESS! Christ shall minister the
fullness of HIS ETERNAL AND INCORRUPTIBLE LIFE to a firstfruit company of sons who shall
in turn impart that same life and glory to the creation. These SONS are alive and in the
world today. They may at this present time be fathers, and mothers, and sons, and
daughters
they may be carpenters, or plumbers, or nurses, or technicians, or truck
drivers, or housewives, or store clerks
or they may be apostles, or prophets, or
elders, or deacons. But it is in their ultimate fashioning as SONS that they shall become
the LIBERATORS that God has in mind for a world in darkness and bondage.
In praying for
revival we develop a revivalistic mentality which contradicts the purposes of God for this
Day. When one examines revivals historically, he finds that when you live in the revival
mentality you are like a person who gets high on a drug you soon need
another fix. Revivals throughout history are recurrent activity
activity that returns from time to time. Revivals are those kinds of divine intervention
which bring about awakening, followed by spiritual declension and apostasy. It is a
vicious, never-ending cycle. Awake, asleep. Awake, asleep. Alive, dead. Alive, dead.
Delivered, bound. Delivered, bound. Refreshed, sluggish. Refreshed, sluggish. Filled,
empty. Filled, empty. Revivals are oscillating in nature, swinging back and forth between
two extremes. Furthermore, revivals are occasional and variable. They occur now and then.
In and out, up and down, here and there, now and then, back and forth, awake and asleep
do you feel yourself getting motion sickness? In the 1800s there was a
revival called The Great Awakening. As someone has pointed out, unfortunately
it was followed by The Great Asleepening. We dont need another Great
Awakening
What the world needs in this hour is not another revival. No revival has
brought the ultimate triumph of Gods Kingdom. No revival has brought the universal
defeat of sin, sorrow, sickness, limitation and death. No revival has brought an end to
war, strife, hatred, corruption, fear, tyranny, pain, hunger, or any of the other problems
and curses that blight mankind. Our prayer should be, Lord, dont send another
revival! Our prayer should be as our Lord taught us to pray, Thy Kingdom
come! I am not a revivalist. I am a Kingdomite! I am a son of the Kingdom, an
announcer of the Kingdom, a proclaimer of the Kingdom, an ambassador of the
The focus of the
New Testament is upon Christ and His Kingdom not revivals. You dont read
about revivals in any of the writings of the apostles. The word revival does not appear in
the dictionary of Kingdom terminology. So far as New Testament economy is concerned,
revival is an unscriptural and extra-biblical concept. You wont find the idea
anywhere! Jesus didnt promise revivals. The apostles never taught or exhorted or
gave any instructions about revivals. Amazing, isnt it, how much of the language of
The sons of God
are soon to arise on the world scene. It will be MORE than revival this time, my beloved,
IT WILL BE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH POWER! There is yet another move of the Spirit and work
of God that transcends by far anything that has ever been seen or known. We are nearing
the hour of the manifestation of the sons of God. The long, long awaited liberation from
the bondage of sin, sorrow and decay is near at hand. The greater works which Jesus, our
elder brother, told us of are soon to begin on the earth. The hour is at hand when the
GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER and the enduring Kingdom of God which shall never be
destroyed shall consume and destroy forever all other kingdoms. The sons shall reign in
the power and authority of the Spirit over all dominions from pole to pole and from sea to
sea, and all nations shall know and serve the Lord. There shall be peace on earth and
goodwill to men, with justice and judgment and equity and LIFE ABUNDANT FOR ALL.
Paul Mueller
wrote These then are THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF SONSHIP, shining in the brightness and
light of the SEVEN LAMPS OF FIRE which are seen burning before the throne, its glory
radiating the seven-fold splendor as of the rainbow which is seen in beauty like unto an
emerald. (Rev. 4:3-5) This mighty and glorious anointing which shall come upon the sons of
God to enable the Body of Christ to inaugurate the wonderful and blessed age of the
kingdom of God, and shall endue them with power and all the attributes of Him who is the
Head of the Body. They shall not judge after the sight of their eyes, nor reprove after
the hearing of their ears, but with righteousness shall they judge the nations. This
anointed company of sons of God shall be girded with the righteousness of Christ and the
faithfulness of Him who lived them and lifted them all from the pit of sin and despair to
the glorious heights of His throne. Then the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard
shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion together, with a little child
leading them. In that blessed day of glory, They shall not hurt nor destroy in all
my holy mountain.
The sons of
God, fully anointed and vested with all the fullness of God, shall teach His law and
declare His word of truth, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea. In that glorious day the Lord shall set up an ensign
for the nations, and He will assemble all the outcasts of
Beloved,
let us press on for the mark of this PRIZE of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The
scriptures teach us that we have only received THE EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT. (2
Cor. 5:5) As wonderful and refreshing as our present spiritual life has been it has only
been an IN-PART REALM. But in due time we shall receive THE FULNESS OF THE SPIRIT, and
this baptism shall come upon the sons of God who shall be the first in divine order to
partake of that fullness in obedience to the pattern of Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ is
the only One who ever received of this fullness of the Spirit, and the company of the sons
of God shall be the next to receive of that fullness of glory and life in abundance. This
anointed company shall be joined to Christ their Head, thus making up the Body of Christ,
which is to be joined later to the Bride of Christ, who shall be raised up during the
kingdom age. There is certainly much more of THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE
which is to be revealed during the time periods which are to follow this present age, the
time which the scriptures call the ages to come. (See Eph 2:7) During these
ages to come, the restoration of all things as spoken by all the holy prophets since the
world began shall commence with the complete fulfillment of those abundant promises
assured in THE FULNESS OF TIMES. (Eph. 1:10) In the light of these rich and
abundant promises, we will seek His face, earnestly striving to partake of THE FULNESS OF
GOD, laying aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us (the sin of
unbelief). end quote
The
Spirit of Anointing
That there would
come forth in the world a Spirit-anointed body of people, a royal company of kings and
priests, to bring the redemptive blessings of the Kingdom of God to all the families of
the earth, was most wonderfully typified and foreshadowed in the Old Testament by the
priesthood given to Israel. Under the law, the anointing was the ceremony by
which the priests were installed in their service. They were anointed to their office with
a peculiar ointment, called the Holy Anointing Oil, used upon none but the
priests, and unlawful for anyone else to have or to make (Ex. 30:25-33,38). This oil
typifies the Holy Spirit whereby we, the true royal priesthood, are sealed as
sons of God. Only the consecrated ones, the priests, are ever to be thus anointed.
The apostle Peter
shows who were typified by the Aaronic priests, when, addressing those who were
sanctified, consecrated, and truly separated unto the purposes of God, he says: YE
are
an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ. And again: YE are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood (I
Peter 1:2; 2:5,9).
That the head or
Chief Priest of this priesthood is our Lord Jesus, is repeatedly mentioned by the
apostles. The writer to the Hebrews wrote: Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling (of the priesthood), consider the apostle and High Priest of our profession,
Christ Jesus (Heb 3:1). Aaron, the typical High Priest, represented Jesus, the Head,
and the elect as members of His body. As Aaron had the holy oil poured upon his head, so
our Head, the Lord Jesus, was anointed with the antitypical oil the Holy Spirit
when He was thirty years of age, at the river
It is important
to note that in the Old Testament type the anointing oil was poured only upon the head of
the High Priest. Then shalt thou take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head,
and anoint him (Ex. 29:7). Aaron, a Levite who was Moses brother, had been
chosen to be the High Priest. The instructions for anointing said that the oil was to be
poured over Aarons head. From Ps. 133:2, we know that the ointment ran down his
head, over his beard, and down to the skirts of his garments. In other words, he was
completely covered with the anointing oil. In the anointing of Aaron as the High Priest,
we can see that he was typically totally covered with the Holy Spirit as he wore the
priestly garments. That is, in the ministry of the priesthood, Aaron had the anointing.
The under-priests were not anointed individually. They were recognized as members of the
High Priests body, and received their anointing only IN HIM as their head. Hence
also the antitypical priests of the Royal Priesthood are merely partakers of the Spirit
and anointing of Christ, and only those who are truly in Christ Jesus are
partakers of the anointing which seals all those who will be recognized as the heirs of
Gods promises, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ their Lord. And so we read:
The anointing which YE have RECEIVED OF HIM abideth in you (I Jn. 2:27). The
oil began to reach the Body on the day of Pentecost, and flowed on down through the church
age, anointing all who have been truly baptized into Christ, constituting them, with their
Head, kings and priests unto God. We thus see that Aaron, anointed, represented the entire
Christ Head and body the complete seed of Abraham, in which God
is about to bless all the families of the earth. When all the members shall have come into
this glorious Body of Sons, when the Holy Oil shall have run down to the
skirts of His garments, bringing the full measure of His glory and power to each
member, then will begin that great manifestation of the sons of God for which
the whole creation, until now, has been groaning. The kingly and priestly ministry of this
many-membered company of sons shall usher in a new age of deliverance and blessing for all
the nations of the earth. For the glorious reign of this Kingly Priest we constantly pray,
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
This sevenfold
Spirit of God is the fullness of the wisdom, glory, nature and power of God which rested
upon and filled Jesus Christ. This is the Spirit WITHOUT MEASURE, unlimited. These are the
seven Spirits continually before the throne of God by which the world shall be governed in
righteousness, for of the One anointed with this sevenfold Spirit Isaiah said: And
the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him
and shall make Him of quick
understanding
and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove
after the hearing of His ears: but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove
with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His
mouth
righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins
they shall not hurt nor
destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:2-9).
This sevenfold
anointing is the seven horns and the seven eyes, which are
the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Rev. 5:6). The seven eyes of
Gods perfect insight and understanding shall be sent forth into all the earth to
search the hearts of men and of nations, and the seven horns of Gods perfect power
shall arise as a rod of iron to rule over all nations, bringing them into peace and
righteousness before Him. Those blessed sons of God who are to share the fullness of this
anointing, reigning with Him in His Kingdom, will not be men who have spent their time
beating the air in mans programs and kingdoms, but men and women who
through vital contact with Christ Jesus our Lord have partaken fully of the sevenfold
Spirit of Sonship. Their wisdom and knowledge and power comes not from the schools,
institutions, rituals and methods of the harlot religious systems of this world, but from
the blessed fact that THEY HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS!
Paul Mueller has
written, When Jesus read the prophecy of Isaiah in the synagogue in
The Holy Spirit,
Paul says, is the EARNEST of our inheritance in Christ. The Greek word translated
earnest (ARRABON) means merely a pledge or first installment, a down payment,
money deposited by a purchaser to guarantee that he will pay for an item in full when it
is delivered. The balance must follow. The fullness is guaranteed by the earnest. In
modern Greek the word is used for an engagement ring, the idea being that he who gives a
girl such a ring will complete his agreement to marry her the wedding band will
surely follow! When this word is used in scripture it speaks of the gift of the Holy
Spirit as Gods earnest or engagement ring. In other words, the
seal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is therefore an earnest or advance pledge from God
Himself that those who are apprehended and receive The Promise will one day receive their
inheritance IN FULL.
Let us illustrate
another way. In eastern lands it ever has been, and is, customary for there to be an
intermediary in arranging a marriage. The Bible picture of this is in Genesis 24, where
Abrahams servant Eliezer, goes on a long journey to find a wife for Isaac. He takes
with him a good report of his masters son, and tells how that his father has made
him heir of all his vast possessions, and he then shows the damsel and her friends SAMPLES
of this wealth in camels and jewelry, and gives them some of the latter. Thus allured,
Rebecca left her known circle and took a long, desert journey to become Isaacs wife,
though she had never seen him. Thus did Paul the apostle speak to the saints: I have
espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ (II
Cor. 11:2). Fulfilling the role of Abrahams servant, Eliezer, the apostle bestowed
upon those who heeded his words a FORETASTE of the vast and unmeasurable wealth of the
Oh, what a grand
and glorious realm lies before us in this expectation of the FULL INHERITANCE! The day of
the full fruit of the Spirit! The day of Perfection! The time of full and complete
Redemption, spirit, soul and body! The full and complete experiencing of HIMSELF! The
fullness of Strength, Wisdom, Power and Glory! The Feast of Feasts! The strange part of
the whole thing is this, that the whole purpose and plan of God for this day and hour is
completely obscured and lost amidst the shout and euphoria over the earnest,
and firstfruits, the down payment, and most of the Lords
people have no idea or conception of what the full inheritance is all about. They can see
the healings, deliverances, miracles, prophecies, worship, etc.; and they understand not
that it is God in His greater mercy inviting His people to enter on in to their full
inheritance. They do not realize that all this is not the end it is merely the
foretaste, the earnest of their heritage, and that God bids them after sampling of His
glory to arise and come away with Him to the Great Feast that lies before!
Completeness and
perfection, however much desired, are not obtainable through an in-part
possession. Once we understand this one important principle, it becomes clear that we
cannot reach the fullness in one grand leap. It would be like giving a farmer a pound of
seed and a bag of fertilizer and then expect him to raise enough food in one short season
to satisfy the starving millions of
The purpose of
the Holy Ghost is not to make you feel good, nor to enable you to speak in tongues, heal a
few sick folks, and get your prayers answered. The purpose of the Holy Ghost is to baptize
you with the Holy Ghost and Fire and purify your spirit, soul, and body, bringing you into
a realm with God where you are changed from strength to strength, from glory to glory, and
faith to faith until you come into a walk with God where you begin to grow up into all the
nature, wisdom, knowledge, power and glory of God. Thats the heart-cry of God in
this hour. God wants to mature a people and fill them with ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD. Then
the glory of the Lord will fill the whole body of the sons of God in the fullness thus far
known only by our glorious Forerunner and Head, Jesus Christ. Then His glory shall flow
and flow and fill the earth. Then shall be fulfilled the words of the Saviour, The
words that I do shall ye do also, and GREATER WORKS THAN THESE SHALL YE DO. The
power of God shall at last conquer the nations, and sin, and sorrow, and death shall be
swallowed up in victory. Men shall no longer receive merely the forgiveness of sins with
peace and joy and hope, but a FULL DELIVERANCE AND TRANSFORMATION from sin, limitation and
death. Praise God for the earnest but let us follow on to receive THE FULLNESS!
Again I would
share from the anointed pen of Paul Mueller: We may wonder how the Lord could ever
heal the many hurts of humanity, restore all the waste places of the earth, bring the
light of His glory into darkened lives, and establish His kingdom in all the earth in
righteousness, justice and peace. But when we get a glimpse of HIS GLORY and the fact that
every member of His body shall be like Him and ANOINTED AS HE IS with that seven-fold
anointing of God, then we will understand that all these things are possible and He will
bring it to pass with THE POWER OF HIS GLORY.
THE SPIRIT OF
YAHWEH
Upon this
many-membered body of king-priests, as upon their Lord and Head, shall rest the seven
Spirits of God even as the prophet foretold.
The Spirit
of the Lord (Yahwey) shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit
of Wisdom and Understanding;
The Spirit
of Counsel and Might,
The Spirit
of Knowledge and Fear of the Lord.
The first of
these seven Spirits is designated as The Spirit of the Lord. Of the Spirit
which was bestowed upon Jesus it is written, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
because He hath anointed Me
(Lk 4:18). Turning to the prophecy from which this
quotation is made, we read there in the Hebrew, The Spirit of YAHWEH is on Me,
because YAHWEH hath anointed Me to proclaim good tidings to the humble (Isa. 61:1).
The Hebrew also reads in Isa. 11:2-3: And the Spirit of YAHWEH shall rest upon Him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding etc. Thus it can be seen that the very first
aspect of this sevenfold Spirit of God is that it is THE SPIRIT OF YAHWEH. It was the
Spirit of Yahweh which was upon Jesus the Head, and it is thus the
Spirit of Yahweh which is communicated from the Head to the elect members of
His body.
These seven
Spirits of God compare to the seven branches of the golden lamp stand in the tabernacle of
Moses and later in the temple in
No doubt you have
heard the question, Whats in a name? Though it is often asked
facetiously, the fact remains that there is MUCH in a name. The names we give our children
in this modern day usually have little or no significance. We often name our children
after some favorite aunt, uncle or grandparent, or choose a name because we like its sound
or association. But in Bible times names were frequently given by a prophetic utterance or
under Divine inspiration so that the names actually revealed the nature, character and
destiny of the person. Thou shalt call His name Jesus, said the angel,
For He shall save His people from their sins (Mat. 1:21). Jesus means
Yahweh is salvation, and the name expresses that glorious redemptive work
accomplished only by and through Him. Abram, which means father, had his named
changed to Abraham, meaning father of many nations, for such he
was to become in very fact. His wife also was given a change of name from Sarai, which
means contentious, to Sarah, meaning Princess, for,
said the Lord, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of
peoples shall be of her (Gen. 17:15-16). Jesus changed the names of James and John
to Boanerges, meaning sons of thunder, because the name befitted these men who
thought to call down fire from heaven to destroy the unbelievers. When Andrew brought his
brother to Jesus, our Lord greeted Peter with these words: Thou art Simon, the son
of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone (Jn.
1:40-42). Peter became an apostle and the ministry of an apostle is an establishing or
foundational ministry. Thus the name Cephas, which the Lord gave to Peter, calls attention
to the very nature and ministry of the man. This pattern is seen all through the
scriptures, from Genesis to the Revelation. Thus, the name Yahweh reveals all that God IS,
all that God HAS, and all that God can DO.
To properly
understand what is meant by the Spirit of Yahweh, we need to understand the
meaning of the name. In the King James Version of our Bible the Hebrew word
Yahweh is mis-translated LORD in capital letters. Thus, whenever
you see the word LORD, in capitals, it should be Yahweh. Yahweh is
the name by far the most frequently employed in the Old Testament, occurring some 6,823
times!
The name
Yahweh is derived from the Hebrew verb havah meaning to
be, or being. This word is almost exactly like the Hebrew verb,
chavah, which means to live, or life. One can readily
see the connection between being and life. Thus Yahweh means the self-existent
One or the eternal. He is the One who in Himself possesses essential
life, permanent existence, derived from no source other than Himself, and absolutely
dependent upon no other person or thing for its continuance. Any being whose existence is
dependent in any manner upon another, or upon conditions such as food, light, air, etc.,
or even upon some cosmic influence, is not SELF-EXISTENT. This quality inhered originally
in Yahweh alone, as it is written, The Father hath life in Himself (Jn. 5:26).
That means that His existence is not a derived one, nor a sustained one; not derived from
anything nor dependent upon anything, but inherent and eternal within Himself. The verbs
to be and to live from which the name Yahweh comes denote both
essential life and a state of being. Hence, God is not only eternal Himself, but all His
nature and characteristics are as eternal and unchangeable as is His life!
Anything that is
absolutely eternal is not only unending, but is also UNCHANGABLE. Anything that changes in
any way is not eternal, for in the change some characteristic is left behind and a new one
acquired. In every change something ends and something else begins, at least in form. That
which dwells in an eternal state knows NO CHANGE. Change is possible only in that which is
limited, imperfect, or not fully developed. The Lord declares of Himself, I am the
Lord, I CHANGE NOT (Mal. 3:6), and the inspired apostle says of Him, with Whom
there is no VARIABLENESS, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). God is never
surprised. God has not learned anything this week, nor last year, nor in the last several
trillion years. If God learned one thing today, it would destroy Him. He would no longer
be the omniscient One who knows the end from the beginning, for known unto Him are all His
works from the creation of the world. God does not experiment. God does not become
stronger, mightier, or increase Himself in any way. God is the omnipotent and omniscient
one. He CHANGES NOT. He eternally is all that He is without any decrease or increase or
fluctuation whatsoever. Therefore He is the ETERNAL GOD! It means more than unending, it
means unchangeable, and therefore unending! But we, in our spiritual life, are STILL BEING
CHANGED! And all of us
are constantly BEING TRANSFIGURED (changed) into His
very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another
(II Cor. 3:18, Amplified). Therefore the life we have received is not truly eternal yet,
it is the LIFE OF THE AGES, Gods life injected into time to be processed and matured
into that unchangeableness which He Himself is!
The origin and
meaning of the name Yahweh are especially brought out in relation to
I AM THAT I
AM reveals God as the UNCHANGABLE One. In this name Yahweh is saying to Moses and
the children of
SELF-EXISTENT
LIFE
Only Yahweh has
from eternity possessed inherent eternal life and incorruptible nature. There is only one
life in the whole universe that can be counted as life. He that hath the Son hath
the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life (I Jn. 5:12). Again,
He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son
shall not see life (Jn. 3:36). The message in these passages is simply this: Unless
a man has the life of God, he does not have life. Thus, according to Gods own
definition of life, only His life is life; apart from His quality of life, no other form
of life can be counted as life for the power of death is inherent in all that man
esteems as life. What man calls life is really death. In the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die (Gen. 2:17). The natural world does not generate or
perpetuate life; it only generates and perpetuates more death. A baby is not born to live
it is born to die. All life forms apart from God are mortal. All are in one form or
another breathing, blood-circulating, temporarily existing, physical beings.
God is the only
eternal, self-existing life in the universe. This life is uncreated, without beginning or
ending, existing by itself and ever, unchangeably existing. Only that which is born of God
shares such a level of life. Only the life of God is life. It not only has the name of
life, but also the power of life, the reality of life, and thus it completely fulfills the
meaning of life. Life is God Himself. What does it mean to have life? To have life is to
have God Himself. To manifest life is to manifest God Himself. Life is not different at
all from God. If it were, then it would not be life. It is not enough merely to know that
we have life; we must know further that this life we have is God Himself. The life is what
God is, and all that God is, has and can do is revealed out of that life.
Jesus made a
statement which the first Adam could never have made. He said, For as the Father
HATH LIFE IN HIMSELF; so hath He given to the SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF (Jn.
5:25-26). LIFE IN HIMSELF! This is self-existent life, a life not derived from any source,
not dependent upon any sustenance, inherent life! Jesus could say, I AM the
LIFE! No other man before Him could say that.
But exceeding
great wonder of all is that not only did Jesus possess the self-existent Life of God, but
God has made Him to be a life-giving Spirit. Truly, He that has the Son
HATH LIFE and this is the record that God HATH GIVEN TO US eternal life, and
this life is in His Son (I Jn. 5:11-12). Notice the result of having the Holy
Spirit: Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His. And if
Christ be IN YOU the same life in you now that was in Jesus when He walked
this earth as a man the body is dead because of sin; but THE SPIRIT IS LIFE
because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Christ from the dead
dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by His Spirit that dwelleth in you (Rom. 8:9-11). How plain. If the Spirit of Yahweh
dwells in us, He imparts THE POWER TO COMMENCE ETERNAL, SELF-EXISTENT LIFE within us!
In Jn. 17:2 Jesus
said, Father
glorify Thy Son
as Thou hast given Him power over all
flesh, that He should GIVE ETERNAL LIFE to as many as Thou hast given Him. From the
incorruptible seed of Christ, placed in the womb of the believing heart, comes forth that
incorruptible New Creation which lives and abides forever. When John said, He that
hath the Son hath life, he was speaking of that incorruptible Life which Jesus is.
When Jesus said, He that believeth on Me shall never die (Jn. 11:26), He was
not teaching us merely of the possibility of extending our physical, Adamic existence
forever so we would never go to the grave. He meant that He was planting a NEW LIFE within
us, even the incorruptible, self-existent Life which He is. The Life Jesus has made
available is the Life HE IS, the Life of Yahweh, the Life of eternity. It is the life
which produces an eternal SPIRIT NATURE AND BEING of the same quality as that possessed by
GOD OUR FATHER.
Here, in
receiving of this life, the Holy Anointing Oil of Yahwehs Spirit flows
from the Head to the body, giving unto the body the same SELF-EXISTENT LIFE with which the
Son was endued. And truly I say to you that having thus partaken of His very own Spirit
and Life the members of His body can now say, AS the Son HATH LIFE IN HIMESLF; so
hath He given to the Sons, the members of His body to HAVE LIFE IN THEMSELVES! What
other quality of life could we have received except the eternal, self-existent life of God
in Christ? Blessed be God! it is no longer I that live but CHRIST that liveth in me! This
is the life of the sons of God for which all creation groans. For even the whole
creation waits expectantly and longs earnestly for Gods sons to be made known
waits for the revealing, the disclosing of their sonship. For
the creation itself
will be set free from its bondage to decay and corruption and gain an entrance into the
glorious freedom of Gods children (Rom. 8:19,21). When Paul by inspiration
penned these blessed words of hope he did not have in mind a manifestation of Gods
sons after the order of which Jesus was manifested while on earth. Jesus glorified the
Father on the earth plane, and so do we; but this is not the glory yet to be revealed that
we anticipate, neither is it the hope for which the whole creation is in travail. The
glory to which we are called as sons of God is not the glory Jesus had on earth, but the
glory for which He prayed when His earth-walk was completed: And now, O Father,
glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world
was. Paul wrote, When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall YE
also appear WITH HIM IN GLORY (Col. 3:4). And Peter declared, But the God of
all grace
hath called us unto HIS ETERNAL GLORY by Christ Jesus (I Pet. 5:10).
I can assure you,
precious friend of mine, that this resurrection glory, this incorruptible glory, this
eternal glory is the HOPE OF ALL CREATION. We rejoice in the manifestation of the gifts of
the Spirit, in prophecies, visions, healings, miracles, temporal blessings and provisions,
but I must confess that I am saddened to see the Lords people continually following
after mere TEMPORAL SIGNS and PHYSICAL, MATERIAL, MORTAL BLESSINGS. It is a distress to my
soul to see my precious sick brethren (as well as myself) healed by the power of God, only
to behold them smitten later by some other debilitating disease. What sorrow it brings to
the human heart to see the precious men and women of God who have walked in the Spirit,
and proclaimed the revelation of God, and have so mightily blessed Gods people
finally grow old or be struck down by some loathsome disease and pass from our midst into
the silence of the grave. I grow tired of healing the sick only to see them sick again. It
is frustrating to pray for the same saints over and over again for the same problems and
weaknesses. I say it reverently, but I am weary of seeing the dead raised just to watch
them ageing and weakening on their way into death again. I tire of signs and wonders which
cater only to the flesh, and minster solely to the physical man on the plane of mortality:
food, raiment, money, and all the rest of the corruptible things of earth. I am deeply
discontented with that which blesses men in the natural but then leaves them to carry on
their lives in corruptible bodies and natures. There is NO ETERNAL GLORY nor is there any
release from THE BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION in any of these things. How expressive the word
which the Spirit selected when He inspired the apostle to write: For in this (our
earthly house) we groan, EARNESTLY DESIRING to be clothed upon with our house which is
from heaven
that mortality might be swallowed up of life (II Cor. 5:1-5). Paul
says that the whole creation GROANS and EARNESTLY AWAITS the manifestation of the sons of
God, and we ourselves ALSO GROAN, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
body. The greater works of which Jesus spoke will appear when this corruptible
has fully put on incorruption and the sons of God are put on display in the fullness of
His divine life and glory. When we consider the transcendent majesty and power of the
glory of a ministry beyond limitation, death, and the curse, it seems but little wonder
that such deliverance and reality is indeed THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS. With what
anticipation do we wait for this glorious manifestation!
THE WELL WITHIN
How many of the
Lords dear children do not understand this one simple but sublime truth they
have within them the SELF-EXISTENT LIFE of God! How many weak and weary saints are
constantly running around from meeting to meeting, from revival to revival, from preacher
to preacher, from prayer group to prayer group, SEEKING LIFE. These dear souls are those
who always need to receive some kind of blessing. Blessing seekers
are yet babes. Certainly there is nothing wrong with being a babe if you have been
a babe for only a short time. Babies should grow up fast! You can always spot a babe in
Christ, because his whole world is on the outside. Babies are so innocent, weak, and
helpless. The baby is often in a mess, has the colic, needs a diaper change, has a pain
somewhere, is hungry or thirsty, is too cold or too hot, and in all these situations the
one universally recognized fact about babies is that THEY CAN NEVER DO ANYTHING ABOUT
THEIR PROBLEMS THEMSELVES! The babys whole world is on the outside. He is totally
dependent upon what others can and must do for him. Someone else must always be
ministering to his needs. If he gets changed, someone must change him. If he gets fed,
someone must prepare the food and put it in his mouth. If he gets bathed, someone must do
it for him. He cannot solve any of his problems for himself, they must all be ministered
to from without. Thus we see that there are three basic characteristics that accompany
babyhood: (1) The baby has more problems than most older folk (2) He is totally dependent
upon others, unable to do anything for himself (3) When he has a need he lets it be known
until someone comes and meets it. What a picture is this of the babes in Christ!
Baby Christians
are Christians who are constantly loaded down with problems. They are always sick, or
discouraged, or depressed, or offended, or confused, or upset, or worried, or fearful,
or
These are those who take up 90% of the Elders time, strength and patience
in most groups. You must constantly be praying for them, encouraging them, counseling
them, delivering them, and lifting them up. These you will see answering every altar call,
standing in every prayer line, always sitting in the chair in the center of the prayer
circle, and following after every meeting or ministry where they may receive yet another
blessing or experience. These have the victory when everything is
going good, or when they are struck with some ecstatic experience such as falling
under the power or receiving a personal word of prophecy. But as soon as the
blessing wears off they are so weak they cant make it without another
spiritual fix.
Whats wrong
with these folk? I will tell you! Their source of life is ON THE OUTSIDE! Being babes,
they are not yet aware that all-sufficient, self-existent life dwells within them. They
are unable to appropriate that life for themselves. Their senses have not been exercised
to discern that He that IS IN THEM IS GREATER than he that is in the world. They have not
yet developed to that place of maturity where they know Christ to be the substance of
their inward life, their all-in-all, sufficient to conquer every enemy and transcend every
problem within and without. And what a tragedy it is that so many preachers and churches
keep their people perpetually on this baby level of existence by restricting their diet to
milk and training their babies to continually look to the
pulpit to be fed, healed, taught and blessed.
God is desirous
of a people who come to know that they HAVE LIFE IN THEMSELVES! Let me present this
glorious company of overcomers, even those who have life in themselves. They are strong.
They are full of faith and the Holy Spirit. These are they who have discovered the river
of life flowing from deep within their spirits, life full, abundant and victorious! They
are never discouraged by any situation, not upset by any circumstance. They are constant
not up one day and down the next. They seldom have prayer
requests. They are always encouraging others, but never needing to be encouraged
themselves. They minister to many, but do not stop to be ministered to. They
are not fearful, worried or confused. They dont quit when the going gets rough. They
do not tell you how the old devil has been after them all week! They
dont talk about their problems. They are not sad, sorrowful or downcast
regardless of what happens. The word of Christ dwells in them richly. They have been given
a new song, even praise unto their God! They walk in wisdom and understanding, in
confidence and faith in the faithfulness and purposes of God, and rejoice in
expectation of the glory of God. They always have the victory, are always positive,
always rejoicing in the Lord.
What is the
secret of these peoples victory? I will tell you! They HAVE LIFE IN THEMSELVES! Only
one who has life in himself can be an overcomer. There was One who perfectly walked in
this realm and He overcame ALL THINGS. Upon Him rested the fullness of the Spirit of
Yahweh, the Spirit of self-existent life. Can you imagine Jesus, on the road to
This is the life
we have in Christ and which Christ is in us! Nothing brings greater joy to my spirit than
seeing the members of Christs body coming unto this measure of the stature of
the FULLNESS OF CHRIST and growing up INTO HIM in ALL THINGS, which is the
head, even Christ that they henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro,
and carried about by every wind (Eph. 4:13-15). Oh that Gods people would seek
Him until the Holy Spirit illumined their minds, giving them a mighty revelation of the
glorious and eternal reality now abiding in the spirits of all who are born of God, even
the indwelling Spirit of Yahweh, the Spirit of self-existent life!
Soon after John
the Baptist was thrown into prison, Jesus left the country near
Just at this
moment, through the shimmering haze, a Samaritan woman came to the well, with her water
jar upon her head and her rope in her hand. Jesus looked at her, and in one glance read
her soul and saw all her life. He knew that Jews did not often speak to Samaritans, but He
said to her, Please give me a drink. The woman saw from His looks and His
dress that He was a Jew, and she said to Him, How is it that you, who are a Jew, ask
drink of me, a Samaritan woman? Jesus answered her, If you know what
Gods free gift is, and if you knew who it is that says to you, Give me a drink, you
would ask Him to give you living water, and He would give it to you.
You see, Jesus is
saying, Youre the one that needs the water, dont you know that?
She responded by saying in so many words, You dont have a bucket. You
dont have a water pot.. How are you going to get water? Why, this well is deep, and
how are you going to draw from this well? Have you got some water that doesnt come
from this well? Are you greater than our father Jacob?
Then Jesus tells
her a principle that she understands all too well in the natural. He said,
Youve been drinking this water all your life, and you have to keep coming back
every day. You know what a wearisome thing it is to walk back and forth through the heat
and the dust with that water pot on your head. I do have some water, and if you drink of
the water that I give you, youll never thirst again! Take a drink of this water and
it will BECOME IN YOU AS A WELL!
Jesus spoke to
this woman of a truth more wonderful and glorious than the vast majority of Christians
have ever grasped. How many of the Lords people still come to the well! How many of
us still have our well, our water, our source of life ON THE OUTSIDE! We are still
trying to pray something down from heaven, or looking for some minister, or some meeting,
or some prophet, or some healer, or some experience from which we can DRAW LIFE! And after
all our running to and fro, from well to well, from water pot to water pot, were
still thirsty! Were still conscious of our need! So we keep looking for a well from
which to draw to quench our thirst and meet our need. Some even think it is normal to
always be thirsty, to ever be coming to the well, drinking again and again and again.
Oh, how
need conscious are Gods children! Some years ago I was in a meeting and
a brother expressed the mentality of the vast majority of Christians today. He asked the
congregation, How many have a need tonight? Every hand in the building shot
up. The brother continued, If you dont have a need, then you ought to!
How many of us have our center in our needs? The truth is that if you removed
the saints needs from the average church meeting or prayer group, they
wouldnt know how to conduct the meeting! Most of our meetings are not conducted with
a basic consciousness that WE ARE FILLED WITH GOD! I dont want anyone to
misunderstand me
I am not opposed to meetings! It is fitting that Gods people
come together as a corporate expression of the body of Christ upon the earth. But most
saints need a change in the direction, in the center in the meetings. Instead of coming as
empty buckets we must come together as FLOWING RIVERS! We must remember that we ARE A NEW
CREATION in Christ. If we come together as the old creation we will say: Were
here tonight because we need God, we need a re-filling, we need a blessing. But if
we come as the New Creation, in Christ, in the spirit of sonship, we will say:
Were here to express God! Oh! what a difference!
Usually the
preacher stands in the pulpit and says, I hope you folks came to get a blessing
tonight. That is the highest expression of Christianity that most people know, but
in all reality its NOT AN EXPRESSION AT ALL
its the cry of people who
are hungry, thirsty, empty and void because they dont know where the well is. They
have no life in themselves, so they are always travailing, reaching out, grasping about,
trying to find the well, hoping to draw another bucket of water to quench their thirsty
souls. How many sincere Christians have been deceived by the false idea that the person
who is the most spiritual is the person who is conscious of his great need. The one who
tarries the longest, prays the loudest, travails and cries out to God the most. But I
declare to you that this is not an expression of spirituality. This is an expression of
SPIRITUAL POVERTY. It is the cry of babies. And it is alright for babes to cry! But not
SONS.
We see these
Christians coming to meetings all the time with their buckets. Brother
Eby, fill her up! Ive got to have a whole lot. Ive got some real tough
problems to face this week and Ive got to get enough to carry me through. Fill her
up! Ive got to have a touch from God! Oh, Im so hungry, so
thirsty, help me! Show me some saints that have the WELL ON THE INSIDE, that know
it, and Ill show you a people that youll never find talking about what they
need. Youll never hear them talking about how they need a touch from God! They are
not centered in their needs. They are centered in HIS FULLNESS! How can one be conscious
of his need, of the need of a touch from God, when a literal Niagara of Living Water is
gushing forth from his innermost being! Now dont misunderstand me! I dont mean
that these are never weak, or that they never have any problems. Certainly they do! But
one thing they know quite well
the well, the source of life, the answer to the
problem is not on the outside, its ON THE INSIDE! Glory to God! They never try to go to a
meeting so they can touch God, or get a blessing, or get primed up or filled
up so they can make it through the week. They dont try to go over there and meet
this brother so he can help them out of their difficulty. Not that that is wrong
for babes. I simply mean that when we KNOW THAT THE WELL IS ON THE INSIDE well
understand that what God is after is the expression of the well, the manifestation of the
self-existent life of Yahweh, not our crying out to God in travail.
This is an hour
when multitudes of believers are running to and fro, seeking signs and wonders. Have
you heard Evangelist so-and-so? Have you seen what God is doing through Brother
so-and-so? They run from city to city, from tent to tent, from crusade to crusade,
seeking to see a miracle, seeking to hear something new. This mad rushing from here to
there is, in itself, proof that they do not know within them the reality of the Christ who
is all-in-all. They chase back and forth seeking signs to strengthen their wavering faith,
to recharge their weak convictions, to liven their jaded spiritual appetites; because of
their refusal to seek reality at the only place it can be found deep within the
Christ within. The
When we run to
and fro seeking inspiration and blessing from another, we are really trying to sponge off
someone elses consecration, ride on someone elses ticket. And when the meeting
is over and the evangelist gone, we are right back where we were before he came
weak and helpless before the attacks of the devil; because we have leaned on someone
elses strength and have not gained, by experience, some vital and lasting strength
of our own. Paul saw this it was apparent even in his day, and he prayed for the
saints. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to
the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit IN THE INNER MAN;
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fullness of God, (Eph 3:14-19). Ah, precious friend of mine, the
Jesus shared with
the Samaritan woman one of the most profound and blessed truths of the ages. He said that
He has water to give you, and if you once drink this water, you can throw away your water
pots, because this water becomes a mighty artesian well WITHIN YOU. As long as the well is
on the outside, as long as our source of life is without, then we have to go to the well
and get water to satisfy our thirst. And any time you have to go to the well to drink you
are going to be thirsty again! And if you stay away from the well for very long you will
become famished! So Jesus asked the woman, How would you like to have the well on
the inside? No more water pots, no more buckets, no more drawing, no more walking back and
forth, no more thirst, no more effort and sweat. Let me ask you, dear reader, What
would you think if you had the well on the inside? This is what this thing of sonship is
all about! It is the well on the inside: Christ IN YOU the hope of glory.
Sonship, maturity, overcoming, perfection, the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ all of this is found in that blessed realm where we know, experientially,
that we do indeed HAVE LIFE IN OURSELVES even as the Father has life in Himself. This is
the well on the inside!
This truth has
been beautifully expressed by Ray Prinzing in these words: Beloved, this is not the
time to be drinking strange waters from anothers well. You cannot survive on a
borrowed revelation, claiming their truth, speaking in terminology, and trying to walk in
their vision. But this is the hour we need to turn to the CHRIST WITHIN, let HIM be our
FLOWING SPRING, and we learn to drink from that water which He supplies within us. It is
this Christ within us which has become the HOPE for all the glory which is yet to be
revealed. And if ever there was a time when we need to cease wandering from city to city
to find water (Amos 4:8), it is now. We need to learn to draw out of HIM who is within us,
the waters of salvation which satisfy the thirsty soul. Know that as you yield to Him, not
from without, but FROM WITHIN shall come that flow of water which shall sustain and
refresh.
God has
certainly been stripping away all the props upon which we have leaned. He has taken away
all those little faucets we used to visit for our drink. He who so graciously provided all
the oasis for refreshing along our pilgrim way now desires that we come
directly to HIM, to find in HIM that wonderful and bountiful supply. HE is our CUP OF COLD
WATER, He is our fountain of life.
He that
believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water (Jn.
This is the well
on the inside. This is LIFE WITHIN YOURSELF. This is the Spirit of Yahweh which rested
upon the first-born Son. We can only move on into the full measure of THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF
GOD as we allow the reality of this first aspect to be fulfilled within us. Receive it, my
friend!
The
Spirit Of Wisdom
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1)
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the SPIRIT OF WISDOM and understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The second Spirit
to rest upon the sons of God is the Spirit of wisdom. As the candlestick was seven
branches yet one candlestick, so in like manner the seven Spirits of Sonship are one
Spirit. As the rainbow round about the throne contained seven colors, yet was one bow, so
also the seven Spirits of Sonship are one Spirit. As each color of the rainbow has its own
manifestation and glory, so do the seven Spirits as they are given in God. How vital that
we understand by divine revelation that wisdom is not a thing to be sought
after, but as one of the seven Spirits of God wisdom is a LIVING PERSONALITY. How truly
did Paul the apostle pen the words: Unto them which are called, CHRIST (is) the
power of God, and the WISDOM of God (I Cor.
Hear now the
declaration of Wisdom Personified in the person of Christ:
I, Wisdom,
have made prudence My dwelling, And I find out knowledge and discretion. I have counsel
and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power. By Me kings reign and
rulers decree justice. By Me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges and governors
of earth. Riches and honor are with Me, enduring wealth, and righteousness. My fruit is
better than gold, yes, than refined gold, And My increase than choice silver. The Lord
formed and brought Me forth at the beginning of His way, Before His acts of old. I was
inaugurated and ordained from everlasting, from the beginning, Before ever the earth
existed. When there were no deeps, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains laden
with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills I was brought forth; While
as yet He had not made land, or the first of the dust of the earth. When He prepared the
heavens, I (Wisdom) was there; When He drew a circle upon the face of the deep And
stretched out the firmament over it, When He made firm the skies above, When He
established the foundations of the deep, When He gave to the sea its limit And His decree
that the waters should not transgress His command, When He appointed the foundations of
the earth; Then I was beside Him as a master and director of the work: And I was daily His
delight, rejoicing before Him always. Now therefore listen to Me, O YOU SONS; For blessed
happy, fortunate are those WHO KEEP MY WAYS (Prov. 8:12-32).
In this
Personification of Wisdom it is unmistakably clear that the Living Word of God, the Lord
Jesus Christ Himself, IS the Wisdom of God. No man can possibly possess Divine Wisdom
without first possessing Christ, any more than he can have eternal life without having
received Jesus as Saviour. It is only the elect, those individuals who are born from above
of the Spirit of God, who may become recipients of true Wisdom. Only those who are
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and are sanctified by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and
made righteous through the inner workings of the life of Christ, have such Divine Wisdom
available to them. This is why Paul so exultingly cries: Of God are ye in Christ
Jesus, who was made unto us WISDOM FROM GOD, both righteousness and sanctification, and
redemption (I Cor.
Jesus Christ is
not only Lamb to purchase, and Priest to secure, but also Prophet and King to reveal to us
the redemption and glory which God hath prepared for them that love Him. Just as at the
creation the light was first called into existence, that in it all Gods other works
might have their life and beauty, so in I Cor. 1:30 wisdom is mentioned first as the
treasury in which are to be found the three precious gifts that follow
righteousness, sanctification and redemption. The life is the light of man; it is in
revealing to us, and making us behold the glory of God in His own face, that Christ makes
us partakers of the divine nature. He is made unto us wisdom. In Him, Paul
wrote, are hid all the treasures of WISDOM and knowledge (Col. 2:3).
And of God YOU
ARE IN HIM, and have but to abide in Him, to be made partaker of these treasures of
wisdom. In Him you are, and in Him the wisdom is; dwelling in Him, you dwell in the very
fountain of all light and glory; abiding in Him you have Christ the wisdom of God leading
and energizing your whole spiritual life, communicating to you ever increasing measures of
wisdom, knowledge and glory. It is this connection between what Christ has been made of
God to us, and how we have it only as BEING IN HIM, that most of us must learn to better
understand and appropriate. We shall thus see that all the realities prepared for us in
Christ, as matured sons of God, cannot be obtained as special gifts in answer to prayer,
or even by virtue of our faith, apart from the abiding in Him! We do not simply receive
wisdom by the asking, through it is true we must ask, but the wisdom is channeled into us
through our union with Christ. The answer to every prayer must come in the vital union and
intimacy of fellowship in Him, for it is IN HIM, the unspeakable gift, that all other
gifts are treasured up, the gift of wisdom and knowledge too.
THE WISDOM OF
THIS WORLD
The apostle Paul
was so concerned that we might be corrupted from the simplicity of this wisdom of God in
Christ that he wrote: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ (II Cor. 11:3). When Paul says that the serpent beguiled Eve, the
Greek reveals that he actually cheated her out of something, for the word used it EXAPATAO
which is a compound of the Greek word EK which means out and APOTAO which
means to cheat. Eve was, then, cheated out of something, being, as
the Greek word indicates by virtue of its strength, thoroughly deceived or
sold short. That out of which she was cheated was nothing else but the glory
of God Himself which was available to her in Christ the Tree of Life. This is why it is
now written of the human family, ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of
God (Rom.
In this
connection a dear friend has written: The means by which the serpent beguiled Eve
and cheated her out of that glory which was her inheritance in Christ was through
SUBTILTY. This word in the Greek is PANOURGIA meaning craftiness, trickery and
sophistry. The word sophistry is most interesting since it is derived
from the Greek word for wisdom SOPHIA. Several English words come from the Greek
word SOPHIA including sophomore (wise fool), sophistry (the art of
deception through perverted logic), and sophisticated (worldly wise). Each of
these terms, you will note, speak of the kind of wisdom that appeals to the natural man,
the carnal mind. This kind of wisdom is that of which Paul wrote: Let no man deceive
himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool,
that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is
written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the
thoughts of the wise, that they are vain (I Cor.
The means
by which the serpent, then, beguiled Eve was through subtlety sophistry the
wisdom of this world which is, according to Webster, Reasoning that is
superficially plausible but actually fallacious. It is, also, the art of
deception through perverted logic. What WAS the argument that the serpent used that
sounded superficially plausible but was, in fact, perverted logic?
Hear it! Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Gen.
3:4-5). There was a truth in that statement, for after the woman and the man had eaten,
the Lord God Himself verified the serpents statement as being truth. And the
Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil (Gen
In FACT,
then, the serpent had a truth. He had, in fact, employed the very Word of God Himself to
tempt Adam and Eve, for the Lord had said, Let us make man in our own image and
after our own likeness (Gen 1:26). But what the serpent, in his sophistry (the art
of deception through perverted logic), failed to reveal, was the WHOLE TRUTH
that
INDEPENDENTLY OF GOD man can NEVER be a partaker of the divine nature! This should have
been a self-evident truth, but man failed to see it. He was deceived by a FACT, a dead
letter of the Word. He took the Word of God which had promised to make man in the image
and likeness of God and received it as a dead-letter FACT, something attainable within
himself, rather than as a LIFE obtainable only in UNION WITH GOD. And many of Adams
descendants today have not learned the difference between FACT and TRUTH. Jesus never
said, Ye shall know the FACTS and the facts shall make you free. He said,
Ye shall know the TRUTH! Facts are only the FORM OF TRUTH, held by the carnal
mind, in all true but containing no LIFE which comes from UNION WITH GOD. The letter
KILLETH. Truth is LIFE. Truth is REALITY. Jesus said, I AM the truth and the
life. The serpent did not preach truth reality, he preached facts about truth. Facts
apart from life. Form apart from essence. Dead doctrine of self-effort and presumption
instead of participation through union with God. Thus, accepting the image and likeness of
God as a fact, inherent within man, rather than as a life to be experienced in union with
God, man was CHEATED OUT of the very thing he sought! In the former there is the thought
of
To properly
understand the "wisdom of this world" which is "foolishness with God"
we must first understand what is meant by the "world." The Greek word for world
is KOSMOS, which means system, arrangement, or organization. There are two things which
have captured our attention, having been quickened for our consideration by the Spirit of
God. These two are sin and the world. Because both are contrary to the Spirit of God, they
must be dealt with and purged from all who would walk in sonship to God. However, the
defilement of these two aspects differs. The contamination of sin is savage, hurtful and
ugly, while the contamination of the world is cultured and refined, appealing to the
intellect and the artistic in man. The contamination of sin is like dirty motor oil poured
on a beautiful white wedding gown. But the contamination of the world is like a colorful
pattern printed on white doth. From the human standpoint, a wedding gown with dirty motor
oil splashed on it is considered filthy and undesirable, whereas a cloth with a colorful
design is not dirty, but rather desirable. However, in the sight of God, BOTH ARE
UNDESIRABLE! God's standard has always been neither a stained garment nor a colorful piece
of cloth, but a pure white garment. "And to her was granted that she would be arrayed
in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the
saints" (Rev. 19:8). "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white
raiment' (Rev. 3:5). Just as a dirty spot is not pure white, even so a colorful design
detracts from the pure whiteness. Likewise, the world appears better than sin, but when
compared with the divine nature, both are contaminating and require purging.
Furthermore, the
effect of sin and the world upon man differ greatly: sin defiles and degrades man, whereas
the world possesses man. It is just as serious for man's life to be controlled and
dominated by the world as to be defiled by sin. If Satan only uses sin to contaminate man,
he only causes man to be perverted and shamed, but if he uses the world to possess man,
then man is alienated from God into a realm of ego-centric self-sufficiency and
self-deception. Sin may be defined as an act of disobedience to God, while the world may
be defined as man's organized system or kingdom by which he lives in independence from
God.
A study of
Genesis makes the difference apparent. Although Adam was corrupted by sin, he was still
living in the presence of God. It is not until Genesis 4 that we read of Cain: "And
Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the
Sin began with
Adam in the Garden, for Adam sinned and was corrupted by sin and overcome by death, but he
did not fall into the world at that point, neither was he possessed by the world then. The
word "world," as we have pointed out, translates the Greek word KOSMOS meaning
order, arrangement, system of things. The world is a negative thing in relation to God.
James declares, ". . .the friendship of the world is enmity with God, whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). The apostle
John adds his testimony, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in
the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of
the Father, but is of the world" (1 John.
Since the world
is in such opposition to God we must consider its origin and process of development. The
world began with Cain. Cain built the first city organized society, civilization
which typifies the worldly system of independence from the SPIRIT. The world did
not exist when man was created (except in abstraction), but developed gradually after the
fall, as man removed himself from the anointing and walked in his own carnal way. When man
was brought forth from the formative hand of God there was already the universe, the
heavens and the earth, and all created things; but the world did not exist. Following the
fall, when unregenerated man began to multiply upon the earth the Serpent in man gave
direction and character to the "New World Order" of man, thus the scripture
speaks of the natural man as walking "according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the SPIRIT that now worketh IN the sons
of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2).
There are three
primary requirements for man's existence and well-being on earth: provision, protection,
and pleasure. For man to live an abundant and fulfilled life in the earth realm he needs
the provision of food, clothing, shelter, etc., a means of defense to protect himself from
adversaries, and a form of recreation and amusement for his happiness. Prior to the fall
GOD WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THESE THREE NEEDS OF MAN, and they were supplied
abundantly in the Garden of Eden experience. After Cain's departure from the anointing,
the scripture describes him as "of that Wicked One" (I Jn.
Another of Cain's
sons, Jubal, was the father of all that handle the harp and organ. Playing harp and organ
is for pleasure and inspiration and thus pertains to the category of pleasure. This
worldly aspect is fulfilled, spiritually, in the maze of social activity in religion, as
well as in much of the music, programs, and sermonizing, all of which is designed to be
pleasant, acceptable and entertaining to the people. I personally have little use for most
of the concerts, programs, and pulpit showmanship which constitute much of the so-called
"ministry" among God's people today, for it is, without doubt, very appealing to
the carnal mind which is ever wont to feed upon soulish entertainment rather than with
reverential awe and holy brokenness to drink at the fountains of living water from the
throne of God. I am convinced that our faithful heavenly Father has given the ministry of
the blessed spirit of Truth for the perfecting of the saints, whereas the worldly church
system has given us a veritable smorgasbord of religious shows for the entertaining of the
saints. Most solemnly do I declare unto you that all such ARE OF THE WORLD, and not of the
Father, for their methods and means are outside of the anointing of the Spirit and can
never lead God's people beyond the husks of man's own vanity. Thank God! a people is
arising who are finding their way out of Cain's pleasure land of entertainment and
sentimentality, back to the Paradise of God, back to the Tree of Life, where they partake
deeply of this sublime truth: ". . . in Thy presence is fullness of Joy, at Thy right
hand there are pleasures forevermore!" (Ps. 16:11).
The third son,
Tubal-Cain, was the instructor of every artificer in brass and iron instruments. These
instruments were formed for the purpose of defense, thus referring to the category of
protection. Ignorant of the power and sufficiency of the indwelling Spirit, with what
pompousness do the religious systems construct about them their walls and implements of
defense! Church history is replete with examples of revival after revival in which men
were sovereignly caught up into heavenly places of glory and power, only to have man put
his hand of flesh upon the workings of God, to control, protect and preserve it, as though
the omnipotent Spirit needed man's useless wisdom and regulations to preserve His mighty
work! Out there in Cain's world you must have the earthly bronze and iron implements of
Tubal-Cain the implements of organization, denomination, creed, coverings,
fellowships, rules, regulations, boards, etc., to defend and preserve the work; but,
blessed be God! as one moves westward into the anointing of God's presence and life the
omnipotence of the indwelling Spirit Himself becomes our fortress and exceeding strong
tower! With what deep comprehension of the ways of the Lord did the Psalmist pen the words
of faith in the power of God alone when he wrote, "Blessed is the people that know
the joyful sound: they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of Thy countenance. For THOU art
the glory of their strength: and in Thy favor shall our horn be exalted. For THE LORD IS
OUR DEFENSE; and the Holy One of
In these three
important inventions of the sons of Cain man found within himself the answer to his need
of supply, defense and amusement. Man found no need of God, of the anointing, for he set
about to establish his own world, independent of God. This was the civilization produced
after mankind departed from the presence of God a godless life created by men. This
present world system of things is patterned after the order of Cain. It is all outside of
God. That does not mean that it is all evil. It simply is not of the Spirit! How clear
that in this earth the politics, economics, education and religion is outside of God! When
we have learned how the world was formed, it is easy to define the world. Originally, man
was in the family of God, lived by God, relied entirely upon Him, and had at his disposal
ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD. Now the Serpent, through subtlety, sophistry, the carnal mind,
the wisdom of this world, has systematized the world to replace God in being all to man.
Man, having forsaken his inheritance, having departed from the presence, and having lost
the anointing relied upon the world and was overcome by the world. Therefore, the world
consists of everything that replaces God and possesses man.
Cain built a city
as did Nimrod after him. "And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare
Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son,
Enoch" (Gen. 4: 17). There was no city in
He who makes
God's house of living stones depend on mere outward forms; he who confounds Truth with the
shibboleths of sects and denominations, or the usurpation of preachers, builds upon the
baseless and shifting sands. The true and eternal church depends solely on the presence of
Christ. Sweep away from your spiritual walk as much as you will the infinite cobwebs which
the ambition and the ignorance of men have spun for centuries over the surface of the
faith. Fling to the four winds the voluntary humility and all the vain deceits,
traditions, and ordinances, which, like those of the Pharisees, are but "weak and
beggarly elements." It is not the form but the essence which constitutes true
religion. Christ knew nothing of external paraphernalia, and those who follow the Lamb
know nothing of it either. Distinguish between the flickering shadows of outward symbols
and the verities of eternal life. Distinguish between the valueless injunctions of touch
not, taste not, handle not, and the divine nature which produces love, joy, peace,
righteousness of heart, and all the fruit of the Spirit. The
The world today
has its own religious dictionary of definitions of God and Spirit
and Church and they think and speak in the frame work of those definitions.
But GOD SPEAKS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE and has a different dictionary of definitions by which
He speaks to His people and according to which He works. If all the multiplied practices
and methods employed by the churches today were suddenly swept away, it would in all
probability cease to function. If the churches had to drop all their rituals, forms,
programs and ceremonies; all their confirmations, baptisms, and communion services; all
their special singing, organ music, and altar calls, they would feel as though they had
been stripped naked and could not serve God in any way. All this simply demonstrates the
terrible fact that the faith and dependence of the churches is not in God, but is in the
trappings they have accumulated to themselves throughout the centuries. The thought that
God is perfectly able and fully willing to run His church without the aid of anything in
the way of fleshly contributions, is found to be abhorrent to the average church member.
God's true
church, in contrast to the false religious system of
The truth that is
set like a diamond in the pages of God's Word is the absolute and total sufficiency of the
Christ within. To say that the Christ Himself is not sufficient for our whole life as sons
of the Most High, that the indwelling spirit of life is not enough, that there is
something the outer man must do to add to, supplement, or improve on what He is within us
is an insult to God and a blasphemy against our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet we see men doing
this on every hand. The carnal mind is never able to take God at His word! It continually
seeks to initiate some additional actions or services on the natural plane to take the
place of pure spiritual reality.
When Jesus came
in the flesh, He came into a world steeped in religion. He came into a condition brought
about by centuries of teaching the law and the rites and sacrifices of the temple worship.
Into this had been woven the traditions of the elders, an accumulation of those same
centuries. It had come to include also even the washing of pots and cups, together with
ceremonies of washing of hands before eating and a multitude of other practices imposed
upon the people by their leaders. The temple in the city of
The people were
constantly taught and instructed that they must observe all the things the priests and
Pharisees told them, or they would perish. Jesus came into their midst and said that all
those things would do them absolutely no good whatever, but if they wanted life they
should come unto Him and drink merely by believing into Him! He was placing the
Christ and faith in the Christ against all the accumulated tradition of the nation. He was
assuring them that they would NOT LOSE A SINGLE THING by coming unto Him, and casting all
else away from them. And they would gain life. But who could hear such a thing in the day
of Christ. In fact Jesus Himself said that no man could come unto Him, except the Father
who had sent Him, would draw that man. It is just as true today! Ah, beloved, if you were
to go into any church on any Sunday and say to the people, "If you will cast aside
all your form, all of your traditions, all of your rituals, all of your ordinances, all of
your cherished and time-honored creeds, all of your solemn assemblies, all of your myriad
activities, all of your committees, and SIMPLY COME UNTO THE CHRIST AND BELIEVE INTO HIM
AND DRINK OF H-I-M, YOU WILL LOSE NOTHING, but you will gain the glorious and eternal
reality of God forevermore," what kind of reception would you receive? You would
actually be asking the people to give up everything they are doing and all the things they
have been given by their ministers and church orders with which to serve and worship God
exchanging it all for GOD ALONE. What an unbearable burden it would be for the
people to be REDUCED TO GOD, to possess nothing but GOD HIMSELF! You would find this an
almost impossible thing to accomplish. Truly Christ has been usurped by the world'
Dr. Kennedy has
well written: There is nothing the world prides itself more on than its vaunted
wisdom. Having confused sophistication for wisdom and knowledge with understanding, the
wisdom of this world looks condescendingly upon those who believe in the living God, as
somehow being obscurantists of sorts. It holds itself forth to be the very epitome
of wisdom. Yet the Scripture says that God has made the wisdom of this world to be
foolishness. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. Where is the wise?
Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? I am afraid that many people may not really believe that He
has, because oftentimes even Christians are impressed or intimidated by the apparent
wisdom of the world. A closer look, I believe, would reveal that, as always, Gods
Word standeth sure. Let us therefore take a look today at the wisdom of this world.
Wisdom
supposedly reached a pinnacle in the golden age of Greek philosophy. Socrates, Plato, and
Aristotle brought to light vast stores of knowledge which the world had not hitherto
known. In fact, it was said that Aristotle knew all there was to know about all that there
was. An incredible statement indeed! Yet, their writings have done little to regenerate
mankind and ameliorate the woes and burdens and problems of men. How many today find their
lives enabled and guided by the great works of these luminaries of the ancient world? Have
you been guided this week or this year by the writings of these supposedly greatest of the
wise of this world?
More
recently, several hundred years ago, we were supposedly introducing the Age of Reason. The
Age of Faith (or superstition, as it was mockingly described) was past and now there was
to be ushered into the world this wonderful age of wisdom. In 1789 that age of wisdom
broke forth in the French Revolution and a naked woman, the goddess of wisdom, was placed
on the altar at Notre Dame in
Some day
historians will look upon the 20th (and the 21st!) century as part of the Dark Ages. Oh,
we think we are enlightened! Did not the 20th century see great strides in medicine,
transportation, communication? Undoubtedly. But mere knowledge and technology is not
enlightenment. Our age has probably less understanding of the basic, eternal truths that
bear on mans life and being than all preceding ages. The 20th century indeed saw a
knowledge of explosion. But technical knowledge is not enlightenment. It is
not surprising that the 20th century should rather conceitedly think of itself as
enlightened. To a great degree, our age has substituted technology for character, and
technology is something the 20th century did well. The 20th century gave us word
processing machines, computer information networks, cable television and cheap
calculators. It also gave us a drug epidemic, unprecedented crime, chemical weapons,
hydrogen bombs, Hitler, communism and two world wars! Technology, without character, is no
blessing. How true the Bible is when it declares, For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God
(I Cor. 3:19).
There are many
species of insanity. All sin is insanity, in different degrees. The carnal mind is an
insane mind given wholly to destructive delusions. The natural man is mentally ill beyond
comprehension. The carnal mind is spared from this classification in our world, only
because the vast majority of the inmates in this vast asylum called 'society' is equally
mad and in consonance with the delusion. There is a universal insanity of the so-called
'wisdom' of this world, but the wisdom of this world is foolishness with Godthe
Spirit. The mortal, sinful, sick, warring, confused, sorrowing, imperfect, carnal children
of men are counterfeits, to be laid aside for the pure realityman in the image of
God. This mortal, this deranged mind of old Adam, must be put off, and the new man or real
man, the sane man in the precious mind of Christ must be put on.
I will close this
article with these penetrating words of wisdom from the pen of Paul Mueller: I am
persuaded that the hour is upon us when the Lord is giving His elect divine wisdom,
knowledge and understanding that we might know the hope of our calling, and the great
glories of the limitless expanse of the
Wisdom,
knowledge, and understanding is coming forth from the Lords heavenly, spiritual
tabernacle. The wise man, Solomon, said, For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his
mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he
is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. (Pro. 2:6-7, see verses 10:17) True Life
is attained by wisdom and understanding, as we read, Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. She is a tree of life to them that lay
hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. (Pro. 3:13, 18) Get
wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is
the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get
understanding. (Pro. 4:5-7) The wisdom of God is certainly needed at this time of
the interim as we approach the wonders of the blessed age of the
The
wisdom that is from above is in direct contrast to the wisdom of man expressed in the
church system. Let us then cut our ties to the teachings of the
The
Spirit of Wisdom (continued)
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1)
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the SPIRIT OF WISDOM and understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The second of the
seven Spirits to rest upon the sons of God is the Spirit of wisdom. As the candlestick was
seven branches yet one candlestick, so in like manner the seven Spirits of Sonship are one
Spirit. As the rainbow round about the throne contained seven colors, yet was one bow, so
also the seven Spirits of Sonship are one Spirit. As each color of the rainbow has its own
manifestation and glory, so do the seven Spirits as they are given in fullness to the sons
of God, producing in them the image of Christ and the fullness of God. How vital that we
understand by divine revelation that wisdom is not a thing to be sought after,
but as one of the seven Spirits of God wisdom is a LIVING PERSONALITY. How truly did Paul
the apostle pen the words: Unto them which are called, CHRIST (is) the power of God,
and the WISDOM of God (I Cor.
In my experience
with the Lords people I have known many who would give all that they have in
exchange for a great gift or ministry of power, but it is seldom that men covet wisdom.
Yet wisdom is the principal thing. Is better than rubies and more to be
desired than fine gold. Fools despise wisdom and instruction but the Lord layeth up sound
wisdom for the upright. Therefore let wisdom enter into thine heart. Happy is the man that
findeth it, for he shall receive favor of the Lord. If you make wisdom your sister,
understanding will be thy kinswoman. If you exalt her (wisdom), she will promote you, and
if you embrace her, she will bring you honor. Wisdom is a crown of glory to your head and
an ornament of grace about your neck, but the fear of the Lord is the very foundation of
wisdom.
God has made
Christ to be our wisdom. I Cor. 1:30. In Him are all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. Col. 2:3. Because they are hidden in Him, then it is impossible to find them
anywhere else except in Him. The natural man never understands the things of the Spirit of
God. They appear foolishness to him, for he does not dwell in Christ, but in the world.
There is one wisdom from beneath and another wisdom from above. The first is of the earth
earthy: the second is of the Lord from heaven. They are as opposite as day and night. In
fact, they are the day and the night.
The apostle Paul
had learned a wonderful thing when he came to the Corinthians, saying, When I came
to you, I came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you the testimony
of God, for I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified;
and my speech was not with enticing words of mans wisdom, but in demonstration of
the spirit and power. He knew, too, that Jesus Christ was Gods wisdom.
Oh, to know that
God gives nothing apart from Jesus Christ! He does not give you wisdom. He gives you
Christ and in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom. How eloquent then were the words
of Paul: Let this mind dwell in you which was also in Christ Jesus, for the
mind that dwelt in Christ Jesus was the Fathers mind, the mind that holds within its
omniscient greatness every secret of the universe whether terrestrial, sidereal, or
celestial, secrets which He Himself had made and hidden within the greatness of His own
mind to be shared by those who let His mind dwell in them. How inexhaustible Gods
resources of wisdom and knowledge are! How unfathomable His decisions, how untraceable His
ways!
Should all the
things of wisdom be written that should be written, they would fill not only the pages of
this tiny book but the world and the universe as well. The day utters Gods wisdom;
the night showeth His understanding. When unlearned and ignorant men have been with Jesus,
all men take note of them. Neither can they resist the wisdom and understanding with which
they speak, for the Lord has made Him to be the wisdom of God, and all who dwell in Him
dwell in wisdom. Without question a man could study all his life concerning the wisdom of
God and, though he might marvel at it, yet he could not possess it, for wisdom is not a
thing to be learned, but wisdom is a living person, and that person is Jesus Christ the
Lord.
There is a truth
enunciated by the apostle Paul in I Cor. 1:26-29 that should hold us spellbound once we
grasp its meaning. The statement is very simple and, like so many profound truths, it is
easily missed, going completely unnoticed. But you, O people of God, partakers of the
heavenly calling and sharers together with Christ Jesus in the sonship for which all
creation groans, should give continual meditation and consideration to these words. Paul,
having stated that Christ is both the wisdom and power of God, and that the FOOLISHNESS OF
GOD is wiser than men and the WEAKNESS OF GOD stronger than men, says, "For ye see
your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not
many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the FOOLISH THINGS of the world to confound
the wise; and God hath chosen the WEAK things of the world to confound the things which
are mighty; and BASE things of the world, and things which are DESPISED, hath God chosen,
yea, and things which ARE NOT, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should
glory in His presence."
There are five
powerful ministries listed in this remarkable passagea FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY. Many men
have aspired to be a part of God's great five-fold ministry set forth in Eph. 4:11. Who
wouldn't covet the ministry of an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor or teacher?
The world has been turned up-side down by such ministries! But the five-fold ministry
revealed in I Cor. 1:27-28 has nothing to do with these ministries at all. Rather, it is
what I have termed GOD'S FOOLISH FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY. These five ministries are just as
real and far more powerful, effective and far-reaching than the more popular five-fold
ministry. The five ministries mentioned in Eph. 4:11 are exclusively for the body of
Christ, for the perfecting of the saints, but the five superlative ministries set forth in
I Cor. 1:27-28 are universal in scope, Kingdom in character, subduing all things unto God.
This powerful and effective five-fold ministry shakes empires off their hinges, subdues
kingdoms, confounds the wisdom of the mighty, and brings to naught all the things that
are. All those blessed ones apprehended to sonship will share in this invincible ministry.
In spite of their surpassing glory and irresistible power we do not desire them, but they
come to us just as .surely as day follows night. They come to us unannounced and
unsolicited. None of us would invite these God-ordained ministries to come our way! But
God in His great wisdom and unsearchable ways sends them to us that we may know Him as He
is and learn the strange but wonderful WAYS OF HIS KINGDOM. Now that we see how important
and powerful these ministries are, let me present them to you:
(1) foolish
things
(2) weak things
(3) base things
(4) despised things
(5) things which are not
We need not look
to the great men of this age, nor yet to the esteemed religious leaders of this age, nor
the wise men after the corrupt wisdom of this age to be the ones who will bear the
government of the
Seeing, then,
that God has rejected the wisdom and power and honor of this world and its vain system and
has chosen instead a people that the wisdom of the world considers foolish, stupid, weak
and of no account, we should readily see that divine wisdom has chosen those who for His
name are despised, who glory not in the wisdom of men, but who glory in the hidden wisdom
of God revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord who of God is made unto us wisdom and
righteousness, sanctification and redemption, according as it is written, "He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1:31).
It is interesting
to note that the word FOOLISH is from the Greek word MOROS meaning "dull, stupid,
heedless, blockhead, absurd." Furthermore, this Greek word is the word from which we
get our English word
There is
absolutely no need for any of us to try to search out the ways, means and methods that God
employs to bring His purposes to pass. For God has declared and written that He will
destroy the wisdom of the wise and will even bring to nothing the wisdom of the prudent.
And, as we have seen, the FOOLISHNESS of God, is WISER than men. Or this thing that
appears to be so foolish to the carnal mind (the Christ and His work) is actually the
WISDOM OF GOD. Not a great many wise men, after the flesh, are called of God. They are
left to follow the plan prescribed for them, and in God's due time and according to His
plan, they will be brought to a knowledge of God. Their wisdom, which is nothing but
foolishness, will drop from them, light will shine upon their path and they will be
brought to understand at last what true wisdom is.
"For though
He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak
in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God" (II Cor. 13:4). "I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil.
In the physical
universe we have the example of the atom. The tremendous power which we fear in our world
is not the flow of great rivers or the floods which they cause. It is not the might of the
tide as it pushes the millions of tons of water forward and then draws them back again. It
is not the flash of the lightning or the crack of the thunder. It is something so small
that we cannot see it. It is the atom which we fear, and it is the atom which has the
unlimited power to blow the world apart. What would seem to be the weakest thing in the
world is in reality an unbelievably powerful force. So it is that God in His dealing with
humanity uses, not the great spectacular things which worldly rulers use, but the
insignificant things which men despise.
One of the unique
workings of God in the earth is that He has always delighted to use small instances to
launch mighty movements. Divine wisdom has never been particular about the condition or
position from which He selects His privileged sons who were to change the ages. God has
His failures. His Kingdom cannot do without them. These failures are His men and women of
promise, weak in themselves and the wisdom of this world, often walking the way of defeat,
failure, humiliation, and resignationunto glory. Did God choose ancient
Pharaoh thought
that by slaying all the Hebrew male infants in Egypt that he could further oppress the
people of God, but the very edict he sent forth opened the door for little Moses to slip
right into his own house and be raised as his own son, finally overthrowing his throne and
scattering the Egyptian tyrant and his armies upon the rocky depths of the Red Sea. Thus
was the wisdom of
God chooses the
foolish things. It must have seemed very foolish to the people of
The Lord spoke
to, and dealt with Gideon so encouragingly, when he was hidden in the winepress beating
out wheat. The angel saluted him with: "Yahweh is with thee, thou mighty man of
valor." Gideon did not appear to be either a mighty man or a man of valor, for he was
hidden away for fear of the enemy. But it was not anything in Gideon that made him mighty;
it was because of the Mighty One in the midst of him. And the Lord led him on until His
gentleness made Gideon great, and he really became a mighty man of valor. How preciously
God woos us on; and as we yield that He may work in us, He ascribes to us the fruit of His
own working upon and within us, for HE IS MIGHTY IN US. What could be weaker than Gideon's
three hundred, and what were their weapons? Nothing but lamps and pitchers, and the lamps
would not shine until the pitchers were broken. The earthen pitcher represents the
majority of believers today whose consciousness of their identity in the outer flesh-life
has never been smashed to pieces by the inward power of the Holy Spirit. But when the
pitchers were broken the inner light shone out with such brilliance that three hundred men
with NOTHING BUT LIGHT were enough to scatter the hosts of the enemy and give victory. If
our military generals are going to fight a battle they would want more men than that. But
when God wants to fight a battle He delights in getting hold of the SMALLEST THING HE CAN
FIND. He knew how to tumble a cake of barley-meal down into the camp of the Midianites,
and have it confuse them so that they fell to slaying themselves, and the victory was the
Lord's. In like manner ONE WORD from the realm of SPIRIT is enough to confuse and put to
flight all the forces of sin, sickness, sorrow and death from the carnal mind.
What was weaker
than David's sling? It was just such a sling as any boy could make. David slipped down to
the brook and picked up five stones, and gained a victory for God that all the army of
Note how rare it
is that a prophet ever comes forth from the ranks of privilege in either Church or State.
Your mighty Elisha comes from the plough; it is seldom that he comes from the conventional
school of the prophets. It seemed very foolish for Jesus in choosing disciples to ignore
What was ever so
weak as Christ? "He was crucified through weakness" (II Cor. 13:4). When God
said, "Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness, and let them have
dominion," it seems that God made a mistake. When He lowered that man into this gross
material realm, made of dirt, of the dust of the ground, and formed him with the kind of
human body we have, flesh and blood, soul and body, with all the appetites, desires and
weaknesses we have, all the frailty, all the ability for twisting, warping, and spoiling
things, when He created us like that and then thought that in such a physical, human,
natural, earth-made body HIS IMAGE COULD BE MANIFESTED, it seems that God was mistaken.
Could that human creature limited like us, rule the world, and judge angels, and subdue
and control all the unbounded heavens unto the unlimited vastnesses of infinity? So God
said, I will invade humanity and come down in the person of My Son, limit Myself to a
human, physical body just like man has, with all its appetites, hunger, weakness, sorrow
and death, and I will demonstrate the character, the life, the love, and the power of God
on the human level. THE INCARNATION WAS GOD MANIFESTING HIMSELF WITHIN THE LIMITATION OF A
HUMAN BODY. Christ could not fly like a bird, He could not see further than anybody else,
He could not run faster than the other young men in His day, He got as tired as anybody
else, He got hungry and thirsty, fell asleep, they could spit on Him and finally kill Him.
Yet in Jesus Christ you have the perfect expression of God and the demonstration of the
ultimate triumph of THE SPIRIT over all the weakness of the flesh.
What is the
importance of God in Christ Jesus? It means that the Spirit of God, the Son of God, the
inner man, God Himself, can live and express Himself in a physical human body. When God
invaded humanity in the body of Jesus Christ, took upon Himself human nature and
limitation, was made in the likeness, not of glorified flesh, but of sinful flesh, and for
thirty-three and a half years lived, walked, slept, and died in that body, manifesting God
in the scope of humanity, it meant that God can by His Spirit of life within you, my
beloved, live in these human bodies of ours, living in us, loving in us, reigning in us,
speaking in us, blessing in us, and manifesting Himself in the absolute fullness of His
Godhead. Being mocked, God was living in Him. Asleep in the back of a boat, God was living
in Him. He goes to a tree and finds nothing on it, and God is living in Him. When He was
weary, persecuted, hated, spit upon, nailed to the cross, God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto Himself.
Do you see what
God did? He made it possible for Himself to be at home in human bodies. "The
tabernacle of God is with MAN" (Rev. 21:3). Not with angels, with man. "We
beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth" (Jn.
It is a wonder
when we think of the method that God used to accomplish the redemption. It was not that He
appeared as some blazing flame of fire from the heavens. No! He came as "a little
tiny baby thing that made His mother cry." God in swaddling clothes! A wonder indeed
to behold! God as a teenager, God as a carpenter, God as the wandering peasant preacher
who proclaimed a new message which startled men. Everywhere He went He caused people to
wonder, "What manner of man is this?" In one moment He is wearily lying in the
back of a ship and in the next He says, "Peace, be still," and the waves cease
their roaring and the winds die at His command. "What manner of man is this?"
"Whence hath He these things, seeing that He never learned?" Here the wisest man
that ever lived astounds the doctors and the lawyers and the theologians with the depth
and profundity of His wisdom. It is a wonder by the principle on which it operates, a
principle which is so foreign to anything we know in this world. It is a principle which
most people have never even dimly graspedthat God is Spirit, that God tabernacles in
human flesh, that man is basically spiritual, not physical, that we can live out of the
Spirit so that out of the greatest weakness is revealed the greatest strength, God
manifest in the flesh! It is the principle that GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH, WEAK, BASE,
AND DESPISED THINGS of the world to confound the wisdom of the wise and the power of the
mighty.
The meaning of
the incarnation is that God could drink out of a bottle if Jesus drank out of a bottle,
God in Him learned to crawl before He learned to walk, God learned a language and stumbled
over the words before He got it straight, for God limited Himself to the limitation of man
that He might increase in man to the unlimited capacity of the Spirit. When God dwells in
us and Christ is living in us, it is not something foreign that has invaded us. Paul did
not say, "For me to be spiritual and shake and fall out under the power is
Christ." He said, "For me to LIVE is Christ" (Phil.
As great as was
the mighty apostle Paul, yet he said that he was the "chief of sinners," the
"off scouring of all things," "contemptible" in the eyes of so many,
"for they say, His letters are weighty and impressive and forceful and telling, but
his personality and bodily presence are weak, and his speech and delivery are utterly
contemptible of no account" (II Cor. 10:10). It should not surprise us that those
whom the Lord has chosen and is preparing to PROMOTE to the highest rank for His own
pre-deter-mined purposes will be those that seem most unlikely and unfit for such a
"high calling" according to human estimates and values. And it should not seem
strange to us that God has deliberately chosen for the firstfruits company of the sons of
God, those typified by Jacob the schemer and trickster, by Joseph misunderstood, hated,
sold into slavery and condemned to years of misery and oblivion in an Egyptian dungeon, by
David the young shepherd boy, who was the least likely candidate for becoming king amongst
his seven brothers, by the dark-skinned Shulamite maiden (a native shepherdess) of the
Song of Solomon, who was so dark and uncomely and common, of peasantry rather than
royalty! I do not hesitate to tell you that those precious saints who walk in the Spirit,
love the truth and embrace the promiseswho by any religious standards would be voted
the most UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED in any spiritual endeavorwill in fact be God's Kings
and Priests for the age and the ages to come!
The following
words penned by George Hawtin add a dimension of fullness to the truth I now share.
"Thus is the door of sonship SLAMMED SHUT in the face of the rich, the mighty, the
famous, and the great, but OPENED WIDE to the poor, the humble, and the unknown. 'For He
hath shown strength with His arm; He hath SCATTERED THE PROUD in the imagination of his
heart. He hath PUT DOWN THE MIGHTY from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He
hath FILLED THE HUNGRY with good things, and THE RICH He hath sent EMPTY AWAY' (Lk.
As we approach
the more excellent ministry of the sons of God and that greater glory of the age of the
Kingdom of God, I must confess that in the face of my own weakness and the seeming
insignificance of those elect of God scattered across the face of the earth today I feel a
bit like the little boy in a story I heard one time. The little boy called at a house
selling picture post cards for a dime a piece. He was asked what he was going to do with
the money he was earning. He said, "I'm raising $100,000 for our new school
building." The startled customer replied, "Do you expect to raise it all by
yourself?" He answered with a straight and serious face, "Oh, no sir. There's
another little boy helping me."
Brother, sister,
do you feel neglected, unnoticed, unhonored, unseen, and unsung? Do you seem to those who
know you, as being a little peculiar, as one who certainly isn't doing much for
Godseparated from all the religious activities, soul saving crusades, not involved
with the great and grandiose programs of the church systems of the. world? Surely you are
judged as having little or nothing, for your strong foundations, laid down during a long
period of processing, are hardly noticeable to those who pass by. "Nevertheless THE
FOUNDATION OF GOD STANDETH SURE, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are
His!" (II Tim. 2:19). As someone has written, "You may be so unlearned that you
cannot recite the alphabet, so unwise that you could not make one right decision, so weak
that all men would oppress you, and so dishonored that none would associate with you, but
if your spirit has beheld these things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, then you have attained a wisdom which this world
knoweth not. God did not choose you because you were better or greater than someone else,
but because God chose you and ordained you that He might commit unto you the word of
reconciliation for the age to come when all men, through the ministry of God's sons, shall
be brought to the fullness of the knowledge of God. There was nothing in us that we
deserved to be chosen. The God of
Welcome, my
beloved, to GOD'S FOOLISH FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY!
THE WISDOM OF
GOD
In 1 Cor. 2:4-15
Paul contrasts the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. My preaching was not
in persuasive words of MANS WISDOM, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
that your faith should not stand in the WISDOM OF MEN, but in the power of God. Howbeit we
speak WISDOM among the perfect: yet a wisdom not of this world; but we speak GODS
WISDOM in a mystery, even the WISDOM that hath been hidden, which none of the princes of
this world knoweth. But unto us God revealed it through the Spirit. But we received, not
the spirit which is of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the
things
of God; which things also we speak, not in the word which MANS WISDOM
teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth.
The point in
which the contrast specially comes out is in the area of wisdom. It was in seeking wisdom
that man fell. And when the woman saw that the tree was
a tree to be desired
to make one WISE, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat (Gen. 3:6). It was in
the pride of wisdom that heathenism had its origin; professing themselves to be
WISE, they became fools (Rom. 1:22). It was in wisdom, philosophy, and the search
after truth, that the Greeks sought their glory. It was in the knowledge of Gods
will, the FORM of the knowledge and of the truth of the law (Rom. 2:17-20)
that the Jew made his boast. And yet when Christ, the WISDOM OF GOD, appeared on the
earth, Jew and Greek combined to reject Him. Mans wisdom, whether in possession of a
revelation or not, is utterly insufficient for comprehending God or His wisdom. As his
heart is alienated from God, so his mind is darkened that he cannot know Him aright. Even
when in Christ the light of God in its Divine wisdom and love shone upon men, they knew it
not, and saw no beauty in it.
As the Son of
man, Jesus had within Him the Spirit of wisdom. How did it manifest itself? In His waiting
to hear what the Father spake. Morning by morning He wakeneth mine ear to hear, as
they are taught (Isa. 50:4). Perfect teachableness was the mark of the first-born
Son on earth. This is the mark of the Spirit in all sons. What things so ever He
shall hear, these shall He speak. The life is the light; as the Spirit finds our
life in perfect obedience to Him, He teaches by what He works in us. I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise. This work begins within us.
There are two
stages of wisdom revealed in the life of Jesus. The first stage is His growth in wisdom,
experienced in childhood. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor
with God and man. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and
the grace of God was upon Him (Lk. 2:40,52). This was the area of wisdom in which we
are presently being exercised in our walk as sons. In order to have a hearing ear for the
wisdom that cometh from above, a yielded condition of heart is necessary. We must possess
humility, else we will think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. We must see
this above all Christ must be made unto us WISDOM. Through the unveiling of His
mind within we must see the wisdom of making a full consecration to the will of the
Father, and the wisdom of following up that consecration in a life of daily
sanctification, to the doing of the Fathers will. In every step we take wisdom is
the principle thing; and all through the life of consecration and processing, at every
step of the journey to Mount Zion, we must receive the wisdom that cometh from above,
which the apostle describes first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy
(James 3:17). The wisdom of this world operates along lines of selfishness, self-will,
self-esteem, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency; and, as the apostle points out, these
things lead to bitter envying and strife, because this wisdom, instead of being from
above, is earthly, sensual, devilish. The heavenly wisdom, on the contrary, is
in harmony with the divine nature of God, the nature of LOVE, mercy and truth. In this
wisdom we must grow, as did Jesus.
The wisdom of God
is not for spiritual infants, even though His children, but for those who have gotten past
the plan of salvation stage and the baptism in the Spirit stage
and gone on to maturity in Christ the Wisdom of God. In his letter to the carnal
Christians of Corinth Paul speaks of the spiritual infancy of those pathetic believers who
were still arguing baptism and boasting gifts! Their tragic condition was based on the
fact that they were still in the nursing stage of spiritual babyhood, playing with basic
doctrines and manifestations instead of giving themselves to growing up into Christ the
Wisdom of God. As one reads the epistle to the Hebrews he discovers that the Jewish
Christians were having the same problem of spiritual infancy, rather than going on in God
that they might be perfected in wisdom. Frankly, much of the spiritual immaturity that is
rampant among Gods people today is due to the fact that their church services are
used as a time to reach the lost for Christ or for the saints to get a
blessing when they should be functioning unto the edification of the saints
till we all come
unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of THE
FULLNESS OF CHRIST. In most churches the believers are still eating baby food which,
although good for babies, will never bring one child of God unto sonship. People who
attend churches that labor the plan of salvation for water baptism
or even the baptism in the Spirit week after week are forcing themselves to be
stunted midgets, shutting themselves up from the high and holy purposes of God, and
placing themselves in a position where they can never gain Divine Wisdom, since this kind
of wisdom is gained only through the deep and vital dealings of God with His sons. You
will never progress in the Spirit beyond the realm you are content to dwell on in your
fellowship, for your life-flow will be on that level.
George Hawtin
testified to the truth of these things in the following words: Paul begins to
introduce a further wisdom. It is the wisdom that comes by spiritual revelation and can be
imparted only to those who are coming to perfection and who walk in humility with Christ.
It is not for the proud nor the scornful, nor is it for any kind of public display.
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: but we speak the wisdom of
God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our
glory. Verses 6-8. Here is an exceedingly great truth. Here is wisdom which the
world has never learned; neither can they ever know it or learn it. Furthermore we must
confess that the wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory is a wisdom
which only a handful of Christians ever come to know. So many Christians are like little
children playing with their toys. They become so involved with their activities, their
doctrine, their experiences, their joys and sorrows that they never become acquainted with
the eternal wisdom which God ordained for us before the world was. The things which eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man are never
revealed to them, because they are inclined to imagine that they know all there is to know
and understand all there is to understand. Because they say, We see, therefore
they remain blind.
THE SPIRIT OF
WISDOM
The second stage
in Divine Wisdom is the absolute fullness of wisdom received by Jesus when He was anointed
as a Son, at the time of His baptism at
In this book is
revealed a new name (nature), a new song (revelation, message), a new Jerusalem (people),
a new heaven (government), a new earth (order), and finally it is proclaimed,
Behold, I make A-L-L T-H-I-N-G-S NEW! (Rev. 21:5). Hallelujah! The whole
purpose of God in this book is to declare the eternal passing of all that is of the old,
and the establishment of ALL THAT IS NEW.
Then what is
here? The seven Spirits! There is a Lamb with seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of
God. The Lamb has seven horns, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne are
seven lamps of fire, which are the seven Spirits of God. Around the throne is a rainbow of
seven colors, which are the seven Spirits of God. We only see the Lamb upon the throne
with the seven-fold intensified Spirit! That is all. All the utterances of this book are
made by the seven-fold Spirit and all reveal that which is entirely new and fresh. There
is nothing old, nothing dead; everything is spoken by the living Spirit in a new and
living way!
In addition,
every utterance to the body of Christ in this book is the utterance of the seven-fold
Spirit. It is always the Spirit who is speaking! Yea, saith the Spirit
(14:13). He that hath an ear, let him hear WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH to the
Churches (2:7). Seven times in chapters 2 and 3 we read that it is the Spirit who is
speaking to the churches. How different from the prophecies of the prophets who
prophesied, Yea, My people, thus saith the Lord
How different from the
utterances of the apostles in the Epistles. The Epistles say, This I (Paul)
say (I Cor. 7:6), or I (Peter) exhort (I Pet. 5:1) etc. Here in the book
of Revelation it never says, Thus saith the Lord, or This I say,
etc. Rather, it says, the Spirit saith, the SPIRIT saith, the S-P-I-R-I-T
saith! This very same sentence with the same phraseology repeated SEVEN TIMES:
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Why
is this repeated seven times? Because of the seven-fold Spirit! He who hears the
seven-fold Spirit will be an overcomer. He who overcomes will be a son. He who is a son
shall inherit all things. He who inherits all things received the seven Spirits of God.
Hallelujah!
Because the
seven-fold Spirit is bestowed upon the overcomers, eventually the entire book is concluded
in this way: And the Spirit and the bride say
(22:17). We read in the
beginning of this book that the Spirit is speaking to the churches. But by the end of the
book the Spirit and the Bride have BECOME ONE they speak together. The Spirit and
the Bride in this verse are a compound subject. The two have been compounded the
two have become one. Glory to God! The overcomers are one with the seven Spirits, and the
seven Spirits have been fully inworked into the overcomers. This is Gods goal! This
is the ultimate consummation of His eternal purpose!
And to
enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan of the mystery kept hidden
through the ages and concealed until now in the mind of God Who created all things by
Jesus Christ. The purpose is that through the church the complicated, many-sided WISDOM OF
GOD in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the
angelic rulers and authorities in the heavenly sphere. This is in accordance with the
terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect,
in the person of Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph 3:9-11, Amplified Bible).
As a diamond
cutter concentrates on the precious stone to bring out its hidden beauty, so God
concentrates on us to prepare us in wisdom for the governing of the world when the time is
ripe for it. Alexander the Great was a remarkable man. In his early thirties he finished
conquering most of the then known world. The story is told that while conquering Asia
Minor he came to the city of
In this
connection Paul Mueller has shared some precious insights: Each of these seven
Spirits of sonship are Spirits of God which make up that ONE SPIRIT OF GOD. It will help
our understanding if we realize that in each of these seven Spirits of God, our Father is
giving us MORE OF HIMSELF. When He anoints us with THE SPIRIT OF THE WISDOM OF THE LORD,
He is giving us of HIS WISDOM, that we might function in the kingdom WITH ALL OF HIS
WISDOM at our disposal. How blessed we are in knowing that we shall not govern or rule
with Christ with the very limited resources of our own wisdom, understanding, counsel,
might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord, but in each case the Lord is imparting THE
FULNESS OF HIS ATTRIBUTES to us that we might govern righteously and in peace and justice.
Without these SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, we would be no better off than the confused leaders of
the present world order who have to depend on their limited wisdom and understanding. But
we shall possess all the fullness of God when we are anointed with the seven Spirits of
sonship.
The wise
man Solomon said, WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING; THEREFORE GET WISDOM. (Pro.
4:7) Solomon is considered to be the wisest
man the world has known. A study of Solomons life begins with a most wonderful
statement concerning him: And Solomon LOVED THE LORD, walking in the statutes of
David his father. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and said to him,
Ask what I shall give thee. Solomon then remembered his father David, and the
Lords mercies that were given him, and said to the Lord, ..thou has made thy
servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go
out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a
great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy
servant AN UNDERSTANDING HEART to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and
bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great people? (I Ki. 3:3-14) I wonder how many of us in our present carnal and
corruptible state would not have rather asked for riches and honor, power, authority, long
life, and lives of our enemies, and for the power of a great army to enforce our will upon the people. But Solomon
asked for none of these. The Lord was very pleased with Solomons request, and said
to him: Because thou has asked this thing, and has not asked for thyself long life;
neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but has
asked for thyself UNDERSTANDING to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy
words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like
thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given
thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honour: so that there shall not be
any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep
my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy
days.
How
wonderful is this account of Solomons blessing! He could have asked for riches and
honor, and would possibly have received it, but undoubtedly he would not have had the
stability of the kingdom that comes with wisdom. WISDOM IS THE PRINCIPAL THING,
THEREFORE GET WISDOM. And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding EXCEEDING
MUCH, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And
Solomons wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all
the wisdom of
The wisdom
of Solomon was greater than that of all the other kings, exceeding the wisdom of all the
children of the east country and of
Let us know
assuredly that this SPIRIT OF WISDOM is not an anointing of the Lord upon our own wisdom,
but the Spirit of wisdom is an impartation of Gods wisdom. Your wisdom and mine,
whether anointed or not, is not capable of kingdom leadership and righteous judgment.
Therefore, it must be all of Gods wisdom, and nothing less than that. Only the
wisdom of God will rectify this old, sin-cursed, war-torn world and set things right
again. By the wisdom of the Almighty the nations shall learn war no more, the governments
of man shall diminish and the throne of Christ exalted. And by His wisdom the anointed,
glorified Body of Christ shall send forth the law and the word of the Lord unto
righteousness and justice.
Solomons
kingdom was a model government given to
Not only
was there peace in all the world during Solomons reign with prosperity and other
blessings evident, but there was also the worship of the true God among all
We would encourage all our readers to study
carefully the book of Proverbs which contains the divine wisdom given to Solomon. Meditate
on the wisdom therein and ask the Lord to impart His wisdom which is surely needful for
all who will be His kingdom administrators in the age to come.
Aside from
the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song, which seem to be written by
Solomon, we also have the writing called, The Wisdom of Solomon, found in the
Apocrypha, the section of books between the Old and New Testaments in some Bibles. The
word Apocrypha means hidden or secret and is not generally considered part of
The Canon of Scripture, although we believe the Apocrypha, as well as other historical
writings, are of some value to us all.
We would like to quote portions of The
Wisdom of Solomon and trust the Holy Spirit to impart the truth to each one as He so
desires. Solomon said, Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called
upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her before scepters and
thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. For she is the breath of the
power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can
no defiled thing fall into her. For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God,
and a lover of his works. Moreover by the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and
leave behind me an everlasting memorial to them that come after me. Now when I considered
these things in myself, and pondered them in my heart, how that to be allied unto wisdom
is immortality; And great pleasure it is to have her friendship.
Oh that all
the Lords people might be anointed with the spirit of wisdom wherewith Solomon was
anointed! Then we would understand the mysteries of God, and would see in her the pathway
to immortality. Notice also that the spirit of wisdom is one of the seven spirits of the
anointing of Christ. The first of the seven spirits of God is the spirit of the
Lord, followed by the spirit of wisdom. (Is. 11:2) Thus, the Lord would anoint His sons with the same
seven-fold anointing with which Christ was anointed, and the spirit of wisdom is that
which is to come at this time, for by the means of her, immortality shall be obtained. To
be allied unto wisdom is immortality, and her friendship is great pleasure.
Therefore,
all who are among the called and chosen of the Lord will cherish the spirit of wisdom, and
will seek for her early. Wisdom will instruct them in the way of the Lord, making them of
quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. This elect company will then be clothed upon
with the righteousness of Christ, which is immortality, thus fitting them to be honorable
judges of the earth to administer His kingdom in the spirit of Christ, thereby ushering in
an era of peace and blessings unprecedented, filling the earth with the knowledge of the
Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Is. 11) end quote
WISDOMS
SEVEN PILLARS
Someone has said
that wisdom is not just gaining a lot of spiritual facts, and then applying them to
various situations to gain a victorious result. Wonderful as that may be, we find that
wisdom is three-fold. Wisdom is an ATTITUDE, a CONDITION, and a PERSON. I declare to you
what the Word of God declares that Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get
wisdom. I declare to you what the Word declares: Wisdom hath builded her
house (Prov. 9:1). As you look at the words you say, I wonder how Wisdom built
her House? Then you read, She hath hewn out Seven Pillars (Prov. 9:1).
When you look at that, you say, Oh, I should like to know what these Pillars
are. I would like to tell you that I know, and I am going to tell you today what
these Seven Pillars are. It is not left to my opinion; nor is it left to my guessing; nor
is it left to my human intellect to tell you what these Seven Pillars are. Here they are
set forth by the apostle James: The wisdom that is from above is first pure
(James
There are the
Seven Pillars, and it took a great many ages to hew them out; but they were there all the
time. I hail the House of Wisdom, and in the center I see the majestic Pillar of Purity
all spotless and glorious. Although the others are resplendent in all the colors, and are
graceful and beautiful, yet white is the combination of all the colors. If you have a
prism and put it where the white light of the sun strikes one of its faces, the light is
divided into every color in the rainbow. It takes every color to make white light. The
peaceableness and gentleness, and the ease with the heart of the Father may be approached,
and the life that is full of mercy and good fruits, and the beautiful Pillar of
impartiality, and the splendid Pillar of honesty without hypocrisy, are the gorgeous
colors which go to make up the unblemished white of Purity. The pure in heart shall
see God. The wisdom which is from above is first PURE that is, it is not
mixed with human reasoning, nor warped with pre-conceived ideas, doctrines, philosophies,
superstitions, myths, and traditions of men.
Next, the wisdom
that is from above is PEACEABLE there is no warfare or contention, it does not stir
up strife and agitation, or make trouble. There is abundance of strife in the world on
every level, and it comes not from the wisdom of God but from mans rejection of His
wisdom. Ray Prizing has prudently pointed out, If you feel you have received a
revelation a word of wisdom a truth from above, and you want to recite to me
of those facts and thoughts which you have concerning it all, and then if I do not agree
with you, and you immediately become contentious and argumentative on why I should believe
what you say, then my first question is if you claim your wisdom is from above,
then why is it not peaceable? Why do you have to fight for it? The noteworthy condition of
this wisdom from above is its peaceableness! God reveals it to you, it becomes a vital
part of your being, it is your life, and you dont have to fight for it, for it IS
what it IS, and it doesnt need a defense.
Thirdly, Wisdom
that is from above is GENTLE pliant, considerate, loving and yielding. There is a
submissive quality, no stomping about demanding its rights, no pushiness, no abusiveness,
but ever so gentle.
Then, the Wisdom
that is from above is EASY TO BE ENTREATED not judgmental, not imputing to men
their trespasses and failures, not rebuking, not egocentric, not self-righteous, not
demanding, but so readily entreated, it listens, it cares.
Fifthly, Wisdom
from above is full of GOOD FRUITS, then, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, and finally WITHOUT
HYPOCRISY. No wonder Wisdom is spoken of us a tree of life (Prov.
From his store
house of spiritual understanding Paul says, Among the pure we do impart wisdom,
although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to
pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the
ages for our glorification. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they
had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, What no eye
has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those
that love Him, God has revealed to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches
everything, even the depths of God (I Cor. 6:2-10, R.S.V.).
The
Spirit of Understanding
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev 3:1).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and UNDERSTANDING, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The third Spirit
of Sonship is the Spirit of Understanding. Since the inspiration of the Almighty has
called this the Spirit of Understanding we must free ourselves from any notion that this
Understanding is in any way a function or product of the natural, carnal mind, for how
clear it is that the source of this kind of Understanding is the SPIRIT OF GOD and not the
mind of man. Hence, we read in I Cor. 2:14 and 16: But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know
them, because they are spiritually discerned. For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. We cannot learn spiritual
Understanding as we would learn mathematics or the laws of science, for such facts are
dead, lifeless things that can as well be performed by a computer as by man. The seven
Spirits of God are the seven lamps burning with fire, and whereas Understanding is one of
these seven lamps (Rev. 4:5), it is a Spirit before the throne of God.
It is Jesus,
first of all, who has received the sevenfold intensified Spirit of God. And I
beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having
seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6). Isaiah
prophesied of Him: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him
and shall
make Him of QUICK UNDERSTANDING (Isa. 11:2-3). This word quick is
translated from the Hebrew word CHAY which is from the root CHAYAH meaning to
live or to preserve alive. So when Isaiah says, He shall make Him
of quick Understanding, he means He will make Him of a LIVING UNDERSTANDING. This
was rendered quick in the King James Version because, in the archaic English
of those times, quick meant living. So when the scripture speaks of the quick and
the dead, it is speaking of the living and the dead (I Pet. 4:5). And again, when
Paul says, The Word of God is quick and powerful (Heb.
And yet, a living
understanding may also be a quick understanding in terms of a rapid awareness
of the things of God. Scattered among the human race is a special species of people. They
are in the world, but not of it. They have known from the beginning they were different.
They have gone through the motions, tried to be a good Christian, held every office in the
church and tried to fulfill all the demands of religion upon them. But in the midst of all
the effort to belong and to please God and man, there has always been something that kept
this people from being satisfied with any of their attainments in that realm. There has
been an emptiness, a void, a lack, a deep inner consciousness that this was not IT
there must be something more, something richer, something higher, something deeper in God
that they have not touched. There has always been something that separated them from all
the external things they have been through. Many of these have been searching after God
from childhood as far back as they can remember. Some were born into worldly and
ungodly homes, with no religious background or training, yet always had a deep love and an
intense hunger for the Lord. These often would pray, read the Bible, or search out a
church even in their formative years, when all about them cared less. Others were in
Christian families on some level, but never satisfied, knowing deep within that there was
something beyond all this. They never had to be coaxed or dragged into new revelation,
experience or realms in God. When the light appeared the babe in their womb leaped for joy
in instant recognition of the Christ! Ah, this is the day of RECOGNITION! This is our day
of knowing from whence you came, where you have been in order to be where you are right
now, and where you are going. Something within has cried out, I didnt come to
just get saved from hell and die and go to heaven. Deep has called unto deep and you
know you were born for a purpose. You know you were born to unveil Gods plan in
earth. You can see how precisely your steps have been ordered by the Lord, even from the
day of your birth. God has been with you, He has watched over you, has led and guided and
directed your pathway every step of the way. Never in a million years could you ever have
found your own way to where you are today, to know God as you know Him, to understand His
great plan and purpose in the earth, in His people, and in the universe. Every event has
been placed in your pathway by God to teach you and lead you, to give you an understanding
of Him, of His ways, of His word, of His will. Many things have contributed to your
spiritual development meeting the right person at the right time, coming across a
magazine, article, or book, various ministries, moves of God, manifestation of His power,
experiences. It was God who ordained and orchestrated each and every event and
circumstance His mighty hand has brought to where you are in Him at this hour.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him
and shall make him of quick
understanding (Isa. 11:2-3). That is a clear and unmistakable mark of true sonship.
Others are content all their lives to remain in the stagnation and bondage of religious
creeds and systems but sons have a special anointing of the seven Spirits of God to
propel them farther and higher into the purposes of God. It is the Lords doing, and
it is marvelous in our eyes!
THE MIND OF
UNDERSTANDING
Understanding is
an ability and faculty of the mind. Without mind there can be no understanding. A
mans understanding corresponds precisely to the condition, development or quality of
his mind. Every created life form possesses mind and the understanding of the creature is
limited by the quality of its mind. Quality of mind is, basically, an inherited
characteristic. For instance, a cat thinks like a cat, knows as a cat, understands as a
cat and acts like a cat because it was born a cat therefore possessing the brain
and mind of a cat. We have a cat in our home. I have noticed that this cat will come and
sit in the living room while I watch the evening news on television. While I am very
interested in the news, the cat has positively no interest at all! He couldnt care
less! It is not that he doesnt see the pictures flashing across the screen. He sees
them, alright, but he doesnt understand them so he just curls up on the
carpet and goes to sleep! It is simply impossible for cats to understand things human.
Humans are of a different and higher order than are cats. Cats may see men, and may
observe their movements, yet there is no common ground of knowledge. The cat has no
comprehension of what it sees. It discerns only things pertaining to its own realm. It has
positively no understanding of the ways of man, or of the meaning of his movements, or
words, or habits. Cat minds function on the level of cat nature, while human minds
function on the level of human nature.
Likewise, God is
of a different and higher order of life and nature than are humans. The mind of man
functions on the level of human nature whereas the mind of God functions on the level of
Divine nature. There is no common ground of knowledge or understanding between the two.
Therefore, the natural man is totally incapable of comprehending that which pertains to
the realm of God. For natural minds to comprehend things spiritual is equally as
impossible as for cats to comprehend things human. And so, until humans receive of
GODS SPIRIT the Spirit that KNOWS and UNDERSTANDS the things that pertain to
God it is impossible for them to have any understanding, either of God, or of His
Word, or ways. With that truth did Paul write to the Corinthians: For who could
really understand a mans inmost thoughts except the spirit of man himself? How much
less could anyone understand the thoughts of God except the very Spirit of God? We have
now received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God himself, so that we can
UNDERSTAND something of Gods generosity towards us (I Cor.
Well did Harry
Rimmer write: Nothing in this world is more crassly bigoted than the calm assumption
of a certain type of human mind that we are the ultimate in creation and in power. Men who
are wise above that which is written, whose mentalities are as much earth-bound as are
those of the moles which grub all their lives in the darkness for things of the earth, are
fond of asserting that there is nothing supernatural. The world of asserting that there is
nothing supernatural. The world of nature, which is composed of those things which may be
seen, heard, felt, tasted, and smelled, binds the horizon of their entire philosophy. The
very possibility that there may be a sphere of life that is higher than that of the human
sends them into a mental coma, and the air becomes vibrant with their denials.
There is an
element of humor seen in the fact that men, dignifying themselves with scientific titles,
will sometimes hold conventions and attempt to decide in a solemn conclave whether or not
there is anything higher than the sphere of man. To illustrate the humor of this
situation, we might introduce to our reader the parable of the angle-worms. Down into
their dark and dismal world there had somehow infiltrated the weird rumor that a race of
super-angle beings called men inhabited the crust of the earth in which worms dwell. Some
angle-worms claimed to have seen this mastodonic race of super-worm beings, but others
denied that there could be anything higher in the scale of life than angle-worms. To
settle the issue a conference was called, and the worms spent five days in solemn
conclave, arguing whether or not human beings existed. The convention closed with the
framing of a resolution denying the reality of man or of any creature higher than the
worm.
This
decision, of course, immediately disposed of the entire human race! At once we ceased to
exist. The conclusion would only be accurate if the lower had power to dispose of the
higher. We have in our modern life a very weird philosophy that is comparable to this
parable of the angle-worm convention. By the very nature of the case, it would be
impossible for a lower order to know anything of a higher state of being unless the higher
should condescend to reveal itself to the lower.
And then after
men receive God, the depth of their knowledge and understanding is wholly in proportion to
the measure of the indwelling Spirit. Jesus was a man, but God was in Him (II Cor.
The thing we want
to mark well is that understanding is a faculty of mind and mind is inherited. That a mind
must be developed and matured is true, but, the quality of the mind, the kind of mind, and
the potential of mind is received at the time of conception.
We must see
clearly from the light of the scriptures that in the Old Testament period the Spirit of
God did not indwell men. In that time the Spirit of God descended upon man to move man to
do Gods work; the emphasis was upon the Spirit of God being the power to man. In the
Old Testament, through generation after generation, the Spirit of God continually
descended upon man as a divine power that moved man to work, fight, and speak for God; the
Word of God came unto man and man acted upon that Word. All the works performed by the men
of God in the Old Testament were the result of the Word of God that came unto them and the
power of God that rested upon them as a result of the descending of the Holy Spirit upon
them. Although people in the Old Testament received the Spirit of God upon them as a Word
and as a power, yet in reality they did not receive the Spirit of God into them to BE
THEIR LIFE. In the Old Testament times, the Spirit of God merely descended upon man as a
Word and power, but did not enter into man as life; He only bestowed a divine power upon
man, but did not impart to man a divine nature and being. Therefore, in the Old Testament
we see a number who possessed the power of God, yet had nothing whatever of Gods
life, nature or mind. Samson is the best example (Judges 14-16). He had the supernatural
power of God upon him, but at the same time he did not have the nature of God in him at
all. Here we have a strong man whose power was beyond measure, yet whose nature was
totally incompatible with God. Therefore, with respect to power, Samson had the Holy
Spirit upon him, but with respect to life, he did not have the Holy Spirit within him. The
Holy Spirit of God descended upon Samson that he might have Gods power, but did not
enter into him that he might have Gods nature. It was not until New Testament times
that the Holy Spirit actually enters into man and becomes mans life that he might
possess not only Gods power, but also Gods life, nature and mind. Mind is a
faculty of life; to possess divine life and nature means that you also have divine mind.
The prophet
Ezekiel saw this day of the New Testament, of the remarkable regeneration by which men
would actually be born of God to become sons of God, and he prophesied, saying, Then
will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean
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. 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. 36:25-27). In Christ, we not only have our sins forgiven, but there is an
impartation of New Life, even the Divine Life of God. We are impregnated by the Spirit of
God, and a baby spirit, a divine nature, is conceived within. This new life is the
off-spring of God in Christ, so that God becomes, not figuratively or mystically, but very
literally OUR FATHER, the Father of our spirit. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a NEW CREATURE (II Cor.
This new creation
of which the Spirit speaks, this new spirit being, is blest not only with a new heart but
with a new MIND as well. The mind which is produced in the new creation is the mind of
Christ, for, Paul says, Who hath known the mind of the Lord? But WE HAVE THE MIND OF
CHRIST (I Cor.
We will never, in
this age, be fully able to comprehend the boundless power of the mind of man. It appears
to be true that practically everything of good and evil in all the world comes forth from
the mind. Even the natural mind, though it understands not the things of the Spirit of
God, is capable of astonishing wonders. All the marvelous inventions of the world have
proceeded from the mind of man, yet that natural mind receives not any of the things of
God. As heaven is higher than the earth, so are Gods ways higher than mans and
Gods thoughts higher than mans. The man who receives of Gods life is
renewed in the SPIRIT OF HIS MIND, that is, he takes on a new mind originating in a new
Spirit life, so that he thinks and acts as an entirely new creation, a new man, a new
creature. If he follows on to know the Lord he will find that his darkened mind will
completely give way to this new creation mind which is the mind of Jesus Christ. Paul
wrote, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. The mind that
was in Jesus was the Fathers mind. Because He was fully possessed of His
Fathers mind, He was able to say, I and My Father are one. The mind that
was in Christ Jesus is freely offered to every man who believes on His name that he might
be one with Christ and one with the Father, sons of God in the true and perfect sense of
the word. Let us never forget that in those glorious ages to come it will be the mind of
our heavenly Father that will rule the universe. The Father has decreed that He will rule
the universe by him whom He has chosen, Christ, Head and body, and those sons, every one,
will be possessed with the Fathers mind. God the Father has given His mind to His
Son, Jesus Christ, and He in turn has given that same mind to us. As the hands and the
feet of a healthy body act in harmony with the head, so every member among the sons of God
acts in harmony with the Head, even Jesus, because ONE MIND DWELLS IN THEM ALL.
Hallelujah!
If we understand
how a machine works, then the most intricate mechanism in the world is simple, but if we
lack this understanding, even the simplest device can bewilder us. Well do I remember my
fascination as I listened to a friend who works at the nearby
The same thought
of understanding was in the heart of the apostle Paul when he wrote, "I cease not to
make mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the
EYES OF YOUR UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED; that ye may KNOW what is the hope of His
calling..." (Eph. 1:15-18). When men earnestly seek the face of the Lord, He sends
His Holy Spirit to dispel the darkness of the natural mind that ever hangs as a shroud
over us that He may reveal to our spiritual minds the things that pertain to the higher
realm of His Kingdom. In all matters of revelation and spiritual understanding it is
impossible to overestimate the importance of the Spirit, who comes to take the things of
God and show them unto us. Two worlds, indeed, two realms exist all about us the
natural world and the spiritual world. The natural realm is the realm of man, but the
spiritual realm is the realm of God. The natural man cannot understand the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, for they are
spiritually discerned.
Men of the world
have told me that the things recorded in the Bible are ridiculous, and I suppose to them
they are, since God has declared, "it is foolishness unto them" (I Cor.
There is not the
slightest uncertainty in my mind that although the mind and heart of each and every child
of God has been quickened by the Spirit of God, yet, in our spiritual immaturity we have
oft times understood only a minute portion of the things that pertain to the vast and
marvelous realm into which we have been birthed. Like
All understanding
is in the mind, therefore, the Understanding of God is in the mind of Christ, which is the
mind of the Spirit, which is the mind of the new creation man. We do not understand the
spiritual realities of God with our natural minds. It is not the same mind that
understands how to drive your car that understands the mysteries of the
The mind of
Christ within must be developed. Understanding is a product of the development of the
mind. The things of God are sensed in the spirit, but they are understood in the mind,
even the new creation mind. Many times we know something of God in our spirit, but because
our spiritual Understanding has not been adequately developed we do not understand in
practical terms what we sense. Sometimes, as we wait upon the Lord, it may take two or
three weeks or even months or years before we are able to understand what we sense in our
spirit. Many times we sense in our spirit that a certain thing is true in God, but we
cannot explain it from the scriptures or even put it into words for those around us. As we
seek the Lord about the thing Understanding begins to come, scriptures leap out of the
Bible and fall into place, the whole truth of the thing takes on form and substance,
crystallizing within our Understanding. We then truly UNDERSTAND what before we only
sensed. I have had this happen many times. Many of the truths we write in these pages
began simply as something sensed in the spirit, but not understood in the mind. But as we
followed on with the Lord the new creation mind was able to put it all together in the
form of Understanding. Thus, that truth then declared is not a product of the learning of
the natural mind, but of the development of the mind of Christ within. How we need the
Understanding in our mind to interpret what we sense in our spirit! The things of the
Spirit of God are sensed by the function of the intuition in our spirit, but they are
understood by the function of the Understanding in our spiritual mind.
Let us never
forget that we possess, in measure, both the natural and the spiritual minds, being as we
are, both natural and spiritual. With your natural mind you may do your work, play, scheme
how to make money, and do a thousand other natural things. But it is NOT THAT SAME MIND
that sees and understands the things of the Spirit. This is why we have so much dead
religion in the world, men with their natural minds have endeavored to interpret spiritual
things, but since the natural mind neither receives nor understands the things of the
Spirit of God, the doctrines, traditions, ceremonies, programs etc. of the things of the
carnal religious systems are no more of God than is the Empire State Building in New York
City. They all belong to the same category, all are simply the products of the natural
mind of man, and have absolutely no relationship to the
For instance,
there are many young Christian men and women studying in the colleges and universities who
have the same thoughts about their studies and their degrees as other worldly young
people. But if they would give ground to the Lord, and be renewed in the Spirit of their
minds, moving from the natural mind of man to the new creation mind of Christ, thus
putting on the thinking and understanding of Christ, their minds would be changed about
these matters. This does not mean that they would give up their studies, but that their
thoughts and concepts about their studies would be entirely different. They would have a
different point of view from which to evaluate their studies and degrees, and new
objective and purpose in relation to them.
THE DARKENED
UNDERSTANDING
Wisdom is
the principle thing, said Solomon; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy
getting, GET UNDERSTANDING (Prov. 4:7). The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (Prov.
Hear it!
Understanding is A WELLSPRING OF LIFE unto him that hath it. Certainly one
reason so many billions of humans are lost upon this earth is that they neither know who,
where, nor why they are. Truly a great darkness is upon the human family. This condition
is explained by the apostle Paul in Eph. 4:17-18: This I say therefore, and testify
in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their
mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Notice these
conditions in the life of the unregenerated man:
1. Vanity characterizes his
mind
2. His understanding
is darkened
3. He is alienated
from the life of God
4. His alienation is
because of ignorance
5. This ignorance is
blindness
In this verse we
learn this one simple truth: Darkness IS IGNORANCE. To be in darkness means to be in
ignorance. Ignorance is a condition of the MIND, in which the mind lacks knowledge and
understanding. Paul tells us that men have their understanding darkened
because of the ignorance that is in them! It is this condition of ignorance
that causes the whole world of men to walk in darkness, being lost, alienated from the
life that is in God.
The ignorance
that is in the unregenerated mind, yea, and indeed even manifest in the childishness of
the religious systems, is, in character, not unlike the stupidity of certain individuals
of limited understanding. Take, for example, a man in
He who makes
God's house of living stones depend on mere outward forms; he who confounds Truth with the
shibboleths of sects and denominations, or the usurpation of preachers, builds upon the
baseless and shifting sands. The true and eternal church depends solely on the presence of
Christ. Sweep away from your spiritual walk as much as you will the infinite cobwebs which
the ambition and the ignorance of men have spun for centuries over the surface of the
faith. Fling to the four winds the voluntary humility and all the vain deceits,
traditions, and ordinances, which, like those of the Pharisees, are but "weak and
beggarly elements." It is not the form but the essence which constitutes true
religion. Christ knew nothing of external paraphernalia, and those who follow the Lamb
know nothing of it either. Distinguish between the flickering shadows of outward symbols
and the verities of eternal life. Distinguish between the valueless injunctions of touch
not, taste not, handle not, and the divine nature which produces love, joy, peace,
righteousness of heart, and all the fruit of the Spirit. The
The world today
has its own religious dictionary of definitions of God and Spirit
and Church and they think and speak in the framework of those definitions. But
GOD SPEAKS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE and has a different dictionary of definitions by which He
speaks to His people and according to which He works. If all the multiplied practices and
methods employed by the churches today were suddenly swept away, it would in all
probability cease to function If the churches had to drop all their rituals, forms,
programs and ceremonies; all their confirmations, baptisms, and communion services; all
their special singing, organ music, and altar calls, they would feel as though they had
been stripped naked and could not serve God in any way. All this simply demonstrates the
terrible fact that the faith and dependence of the churches is not in God, but is in the
trappings they have accumulated to themselves throughout the centuries. The thought that
God is perfectly able and fully willing to run His church without the aid of anything in
the way of fleshly contributions, is found to be abhorrent to the average church member.
The most
outstanding characteristic of the Serpent is his ability to deceive. From the very dawn of
human history, as recorded in the Bible, he is depicted as a liar and deceiver. "The
Serpent beguiled me and I did eat," was Eve's plaintive cry, and in the closing book
of the Bible, the fact of his deceiving nature is further emphasized in the words of the
Revelator who described him as "that old Serpent called the devil and Satan, which
deceiveth the whole world" (Rev. 12: 9). The apostle is referring back to that
significant statement in Gen. 3: 1 wherein we read, "Now the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made."
And just how does
Satan deceive? A key is found in the Greek New Testament name for Satan the devil
The Greek word is DIABOLLOS. DIABOLLOS is a compound of two words DIA and BOLLO.
DIA means "a channel of an act" and BOLLO means "to throw either
with force, or without force, yet with a purpose, or even carelessly." Hence, the
Devil is A CHANNEL SOMETHING PASSES THROUGH. The pipe through which water enters your home
is a channel a means of passage. The frequency bands assigned to a single
transmitting station for either radio or television is called a channel the
frequency or means of passage of communication from the station to your receiver. Any
channel is the vehicle through which a thing passes from one location or state to another.
And, may I add, the Devil is the channel (DIA) through which a carnal thought, idea,
concept, desire, passion, etc. passes before it reaches your CONSCIOUS MIND. This explains
very well why Strong's Analytical Concordance has rendered the compound word DIABOLLOS as
"a traducer." The English word "traduce" means "TO TRANSFER FROM
ONE ORDER OF REASONING TO ANOTHER ORDER OF REASONING, as to translate from one language to
another language." Hence, the Traducer, the Devil, the Translator, the Interpreter
sits enthroned in the mind of man and his primary job is to transfer or translate
KNOWLEDGE!
You want to watch
that crafty Translator within! In the temptation of Jesus we discover this wily
adversary-coming upon the Master with Bible in hand, so to speak. "It is
written!" this was the glittering weapon, the fiery dart, the master-stroke of
the Traducer. "If Thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be made
bread." "It is written!" he thundered as he offered the kingdoms of earth
to Jesus if He would bow to the shrewd worldly wisdom the Traducer outlined in His mind by
which He could have conquered even the might of the Roman empire. An easy way to
popularity was pointed out it was suggested that He cast Himself from the pinnacle
of the temple. No harm would come to Him for God had promised to send His angles to care
for Him. And the multitude, amazed, would follow Him. What gave immeasurable force to the
Traducer's suggestions was his appeal to the awful authority of God's Word. He cast about
the things he offered the glow of Divine approval. He enforced his ideas with the sacred
sanction of the scriptures. It was with the Bible in hand that he approached the Son of
man. "It is written!" If the Word of God supports it, if the Bible sanctions it,
why it must be good. How the Traducer loves to come to us with the Bible in his hand! It
casts about him such a holy air. But here is where we discover the awful depths of the
Traducer's duplicity. He is no stranger to the scriptures, and he will quote the Word when
such a procedure will serve his purpose. When he deals with a chosen one of God,
obviously, he must meet such a one upon the high plane on which he lives. He could get
nowhere by suggesting the gross sins of the flesh to one separated unto God. It must be
through the Word. It must be through a carnal, twisted, literalistic and erroneous
understanding of that Word the letter that killeth. The letter killeth, and Satan
has the power of death! The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
are the same tree in the midst the tree of knowledge is the outer form of truth,
whereas the tree of life is the spirit of truth. To be carnally minded is death, says the
apostle. How much plainer can it be that the crowning work of the Traducer is to put a
natural, carnal, reasoned, intellectual interpretation to the Word which is spirit and
life. He takes the language of SPIRIT and translates it into the perverted, garbled
dialect of fleshly wisdom and carnal understanding. People sometimes accuse me of
spiritualizing away the Word of God. How, I ask, can you spiritualize something that
already I-S SPIRIT AND LIFE? The danger lies not, precious friend of mine, in
spiritualizing away the Word it is, rather, in canalizing away that which is
SPIRITUAL! To bring the spiritual thrust and essence of the Word down to the low lands of
carnal forms of religion is the subtlety of the Serpent. Ah, what a Translator he is! What
a liar and deceiver! And all the time he is quoting the Word of God and rejoicing in what
a really sound "fundamentalist" he is.
There isn't a
vice you cannot justify, there isn't a doctrine, however contrary to the heart of God, you
cannot prove, there isn't a religious methodology you cannot deify, there isn't a
Babylonian garment you cannot glorify, by appealing to the scriptures. All have an,
"it is written" to fall back on, The damnedest lie can be made to appear true.
All the Traducer needs to do is to quote scripture. Every dirty heresy abroad, every false
cult, all find in God's Word their foundation. "They that are unstable and
(spiritually) unlearned wrest. . . the. . . scriptures unto their own destruction"
(II Pet.
Darkness is the
absence of light. The darkness in men is simply the absence of light Understanding.
Men walk in spiritual darkness because they do not have light Truth. Men are in
darkness because the blindness of their hearts has kept the glorious Light of Christ from
penetrating into their lives.
Let us turn to II
Cor. 4:3-4,6 where we read: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are
lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ. From these verses we learn that the glorious gospel of Christ IS LIGHT. If
this light is hid, or concealed, it is hid from them in whom the god of this world has
BLINDED THEIR MINDS, keeping them from UNDERSTANDING, for, UNDERSTANDING is a
wellspring of life unto him that hath it (Prov.
You can see this
veil over the minds of men. Many times, when an unbeliever comes to hear a good message of
the Gospel, we think, Oh, tonight this man will surely be influenced toward the
Lord, certainly he will be saved! But eventually, he is still blank. The god of this
world has blinded his mind. The mind is the understanding organ, and Satan has blinded the
understanding of the listener. Regardless how good the message is and how much he has
heard, yet his understanding has been blinded, is covered. His mind is still a blank,
nothing has been taken in.
It is true that
the light of Christ has now shined into our hearts, yet I am confident that we have not,
at this present time, experienced the fullness of that Light. When we were first saved
just enough Light shone in to reveal Jesus to us a Saviour. We joyfully embraced what
became revealed unto us in that measure of Light, but what a great darkness prevailed even
yet in so many areas of our lives! Peter said, We have also a more sure word of
prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark
place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts (II Pet. 1:19).
Peter states that this Light shines in a dark place. And I ask you, dear
readers, what darker place could there be in the whole universe than the heart of man? Did
not the Almighty declare to Jeremiah of old that The heart is deceitful ABOVE ALL
THINGS, and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9). Truly the glorious Light has shined in
that dark place of the heart of man, yet, we still await that arising of the
day star in our hearts which shall be as the brightness and glory of the noon-time sun.
Praise God for that measure of Light that has shined, and how we anxiously await the
arising of the day star, the Sun of Righteousness, unto the PERFECT DAY! But how many of
the Lords people are satisfied with the initial shining which brings the dawn of
their spiritual experience but never FOLLOW ON to know the fullness of the arising of the
Sun of Righteousness Who would flood their whole being with the transcendent glory and
majesty of the glory of the Lord. All the dead, carnal church systems were built by men
who were saved by receiving just enough Light to know Jesus as Saviour, and then, out of
the overshrouding gloom of darkness yet untouched in their carnal hearts they proceeded to
build upon the foundation of Christ every kind of grotesque structure of tradition, error,
form, fleshiness and worldliness: great towering edifices of hay, wood and stubble soon to
be consumed in the fire of Gods judgment. How certain it is that the great day of
judgment shall declare before the eyes of all exactly what proceeded from the darkness of
mans carnal heart and what was born of the Spirit of God!
Let us not forget
that UNDERSTANDING is the KEY to everything in God! Faith comes by UNDERSTANDING the will
of God. This is why Paul wrote: Brethren, be not children in Understanding: howbeit
in malice be ye children, but in UNDERSTANDING be men (I Cor.
Faith comes by
UNDERSTANDING. How many of us were saved BEFORE we came to UNDERSTAND that we were lost
sinners and that Jesus died and rose again for us? Was it not when we came to UNDERSTAND
the simple Gospel that faith was evoked in our hearts unto salvation? This came by an
operation of the Holy Spirit. Show me a man who doesnt UNDERSTAND that Jesus died
for him and I will show you a man who isnt saved. Show me a man who doesnt
UNDERSTAND that the Lord has provided a baptism in the Holy Spirit and I will show you a
man who has not been Spirit-filled. Show me a man who doesnt UNDERSTAND that saints
are supposed to go ON TO PERFECTION and Ill show you a carnal Christian who is not
actively experiencing the processings of God that produce perfection. Show me a man who
doesnt UNDERSTAND that the hope of all creation is THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF
GOD and Ill show you a man who is still waiting to be whisked away to some far-off
heaven somewhere and who knows nothing of the deep and vital dealings of God that produce
mature SONS. The degree of our faith will be proportionate to the degree of our
UNDERSTANDING. Our spiritual Understanding always corresponds to the amount of LIGHT and
TRUTH that has shined into our minds and hearts by the Holy Spirit. We will be filled with
light (Understanding) to the same degree that our new creation MIND has been developed.
Have you ever
prayed that God would open the eyes of your Understanding that you might know what is the
hope of His calling and what are the riches of his glory of His inheritance in the saints?
Ah, how much better this would be than to seek the passing vanities of this present world
to the detriment of your devotion to God, for the heart of the Father is truly pained when
He from heaven beholds His sons neglecting their devotion to Him while they diligently
rush about to attain temporal things. Walk no longer in the vanity of your mind, having
the understanding darkened, while alienating yourself from the life of God through
ignorance. Never spend your days seeking the things of this carnal life, for they make
themselves wings and fly away, never to yield any eternal reward.
We are further
exhorted: Be not children in Understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children, but in
UNDERSTANDING be men (I Cor.
Trust in
the Lord with all thine heart and LEAN NOT UNTO THY OWN UNDERSTANDING, saith the
Lord (Prov. 3:5). Yet how often the Lords people are found leaning to their own
understanding and generally their own understanding is nothing more than the faulty
understanding of other men whose traditions, interpretations, and deductions they have
accepted. Human understanding is so terribly limited! It is limited because human
understanding contains absolutely nothing of GODS UNDERSTANDING and is, therefore,
as faulty as is the nature of man. Just as the fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom, so THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY is Understanding (Prov.
It has always,
from the very beginning, been Satans policy to misrepresent the truth, to distort
and carnalize the Word of God, in order to hinder mankind from seeing the great beauty and
majesty of the eternal purposes of God. The more absurdities Satan can get interwoven into
mans doctrines and concepts respecting God, the church, eternity, the destiny of
man, etc., the better he will succeed in separating men from God. Thus for centuries the
great adversary has been working most successfully and has covered and hidden some of the
most precious and wonderful truths under the most specious and repulsive errors, and the
progress of the Lords people has been correspondingly slow. But, thank God! we are
now living in the time when the veil of ignorance is being dissolved, and when the
Lords people are being drawn by the Spirit to look away from the creeds and systems
formed for their enslavement during ages past, and to look directly to the Word of God
itself and to the living GOD of the Word, bless His name! Therefore lean no longer upon
thine own understanding. Judge neither after the sight of the eyes nor the hearing of the
ears, but seek that living Spirit of UNDERSTANDING that comes from God alone. Oh, to be
anointed of the Spirit to understand the secrets and mysteries of God!
Ray Prinzing
penned the following words of wisdom:
Consider
what I say; and THE LORD GIVE THEE UNDERSTANDING in all things. (2 Timothy 2:7).
May
give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your
UNDERSTANDING BEING ENLIGHTENED
. (Ephesians 1:17-18).
In
the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was
called Belteshazzer; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he
UNDERSTOOD the thing, and had UNDERSTANDING OF THE VISION. (Daniel 10:1).
The deep
prayer of our heart is expressed in these verses before us. That not only do we know that
the vision is true and for sure we are learning by experience that the time can
seem to be very long but may God help us to RIGHTLY UNDERSTAND THE VISION HE
IMPARTS.
A
thing was revealed to Daniel
Revealed Hebrew word, galah, means: to
denude, uncover. It implies a stripping away of all that might cause it to be held in
obscurity, so that it stands clearly, plainly exposed before us. We have heard far too
many hazy, nebulous suppositions, which leave one guessing at what the speaker
really means. When God reveals a thing, it is made bare, uncovered so that we can clearly
grasp its meaning. Jesus said to His disciples, These things have I spoken unto you
in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, BUT I
SHALL SHEW YOU PLAINLY OF THE FATHER. (John 16:25). That is what we desire. Dreams
and parables need an explanation, for they hold a hidden truth. We pray for a CLEAR
VISION, that we might move in boldness and in confidence in the days ahead, firmly
established in Thus saith the Lord.
God-given
revelation is not to be confused with carnal imaginations, nor with the psychic
aberrations which some people call revelation. A divine revelation does not spring out of
the mind, but OUT OF THE HEART, a quickening by the Christ within. It goes beyond all
surmising, speculation of man. There is a wisdom that descendeth not from above, but
is earthy, sensual, devilish. (James 3:15). Such is the approach of the world. First
it appeals to the senses of the flesh, let the good times roll; then it is sensual
soulish, to make its appeal to the mind, will, emotions with all of its psychic hype; then
it is devilish, as it infiltrates and defiles the spirit, and enslaves one to the spirit
of the world.
Whom
shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He MAKE TO UNDERSTAND doctrine? Them that are
weaned from the milk, and drawn (removed) from the breast. (Isa. 28:9). How we need
to grow up, until we can RIGHTLY DIVIDE the Word of Truth. For every one that useth
milk is unskillful in the Word of Righteousness: for he is a babe. 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. (Heb. 5:13-14).
Evil
men understand not judgment: but THEY THAT SEEK THE LORD UNDERSTAND ALL. (Proverbs
28:5). Understand Hebrew word is biyn meaning: to be able to separate
mentally, distinguish, thus, TO RIGHTLY DIVIDE. When God enables us to UNDERSTAND THE
VISION we will have RIGHT applications!
My
feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. I was envious at the foolish, when
I saw the prosperity of the wicked. When I thought to know this, it was too painful
for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then UNDERSTOOD I their end.
(Ps. 73:2-3,16-17). One can view it all with the carnal mind, and it is TOO PAINFUL. But,
draw night unto God, in the sanctuary (separated place), and HE will help you to
understand.
How often
we tried to interpret the vision according to our current circumstances, pre-established
beliefs, rather than waiting for the true meaning. We have been so unskillful in the Word,
mis-applying it betimes.
When Joseph
was a young man, possibly late teens, he went out to announce his vision, and apply it to
his present circumstances. I assure you, his vision was from God, and it was TRUE. Genesis
37:5-11 gives the record. First dream, Joseph and his brothers were out binding sheaves in
the field, and all his brothers sheaves bowed down to his sheaf. His brethren
didnt like that dream at all. Second dream, the sun and the moon and eleven stars
made obeisance to him. Even his father rebuked him for that dream. He had supposed his
brethren would understand. HOW COULD THEY UNDERSTAND A VISION THAT WAS NOT THEIR OWN. You
cannot live on a borrowed revelation. Betimes people will rejoice with you for your sake,
but they havent the slightest idea of what you are trying to tell them. How could
Josephs family go along with a vision that appeared to put them in an inferior
place. It was a vision that even the dreamer didnt understand. The true
circumstances to which the dream applied were yet to materialize. So, Until his word
(understanding) came, the Word of the Lord tried him. (Psalm 105:19).
Im
sure Joseph thought of those dreams many times while he was in prison. How that Word tried
him tested, proved, and plowed deep into his being. Was that really a Word from
God? Did self somehow conjure up that dream? Yes, it tried him, and tried him hard! For
when it is being spoken, when it is coming to us, it is GODS WORD, born out of
GODS UNDERSTANDING, out of His wisdom, His foresight. And we must be tried until we
come into
When it was
fulfilled, Joseph began to understand the thing, and he could say, NOW I KNOW It was
not you who sent me hither, BUT GOD. As for you, ye thought evil against me: BUT
GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD. (Gen. 45:8, 50:20)
Briefly
note also Moses feeble attempt to apply the vision to his current circumstances. He
saw an Egyptian fighting with his fellow Israelite, went to the rescue and slew the
Egyptian, and buried him in the sand. This not only fell so far short of the vision as to
make a mockery of it, but also alienated the very brethren he sought to deliver. (Exodus
2:11-14 tells it) For he supposed his brethren would have UNDERSTOOD how that God by
his hand would deliver them: but THEY UNDERSTOOD NOT. (Acts
How Moses
needed understanding himself, to rightly divide the word of truth. (2 Tim.
2:15). He brought division with a milk interpretation of a right word. It
required forty years on the backside of the desert before he matured enough, and came into
a proper understanding of the vision, and then HOW DIFFERENT IT WAS from what he supposed.
In due time GOD WROUGHT IT ALL THE WAY. When time for the true application to appear, IT
DOES!
When God
imparts a vision into your being, dont try to circumscribe it to the limitations of
your mind. Let that WORD OF GOD DWELL IN YOU RICHLY until you have been thoroughly
processed thereby, and then your UNDERSTANDING will come into harmony with HIS WILL AND
MIND. Truly, the glory of the fulfillment will surpass our fondest dreams. There are
personal visions of what God would do in your own life, and there are visions of what God
shall do for all men. May HE grant us that understanding that we might KNOW WHAT HE
PURPOSES, and then totally surrender ourselves to Him for that victory.
TWO ASPECTS OF
UNDERSTANDING
The Understanding
of the new creation mind functions in two directions: Godward and manward. The Godward
aspect includes all spiritual Understanding of God Himself by which we are able to see and
know the realities of the Spirit of God. In this aspect of Understanding we constantly
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (II
Pet.
Divine
Understanding does not judge either by the sight of the eye or the hearing of the ear, but
with righteousness it judges the poor and reproves with equity for the meek of the earth.
In the face of the condemning multitudes it cries, Judge nothing before the time
until the Lord comes, Who shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness; and then
shall every man have praise of God (I Cor. 4:5). It was neither love nor forgiveness
alone that led Jesus to say to the woman taken in adultery, Neither do I condemn
thee, go and sin no more, but the SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING. One should take into
account what God remembers when dealing with humanity. He never forgets that we are
dust, and He remembers just the kind of muck from which our bodies and souls
came. The eye of the All-seeing God sees what even we, in most cases, can see, that men
have, in their very blood, and in their up-bringing and education, been saturated with sin
and the world, with godless attitudes and actions, with deceptions and errors, with
nervous temperaments and diseases which are the direct result of Adams
transgression; miserable human creatures who by inherited nature are the children of
wrath, blinded by the god of this world, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ,
Who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
David admonished
his son Solomon as he was about to take the throne of
This aspect of
the Lords Understanding was revealed early in human history. When Noah came forth
from the ark following the great deluge, we read: And Noah builded an altar unto the
Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings
on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savor; and the Lord said in His heart, I will
not again curse the ground any more for mans sake; for the imagination of mans
heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I
have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer
and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Gen. 8:20-22).
When the Lord
smelled the sweet savor of Noahs sacrifice He then said WITHIN HIMSELF that He would
never again destroy all living things because of mans wickedness. This was a council
made with His own heart, a decision made by His own will. By HIMSELF ALONE He made an
unconditional COVENANT WITH HIMSELF concerning the whole earth, never again to kill all
living creatures during all the ages of the earth. This Noahic covenant would never cease.
God purposed never again to curse the ground, no matter how evil man would become,
for, said He, the imagination of mans heart is evil from his
youth.
The next time you
stand ready to condemn men for their slowness to see the glories you behold, give place to
the SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING that it may possess you; then you will surely know that the
god of this world hath blinded the minds of men and GOD ALONE CAN OPEN THE EYES OF HIM
THAT WAS BORN BLIND! We have great pity for the man who has some awful handicap because of
a physical defect from the time of his birth, for understanding has taught us that these
afflictions came through no fault of his own. Why then do we cast aside the Spirit of
Understanding by demanding that he whose spiritual eyes have never been opened should be
able to see the mountains filled with the hosts of the Lord? If the men who crucified the
Lord of glory had not been blinded by the god of this world, they would not have nailed
Him to the tree; therefore the Spirit of Understanding in His soul whispered,
Father, forgive them! for they KNOW NOT what they do!
For many years
there was a certain area in my life in which I was extremely intolerant and implacable
toward people possessed of a particular fault. When some brother would fall into that
certain error I would always contend: I dont understand how anyone who is
supposed to be walking with God could ever do that and think that God told them to do
it! I could understand how brothers could stumble into this sin, but what I
couldnt understand was how they could blame their error on the LORD, saying that GOD
led them into it. Then one day, quite unexpectedly, due to a series of unforeseen
and complex circumstances, the very same spirit of error came upon ME and I found MYSELF
being irresistibly drawn toward the same thing that had entrapped the others, and,
surprisingly enough, the deception was so cunning that I found myself actually BELIEVING
that it was THE LORD who was leading me that way! Suddenly, wrong seemed so right! Under
this attack my values became so distorted that I was wont to call the flesh Spirit and the
Spirit flesh. It all seemed so right, so logical, yes, even so
SPIRITUAL! God, who
is exceedingly gracious, and altogether faithful, was gracious to deliver me from that
snare of the devil ere I fell into the trap so craftily laid for me. Today, I am as much
opposed to that particular error as I ever was, for the Word of God is opposed to it, but
one thing the Lord taught me for sure never again can I say, I dont
UNDERSTAND how anyone could do that and think GOD led them into it! NOW, I DO
UNDERSTAND!
This is merely an
aspect of UNDERSTANDING ministered to my own heart through the dealings of God in
experience, but upon Jesus the Christ rested all the plenitude of the SPIRIT OF
UNDERSTANDING from God. Marvelous beyond words is the realization that this One, upon Whom
rests the Spirit of Understanding, is not only our Saviour but also our great High Priest.
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. 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. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain MERCY, and find GRACE TO HELP in time of need (Heb.
One of the
requirements for Priesthood, under the typical economy of the Old Testament, was that the
Priest be a man of compassion; of that kind of compassion which sprang from his own
experience, he himself also being compassed about by infirmity. In Heb. 5:1-2 we read:
For every High Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining
to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on
the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself IS ALSO COMPASSED
ABOUT WITH INFIRMITY. This wonderful type was explicitly fulfilled in our great High
Priest as we see in Heb. 2:14,16-18: Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same
for verily He took not on Him
the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in ALL THINGS it
behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a MERCIFUL and FAITHFUL
High Priest
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He
Himself HATH SUFFERED BEING TEMPTED, He is able to succour them that are being
tempted.
We, as the
Royal Priesthood of God, destined, as the body of our great High
Priest, Jesus, to reign as Priests over all nations during that glorious age now dawning,
need to understand this one great principle of Priesthood: The condition that develops
compassion within us is that we ourselves get compassed about, hedged in, by problems,
difficulties, and needs that are going to be represented by people to whom we minister. So
many of us are intolerant in certain areas of our lives because we have not gone through
the pressure, we have not been compassed about by that particular weakness, we have not
sat where others sit, therefore we lack a spirit of Understanding and compassion.
This SPIRIT OF
UNDERSTANDING is one of the seven Spirits of Sonship that shall rest like a cloud of glory
upon the sons of God. By these shall the glory and order of Gods Kingdom be
established throughout the whole earth. Any man who reigns in that glorious Kingdom must,
first, be a partaker of the reality of these seven Spirits. Let us pray for the Spirit of
Understanding. May that deep and fervent cry expressed from the heart of the Psalmist
become even the cry of the sons of God in this hour: Thy hands have made me and
fashioned me: GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING that I may learn Thy commandments (Ps. 119:73).
How readily did the Lord incline His ear unto the Psalmists earnest petition, and
with what speed did He send forth the answer, for in verses 102-104 we read: I have
not departed from Thy judgments: for THOU HAST TAUGHT ME. How sweet are Thy words unto my
taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Thy precepts I GET UNDERSTANDING:
therefore I hate every false way.
Even so, let it
be unto us, our Father!
The
Spirit Of Counsel
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1)
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the SPIRIT
OF COUNSEL and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The fourth Spirit
of Sonship is the Spirit of Counsel. Since the Word of the Almighty has called this the
Spirit of Counsel we must understand that this Counsel is not in any way a function of
human counsel which is, in fact, nothing more than the deliberation of the carnal mind.
Carnal men toil for long years in the schools of this worlds learning to
learn the worlds systems of psychology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis and other methods
of psychotherapy which, at best, deal only with the effects of mans problems and not
with the real cause. The wisdom and counsel of God is rejected by the counselors of this
evil world, for they, in their darkened minds, recognize neither the glory of God nor the
power of Satan, understanding not that the whole world of mankind is indeed dead in
trespasses and sins, in which at one time you walked in habitually. You were following the
course of THIS WORLD were under the sway and tendency of this present age
following the prince of the power of the air, the demon Spirit THAT STILL CONSTANTLY WORKS
in the sons of disobedience. Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted
ourselves in the passions of our flesh our behavior governed by our corrupt and
sensual nature; obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind our
cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings. We were then by nature children
of wrath and heirs of indignation, like the rest of mankind (Eph. 2:1-3, Amplified
Bible).
The real and only
solution to the chaotic problems in mens lives is found in the verses which follow
those quoted above. BUT GOD! So rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to
satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even when we were
slain by our own shortcomings and trespasses, HE MADE US ALIVE together in fellowship and
in union with Christ. He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with
which He quickened Him. It is by grace that you are saved
and made partakers of
Christs salvation. And He raised us up together WITH HIM and made us sit down
together giving us joint seating with Him in the heavenly sphere by virtue
of our being in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:4-6, Amplified Bible).
Many years ago,
in the early days of my ministry, I found it difficult to counsel people in their
problems. People came with such miserable bondages, with such wretched circumstances and
conditions, in such tangled and hopeless messes in their lives, with such involved family
situations, financial problems, physical and emotional problems so unbelievably desperate
that more times than not I felt totally empty and helpless before them. To improve my
ability to help people in their problems I sought to study books on counseling,
psychology, etc., but alas! to my dismay I soon discovered these books were as empty and
full of weakness and death as myself. How I thank God for that blessed day when the answer
came from heaven, the light of Gods Spirit burst as the brightness of the noon-day
sun upon my understanding, and the voice of Jesus spoke as thunder in the ears of my
spirit: I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE! In one instant of time I clearly saw that
there are not twenty-five different solutions to twenty-five different problems
there is only ONE solution, the very same solution, for every single problem of each and
every man, woman and child upon the face of this earth. There is only one answer, the same
answer, to a thousand or a million problems, to the petty problems of simple men and to
the staggering, frightening problems of nations and civilizations. There is no other
answer, no other way, no other counsel! JESUS both HAS and IS the answer! With what sorrow
did the Master reprove a people 2,000 years ago, who were not one whit different than the
masses that walk our earth today, declaring: And the Father Himself, which hath sent
Me, hath borne witness of Me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His
shape. And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not.
And ye will not come to Me, THAT YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE (Jn.
How many of the
worlds peoples, how many of the worlds Christians, enmeshed in the carnal
system of religion which calls itself the church, daily seek human counsel which is, in
all reality, nothing more than the advice of men who are walking in fallen, unregenerate,
carnal minds. As a worm looks at things through the eyes of a worm with the limited
understanding of a worm in the earth, so fallen men see all things through carnal minds
and give their counsel as carnal men, and often the counselor is in as great darkness as
the counseled. It is nothing short of ludicrous to observe what the world will accept as
counsel as students seek to counsel the faculties of our universities, as adolescents
counsel their parents, as divorced persons serve as marriage counselors to those having
marital problems, as unmarried instruct the married, and the childless counsel fathers and
mothers in the arts of child-rearing.
Multitudes of the
Lords people in their desperation have turned to gross superstition, or to
psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis for help and healing which they do not get in
their church. Thousands of men and women, many of them young men and women, are seeking
from Freud and Jung what they ought to find in Christ. Psychology is supposedly
scientific, and the so-called authority of science is a power to
be reckoned with in these days. The truth is, however, that the conclusions of psychology
are very tentative and its methods of healing largely experimental; and the results of the
craze for psychoanalysis are in many cases disastrous. The cure seems worse than the
disease. What the analyst is really doing is to dissect the carnal mind, and by observing
its behavior over a wide field, and tabulating his results to discover, or attempt to
discover, the laws by which it works, and so cure its diseases. The process, it is
admitted by all, leads one into strange places. Go down with Freud into the very depths
and it is difficult to prevent a feeling of nausea as you proceed. Such probing
merely discovers the awful depths of depravity revealed long ago by our Lord Jesus when He
taught, For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil
eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the
man. (Mk. 7:21-23). Psychologists believe that it is necessary to investigate and
analyze and probe into the working of the carnal mind in order to free man from it and
cure the many moral and nervous disorders which afflict us. First, that the carnal mind is
worth analyzing for its own sake, is very doubtful. Second, that the carnal mind and the
wicked heart can be destroyed without analyzing them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, is
the testimony of scripture and the experience of multiplied tens of thousands of people
who have been healed and delivered by the power of Christ. Carnal minds can never heal
carnal minds and evil hearts. The living Christ is able to make men every whit whole by
one touch of His hand and one word from His lips.
The carnal mind
has nothing more to offer in counsel but darkness and death, for the carnal mind IS DEAD,
and knows nothing at all of that which pertains to life. For the people of God to seek
counsel from the counselors of this world, be they psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage
counselors, or the ministers of religion in the harlot church systems, is as futile and
worthless as seeking counsel from a corpse. How accurately did Paul pen the words in
No truer words
have been penned than these words by Paul Mueller: Again we must emphasize the fact
that COUNSEL as set forth here by Isaiah is one of the seven Spirits of God. THE SPIRIT OF
COUNSEL is GOD HIMSELF being imparted to His sons, and not merely our present minds
anointed to give forth the counsel of the Lord. This SPIRIT OF COUNSEL, as well as all the
seven Spirits of God, is a portion of GOD HIMSELF being committed unto the sons of God.
Much of our present understanding has to do with the Lords anointing upon our minds
to set forth His counsel, but the anointing with the Spirit of counsel is much more than
that. When we are anointed with the seven Spirits of God, our present, natural minds will
not be in use, for these carnal minds will be replaced with the mind of Christ. Our
present minds are a part of the corruptible state we have been living in, and can have no
part in the administration of the
When Isaiah
prophesied of the coming of Christ, he said His name would be called: Wonderful,
Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Is. 9:6)
Thus, Christ was anointed as the COUNSELLER, representing the will and purpose
of God to establish a government which shall never cease to increase, to sit upon the
throne of David, and to order and establish His kingdom with justice and judgment for
ever. In Christ is vested all the Wisdom, Understanding and Counsel of the Father, and we
are being prepared of the Lord to partake of that glorious anointing with Christ,
receiving THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD.
The
original Hebrew word which is translated counsel indicates advice implying a
plan, and the Lord most assuredly has a plan for the full redemption and restoration of
all things, a plan that began long before the creation of man and which extends to the far
distant reaches of the ages beyond the present. This all-inclusive and far-reaching plan
of God has been hidden from our eyes due to the teachings of
The
Psalmist said, The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught: he maketh the
devices of the people of none effect. THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD STANDETH FOR EVER, the
thoughts of his heart to all generations. (Ps. 33:10-11) When once we understand the
stability and endurance of the counsel of God, we will earnestly seek for His counsel to
guide our lives. The Psalmist also said, I will bless the Lord, who hath given me
COUNSEL: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. (Ps. 16:7) And this COUNSEL
OF THE LORD is the path of life which leads to His presence in the throne on
the right hand of the Father (See. Vs. 11) Thou shalt guide me WITH THEY COUNSEL,
and afterward receive me to glory. (Ps. 73:24)
As we are
making our journey from our various relatively elementary stages in spiritual life to the
ultimate place of the fullness of God, we are to hear the wise counsel of God, who has
said: I COUNSEL THEE to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;
and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not
appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. (Rev. 3:18) And
let us heed this wise counsel of the Lord that we may grow in maturity unto the fullness
of Christ, to be anointed with the seven Spirits of God, among them THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL.
Herein lies the hope of all mankind as the whole creation awaits that MANIFESTATION OF THE
SONS OF GOD when we shall be anointed with THE FULNESS OF GOD, BAPTIZED WITH THE SEVEN
SPIRITS OF SONSHIP. end quote
Hear now the
counsel and wisdom of God penned long centuries ago by one who had learned the wisdom of
the counsel of the Lord, which may well be the first counsel that shall be given to the
whole world when the sons of God begin their righteous reign: Blessed happy,
fortunate, prosperous and enviable is the man who walks and lives not in the
counsel of the ungodly, following their advice, their plans and purposes, nor stands in
the path where sinners walk, nor sits down where the scornful gather. But his delight and
desire are in the law of the Lord the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of
God he habitually meditates by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly
planted by the streams of water, ready to bring forth his fruit in its season; his leaf
also shall not fade or wither, and everything he does shall prosper and come to
maturity (Ps. 1:1-3, Amplified Bible). Blessed is the man that WALKETH NOT IN THE
COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY, saith the Lord. How naively many of the Lords people accept
it as some thing of great spiritual and national import when our President announces that
he begins each day with a prayer asking God to help him make the right decisions for our
nation. Laudable as that seems to the unenlightened mind, yet, I ask, how can one receive
counsel and direction from the Lord, even if he asks, if he then refuses to listen to the
counsel of God and straightway goes out and RECEIVES ALL HIS COUNSEL from the carnally
minded wise men of the world? Truly I say to you that God does not channel His Counsel
through the ungodly labor leaders, world bankers, college professors, businessmen,
politicians, military generals, and the scores of other such types with whom our President
daily confers and from whom he seeks advice and counsel. Being a nominal Christian does
not qualify any man to rule our nation in the wisdom and righteousness of God, for truly
such are merely babes in Christ. The inspiration of God has this to say of
babes: However
I could not talk to you as to spiritual men, but as to no
spiritual men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates, as to mere infants in
the new life in Christ. For you are still unspiritual, having the nature of the flesh
behaving yourselves AFTER A HUMAN STANDARD and like MERE UNCHANGED MEN (I
Cor. 3:1,3, Amplified Bible). Any President could rule in greater wisdom, and in greater
blessing to the nation and the world, if he would call as his advisors the prophets of God
in whose mouth is the sure Word of the Lord and if he and they would, instead of holding a
cabinet meeting with unconverted and unregenerate experts, begin each day with
a two hour prayer meeting, seeking the face and counsel of GOD, and then do nothing but
that which the Spirit directs. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
for in Thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my
soul unto Thee (Ps. 143:8). Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound:
they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance (Ps. 89:15).
THE COUNSEL OF
GOD
Blessed be God,
the age is very near at hand when the sons of God shall reign with Christ, not as the
carnal church system which has rejected the counsel of the Lord seeks to reign through the
human governments of earth, but in transcendent glory and power shall they reign. The mind
of Christ shall dwell richly in all these sons of God and from that divine mind shall flow
forth the COUNSEL OF THE LORD. Now counsel is advice; the counsel of God is the advice of
God. However, counsel is much more than mere advice. There are three important words which
keep company in the Bible, namely, will, counsel and purpose. Some of the words translated
as will and purpose are actually related to the Greek word translated counsel for they all
derive from the same stem. One of the Greek words from which the word will is translated
is BOULEMA (Rom.
The counsel of
God is that will and purpose which God has held from eternity in His own heart and mind.
Since God is the first and highest life form in the universe, the cause of all things and
the effect of nothing, He did not from eternity receive counsel from any being nor did He
form His purposes in consultation with any other. Thus we can understand that which is
written of Him: Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His
good pleasure WHICH HE HATH PURPOSED IN HIMSELF (Eph. 1:9). The verses surrounding
this verse speak of how the Father chose us in Christ before the foundation of
the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love: having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children (placement as Sons) by Christ Jesus unto
Himself, according to the good pleasure of HIS WILL (Eph. 1:4-5). In purposing and
planning for this vast family of sons who are finally to come into the glorious image of
that first-born Son, the Father was not prompted nor inspired to this purpose by selecting
some suggestions from the celestial suggestion box nor by holding a council and
collaborating with His peers, associates or equals. HE PURPOSED IN HIMSELF! When my wife
and I made the decision to have children in our home we didnt ask our neighbors if
they thought this was a good idea, neither did we consult my parents nor my wifes
relatives. We purposed in ourselves
It needs to be
forever established in our mind and heart that Known unto God are ALL HIS WORKS from
the beginning of the world (Acts
The purposes and
plans of God are as eternal as is the God who purposed and planned. How we need to
understand that God did not one day sit down in His heaven and think up the
idea of the creation, nor of His glorious kingdom, not yet His own family of sons who
would share His glory. If God is omniscient as we know He is, and has always been
omniscient then it follows that there NEVER WAS A TIME when He did not know what all His
actions would be, there never could have been a time when He had not already planned and
purposed in His own mind and heart for all that He would bring forth from Himself, past,
present or future, for then there would have been a time when HE WAS NOT omniscient,
indeed a time when He was NOT GOD! God has ALWAYS been God, He has always been omniscient
and omnipotent, He has always known ALL THINGS, planned and purposed for all things. This
is why Gods purpose is called the eternal purpose in Eph. 3:11! The
purpose is fulfilled within the framework of the ages of time, but, blessed be
His name!, the purpose is ETERNAL!
THE WONDERFUL
COUNSELOR
The hour is near
at hand when the whole world shall come under the Spirit of Counsel manifested in
Gods sons, for God has said of this corporate Son, head and body, And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him
the SPIRIT OF COUNSEL
with
righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth:
and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth
they shall not hurt nor
destroy in all My holy mountain (kingdom): for THE EARTH SHALL BE FULL of the knowledge of
the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:2,4,9). The exact counsel that Jesus
Christ Himself would give will be the counsel of the whole body of sons, for upon them
shall rest the SPIRIT of counsel. The sons of God shall be the embodiment and full
expression of the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD for the whole earth.
This sevenfold
anointing of the fullness of Gods Spirit rested first upon the glorious Head of the
house of sons. In Isa. 9:6-7 there is a wonderful prophecy of the birth of Jesus and
world-wide scope of the government over which He will preside. To help us grasp more fully
what His rulership will mean for the nations of earth this prophecy assigns several
meaningful titles to Him. Says the prophet: His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Some Hebrew
scholars claims that no punctuation should follow the word Wonderful, that it
is merely an adjective, like the word Mighty in the title, The Mighty
God, and in the word Everlasting in the title, The Everlasting
Father. We know, of course, that Jesus is Wonderful. No matter from what
standpoint we view Him, He is altogether Wonderful! But it does seem
reasonable, and in harmony with the revelation of God, that here the Lord is telling us
primarily that Jesus is the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR.
The term
Counselor, as used in this prophecy, means more than one who gives advice. It
is more like our word attorney, that is, one who represents a client before the bar of
justice. It is in this capacity that Jesus now represents the church, His body, and in
this capacity He will act on behalf of the whole world in His glorious reign as King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. His work as Counselor will be very closely akin to His role as
Judge. In very fact, the Judge IS the Counselor! In both respects He will be dealing with
the people for the purpose of effecting their reconciliation with God, and upon the basis
of this, bringing them into life and the blessings and benefits of the kingdom.
And Jesus will
indeed be a WONDERFUL COUNSELOR and a Righteous Judge! Isaiah declared of Him: This also
cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is WONDERFUL IN COUNSEL, and excellent in
working (Isa. 28:29). It is almost possible to hear the exultation in Jeremiah's
voice as he proclaims: Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth
by Thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee... the
Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is His name, GREAT IN COUNSEL, and mighty in
work (Jer. 32:17-19). In our text in Isa. 11:2-4 it says: the Spirit of Counsel and
might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord; and He shall not judge after
the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with
righteousness shall He judge...
I stand in awe
before such wonderful words. Truly, One with such qualifications will deal with the people
justly, and we can be assured that under His righteous reign there shall be a world-wide
turning unto God in which even the prophecy of Rev. 11:15 shall see its long awaited
fulfillment: And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven,
saying, the kingdoms of this world ARE BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF OUR LORD... and He shall
reign for ever and ever.
COUNSELLORS IN
THE KINGDOM
Not only shall
this Wonderful Counselor reign in righteousness over the earth, but the great company of
overcoming sons shall reign with Him. And He that overcometh... to him will I give
power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron (Rev. 2:26-27).
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne (Rev. 3:21). And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them... and they reigned with
Christ a thousand years (Rev. 20:4).
Many centuries
before John penned the above verses Isaiah prophesied of the day of God's divine
government in and through His people, saying: Therefore saith the Lord... I will
ease Me of Mine adversaries, and avenge Me of Mine enemies: and I will turn My hand upon
thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away thy tin: and I will restore THY
JUDGES AS AT THE FIRST, AND THY COUNSELLORS AS AT THE BEGINNING: afterward thou shalt be
called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city (Isa. 1:24-26).
Jesus is the
Wonderful Counselor but there shall also be a restoration of COUNSELLORS to God's people
and eventually to the whole world. Who these judges and counselors are is not difficult to
determine for the whole testimony of scripture is unified in declaring that judgment is
given to God's saints. ... until the Ancient of days came, and JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO
THE SAINTS of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom
(Dan.
Let us keep in
mind the great truth that even as Jesus is both Judge and Counselor, so the sons of God
are given not only as judges of the world but also as COUNSELLORS to the nations. In the
Bible the ones whom God raised up as judges for His people did more than just settle
disputes between individuals or hand down and execute judicial decisions. Those judges
were actually THE DELIVERERS OF GODS PEOPLE! There is one book in the Bible that is
specifically named Judges. As a book it is a thriller! Therein we read of the
fearless exploits of those mighty men whom God, the Judge of all the earth,
raised up for the salvation and deliverance of His oppressed and afflicted people. Hail
the day of judgment that began when God raised up a judge to execute judgment of His
afflicted ones! for these judges were, indeed, saviours of
Throughout the
administration of the judges the people were blessed. Note, for instance, how, when under
oppression by their enemies because of transgression against the Lord,
Those wonderful
judges were raised up long millenniums ago for the deliverance of
When God declares
that He will raise up in the last days thy JUDGES as at the first, and thy
COUNSELLORS as at the beginning, this does not mean that the Judges and the
Counselors are two different classes of people. In the Old Testament economy in the days
of the judges the judges WERE the counselors. These are merely two aspects of ministry
embodied in the same persons. Can anyone possibly imagine what would happen to a nation if
all the members of its government were completely selfless instead of completely selfish,
if they were sons of God WALKING IN THE MIND AND SPIRIT OF CHRIST, instead of handshaking,
baby-kissing politicians seeking to curry the favor of men for personal advantage, or if
the judges judged by the spirit of wisdom and discernment from God instead of by the
tricky technicalities of the law? What if the leaders of the world were filled with the
Holy Spirit of God and moved under the power of His anointing turning men to God instead
of building larger armies and navies, more sophisticated missiles, and more destructive
bombs? What if judges and social workers had the Word of God in their mouths and power to
cast the demon spirits out of men instead of carrying them off to some ungodly
psychiatrist, mental hospital, or prison? To even contemplate such things in this age of
darkness only serves to bring a sad smile to our faces, but I can assure you in all
confidence that this present day of darkness is even now merging into Gods great DAY
OF JUDGMENT and perdition of ungodly men. The whole system is rapidly sinking and
collapsing around us and God is even now preparing a righteous government of holy sons of
God to replace it.
Destruction of
the demonized systems of this world will certainly call for a change of judgeships over
mankind. In the proper course of things, then, new thrones of judgment come into
existence. Nothing else but a BETTER BODY OF JUDGES could be expected to occupy those new
thrones of judgment, which are established by Gods authority in the heavenlies.
Gods judges will not be men in judicial robes sitting on a bench in a smoke-filled
courtroom. Gods judges shall be men possessing the mind of Christ, clothed with the
wisdom and power of God, speaking the words of God with great authority. Mighty
DELIVERANCE can thenceforth be expected to come to misled, misruled, and misjudged
mankind! Two thousand years ago Jesus designated the first twelve of this new order of
judges. On the night of His betrayal and arrest and unjust trial by the highest court in
Jerusalem, Jesus said to His small handful of footstep followers: You are those who
have remained and persevered with Me in My trials; and as My Father has appointed a
Kingdom and conferred it on Me, so do I confer on you the privilege and decree that you
may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones, JUDGING the twelve tribes
of Israel (Lk. 22:28-30). Those were merely the first appointed to this realm of
authority and ministry, for Daniel said, I beheld, and the same horn made war with
the saints, and prevailed against them; until the ancient of days came, and JUDGMENT WAS
GIVEN TO THE SAINTS of the Most High; and the time came that the SAINTS possessed the
Kingdom (Dan. 7:21-22). And Paul adds further light in I Cor. 6:2-3, Do ye not
know that THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD? And if the world shall be judged by you, are
ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
A very distorted
picture rises up in most minds when we speak of judgment. The only judgment a
great many people have any knowledge of is the judgment of wrath and condemnation. The
view generally entertained is of Christ coming to earth, seated upon a great white throne,
and that He will summon every sinner in rank and file before Him to be judged, amidst
great convulsions of nature earthquakes, opening graves, rending rocks and falling
mountains; that the trembling sinners will be brought from the depths of everlasting woe
to hear their many sins rehearsed, only to be again returned to an eternal and merciless
doom of torture; and that the saints will be brought from heaven to witness the misery and
despair of the condemned, to hear again the decision in their own cases, and to return to
heaven for eternity.
This is a very
crude conception, and is entirely out of harmony with the whole picture of judgment. We
need to understand exactly what is meant by the word judgment. Judgment is
translated in the Old Testament most often from the Hebrew word MISHPAT. MISHPAT means
simply a verdict which may be either favorable or unfavorable. The only
judgment most people understand is the negative aspect of judgment, the unfavorable
verdict, which is unto condemnation and wrath. It should require only a moments
reflection, however, to enable anyone to see that the very same judge who sentences one
man to pay a fine, another to die in the electric chair, may suspend the sentence of a
third man and declare yet a fourth man not guilty acquitted! It is
plain that a great many different judgments or verdicts may come
from this one judge. Thus, the work of the judge is not merely to condemn and mete out
sentences, but to weigh all the facts and take all the circumstances into consideration in
each case and render a just verdict, favorable or unfavorable, as the case may demand.
Furthermore, the
judge of a beauty contest does not condemn or damn any of the contestants who
fail to receive the highest recognition. He merely renders a verdict as to
whom, in his estimation, is the fairest of them all! In keeping with these
principles the Hebrew word MISHPAT indicates merely the rendering of a judicial verdict or
decision, favorable or unfavorable, as the case may warrant. The Psalmist spoke of this
when he said, For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor
from the south. But GOD IS THE JUDGE: He putteth down one, and setteth up another
(Ps. 75:6-7). The positive aspect of judgment, the rendering of a favorable verdict, is
implored of the Lord by David in Ps. 43:1-2: JUDGE ME, O God, and plead my cause
against an ungodly nation: for Thou art the God of my strength.
Many tremble
inwardly at the thought of Gods judgments, and in this mind put them far from them,
preferring not to even hear the subject mentioned. They have absolutely no idea of the
wonderful blessings in store for a sin-weary world under the glorious reign of the sons of
God filled with all the nature, wisdom, glory and power of God!
How differently
did the holy prophets and apostles regard that promised DAY OF JUDGMENT! Note the
expectation in Isaiahs spirit as he announces: Yea, in the way of THY
JUDGMENTS, O Lord, have we waited for Thee
with my soul have I desired Thee in the
night; yeah, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early: for when THY JUDGMENTS are
in the earth, the inhabitants of the world WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS (Isa. 26:8-9).
Here Isaiah assures us that the day when Gods judgments are in the earth will be a
most glorious and desirable day, a day in which the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness! If the desire of your heart is anything like the desire of my heart, this
is a blessed thought and a wonderful assurance: the inhabitants of the world WILL LEARN
RIGHTEOUSNESS! How my ransomed soul longs to behold such a thing! Every time I scan the
headlines of the morning paper I am seized with an intense yearning that the inhabitants
of the world will learn righteousness. As I drive across our great land; as I walk the
streets of our cities and towns, beholding the condition of those about, neighbors,
friends, relatives, strangers, my spirit groans with unutterable supplication that the
inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness! What a marvelous provision of our wise
and loving Father that, to this very end, He has ORDAINED JUDGMENT to come forth in the
earth. Bless His name!
Say among
the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not
be moved: HE SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE RIGHTEOUSLY. Let the heavens rejoice, and LET THE
EARTH BE GLAD; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field by joyful, and
all that is therein: then shall all the trees (people) of the wood REJOICE before the
Lord: for He cometh, for He cometh TO JUDGE THE EARTH: He shall judge the world with
righteousness, and the people with his truth (Ps. 96:10-13).
Make a
joyful noise unto the Lord, ALL THE EARTH: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing
praise. Let the sea (multitudes, peoples) roar, and the fullness thereof; THE WORLD and
THEY THAT DWELL THEREIN. Let the floods claps their hands, let the hills be joyful
together before the Lord; for he COMETH TO JUDGE THE EARTH: with righteousness shall he
judge the world, and the people with equity (Ps. 93:4, 8-9).
Thank God! The
very thought of an age governed by the sons of God who are full of the sevenfold Spirit of
God, upon whom rests the glorious SPIRIT OF COUNSEL, leaves me breathless. Words become
totally inadequate and human ability to articulate the wonder of such a thing fails
completely.
QUALIFYING AS
COUNSELORS
Christ shall
reign through the sons of God to bring the nations into reconciliation and harmony with
God in much the same manner as the Southern States were dealt with after the Rebellion by
the United States Government. The Southern States for a while were not permitted to govern
themselves by electing their own officers, lest they should not conform to the
Constitutional laws of the
If you are among
the number that know and experience deep within the cry, the groaning, the travail, the
insatiable desire to see the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness, to behold the
glory of the coming of the Kingdom of God, then hesitate not to count yourself as one
apprehended of God, marked out beforehand, to walk as a SON of God, as a Counselor in the
Kingdom, and then follow that acceptance of divine appointment by completely and
unreservedly consecrating yourself to be led through the deep and vital dealings and
processings of God to be conformed to His image, to express nothing but his will and glory
in the earth, to be filled with the sevenfold Spirit of Sonship. We must first submit
ourselves unto God in the totality of our being, for none shall dispense the Counsels of
the Lord but they who have both received and obeyed from the heart His Counsel. We must
become the visible expression of the Spirit of Counsel, that Spirit resting upon and
manifesting through our being in a practical outworking of His will and purpose. What the
Spirit IS must ultimately be communicated to men and women in the world. People must see
by the very state of being and our living before them, what are the Counsels
of the Lord and the Righteousness of our God. To be a visible demonstration of mercy,
forgiveness, love, joy, peace, faith, wisdom, power and righteousness. To not be
vindictive nor implacable toward any man, but extending mercy and blessing, reconciling
the wayward back to God. To live in the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit. This is the route
to BECOMING A COUNSELLOR!
We cannot speak
of being Counselors, or Kings, or Priests, Sons upon whom rests the Spirit of Counsel,
when our own lives and our relationships with our brethren, our families, our neighbors,
our business associates, and even our enemies have been a vast feuding ground of malice,
envy, anger, bitterness, strife, full of peevishness, whisperings, shadiness, debate,
deceit, backbiting, evil speaking, vindictiveness and other such manifestations of
carnality and fleshiness. God is not passing out any honorary degrees or titles. He is not
pinning little lapel buttons on our coats reading COUNSELLOR when, in very
fact, in our nature, attitudes and relationships we are ANYTHING BUT COUNSELLORS! God is
CONFORMING SONS TO HIS IMAGE. We speak of a state of being, an anointing which becomes
expressed as a ministry in both what we DO and in what we ARE. The High Calling of God is
not a free gift, as is salvation, but a PRIZE to be won, even as the prize is won by him
that wins in a race.
I have no desire
to be sarcastic or cynical, but if we aspire to be of that glorious company of Gods
sons who shall judge and reign over the earth-realm in righteousness and power, then we
must learn first and foremost that the time is come that judgment must begin at the
house of God (I Pet 4:17). The sooner we learn that the human heart is utterly
corrupt the sooner we will come to the fountain of His precious blood, not merely for
mercy and pardon, but for CLEANSING and DELIVERANCE that through the grace and power of
Christ we might be soundly converted and made an entirely New Creation in Him. I can say
without fear of contradiction that most Christians have come only to know what it means to
be saved in their sins, but the sons of the most high must now become the
firstfruits of them that are saved from their sins. Out of the midst of all
the empty form and ritual of man-made religion, the violence and war, the cheating and
lying, the drugs and heathenish rock music, illicit sex and filth of lesbians and
homosexuals, and the plague of every abominable eastern cult and devilish religion, God
shall bring forth a blessed firstfruit company of people who are UNDEFILED
BEFORE GOD. These are they that have repented of sin and every work of the flesh. With
Christ, their victorious Head, they have died to all the desires of the flesh and mind.
They are a people who have fixed all their hopes in Christ the Lord. Their hearts cry not
for the tinsel of the world, nor yet for the trinkets of popular religion, but their
prayer ascends to God day and night, They Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven (Mat.
COUNSEL
OFFERED AND PREDETERMINED
Before closing
this Study I wish to share with you, dear reader, yet one more aspect of the Counsel of
God. As I have studied the scriptures in which the Counsel of God is discussed, I have
observed that counsel is offered (for what it may be worth to the one being
counseled), and other counsel is determinate. Offered counsel
always has a specific purpose when it comes from the Lord. Its purpose is to expose the
relationship sustained between the Wonderful Counselor and the counselee, it
is a sign that the latter is pleased with the purpose and will of the Counselor. It is an
open acknowledgment of the wisdom of the Counselor, and a submission to the
Counselors will and purpose for the good of the counselee. On the other hand, if the
counsel is rejected, so is the will and purpose of the Counselor.
An example of
this principle can be seen in the New Testament as the Counsel of God is proclaimed
through John the Baptist. Luke tells us: And all the people who heard Him (including
the tax collectors), justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John, but the
Pharisees and lawyers REJECTED THE COUNSEL OF GOD against themselves, not being baptized
by John (Lk.
The people and
the tax collectors, by submitting to the Counsel of God as proclaimed by John,
justified God (i.e., declared by their obedience that God was right and
righteous) The Pharisees and lawyers, by rejecting the Counsel of God through John,
declared THEMSELVES to be the righteous ones, and not God! To reject the counsel of the
Lord is the same as rejecting the Lord, the Counselor, disbelieving His wisdom and
questioning the purpose contained in His will. These religious leaders were, therefore,
under condemnation and guilty of blaspheming the very One they pretended to worship! To
these the word of the Lord says: But ye have set at naught ALL MY COUNSEL, and would
none of My reproof
they would none of My counsel
therefore they shall eat of
the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices (Prov.
How sad that here
in our day too, the whole system of religion which calls itself the church has rejected
the Counsel of God. Its ministers, bishops, overseers and popes dare to give spiritual
counsel from their own carnal minds, from the doctrines, traditions, psychology and all
the rest taught them in their schools and seminaries, but this results only in death. Two
thousand years ago the apostle John looked down through the telescope of divine revelation
and beheld at the end of this age a church neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, ready to be
spewed from the Lords mouth removed from being his Voice in the earth. He saw
how rich they were in gold and silver, in the increase of goods and property, in fame and
prestige, in governmental recognition and collaboration, in traditions and rituals, in
pomp and piousness, and he heard them boast, We have need of NOTHING! But they
knew not that they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and
naked (Rev. 3:16-18). They knew only the counsel of the natural mind, only the
wisdom of the carnal mind, neither seeing nor comprehending their wretched estate. Hear
now the Counsel and Wisdom of God to them: I COUNSEL THEE to buy of Me gold tried in
the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and
that the SHAME OF THY NAKEDNESS DO NOT APPEAR; and anoint thy eyes with eye salve, that
thou mayest SEE. This Counsel is offered counsel and what the church of
this hour does with it determines and reveals their true state!
Offered
counsel may be rejected or accepted by the counselee, for its sole object is to
display openly the spiritual condition of the one to whom counsel is offered. If the
receiver is reprobate he will reject the divine Counsel of God. The Determinate
Counsel of God is another matter! This counsel is never offered on a
take-it-or-leave-it basis. It is guaranteed to come to pass, precisely as declared, for it
is pre-determined by a sovereign God whose absolute will cannot and will not be changed.
Determinate counsel is immutable: it changes not! Our Almighty God alone has
the wisdom to will a plan which is flawless, and which will stand, because he alone is
sovereign and omnipotent over all things. Having purposed within Himself, having
determined in his own heart what shall be his plan and what shall take place, because it
pleased Him in His own holy nature that it should, the Lord knows the end from the
beginning, because the all things which do take place do so at His good pleasure. This is
why He that framed the ages and is the architect of creation and history can boldly
declare: I am God and there is none other! I declare the end from the beginning, and
from ancient times things not yet done; saying, MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND! I WILL DO all My
pleasure! (Isa. 46:9-10).
Carnal men may
take counsel together, determined to accomplish their will, but they are unable to
guarantee the outcome. The old
An example in the
New Testament of the importance of the counsel of men is seen in the advice given the
Sanhedrin, the chief council of
The overcoming
sons of God are the heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, whose salvation
and ultimate perfection is based upon Gods ordained and Determinate Counsel (Acts
I have great hope
that I shall stand upon
I admit that I
see myself as falling far short of that image of the beloved Son, as Paul also confessed
that he did not count himself as having apprehended. The perfection of the body of Christ,
the glory that shall follow, a glory so transcendent that it shall reconcile the world
back to God, seems so remote at times, through the sure word of the Lord has been firmly
established in our hearts. As some ignorantly misjudge the skill and wisdom of a great
architect and builder by his unfinished work, so also many in their ignorance now misjudge
God by His unfinished work; by and by, when the rough scaffolding of carnality and evil,
which has been permitted for the processing of Gods sons and instruction of mankind,
and which shall finally be overruled will universally declare His infinite wisdom and
power; and His plans will be seen to be in harmony with His glorious character.
Since God tells
us that He definitely has a FIXED PURPOSE, and that all his purposes shall be
accomplished, it behooves us, as His children, to inquire diligently what those plans are,
that we may be found in harmony with them. Notice how emphatically the Lord affirms the
fixedness of his purpose: The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have
thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, SO SHALL IT BE. The
Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? I am God, and there is
none else; I am God, and there is none like Me
My counsel shall stand, and I will do
all My pleasure
yea, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass; I have purposed it,
I will also do it (Isa.
While the
nations, groping in the darkness of ignorance, must await the actual developments of
Gods plan, before they can realize the glorious character of the Divine Architect,
it is the privilege of the Spirit-led child of God to see by faith and the light of
revelation the foretold glories of the future, and thereby to appreciate the otherwise
mysterious dealings of the past and present. Therefore, as sons of God, and heirs of a
promised inheritance, we separate ourselves from every system of man, from every work of
the flesh to consecrate ourselves wholly and unreservedly to the COUNSEL OF GOD that we
may, by His bountiful grace and divine enablement, apprehend that for which we are also
apprehended of Christ Jesus. God grant it!
The
Spirit Of Might
These
things saith He that hath THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1)
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and MIGHT, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The fifth Spirit
of Sonship is the Spirit of Might. The kingdoms of this present evil world are flexing
their economic and military muscles, arrogantly displaying their power and might in the
face of all mankind. The might of the nations can be observed in the organizing and
equipping of immense armies, the building of great navies, the invention and development
of new and wonderful instruments of war, the production of powerful explosives, the
acquisition by many nations of the atomic bomb, the development of the newer and
frightening neutron bomb, the stationing of hundreds of multi-war-head missiles on the
earth, under the earth and in the depths of the oceans, defense budgets
totaling untold billions of dollars annually, the draining of the natural resources in
every land for the purposes of military equipment, and, in spite of the end of the
cold war, one can hear the mutterings of the angry nations as they all stand
armed to the teeth, scowling upon one another, assembling daily in the halls of the
mis-named United Nations to blast one another with their varied brands of
political rhetoric. These are all examples of this present evil world's distorted and
grotesque concept of what constitutes MIGHT!
Do not forget for
one moment, dear friend, that GOD is in control of all these things! Do not think for even
one second that anything upon this planet is out of control, or that Satan has almost
obtained the victory, for Satan has no power at all but such as is given him of God.
For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God (Rom.
13:1). The words of Daniel, penned nearly twenty-six centuries ago, stand confirmed and
irrefutable upon the pages of history: Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever:
for WISDOM AND MIGHT ARE HIS: and HE changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings
and setteth up kings: He revealeth the deep and hidden things: He knoweth what is in the
darkness, and the light (truth) dwelleth with Him (Dan. 2:20-22). The hope of God's
people can never be more beautifully expressed than it was by king Jehoshaphat when,
besieged by his enemies, he prayed: Oh Lord God of our fathers, art not Thou God in
heaven? and rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in Thine hand is
there not POWER AND MIGHT, so that none is able to withstand Thee? O our God, wilt Thou
not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us;
neither know we what to do: but OUR EYES ARE UPON THEE! (II Chron. 20:6,12).
Let all men know
that POWER AND MIGHT BELONG UNTO THE LORD. Behold the nations are like a drop from a
bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales; behold He taketh up the isles
like a very little thing. All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are regarded by
Him as less than nothing, and emptiness. It is God who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are as grasshoppers; it is He Who stretches out the heavens like
curtains and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; Who brings dignitaries to nothing,
Who makes the judges and rulers of the earth as chaos Yes, these men are scarcely
planted... when the Lord blows upon them and they whither, and the whirlwind or tempest
takes them away like stubble. To whom then will ye liken ME, that I should be equal to
him? says the Holy One (Isa.
40:15,17,22-25, Amplified Bible).
While the nations
loudly rattle their swords, God is secretly preparing HIS SONS OF MIGHT, the many-membered
Son, Head and body, upon whom shall rest THE SPIRIT OF GOD'S MIGHT. Even now the stone is
being cut from the mountain without noise and without hands to smite the earthen feet of
the image man has builded (Dan. 2:34) that the kingdoms of this world may become the
kingdoms of our Lord and of HIS MIGHTY CHRIST, and He shall reign forever and ever,
hallelujah! The glorious age that is now dawning will know the glory of the SPIRIT OF
MIGHT as it manifests through God's holy sons. The world will know, at long last, the
wonder of true authority and might with wisdom, counsel, and understanding. With
righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.
He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall
He slay the wicked. Every yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing, for ALL POWER
in heaven and earth is given unto Him.
The nations shall
be ruled by the SPIRIT OF MIGHT, irresistible might, until righteous order is established
in the hearts of the men of every nation under heaven; every knee shall bow and every
tongue shall confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD to the glory of God the Father as the sons
of God administer the power and glory of the kingdom of God upon earth. This work of
bringing the kingdom of God to pass in the whole earth belongs to the sons of God, as it
is written: And he that overcometh shall inherit ALL THINGS; and I will be his God,
AND HE SHALL BE MY SON (Rev. 2:26-27; 21:7). This smiting and breaking by the rod of
iron will be the authority of God's Word in the mouths of His Kings and Priests saying to
the babbling, clamoring self-assertive humanity: Be still! and KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I
will be exalted among the peoples, I will be exalted in the earth! (Ps. 46:10). It
will be a work of laying justice to the line and righteousness to the plummet
(Isa. 28:17) in all the little and great affairs of each and every individual of Adam's
race, all of whom will thus be taught of God through the great Prophet, Priest
and King (Head and body): Prophet to declare God's will, King in the sense of authority,
and Priest in the sense of counselor or mediator Who, having redeemed, is the advocate of
the people to effect their reconciliation unto God.
Paul Mueller has
written: Having already studied the first four of the seven Spirits of God, we shall
now explore the remainder of the seven Spirits, the Spirit of might, the Spirit of
knowledge, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. Each of these seven Spirits are to be
considered SPIRITS OF GOD or portions of God Himself, given and imparted to the sons of
God, thus bringing them into that INCHRISTED relationship where the sons of God become
that which CHRIST IS. Therefore, THE SPIRIT OF MIGHT, as is true of all the seven Spirits
of Sonship, should more properly be THE SPIRIT OF THE MIGHT OF THE LORD. We are not
talking about man's might anointed by the Holy Spirit, but rather ALL THE MIGHT AND POWER
OF GOD made available to the sons of God.
King David
had witnessed the power and might of the Lord whereby he was established as the king of
the united nation and peoples of
We are
living by the faith of the son of God and being strengthened with His might by His Spirit.
This is not God's blessing or anointing upon our own strength, but it is BY THE LORD'S
MIGHT that we are being strengthened. And His might may not be readily visible and
recognizable on the outward appearance, for the Lord's might is strengthening our inner
man, which is being renewed after the image of Him who has called us unto Himself. The
scriptures further declare that our conversation is in heaven, that is, our whole mind and
attitude is centered on spiritual things. Then the apostle makes a wonderful and glorious
statement. With reference to our Lord Jesus Christ, he states: 'Who shall change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto HIS GLORIOUS BODY, according to the working
WHEREBY HE IS ABLE TO EVEN TO SUBDUE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF.' (Phil. 3:20-31) This is
another revelation of the diverse workings of God, who shall change our bodies and will
fashion them like unto His glorious body, BY THE SPIRIT OF MIGHT, whereby He is able to
subdue all things unto Himself. The whole task and procedure would seem to be beyond us,
and indeed it is, but our transformation will not take place according to our limited
ability to understand it or to receive it, but it will take place BY HIS SPIRIT.
The apostle
Paul also stated, 'For the
Zechariah, the
prophet, was told by the angel that talked with him, 'Not by might (margin: the might of
an army), nor by the power (of man), BUT BY MY SPIRIT, saith the Lord of hosts.' (Zech.
4:6) it is not by the might of man that the purposes of God shall be fulfilled, but BY THE
SPIRIT OF THE LORD'S MIGHT. And we await the impartation, immersion, and glorious
anointing of that SEVEN-FOLD SPIRIT OF GOD, when the spirit of might shall empower us with
HIS MIGHT.
REIGNING WITH
CHRIST
One of the seven
Spirits of Sonship the, Spirit of Might, is the one most closely connected to
the REIGNING of Gods sons. II Tim.
Simply speaking,
to reign with Christ means to exercise the authority of Christ to rule all things
and in particular to deal with all his enemies. God, from the beginning, had a two-fold
desire and intent for man. On one hand, God purposed for man to possess His image that he
might express the nature of God to the created universe. On the other hand, God planned
for man to represent Him with His authority to rule and to deal with His enemies. In His
original creation, God ordained dominion. It was not His intent in the beginning that man
be subservient to either angels, devils, or to the elements of the earth nor material
circumstances. He was created to hold dominion over all the works of Gods hands (Ps.
8:3-9; Heb. 2:6-9). God had said: Let us make man in our image (Gen. 1:26).
Therefore, when God created man, on the one hand, He created him in His own image and
likeness that man might be like Him in nature and wisdom, and on the other hand, God gave
to man dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and
over the cattle, and over ALL THE EARTH, and over every creeping thing (including that
ancient serpent) that creepeth upon the earth (Gen. 1:26). This means that God gave
man AUTHORITY that he might reign for Him over all realms beneath and above over
the sea, the lowest realm, the bottom of the bottomless; over the earth, the carnal realm;
and over all birds and flying things that is, the heavens, the highest realm of the
spirit. Thus, the two ingredients in Gods original intent for man were for man to
share Gods NATURE and exercise Gods AUTHORITY over all the universe and every
realm everywhere.
The Old Testament
records many instances of man since Adam reigning for God. Genesis tells how Noah being
warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, and prepared an ark to the
saving of his house, by which, he condemned the world and brought in a new age and order.
Exodus tells how Moses triumphed over Pharaoh and led two million Israelites out of
Egyptian slavery to become a nation of Gods people. All the fearful signs and
wonders wrought in
This matter is
even more evident in the New Testament, for it is in the Person of Jesus Christ, the last
Adam, the Son of God, that all Gods purpose in man is summed up. When Jesus began
His ministry as the Son of God He declared: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand (Mat.
Every aspect of
the dominion delivered to Adam was demonstrated in Jesus in His sojourn upon earth. He
manifested control over the animal kingdom, the beasts, the birds, the fish; over the
human family, the rich, the poor, the learned and the unlearned; over the elements of
nature, the sea, the wind and the rain; over the vegetable kingdom, the trees and plants;
and over the spirit realm that was related to man, the angels, the devils, Satan himself,
and the human mind itself. Furthermore, He taught as one HAVING AUTHORITY, and not
as the scribes (Mat.
Jesus came as the
Pattern Son, as the model manifestation of what the kingdom is, how the kingdom operates,
and how the kingdom shall subdue all things upon earth. Into just such dominion as this, a
company of Gods sons is destined to rise. Intermittent demonstrations of it are
already being beheld in the lives of some; however, the fullness of the new dominion is
yet to be realized in due time. In the Old Testament, before the Holy Spirit
was given as an indwelling life, men reigned FOR GOD on His behalf. In Jesus we
have a higher dimension of reigning GOD REIGNING THROUGH MAN! And the Spirit
of the Lord shall rest upon Him
the Spirit of Counsel and Might (Isa. 11:2).
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the FATHER IN ME? the words that I
speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, HE DOETH THE
WORKS (Jn.
What is wanting
is a people that are in consciousness so in the heavenly dimension now, presently, are so
alive to the things that are eternal, the things that are SPIRIT, that even without them
speaking this explicitly, their very presence exudes the atmosphere of life and the
fragrance of eternity. God is after a people, a heavenly and celestial race, set in time.
"...and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show..." (Eph. 2:6-7). This is
meaningless prattle unless the Spirit opens our understanding. We have been warned by the
carnal minded of this age about the danger of being so "heavenly minded" until
we are "no earthly good." That is what the world says, and what should you
expect from the world but to controvert and to take the wisdom of God and so distort and
pervert it until it appears ridiculous and absurd to have mankind believe exactly the
reverse! But these words are being written to show that we have no choice, no option as to
whether we will be heavenly minded or not; for the truth is, IF WE ARE NOT HEAVENLY MINDED
IT IS I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E TO BE OF ANY EARTHLY GOOD! It is only as a power from above
reaches down and touches earth that it can be raised and quickened, transformed from the
image of the earthly into the image of the heavenly. And Paul, the apostle of apostles,
through whom the sacred secrets of God were revealed by the grace of God, defying the
empty and inane cavilings of men and their fruitless doctrines and meaningless traditions,
admonished those who would be the sons and daughters of God in the midst of a crooked and
perverse generation, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the HEAVENLY CALLING...
if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are ABOVE, where Christ sitteth
on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things ABOVE,
It is when we are
quickened to the realm of SPIRIT, to the heavenly and celestial, to that bright glory
world where alone can be perceived eternal truth and reality, that we hear our heavenly
Father speaking from the throne of eternity, long before the ages were formed and before
cosmos appeared out of the wastes of chaos, there in the glory and wonder of His presence,
from out of the depths of His omniscient mind, His purpose for the ages, the
dispensations, the worlds, and for eternity itself was laid down upon the infinite
blue-print, plan by plan, purpose by purpose, age by age, so that each eonian purpose and
every divine decree shall be guided and controlled by His omnipotent hand to grow and
mature from glory to glory until His vast family of beloved sons shall deliver up to Him
all things in perfection that God Himself might be all in all. The very idea that one
could in some way become so "heavenly minded" that he would be "no earthly
good" reveals the incredible darkness and deluded stupidity of the carnal mind and
its pitiful inability to comprehend things that belong to heavenly realms. Oh that the
wisdom of man which is foolishness with God might be torn from our hearts that we might
see beyond the mists and theories of time and tradition right into the very heart of the
eternal where is found the infinite wisdom that teaches us how it is that until one
becomes truly HEAVENLY MINDED he CANNOT be of any EARTHLY GOOD! The fact is, the only
reality in the universe is S-P-I-R-I-T. The things which are seen are TEMPORAL, says the
Lord, and the things which are not seen are ETERNAL. This is the wisdom of God in a
mystery. Until one learns how to live and have his being OUT OF SPIRIT, out of the
invisible realm, out of his very innermost being, he will continue to be held captive by
the corruption of the flesh and dwell in the shadow of death.
"Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all SPIRITUAL
BLESSINGS IN HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ," the inspired apostle wrote. The heavens are
the realms of spirit where the Lord now rules with absolute authority and dominion. How do
we know this to be true? Because of the words of Jesus, when He taught us to pray,
"Our Father ... Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, AS IT IS IN
HEAVEN." These words lead us to the certainty that GOD'S WILL IS DONE IN THE HEAVENS;
and, if you can discover a realm or a person anywhere where God's will is perfectly done,
such is a heavenly place and a heavenly person. The will of the Father is being done in
heaven, in the realm of spirit, and it is our expressed desire that His will shall also be
done in earth, the realm of the physical, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. There is no sin in heaven,
for the will of God is done in heaven, and where the will of God is done there is no sin.
There is no foul, loathsome disease in heaven eating away at the vitals, weakening,
crippling and destroying the life, for the will of God is done in heaven, and where the
will of God is done there is no sickness. There is no sorrow nor pain in heaven, for the
will of God is done in heaven, and where the will of God is done there is no grief. There
is no death in heaven, no crepe on the door-knob, no winding funeral processions, no
weeping and wailing of heartbroken, disconsolate mothers, fathers, and children, no
silent, waxen forms lowered into the cold stillness of earth, for the will of God is done
in heaven, and where the will of God is done there is no death. My Father and my God!
Guide me to that place where Thy will shall be done in me upon this earth, as Thy will is
done in heaven! The heavens declare the GLORY of God, for the heavens are His eternal
domain. His throne occupies the heavens, and the earth is His footstool (Acts
God rules and God
speaks from heaven. If you will but listen, you can hear God speaking from heaven, even
the
What power
pertains to those who are seated with Christ in the spiritual heavens! And you, dear saint
of God, are seated with Christ in the highest of the heavens! And you are not seated there
to sing and shout and dance all over God's heaven. You have been placed there in the
celestial realm to RULE, to REIGN OVER THE EARTH. "...Thou hast redeemed us to God by
Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto
our God KINGS AND PRIESTS: and we shall REIGN ON THE EARTH" (Rev. 5:9-10).
Although this
matter of reigning will not be completely realized until the manifestation of the sons of
God, yet today God wants it to have a beginning on earth. If any believer has not yet
reached the degree of reigning for God, he has missed God's purpose in creating man. There
must be such people prepared by God that through them the authority of God can be executed
and the
The Lord says,
Behold, I have given you AUTHORITY to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over
all the POWER of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you" (Lk.
Therefore, from
the point of view of authority, reigning is the final goal of Gods salvation. It is
the summit of our spiritual experience. If God does not so fully and completely save and
transform us to the extent that He can reign through us, then his salvation will not be
considered fully accomplished. Furthermore, although this reality of reigning with and in
Christ will not be completely realized until the time of the manifestation of the sons of
God, when the SPIRIT OF MIGHT shall rest fully upon the house of sons, yet, today it must
have its beginning within us in that firstfruits of the Spirit already given
us of God. As for us, if God is not establishing within us HIS REIGN, if we have not yet
realized the point of reigning in life by one, Jesus Christ, then we know nothing yet as
we ought to know of what it means to be a son of God. Those apprehended ones with whom the
Father is dealing in this hour are not only finding forgiveness they are overcoming the
world, they are finding a place of very real victory in their joint-seating with Christ in
the heavenly realm, FAR ABOVE all principality, and power, and might, and dominion in this
world. They are learning to daily reign with Christ in ALL THINGS, whether in the ministry
of the Spirit, affairs at home, in business or in any encounter in their environment
they can reign and rule over that which God wants them to rule. There is no such
thing as discouragement, defeat or despair to those who learn to REIGN! There must be such
a people gained by God in redemption that through them the authority of God can be
executed and the
Today, although
the kingdom has not yet completely come to pass upon this earth, although God has not yet
gained a sphere wherein He can exercise His authority in a full way, and although his
glory has not yet been made fully manifest, nevertheless there is a small place, a small
sphere, thank the Lord! where there exists the condition of Gods partial reign,
which thereby manifests a portion of Gods glory. This is the body of Christ! Today
the Spirit-filled and Spirit-led members of the body of Christ are the expression of
Gods reigning here on earth. What God desires today is to perfect and expand His
reigning sphere within his people and through His people. It is through the body of Jesus
Christ that God will bind Satan and destroy his power. It is through the body of Christ
that life and blessing shall be ministered so that all the families of the earth shall be
blessed. Thus, His name will be honored in the whole earth, his kingdom established and
His glorious will done. This is the commission of Gods sons. This is the final
purpose of our redemption!
THE POWER OF
THE KINGDOM
The SPIRIT OF
MIGHT which shall rest upon Gods sons is not the same kind of might known by the
people of this world; it is not the might of force, of marching armies, of clanging
swords, of tanks and bursting bombs, of laws, of militias and policemen, for all these
exist only in the fleshly realm of CARNAL MIGHT. The might of God is not carnal. It is
spiritual! Many of Gods precious saints are no further advanced in their
understanding than were the fleshly-minded Jews of old still viewing the kingdom
with carnal eyes, expecting to sit upon literal thrones with POLITICAL POWER to be given
the people of God. The power of the
Men do not need
to be FORCED to obey God for that will never bring the glory of God into man. Force breeds
contempt and rebellion, not life and peace. Men need to have their MINDS CHANGED, their
HEARTS TRANSFORMED and their SPIRITS QUICKENED. This is why Jesus at the very beginning of
His ministry began by exhorting men to repent. Repent means to take a
new mind. Jesus said, Repent (take a new mind): for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand! (Mat. 4:17). When the sons of God arise in the earth their message will
also be Repent! for the
THE PLEROMA OF
GOD
The Spirit of
Might which belongs to the sons of God is the Spirit of Jesus, for He upon whom the
sevenfold Spirit first rested is also called THE MIGHTY GOD (Isa. 9:6). It is only
in Him that one can become mighty. There is a glorious company of people who,
along with Jesus the Mighty God, are termed the Mighty. Asaph, the song and
praise leader of
We want to take a
closer look at this term in Christ. We meet this phrase often in Pauls
epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians. If Christ in you is the hope of
glory, as the scripture says it is (Col. 1:27), then you in Christ must certainly BE THE
GLORY. In Christ! In Christ! Think of the glory of such a thing! GOD was in
Christ, the word declares. And now mystery of mysteries He is saying
that His people are also IN CHRIST. Then we are told: God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto Himself, and now if any man BE IN CHRIST he is a new
creation (II Cor.
Another word
common to Ephesians and Colossians is the word fullness. The two thoughts,
in Christ and fullness, belong together and are so used often in
both books. Let us read in Eph. 1:22-23 and Col. 1:19 and 2:9-10. And gave Him to be
head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth
all in all. For it pleased the Father that IN HIM should all fullness dwell
for IN
HIM dwelleth ALL THE FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete IN HIM.
In the above
verses the word fullness is translated from the Greek word PLEROMA. As someone
has written: PLEROMA is a term used by philosophy, and borrowed by Paul from
philosophic authors. They claimed to know the secret of something that filled up all human
deficiency a plenitude of knowledge and power. PLEROMA is from the root PLEROO
which means to make replete; to cram; to level up. The Pleroma fullness was
looked upon by the philosophic teachers as the sum total of all the divine powers and
attributes. These divine powers and attributes were then issued through beings the
gods, angels, prophets, teachers, etc., all of whom were instruments in the revelation of
Gods will and power, individual manifestations of the PLEROMA (fullness). These
mediatorial beings were considered to contain some of the influence of the Pleroma, a
measure of the fullness, but none could contain ALL the Pleroma fullness, for the Pleroma
was the SUM TOTAL of the divine power and attributes. Thus, in all classes, when the
Pleroma was distributed and issued through various beings it was diluted, changed, and
darkened by foreign (earthly) admixture. The beings through whom the Pleroma was expressed
were only partial and blurred images, merely deceptive caricatures of the original, broken
lights of the great Central Light God.
Paul claims that
IN CHRIST the TRUE PLEROMA is found: that He as the Son of God has all the plenitude of
the Godhead in Him, in full measure and running over! Let us read this in the Amplified
Bible: For it has pleased the Father that ALL THE DIVINE FULLNESS the SUM
TOTAL of the divine perfection, powers and attributes should dwell in Him
permanently. For in Him the whole fullness of Deity continues to dwell in bodily form
giving COMPLETE EXPRESSION to the divine nature (Col. 1:19; 2:9). This brings
us to another most wonderful and enlightening declaration. Hear it! And He has
appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the Church, which is His body, THE
FULLNESS OF HIM Who fills all in all for IN THAT BODY lives the FULL MEASURE OF HIM
Who makes everything complete
and YOU ARE IN HIM, MADE FULL
in Christ you too
are filled with the Godhead! (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 2:10). The point here is that since
the true PLEROMA, all the fullness of God, dwells permanently in Christ Jesus, if we are
IN HIM, all that divine PLEROMA becomes ours. Whatever perfection is in God, in His
knowledge, power, strength, might, wisdom, love, holiness, this fills up to the full our
measure of capacity. The King James version says: For in Him dwelleth all the
fullness of the godhead bodily
and ye are complete IN HIM. The word
complete is the Greek word PLEROO which is the root from which is derived
PLEROMA. Thus, Paul is saying that CHRIST IS FULL of the Godhead and IN HIM we are MADE
FULL to the very same measure. The Greek text does not say Ye are made full in
Him, but Ye are in Him, made full. In Him dwells the fullness, and the
same fullness dwells in us as we dwell IN HIM! This is beyond finite perception. To the
natural mind such truth may even sound childish and silly, yet the Holy Spirit will reveal
its depths to those who ask Him.
Paul certainly
had the realization of such an incomprehensible fullness in mind when he wrote to the
Ephesians: May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory
that you may
be filled through all your being unto all the fullness of God that is, may have the
richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with
God Himself (Eph. 3:16,19). The King James version reads: That ye might be
filled WITH all the fullness of God. A better translation from the original is:
That you might be filled UNTO all the fullness of God. This speaks from
eternal increase into the unfathomable and inexhaustible!
It has been my
privilege over the past few years to stand at various times on the
Such a sampling,
seawater in a jar, might be the comprehension of the verse, filled WITH all the
fullness of God if it were to be rendered, merely, that God purposes to fill us with
His fullness. But in keeping with the untranslatable signification of the word PLEROMA, it
would be necessary for me to put THE WHOLE OF THE OCEAN in the bottle and then, and only
then, could we understand what God purposes to reveal in, upon and through that glorious
company of sons who come into His very own image, likeness and dominion. God does not
purpose to make us little samples of Deity. He does not look upon us as little
beings who shall display pints of his power. He purposes to increase and
enlarge our capacities forever and ever. We are to be filled UNTO all the fullness of God!
I would earnestly
exhort the elect of God in this momentous hour that the faith of yesterday and yesteryear
is not sufficient for today. The admonition of the inspired apostle is especially
meaningful for God's apprehended ones at this time, wherein he says, "Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the
doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1-2).
The King James
Version here instructs us to leave the "principles" of the doctrine of Christ.
The Moffat translation says, "Let us pass on then to what is mature, leaving
ELEMENTARY CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE BEHIND..." The
In spite of such
a plain admonition the sad fact is that not one believer in a million ever gets beyond
these first stepping stones these elementary rudiments of the doctrine of Christ.
The Spirit declares that ALL these elementary rudiments of the doctrine of Christ pertain
to the realm of LITTLE CHILDREN babes in Christ. In the verses immediately
preceding the passage under consideration the apostle says, "For every one who
continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of
righteousness, that is, of conforming to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action,
for he is a MERE INFANT NOT ABLE TO TALK YET! But solid food is for full-grown men,
for those whose senses are trained..." (Heb. 5:13-14, Amplified Bible). It is very
easy to spot a spiritual babe, for he will always be dwelling around one or more of these
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES... laying and re-laying that foundation. It is one of the great
marvels of the universe, and perhaps the eighth wonder of the world, that the family of
God has not completely disappeared from the face of the earth, for it is crystal clear to
any who have eyes to see that the preachers and leaders of the church world today are
altogether as INFANTILE as the church members! They are one and all, according to the
criterion of our text, merely spiritual infants. These slobbering, sputtering, dribbling
infants are in charge of the care and feeding of the whole congregation of infants. Truly
it is the phenomenon of the ages that they have not all starved to death or died in their
own purulence.
Now there is
nothing wrong with laying these elementary foundations for those that need them, but the
immature babes in Christ will always be known by the fact that they will continue to
minister these things over and over to God's people who should long ago have passed on to
higher things. But those believers sit there in those meetings week after week and service
after service drinking that same diet of MILK. And those same preachers, day after day,
and year after year, continue to USE MILK and minister milk to the people of God. No
wonder they NEVER GO ON TO PERFECTION! And these babes, from the pulpit to the pew, are
busily engaged in defending these "fundamental" and ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES of the
doctrine of Christ. That's all they know. Start to talk about perfection, sonship,
immortality, the Melchizedek Order, the army of God, bringing in the Kingdom and other
things related to God's great Kingdom purposes and you are as a Barbarian to them
they have not the foggiest notion what in the world you are talking about !
Oh! that once and
for all we might clearly see that for us too, NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HAVE EXPERIENCED UP TO
NOW has its existence in that realm of elementaries! And it is from HERE that we are
exhorted to GO ON TO PERFECTION. You don't go into the first principles in order to go on
to perfection. You leave them! The fullness of God in Christ lies beyond all these. If you
choose to remain there you simply will never arrive at spiritual maturity in God. The
elementary principles are just GRAMMAR SCHOOL for those who would be sons indeed. They
constitute the "in part" realm in which we move before that which is PERFECT is
come. LET US GO ON TO PERFECTION is the present call of the Spirit.
And lest there be
some fearful saints, who still think the measure of our heritage must be confined within
certain limits, then God tells us exactly what those limitations are:
And what
is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER to usward who believe, according to the working of
His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when he raised Him from the dead, and set
Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER,
and MIGHT, and DOMINION, and every name that is named
(Eph. 2:19-21). There is
the measure of the power that is available to the saints! Not merely the power that Moses
exercised in Egypt, or at the Red Sea; not the power that Joshua had when he commanded the
sun and the moon to stand still; not the power that Elijah had when he locked the heavens
for three and a half years, and then opened them again; not the power that Elisha
exercised when he caused the iron to swim, the waters to be healed, the hungry to be fed,
the dead to be raised; not the power that Daniel had in the lions den, or Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego had in the fiery furnace; and not even the power that Jesus
exercised in His earthly ministry when He healed the sick, cast out devils, walked on the
sea, called the dead back even from corruption. The power available is even the
working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the
dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places
And still we
could go on
for Paul continues to enlarge upon the immensity of this power which
CHRIST HAS, and which is ours: power and authority over all principalities and powers,
both in this age and in the next, even power to put all things under His feet,
even His Church, for he is the Head, and we are the body.
O the immensity
of these words! And what is more, Christ is going to remain right where He is at
Gods right hand until there shall arise a group of overcomers who shall conquer over
all of their enemies. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, UNTIL I
make Thine enemies Thy footstool (Ps. 110:1). This was Gods intent in CREATION
when He created man! This was Gods purpose in REDEMPTION when He redeemed man! And
yet the vast majority of Christians are still looking for a rapture any moment, when Jesus
is supposed to snatch away a miserable, divided, defeated, disease-ridden, lukewarm
THE CONDITION
FOR POWER
Within the
inexhaustible fullness of God is contained the SPIRIT OF MIGHT. One of the burning
concerns within my heart is that Gods people may understand that fullness is not to
be found in the gift-realm of the New Testament Church, for a gift is merely a
fragment, a measure, GIVEN BY THE SPIRIT. In the in-part realm of gifts of
which Paul wrote in I Corinthians chapters 12-14, the power and wisdom of God is diluted,
the body members becoming only partial and blurred images of the original Pattern Son,
fragmented lights of Him who is the True Light. This, dear friend, is not the ultimate
even for this present age! The cry in the hearts of Gods apprehended ones in this
hour is not for another revival, another miracle, or another gift of the Spirit, but for
the FULLNESS OF GOD! The fullness of which we speak is THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD.
I am sure that
among the fifty-thousand believers in
Let us also see
and make no mistake about the condition of the investment of the Spirit of Might. He that
would command nature must first, and most absolutely, obey her. He who drives a car must
first subject himself to the laws and principles by which an automobile functions. It is
such an easy thing to ask for power, even the power of the Spirit. Who would not be glad
to have power? Many pray earnestly for Power in and upon the work they are doing: their
witnessing, their programs, their plans, their methods, efforts, labors etc., and they
receive it not, simply because they do not accept THE ONLY POSTURE in which the Spirit of
Power can work. We want to get possession of the Power and use it! But Gods order is
always in reverse of that. God intends for the Power TO GET POSSESSION OF US, and use us!
If we give up ourselves to the Power to rule in us, the Power will then give itself to us,
to rule through us. Unconditional submission and obedience to the Power in our inner life
is the one condition of our being clothed with it.
Power
BELONGETH UNTO GOD (Ps. 62:11), saith the Lord, and remains His forever. THINE
is the Power, Jesus taught us to pray in the Sonship Prayer (Mat.
If you would know
the fullness of the Spirit of might, if you would have His Mighty Power at work in and
through you, then bow very low in reverence before the Holy Presence that dwells within
you, that asks for your surrender to His guidance and will in even the least of things.
Walk very humbly, son of God, lest in anything you should miss the mark of knowing and
doing His holy will. Live as one given up to a Power that has entire mastery over you,
that has complete possession of your inmost being, of your will, mind, emotions and
desires. Seek not, dear one, to gain possession of the Spirit of Might! Let the Spirit of
Might have possession of you and you shall surely stand in your lot among that glorious
company of sons upon whom shall rest the sevenfold Spirit of God which is given to THEM
THAT OBEY HIM! For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, they are the SONS OF
GOD (Rom.
In the
When God
commanded
The
Spirit Of Knowledge
These things saith He that hath the SEVEN
SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The sixth Spirit
of Sonship is the Spirit of the Knowledge of the Lord. We are living in the hour when God
has a controversy with all the inhabitants of the world, and especially with those who
name His name and profess to be his people, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor
knowledge of God, but lying and swearing, killing and stealing, and committing adultery.
Nearly twenty-eight centuries ago God had the same controversy with those who were His and
through the prophet Hosea declared unto them, Hear the word of the Lord, ye children
of
Ever since that
fateful day of mans sin in Eden God has purposed to bring forth in the earth a Royal
Priesthood to be His instrument in bringing the inhabitants of the world into
reconciliation to Himself. In the days of Moses God offered this Priesthood ministry to
the nation of
The earth can
only become filled with the knowledge of the Lord after the Spirit of the Knowledge of the
Lord has fully rested upon the Christ of God (Head and body), for in Isa. 11:2 we find
that the Spirit of Knowledge is one of the seven Spirits that comes to rest upon the
Anointed One, and then in verse 11, through the ministry of Gods Anointed, the whole
earth becomes saturated with the Knowledge of the Lord. This corporate Christ, this
many-membered son, Head and body, is the Royal Priesthood destined to bring Gods
glorious Kingdom to pass in the whole earth. Ye are a chosen generation, a ROYAL
PRIESTHOOD, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of
Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9).
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the
seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God KINGS AND
PRIESTS: and we shall REIGN ON THE EARTH (Rev. 5:9-10).
ALL THE TREES
OF THE GARDEN
Gods
eternal plan is the subject of the entirety of the scriptures. At the very beginning of
the Record God is seen creating man in His own image as the means of expressing Himself to
the entire universe of created things. At the beginning of mans experience we are
shown man in a relationship with three kinds of trees. To understand Gods plan, we
must be completely clear about these three kinds of trees and what they represent. We find
the three types of trees disclosed in Gen. 2:8-9, 16-17. And the Lord God planted a
garden eastward in
There is a clear
distinction made between a grove composed of every tree that is good for food
on the one hand, and the two trees which were in the midst of the garden on
the other hand the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
All the trees of the garden may be spoken of as a grove, but these taken
collectively are not the tree of life, nor the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, as shown very plainly in verse 9: And out of the ground made
the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree
of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The Hebrew word
ETS pronounced ates is tree in English. It is singular. ETSIM is
the plural form. In every text for the tree of life the singular form is used.
The definite conclusion is that the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil are from the singular form, and that it is not proper to use the plural form. On the
other hand, all the trees of the garden is in the plural number and denotes a
grove of trees, containing many varieties, but all distinct from either the tree of life
or the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Thus, it can be seen that those trees referred
to as all the trees of the garden were distinct from either the tree of life
or the tree of knowledge. The tree of life was not of the same nature as all the
trees of the garden and the tree of knowledge, likewise, was not the same as those
trees. We want to be very clear on this point for many of Gods people have been able
to see only two trees in
After God created
man He placed him in relation to these three kinds of trees, and mans whole life was
pictured as a matter of feasting upon one tree or the other. God instructed man to be very
careful about partaking of these trees. If man partook of them according to Gods
directions, he would have life; if not, he would have death. It was a matter of life and
death! How man would live and walk after his creation depended entirely upon his
relationship with these three kinds of trees! God told man plainly: You may freely
eat of ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. He also said, But of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. What original command, the
only command, was given Adam? To eat! Eating is receiving, and receiving is the basic
function of the human self. It is most striking that here at the creation of man this was
the only command given him
EAT! Receive! Take something into you! And this is still
the only command to man! RECEIVE ye the Holy Ghost (Jn.
The three trees
speak of three realities within man three dimensions of being in which he could
walk. Man was creative a tri-partite being: spirit, soul, and body. The spirit was the
deepest part of man, the inward life derived from God. The spirit is the realm of
God-consciousness and divine life. The soul was the most prominent part of mans life
when he was placed in the Garden of Eden. The soul is the realm of self-consciousness, of
identity as humanity, and the connecting link between the visible world of creation and
the invisible dimension of spirit. The soul comprises the conscious mind, will, emotion
and desire of man. The body was the most outward part of man, the visible and tangible
which identified man with the earth and the visible creation.
May the Spirit of
God graciously open the eyes of our understanding that we may see clearly the
signification of each of the three classes of trees in the
What is the
signification of the first kind of tree called all the trees of the garden?
These trees represent that realm of life in which the first man lived before he fell. The
realm of perfect human life, the living soul, was a plane of life which far transcended
the realm of corruption and death which passed upon man through the tree of carnal
knowledge. But it was also a plane of life which was lower than, and inferior to, the
realm of life which was available to man in the tree of life. Thus, all the trees of
the garden signify the realm of the perfect, sinless, LIVING SOUL. Adam, as a living
soul, feasted upon the fruits of all the trees of the garden. These trees had
no power to impart unto him either the DIVINE NATURE or the INCORRUPTIBLE LIFE of God. The
divine nature and incorruptible life were contained in the tree of life, deep within his
being. But neither did these trees impart into man the power of death, corruption,
darkness contained in the tree of knowledge. Thus, all the trees of the garden
signify the realm of the living soul in which Adam first had his being.
What does the
second tree, the tree of life, signify? Most assuredly it represents a realm of life
beyond what Adam consciously walked in. Adam walked as a living soul. The soul is the
realm of self-consciousness. Adam already knew soul life, so it was not necessary for him
to eat of the tree of life in order to gain that kind of life. Therefore, the life offered
to man in the tree of life was a higher kind of life than the conscious life of Adam
even God-life. The tree of life answered to mans spirit, for in the midst of
that Garden which man was stood his spirit, the offspring of God, the seat of
God-consciousness and divine life. The life of God in the spirit imparts more than the
never-ending human life which Adam could have retained simply by refusing to eat of the
tree of knowledge. This tree of life lifts man up from the realm of humanity, from a
living soul, and infuses him with divine life, even the life of God in Christ. According
to the revelation of the scriptures, Jesus is not only our life today, but he has always
been from the very beginning, the life of God Himself made available to man. In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same WAS IN
THE BEGINNING
IN HIM WAS LIFE; and the life WAS the light of men (I Jn.
1:1-4). And again, 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 for the LIFE WAS MANIFESTED, and we have seen it, and show unto you THAT
ETERNAL LIFE, which was with the father (I Jn. 1:1-2). The tree of life in
What is the
significance of the third kind of tree in
It is not our
purpose in this Study to enlarge upon the death produced by the tree of carnal knowledge,
but rather to consider the substance and properties generating that death, which
properties are the knowledge of good and evil. Immediately after man was
created in the hands of God he was declared by the Creator to be very good
(Gen. 1:31). Yes, good was inherent in mans soul from the moment of his formation on
earth but life was not inherent in the soul realm life existed only in the
hidden spirit within man. Life had to be
appropriated partaken of! This shows that there is a fundamental difference between
good and life. These two items are distinct they are NOT
the same thing! Man was declared good long millenniums before any man was ever
made a partaker of divine life in Christ. Man as a living soul was
good. This means that the goodness of man was contained in the soul of man.
The human life of man was originally good and upright, nothing to be ashamed of, as can be
seen in the fact that the man was naked but was not ashamed. The life of Adam was without
sin and also without the knowledge of sin or the consciousness of shame; it was innocent
and simple.
The tree of
knowledge of good and evil answers to the body, the outward, the physical and visible, the
earthly and fleshly, the lowest realm of existence wherein abides corruption and
death. By mixing this animal realm with his soul life, the dual knowledge of good and evil
became the inner condition and state of being of Adam and of all the people in the
world today! There is a wonderful contrast between man as we now see him, degraded by sin,
and the perfect man that God made in His image. Sin has gradually changed his features, as
well as his character. Multiplied generations, by ignorance, licentiousness and general
depravity, have so blurred and marred humanity that in the large majority of the race the
likeness of God is almost obliterated. The moral and intellectual qualities are dwarfed;
and the animal instincts, unduly developed, are no longer balanced by the higher spirit.
Man has lost physical strength to such an extent that, with all the aid of medical
science, his average length of life world-wide is only about 40 years, whereas at first he
survived nine hundred and thirty years even under the penalty of death!
Due to the fact
that man lives in the consciousness of the mixed realm of soul and body (without the
balance of the spirit), of the knowledge of good and evil, he has the innate desire on one
hand to be good and upright, and on the other hand he has an inclination toward sin and
evil. Therefore, throughout the ages, philosophers and psychologists engaged in the study
of human nature have projected two different points of view: one, that man is
inherently good in nature, and the other, that the nature of man is evil.
Actually, man is both for he lives by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil!
Ever since the
fall, though at times he is still able to manifest a little human goodness according to
this human life, he manifests the devilish nature the majority of the time out of the
devilish life. Man is truly schizophrenic! At times he can be very good, agreeable and
helpful; he can really act like a compassionate man. But at other times, when he loses his
temper and flies into a state of rage, cursing, threatening, and murdering, he is really
like a devil and manifests the devilish character. When man indulges in drunkenness,
lying, cheating, stealing, swindling, adultery, murder, and other sins, he bears a
devilish appearance and is full of the devilish characteristics.
The good that is
in man manifests itself in areas such as the activities of this worlds philanthropic
institutions, civic organizations, church programs, government aid agencies, hospitals,
doctors, orphanages, welfare programs, social action, relief societies and a million and
one personal actions of men by which they seek to be kind, compassionate, generous, moral,
and to improve the condition of their fellow men. Men do not have to be saved men to have
GOOD in them! Think in how many of your friends, neighbors, relatives, business
associates etc. can you see the good although they are unregenerated men with
no relationship to God through Jesus Christ! Before we were saved, there was frequently in
our minds a natural desire to do good, to honor our parents, to be helpful to those around
us, to be an upright citizen of the community. These ideas of doing good and going upwards
spring from the inherent good in man. They also prove that, even before we were converted,
this principle of good was in us!
But the EVIL is
there too! In the very people who often express so many good qualities, at other times,
one can behold greed, selfishness, strife, hypocrisy, immorality, rage, and a multitude of
other evils. Hence, we must see clearly that within the natural man there are two
different lives the good created life of man, the living soul, and the devilish
life of Evil.
Some would say
that the good in man, having been corrupted by the fall, has lost its element of goodness.
This is altogether inaccurate. For example, in one area where we lived in
The truth of this
can be seen in the very ingredients in the fall! When Adam sinned, of which tree did he
eat? Why, the tree of the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL. Hear this! The elements
of that tree were not only the elements of evil; they were the elements producing a
knowledge of both GOOD and EVIL! The tree ministered to man a KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD as truly
as it ministered to him a KNOWLEDGE OF EVIL. Thus, the fall of man introduced him to a
realm of duality, of admixture; good and evil. The fallen man is both good and evil. How
prone we have been to declare the unregenerated man to be ONLY EVIL! It is true that the
element of evil in man PREDOMINATES in the natural man, but we cannot say that the good in
man has been corrupted to the point of non-existence. It is for this reason that the
philosophers and psychologists have discovered that within man are some illustrious
virtues and innate goodness etc. and have reached the mistaken
conclusion that the nature of man is good. They have merely discovered that within fallen
man there is still the principle of good which naturally causes us to want to do good.
The problem is
that when man came into the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL he did not come into a better
condition. Man came to know good and evil but he didnt come to KNOW GOD!
He now possesses a knowledge of the good and the evil but he does not possess the
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! Man passed into the knowing of good and evil but he did not BECOME HOLY!
He merely added evil to his good producing a mixture of the two, but in so doing he
forfeited THE LIFE AND GLORY AVAILABLE TO HIM IN THE TREE OF LIFE. He chose good and evil
but missed LIFE! He chose good and evil he missed GOD!
GOOD IS NOT
LIFE!
What a realm of
KNOWLEDGE! The spirit that rested upon our Lord Jesus Christ, and that shall rest upon all
the sons of God, is the spirit of the KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. What a contrast between the
knowledge of good and evil and the knowledge of the Lord! What a great and vast gulf lies
between these bodies of knowledge! The knowledge of the Lord is Life. The knowledge of
good and evil is Law. Law brings the restraint of evil and the definition of what is good.
The knowledge of
good and evil always concerns itself with external behavior and judges all things upon the
basis of whether it is good or evil. Man, as long as he walks in
this realm of the fall, the knowledge of good and evil, can only understand and judge
within this framework: is a thing good or is it evil? He then presumes that if a thing is
good it must be of GOD! Nothing could be farther from the truth. If
good was acceptable with God then man could surely be justified by the
works of the law. The good of man is the good of the creature not
the good of the Creator!
In the garden of
Eden we have these three revelations from the three kinds of trees: First, life is the
nature of God, whereas good is the nature of man; Second, life is good, but good is not
necessarily life it depends upon whether the good is the good of the creature, or
the good of the Creator! Third, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil show us that life and good are definitely different; life is neither good nor evil.
Life, good and evil ARE THREE DIFFERENT AND INDEPENDENT THINGS. The good of God can only
be experienced through participation in the life of God. Evil mingled with mans good
produced DEATH. And even before he fell, all of mans good, of itself, could not give
him true LIFE only the tree of life could give man eternal, divine, incorruptible
life! Thus, we can see that good and life are things which pertain
to two different worlds!
Just as evil is
something other than life, so also is good something other than life. Just as evil is not
life, so also good is not life. Evil and good, though different in nature, are really of
the same world; neither one contains life or is life. Thus in the Bible, good and evil are
ultimately not two trees, but one tree. Good was in all the trees of the
garden but both good and evil co-existed in the third tree. Life is yet another
tree, being something of another realm, another kingdom (Gen. 2:9). We can say that good
and evil on one hand and life on the other hand definitely belong to two different
categories. This is how it is that a man, by his own determination and effort, can improve
considerably in his character and actions and yet still be entirely VOID OF THE LIFE OF
GOD. This is because his improvement is completely apart from life; it is of his own good
human effort and not a product of indwelling life. How we, who have been born of the
Spirit of God, need to thank God that for us there is no longer merely the two realities
of good and evil; there is now within our beings the very LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN
CHRIST JESUS!
It is interesting
to note that the scriptures seldom use the term the life of God. The
scriptures mainly reveal to us that GOD IS LIFE. Thus we read, And this is the
record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is IN HIS SON. He that
hath the Son HATH LIFE (I Jn.
Then what is
life? Life is God Himself in Christ in our spirit. He that is joined to the Lord is
one spirit (I Cor.
The whole
objective of God in the creation, and now in redemption, is not for us to be either
good men or evil men, but to be GOD-MEN the sons of God.
Therefore, the way we take today is not the way of self-improvement but the way of life.
The elements that are changing and transforming our lives are not the elements of the
improvement of our behavior but the development of THE LIFE OF GOD within. Those who would
be sons of God must understand what the fundamental difference between life and works is.
Simply speaking, life is growth, while works are human actions. For example, consider an
automobile and a tree. The automobile is the product of human actions, while the tree is
an expression of life, of growth by life. The wheels, body and engine of the automobile
are put there by human actions but the branches, leaves and fruit of the tree arrive there
by the growth of inward life. The automobile which is assembled demonstrates a kind of
work; the tree which has grown demonstrates a kind of life. The difference between these
two is unmistakable! With us as sons of God, the difference between works,
self-improvement, and life is just like this. That which is produced by our own human
efforts is works the good part of the fall, of the tree of knowledge.
Only that which is produced naturally from the development of the life of God within us IS
LIFE. Only that which is of life pertains to the realm of sonship. We want to watch this!
It is so easy, by human effort, to bring out the good human virtues of Adam, and mistake
them for the LIFE OF CHRIST. It is easy to produce our own virtues and delude ourselves
into believing we are overcomers. Only that which is swallowed up of
life is a true deliverance out of the kingdom of darkness.
It is like
walking into an apple orchard and pinning some dime-store plastic apples onto the branches
of a non-bearing apple tree. This tree and another fruit-bearing tree next to it may
outwardly appear just the same; one however, is bearing its fruit out of its life, while
the fruit on the other tree has no relationship to life. The fruits on both trees have the
same form and the same color; there is hardly any difference in outward appearance. But if
we simply smell or taste the fruit, we can immediately tell the difference. The real fruit
is delicious, vitalizing and sustaining, but the artificial fruit is tasteless and
inedible; it can only afford to be observed, not eaten. What we apprehended ones manifest
in our daily lives is like this! All that springs from life has the taste and vitalizing
qualities of life, even the quickening, incorruptible life of God. If it is only works,
behavior, it has only the taste and inedible nothingness of man.
He who is in
union with the tree of life has the power to offer that to others of which they can eat
and live. Amid all who surround him he becomes a tree of life, of which they can taste and
be refreshed. He is in his circle a center of life and of blessing, and that simply
because he abides in Christ, and receives from Him the Spirit and the life of which he can
impart to others. Learn thus, if you would be a Royal Priesthood after the order of
Melchizadek, after the power of an endless life, learn, I say, to abide in Christ. Learn,
if you would rule and reign over nations, if you would bless all the families of the earth
in that glorious age to come, learn, I say, to ABIDE IN CHRIST, to know HIM AS LIFE, and
you shall surely reign and bless. As surely as the branch abiding in a fruitful vine bears
fruit, so surely, yea, much more surely, will a son abiding in Christ with His fullness of
life and blessing be made life and blessing unto the ends of the earth!
The tree of life
in
The sons of God
are not called unto a knowledge of good and evil. The sons are of that company
who, along with Paul, have discovered a realm of life, reality and glory that transcends
all the ritual and time-honored traditions of the elders, all the laws of Moses, all the
petty rules and regulations imposed by man-made church systems which are nothing more nor
less than the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, mans puny
efforts, out of his own soulish concept of what is good, to legislate holiness
and spirituality. What things were gain to me, Paul said, those I
counted loss for Christ; yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss for the excellency OF
THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found IN HIM, not having my own
righteousness (good) which is of the law, but that which is through the FAITH OF CHRIST,
the righteousness which is of God by faith; THAT I MAY KNOW HIM
(Phil.
3:7-10).
That I may
KNOW HIM! For the excellency of THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS my Lord!
This is where the difference lies between the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the
tree of life. The tree of knowledge of good and evil can only impart to man a KNOWLEDGE OF
GOOD AND EVIL. Nothing more. The tree of life, however, imparts to men the KNOWLEDGE OF
CHRIST WHO IS LIFE! Let us exchange the knowledge of good and evil for the more excellent
KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. As long as we try to enforce rules, regulations, doctrines, dress
codes, laws, dos and donts etc. upon our brethren we are merely
feeding them from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Over the past several years, in
the fellowships we have been closely associated with, a number of people have been lead to
a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Some of these dear ones were cigarette smokers.
Knowing that such habits are a hindrance in the lives of those who would truly be
overcomers in the Lord we could have told these people, You must stop
smoking. You cant be a member of this fellowship as long as you smoke. You
cant function in our meetings until you get delivered. Smoking is a sin and will
destroy your spiritual life. We could have counseled these dear ones thus, but we
would have only been offering them some fruit off the tree of knowledge of good and evil!
So instead, we offered them fruit from the tree of LIFE! Rather than condemning them for
their smoking we ENCOURAGED THEM IN THE LORD. We received them. Loved them. Got them into
the Word. Ministered the baptism in the Holy Spirit to them. Shared sonship and the High
Calling of God with them. Unveiled the mysteries of the Kingdom to them. And guess what
happened! To my knowledge, every one of them was delivered from their cigarettes within a
very short time! Their deliverance was a PRODUCT OF LIFE, a working of the growth of
divine life within them. Death became swallowed up of life! Praise God! Herein
lies the difference between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of
life. The Son of God came that men might have life. He did not come to condemn. The sons
of God shall arise for the very same purpose, in the very same ministry life. The
world is condemned already. The whole creation is groaning and travailing in pain for the
manifestation of THE SONS OF GOD that they might be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of Gods Sons.
The
Spirit Of Knowledge
(continued)
These
things saith He that hath the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The sixth Spirit
of Sonship is the Spirit of the Knowledge of the Lord. In our last Study we noted that the
serpent, when beguiling Eve, offered her entrance into a REALM OF KNOWLEDGE. For God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be
as gods, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL (Gen. 3:5). When man fell, he fell into this realm of
the knowledge of good and evil. It was a realm of knowledge carnal
knowledge. Some teach that Adam and Eve were originally, before the fall, clothed with
some kind of bright Shekinah light. Nowhere does the scripture confirm such a
notion. The Record states just the opposite, in fact. And they BOTH WERE NAKED, and
were not ashamed (Gen. 2:25). They were both NAKED! When? After they sinned? No!
Before the serpent ever beguiled Eve, from the very beginning, the man and his wife were
both naked and had no shame in that nakedness. Nowhere does the scripture state or infer
that Adam and Eve were originally clothed with light and glory. What it does
say is that they were NAKED
but without shame in the presence of one another and in
the presence of God who walked and communed with them in the cool of the day. The only
difference was that after they sinned the eyes of them both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons (Gen. 3:7). In relation to their nakedness sin brought a KNOWLEDGE. They
KNEW that they were naked. Certainly they knew it! They had just
finished eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil! The tree imparted a
knowledge not the knowledge of God, but the knowledge of the exposure of their
flesh!
This dual
knowledge of good and evil is the inner condition and state of being of the people in the
world today! Hear this! The elements of that tree were not only the elements of evil; they
were the elements producing a knowledge of both GOOD and EVIL! The tree ministered to man
a KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD as truly as it ministered to him a KNOWLEDGE OF EVIL. Thus, the fall
introduced man into a realm of duality, of admixture: good and evil. The fallen man has
both these characteristics inherently working within him.
The problem is
that when man came into the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL he did not come into a better
condition. Man came to know good and evil but he didnt come to KNOW GOD!
He now possesses a knowledge of the good and the evil but alas! he does not possess the
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! Man chose the knowledge of good and evil but missed LIFE! He
chose good and evil and missed GOD! In the garden of Eden we have some startling
revelations from the different kinds of trees. Since the knowing of life was contained in
one tree and the knowledge of good was contained in another tree, it can be seen that life
and good are definitely different. Just as evil is something other than life, so also good
is something other than life. Just as evil is not life, so also good is not life. How we
who have been born of the Spirit of God need to thank God that, in our very beings is the
very LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS! This is even the tree of life, eternal
life, Christ as our life, which Adam missed!
CHOOSING
BETWEEN GOOD AND LIFE
We understand now
that God had just one intention for Adam and his posterity. God wanted to be the source of
Adams life, and I do want you to grasp all that means. With God as the very Center
and Source of life, Adam could announce with the Psalmist: All my springs are in
Thee (Ps. 87:7), and further, All my works are in Thee. The New Creation
man is a tripartite being corresponding to the three kinds of trees in
Perhaps it will
help us to use this simple diagram in explaining how God intends to live within our being
and express Himself through our personality and faculties. In the outer circle we have
mans physical body. It is by certain senses built into the body that man contacts
the world around him. He can see, hear, smell, feel and taste. Now the body is motivated
by certain biological drives such as hunger, thirst, sex, breathing, etc. When man becomes
overmastered by these biological drives he is not a spiritual individual, nor is he able
to serve God as he ought. Fallen man has become so dominated in his physical being that
the physical world and the desire of his body controls and rules him.
Next, in the
second circle, we have mans soul: the mind, emotions, desire and will, which make up
his personality. It is in this realm that we meet something more than just a physical man,
for we contact him in his mind, in his feelings, or in the strength of his will. As we
have stated, it is in both the area of the human soul and the human body that God designs
to express His own life, thoughts, love, nature, will and power through man.
Then, in the
innermost circle we have the spirit of the regenerated man the tree of life
the divine spiritual life of God in Christ in us. Man who was designed to be the dwelling
place of the Holy Spirit is really quite empty until God, by His Spirit, comes in.
He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit (I Cor. 6:17). It is from this
innermost area, the spirit, that God intends to fill and direct our whole being
thus expressing Himself from within to without.
Since that first
hour in the garden, there have been two ways open to man: the way of SOUL DEVELOPMENT and
the way of SPIRIT DEVELOPMENT. Is man going to become something on his own that will
enable him to operate apart from God? Or will he become subject in all things to God
thus sharing moment by moment from Him as the Source of his life. Well, we know, of
course, the choice which Adam made. He determined to partake of the tree of carnal
knowledge, for by the fruit of that tree he could decide for himself what was right and
what was wrong; he could live in that realm of knowledge independent of God!
At this point we
must be very clear. There is so much confusion, even among those who are
Spirit-filled! The way that God purposed for mans spirit-development was
by partaking of His Spirit, but also in DENYING HIMSELF THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE ANYTHING FOR
HIMSELF either good or evil. To live in the tree of life means to thoroughly
renounce and completely forsake the tree of self-knowledge; not only the EVIL of that
tree, but ALSO THE GOOD OF THAT TREE! It is strange that we have so long considered the
tree of knowledge as something only evil, bad or wretched. On the contrary this tree more
often appears as something GOOD, NECESSARY and IMPORTANT to our natural and spiritual
development! Through the centuries blinded religious men have been partaking of the
good of that tree even the GOOD RELIGIOUS THINGS
traditions,
ceremonies, rituals, organization, program, creeds, laws, regulations, promotionalism,
professionalism, personality etc. etc. Men have always sought to lose themselves in the
good religious things of popular religion so that they might be able to do better and live
better, yet independent of personal submission to the QUICKENING LIFE OF THE SPIRIT OF
GOD. So we see the crux of the matter: Was Adam going to take something good
that he might be independent and live by self-effort, or would he refuse even the good
that he might be wholly DEPENDENT upon THE SPIRIT OF GOD FOR ALL THINGS?
Never forget for
one moment, dear friend, that ancient serpent is still in the land today and ever tries to
frustrate us from walking by the life of God in our spirit. Soon after we meet the Lord in
a new birth experience the serpent does this by helping us to make a decision to do
good. No one is exempt from this subtle suggestion! Even this very day many of
Gods precious children have prayed, Lord, I want to do Your will; I want to
please You; I will try my best to do the things that satisfy You! This sounds like a
good prayer, but it is not from the Lord. It comes from the serpent! Whenever we have such
good intentions, determining by our self-effort to please the Lord, we are set for a fall.
The evil that we can overcome through our self-effort is not the triumph of the life of
Christ within us, but merely the suppression of evil by our good. The good we do through
self-effort is merely the good of our soul and is not pleasing to God for it is
self-righteousness. In my sonship dictionary there is not such a word as evil,
neither is there such a word as good! From the beginning to the end of my
sonship dictionary there is only one word CHRIST! I understand neither good nor
evil. I do not judge on the basis of whether a thing is good or evil. I do not want help
to do good. I only want CHRIST! My whole desire is unto Him that HE MIGHT LIVE OUT HIS
LIFE IN ME! Then I will not be good. I will be HOLY. There is a great difference!
Now you can
understand the Lords words, Abide in Me, and I in you; he that abideth in Me,
and I in him, the same BEARETH MUCH FRUIT (Jn. 15:4-5). Here there is nothing of
self-effort, only abiding in the indwelling One, and allowing Him to abide in us; then all
the riches and the glory of Christ Himself will be wrought out through our lives. The
whole
How vital that we
constantly acknowledge that CHRIST IS OUR LIFE! Within the soul of man is every good and
evil, but absolutely nothing of life. All the good of human zeal, knowledge, works,
morality, compassion, and even the good of religion is contained in the soul of man. How
many precious people are trying to serve God out of their soul, bringing all the good of
their soul over into the worship and serving of the Lord, rather than subjecting the soul
unto the Spirit that the Spirit may manifest life through the soul. This is the way of
Cain who brought unto the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. That means, simply,
that he brought an offering unto God out of his own earthiness, offering his own good
works unto God rather than, in symbol, LAYING DOWN HIS OWN LIFE as did righteous Abel.
The whole
babylonish system of religion serves God in the oldness of the letter. The entire
religious world is today walking in fleshly wisdom which seems so logical to the carnal
mind. Fleshly wisdom always seems to make more sense than does the wisdom of
God! Satan causes carnal wisdom to prosper because it is a denial of the life of the
Spirit, so that many times Christians and churches operate contrary to the Spirit with the
argument, it works! They continue in it. The program of the Church
is contrary to true spirituality, and is built generally around flesh-appeal activities of
ceremonies, musical concerts, social activities, ball teams, Sunday School contests,
puppet shows, movies, special speakers, sensationalism and other carnal tactics and
techniques, but the organizations continue in it because it works and causes
the church to prosper in numbers and in finances, while their spirits remain
dwarfed and hideously shriveled and stunted, if indeed they have ever been quickened at
all! It must be remembered that if anyone or anything prospers on principles other than
THE LIFE OF THE SON OF GOD, that person or thing is being prospered by the devil and not
by God!
The fleshly
religious systems of our day are ever seeking after some good tactic or method
by which to promote the
Oh brethren! How
we need to watch this! All that is not of life, of the Spirit, is merely the good of man
soulish. How much of our religious exercises have been soulish! I can tell you of a
truth that most of the power in the modern revival meeting is
nothing at all but soul power. Have you not noticed yourself that in many revival meetings
and church services a kind of atmosphere is first created to make the people feel warm and
excited? A chorus is repeated again and again to warm up the audience. The people are
feverishly urged to get into the spirit of the meeting. Some stirring stories
are told. Special music is sung. When the atmosphere is thoroughly heated up, the preacher
will then stand up and preach. He has various strategies ready to stimulate and maneuver
the people. If he does his job skillfully he can anticipate a large altar
call. These are methods and tactics, but they are not the power of the Holy Spirit!
Many preachers today think they have power; but they are merely employing psychological
soul power to influence people. Many have become self-made experts on the use of
psychology in manipulating people. The Bible Schools of
I can hear
someone saying, But if souls are saved by these methods, and people are blessed and
helped, arent these methods then good? Thats the whole point! They are
good. Theyre just not of God! Not of the Spirit. It is still the flesh serving God.
And God, in His incomprehensible mercy, can use even that. He also used a donkey and the
jaw-bone of an ass. But who wants to become a donkey or the jaw-bone of an ass? God wants
SONS! Why settle for less than God desires? Why settle for the good of the
tree of knowledge and forfeit the right to the TREE OF LIFE?
There was a man
two thousand years ago called Saul from the city of
Paul refused to
carry over his good natural, soulish abilities and tactics into the ministry of the
Spirit. He renounced them one and all that the power might be completely of God. Paul was
forever reminding the saints of that unfathomable gulf that lies between the soulish works
of the flesh and the life and power of the Holy Spirit. He wrote to the Church at
Many years ago as
a young boy I joined an evangelical denomination, attended their
Yes, the people
eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; the good of that tree, the
soulish serving and working for God, stirs their emotions of the moment. As people walk in
that soulish realm the stimulant used has to be increased from time to time. In order to
remain effective, the methods employed must become more and more emotional, psychological
and stirring. These kind of emotional blessings can best be described as a
spiritual fix. The people are on a high as long as the excitement
and emotion is being stirred but as soon as things settle back to the normal nitty-gritty
of daily living the pressures and problems soon cause them to hit a low. Thus,
working through soul power even if people go to the altar, get blessed, weep,
consecrate and become zealous is, practically speaking, WORTH NOTHING. It is not of
LIFE, therefore not eternal, and the dose needs to be injected time and again. This keeps
baby Christians entertained, but it will NEVER PRODUCE SONS!
Let us remember
that all works done through psychology, methods and emotion are questionable and
transient. In the work done through the Holy Spirit man does not need to exert his own
strength nor do anything by himself. If a work is done by soul strength one has to exert a
lot of energy and employ numerous methods and tactics and the result will depend upon the
skill and magnetism of the personality behind the pulpit. We all know some individuals
that seem to have a magnetic attraction about them. All magnetism of personality must be
nailed to the cross before the Holy Spirit can move in the pureness of His Life.
Today, after
years of experiencing the deep and vital dealings of the Spirit of God, after hearing the
Holy Spirits call to sonship, I totally repudiate all such soulish wisdom of the
carnal mind, all such fleshly tactics of Babylons kingdom, to bend low before the
disciplines of the Father of sons, to travail mightily that God would bend me, break me,
bind my soul power, bridle my Self, and block all that would proceed from my carnal mind.
If I have learned anything of the ways of the Father I have learned this one thing: He who
would be a son of God must be able to discern what is done from his soul power and what is
done by the Spirit of God; further, he must confess and utterly forsake all that pertains
to his own soul power, nailing it to the cross of Christ, that ultimately his own faith,
as well as that of his hearers, may be found to stand solely in the power of God and not
in the wisdom of the flesh. This is the only route, my dear brother and sister, into the
glorious reality of sonship to God. All the good works of the soulish realm can never, in
a billion years, deliver the creation from its bondage to tyranny and corruption. Only the
mighty working of THE LIFE OF THE SON OF GOD can accomplish this. It is evident that the
soul can only live by itself, it has not the power to make others live. It is the Spirit
that QUICKENETH; the flesh PROFITETH NOTHING.
Recently I was in
a meeting where the saints have an open pulpit with liberty for each member of
the body to move in ministry of the word, worship, singing, gifts, exhortation, etc. as
they are moved upon by the Spirit. A young Pentecostal evangelist was present, and, taking
advantage of the open pulpit, got up and ministered his highly emotion-oriented message,
at the conclusion of which he pressed the people to come forward for him to minister to
their needs. One dear sister, with a physical condition, went up and presented herself
before the young evangelist, whereupon he immediately motioned for one of the brothers to
come up and stand behind this sister. He proceeded to pray for her, shaking his finger
sharply in her face three times, shouting each time, In JESUS name!
After the third time he forcefully slapped her on the forehead, jerking her body backward,
whereupon she at once fell out under the power. She lay on the
floor a couple minutes, then got up. I saw at once what was happening!
This was not the
Spirit nor the power of God in operation! It was pure mesmerism, a psychologically induced
experience. It came from human exercise, not an enduement of power from God. As soon as
the next person went forward to be ministered to I stood and quickly walked to the front
to help minister. When the evangelist shook his finger in this brothers face and
jolted him backward with a slap on the forehead, I had already placed my hand on his back,
gently exerting enough pressure to stabilize him. I continued this procedure through the
rest of the personal ministry, and needless, to say, NO ONE ELSE FELL! If the Holy Spirit
would have been knocking those people down, there would not have been enough strength in
my body to keep them from falling! I have witnessed this fleshly technique time and time
again in Pentecostal and Charismatic meetings! The method used is, frankly, one of the
oldest tricks out of the bag of dirty tricks. You see most Spirit-filled
Christians desire supernatural experiences. This is natural, and not necessarily to be
condemned! However, when you know people are actually wanting and longing to experience
the sensational, in this case falling under the power, the first step in
making them fall through the use of hypnotic suggestions is the feeling that in case they
do fall, someone is there to catch them and break the fall. Furthermore, by calling the
person up to stand behind them you have psychologically suggested to their mind that they
WILL FALL, so that now they are actually, consciously or subconsciously, expecting to
fall! All that is needed at this point is to give them the incentive to fall. The young
evangelist did this with the sister when he shook his finger in her face, repeatedly
shouting In JESUS name! Through the motions of this exercise she was
being psychologically prepared for what was coming so that when he hit her on the
forehead, shoving her backward, she reacted exactly as she had been conditioned to react
she fell!
I am fairly
certain that this precious sister was thoroughly convinced that the Holy Spirit knocked
her down! Do I, then, not believe that there is a genuine experience in which saints
fall as dead men under the anointing power of the Holy Spirit? I have seen it
with my own eyes! It also happened in Bible days, and is, therefore, quite scriptural! It
happened to men such as Daniel (Dan. 10:4-10), Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:3-4), and John (Rev.
1:10-18). It has happened to many others, then and now. Certainly it is real. But we must
be no longer children, tossed to and fro by every smart preacher, nor by every zealous
Charismatic babe in Christ, nor by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby
they lie in wait to deceive (Eph. 4:14). Those that God has called unto maturity as sons
must be able to discern between soul and Spirit, between that which is of man and that
which is FROM ABOVE.
The unvarnished
truth is that anything you can be taught and trained HOW TO DO is not of the Spirit but of
the flesh. If you are able to learn through teaching, instruction and training HOW IT IS
DONE then you merely have a FORMULA, a technique. There is no life in formulas! Today
people run about from seminar to seminar, from conference to conference and from school to
school to LEARN HOW to witness, how to win souls, how to prophesy, how to exercise gifts,
how to get people baptized in the Holy Spirit, how to cast out devils, how to heal, and
HOW TO DO a host of other things which are all rightly and exclusively THE WORK OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT! How much better it would be if they would spend their time, like Mary of old,
at His feet, learning TO KNOW HIM and to KNOW HIS WAYS. How much better if the time were
spent on their knees, very low and humble before God, that He might place within them a
DEEP DISTRUST OF THE FLESH. How I pray that God would truly reveal to all His sons that
the one great hindrance to the walk of sonship is the power of the flesh and the efforts
of the self-life. Open our eyes, we pray Thee, to this snare of Satan. May we all see how
secret and how subtle is the temptation to have confidence in the flesh, to feel that WE
KNOW HOW TO DO IT, how easily we are led to perfect in the flesh what has been begun in
the Spirit. May we learn to trust Thee to work in us by Thy Holy Spirit, both to will and
to do only those things which THOU ART DOING!
THE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE LORD
I trust by now
you have caught a glimpse of what is the difference between good and
life. My heart cries out that the God of all wisdom and understanding will
open the hearts of all who read these lines that they may see that the only thing of any
importance in the whole universe is that we might KNOW GOD! Adam stood squarely between
these TWO TREES OF KNOWLEDGE, one giving the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, the other the
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! The knowledge of God is not an accumulation of dead facts, but a living
reality that springs like a resurrection from the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE which is in truth a
manifestation of the Holy Spirit of God. That I may know Him! was the cry of
the apostles heart. Yea, Paul wrote, I count all things but loss
for the excellency of THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS my Lord! (Phil. 3:7-8). The tree
of life is naught but the knowledge of the Lord. Jesus declared: And this is life
eternal, that THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE the only true God, and JESUS CHRIST, Whom Thou hast
sent (Jn. 17:3). Jesus surely should know what constitutes eternal life for He is
Himself the Source of all life and upon him rested the fullness of THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF
GOD, including the SPIRIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD (Isa. 11:2).
What is eternal
life? To KNOW HIM! It is receiving the resurrection life of the Lord within. Why do the
scriptures say we are regenerated through the resurrection of the Lord instead of the
birth of the Lord? Because the new life received IS NOT THE LIFE OF
God has planned
and purposed to reign within His sons in life! The acorn contains within its tiny self all
the elements of the giant oak that centuries from now will tower over the spot where it
fell into the ground. The infinitesimal single cell of human life conceived in the womb of
woman contains all the elements of the mighty man who will one day walk abroad and govern
the earth. Thus our heavenly Father plants the seed of His incorruptible life in the
hearts of feeble men, for Christ IN YOU is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).
Our Father has
planted the seed of the
This is the
attitude of all true sons of God, my beloved. Nothing less than this will suffice. May the
Spirit of the Knowledge of the Lord rest upon all Gods sons! But grow in
grace, and in the KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR Jesus Christ (II Pet.
There is no
knowledge of God in the natural mind. The pulpits of the churches today are filled with
men who seem to think they know everything. They depend upon the degrees they earned in
seminaries, imbibing the traditions of the elders. They have burned the
Harry Rimmer once
related the following story which points out the absurdity of the reasoning of the carnal
mind. Mr. Brisbane began his comment by referring to the novelists dare and
the failure of God to answer. Without any personal remarks on the subject, Mr. Brisbane
then said this: Out in the
When he had
finished his description of this mighty transportation system, the skeptical ant said,
I do not believe a word of it. How would it keep on running? So the
intelligent ant described the personnel who operate this great system and told how a man
named Benjamin Storey lived in a place called
Mr.
Brisbane humorously concluded by saying, Cant you imagine the busy president
of the Santa Fe Railway, with the destinies of that great concern in his hands, closing
his desk and suspending his business to dash out to New Mexico and step on one red ant,
just to prove that he did exist? And this ingenious and clever retort so laughed the
famous skeptic out of court that we have heard nothing of his demonstration since.
The parable
is exact. Men who deny the existence of God, by comparison, are in the identical class
with insects that deny the existence of men.
And men who scoff
at the deep spiritual truths of God, or who comprehend them not, are in the same category.
Now we must declare that the moment a man comes to truly know God all the wisdom of his
natural mind commences to become foolishness to him, for the wisdom of man, even
seminary-learned religious wisdom, is utter foolishness with God. Henceforth he is
unlearning the things he thought he knew. The doctrines and traditions that were his pride
and joy often become completely repugnant to the new nature and mind of God given him.
The following
words of wisdom are from the pen of Paul Mueller. As WITH each of these SEVEN
SPIRITS OF GOD, the Spirit of knowledge is not the Lords anointing upon the limited
knowledge which might be contained in our natural minds, but it is THE SPIRIT OF THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD imparted to us by the fullness of the anointing with the seven
spirits of sonship. The prophet Hosea was moved upon by the Holy Spirit to point out
Paul
further wrote of the fact that THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD brings about a change in our lives so
that we do not serve the flesh any longer. The apostle admonishes us: Casting down
imaginations (or reasonings), and EVERY HIGH THING that exalteth itself AGAINST THE
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is
fulfilled. (2 Cor. 10:3-6)
This
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS A SPIRIT: it is a portion of GOD HIMSELF imparted to us in a new
anointing in glory and power, an anointing MANY TIMES GREATER THAN WE HAVE KNOWN IN THE
PAST. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our
hearts, to give THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD in the face of Jesus
Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6) It may sound like a complicated process, but the simple truth
is that God desires that we SEE CHRIST AND COME TO KNOW HIM. This, indeed, is the
knowledge which we are to partake of presently.
The apostle
sheds further light and understanding concerning the knowledge of God in his epistle to
the Ephesians: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
unto you THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM
(Eph.
1:17) It is by the spirit of revelation that we will come into the understanding of the
mysteries and truths of God and His kingdom. Therefore, we join Paul in praying that our
Father would grant that Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him unto all
who are His chosen ones. And when we are enlightened by the spirit of wisdom and
revelation, we are taught of the Holy Spirit as our understanding increases and we come
into THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. This knowledge is not more head knowledge or brain power,
but it is the very thing Paul desired most when he said: Yea doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: for whom
I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I MAY WIN
CHRIST
THAT I MAY KNOW HIM, and the power of his resurrection
(Phil.
3:8,10) Paul further stated that the Lord has given His ministries to His body, Till
we all come into the unity of the faith, and of THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, unto A
PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
(Eph.
4:13) This knowledge of God is not more doctrines about Him, nor is it an intellectual
concept of what or who God is. This KNOWLEDGE OF GOD can only be received by an
impartation of divine revelation and wisdom, and it is increasingly evident that the Lord
has committed this spirit of revelation to His elect.
The apostle
Paul expressed his desire for the Colossian believers and prayed for them,
that ye might be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being
fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God
(Col.
1:9-10) Paul also wrote of Christ, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. (Col. 2:4) He also advised us concerning the new man, which is
RENEWED IN KNOWLEDGE after the image of him that created him
(Col. 3:10) This
new man of which the apostle writes is the new spiritual man which we are and
which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of Christ. The obvious
method by which we are to be completely transformed is to first submit to the leadership
of Christ, thus allowing our spiritual man to become predominant. Then as we submit to the
new man, the spiritual man, our minds are being renewed in the knowledge of Christ, and it
is BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS THAT WE SHALL BE TRANSFORMED IN OUR BODIES. (Ro. 12:2)
Therefore, it is important that we partake of Christ, that we eat His body and drink of
Him. It is communion with Christ which will RENEW OUR MINDS WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE, thus
preparing us for the complete transformation of our bodies into HIS IMAGE AND LIKENESS. As
we maintain communion with Christ and receive His revealed truth, our minds are being
renewed with His knowledge, even though we may not feel that anything is taking place. But
a very sure work of the Spirit is taking place within our minds and our spirits as we
commune with Christ.
Peter advised us to partake of the divine
nature and to add to our life the many attributes of Christ. Then he said, for if
these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. (2 Pe. 1:3-8) In closing his
book, Peter warned the believer of the danger of being led away with the error of
the wicked, and from falling from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pe. 3:17-18) And it is
a fact that we shall not fall from our own steadfastness if we are constantly growing in
grace and IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST. When we begin to discover some of the vast
purposes of the Lord BY REVELATION, we will express wonderment and joy as Paul did, when
he exclaimed: O the depth of the riches both of THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD! how
unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Ro. 11:33) We will
continue to commune with Christ, partaking of HIS WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE unto that glorious
day when we shall be anointed with THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD, receiving not the
intellectual knowledge, but THE SPIRIT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, knowing Him AS HE IS.
The prophet
Ezekiel described what appears to be the completed Christ company. He described this
company as a living creature that was full of eyes round about. (
Those eyes
are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Rev. 5:6) That
whole, corporate being was full of eyes round about. Those eyes, which are the seven
Spirits of God, were penetrating everything with the superior vision and foreknowledge of
God. Nothing anywhere is beyond His vision and understanding. Whether He looks at a person
or the whole world, he sees not only the outward form, but the inward, as well as the
past, present and future of that which He sees. Those seven eyes search, explore,
penetrate, and discern all things. The seven Spirits of God pierce through everyone and
everything with a vision that defies human understanding. Yet every member of the Christ
body shall be endued with that same vision, perception, understanding and wisdom, for they
are all anointed with the seven Spirits of God.
We also see
that the Head of this body, which is Jesus Christ, looked in a certain direction and the
whole body followed Him with precise and immediate obedience. There was no hesitation or
debates. As soon as the head looked, the whole body followed Him. Thus it shall be when
the Christ body is fully joined to Christ the Head to form one complete, corporate man.
That holy union shall result in a body functioning like a wheel within a wheel. Not one
among them shall walk in their own ways, as has been the case during this age, but the
entire company shall move with the unity and harmony as of a wheel within a wheel.
The spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ is the result of having anointed and
enlightened spiritual eyes. The law, statutes and commandments of the Lord enlighten the
eyes (Ps 19:8), and this has been a vital part of our training and growth in God.
Jesus
functioned solely and completely by the eyes of the mind of Christ. He did
only those things He saw the Father do. He said, The Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things so ever He doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that
Himself doeth: and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
(Jo. 5:19-20)
Jesus had a
spiritual vision that was beyond the ability of mere mortal man to comprehend. He did not
see these spiritual things by the eyes of the natural mind, whether it be inspired or
anointed. The things He saw the Father do, He saw by the mind of Christ, or by
the Spirit. But there is much more to be done by the mind of Christ. The Fathers
works are not yet completed. The wonderful work of the Spirit to restore all things back
to God again, among other things, still remains to be done. It shall be fully accomplished
by the wisdom of the mind of Christ and not by mans carnal mind and works. Jesus
said that the Father will show Him (Christ) greater works than these that ye may
marvel. Those greater works are yet to be fulfilled by the Christ body. And we shall
do those greater works when we have the mind of Christ and can see
as Jesus saw in the Spirit.
GROWTH
Mans God
gets bigger each time a man grows.
His Lord becomes greater, the more a man knows.
One time, a lone mountain, His total domain.
He grew with His people, their gain was His gain.
In
He stayed with his people, their place was His place.
He grew with their concepts, He grew with each thought.
Bigger and bigger grew all that He wrought.
From sacrificed
creatures
to sacrificed will.
From temple that held Him
to heavens to fill.
From war with the heathen
to love for all men.
He grew, and he grew, and He grew
again.
I know God is
constant
His size cannot change.
And never, no mountain, could limit His range.
Gods quart in our pint? Such greatness in man?
God shows us as much, each day, as He can.
A soul that is
hard
sees not the Lords kindness.
A person thats rude
sees not the Lords fineness.
As children were apt to misunderstand.
So oft misinterpret, the heavnly command.
We limit
Gods size
cause we are so stunted.
Its not the Lords fault, that we are thus runted.
As we grow in grace
As we grow in love.
So groweth our God
We keep learning of.
The
Spirit Of Knowledge
(continued)
These
things saith He that hath the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
TWO KINDS OF
KNOWLEDGE
In our last Study
we saw that when man came into the knowledge of good and evil he did not come into a
better condition. Man came to know good and evil but he did not, through that
knowledge, come to KNOW GOD! In the garden of Eden we have some wonderful revelations from
the different kinds of trees. Since the knowing of life was contained in one tree and the
knowledge of good was contained in another tree, it can be seen that life and good are
definitely different things. Just as evil is something other than life, so also is good
something other than life. Just as evil is not life, so also good is not life. How we who
have been born of the Spirit of God need to thank God that, for us, there is no longer
merely the two realities of good and evil; there dwells now within our beings the very LAW
OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE of Christ Jesus! This is truly the TREE OF LIFE, eternal life,
Christ as our life which Adam missed!
May the Spirit of
God impress deeply upon the hearts of all those who seek after life the absolute necessity
of completely and totally renouncing the knowledge of good and evil to seek exclusively
the KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. Paul writes of those who have the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through the IGNORANCE that is in them, because of the
blindness of their hearts (Eph.
One of the seven
Spirits resting upon the first-born Son is the Spirit of the Knowledge of the Lord. There
is a wonderful and yet fearful thing being wrought in the earth in this hour, something
which never has been before, and yet is seldom recognized by even the Christian people,
and that is how the darkness is becoming darker, and the light is becoming brighter. The
prophet declared, For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
darkness the people (Isa. 60:2). Yet it is also spoken of another people, that
the path of the just is as the shining light, that SHINETH MORE AND MORE (brighter
and brighter) UNTO THE PERFECT DAY (Prov.
We live in the
age of science. Our English word science comes from the Latin word SCIENTIA
meaning knowledge. Science is defined as knowledge of facts and laws
based upon careful observations and logic verified by means of experiment and additional
observation. Thus, science is simply that broad field of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. The cry
everywhere in this day is for education and knowledge. The prophet Daniel declared,
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end: many shall run to and fro, and KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED (Dan. 12:4), and
this is certainly being fulfilled in this hour. Mans own natural HUMAN KNOWLEDGE of
the world and the universe around him has increased until it staggers the imagination to
try and comprehend the scope of what research is uncovering, and the marvels of this
Computer Age and Space Age into which man has been so speedily propelled. And yet, in the
very midst of this fantastic increase of HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, there is a great and
incomprehensible darkness that is covering over the people, and they do not know what is
actually taking place, they are not aware of the forces at work behind the scenes, and do
not discern that this whole complex system of things is destined to soon pass away amidst
great distress and perplexity of men upon the face of the whole earth.
With certainty do
I declare to you that the world is today filled with a knowledge that is leading it to
destruction, while vast multitudes of the people of God are chained with the shackles of
death and tradition; but, praise God, God is separating a people from reliance upon any
portion of the knowledge of this world that He might impart to them the SPIRIT OF
KNOWLEDGE, for the Kingdom of God is now at hand when the whole earth shall be filled with
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9). The Spirit of the
Knowledge of the Lord that rests upon Jesus Christ shall now, in these last days, come to
rest heavily upon those glorious pure virgin sons of
THE KNOWLEDGE
OF GOD
Again and again
the precious Holy Spirit exhorts us to seek after the knowledge of the Lord. II Pet.
Jesus tells us in
John 17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. The Amplified Bible gives a wonderfully
expressive rendering of this: And this is eternal life: it means to know, to
perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand YOU, the only true and real
God, and to know Him, Jesus Christ
whom you have sent. This is most striking, that eternal life consists
in KNOWLEDGE, or rather, the PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, for the present tense of the verb
GINOSKO (to know) marks a continuance, a progressive recognition and perception of God in
Christ. Let us examine more closely this thought of an eternal life which comes by a
progressively expanding inward knowledge, or the KNOWING OF GOD. I can state confidently
that the degree to which we KNOW GOD FROM WITHIN determines how much of God we have and
how much we experience Him as our life. Thus, the knowing of God and the development and
growth of His life within are fully related.
An understanding
of this important truth will show us why the life that comes by knowing God is
called eternal life. Eternal is one of the words of scripture which everyone
thinks he understands, but there are few who realize what a deep and glorious meaning it
has. It is supposed that eternal is something merely that always continues, something that
has no end. That is true but it is not what the Greek word used here indicates. The
word for everlasting or eternal as used for punishment and
everlasting or eternal as used with life is the same word in the
Greek AIONIOS.
Some sincere and
well meaning people assert that if AIONIOS does not mean eternal, that is, if the
punishment is not eternal, then the life is not eternal. If the "aionios
punishment" ends, then the "aionios life" of God must end, say they! That
sounds like a reasonable argument, but when one searches beneath the surface he discovers
that it merely reveals the ignorance of those who labor the point. Let us see!
The noun AION
nowhere means eternal. Its simple meaning is an age. In its plural form it means ages. We
have unquestionably and incontrovertibly demonstrated this fact from numerous New
Testament passages. Now once we understand that AIONIOS is the adjective form of the noun
AION, a simple little sixth-grade grammar lesson should once and for all establish the
exact meaning of AIONIOS.
A noun is a word
that tells what you are talking about. A noun is a word that names something, a person,
place, thing, quality, etc. Boy, water, tree, age and truth are all nouns. An adjective is
a word that is used with a noun to describe it. It is a word that tells you what kind,
what color, which one, etc. If you wanted to tell me about the hat a woman was wearing you
would describe the hat in some way. You might say that it was a large hat, an atrocious
hat, or a red hat. These are adjectives, words that describe what kind, what color of hat.
When you add one or more of these "describing words" or "adjectives"
to hat, you give a clearer picture of what the hat is like. Some words are both nouns and
adjectives, that is, the same word can be used both ways. Sometimes the adjective form of
the word is identical to the noun form, while at other times the spelling is slightly
different. Look at these sentences: "I would like to visit
Let me
illustrate. If we say "John is in college," the word college is a noun. But if
we say, "John has sixteen college credits," college is an adjective, modifying
the word credits - telling what kind of credits. Now we all know what a college is - an
institution of higher education that grants degrees - so we understand what kind of
institution John is attending in the first sentence. Since we know the meaning of college,
when we come to the second sentence we have no difficulty understanding what kind of
credits John has - college credits - credits gained through study in an institution of
higher education granting degrees! No one in his right mind is going to read the second
statement and conclude that John has just finished kindergarten, or that he has a diploma
showing that he finished sixteen lessons in leather craft at the YMCA, or that he has
$16.00 worth of credit at a department store! College as a noun and college as an
adjective cannot have altogether different meanings. They mean the same in both cases!
Ah, brethren,
let's be fair with the basic rules of English grammar and interpretation, and Greek, too,
for they both follow the same basic rules. No one can say that AIONIOS means eternal
without breaking the basic rules of English or Greek. The adjective AIONIOS which is
directly derived from the noun AION occurs seventy times in the New Testament. It is an
axiom of grammar that derivatives cannot have a greater force than the parent word. When
we have an adjective derived from a noun, the meaning of the adjective is dependent upon
the meaning of the noun. A daily paper is one that comes every day. A monthly bill is due
for payment every month, not once a year. A yearly automobile license is good for one
year, not for ever.
Thus the
adjective AIONIOS, a derivative of AION, carries within itself its own solution; for
AIONIOS is simply what belongs or relates to the AIONS - the ages - hence it cannot carry
a force or express a duration greater than that of the ages of which it speaks. If
therefore these ages are limited periods, some of which are already past, while others are
yet to come, the word AIONIOS cannot mean infinity!
And yet men who
should know better tell us that the Greek noun AION means an age, or ages, which is TIME,
and then proceed to ridiculously explain that the adjective form of the same word means
exactly the opposite - unending, everlasting, ETERNAL! A child of ten should be able to
understand that that is not so. The adjective AIONIOS modifies two nouns in Matt. 25:46
and numerous other passages: punishment and life. "And these shall go away into
everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." It tells what kind of
punishment and what kind of life Jesus is talking about. It is ages-lasting punishment and
ages-lasting life, or better stated THE LIFE OF THE AGES. Now I can hear someone
protesting, "But isn't the life we have received from God ETERNAL LIFE?"
Certainly God's life is eternal life. But we have received that life injected into TIME,
so that the inworking of that life through the processings of God is experienced in
relation to TIME rather that ETERNITY. Let me explain. Anything that is absolutely eternal
is not only unending, but is also UNCHANGEABLE. Anything that changes in any way is not
eternal, for in the change some characteristic is left behind and a new one acquired. In
every change something ends and something else begins, at least in form. That which dwells
in an eternal state knows NO CHANGE. Change is possible only in that which is limited,
imperfect, or not fully developed. The Lord declares of Himself, "I am the Lord, I
CHANGE NOT" (Mal. 3:6), and the inspired apostle says of Him, with Whom there
is no VARIABLENESS, neither shadow of turning" (James
This phenomena
called time was created by God for man. Why? Time is the womb from which God is birthing a
people like unto Himself. We get the germ, the beginning and foretaste of eternity in
time, but this is only the seed of eternal life. This womb of time is provided to aid man
in his development, to assist him in preparation for a new, totally spiritual existence
beyond time, beyond the last age, when the umbilical cord is cut, in a state of existence
called eternity. Man, as he is dealt with by God, is passing from a gross, largely
material consciousness, int a glorious spiritual existence. Time serves only as an
instrument to help man, to give him time and experience to develop into that new state of
being. In time there is change in eternity there is no change. All change and
development must take place in time.
Thank God! We are
being changed! But that means that the life of God within is still in a limited,
imperfect, underdeveloped state. That life as to our condition and state of being is
limited, imperfect, and in some measure immature. God has dispensed that life into us in
time, that through a process of time with its experiences the spiritual life may be
perfected and matured, brought to the fullness of that which HE HIMSELF IS. When the
process is completed and we are like Him fully and see Him as He is, there will BE NO MORE
CHANGE. We will then truly know what ETERNAL LIFE is! But as long as the life within is
passing through the process of change, growth, and development, it is not viewed as
eternal, unchangeable life, but as the LIFE OF THE AGES, life undergoing the dealing of
God in time.
The object of
scripture is to teach us that if our faith lays hold on what is eternal, it will manifest
itself in us as a power superior to all the changeableness of our mind or feelings or
circumstances, with a vitality that never grows old, and with a freshness and fullness
that does not for a moment wither. It is, therefore, more than merely an endless duration
of life it is a QUALITY of life! Not only will this life never end, but, more than
that, it IS, at all times, and under all circumstances, unchangeably, WHAT HE IS! This
life can never be altered, diminished, frustrated or overcome. When we commence to live in
this life we become a people who ARE. We ARE what His life IS! As this life develops and
matures within we become constant in His nature, without fluctuation, unvarying,
regardless of external circumstances or pressures. The maturity and fullness of this life
means that we shall BE LIKE HIM, unchangeably and forever! Oh, son of God, is there not
within your soul the insatiable thirsting to truly know the fullness of such a life, to be
partaker not only of the unendingness of His life but to abide ever in HIS UNCHANGING
NATURE? This is precisely the transcendent purpose of the Father in ETERNAL LIFE!
We know who the
Lord Jesus is. He is the Son of the all-glorious God, the manifestation of the
Fathers nature, glory and perfection. When He had been on earth it could be said of
Him, We show you that ETERNAL LIFE which was with the Father, and was manifested
unto us (I Jn. 1:2). In Him we see God, even the Father. In Him we see how God would
act were He here in our place on earth. Yea, in Him we see how God IS. In Him all that is
beautiful and lovely, holy and perfect in the being of God Himself is revealed to us in
the form of an earthly life. If we want to see what is really counted as worthy and
glorious in the heavenly realm, if we would see what is really DIVINE, we have only to
look at Jesus; in all He does and is the glory of God is shown forth. And now it is HIS
ETERNAL LIFE that has been given to us!
One can only
become a partaker of the life of Christ by virtue of coming to KNOW HIM. This is why Jesus
said, And THIS is life eternal, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent. Though Paul had been converted through his
supernatural encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road; though he was forgiven, cleansed,
justified, Spirit-filled, called to be an apostle, mighty in word and deed, yet, with what
travail of soul did he cry out: That I may KNOW HIM! He desired to yet know
Christ in the fullness of the power of His resurrection and in the complete fellowship of
His sufferings that in that fuller and deeper experience of KNOWING CHRIST he might be
CONFORMED UNTO HIS LIKENESS.
The eternal
purpose of God for man has been that man would know Him. God delights in man knowing Him
and therefore declares, For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and THE KNOWLEDGE OF
GOD more than burnt-offerings. Then shall we know, if we FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD: His
going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain (Hos.
6:6,3). All that God has done and shall yet do in His redemptive purposes is in order that
we may know Him. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in
their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and they
shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:
for ALL SHALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest (Heb. 8:10-11).
When we are
regenerated, the Spirit of God, containing Gods eternal and divine life, enters into
us that we may have the capability of knowing Him from within. Therefore, the knowing of
God constantly increases with the inward growth of His life. It is only because God has
given us His life that we can know Him. This can be understood by the fact that every
creature in the universe can only fully relate to another being with the same kind of
life. What bird can understand or relate to the ways of a man? What man can understand
even the language of a dog when he barks? To man all dogs bark essentially alike and one
dogs bark is much the same as another dogs bark. However, animal behaviorists
have demonstrated that dogs talk in their barks and growls, actually
communicating with one another in definite patterns of dog speech. This
ability is inherent in their nature.
Man likes to
think of himself as the only social being on earth. However, every created
life form in the whole universe is what we call social. Social
means that there is definite relationship, understanding and communication between beings.
This social aspect is based in the ability of a being to know another being,
thus sharing with that being a common inherent understanding, relationship, and ability to
communicate, all of which is due to the oneness of their life and nature. The social
aspect is only realized within a species between beings of the same
kind. Why does a cat bow its back and spit when a strange dog
passes by? Why will a dog chase a cat but will sniff another dog? This is
because a cat can only fully relate as a social being to another cat and a dog only fully
relates to another dog as a social being.
The simplest
aspect of social behavior among animals is seen in the herding of cattle, the
schooling of fish, and the flocking of birds. However, social
animals do much more than just stay together, they do things together. A family of
ducklings in the park goes through a common rhythm. Later in the day they will feed,
keeping close together wherever they go. On other occasions they will bathe together, and
after a bath they swim to the shore together and spend half an hour or so preening,
standing next to each other. Then they fall asleep, side by side. But notice! These are
all ducks, sharing a common life and nature. There are no dogs with them following the
same routine, snuggling close. Why? Because one can only understand, relate to,
communicate with and have fellowship with another being with the same life and nature.
Therefore, one can only truly KNOW another being of the same kind!
To carry the
illustration further, in the animal kingdom there is often a division of labor between
members of a group. This is seen in its most rigid form in the castes of
social insects. In a beehive, there is a queen, there are thousands of workers, and at
certain times of the year there are males or drones. Each of these castes has its own role
in the hive. Even the jobs of the workers are divided up; depending on their age they will
feed the brood or do the outside foraging or stand guard and repel strangers, while others
take care of the ventilation of the hive. One of the uncanny abilities of bees is that
when they find a new source of nectar, they come back to the hive and communicate in some
manner to the other bees the straight line and the distance to the source of supply, even
though they came from that source by a circuitous route! They are able to calculate the
true angle as they fly by an indirect course, something which would be very difficult for
people to do, and then relay that complex information to the other bees! It is a marvelous
thing that bees can do this.
Some animals
express themselves to others of their kind through a simple posture, or a change of color,
or by giving off a particular scent, and some, such as porpoises, are highly intelligent
and lead extremely complex social lives. But what bee can understand the language of a
porpoise, or what duck would comprehend the intentions of a cichlid fish when it sets its
fins in a certain position and changes its color pattern to say that it is protecting its
territory? What beast of the field can comprehend the actions or intentions, the desires
or aspirations of men? And what natural man, made lower than the angels, can
perceive the things pertaining to the angelic realm, and what angel, created by the
marvelous hand of God but NOT BEGOTTEN OF GODS OWN DIVINE LIFE, can understand those
glorious things appointed to the sons of God who are born of Gods Spirit and called
to share even His throne and inherit all things? I have cited all these illustrations to
point out unmistakably the truth that every being in the entire universe can only
know those other beings that share their own common life and nature.
This explains why
God had to give us HIS LIFE before we could KNOW HIM! As I have stated, when we are born
of God, His spirit, containing His life, enters into us that we may have the capability of
knowing Him from within. This knowing of God gradually increases as His life develops and
matures within us. The more His life grows within, the better we know Him. The better we
know Him, the more we will experience Him as our life, enjoy Him, understand His ways, act
in His nature and allow Him to live out through us in our whole being. Thus we may say
that all the growth of our spiritual life depends upon OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, and our
knowledge of God depends upon the growth of His life within! This gives us a fresh
understanding of the absolute truth of Jesus statement: And this is life
eternal, that they might KNOW THEE the only true God
THE THREE STEPS
IN KNOWING GOD
Ps. 103:7 says,
He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of
THE ACTS OF GOD
There have been
vast multitudes of people who have seen the acts of God. Man knows Gods acts by what
He does and performs. The children of
Again, for
example, when the multitudes of Jesus day saw the miracles the Lord performed
turning water into wine, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, casting
out devils, feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes, calming the
stormy sea they knew His acts. Such were the mighty acts of God done before the
eyes of all the people. And today, when we are sick and are healed by God, when we meet
danger and are preserved by God, when we have needs that are supplied by God, when we pray
and are answered by God, when the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifested in our
midst, we are made to KNOW THE ACTS OF GOD. When we thus experience the acts of God, this
is our first step in coming to know God. Many of the Lords people choose to live
exclusively in this realm of Gods acts. The people who are living in this first
realm of the knowledge of God are usually those who follow after healing
campaigns, miracle meetings, and major in their emphasis in sensational
manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit. This is all a part of our coming to know God,
but I do not hesitate to declare to you that such knowledge is shallow and outward.
The children of
Things have not
changed much in two thousand years nor in thirty-five hundred years! During this century
multiplied millions of people have seen the mighty acts of God. Under the largest tents in
the history of the world, in the grandest auditoriums of our great cities, in huge
stadiums, in churches, across televisions screens and through the air waves untold
multitudes have witnessed a miracle, a wonder, a sign, a healing, a gift of the Spirit, a
word of knowledge, the casting out of demons, and some in their zeal to behold the acts of
God continually run from campaign to campaign, from revival meeting to revival meetings,
from prophet to prophet, in the hope that someone will call them out of the audience and
tell them once again some secret things, their address, or phone number, or what a great
and powerful ministry they are going to have someday. They hope to feast their inquisitive
eyes upon yet another sign or wonder, and yet, for all this, they STILL DO NOT KNOW GOD!
They have seen His acts, as did
We live in the
sister cities of El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico with a combined population of about two
million people, and I dare say there are no more than a couple hundred people in this
entire metropolis that have even the foggiest notion of what Gods eternal purposes
might be. The churches are packed every Sunday with thousands of Christians observing
time-honored traditions, listening to endless sermons and doctrines about God, some even
speaking in tongues and zealously giving themselves to manifestations of the ACTS OF GOD,
and yet, few know the transcendent power of CHRIST WITHIN to CONFORM THEM INTO THE IMAGE
OF THE SON OF GOD, that they might KNOW HIM even as they are known of God. How we thank
God for His mighty acts, and rejoice in each and every one of them! And yet, Gods
people must understand that this is but the first step in knowing God, and such knowledge
is not the ultimate, but is, indeed, shallow and outward.
THE WAYS OF GOD
The children of
To know
Gods ways refers to knowing the principles by which He does things. It means to
understand what is in the mind of the Lord as He deals and works out His plan and purpose
in our lives and in the universe. When Abraham pleaded for
When the children
of Israel continued to murmur after Korah and his band rebelled and were consumed, Moses,
having seen the appearing of the glory of Yahweh, said unto Aaron: Take thy censer,
and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon, and carry it quickly
unto the congregations, and make atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from
Yahweh; the plague is begun (Num. 16:46). This shows that Moses knew the ways of
God. he knew that when man acts in a certain way, God will react accordingly.
Samuel told Saul:
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Rams
(I Sam.
In I Chron. 21
the story is related of Davids sin of numbering the people of
When we know the
principles by which God acts and does things, we have the second step in knowing God. This
knowledge of Gods WAYS brings us one step beyond merely knowing His ACTS. Before the
acts of God are performed we know what He will do, why He will do it, and how He will do
it. This knowledge of the ways of the Lord can greatly increase our faith in prayer, and
enable us to prevail with God in many areas. When we minister the Word of the Lord with
the absolute confidence that it shall not return void, but shall accomplish what the Lord
pleases (Isa. 55:10-11), we move upon the basis of a knowledge of the ways of the Lord.
When we step out in faith to perform the will of God in our lives when all the external
circumstances declare that it is foolish, or that it cannot be done this shows that
we have come to know something of the ways of the Lord for has He not demonstrated
to all the mighty in faith since time began that He will always move His great and mighty
hand in behalf of those who dare to obey Him in simple, childlike trust?
As our lives
become oriented toward the things of the Spirit because we understand the fact that
he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth
to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, our lives are lived out in
accord with our knowledge of the ways of the Lord.
As we learn to
know His ways we come to know and judge things from Gods viewpoint. Many in this
hour are warning of impending judgment upon this great land of ours because they
UNDERSTAND the principles upon which God acts and reacts. One of these principles is
stated in Ps.
And yet, by the
eye of the Spirit, my vision penetrates beyond the ominous storm clouds of impending
judgment that shall strike the nations with terror in these closing days of a passing age,
to see the glories that lie beyond in that glorious age to come when the sons of God shall
arise to govern the world in righteousness through the seven Spirits of God which are
continually before His throne the power, glory and nature of His everlasting
government and dominion. I can see a better day coming and it is coming very soon
For God has allowed us to know the secret of His plan, and it is this: He purposed
long ago in His sovereign will that all human history should be consummated in Christ,
that everything that exists in heaven or earth should find its perfection and fulfillment
in Him
For it has pleased the Father that all the divine fullness the sum
total of the divine perfection, powers and attributes should dwell in His (Christ)
permanently. And God purposed that through Him all things should be completely reconciled
back to Himself, whether on earth or in heaven, as through Him the Father made peace by
means of the blood of His cross (Eph. 1:9-10, Phillips, Col. 1:19-20, Amplified
Bible).
Yes, beloved, God
is teaching us HIS WAYS. How we praise Him!
And yet, though
such knowledge is good and wonderful beyond the ability of my stammering tongue to
express, those who have truly received the call to sonship are aware that even this
knowledge IS NOT ENOUGH, it still falls short and leaves deep within our spirits an empty,
unfulfilled void, a deep that calleth unto deep. Even the knowledge of the ways of God is
not sufficiently deep and inward. After we have known His mighty acts, after we have been
taught and disciplined by Him to know His ways, there is still the cry, That I may
KNOW HIM!
We have known His
acts as did the children of
We have known His
ways as did Moses, but Moses was a servant over the house of servants.
Christ is a SON
over the HOUSE OF SONS, which house we are.
Of the SON it is
written: No one FULLY KNOWS and accurately understands the Son except the Father;
and no one FULLY KNOWS and accurately understands the Father except the Son AND ANYONE TO
WHOM THE SON DELIBERATELY WILLS TO MAKE HIM KNOWN (Mat. 11:27, Amplified Bible).
As members of the
house of sons we have no desire to merely know His acts, as did the house of servants.
As members of the
house of sons we cannot be satisfied with the knowing of His ways, as was Moses, the head
and prophet of the house of servants.
We would KNOW HIM
as does the SON. We would KNOW GOD HIMSELF!
The
Spirit Of Knowledge
(Continued)
These
things saith He that hath the SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD (Rev. 3:1).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE and of the Fear of the Lord (Isa.
11:2).
The hour is
certainly at hand when all who would be sons of God must come to KNOW HIM. In our last
Study we wrote of the vast difference between men who only know something about God and
men who KNOW GOD HIMSELF. The sixth of the seven Spirits of God which rest upon our
glorious Head, Jesus Christ, is the Spirit of THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. This same Spirit
of Knowledge must also come to rest heavily upon the body of Christ, for the anointing
which we have received has been received from him, that through it we may be taught
ALL THINGS (I Jn. 2:27). The eternal purpose of God for man has been that man would
know Him. All that God has done and shall yet do in His great redemptive purposes is in
order that we may know Him. God delights in man knowing Him and therefore declares,
And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and they shall not
teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for ALL
SHALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest (Heb.
Ps. 103:7 says,
He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of
Man knows
Gods acts by what He does and performs. All the men that have witnessed all the
great miracles of God from the days when God smote the Egyptians at the hand of Moses down
to the latest healing or answer to prayer in this our day, have been witnesses of the
mighty acts of God. Knowing the acts of God is our first step in coming to know God, but
such knowledge is shallow and outward.
To know
Gods ways refers to knowing the principles by which He does things. It means to
understand what is in the mind of the Lord as He deals and works out His plan in our lives
and in the universe, to comprehend the way God thinks and judges about things, how God
will act and react to our actions toward Him. This knowledge of Gods ways brings us
into the second step in coming to know God; and yet, though such knowledge is high and
marvelous beyond words to express, even this knowledge is not sufficiently deep and
inward. After we have known His mighty acts, after we have been taught and disciplined by
Him to know His ways, there still remains the cry from the deep within us
That
I may KNOW HIM!
KNOWING GOD
HIMSELF
One can only know
another person through that persons person-ality. Personally is the individual
quality that makes a person WHAT HE IS, and therefore different and distinct in being from
any other person. God is a PERSON. He possesses PERSONALITY. This means that God has
QUALITIES of being that make Him different and distinct from every other being in the
universe. The personality of God can be known principally in four areas: life, presence,
fellowship and nature. As we come to touch these four areas of God we come to KNOW HIM.
Thus, to know God Himself is to know the PERSON of God through contact with His life,
presence, fellowship and nature. As soon as we are regenerated by the power of the Holy
Spirit we receive into our lives the PERSON OF GOD as the indwelling Spirit, the substance
of our new creation life. This means that we receive into us Gods Personality
and from that time we come to know God in His Personality. Through the life of God within
we can now touch GOD HIMSELF; in other words, we know God Himself. This knowledge is
different from the first two steps of knowing Gods acts and His ways from without.
This is knowing God from WITHIN!
Many people think
because they have seen and experienced Gods acts and by observation and dealings of
God have come to understand something of His ways, that they therefore know God Himself.
This is not the case. For example, here in the
At this time we
have two men in the
And this is how
it is in our relationship with God! We may know Gods acts and His ways from without,
through observations and dealings, and yet not truly know God Himself. In Old Testament
times, God manifested only His acts and His ways to men. Therefore, at that time man could
only obtain the first two steps of knowing God. Now that the New Testament time has come,
now that the veil has been rent, now that God has consecrated for us a new and living way,
now that we have boldness to enter into the Holiest of all by the blood of Jesus, now that
God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father; now,
though we still should know the acts and ways of God, yet, the more important and glorious
thing is that GOD HIMSELF dwells within us to BECOME OUR LIFE! This enables us to touch
God Himself and know Him from within. We can now touch God in His Personality
through the indwelling of His life, His presence, His fellowship and His nature. This
third step in knowing God, the knowing of God Himself, is a special provision for those
who are born of the Spirit called to be SONS OF GOD.
In the New
Testament the principal Greek word for know is GINOSKO. Ginosko has to do with
intelligent comprehension of a matter, in both the objective and subjective senses.
Objective knowing is gained by carefully acquiring all of the pertinent facts
about a person or thing. It is the basis of scientific inquiry. Subjective
knowing is gained through personal experience with the reality which lies
behind the facts. Complete understanding is based upon full knowledge gained by both
methods. For example, I may know (objectively) that a red-hot stove can burn my hand. If I
observe a pot of food cooking on the stove, I am made aware that it could likewise cook my
flesh in the same manner. Through observation, reflection, and logical conclusions, I
know this can happen. This is objective knowing based on human
reasoning. However, I cannot fully know these things, in the biblical sense of
GINOSKO, until that most unfortunate moment when I might actually strike my hand against
the stove. Then, and only then, do I know fully that a red-hot stove can burn
my flesh. This experience provides me with subjective knowledge of the matter! In like
manner only those who have lost sons in war truly know what such an experience
is, just as one must give birth to a child to know about childbirth in the
fullest sense. This is also how it is in KNOWING GOD. One must have a personal encounter,
a participation in His life, if he is to truly know the Lord!
Gods
purpose in making Himself known to us in the revelation of all that He is is so that we
might become partakers of His divine nature through the indwelling Christ. This was the
message burning within the apostle Peters heart when he wrote to the saints:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus
our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto
life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust. (II Pet. 1:2-4). In the Wuest Expanded Translation of the New Testament the
word knowledge is more properly shown to be EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE. That is
the clear meaning of the Greek word EPIGNOSIS. It is not mere head knowledge, or hear-say
evidence, but it is experiential knowledge, the knowledge received by the revelation of
the Holy Spirit which is constantly working within us. No doubt there are vast numbers of
Bible students and scholars who are well versed in the head knowledge about God and His
acts and His ways, but it is the knowledge gained by the actual inworking of God within
our lives which will work to establish the character of the divine nature and power in us
and fashion us into the expression of His glorious Person.
Knowing God in
His acts and His ways is the objective knowing of God, gained by observation of His
doings, and through studying the scriptures, attending meetings, etc. How we rejoice that
there is also the subjective knowing of God in which we EXPERIENCE HIM within, coming to
know Him more and more, day by day. Many testify of their experiences with God
such as visions, healings, miracles, speaking in tongues, etc., and while we thank the
Lord for all His benefits it is not of these experiences that I speak. God grant us more
than experiences with God or from God! for all of these are still found in the realm of
Gods acts and Gods ways. It is only the EXPERIENCING OF GOD HIMSELF in the
hidden depths of the spirit, in life and nature, that can cause us to truly KNOW HIM.
The deepest
prayer within my heart is that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation from God will move
mightily upon all who seek after God in this hour that they may see that no man can ever
know God until God comes to him personally as an unfoldment and revelation to his heart.
God must REVEAL HIMSELF in revelation to each individual heart or all will fall short of
knowing Him. We can know His acts and his ways by listening to sermons, reading articles,
hearing tapes, studying the Bible, attending meetings, fellowshipping the saints,
ministering to peoples needs, and by joining in a multitude of other religious
exercises that occupy the time and energy of most Christians. But, beloved, you will
NEVER, in a thousand years, come to KNOW GOD HIMSELF in any of these activities! You can
come to know Christ by being with Him where He is, by touching Him in His Personality in
the Spirit.
You come to know
Christ fully in His life when at last your own life is laid down in crucifixion as was His
upon the cross. Then, when you have been crucified with Him, you will live as He lives for
now it will be Christ living in you.
You come to know
Him in His presence and fellowship when there is fulfilled within you the words of the
prophet: The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before
Him (Hab. 2:20). It is not the earth of mountains and valleys, of streams and
forests, but THIS EARTH WHICH WE ARE that must learn to keep silence before God, for it is
this earth of our body which IS THE TEMPLE of God, bought with His precious blood and
consecrated to be an habitation of God through the Spirit (II Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-22).
This earth, with all its carnal desires and ambitions, with all its fleshly wisdom and
zeal, must be brought to holy silence and reverence before the King; and we must come to
know Him, not in the abundance of words by which we constantly clatter in prayers,
entreating God for this thing, and that blessing; but in waiting patiently before Him and
listening UNTIL HE SPEAKS TO US. Place yourself, dear one, in the full light of the
Fathers countenance to enter into the holy silence and adoration of faith, in which
you wait upon God, until he reveals Himself to you, and gives you, through the Spirit, the
loving assurance that He knows you as a Father, and that you are well pleasing to Him.
It is in holy
quietness before God that the deepest witness of the Spirit comes, testifying to our
spirits that we are the sons of God, and there the Father draws nigh and delights in us
and we enter into the full enjoyment of the Fathers love.
It was at the
commencement of Jesus public ministry that an event happened which so attracted the
attention of His disciples that they wrote it down. After a day full of wonders and of
work at
Oh my
brother! if you and I would be sons of God, we must especially contemplate Jesus praying
alone in the wilderness. There is the secret of His marvelous life. What He did and spoke
to man, was first SPOKEN AND LIVED THROUGH WITH THE FATHER. He who would be like Him in
His walk with the Father may simply begin here to follow Jesus into solitude. Even
though it cost the sacrifice of night rest, of business, of intercourse with friends, of
ministry to desperate needs, the time must be found to be alone with the Father. Besides
ordinary times of prayer and fellowship, he who would know the Father will be at times
irresistibly drawn to turn aside from all that seems so good and needful, and not come
thence until it has anew been revealed to him that God is his portion. The Sermon on the
Mount was not a message to babes teaching them how to act to be good little children of
God; it is the very essence of the PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, instructing SONS OF
GOD how to be the sons of their Father, in what nature to live and reign in the Kingdom.
In that wonderful Kingdom teaching the first-born Son reveals the great truth that it is
the closet, in the secret chamber, with closed door, or in the solitude of the wilderness,
that the Father must be fellowshipped every day and our communion with Him maintained. If
Jesus, the first-born among many brothers, needed it, how much more we! What it was to Him
it will be for us.
Much intercourse
with man is dissipating, and dangerous to our spiritual life: it brings us under the
influence of the visible and temporal, of the carnal and fleshly. Nothing can atone for
the loss of secret and direct intercourse with God. And while we greatly appreciate the
blessed fellowship with other saints of like mind and spirit, yet it must be quickened to
our hearts by the Spirit that it is FROM HEAVEN ALONE that the power to walk in A HEAVENLY
LIFE on earth can come!
You come to know
God in His nature when your own mind, will, desires, ideas, plans, ambitions and
self-seeking are completely and utterly abandoned for the excellency of His divine mind
and will. Jesus said, As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father:
so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me (Jn.
With all its
blindness, the world knows that self and selfishness are the curse of sin. It helps but
little that Gods people tell that they are born again, and that they are happy, that
they are baptized in the Spirit and speak in tongues, that they can do wonders in
Jesus name, or can prove that what the scriptures teach is the truth. I declare to
you that when the world sees a company of sons from whom self and selfishness are
banished, then it will acknowledge that Christ has come to be glorified in His
saints, and to be admired in all that believe in that day (II Thes.
His glory
is filling His temple,
Theres light in the face of Christ,
In Sons there is coming expression,
Of the indwelling Prince of life,
Were beholding the King in His glory,
In the light that the Spirit brings,
All the heavens and the earth shall worship Him,
For He is the King of Kings.
KNOWING GOD BY
THE SPIRIT
One can come to
know God only through Jesus Christ and by the revealing power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus
said in Jn. 14:16-18 and 16:7,13-14: And I will pray the Father, and He shall give
you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him;
for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will
come to you. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send
Him unto you. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all
truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He
speak
He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto
you.
The world cannot
receive the Holy Spirit because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him. Because the world
is carnal and lives in the realm of the flesh, it can accept only those things that can be
analyzed by the five physical senses. The world receives not the Holy Spirit because it
sees Him not; but he who believes God sees and knows in a realm unfamiliar to the natural
man. Once you believe even the simplest things of truth, then the Holy Spirit is able to
begin to open to your heart the vast storehouses of Gods unsearchable riches. While
the natural man is affirming that seeing is believing, the Son of God is saying,
Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of
God? (Jn. 11:40). The truth is that believing is seeing.
Some may wonder,
if God revealed Himself and His eternal purpose in Jesus Christ, why then is another
light, another teacher, another revealer, after Him, needed? Why did the Holy Spirit have
to be sent to teach, lead, and REVEAL CHRIST? The necessity for this is obvious from
history. The heathen world by wisdom knew not God (I Cor.
There is a
Russian palace, a famous Saloon of Beauty, in which are hung over eight
hundred and fifty portraits of young maidens. These pictures were painted by Count Rotari,
for Catherine the Second, the Russian empress; and the artist made a journey, through the
fifty provinces of that vast empire of the north, to find the models for his paintings. In
these wonderful portraits that cover the walls of this saloon, there is said to be a
curiously expressed compliment to the artists royal patron, the empress, a
compliment half concealed and half revealed. In each separate picture, it is said, may be
detected, by the close observer, some hidden, delicate reference to the empress for whom
they were painted. In one picture will be included some feature of Catherine; in another
there is some attitude of Catherine reproduced, or some acts, or some favorite adornment,
or some cherished place, some jewel, fashion, flower, style of dress, or manner of life
something peculiar to, or characteristic of, the empress so that the walls
of the saloon are lined with over eight hundred half concealed, half revealed, silent
tributes to her beauty, or compliments to her taste. So inventive and ingenious is the
spirit of human flattery when it seeks to glorify a fellow human, breaking its flask of
lavish praise at the feet of an earthly monarch.
In like
manner the scriptures are a picture gallery, and it is adorned with tributes to the
blessed Christ of God. In one portion may be seen a prophetic portrait of the coming One
as the great Prophet, in another part He is portrayed as the great Priest, and yet again a
typical sacrifice portrays the bleeding Lamb, here a prophecy of the royal King who should
rule all nations and dominions, there a person or event that foreshadowed the greatest of
Persons in His love, wisdom, mercy, judgment, power, or some other characteristic of His
being and nature. But, in whatever form or fashion, whatever guise of fact or fancy,
prophecy or history, parable or miracle, type or antitype, allegory or narrative, from
Genesis to Revelation the discerning eye may everywhere find HIM the all-glorious
Son of God!
It was
Look at the
very disciples of our Lord. They were drawn to Jesus by the Father. Their knowledge that
Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, came not by human nature, by flesh and blood, but
was from above. They loved Jesus with all their hearts, cleaving unto Him with all the
powers of their affections. And yet, while He was here in the flesh, they understood not
the scriptures, nor did they understand His mission, His death, resurrection, ascension,
nor yet the nature of the Kingdom He should bring into being. Even the personal teaching
and instructions of the Lord, received with their most intense admiration and affection,
were not sufficient to open their understanding to the glorious and eternal realities set
before them. Only their subsequent infilling with the mighty life and power of the Holy
Spirit could finally cause them to comprehend this one eternal fact: THE HOLY SPIRIT ALONE
CAN LEAD US INTO TRUTH! God is in Christ; Christ is the Truth; but the Holy Spirit alone
reveals Him who is God manifest.
But let us go
higher than the proof of actual history and experience. God in His great love reveals
Himself. It is His gracious will that we should know Him. In Christ Jesus He manifests
Himself perfectly. Jesus is Light, full of brightness and glory. And yet we require
another light to see the True Light. How is this? How can it be? It is simply because
there is no other God but the One Who has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Holy
Spirit. Father speaks of God in heaven: When ye pray, say, OUR FATHER which ART IN
HEAVEN, Hallowed be Thy name (Lk. 11:2). Son speaks of God manifested: No man
has ever SEEN GOD at any time; the only unique Son, the only begotten God, Who is in the
bosom of the Father, He has declared Him He has revealed Him, BROUGHT HIM OUT WHERE
HE CAN BE SEEN (Jn. 1:18, Amplified Bible). Holy Spirit speaks of the energizing and
quickening power of God moving and working throughout the universe and in our hearts and
lives, revealing the invisible God who has been manifest in Jesus Christ: For what
man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the
things of God knoweth no man, but THE SPIRIT OF GOD. Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that WE MIGHT KNOW the things that are
freely given to us of God (I Cor.
God reveals
Himself. But who is God revealed? Who else but the Son? It is the glory of Christ that He
manifests the Father and it is the glory of the Spirit that He glorifies and reveals to
the heart God who is manifest in the Son. Still we do not have three Gods, but ONE
the eternal, invisible God in heaven, manifested on earth as the Son, and revealed within
our hearts by the Spirit.
Remember, there
is no bridge from this world unto the realm of the celestial; remember, there is no ladder
from this earth realm unto that which is high and holy in eternity, unless from yonder
shore and from yonder height God Himself comes down and reveals Himself unto us. Amor
descend it, was a saying of the ancients. Love descends from heaven. What God in His
infinite love, wisdom, and power hath treasured up in Jesus Christ, He then gives us BY
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Thus, what the Holy Spirit reveals and imparts unto us is
the knowledge of realities which are eternal in God.
The Spirit brings
a living knowledge, the knowing and experiencing of God within. It is not information, not
an insight into doctrines and creeds and ideas, or an appreciation of their beauty and
grandeur. Men may have such knowledge vast and deep, and yet be destitute of the grace of
God and uninhabited by the Spirit of God. To know God IS ETERNAL LIFE. This knowledge of
God, the knowing of Him, is the spiritual, never-ending life which the Spirit creates
within us. This knowledge is therefore also an experience of God. Having been born of the
Spirit we know the Father, and He IS our Father; we know Christ, and He IS our life, and
we possess Christ. We do not have merely the picture or image, but the substance of
eternal realities.
KNOWING CHRIST
AS HIS BRIDE
Any man can come
to know something of the acts and ways of God, but only those born from above, who also
follow on to know the Lord, can ever come to know Him in the most wonderfully personal and
intimate manner. This depth of knowing Him is like the intimate relationship
of a man with his beloved wife, in which love he seeks to reproduce after his own kind. In
fact this is precisely the way in which the scriptures in a number of cases make use of
the word know to declare the giving and receiving of human seed in the
act of love. For example, we read in Gen. 4:1: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she
conceived, and bare Cain. This statement does not mean that Adam was able to
recognize his wife as she walked about the house! Knowing, in the sense of
recognition, does not beget children! When Adam knew his wife he explored her
emotional and physical being, and she knew him in return in a personal and
intimate way that words could never communicate. Only by the experience of the sexual
relationship does man know woman in this sense, and she him.
In like manner,
it is only in that exquisite relationship where the believer completely yields himself to
the Spirit, the presence, the mind and the will of God, and proves by his wholehearted
response that he totally and truly loves the Lord, that he knows and is known of God. This
is the basis for
As God continues
to deal in this hour with a people, to bring them into His fullness, there are questions
which arise concerning definitions and applications of terms which the Spirit of God is
bringing forth as He speaks to His elect. Two of the terms which the Spirit is emphasizing
are BRIDESHIP and SONSHIP. Some become confused by these terms and wonder whether there is
a difference between the two or whether the bride and the sons are the one and same
company of people. If we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying there need be no
confusion at all. God wants us to UNDERSTAND!
It should not
take much reflection to reach the conclusion that a bride and a son are NOT the same! If
you are a married man with a family, think! are your wife and your son the same?
Though it is evident that they are two separate persons, what is it that really makes the
difference? You may answer, "Well, one is female and the other is male." True,
but that is still not the basic difference! A member of your family maybe female and yet
NOT be your wife. She could be your daughter, your mother or your sister. Likewise, a male
member of your family may be someone other than your son. So, while it is true that a wife
is always feminine and a son is always masculine, the primary difference is one of
RELATIONSHIP the WAY in which they are RELATED to you. In like manner, through the
new birth we have come into the God Family the very universal Family which is GOD!
And being birthed into the God Family we are now related to God, we have entered into a
FAMILY RELATIONSHIP with Him; true, glorious and eternal kinship to Him in His very own
life-form and species!
One can enter
God's Family only by birth. Jesus said, "Except a man be born again... he cannot
enter into the
There are so many
profound and beautiful ties between Jesus and the elect, which are shadowed forth in the
tender relationships between Adam and Eve; for Adam was in reality both father and mother
to Eve, and then she was not only his child, but his sister as well, and also his wife.
The same person can stand in varied relationships, filling different roles, while
remaining the same person. All the right and natural relationships in which human beings
stand to each other are meant to reveal something in God some relation in which He
stands to us. He is as a King to His subjects, giving them laws and governing them for
their good. He is as a Father to His children, providing for their needs, training and
disciplining them in love to become mature members of the Family of Elohim. But there is
something, if one may say so, deeper than even this - something that corresponds to the
tenderness of a mother, especially in her gentle power of comforting the weary and wounded
spirit of her child. Isaiah cried out in the spirit of wisdom and revelation and declared,
"For thus says the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the
glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; then you shall be nursed, you shall be
carried on her hip, and be trotted on God's maternal knees. As one whom his mother
comforts, so will I comfort you" (Isa. 66:12-13, Amplified).
The word
"one" in the passage above is in the Hebrew A MAN. And the prophet is not
thinking of a little child, but of the grown man. His words are, in the original, "As
A MAN whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you." The feminine name of God is
EL SHADDAI meaning "the breasted a woman's breast" and indicates the One
who out of maternal bountifulness is the shedder-forth of blessings, comfort, nourishment
and life. There is something in God which corresponds to that power of tender
mother-comfort, something of which, indeed, earthly mother-comfort is only the shadow, the
earthly reflection. Ah the motherhood of God! Consider the wonder of it! And when we get a
clear spiritual discernment of these multiplied relationships of God to us, it breaks us
into perfect abandonment to Him, and draws us like the resistless tide of a sucking
whirlpool, down into the fathomless gulf of His love and all-sufficiency!
As God becomes so
many things to us, even Mother, so must we become many things to Him. When God created man
male and female in His image He revealed that He is Himself male and female in His
attributes and nature. In spiritual maturity we enter into relationship with God in all
the facets of His nature. We may truly become the bride of Christ and the sons of the
Father and many other things as well. The bride relationship bears the feminine nature
whereas the sonship relationship bears the characteristics of the masculine nature.
Aggressiveness, boldness, strength, valor, authority, power and dominion are among the
traits of the masculine sex. Hence the Lord says to the overcomer, "He that
overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My SON. To him
will I give POWER over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. To him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with MY FATHER in His throne" (Rev. 21:7; 2:26-27; 3:21).
Modesty,
gentleness, tenderness, love, sensitiveness and dependence are attributes of the feminine
sex. Spiritually, these are the characteristics of the bride of Christ, as the apostle
says, "Wives, be subject - be submissive and adapt yourselves to your own
husbands as a service to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the
Head of the church, Himself the Saviour of His body. As the church is subject to Christ,
so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives,
as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the
church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things
that she might be holy and faultless" (Eph. 5:22-27, Amplified).
Can we not see by
this that brideship bespeaks the spiritually feminine relationship of intimate love and
reverent submission to Christ, whereas sonship embodies the spiritually masculine
characteristics of strength, authority, power and dominion to rule and reign over all
things. Ah, beloved, let us never become so overbalanced in our zeal to become SONS OF GOD
that we circumvent the marvelous reality of BRIDESHIP! The simple but sublime truth is
that THE WAY TO SONSHIP IS BRIDESHIP! This is why the Spirit has given us in Revelation
chapter twelve the example of a glorious sun-clad woman giving birth to a remarkable
man-child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron. It is the inworking of brideship
that births the realm of sonship. Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the truth and the life;
no man COMETH UNTO THE FATHER but by Me." Your relationship to Christ as a bride will
forerun your relationship to the Father as a son. Brideship is the harbinger of sonship.
It is through intimacy of fellowship and vital union with Christ, made ONE IN HIM IN LOVE
that we are initiated into that illustrious glory of strength and dominion over all things
as sons of God. This is a true principle in God that I hope no earnest saint of God who
reads these lines will miss!
While we write
much in these pages of the glorious truth of sonship, we want to contemplate in our
meditations at this time what it means to be the bride of Christ. If you have never really
fallen in love with the Christ of God and made HIM YOUR HEAD and ABSOLUTE LORD
don't ever expect to be a son. If you are not truly VIRGIN in your desires toward
the Lord; if you are not walking in the Spirit, keeping yourself unto HIM and unto HIM
ALONE; if you have never really forsaken the company of the wanton harlot of Mystery
Babylon, the carnal religious systems called the church; if you have not renounced the
schemes and plans and ambitions of the carnal mind nor abandoned your love of the world
and the desires of the flesh don't expect to be birthed into that glorious company
of the sons of God who shall set creation free from bondage and corruption. If you have
any other love before Him, any other master that rules your life, any other lord that
dictates your actions, any "reserved" areas of your life, then you have not yet
learned HOW TO B-E A BRIDE to Christ! One must first BOW in feminine love and submission
to Jesus Christ the Lord as a wife before he can pass beyond , birthed to
stand tall and erect in the majesty and splendor of sonship. It's just that simple. There
IS NO OTHER WAY!
Only the blessed
Holy Spirit can teach us how to truly BE a bride. As I have pointed out, the key to being
a wife is love and submission. We are prone to think of submission in such a carnal way.
The term conjures up images of the husband ruling, bossing, lording it over, barking
commands to his wife while the little woman, intimidated, coweringly complies with his
every demand. But true, godly submission is the LOVE of a woman that is so pure and
intense that she wants to yield herself to the high desires of her husband a woman
so in love with her man that it transcends infatuation her submission becomes a
willing and loving laying down of her own life until she no longer has a life because HER
LIFE IS SURRENDERED TO ANOTHER! Her cry becomes, "I don't want my life ... I want to
SHARE YOURS." Oh! most of us know so little of HOW TO BE A BRIDE!
I think I
understand why so often men fall in love with their secretaries and leave their wives. A
secretary is TOTALLY DEVOTED to the man by whom she is employed. His every wish is her
desire; and a good secretary even anticipates his needs before they arise. Men are always
impressed by such devotion in a woman. She has no goals of her own. Her only priority is
to meet his needs. And, my beloved, when once we enter into the bride relationship to
Christ we lay down our own identity and take upon us a new nature. In the feminine aspect
of this nature we learn to yield obey this is the action of our will, giving
our will over to become aligned with HIS WILL. Submission is more than blind obedience to
demands laid upon us, it is the loving surrender of the will, otherwise one will soon
revolt and try to throw off the yoke, or find a way of escape. But when it is OUR WILL to
do HIS WILL we stand steadfast and carry on. There is a giving up, a surrender of our
will, that is, the flesh-motivated will, the carnal-minded will, BUT HIS WILL IN US IS TO
BE RETAINED AT ALL COST. God is working in us "both to will and to do of His good
pleasure" (Phil.
LOVE! Ah, this is
the key. There is a call to love HIM so passionately, that everything else appears as
hatred in comparison. When we are mere children, we love Him out of a childish, immature
love. We love Him primarily for what He GIVES US. When you hear someone testify, "I
love the Lord BECAUSE He saved me," or "I love the Lord BECAUSE He healed
me," or "I love the Lord BECAUSE He answers my prayers and supplies all my
needs," you know that you listen to the testimony of a CHILD, imperfect in love. That
kind of talk is like the girl who married a rich man and said, "I love John because
he provides me with a million-dollar beach house, a new Mercedes, a mink coat, and
$1000.00 a week spending money!" Obviously, she loves John ONLY FOR HIS MONEY! Should
John lose his wealth her love would soon die. And most immature Christians, the
"children" of God, profess to love God basically out of these same selfish
motives. But a true wife loves her husband FOR WHO AND WHAT HE IS! When a wife really
loves her husband, she loves him just as much if they are poor and have nothing. As God
brings forth a people into brideship to Christ, this people is coming to love our Lord
Jesus Christ FOR WHO HE IS and not because of the blessings and benefits received from His
loving hands. Children are always excited about the GIFT, but the bride is excited about
the GIVER!
Do we really love
Him, or are we merely using Him? Do we know what it means of come into His sweet presence,
asking nothing, but only reaching out to HIM with gratitude and thanksgiving for loving us
so completely. Haven't we become very selfish and egocentric in our prayers? We will pray
to save
"For I am
jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may
present you as a CHASTE VIRGIN to Christ" (II Cor. 11:2). To be a virgin means to be
pure, undefiled and separated unto our Lord. God is creating the desire in a people in
this hour to be truly VIRGIN in their desires toward Him. We have known what it is to be
conformed to the course of THIS WORLD. Then we have known what it is to trust Christ as
Saviour while remaining entangled in all the defilement of a corrupt babylonish religious
church system. But God is calling forth a glorious body of Christ who, because of the
quickening of the Holy Spirit, is desiring to be VIRGIN separated only unto her glorious
Bridegroom, unto intimate and vital union with Him! How lightly we sometimes take the
purposes of God in us! It is one thing to be washed in the blood, freed from all our past
sins, and quite another thing to truly be virgin in our desires to keep ourselves only
unto the Lord for union with Him. Separation is coming from everything of the flesh, the
world and the devil and from every vestige of entanglement with false religious
Just this morning
I was reading a splendid article by Lyn Gitchel which I am deeply impressed to share with
our readers. Lyn writes: "Today, most of God's people, that are aware at all of what
He is doing, are readily admitting that we are on the verge of a new day, a new dimension
in the Lord. Everywhere you can hear the trumpet call of the message that His kingdom is
near. Dry and parched bones are awakening at the sound of His voice and are arising to be
prepared as a mighty army to meet the enemy and take the kingdom. The word
"kingdom" is heard more than ever before... and expectancy... is arising in the
hearts of those who are waiting for Him.
"All this is
good, but I have become aware of one thing. In all the striving for perfection, teaching
of the kingdom, and preaching of the gospel of redemption that will be completed this side
of eternity, we are strangely far from the real goal of it all. Some are striving for a
greater understanding of the scriptures and the things of God, and some for a bigger and
better revelation than ever before. Some are striving to become like Him, formed into His
image; some are looking to become His dwelling place on this earth. Some are seeking to
become mature 'sons,' and others are looking towards becoming the 'order of Melchizedek.'
All these are fine goals, but they are not THE GOAL that God intends for us. The goal, and
the only goal, is set out in the first commandment which bids us seek God first with every
part of our being. To move into Him; to establish a ONENESS WITH HIM - this is the only
central goal of it all. So often we are seeking something so close to the real thing - and
yet not the real central goal. We seek God in order to receive something from Him - or to
be made holy, or like Him in some other way. We seek Him to have Him dwell in us, or to
have His power, or joy, or peace. None of these are wrong! They are just not the goal!
"What kind
of response do you think you would get if you were moving into a love relationship, with
the intention of marrying that person, and then, when they asked you why you wanted to
enter into that depth of relationship with them you replied, 'So that I can become like
you!' or, 'So that I can have your power!' Too often that is the way we look at God. We
have sought to come close to Him so that we might become like Him, or so that His power
might be seen in us. Both are admirable desires, but they are not desires that will be
fulfilling to the heart of God. He wants us to draw close to Him, not that we might become
like Him, or that His nature be found in us (though, inevitably, that will happen), but
solely to draw close to Him BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM FOR WHAT HE IS. He wants us to come to Him
WITH NO OTHER INTENTION in our hearts but to fellowship with Him, to love Him, and to
appreciate Him, sharing with Him all the love-flow of our hearts. Everything else, no
matter how fine a goal, must be second to that!" -end quote.
To the venerable
prophet banished to the desolation of
In Rev. 21:9 the
messenger entreats the apostle John, "Come hither, I will show you the bride, the
Lamb's wife." The message is clear "Come hither and I will show you a
COMPLETED PERSON, a PERFECTED PERSON, or, if you please, a CORPORATE BODY OF COMPLETED AND
PERFECTED PEOPLE!" The holy city of
It will take the
mighty spirit of revelation to penetrate the glories of which I now write: When God
created man in the beginning He did not immediately create a man AND a woman. He made only
a man. The word man and the word Adam are the very same word in
the Hebrew. Adam is simply the Hebrew word for HUMANITY or MANKIND. It is not the name of
a particular person. The first man was one person alright (Rom.
We find that in
chapter two of Genesis God said: It is not good that man should be alone; I will
make him an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and
he slept: and He took ONE OF HIS RIBS, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the
rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the
man (Gen. 2:18,21-22). Let us note that the word rib does not adequately
describe what God took out of Adam. The Hebrew word here translated rib is
TSELA which is only translated as rib two times in the Old Testament, whereas, it is
translated two times as chamber, nine times as side chamber, and
nineteen times as side! Curiously enough, when the scriptures speak of the
chambers in Solomons temple, this same word is used! What, then, did God
take from Adam to make Eve? A rib, or a chamber? It is my deep conviction that God removed
from Adam a chamber, a VITAL PART of his being, the female aspect, leaving
with Adam the life-giving organs, and giving to Eve the womb, the life-nurturing organs.
If God used only a rib, a BONE, then when He brought Eve to Adam he should have said,
This is now RIB OF MY RIB! or, This is now BONE OF MY BONES
PERIOD! But Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, AND FLESH OF MY FLESH!
Therefore, when man and woman are united in marriage union they become ONE FLESH, not ONE
RIB or ONE BONE! God definitely separated Adam into two parts making two people who
MUST HAVE EACH OTHER to be COMPLETE.
Keeping the
forgoing facts in mind, let us consider the LAST ADAM and HIS WIFE! Just as Eve was
taken out of her husband, Adam, so we, the Bride of Christ, were taken out of our husband,
CHRIST. Eph. 1:4 says, God
hath chosen us IN HIM before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. How could we be
chosen IN CHRIST before the world began unless we were then IN HIM? The truth is that we
WERE in Him THEN! Eve was in Adam as a very part of Adam, she existed in him in
substance. In like manner, we were spiritually in Christ from eternity. The new creation
life within you what is it? Where did it originate? The new spirit being which is
in you by virtue of the New Birth IS CHRIST! Paul spoke of this great truth when he
declared, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but CHRIST
LIVETH IN ME (Gal.
One of the
greatest revelations to burst upon my spiritual consciousness is the truth that EVEN AS
ALL THINGS BEGAN IN CHRIST, ALL SHALL END IN CHRIST. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last (Rev. 22:13). Only the glorious mind
of Christ can reveal to our hearts what that means! Through a glass darkly I can see that
He was the FIRST, before all things. Can I also believe that HE IS THE LAST?
If He is the BEGINNING, can my feeble mind dare to comprehend what it signifies when He
says that He is also the END? Surely Ephesians chapter one makes this as clear as it can
be at this juncture in our understanding. Paul says that God
chose us IN
CHRIST before the world began and then goes on from that beginning in eternity to
reach forth into what will be in the eternity that lies beyond the consummation of all the
ages of time, and declares that God is Making known to us the mystery of His will
which He hath previously purposed and set forth IN HIM, He planned for the maturity of the
times and the climax of the ages to unify all things and head them up and CONSUMATE THEM
IN CHRIST
In Him also we had been foreordained in accordance with His purpose
(Eph. 1:4,9-11). All that began IN CHRIST, before the ages, shall END IN CHRIST, that He
may be THE FIRST and THE LAST, the BEGINNING and the END. If you can conceive of God
taking Eve and putting her back into Adam, as it was in the beginning, then you may also
understand what is this glorious purpose of God that TRANSCENDS BRIDESHIP, when God takes
the Bride and again MAKES HER ONE IN CHRIST! Surely all our yearnings to fully KNOW HIM
shall find their complete and eternal fulfillment there where we ARE BROUGHT BACK INTO
CHRIST. Wonderful beyond words is the reality of Brideship in which our love for Him knows
no bounds, as we bow in reverence before Him, desiring Him, clinging to Him with all our
powers and affections. But more wonderful and glorious is that realm where all our panting
after him is fully satisfied as we are again swallowed up into Him, to live, and move, and
HAVE OUR BEING IN HIM, the ONE MAN, the ONE BODY, the LAST ADAM, the LAST, the END!
Hallelujah! Take the shoes from off your feet, O saint of God, for truly the ground on
which we stand is holy. Put away all glibness and foolishness that with bowed heads and
uplifted hearts the Holy Spirit of God may reveal how the HEAD, eternal in the heavens,
and the BODY, which has been in preparation since the day of Pentecost, is indeed but ONE
CHRIST. Without that blessed body which through the ages has been preparing in secret in
the lowest parts of the earth (Ps. 139:15), Gods Christ would be incomplete. This
was clearly shown by Paul when he said, (God) hath put all things under His feet,
and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness
of HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL (Eph. 1:22-23). The translation of this passage by
The
Spirit Of The Fear Of The Lord
The seven Spirits
of God is a most enlightening subject in these momentous days in which we are living. What
are the seven Spirits of God? John tells us in Rev. 3:1 that Jesus has the seven Spirits
of God. These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God. In Rev. 1:4
and 4:5 we find that the seven Spirits of God are before the throne of God. Grace
unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the
seven Spirits which are before His throne
and there were seven lamps of fire burning
before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Here we have the seven
Spirits likened unto seven lamps. In Rev. 5:6 the seven Spirits of God are likened to
seven eyes: And lo, in the midst of the throne
stood a Lamb as it had been
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth
into all the earth.
One of the keys
to this mystery is found in this verse in Rev. 4:5: And there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. These seven
lamps of fire burning before the throne correspond in type to the seven branched
candlestick (lamp stand) which burned in the
Let us note well
the exact order of these seven Spirits, of this seven-fold, intensified anointing of the
Spirit of God. Remember, as you can see in the above illustration, the golden candlestick
in the Tabernacle was of one piece of gold with a central shaft. Out of this central shaft
proceeded the other six branches, three on one side and three on the other. Thus, the six
branches proceeded from the one central shaft and together they made seven candlesticks.
This central shaft typifies the SPIRIT OF THE LORD. Out of this central shaft of the
Spirit of the Lord are the six other branches which picture the Spirit of Wisdom, the
Spirit of Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel, the Spirit of Might, the Spirit of
Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. These are all part of the same
candlestick, all proceeding from the Spirit of the Lord, and yet they are seven distinct
manifestations!
The seven burning
lamps are for illumination as the seven eyes of the Lamb are also for illumination and
perception. The Spirit of the Lord, represented by the central shaft of the candlestick,
has a special significance. Whenever the word LORD, spelled with capital letters, is used
in the King James version of the Bible, it is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word YAHWEH.
In Lk.
Let me remind you
again that the Spirit of the Lord, or the Spirit of Yahweh, represented by the central
shaft of the golden candlestick, has a very special meaning. The name Yahweh means THE
SELF-EXISTENT ONE WHO REVEALS HIMSELF. So, primarily, the Spirit of Yahweh is the Spirit
of REVELATION out from which proceed the other six Spirits. The Spirit of the Lord is the
Spirit of the self-existent God who REVEALS HIMSELF! It is the SPIRIT OF REVELATION! And
does not this correspond with all of Jesus statements concerning the Holy Spirit and
His great work of revelation: Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will
guide you into all the truth the whole, full truth. For He will not speak His own
message but He will tell whatever He hears from the Father, and He will announce
and declare to you the things that are to come. He will honor and glorify me, because He
will take of what is Mine and will reveal, declare, disclose, transmit it to you.
Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He will take
the things that are Mine and will REVEAL THEM TO YOU (Jn.
Rev. 5:6 says,
And I beheld in the midst of the throne
stood a Lamb as it had been slain,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth. Here we see that it is from the LAMB that the seven Spirits of God are
sent forth into all the earth. We are living in the day when the seven Spirits
of God in the fullness of divine vision and revelation, power and authority, judgment and
wisdom will be manifested. The seven eyes and the seven horns are associated with the
triumphant Lamb, the Lion of the tribe of
We would have
thought that in calling our Lord the Lamb this name would have been used only
in respect to His humiliation in His earthly life. However, in scripture it is most used
in reference to His glory in His ascension and exaltation IN THE THRONE. John saw Him
stand, as a Lamb that has been slain, in the midst of the throne! The four living
creatures, and the four and twenty elders, and the hosts of heaven praise Him as the Lamb
who has purchased us unto God by His blood and has made us to be KINGS AND PRIESTS to
reign over the earth. Salvation to our God and to the Lamb (Rev. 7:10). It is
the Lamb who executes judgment. It is the Lamb who, as the Lion of the tribe of
It is the LAMB
that has the seven Spirits of God. And you will never, in a million years, find them
outside of HIM! If you would have the seven Spirits of God your identity must be lost in
the Lamb. He must be your hiding place. He must be your sphere of existence. It is from
the Lamb upon the throne that the seven Spirits are sent forth into all the earth. Notice
especially that the seven Spirits are associated not only with the Lamb, but with the
throne. If you desire to pay the price and make the sacrifice, that you might be a part of
the greatest manifestation of the glory and power of God the world has ever witnessed,
then you must become associated with Gods throne. You must be often and long before
the throne. That necessitates coming by the Blood of the Lamb into Gods holy
presence. That means opening your heart and life to the judgment of Him who sits upon the
throne. It means opening your heart and life to the transforming power of the Lamb of God.
It means repentance and humbling, waiting and worship, prayer and praise before the
throne! It means taking upon you and into you the Lamb nature.
Let all men know
that the Holy Spirit of God does not come from the Christ of Bethlehem, nor from the
Christ of Nazareth, nor from the Christ of the mighty signs and wonders and miracles, nor
yet from the Cross of Calvary. All these manifestations and works of Christ are but vanity
except that the sacrificed Lamb arose as the triumphant Lion, victorious over all enemies,
to ascend up far above all heavens that He might FILL ALL THINGS. How positively true are
the words of Paul: If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet (dead) in
your sins (I Cor.
As the first-born
Son of God has the seven Spirits of God as seven eyes and sees and knows all things, so
the sons of God shall have eyes of enlightened understanding to know
what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in
the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward them that believe,
according to the mighty working of His power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him
from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand (Eph. 1:18-19). As the first-born
Son of God has the seven Spirits of God as seven horns and has all power and authority in
heaven and earth, so the sons of God shall likewise have the fullness of power and shall
do the greater works. Will you be one of them? Will you prepare your heart to
enter into the greatest of ministries? He that hath and ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches!
THE FEAR OF THE
LORD
Our hearts have
been thrilled and stirred beyond measure as we have lifted at least a little corner of the
veil over the past months to peer into the glories of that blessed realm of the seven
Spirits of God. In this Study we approach the seventh and last of this seven-fold Spirit:
the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. It is Jesus who has the Spirit of the Fear of the
Lord! This Spirit is sent forth into our hearts from the very heart of HIM, the LAMB in
the midst of the throne. As we take into us the Lamb nature, this Spirit, with all the
others, will flow also from our lives out to creation. As with all the seven Spirits of
God, this Spirit, the Fear of the Lord, shall be a most remarkable thing in the end-time
ministry as the sons of God arise to bring in the next phase of the Kingdom of God in that
glorious age of the ages.
The very first
principle we must understand in this connection is that the fear of the Lord has
absolutely and positively nothing to do with being afraid. Jesus does not have the Spirit
of FRIGHT! Jesus was not, and is not, TERRIFIED of His Father, neither does He impart to
men the spirit of terror. God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7). In the scriptures our English word
fear is translated from the Hebrew word YIRAH and the Greek word PHOBOS. These
words have two principal meanings: first, that apprehension of evil or danger which
normally causes one to flee or fight an expectation of harm or pain which evokes a
feeling of alarm, dread, or disquiet; and second, that awe and reverence which a man of
sense feels in the presence of that which is high and eminent, such as a king or
authority. A child feels the first of these kinds of fear in the presence of a harsh and
cruel parent, and the second before a parent who is good and loving, but who must also be
just.
In the New
Testament the Greek word PHOBOS is used in both of the above senses. In Mat.
I once read a
story that so clearly illustrates the nature of the fear of the Lord that God wants us to
have. The brother that related this story said: Several years ago I married a young
couple who were, and still are, very much in love with one another. They had met when they
were thirteen and fourteen, had never looked at anyone else, and wouldnt today after
all these years. They went away on their honeymoon and after a few weeks came home again.
I saw them in the meeting the next Sunday and greeted them with a little pleasantry. I
asked the groom if his bride had burned the roast for their first dinner. They laughed,
and she said, Oh, I was afraid that I was going to. I had read so much about the
bride being unable to cook that I decided that John was going to have the very best meal a
bride could prepare for her husband. So I began about
Perhaps this
simple story will help us understand what is meant by the fear of the Lord. The fear of
the Lord, in the scriptural sense, is a godly thing, a wonderful thing, a lovely thing.
How many precious Christians, influenced by the false doctrines of
The kind of fear
God desires to be a continual emotion within His people is like an AWESOME AWARENESS; like
a full, consuming knowledge of His great POWER, His great ABILITY, His great HOLINESS, His
great WISDOM, His great PURPOSE in our lives and that He is the altogether
RIGHTEOUS JUDGE! The fear of the Lord is REVERENCE for the Lord. It is profound respect
mingled with awe, affection, and veneration. It is reverential trust with hatred of evil.
Thus we read:
The fear
of the Lord is clean, enduring forever (Ps. 19:9)
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Prov.
The fear of the Lord is strong confidence (Prov.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death
(Prov.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7)
The fear of the Lord tendeth to life (Prov.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom (Prov.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10).
Personal
testimony of another kind comes from one who as a young man was an ardent disbeliever. He
was an avid student and after learning and learning in the world he stumbled
onto the Word of God. When a personal experience brought him to Christ his scientifically
trained mind turned to examine the Bible. This was Ivan Panin, he who gave over fifty
years to the study of the strange and wondrous numerical framework, the phenomenal
mathematical design of the inspired scriptures. As in human life ones walk is
distinctive, ones voice is personally ones own, ones handwriting is
peculiarly personal and fingerprints are indisputable identification so in Holy
Writ is the text proved to be authentically the inspired Word of God by the intricate
mathematical pattern which runs through the Hebrew text of the Old Testament and the Greek
text of the New Testament. This phenomenon was discovered and intensively researched by
Ivan Panin. In writing of his early days, Mr. Panin comments: A marvelous thing had
meanwhile come to pass in the life of the author. Hitherto he had sought wisdom all his
days, and sought it most earnestly: sought it in science, sought it in philosophy; sought
it in art, sought it in letters: sought it in college, sought it in the world: sought it
from professor, sought it from preacher; sought it in laughing, crying; sought it in
yearning, sobbing. And many indeed were the things he learned in the search. The
physiologist told him how they make frogs legs dance: the astronomer told him that
Sirius does not really twinkle; and the naturalist told him that the serpent once had
legs, and lost them in its attempts at evolution. The philosopher told him that the
universe is a machine; the scientist, that men have only recently grown wiser than
monkeys. The artist explained to him how he writes merely for the sake of writing; the
preacher, that one can be a Christian teacher even as an agnostic. Lastly, the Professor
of Ethics convinced the writer that he was an excellent fellow! But not a soul even as
much as whispered to him that THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM; and
KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOST HIGH, that is UNDERSTANDING.
The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10). How plain it is that God will
never grant wisdom to the man whose soul is void of true reverence for God, for true
reverence is true humility, and true humility places Gods will, Gods purposes
and Gods glory above all else in the universe. The writer to the Hebrews admonishes:
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby
we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb.
The victorious
congregation of
In the book of
Malachi we read: Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord
heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord
and thought on His Name. They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, My special possession
on the day when I act, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then
once more you shall distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who
serves God and one who does not serve Him (Ma. 3:16-18). For you who fear My
Name the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings; you shall go forth
leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts
(Mal. 4:2-3). This coming together as those who fear the Lord is for the express purpose
of being made righteous and godly. In return, the Lord promises to make them His own
possession (heritage) and bring them forth on the day when he manifests Himself openly in
power and splendor to the world. Those who truly fear the Lord are His heritage. Jesus
calls them his little flock (Lk.
Well did Paul
Mueller write: The Spirit of sonship is in direct contrast to the spirit of the
world. The spirit of the world is the spirit of bondage leading to fear. Paul wrote
further, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Ro. 8:15) Fear is
the realm of darkness. Yet it is the tool most often used by the religious systems to keep
people in bondage to their form of religion. Fear will keep you from seeing the
To Daniel it was
revealed that during the closing days of this age, many would purify and make themselves
white and refined, and that the godly (the wise) would understand and realize Gods
purpose in their lives (Dan.
The Spirit of the
Fear of the Lord will be one of the remarkable signs of the sonship of the apprehended
ones in this day, and it shall be a most remarkable thing in this end-time ministry. The
fear of the Lord includes both faith and reverence. The limitlessness of Gods faith
shall be in action as if He Himself were visible and doing the acting. Along with the
mighty manifestation of Gods almighty power there shall be the reverence that has
been so sadly lacking up to this time. Men treat the holy things of God with such
lightness and frivolity, but the Spirit of the Lord shall be so in evidence through the
holy sons of God that men shall begin to tremble, knowing that they are dealing with a
living God. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, FEAR GOD, and give glory to
Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and WORSHIP HIM that made heaven and
earth (Rev. 14:6-7).
JESUS AND THE
FEAR OF THE LORD
Jesus is the Lion
of the tribe of
Jesus was the
perfect embodiment of the wisdom of God, and because that is so, we must know that He also
had a fear of God for The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps.
111:10). When Jesus was faced with the reality of his own upcoming crucifixion, the Word
tells us that He 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.
5:7). Hear it! Jesus FEARED! The truth in this verse of scripture is most remarkable. It
tells us not only that Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying
and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death but it also tells us that HE
WAS HEARD! How can we say that He was heard when, in fact, He died? How was He then saved
from death, if He died? Yes, He died. But the wonderful fact is that He did not remain
dead! He was heard for He was raised from the dead! Why was He raised from the
dead? Because HE FEARED! He was heard IN THAT HE FEARED. Not that He feared
the Cross, not that He feared what man could ever do unto him, not that He feared death,
but in that He feared GOD! Only He who knew by experience this principle could teach us,
as He did, saying: Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul: but rather fear HIM which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Mat.
When Peter speaks
to the multitude in Acts 2:23 he refers to the Lord in these words: Him, being
delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by
wicked hands have crucified and slain. Whenever any wicked hands are doing an awful
thing to Gods people, remember that His people are on Gods mind, and the
wicked men are only fulfilling the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God! Peter
goes on: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that He should be holden of it (Vs. 24). This shows us that Jesus
Christ rose from the dead for a most remarkable reason: It was simply IMPOSSIBLE for death
to hold Him! Death COULD NOT hold Him! Why? Long before that resurrection day the Lord had
declared, For I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him
that sent Me (Jn.
He came to do the
will of God. As Andrew Murray has pointed out: In the will of God we have the highest
expression of His divine perfection, and at the same time the highest energy of His divine
power. Creation owes its being and beauty to the will of God; it is all the manifestation
of Gods will. In all nature the will of God is done. In heaven the mighty angels
find their highest blessedness in doing Gods will. For this man was created with a
WILL, in order that he might have the power to choose, and of his own accord DO GODS
WILL. And, lo; deceived by the devil, man committed the great sin of doing his own will
rather than Gods will. Yes, his own will instead of Gods will! In this is the
root and the wretchedness of sin, and in this is the power of death!
Jesus Christ
became man to bring us back to the blessedness of doing Gods will. The great object
of redemption was to make us and our will free from the power of sin, and to lead us again
to live and do the will of God. In His life on earth Jesus showed us what it is to live
only for the will of God; in His death and resurrection he won for us the power to live
and do the will of God as He had done. Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God (Heb.
10:9). These words, uttered through the Holy Spirit by the mouth of one of Gods
prophets long ages before Christs birth, are the key to His life on earth. At
Let us not think
that this cost Him nothing. He says repeatedly, Not My will, but the will of the
Father, to let us understand that there was in very deed a denial of His own will.
In
Nothing could
motivate or control Jesus Christ except the will of the Father. Nothing else in the whole
world could hold Him! Sin could not hold Him, for He was tempted in all points like
as we are, yet without sin (Heb.
When we see
something wonderful come to pass we say, Isnt that a wonderful thing that
happened there. But that wonderful thing was only the fruit of a seed that was
planted before! When a dreadful thing happens that is also the fruit of a seed that was
planted before. It grieves my spirit when I see the planting of a bad seed, because I know
what that seed will bring forth. When it has brought forth you cannot do anything about it
anymore. And so the resurrection from the dead just HAD TO HAPPEN as the fruit of
Christs life and obedience unto death. It is my deepest conviction that this is the
great principle of overcoming in the lives of all Gods sons. When NOTHING ELSE CAN
HOLD us except the will of the Father, then every enemy shall be under our feet
including the last enemy, which is death!
THE BASIS FOR
THE FEAR OF THE LORD
The fear of the
Lord is a fountain of life. That is why He has said to us, Be not HIGHMINDED but
fear (Rem.
Let us, for one
moment, go back to the beginning. Adam and Eve failed to exercise a proper fear and
reverence of God and therefore disobeyed Him. Their disobedience produced within them a
painful fear blind terror the chilling, shocking paralysis of FRIGHT, which
caused them to run and hide from Gods presence. Adam said, I heard Thy voice
in the garden, and I WAS AFRAID (Gen. 3:10). Let me ask you: Was God wrathful,
spewing forth vengeance toward Adam and Eve when He came and found them hiding in the
garden? I declare to you that He was not! All He said to them was, Where are you,
Adam? Come out from your hiding, I havent changed. And when they came, he
talked with them, not in judgment and wrath, but in mercy and compassion. He slew a lamb
and clothed their nakedness. He gave them a marvelous redemptive promise. Apart from this
all he told them was that they would experience the inevitable effects of the discords
self-loving self always brings on itself. God never said to Adam, In the day that
you eat of the tree of knowledge I WILL KILL YOU! Neither did He tell Adam, In
the day that you eat of the tree of knowledge I will CAST YOU INTO HELL! The death
that came upon Adam was not something God inflicted on him out of vengeance. No! A
thousand times no! God didnt kill Adam and Eve in wrath. He had forewarned them in
intense love: In the day that thou eatest of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil THOU SHALT SURELY DIE (Gen. 2:17). God knew they would die, for death and the
curse are simply the wages of sin. But sins wages are not paid by God,
but by the master to whom man subjected himself when he sinned! This is clear:
Forasmuch then as the children are flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took
part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, THE DEVIL (Heb. 2:14). Again, The thief cometh not, but for to steal,
and to kill, and to DESTROY: I AM COME that they might have life, and that they might have
it more abundantly (Jn.
God came and told
this sinning couple that they would have sorrow because of their sin. Sorrow was what they
would have, sorrow in mans life, sorrow in womans life. Sorrow is an inner
reaction, for we are inner people. Sorrow is our inner response to suffering. Because we
have fallen into our false material concepts of life in its outer forms, and have been
brought into total disruption and in-harmony in our outer living by our grab-and-hold and
dog-eat-dog activities, life is one continual suffering: wars, diseases, poverty, anxiety,
wrongdoings; and we blame God and wonder why He has done this to us! But we are on the
wrong foot! God did not do it to us, the sorrow is our problem, for sorrow is our inner
reaction to suffering, and man has suffered because of sin and self. We are an inner
people. And when God comes within by the quickening power of His Spirit and changes our
sorrow into inner joy, all our outer sufferings ARE TURNED TO PRAISE!
So it was the
Fathers special mercy, not wrathful judgment, when He told Adam and Eve three times
over that they would have sorrow. Why? Because sorrow would mean dissatisfaction with
their earthly conditions, and they would desire a better way. Thank God for sorrow! Thank
God the world is restless, fermenting, dissatisfied, rebellious at its present conditions.
That is its hope. Thats the best thing God could predict for his fallen children:
and thank God, behind the sorrow and at its roots lies guilt for not being what we ought
to be. In our guilt we try to blame God.
The period in
which sin is permitted has been a dark night to humanity never to be forgotten; but the
glorious day of righteousness and divine favor, to be ushered in by the Lord and His
glorious body of sons, who, as the Sun of Righteousness, shall arise and shine fully and
clearly into and upon all, bringing healing and blessing, will more than counterbalance
the dreadful night of weeping, sighing, pain, sickness and death, in which the groaning
creation has been so long. Well does the Psalmist prophesy: Weeping may endure for a
night, but joy cometh in the MORNING (Ps. 30:5). As though by instinct, the whole
creation, while it groans and travails in pain, waits for, longs for, and hopes for the
DAY; and men, not understanding from whence comes the day call it the Golden
Age. Yet men grope blindly, not aware of the great Gods gracious purposes.
Mans highest conceptions of such a Golden Age fall far short of what God has in
store for mankind. The great Creator is preparing a feast of fat things, which
will astound His creatures, and be exceedingly beyond what they could reasonably ask or
expect. And to His wonderful creatures, looking at the length and breadth, the height and
depth of the love of God, surpassing all expectation, He exclaims: And there shall
come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And
the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him
and shall make Him of quick understanding
in the fear of the Lord: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and
reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: He shall smite the earth with the rod of
His mouth (the Word of God), and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And
righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reigns.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and
the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead
them
the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the
hole of the asp
they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: FOR THE
EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isa.
11:1-9).
From that first
moment of the Fall and its consequences, there was the pronouncement of deliverance; and
the deliverance is in the seed of the woman which would bruise the head of the serpent.
God said to the serpent, 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
(Gen. 3:15). What is the serpents seed? The take-over of the human family created in
the image of God by a FALSE FATHER who would express his nature of self-centeredness in
them. Thus they would be the seed of the serpent. And what is the seed of the woman? The
take-over of humanity by God, the TRUE FATHER, expressing the fullness of His own nature
and image in and through man. Jesus Christ was the first man to be so possessed by the
fullness of God, and into the womans seed He came, the One capable of destroying the
works of the devil, and turning the devils captives into His captives. And, blessed
be God! there are even now, at this present time, many brethren being
conformed into His glorious image, the life of God coming into the womans seed, the
soul, that His life may be fully and perfectly lived out in man, and through these the
promised deliverance shall be ministered to the whole creation! Hallelujah!
But remember,
when Adam sinned he was possessed of a fear blind terror chilling,
paralyzing FRIGHT, which caused him to run and hide from Gods presence. And yet, all
God spoke and offered to man was MERCY and ABUNDANT PROVISION of life! Adam was afraid of
God because it is mans guilt that projects wrath on God, as if that was His chief
characteristic, and which still so distorts our concepts of God as if he is a monster or a
sadist. Still our unenlightened eyes, including, I am ashamed to say, many Spirit-filled
men of God, regard the Old Testament as the record of an avenging God, instead of the same
unchanging God of grace shining through from the Garden of Eden, to the call of Abraham,
and through Moses and the revelation of the Tabernacle of continuing grace, to the full
sunlight of His grace and mercy in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Certainly there
is wrath. But the wrath of God is only manifest in those who have the wrong relationship
to Him. It is not really HIM AS HE IS, who is all love, whose mercy endureth forever, who
so loved the world, but the wrath is what He must appear to be to those who run counter to
the law of His being. The wrath operates in them, not in Him. For example, if I have a
right relationship to an electric switch and turn it on as I should do, I get a pleasant
light. If I defy any warnings and stick my finger in the apparatus, I get a terrible
shock! The shock is what I feel within myself through my unlawful contact. If I obey the
rules of the road I may drive my car and enjoy a beautiful trip across the country. But if
I speed and disregard the warnings along the way, I may end up bloody and unconscious in
the hospital. The car that nearly killed me was not an enemy to me, trying to destroy me.
The injury done to me by the car was the result of my unlawful relationship with it. I may
blame the car, but it is I who am at fault. So it is not God who hid from the disobedient
couple, it was they who hid from Him. God did not come breathing out threatenings of wrath
and damnation, but they were AFRAID OF HIM. They, in their guilt, projected on Him a
rejection which was really in themselves! And this is the wrath of God.
We are not to
fear God because He is mean, wrathful, demanding, exacting, vindictive, implacable, or
full of vengeance. We are to fear God because HE IS GOD omnipotent, omniscient,
immutable, eternal, all-wise, just, compassionate, full of loving kindness and tender
mercies, our FATHER! What this means is that we should feel the solemn majesty of our
divine Creator and Father and REVERENCE HIM with REVERENCIAL FEAR. If you should receive a
formal invitation to meet the Queen of England or the President of the
There are those
who would tell us that we are not to fear God. Yet it was said of our Redeemer and our
example that He was delivered from the jaws of death because He DID fear! And He not only
feared but He taught us to fear! And Solomon, after he had run the whole gamut of human
thought finally arrived at the end of his thought with this: Let us hear the
CONCLUSION (the end) of the whole matter: FEAR GOD and keep His commandments: for this is
the whole duty of man (Eccle. 12:13). And why? For God shall bring every work
into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil (vs.
14). Fear God and keep His commandments: for this the whole duty of man. It is
interesting to note that the words is and duty in this verse are in italics in the Bible.
When a word is in italics it means that that word does not appear in the original language
and is merely supplied by the translators in an effort to make the meaning clearer.
However, many times the translators go far afield in their choice of words, and I have
discovered that in many cases it is best to read the verses omitting the man-inserted
words. In this case Eccle.
To fear God and
keep His commandments was the end or conclusion of Solomons thought but that
which was the END of the thought of man proved to be the BEGINNING of the thought of God,
for it is written: The FEAR OF GOD is the BEGINNING of wisdom The end of man,
then, and the beginning of God in a man are one and the self-same thing: The fear of the
Lord. Mans end is Gods beginning! Hallelujah! I must DECREASE, but HE
must INCREASE (Jn.
The Spirit of the
Fear of the Lord is one of the seven Spirits of God, and Zech. 3:9 gives us another
picture of the location so these seven Spirits. I will bring forth My servant the
BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven
eyes. In Rev. 5:6 the SEVEN EYES are the seven Spirits of God. In Zech. 3:9 these
seven eyes, or seven Spirits, are UPON THE ROCK, the Christ, the only place of stability.
If you have a passion to truly be a son of God in this momentous day, then find a secure,
unshaken place IN THE LORD and stay there. Dont let anything or anybody move you.
Set your face like a flint toward the glorious hope set before you and refuse to be moved!
Press on saints of God!
The
Spirit Of The Fear of the Lord
(Continued)
In our previous
Study on the seventh Spirit of Sonship, the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord, we saw that
the fear of the Lord has absolutely nothing to do with being afraid. The Spirit of the
Fear of the Lord is from Jesus Christ and Jesus does not have, nor does He impart, the
spirit of FRIGHT! Jesus was not, and is not, TERRIFIED of His Father, neither does he give
to men the spirit of terror. God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind (II Tim. 1:7).
In the scriptures
the English word fear is translated from the Hebrew word YIRAH and the Greek
word PHOBOS. These words have two principal meanings: first, an expectation of harm or
pain which evokes a feeling of alarm, dread, or disquiet; and second, that awe and
reverence which a man of sense feels in the presence of that which is high and eminent,
such as a king or authority. A child feels the first of these kinds of fear in the
presence of a harsh or cruel parent, and the second before a parent who is good and
loving, but who must also be just. In the New Testament the Greek word PHOBOS is used in
both of the foregoing senses, as is also the Hebrew word YIRAH in the Old Testament.
The kind of fear
God desires to be a continual emotion within His people is like an AWESOME AWARENESS; like
a full, consuming knowledge of His great POWER, His great ABILITY, His great HOLINESS, His
great WISDOM, His great PURPOSE in our lives and that He is the altogether
RIGHTEOUS JUDGE! The fear of the Lord is REVERENCE for the Lord. It is profound respect
mingled with awe, affection, and veneration. It is reverential trust with hatred of evil.
We are not to fear God because we view him as being mean, wrathful, demanding, exacting,
vindictive, implacable, or filled with vengeance.
We are to fear
God because HE IS GOD omnipotent, omniscient, immutable, eternal, all-wise, just,
compassionate, full of loving kindness and tender mercies, our FATHER! What this means is
that we should feel the solemn majesty of our divine Creator and Father and REVERENCE HIM
with REVERENTIAL FEAR. This kind of fear is POSITIVE FEAR which embodies awe and
reverence. Positive fear is good, while negative fear is bad. NEGATIVE FEAR embodies
terror chilling, shocking FRIGHT. This is the fear that GOD hath not given
us. But every person has been born into the physical world with a natural capacity
for both these kinds of fear.
When you were a
little child, you were no doubt frightened many times. Some were the result of childhood
fantasies of your own; some the result of frightening stories told you by adults or other
children; some obtained by reading books or watching movies. Did you ever fear the dark?
Ever walk along a dark street with the leaves blowing and the trees swaying, and imagine
all sorts of evil creatures just waiting to reach out and grab you and gobble you up? You
have, no doubt, received your quota of childhood fairy tales about goblins, trolls, ogres,
giants, demons, witches and fairies. How well I remember one of those very dark nights in
my childhood. In those days, living in a rural area in south
Remember the time
when you were a child and it stormed so violently that you ran in to jump into bed with
your parents, or older brother or sister? Remember the way you used to hide your eyes when
the chiller movie got to the most suspenseful moment? Well, maybe not everybody remembers
childhood fears, but most people had them! And, in many cases, some never got over them.
Fears of heights, of depths, of water, fire, wind, rain, lightning, the dark, pain,
sickness, accident, tragedy, or death all are commonplace in the hidden fears of
millions of people. Fear can be a powerful force! A soldier who is decorated for heroic
deeds on the battlefield may well have acted, initially, through blinding fear. And a
person who is held in the grips of unknown fear over imagined spiritual consequences can
make vital, sometimes life-and-death decisions while motivated by FEAR. Its no
wonder, then, that since religion deals with an unseen world with spirit beings,
future punishments and rewards that peoples FEARS play an important part in
MOST RELIGION.
The words of Job
have been often quoted: For the thing which I greatly FEARED is come upon me
(Job
There is no
greater evil in the world than that which is caused by fear. We are afraid that we may
sometimes be caused to suffer; we are afraid that some one of our loved ones may meet with
an accident; we are afraid that we will fail in some new venture; we are afraid of all
kinds of things. This apprehension causes us to do all kinds of things. We build homes in
some well regulated community with security provisions lest some evil befall our property
or our children; people vote for politicians who promise the greatest protection against
crime and violence or against our external enemies. And not content with the protection
afforded by legitimate means, many resort to magical charms and superstitious practices in
an effort to allay their fears. The tabloids are filled with advertisements telling of the
miracles performed by the use of magical charms, rabbits feet, and the like, and of
the values of various means of fortune telling. Even those in high places
presidents, kings and prime ministers are purported to resort to astrology,
psychics, and other occult practices when they fear the future and believe that if they
know what lies ahead of them, they will be able to ward off the impending danger.
A sinister shadow
fell over the human race in that long-ago
THE FEAR OF THE
LORD
It is of utmost
importance to all who love and seek after God in this momentous hour that we should
understand clearly and certainly that there is only one thing in the whole universe that
we should fear and that is GOD HIMSELF! Any other fear is SIN, for,
Whatsoever is not of faith is SIN (Rom.
I do not hesitate
to emphasize again that there is only one thing in the whole of the universe that we
should fear and that is God. Some 75 times in the scriptures the Lord admonishes His
people: Fear NOT! This means that we are not to fear with a NEGATIVE FEAR of
either worry or fright. Solomon, the marvelous man of wisdom, after he had run the whole
gamut of human thought finally arrived at the end of his thought with this: Let us
hear the CONCLUSION of the whole matter: FEAR GOD and keep His commandments: for this is
the whole duty of man (Eccl. 12:13). The right kind of fear, then, is an outgoing
love of God, coupled with a fear to do evil, like a great awesome awareness of
Gods power, holiness and goodness but it is not terror, nor unnamed fright,
nor fear of physical consequences. Thus it is that we read: And we have known and
believed the LOVE that God hath toward us. God IS LOVE; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him. There is NO FEAR in love; but perfect love casteth out
fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE. We love Him,
because He first loved us (I Jn.
FEAR RELIGION
It is a fact that
most fear has its roots in the UNKNOWN. People fear what they cannot see, or what they do
not understand, or what they imagine to be. Its no wonder then, that since religion
deals with an unseen world with spirit beings, the hereafter, eternity, future
punishments and rewards that peoples FEARS play a very important part in most
of the worlds RELIGIONS. You must admit that fears of pain, suffering, or death; the
fears of coming judgment or wrath; fears of spiritual punishment and unknown, unnamed
torments in hell; all these fears virtually DOMINATE most of the religions on earth. All
you have read or heard of Eastern religions of self-inflicted pain; the beds of nails or
hot coals; or deliberate self-inflicted blindness resulting from staring at the sun
all this, plus the sacrificing of human babies, the disfigurement of the human body,
pilgrimages made upon bleeding knees, penances done for sin, employment of fetishes, or
purchase of indulgences all is dominated by FEAR!
Let me tell you a
story a true story. It happened on the evening of
When Edwards went
up to deliver his sermon, the congregation had no idea that what they were about to
witness would be preserved in the pages of history and discussed in classrooms over 200
years later. Neither did they know that the words they were about to hear would drive them
to their knees in gut-rending fear. The title of the sermon was SINNERS IN THE HANDS
OF AN ANGRY GOD. The sinner, Edwards explained, is clutched in Gods
outstretched hand, the flames of hell raging beneath him, and is still in his earthly
abode only because God has not released His grip. The audience was assured, however, that
one day God most assuredly will release His grip, and the sinner, screaming and kicking,
will plummet helplessly into the torturous depths of eternal hell fire, where he will
writhe endlessly in excruciating misery.
So vivid was
Edwards description of the horrible fate awaiting the wicked, the parishioners could
almost feel the heat, see the smoke, and detect the sulfurous stench of hells
vengeful flames. Stephen Williams, who witnessed the occasion, wrote that before the
sermon was finished
there was a great moaning and crying out through the whole
house. One cried, What shall I do to be saved? Another lamented,
Oh, I am going to hell! And yet another wailed, Oh, what shall I do for
Christ? Williams said the shrieks and cries were piercing and amazing.
The people were absolutely mesmerized with FEAR! But is such fear a true fear of the Lord?
Is this the kind of fear God desires for His people? Does the kind of fear chilling
fright Jonathan Edwards instilled into his listeners serve as a valid platform for
a right relationship with God?
Years ago, in
ignorance, through I had seen the truth of the ultimate salvation of all men, I still
thought that fear was a legitimate tool to motivate men to turn to God. I understood that
fear of consequences is a mighty powerful force! So I sought to effectively use this tool
in the salvation of souls by the dramatic preaching of judgment, hell-fire and damnation.
I knew that if I could be sufficiently articulate and persuasive; if I could paint a
picture vivid enough; if I could make God vindictive enough; if I could portray the
judgment of God as being vengeful enough; if I could make eternity long enough; hell hot
enough; the shrieks and groans of the damned hopeless enough; the torture heinous enough;
then I knew I could fill the altars with sobbing, repentant sinners! I confess that the
psychology worked very well and I was able to scare a great number of people to the
altars. However, I must also confess that we had quite a large number of
backsliders out of the revival meetings of those days! There were many who got
saved in every revival meeting that came along. We used to joke about certain churches,
saying that if you got 25 people saved in a revival you didnt really get anybody
saved, but if you got 26 saved then you knew somebody really met God. This was because the
same 25 people were always running to the altars, sobbing their way through to salvation,
in every revival meeting. You see, when men are moved to repentance by the EMOTION OF FEAR
their repentance often lasts only as long as it takes for their stirred emotions to
subside. On a Sunday night, when the flames of hell seemed so close they could hear them
crackle, it was natural to run to the altar and sob and cry and beg God for mercy
making all kinds of promises and commitments to God until the conscience and emotions were
soothed. The following week, however, when death seemed far away and hell seemed unreal,
it became difficult for these people to walk out the superficial consecration made in the
emotional heat of the Sunday evening revival meeting.
Do I mean by this
that we now belittle sin or minimize future punishment? Certainly not. God forbid! But I
have come to see clear as crystal through the faithful dealings of God that there is in
all truth ONLY ONE THING IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE that men need to come to fear and that is
GOD! Not to be afraid of Him, cringing before Him like some loathsome animal, but giving
Him absolute reverence, obedience and love. It is not the fear of hell that is lacking in
men, but the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever
(Ps. 19:9). The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Prov.
Fear is the
weapon of man and of the law. Love is the all-conquering scepter of God. It is love, not
fear, that has bound those of us who love the Lord as willing captives to His chariot
wheels. Love that does not spoil but lures and conquers: love that, while it loves the
sinner, hates his sin: love that disciplines with unstinting hand, that the chastened may,
at last, be a partaker of His holiness. This love wherewith God SO LOVED THE WORLD is the
power that has overcome men so far, and that is destined to do its perfect work till God
is all in all. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God
sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love,
not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for
our sins (I Jn. 4:7-10).
Love is the
answer
To bring life to this world, my friend.
Love is the roadmap
To restore all back into Christ again.
Love conquers all our foes,
All our lack in understanding Him,
Love brings the unity
Of the Son in you and me.
Another fear
promoted by the religious systems is the FEAR OF ERROR. Many preachers constantly warn
their people about the dangers of false doctrine and deception. Of course, everything is
false doctrine except what they and their group or denomination believe. But even in this
we would do well to heed the words of the apostle, For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to FEAR (Rom.
The spirit
of bondage again to fear is of
Well has Paul
Mueller written, The Spirit of sonship is in direct contrast to the spirit of the
world. The spirit of the world is the spirit of bondage leading to fear. Paul wrote
further, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have
received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Ro. 8:15) Fear is
the realm of darkness. Yet it is the tool most often used by the religious systems to keep
people in bondage to their form of religion. Fear will keep you from seeing the
The following
words by Lloyd Ellefson are of deep significance to all who would follow on to know the
Lord in this day. God has not given us a spirit of fear, yet many are full of fears.
Pastors are constantly warning people to beware of what they themselves proclaim. Fear
causes doctrinal statements. They are formulated to protect folks from error, but they are
dead letter. When Christ had his arguments with
Fear of
wrong doctrine is fed to the church continually, but the faith and assurance that God
loves you and will not let you get into error, is sadly missing. Fear is the motivation
used to keep folks bound up in doctrine and organization. None of which are necessary
because of the Lord himself in us. Actually any other thing we place our trust in, is a
discredit to his ability to love and keep us. Jesus himself had no doctrine, he stated in
Jn 7:10, my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. Vs. 17 goes on to say,
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or
I speak of myself. It is the same today, you cannot know if a doctrine is of God or
not, unless you will to do it first. You cannot just handle a teaching or preaching in
your mind and then decide if it is of God. If your desire to do his will is restricted, so
also will be your knowledge of it being God or not. Those who have doctrines and systems
to live in, will never know of a teaching outside of the doctrine, whether it is of God or
not. It will remain so until they will to do his will, beyond the system they are under.
God is not under any system. So there you will only find doctrines, beliefs about God,
testimony of him, and such things, but not God himself. He is God and cannot deny himself,
so he will not be found in creeds and rituals, for in such things he would not be free,
nor could the people have his freedom. You shall know the truth (Christ) and the truth
shall set you free, and you shall be free indeed.
Fear of
getting into error is the one thing that will hinder you from accepting truth. When you
fear getting error, you are bearing testimony that you are trusting yourself. When you
have ceased to keep your self, thru trust in God, you will have no fear. God is able, you
are not, all fears are carnal weakness. If you ask for bread, will he give a stone? When
you ask for a fish will he give you a serpent? We should have a rest in faith, assured
that God knows our heart, and we do not want error, nor will he allow it to deceive us.
You will get the desires of your heart, if you do not love the truth. God will give you a
delusion (I Thes
At the same
time, when evil abounds, grace does much more abound. The truth, is growing more and more,
that is, it is coming to our conscious knowledge in a greater way. It is not so much new
truth, but truth taking on a newness of maturity in our understanding.
I cannot
emphasize too strongly that the only legitimate fear in the universe is THE FEAR OF THE
LORD. This is one of the seven Spirits of God which rested upon Jesus the Head and now
must come to rest fully upon his anointed body. This is the Spirit emanating from the
precious Lambs eyes of revelation and horns of power. Those walking under the same
anointing as their glorious and exalted Head will be known by the fact that they fear
absolutely NOTHING but God their Father. Any who walk in fear (either fright or reverence)
of anything but God need desperately to be delivered from their fears that they might
raise their voices in blessed chorus with the Psalmist who declared: I will bless
the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. I sought the Lord, and
He heard me, and delivered me from ALL MY FEARS (Ps. 34:1,4). Heb. 13:5-6 says,
For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly
say, The Lord is my helper, and I WILL NOT FEAR what man shall do unto me.
Even in the
valley of the shadow of death, He has promised to be with us, and even there
we shall FEAR no evil (Ps. 23:4). We are not to fear evil! We are not to fear
the wrath of men! We are not to fear sickness or tragedy. We are not to fear death. We are
not to fear the devil. We are not to fear the judgment. We are not to fear hell. We are
not to fear the antichrist. We are not to fear the tribulation. We are not to fear the
beast. We are not to fear the
FEAR OF DEATH
No doubt many who
read these lines have visited the famous Winchester House in
Are you afraid to
die? Does death hold, for you, unnamed terrors? If so, you are without doubt to be counted
among the vast majority of the people who have inhabited this planet. Even some preachers
who proclaim what is called the Life message the message of physical
life and immortality here and now preach it not because of the hope of eternal
life, but out of a certain fear of death. You can spot these because they are always
emphasizing the finality of death, the dreadfulness of death and they dont
want to face death! The fear of death is a terrible bondage. It robs life of its joy; it
hangs like a dark cloud on the horizon of all our hopes. It mocks at our aspirations and
laughs at our accomplishments.
Samuel Johnson
said that men spend all of their lives in one diversion after another simply trying not to
think of the fact of death. There was a man in
Suddenly the
thought struck him like a knife what about all of the people in the world that on
this very morning were not going to be shot? Imagine the incredible, marvelous wonder that
on this morning many people were NOT going to be shot! Moments and seconds now he would
treasure like precious jewels and hoard them lest he should waste any of them. Oh, how
could he have taken life for granted? The rifles were lifted and the click of the
cartridges snapping into place sounded like the knell of doom to him. One of the men at
the stake who was staring directly into those hollow eyes of death went suddenly,
instantly, totally, completely insane. He could not face death! Dostoyevsky said he
realized that he was in the grip of some cold horror, the like of which he had never known
and even if his hands had been freed and he were released he would not have been able to
run. He could not have escaped; he could not even move a muscle. The order was given
Aim! and then a shout was heard, a man was waving a piece of paper
a semi-pardon from the Emperor which meant a term in
How greatly the
fear of death has bound mankind. But Jesus has dispelled that fear. Said the angels when
he was born: Fear not! Said the angels on that resurrection morning:
Fear not! Said Christ to John that day on
For almost two
thousand years there has raged a theological battle over the Godhead. Some have contended
that God is one Person in three manifestations and that Jesus is that one Person of God
manifested in the flesh. Others believe in the trinity that God is eternally three
distinct Persons, co-equal, co-eternal and con-substantial, united together as one God.
The truth lies far beyond the limitation of either concept. Neither view has grasped the
fuller truth set forth in the scriptures and now revealed by the Holy Spirit. The
wonderful truth is God is not one Person, neither is God three Persons. God is a
FAMILY! God is a KINGDOM! God is reproducing, expanding, increasing HIMSELF! Jesus
explained to Nicodemus in John chapter three that in order to enter the
Paul speaks of
this actual sonship to God in his wonderful teaching on the discipline that God applies to
His sons. "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we
gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the FATHER OF SPIRITS,
and live?" (Heb. 12:9). God is here declared to be the Father of spirits not
of angels or demons or fairies for the whole subject of this chapter is SONSHIP.
God is not the Father of angels the messenger realm they are created
spirits, not begotten. "For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My
son, this day have I begotten thee! And again, I will be to him a Father... (Heb.
1:5). The only spirits which are born spirits are the children of God! God is the Father
of OUR SPIRITS ...therefore we reverence Him as sons reverence their father. "That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit."
When I was born into this world many years ago I was birthed a flesh being. My mother was
a flesh being, my father was a flesh being, their union was a flesh union, and the
offspring of that union was a flesh being. But, praise God! that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. We are no longer merely physical human beings; we are now immortal,
incorruptible, heavenly, GOD-LIFE beings, having been born again from above, of an
incorruptible seed, children of the Most High. "And you HE made alive, when you were
dead, slain, by your trespasses and sins. But God! So rich is He in mercy! Because of and
in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, even
when we were dead...He made us ALIVE TOGETHER in fellowship and in union with Christ. He
gave us the very life of Christ Himself; the same new life with which He quickened Him.
And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together giving us joint
seating with Him in the heavenly sphere by virtue of our being in Christ
Jesus" (Eph. 2:1-6, Amplified Bible).
The above
scripture brings us to a most significant point. Some would have us believe that the dead
are dead that is, that there is no consciousness, no knowledge, no being or
existence beyond the grave; that the dead have utterly perished and have no more a portion
in any dimension of life anywhere in God's great universe. The proof texts used in support
of this concept are, for the most part, taken from the book of Ecclesiastes. Truly the
wisdom of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes affirms: "For to him that is joined to
all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living
know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a
reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their
envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is
done under the sun... for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the
grave, whither thou goest" (Eccl. 9:4- 6,10).
Every diligent
searcher for truth must become aware as quickly as possible of his utter dependence upon
the Holy Spirit for revelation and understanding of all truth. The secrets of the Lord
cannot be learned without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible. The world is
overloaded with dead, dry theologians in whose hearts the light of revelation never
shines. Theirs is the realm of musty old volumes of head knowledge wisdom that is
foolishness with God. They have never learned the difference between the oldness of the
letter and the newness of the spirit. As we breathe a simple, honest prayer for guidance
that will bear great fruit in understanding, may the spirit of wisdom and revelation from
God quicken the minds of all who read these lines. While the passage quoted above from the
book of Ecclesiastes appears conclusive and final that the dead know not anything and have
passed forever out of existence in body, soul and spirit, it is imperative that we bear in
mind just what the book of Ecclesiastes is all about. A careful perusal of the book
reveals that Ecclesiastes is the book of man "under the sun" reasoning about
life; it is the best the carnal mind can do in arriving at the reality and purpose of all
things. The key phrases throughout are "under the sun" "I perceived";
"I said in my heart." The Holy Spirit has recorded accurately what the natural
man reasons, but the conclusions are man's not God's. This is extremely important! To man
without the life of the Spirit or the understanding of the Almighty "all is
vanity. To the man whose consciousness, understanding and experience are limited to
those things that are done "under the sun," truly all is vanity. "Vanity of
vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (Eccl. 1:2).
The statements
about the dead knowing nothing are no more a divine revelation concerning the state of the
dead than any other conclusion of "the Preacher" is such a revelation. Reasoning
from the standpoint of man "under the sun," the natural man can see no
difference between a dead man and a dead lion (Eccl. 9:3-4). A living dog is better than
either, so far as the natural man can discern. Let all the humanists and atheists say,
Amen! Let us now acquaint ourselves with the truth as it is in Jesus, for when we learn
the truth I now affirm, many things which heretofore have been an inscrutable mystery will
begin to come clear to our understanding. Let us then stand assured of this marvelous fact
there is a realm of life BEYOND THE SUN! It may come as a shock to some who read these
lines, but the Holy Spirit declares with divine certainty that YOUR LIFE, precious child
of God, has nothing in common with the lives of those creatures whose existence is bound
to that low realm under the sun. You belong to a special category of people to whom none
of the known laws of the universe apply. The laws that govern other people do not apply to
you. You are in a class all by yourself. One of the greatest truths ever kept hidden from
the eyes of the natural man is this: "If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW
CREATION" (I Cor.
I want to draw
your attention to a few scriptures that will make the truth crystal clear. And let demons
rage. Let fools and unbelievers hang their heads in shame. We quote from the incomparable
Word of God. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins... but
God... hath raised us up together, and MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST
JESUS" (Eph. 2:1,4-6). Ah, we whose spirits have been quickened by His Spirit, we in
whom the mighty power is working which God wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the
dead and set Him at His own right hand far above all heavens have been made alive
and enthroned with Him in this super-eminence N-O-W. The Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned in
the higher-than-all-heavens and WE HAVE BEEN QUICKENED AND RAISED UP AND GIVEN JOINT
SEATING WITH HIM IN THE UNION OF HIS DIVINE LIFE! The message is clear "This
is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He
that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These
things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may
know that ye have eternal life" (I Jn.
He who alone is
life, having never touched death, humbled Himself for our sakes and became obedient unto
death. He stooped to die and lived
thirty-three and one half years in it. Then at
the end He went to the cross. Earth's voices
must fall silent here, for they will never be able to tell the story of how it is that life comes out of death. I would have said that such a thing would be
impossible had He not said of His life, I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it up again (Jn 10:118). When
He expired on the cross, He passed into the totality of death, and on the resurrection
side of the tomb He proved that there is NO FINALITY TO DEATH, that even in death He was
wondrously alive, for, said He, "I have power to lay it down, and I have power to
take it up again." It was not simply that
He had faith that GOD would raise Him from the dead. NO! The power He possessed was the power to take His
own life up again and this power is a power He both had and executed WHILE HE WAS DEAD! There can be no other explanation. A child of five should be able to understand that
one cannot lay his life down and take it up again unless he has life even in death. In the power of that life which the Christ still
possessed, being dead, He passed back from the realm of death to the realm of life, and on
the resurrection side of the tomb He cried in triumph, "Behold, I am alive forever
more (Rev. 1:18). And now He is alive in
the flesh, praise God, triumphantly holding in His incorruptible hands the keys of both
death and hell, and is abundantly able to offer life eternal to dead men who believe in
Him. "The hour is coming, and now
is," He has proclaimed, "when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God:
and they that hear shall live" (Jn.
I would quote
briefly from the inspired writings of George Hawtin. "Sweet
mystery of life, at last weve found Thee! And
we have found that Thou, O Christ, art life not that life which flourishes as grass
in the field today and tomorrow the wind passes over it and it is gone, nor life like
ours, which is as a mist which the wind driveth away, but life aionian, life everlasting,
life eternal, life evermore, the life of the ages. Well
spoke our beloved Lord when He said, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My
word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE, and shall not come into
condemnation, but IS PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE, or as Rotherham has translated it,
'hath passed over out of death into Iife' (Jn. 5:24).
It is a wonderful hour in the experience of any man when he passes from
death across to life,' and that is exactly what happens when we believe on Christ.
As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself,
and to all who believe on Him life is given, even that eternal life which God Himself is
and which abounds like rivers of living water within us when Jesus Christ comes in to
abide. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is
good! Blessed is every man that trusteth in Him! With
this wonderful realization firmly abiding in our hearts; we are better prepared to grasp
the truth Christ clearly gave us when He said, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour
is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live' (Jn 5:25). Think
on that statement, child of God. Was not Jesus
telling us that we are dead as dead can be? And
did He not make two remarkable statements first, the hour is coming, and, second,
the hour now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear
shall live? Have not we who have
believed proven the truth of this in our very spirit and in our experience? The greatest proof in the universe that Jesus
Christ is alive forevermore is the fact that, when we believed, He came to dwell within
us. He came to live His life in us. He came to deliver us from our sin and our habits
and make us to know that death would never more hold our spirits in its vice-like grip. Do
we not know that He who lives and was dead, and, behold, He is alive forevermore, has come
to us that we might live also and has raised us up together with Himself to share with Him
the life of the ages end quote.
Yet some tell us
that the dead are dead that there is no life or consciousness or being for the
child of God apart from or beyond or above physical
existence should you lay this tabernacle aside
there is nothing you cease to exist you are gone! I do not hesitate to tell you that it is a
wicked lie, a monstrous deceit, and a dreadful denial of the life we have now been given
in Christ Jesus. Let's get right down to brass
tacks here. Do you want to hear the truth
beyond all the superstitions you've heard, beyond all the emptiness and hopelessness of
Old Testament economy? Eternal life is first
and foremost spiritual, not physical. To hear
some preachers teach it one would think that a man cannot possess eternal life except it
be manifest on the physical level in an immortal body. I think that no man understands the first thing
about life out of death who misses the clear and unmistakable understanding given by Paul
in his words to the Romans: And if
Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of
righteousness (Rom. 8:10). The body is
dead, just as God told Adam it would be. So
for the man who has received Christ his body is still dead because of sin but his spirit
is alive because of righteousness Christs righteousness, of course, for there
is none other, the righteousness that comes with Him when we believe into Him and He gives
us Himself and with and by Himself His life. This
life which even now is reality within us is that life and immortality which has been
BROUGHT TO LIGHT through the gospel. Hear and
believe the wonderful news, precious friend of mine, YOUR SPIRIT I-S A-L-I-V-E BECAUSE OF
THE INDWELLING CHRIST! Those who minister the
finality of death when your body dies youre dead and gone, non-existent
minister under the blindness of the OLD COVENANT, the ministration of death. They know not that the Christ has come and given us
life, they understand not that Christ IS NOW the resurrection and the life, they
comprehend not the glad truth that eternal life is even now a glorious and eternal reality
in "the inner man which is renewed day by day, they, like the
patriarchs and the prophets under the Old Testament, and like the Jews to this very day,
are still awaiting the Saviour and looking to some future day for the resurrection, totally oblivious to the
wonderful fact that If ye then BE RISEN with Christ, seek those things which are
above (in the higher realm of the spirit; where your eternal life is), where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God (Col.
3:1). I am here to tell you that CHRIST IS
COME! I proclaim to you today the glad tidings
of the NEW TESTAMENT, the ministration of life. God
has anointed me to declare the RESURRECTION WHICH I-S, not one that shall be! Those who minister the finality of death minister
the Old Covenant and know nothing as they ought to know and have seen nothing the
heavens have never been opened to them. Their
ministry is not one of faith and hope and present reality,
but of fear of death and a sense of foreboding and depression. They know not the life that transcends the body,
the life that is first of all realized spiritually rather than soulishly or physically. Death is emphasized, dramatized, its power
glorified by men who minister, not out of the power of life, but out of the fear of death. It is the fear of death that drives many in this
hour to seek the immortality of the body. And
make no mistake! If the Spirit of Him
that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead
SHALL ALSO QUICKEN (MAKE ALIVE) YOUR M-O-R-T-A-L B-O-D-I-E-S
by His Spirit that dwelleth in you (Rom.
8:11). That is the hope yet to be fulfilled in
and through the manifested sons of God. But I
say to all who have not the consciousness of that eternal life which is already yours,
that resurrection in which you are already raised, that eternal consciousness, existence
and being you already are, I say to those who are striving for physical immortality
because of the fear of the finality of death Christ has already come and Himself
partook of flesh and blood, that through death He might destroy death, and might DELIVER
THEM WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH ARE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE. Under the Old Testament life and immortality had
not yet been fully brought to light. No wonder
the old saints often lived and spoke as those subject to bondage. No wonder they emphasized the power of death, the
hopelessness of death, the finality of death! But
how sad that the redeemed of Jesus Christ, His brethren, so often prove that they know so
little of the deliverance and life He has given and the song of joy: "Death is
swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to
God who giveth us the victory, through Christ our Lord! My brother! art thou living in the full experience
of this blessed truth? He delivers from the
fear of death and the bondage it brings, changing it into the joy of knowing that we
have passed from death unto life!
Since then, we
have been made alive because of our spirit being quickened by His Spirit, Paul leads us on
to another marvelous truth which I fear multitudes of earnest believers are failing to
see, including some elect saints of God. "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, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
HATH ABOLISHED DEATH, and HATH BROUGHT life and immortality to light through the
gospel" (II Tim. 1:9-10). The Word of God
is true. It is not a silly fairy tale or a
superstitious myth. It is not a lie. Men are liars.
God is true. And when God
says, Christ who hath abolished death, we
poor puny worms of the dust had better believe it, and cease calling God a liar by telling
Him He is wrong. For "he that
believeth not God hath made Him a liar" (I Jn.
The world was
lost. All had sinned. And the wages of sin is death. Oh, let us grasp this one great spiritual
truth!
But now someone
is going to question the foregoing statements and ask us why it is that, if death is
abolished, men continue to die. The answer is,
of course, men do not continue to die. Oh, we
know their bodies go to the grave. And we call
this death. It is not death. God does not call it death. Those who equate death with a body in a coffin know
absolutely nothing about death. Ye who were
dead hath He quickened! I was lying neither in
a coffin at the funeral parlor nor in a dark hole in the ground when I was quickened and
made alive in Christ. Death was not my body in
a coffin, and the life I have received is not an immortal flesh-body. Don't you see?
What men call death is not death, and what men call life is not Iife. Only when the Holy Spirit enables us to see the
true nature of all things can we understand a mystery so deep. One man came and by the grace of God tasted death
"FOR E-V-E-R-Y M-A-N." Mark carefully, He only tasted it. He remained in death for thirty-three and one half
years culminating in the death of the cross. He
merely sampled it. But He sampled it in the
place of every son of Adam. He actually tasted
death "FOR E-V-E-R-Y M-A-N. Do you believe it?
Dare you believe it? The
mystery is just this. Jesus died for the whole
race of men. When He arose He injected life
into the stream of humanity, so that there is a spiritual quality in man that transcends
the body realm. It is a dimension of being
that even the grave cannot hold. It is that
"light" which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and that light is
Christ (Jn. 1:4,9-10). No life beyond the
grave? Then Christ did not die and rise again, He did not taste death for every man, He
did not give His life for the life of the world, He did not abolish death and bring life
and immortality to light! That light which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world is the spiritual sense of being, that in man
which is eternal and deathless, which God will pursue until it is brought to the image and
likeness of God that He may become "All-in-all."
This free gift came (has already come) upon ALL MEN unto justification of
Iife (Rom.
Hearken to the Word!
One day a poor man, a heartbroken father, came to the Master. His little daughter had passed on. He said, "My daughter is dead (Mat.
There should be
no fear of death in those who are called to be the sons of God. Death is abolished. And
thus we read, This is that testimony that evidence: God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. He who possesses the Son HAS THAT LIFE; he who does not
possess the Son of God does not have that life. I write this to you who believe so
that you may know with settled and absolute knowledge that YOU ALREADY HAVE LIFE, yes,
eternal life (I Jn. 5:9-13). Thank God! Oh blessed deliverance, oh wonderful
emancipation! We know that death is abolished, that we have passed from death unto life,
and regardless of what may happen to this old earthly mortal house in which we live, I can
assure you in all certainty that WE SHALL NOT DIE! Loud are the professions and boundless
the claims of myriad apostate orders and cults and isms. They are full of
words. They have many plans and schemes and formulas for attaining to a higher plane. Long
and tedious are their meditations, repetitious to the point of absurdity their chants and
prayers. But here, in the lowly way which the Master trod, is reality, actuality: here is
LIFE ITSELF: not an endless array of theories concerning life and how to attain it, but
the actual possession: WE HAVE IT! Bless His name! How did we come into its possession?
Simply by possessing its Author. I am the way, the truth, and THE LIFE (Jn.
14:6). When we are filled with Him, filled with His Spirit, then we must be filled with
the life which He is: Christ who IS OUR LIFE (Col. 3:4). Praise the Lord!
Death is abolished! The FEAR OF DEATH has been destroyed. Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same;
that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil:
and deliver them WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH were all their lifetime subject to
bondage (Heb. 2:14-15).
Even now we
cannot die, but blessed be God! we shall yet receive even a body which corresponds in
glory to that quality of life we now possess in our spirit. Jesus, our Head and Pattern,
took His first body down into the grave, and He brought forth that very body in a whole
new and glorious dimension CHANGED in its very atomical structure, no more of this
earth-realm, bound by its laws and limitations, for He was free from this natural order,
and alive by the Spirit in a higher realm. Yes, Jesus has a resurrected and glorified body
not just the body of saints wherein He dwells by His Spirit, but HE HAS HIS OWN
BODY WHICH CAME OUT OF THE TOMB. That is why our conversation is in heaven; FROM
WHENCE also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile
body, that it may be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY, according to the working
whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself (Phil. 3:20-21).
The
Spirit Of The Fear Of The Lord
(Continued)
God hath
not given us the spirit of FEAR (II Tim. 1:7).
FEAR hath
torment (I Jn.
God is
love
perfect love casteth out FEAR (I Jn.
The seventh
Spirit of Sonship is the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord has nothing
to do with being afraid. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord is from Jesus Christ and Jesus
does not have, nor does He give, the spirit of FRIGHT! The kind of fear God desires to be
a continual emotion within His people is like an awesome awareness, like a full, consuming
knowledge of His great POWER, His mighty ABILITY, His glorious HOLINESS, His infinite
WISDOM, His wonderful PURPOSE in our lives, in the earth, and throughout the universe
and that He is the altogether RIGHTEOUS JUDGE! The fear of the Lord is REVERENCE
for the Lord. It is profound respect mingled with awe, affection, and veneration. It is
reverential trust with hatred of evil. We are not to fear God because we view Him as being
mean, wrathful, demanding, vindictive, exacting, implacable, or filled with vengeance. We
are to fear God because HE IS GOD omnipotent, omniscient, immutable, eternal,
all-wise, just, compassionate, full of loving kindness and tender mercies our
FATHER! What this means is that we should feel the solemn majesty of our divine Creator
and Father and REVERENCE HIM with REVERENTIAL FEAR. This kind of fear is POSITIVE FEAR
which embodies awe and respect. Positive fear is good, whereas negative fear is bad.
NEGATIVE FEAR embodies terror chilling, shocking FRIGHT. This is the fear that
GOD hath not given us. But every person has been born into this world with a
natural capacity for both these kinds of fear.
I cannot
emphasize too strongly that the only legitimate fear in the universe is THE FEAR OF THE
LORD. This is one of the seven Spirits of God which rested upon Jesus the Head and now
must come to rest fully upon His anointed body of sons. This is the Spirit emanating from
the Lambs eyes of revelation and horns of power (Rev. 5:6). Those walking in the
same anointing as their glorious Head will be known by the fact that they fear absolutely
nothing but God their Father. Any who walk in fear of anything apart from God need
desperately to be delivered from their fears that their voices might ascend in blessed
chorus with the Psalmist who declared: I will bless the Lord at all times: His
praise shall continually be in my mouth. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered
me from ALL MY FEARS (Ps. 34:1,4). Hebrews 13:5-6 says, For He hath said, I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper,
and I WILL NOT FEAR what men shall do unto me. Even in the valley of the
shadow of death, He has promised to be with us, and even there we shall FEAR
no evil (Ps. 23:4). We are not to fear evil! We are not to fear the wrath of men! We
are not to fear sickness or tragedy. We are not to fear death. We are not to fear the
devil. We are not to fear the judgment. We are not to fear hell. We are not to fear the
antichrist. We are not to fear the tribulation. We are not to fear the beast. We are not
to fear conspiracies. We are not to fear economic collapse. Let us take a further look at
some of the things the SONS OF GOD do not fear!
There is a great
deal of fear in the world today. Some groups are afraid of nuclear power. Almost everyone,
especially the younger generation, is afraid of nuclear war. There are others who fear
famine, rioting in cities or violence between the races. There are women who are afraid of
losing their husbands, not knowing how they would survive. There are men afraid of
becoming disabled, seriously hurt, or of being jailed or killed. You might pause and ask
yourself what are your biggest fears. I read of a lady who wouldnt open a door
without taking her handkerchief out to put over the doorknob. Or if she did open the door
with her hand, she would go and wash her hands, but not with just common soap. She had to
have a special anti-bacterial soap. She was paranoid about germs!
FEAR OF SATAN
Many Christians
live their lives in fear of what the devil has power to do to them. To hear them talk and
testify, the old devil is always after them. With no fear of
contradiction I declare to you that there is not one single verse of scripture in the
whole Bible that teaches us to fear Satan. Notice. Even when Gods Word warns us of
Satan, it says: Be sober, be vigilant (be grave, watch); because your adversary the
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast
IN THE FAITH (a calm, patient assurance), knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world (I Pet. 5:8-9). Through the
years I have learned something of what it means to resist Satan stedfast in the
faith, in a calm and patient assurance. In past years of missionary work we walked
in darkened lands where demons stalk, where every kind of demonic activity operates, where
mediums, witch doctors, voodoo and such powers abound. These powers are so prevalent in
some countries until it is a common-place thing to move into a house inhabited by spirits,
where objects move about, floating through the air, and demons dance at night upon the
bedstead, shaking the very bed you are sleeping on. Many of our missionary friends have
repeatedly experienced such occurrences. I can testify that God graciously gave us that
calm, patient ASSURANCE to RESIST the devil and all demonic powers to know that
they are bound even in our presence; to declare that they cannot dwell where we dwell,
they cannot manifest where we dwell; to believe that even at our presence they must FLEE.
Through our years on the mission field spirits did not hang around where we lived and they
did not bother us with their petty manifestations by which they frighten the fearful and
through which they gain the reverence of the weak and ignorant. I do not say this
boastfully, but I do declare by the spirit of grace and faith of our glorious God that I
am not afraid of the devil!
It is high time
for all of Gods saints to learn that Satan is nothing more than a bag of wind and
has absolutely no power over any child of God, that is, unless that one chooses to make
way for him. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He
also Himself took part of the same; that through death He might DESTROY HIM that had the
power of death, that is, THE DEVIL (Heb. 2:14). The Word of God is true. It is not a
silly fable. It is not a lie. Men are liars. God is true. And when God says that Jesus
Christ HAS DESTROYED THE DEVIL we need to believe it and walk in the liberty of the truth!
The Amplified Bible says: Since, therefore, these His children share in flesh and
blood He Himself in a similar manner partook of the same nature, that by going
through death He might bring to naught and make of no effect him who had the power of
death, that is, the devil.
Christ arose
Victor over every foe; and if we are serving Him and yielding to Him, then He is our
Master, and not another; for we are servants to the one to whom we yield ourselves to obey
(Rom. 6:16). And all who are continually complaining of their lack of victory are merely
admitting that they have not laid hold on the provision: GREATER IS HE that is in
you than he that is in the world (I Jn. 4:4). Furthermore, fear hath
torment. Therefore, whosoever is afraid of Satan or anything else is not made
perfect in love; for PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR (I Jn. 4:18). All who are
living in constant dread of Satan and his devices are merely, themselves, in their own
strength, trying to wage a warfare that was won for them two thousand years ago! These
need to forsake their shame and take the one and only victory: they need to come out into
Gods rest (Heb. 4:9-10). They need to cease from their own vain striving and works
and yield themselves completely into the hands of the Victor, and then go forward in HIS
strength. May the spirit of wisdom and revelation from God give us eyes to see and hearts
to understand that it is a shame for the people of God to have any fear of the devil, his
power, or his works. The God of omnipotence and glory has commanded us: Sanctify the
Lord of hosts Himself; and LET HIM BE YOUR FEAR, and let HIM BE YOUR DREAD (Isa.
8:13).
Christ is King.
He rules, and not another. Before He ascended He stated, ALL power is given unto Me
in heaven and in earth (Mat. 28:18). ALL power means all
power, and leaves no room for Satan to have some power. And this unbounded power is
not a mere recent acquisition, for in Jn. 17:5 we read that before ascending He petitioned
the Father to glorify Him with the glory which He had before the world was. So the glory
and power which He now possesses, He also possessed in Old Testament times, and way back
before time began! So we have no time for people who seem to be serving a puny little God
Who is so weak and timid that He must run to get out of Satans way every time he
makes his appearance, lest He be devoured. And neither do Gods saints have to run to
get out of his way! Oh, that Gods people might once and for all learn this one
truth: GREATER is HE that is IN YOU than he that IS IN THE WORLD! (I Jn. 4:4).
I will have you
to know that the Lord having saved the children of
FEAR OF THE
END-TIME
There used to be
a highway which began in southern
You would be
amazed to know just how much plain old SUPERSTITION many of Gods precious saints
have in regard to end-time events! Some people become fearful around every election time.
I heard a brother in Florida in 1960 predict that if Kennedy won the election the Pope
would rule the United States and every Bible-believing Church would be closed up before
his term was out. I heard of another preacher who predicted practically the same thing and
when Kennedy won the election this man had a heart attack and almost died! I knew some
lovely people who campaigned for God and Goldwater. They believed that if
Goldwater lost the election the tribulation would be upon us! Sad to say, since that time
it came to light that Goldwater wouldnt even know God, if he saw Him! I know others
that FEAR (of the Beast Government, or some prophesied destruction) caused to sell their
homes and property and move to some remote area or some safe place. Their
lives would be better, happier, and more productive for the
I am in complete
agreement with what James McKeever wrote some years ago: In another area, many
Christian writers are warning about the evils of credit cards, debit cards, and the bar
codes that are on the grocery store items. Unfortunately, they too are spreading
unnecessary fear among the body of Christ. I remember when the checks first came out that
had the funny looking characters across the bottom (called MICR characters). Some
Christian writers felt this was big brother watching and counseled Christians not to use
that evil kind of checks. Today we think nothing about it.
Similarly,
when credit cards first came out there were warnings to avoid using those. Now the same
warnings are given about debit cards. None of these things are evil, period. None of these
things have anything to do with taking on the mark of the beast. These are simply means of
making financial transactions. As long as you live in this world and are not on a pure
barter system, you must make financial transactions. There is nothing more or less
spiritual about making financial transactions with cash, checks without MICR characters,
credit cards, debit cards or the forthcoming SMART cards.
In my book
YOU CAN OVERCOME, I talked about getting sealed of God on your forehead. If God has sealed
you in your forehead, as His bondslave, then it is impossible for Satan or the beast to
remove Gods seal from your forehead and to replace it with the mark of the beast.
Christians should stop being worried (fear) about the mark of the beast and should start
concentrating on being a bondslave of God so that they will get sealed by Him in their
foreheads and thus be absolutely assured that they could never take on the mark of the
beast.
There are many
preachers, even in the end-time, kingdom, or new day message, sad to say, who specialize
in preaching FEAR instead of the glory of God. These suppose they must always tell the bad
side of things. They wildly speculate about world events, presidents, economic collapse,
the antichrist, etc. supposing that every national or world crisis that comes portends the
end. With each new election, or change, or crisis they suspect a vast conspiracy. If they
dont like the Jews, all the trouble in the world is blamed on the Jews. Or it is the
Communists everyone they dont especially like is branded a Communist! Or they
blame the United Nations, some minority group, the Illuminati, the World Bankers, computer
systems, or the Catholics! They constantly live on the brink of Armageddon and
apparently feel they should preach fear all the time so they will have plenty of company.
One brother said in a meeting with us in 1971 that the Beast Government would
rise up in the earth and take over the United States within three or four years. And
through the years since then he continued to preach and predict that the Beast Government
would rise up and take over the United States in three or four years. One wonders when
three or four years will end! Repeatedly, year after year, through the past
years I have heard brethren prophesying that the tribulation will begin this
year, or we will get our glorified bodies this year, or the Sons
of God will begin to be manifested this year, or the millennium will begin
this year, etc. etc. All the dates have come and gone and none of those things have
happened. My earnest prayer is that God will deliver His people, especially those who have
received a revelation of the glorious truth of sonship and new age purposes of God, from
all this carnal and soulish sensationalism. I am glad that all the dates and predictions
have failed, not because of any desire to see anybody appear as a false prophet, but
because I know deep down within my spirit that the vast majority of Gods people,
myself included, simply WERE NOT READY for any of those things to happen this
year!
I am not saying
that there are no troubles in the world, or that we are not living even in the very last
of the last days. I am not saying that there is no threat from conspiracies, or that the
rule of the Beast is not in some way taking shape, or that the fearsome Day of the Lord is
not at hand, or that national and international events in this hour are not related to the
prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. But I see that it is a question of where the
emphasis should be placed, and in what spirit the Word is ministered. Paul said to think
on these things that are PURE, LOVELY, and of GOOD REPORT. And the PEACE of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus
Christ (Phil. 4:7-8). Not that it is wrong to speak of those things, but if the
teaching of them ministers a spirit of FEAR and APPREHENSIVENESS among the Lords
people, then the teaching is not of the Spirit of the Lord. Fear is not of God, brethren!
How much better to spend our time and energy EDIFYING THE BODY OF CHRIST, declaring those
things that will enable Gods saints to become strong and victorious, full of faith
and the Holy Spirit, confident and courageous, and READY and PREPARED for any eventuality
that may come upon us!
Ray Prinzing has
penned precious words of wisdom on this subject through the years and I feel to share some
that I have gleaned from here and there. For many years we have been hearing
predictions of the end of the world, some dooms day, economical collapse, etc. and
the various men who are able to give their predictions and convince a few people they have
some facts and figures to prove them right, will immediately gain a following.
For it is still a very adulterous generation which seeks for a sign. Though extremely
negative, it appears they have a morbid interest in doom, and almost gleefully look for
some sign that it is about to happen.
In the
early 1960s, while living in
Now there
is another happening in the heavenlies, with all the planets aligned in one quarter of the
sky. Forecasts were given, many were alarmed, gripped with fear and even countless
numbers of Christians were LOOKING FOR A SIGN which they could interpret as meaning that
the end of the age was upon them. One of the pivotal dates proclaimed has come and gone,
nothing outwardly took place and they all feel so bad they did not see a sign. It
is this current situation which has prompted these thoughts which we now share. For the
Lord has used it to speak to our hearts, and direct our attention ever more to that which
HE is doing, yes, that which HE IS BECOMING and FULFILLING in His elect.
How near is
the great tribulation? men ask, and all the time mens hearts are
failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:
for the power of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21:26).
Methinks
there is an evil generation that is busy looking for a SIGN that would be used to indicate
that some dooms day is near and why? so they could then use that sign to
convince people to buy their goods for self-protection. And they would prosper their
business on the fear of man, and use the sign to help convince men that they must do so
RIGHT NOW. There is evidence all around us that this age is ending, and certainly the
pressures are constantly increasing, but this gives no reason that SELF needs to seek for
its preservation. Rather, we would look up, and lift up our heads; for our
redemption draweth night. When ye see these things come to pass, KNOW YE THAT
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NIGH AT HAND. (Luke 21:28,31). We are looking for the fullness
of our REDEMPTION, we are looking for HIS KINGDOM, we are not looking for signs that the
end of the world is upon us! If all the present substance is taken away, we know that HIS
KINGDOM is upon us, and all of our needs are met in Him. When this economy fails, it only
gives way to HIS KINGDOM ECONOMY. These present conditions are viewed in two ways,
negatively as the beginning of sorrows, positively, AS THE BIRTH-PANGS OF THE NEW. And while many are busy
looking for a NEGATIVE SIGN, God is already in the process of bringing forth His True SIGN
PEOPLE.
One cannot
be constantly negative-conscious, taken up with world-conspiracies, fearing financial
collapse, doom, despair, and remain centered in our Lord. For the Lord spake thus to
me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people,
saying, Say ye not, A confederacy (Hebrew, conspiracy), to all them to whom this people
shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. SANCTIFY THE LORD OF
HOSTS HIMSELF; AND LET HIM BE YOUR FEAR, AND LET HIM BE YOUR DREAD. And He shall be for a
sanctuary. (Isaiah 8:11-14).
Get
ON-center in Christ, and you will not be conscious of, nor afraid of the many conspiracies
of this worlds system. Once God illumines into our hearts the light of the new day,
that HIS KINGDOM shall come, and HIS WILL shall be done, on this earth, as it is in
heaven, then this becomes our vision-center. Religious
Searching
what manner of time
seems to be the occupation of many. We find there are
those of a more negative nature that keep close watch of all the doom events every
earthquake, flood, war, etc. has them asking the question, Does this fulfill the
prophecy, and indicate that the end of the age is here? And there are those who look
for the more positive elements, and with every surge and quickening of the Spirit, they
are convinced that it means the end is nigh.
Some take
their clue from Daniel, who said, I Daniel understood by books the number of the
years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish
seventy years in the desolations of
It was said
to Daniel, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore
shut thou up the vision, for it shall be for many days (Daniel
Might we
also point out that much of the vision of the evening belongs to the children
of the evening, while the vision of the morning belongs to the CHILDREN OF THE
DAY. In our own personal walk God has only given us some small portions, limited
understanding of the vision of the evening. Enough so that we are aware of the happenings,
but that is not our personal calling to speak of those truths. All of the negativity and
doom of the night, the collapse of the economy, the horrors of the shakings upon the
earth, etc. there is a true vision of those hours, and that truth belongs to those to whom
He reveals it. Let them faithfully speak what He gives them when He so ordains it to be
said.
But when
God imparts to you a VISION OF THE MORNING, to become a part of the DAY, then you will
wait for the day to break forth. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light (Hebrew, NO MORNING) in
them. (Isaiah 8:20). Only those who receive a God-given vision of the morning can
speak the truth of that dawning day. If the morning is not WITHIN, then it cannot come
forth for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
I dare say,
some people are standing on tiptoe for the vision of the evening to be fulfilled, and
others are standing on tiptoe for the vision of the morning to be fulfilled.
I would further
share a portion of a letter I received a number of years ago which expresses so precisely
the effects of the dooms day mentality on the lives of the many of the Lords
precious saints. Some of the brothers Ive been closest to over the last 8
years have been all counting off the seconds to the great tribulation so to speak. We
would gather for mens meetings and listen to tapes by men like John Jackson who are
predicting all these things to occur. The way it has affected me is Ive been very
unsettled about the future and any decisions I had to make which pertained to the days to
come always seemed to scare me as I looked on ahead into a cloud of darkness, confusion,
and chaos. More recently Ive been closely following the ministry of David Wilkerson.
Listening to one of the tapes he said how his immediate group with whom he ministers has
been really simplifying their lives and making sure they werent carrying any
extra luggage so to speak. His counsel was if you have an old car, dont
get a new one. It makes one think we must be very close to the total economic
collapse. Then he shared that very soon the collapse would come and it would
begin by foreign countries defaulting on their national debts. He said when
I
cant say God doesnt or isnt speaking a word concerning judgment soon to
come in this hour. But what Im realizing is if we emphasize the external we will
respond in an external fashion. My vision had been turned to external things. As a result
there was fear in my heart, a spirit of fear even, instead of a sound mind and the one who
fears is not perfected in love. How true those words are. Fear has hindered the receiving
of Gods love in my heart and the perfecting of that love.
Terrible as is
this hour which is upon us, there is absolutely no need for alarm in the heart of any
saint of God no need to fear, I say, only a need for true understanding and Godly
concern. Jesus told us to REJOICE when we see these things coming, not because we were to
be cynical or careless and unconcerned, but because we know that the collapse of this
present world order is the trumpet call heralding the triumph of that wonderful Kingdom
which shall never be destroyed, a Kingdom over which Christ and the sons of God shall
reign, a Kingdom promised from the very beginning of time. The saints of the Most
High shall take the Kingdom, Daniel said, and that Kingdom shall have fully come for
all the nations of earth when this present confusion is ended.
We read in Phil.
1:27-29: Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that ye
stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
and IN NOTHING TERRIFIED by your
adversaries. Verse 28 reads in the Amplified Bible: And do not for a moment be
FRIGHTENED or INTIMIDATED in anything by your opponents and adversaries. In all
these things be not frightened, fearful, startled, shocked, doubtful, hysterical,
terrified or any other shade of meaning found in the Greek word used here. No, we do not
have our heads stuck in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich, pretending that the hour is
not dark and treacherous. But WE WILL NOT FEAR, we will not be TERRIFIED of the
night, for, though we are in the night, we are not OF THE NIGHT! Blessed beyond words is
the precious promise of Ps. 91:1,5-9. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the
most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Thou shalt not be afraid for the
terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh
in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy
side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee
because
thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation.
One of
Satans devices is his activity as a roaring lion (I Pet. 5:8-9) as he
seeks to intimidate and terrorize Gods elect, filling them with fear instead of
faith. Terrorism is a familiar theme around the world today in the physical
realm. It is a reality which cannot be ignored. But it must not be allowed to strike
terror into the hearts of Gods sons for terror caused by fear leads to
spiritual weakness. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth be removed! The truth is,
however, that the dangers of this day are more imagined and exaggerated, in many cases,
than real. A little cat running down the street with a tin can containing a few stones
attached to his tail is in reality creating everything from which he is running. The
moment the cat that is so terrified at the noise is still, the noise is also still. So it
is with man. The moment you are still within in the peace of God, the darkness of this
hour holds no terror for you.
I read of a man
once who in the darkness stumbled over a precipice, as he thought it was, in the road. It
was dark, and he knew there was a great steep precipice not far away. In the dark he
stumbled over, and he held on to a tree and managed to get his foot on the ledge of a
rock. He could not get up, and he was afraid to fall lest he should fall down that
terrific precipice. There all night in the darkness he held on to this root of a tree. He
was afraid to lose his footing lest he would fall to his death. When morning came, he
looked around and there was no precipice, but there was only sixteen inches to step down.
Now, he had imagined he was hanging over a precipice all night. If he had only a little
light to show him there were only sixteen inches to step down, and that there was no
precipice there, he would not have hung in fear all night; but he hung there in fear all
night, and it turned his hair white by morning, because he was in darkness and was afraid.
Methinks that when the full light of Gods new day has risen that multitudes of the
Lords people will come to see they have been imagining a great many difficulties
that do not exist. In the fuller light of Spiritual Truth they will see finally that there
was no frightening schedule of end-time events as they supposed no antichrist such
as they anticipated, no tribulation such as they expected, no world government conspiracy
such as they were propagandized into believing, and many other dire predictions that had
no reality or substance to them at all. Many of the events that people theorize out of a
too-literal interpretation of Bible prophecy and a mis-application of timing and
significance I do not believe that they do exist, but they exist in peoples
imagination, and instill a very real fear in their hearts. But in any event let the
heathen rage at God and at His anointed, He is Lord over all! Let the powers of the
heavens be shaken, he rules over all! Let earthquakes rumble, storms rage, floods
devastate, the economy collapse, and wars ravage the nations, our God is on His throne!
Hallelujah! In spite of the terror by night, or the pestilence that walketh in darkness,
or the destruction that wasteth at noonday, the Lord will fully save His people. He shall
indeed bring us forth in His likeness, for we have made the Lord most High our habitation
and our refuge. What a wonderful hope we have in Him!
A prophecy given
by Brother C. L. Moore some years ago is most meaningful and instructive in this hour.
But be ye not fearful for God hath all things in hand. He speaketh a word to the
rock and waters flow. He speaketh to the quail and they fly in on the winds, you know. He
speaketh to the wind and it layeth still. He speaketh to the storm and its fury is gone at
His will. So why are ye fearful, when all things are in His hand? For He didnt bring
you forth to leave you barren in the land, nor to destroy you, but to prepare you and
truly furnish you for a task thats nearer at hand than you imagine.
Now
dont be consumed with fear, for the carnal man would have you fear, and the natural
man will quail in fear not knowing which way to turn. But he that waiteth on the Lord
shall not be disappointed. He that waiteth for a Word shall surely hear in the season of
the Lord that waiteth for instruction shall surely know the moving of His order. So
thou art safe, saith the Lord.
Be ye not
fearful when the economic system fails, and it surely will. Thou needest not to be
distraught, for all things are in His will. And when the political system, yea, has gone
astray and confusion reigns, know that I have in My hand the reins. And when the religious
error of the day and humanism and mans plans have all failed, and men know not which
way to turn, the house of the Lord shall be intact. It shall be a lighthouse. In the
middle of the storm there shall be safety. This is my people, saith the Lord not
stones of death and stones of inanimate matter. This is living stone impregnated with My
Life, My Nature, My very Being, and the revelation of My Lordship shall be seen.
Forget not,
the harlot hath not changed. She changeth her attire, but she hath not changed. She still
seeketh to bring her man to her house that he might be brought down into death to
destroy him. But God by His breath shall surely cause him that hath a heart of humility
and desire, to cry out and receive the breath of God and the cleansing of the fire.
This hour
is a peculiar hour. Weve never come this way before. The fathers have not known this
way before. Theyve not walked in this hour before. This hour is reserved for thee,
for it pleased God in His sovereignty. So rise up and walk. Stay ye in His house. Eat at
the table of the Lord; not at the table of man. Be ye clothed and endued with the power
and the garmenting of the Lord and with the spirit of His Life. And thou shalt surely be
as the falling of the rain and the refreshing of the dew.
Jesus outlined
some of the characteristics of this end-time, saying that there would be upon the earth
distress of nations with perplexity, and that the hearts of men would fail
them for FEAR as they looked forward to the things coming upon the earth (Lk. 21:25-26).
Jesus reference to the fear that would fill the hearts of the people is sufficient
to indicate that He was referring to this present time, for never before has there been
such widespread fear on the part of the people, especially the leaders, as there is today,
and never before such a high rate of heart attack triggered by the unbearable stress of
these perplexing times. When Jesus said that there would be upon the earth distress of
nations with perplexity, He illustrated His thought by likening it to the roaring of the
sea and the waves a very apt symbol indeed of the restless, discontented, surging
masses of mankind today as they strive hopelessly to avert the calamity which they fear
will be brought by the onrushing tide of human selfishness implemented by the ghastly
instruments of destruction provided by the very science that at one time boasted its
ability to lead the world into utopia.
The prophet David
also foretold this time in which we are living, and like Jesus, he too likened the chaos
of this present evil world to the relentless lashing of the sea and waves, as the
clamorous demands of men and nations strike out against the bulwarks of a civilization
that was once thought to be impregnable. Davids prophecy is addressed to those who
have faith in the wonderful promises of God, and of these he declares, God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. THEREFORE WILL WE NOT FEAR, though
the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the
swelling thereof (Ps. 46:1-3).
We will not
fear! declares the prophet. WE WILL NOT FEAR though the earth (social order) be
removed! WE WILL NOT FEAR though the mountains (strong kingdoms) be carried into the midst
of the sea (brought down by raging, surging masses of Godless humanity)! WE WILL NOT FEAR
though the waters (peoples) be troubled! WE WILL NOT FEAR though the mountains (kingdoms)
shake! No place to hide, there, no safe area unto which to flee! But WE
WILL NOT FEAR! Hallelujah! For God is our refuge.
See that you do
not fear. People write to me from time to time, asking whether or not they should join
some group who are going to some wilderness hideout, or joining some
communal group. My answer is to stay clear of all such foolish schemes. The
idea of gathering up a group of people and fleeing away to a wilderness hideout is a
childish notion that can only end in confusion and heartbreak. Some want to know if they
should buy some acreage in some safe place where they can establish a
community and weather out the storm of coming tribulation in safety. While there is
definitely some advantage in being removed from the great metropolitan centers of sin and
corruption, let me assure you that there is NO SUCH THING AS A SAFE AREA to be found
anywhere in any geographical spot of this sin-cursed world! Beloved ones, there is only
Daniel
didnt have to find some wilderness area to escape the lions den. Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego didnt flee to some desert spot to escape the fiery furnace of
the king. Noah passed through the waters of the flood and was delivered! The
children of
I can assure you
that the spirit which motivates those who follow after such revelations
(schemes) is THE SPIRIT OF FEAR. It is not from GOD! It is only when doctrines of
demons, and ideas which come from demonic delusions, begin to creep into a
persons thinking that various kinds of dark FEARS emerge. Ideas about
fleeing to private little hideouts when the going gets rough stem from FEAR OF
PHYSICAL HARM and MARTYRDOM. When a person begins thinking of PHYSICAL PROTECTION, he has
quit thinking on those things which are above, and is far more concerned, for
the moment, on those things which are beneath, meaning his earthly, mortal
existence. Such a person is reasoning from FEAR, and not from faith.
Fear religion is
everywhere, and, alas, it has raised its head even in the camp of those who would be the
sons of God. Satan is the author of all fear, except THAT ONE FEAR which rested upon our
glorious Head the FEAR OF THE LORD. When the prophets of doom prophesy destruction
upon your city or state, if you are easily moved by the spirit of fear you will sell your
home and jump up and run! On the other hand, if your life is motivated by THE FEAR OF THE
LORD, you will wait upon God, try the spirit of the prophet, and then make a judgment out
of the witness of the Spirit in your own heart. Mark well, my beloved brethren, this
difference between the spirit of fear and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. Mark well
the difference between the kind of action evoked by each. True prophets of the Lord at
times prophesy of judgment. But in receiving the message, we will act and react either out
of FEAR OF THE JUDGMENT or out of REVERENCE OF THE LORD. How we walk in this hour
manifests which company we are in: the company of the SONS OF GOD, upon whom shall rest
the seven Spirits of God, or the company of them that draw back unto
perdition. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be My SON. But the FEARFUL
shall have their part in the lake of
fire (Rev. 21:7-8).
One has so well
written in this connection, that I feel to quote:
No need for
panic, for hasty action you can well afford to wait for God, He goes before you,
and He goes WITH YOU, and He fights FOR YOU, and He remains right with you, and all with
the purpose of your ultimate salvation. He is bringing forth many sons unto glory, that He
might be the first born among many brethren. Our salvation is of the first priority in His
purpose. Wonderful! The angelic hosts are commissioned to minister for those who shall be
heirs of salvation. All creation groans and travails together waiting for the birthing of
the sons of God. Everything in the universe is directed towards this event in Gods
present purpose of the ages. Why then should we tremble, make haste in some fearful,
panic-motivated action to try to save ourselves? HE will save us, And in that day it
shall be said, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and He will save us: this is
the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation (Isa.
25:9).
Let not
your heart faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
for the Lord your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, TO
SAVE YOU (Deut. 20:3-4). Amen!
The
Seven Spirits of God
And
the Work of Judgment
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the
throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God SENT FORTH
INTO ALL THE EARTH (Rev. 5:6).
And the
Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit
of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord; and He shall
make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and He shall not JUDGE after the
sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with righteousness
shall he JUDGE the poor, and REPROVE with equity for the meek of the EARTH: and He shall
smite the EARTH with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall he slay
the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the
girdle of His reigns. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My Holy Mountain: for THE
EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isa.
11:2-5,9).
THE JUDGEMENT
DAY
The apostle Paul,
speaking on Mars Hill, told the people,
God
hath appointed a day, in
which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof
He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead (Acts
17:31). This verse sets forth three wonderful truths: (1) God has appointed A DAY, (2) In
that DAY He shall judge the world in righteousness, (3) He shall JUDGE THE WORLD by that
MAN whom He hath ordained. God has appointed a day in which He will JUDGE THE
WORLD by Jesus Christ!
The term
day, both in the Scriptures and in common usage, though most frequently used
to represent a period of twelve or twenty-four hours, really signifies any definite or
special period of time. Thus, for instance, we speak of Abrahams day, Noahs
day, Luthers day, Washingtons day; and thus in the Bible the entire time of
creation is called a day, where we read of the day that the Lord God made the earth
and the heavens (Gen. 2:4) a long, definite period, which includes the six
other days of creation listed in Genesis chapter one. Then we read of
the day of temptation in the wilderness forty years (Heb. 3:8-9);
the day of salvation (II Cor. 6:2); also the day of vengeance,
day of wrath and day of trouble terms applied to a period
of forty years at the close of the Jewish nation, and to a similar period of trouble when
the times of the Gentiles are brought to a close at the end of this age. Then again we
read of the day of Christ, the day of judgment, and His
day terms especially applicable to that glorious age of the Kingdom of
Christ, in which Christ, Head and body, will reign over, rule and judge the world in
righteousness, granting wonderful blessing as well and rendering binding sentences. And of
that period it is written: He shall judge the world in righteousness, and in HIS DAY
shall show who is that blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of
lords (Acts
Peter writes of
this day of judgment when this present evil world will pass away. But
the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men (II Pet. 3:7).
Then he goes on to explain just what he means by this day of judgment. But, beloved,
be not ignorant of this one thing, that ONE DAY is with the Lord as a THOUSAND YEARS, and
a THOUSAND YEARS as ONE DAY (II Pet 3:8). If we can believe what Peter says (and we
most surely can!) Gods judgment day is one thousand years duration. Therefore,
when Peter wrote of this day of judgment he had reference to the great day of the
Lord: the thousand-year Sabbath of rest for Gods own elect, when the world
will be in captivity to those who for 6,000 years were their captives. But because many
saints of his time looked for the soon coming of this day of glory, Peter inserted the
next verse to warn them not to become dismayed on account of the long period yet to elapse
before it should dawn, for the full six days of earth, or full six millenniums, must pass
before the Sabbath could come. Both Peter and Paul lived and wrote in the morning of the
fifth day. Both knew that almost two thousand years must elapse before the seventh day
could commence. So Paul warned the saints in II Thes. 2:2-3 not to be deceived by any
means or led to think that the seventh day had then come. But relative to the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, we beg you, brethren, not to
allow your minds to be quickly unsettled or disturbed or kept excited or alarmed, whether
it be by some pretended revelation of the Spirit or by word or by letter alleged to be
from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord had already arrived and is here. Let no
one deceive or beguile you in any way, for that day WILL NOT COME except the apostasy
comes FIRST, unless the predicted great falling away
has come and the man of
lawlessness (sin) is revealed, who is the son of perdition (Amplified Bible).
God has appointed
a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by THAT MAN WHOM HE HATH ORDAINED,
and that MAN is Christ, Head and body! When giving his preview of the wonderful work of
this thousand-year-judgment-day the apostle John wrote: Then I saw thrones, and
sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as JUDGES and pass sentence was
entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witnessing to
Jesus and for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast
and
they lived again, and ruled with Christ A THOUSAND YEARS. Blessed is the person who takes
part in the first resurrection! Over them the second death has no power or authority, but
they shall be ministers of God and of Christ, and they shall rule with Him a thousand
years (Rev. 20:4,6).
Thrones
occupied by them to whom the authority to act as judges is given! Is this a
glorious and exciting prospect, or does it cast a dark shadow upon what would otherwise be
a bright picture of that coming Age of ages? Judges! Sentences handed down! Judicial
decision! Authority! How are we to view such a prospect? In conjunction with this vision
John says, Then I saw an angel (representative of a MINISTRY) descending from
heaven; he was holding the key of the abyss the bottomless pit and a great
chain was in his hand. And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent of
primeval times, who is the devil and Satan, and securely bound him for a thousand years.
Then he hurled him into the abyss and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should
NO LONGER LEAD ASTRAY AND DECEIVE AND SEDUCE THE NATIONS until the thousand years were at
an end (Rev. 20:1-3). Talk about judgment! Sentencing! Judicial authority! Power
from heaven! A burning word of Authority! John saw this whole present world-system passing
away. After six thousand years of sin, sorrow, tyranny, war, oppression, pain and death
mankind needs DELIVERANCE! For six-thousand years the earth has been governed by the will
of man and the will of man has been usurped by the mind of Satan, the god of this world.
We have been governed variously by kings, emperors, dictators, prime ministers, and
presidents, but the net result has always been the same, for the corrupt nature of man
always asserts itself, seeking its own purposes, fulfilling its own desires, and doing its
own will.
Are the people
not deeply disappointed and perplexed today by the political and judicial system that
operates in this hour, even here in the
Can anyone
possibly imagine what would happen to a nation if all the members of its government were
completely selfless instead of completely selfish, if they were Sons of God WALKING IN THE
MIND AND SPIRIT OF CHRIST, instead of handshaking, baby-kissing politicians seeking to
curry the favor of men for personal advantage, or if the judges judged by the Spirit of
Wisdom and Discernment from God instead of by the tricky technicalities of the law? What
if the leaders of the world were filled with the Holy Spirit of God and moved under the
power of that anointing instead of building larger armies and navies, more sophisticated
missiles, and more destructive bombs? What if judges and social workers had the Word of
God in their mouths and power to cast the demon spirits out of men instead of carrying
them off to some psychiatrist, mental hospital or prison? To even contemplate such things
in this age of darkness only serves to bring a sad smile to our faces, but I can assure
you in all confidence that this present day of darkness is even now merging into
Gods great DAY OF JUDGEMENT and perdition of ungodly men. The whole system is
rapidly sinking and collapsing around us and God is even now preparing a righteous
government of holy Sons of God to replace it.
Destruction of
the devil-controlled systems of this world will certainly call for a change of judgeships
over mankind. In the proper course of things, then, new thrones of judgment come into
existence. Nothing else but a BETTER BODY OF JUDGES could be expected to occupy those new
thrones of judgment, which are established by Gods authority in the heavenlies.
Mighty DELIVERANCE can thenceforth be expected to come to misled, misruled, and misjudged
mankind! Two thousand years ago Jesus designated the first twelve of this new order of
judges. On the night of His betrayal and arrest and unjust trial by the highest court in
Jerusalem, Jesus said to His small handful of footstep followers: You are those who
have remained and persevered with Me in My trials; and as My Father has appointed a
kingdom and conferred it on Me, so do I confer on you the privilege and decree that you
may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones, JUDGING the twelve tribes
of Israel (Lk. 22:28-30). Those were merely the first appointed to this realm of
authority, for Daniel said, I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints,
and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and JUDGEMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE
SAINTS of the Most High; and the time came that the SAINTS possessed the kingdom
(Dan. 7:21-22). And Paul adds in I Cor. 6:2-3, Do ye not know that THE SAINTS SHALL
JUDGE THE WORLD? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the
smallest matters?
THE MINISTRY OF
JUDGEMENT
If the matter of
carrying out this ministry of judgment were limited to just pronouncing decisions in that
day when the world is brought to judgment, why is it that a thousand years are assigned to
these holy judges to serve on behalf of the nations? Such a long period is assigned for A
WORK TO BE DONE and not merely for a pronouncing of verdicts and sentences. In the Bible
the ones whom God raised up as judges for His people did more than just settle disputes
between individuals or hand down and execute judicial decisions. Those judges were
actually THE DELIVERERS OF GODS PEOPLE! There is one book in the Bible that is
specifically named Judges. As a book it is a thriller! Therein we read of the
fearless exploits of those mighty men whom God, the Judge of all the earth,
raised up for the salvation and deliverance of His oppressed and afflicted people. Hail
the day of judgment that began when God raised up a judge to execute judgment for His
afflicted ones! for these judges were, indeed, saviours of
Throughout the
administration of the judges the people were blessed. Note, for instance, how, when under
oppression by their enemies because of transgression against the Lord,
Those wonderful
judges were raised up long millenniums ago for the deliverance of
As we look at
that typical order of judges under the Old Testament economy we see that there are two
distinct aspects to the ministry of judges. The first is negative and the second is
positive. The first is judgment that is, punishment, severity, breaking, crushing,
melting, shattering; the second is redemptive deliverance and restoration! The
first is simply a means unto an end. Judgment is only the necessary agency essential to
the fulfillment of the primary purpose of God to bring to pass the times of
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets
since the world began (Acts
The Scriptures
reveal some important things about these two characteristics of God. David tells us in Ps.
30:5 that His anger endureth BUT FOR A MOMENT while in Ps. 136:1-26 he states
twenty-six times that His mercy endureth FOREVER. These verses show that the
Lords anger is limited and temporary it endures for only a moment but
His mercy lasts for as long as mercy is needed even forever! Isaiah confirms the
words of the Psalmist, saying, For I will not contend forever, neither will I be
always wrath; for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made
(Isa. 57:16). In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with
EVERLASTING KINDNESS will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer (Isa.
54:8). In Isa. 61:2 a striking contrast is made between the duration of the Lords
mercy and His vengeance. In poetical language the prophet says, The Spirit of the
Lord God is upon Me
to proclaim the acceptable YEAR of the Lord, and the DAY of
vengeance of our God.
Jeremiah adds his
witness in these words, Return
for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will
NOT keep anger forever (Jer.
We make His
love too narrow
With false limits of our own,
And we magnify His strictness,
With a zeal He will not own.
For the love of God is wider
Than the measure of mans mind,
And the heart of the Eternal,
Is most wonderfully kind!
We must never
lose sight of the fact, however, that Gods anger is part and parcel of His essential
nature LOVE. God is love (I Jn. 4:8). We must understand that even the
judgment phase of the ministry of the Sons of God shall be in love, and revealing to
mankind that the dealings of the heavenly Father in that which appears to man to be only
wrath and vengeance is, in truth, in love and with the ultimate intention of restoration.
It is not incomprehensible nor inconceivable to suppose that the ministry of LOVE can be
in JUDGEMENT! This can be easily understood when the PURPOSE of judgment is considered.
The objective of God in judgment is to demonstrate HIS POWER, in order to break down the
arrogant pride and stubborn spirit of human independence and rebellion which cause men to
trust in their own wisdom and ingenuity. All sin, in fact THE SIN of man has always been
mans effort to individuality independence from God. This was the route Adam
chose long ago and herein lies the breach between God and man. God wanted men to be His
Sons and men chose to live apart from God, as gods themselves!
Jesus came to
reveal the eternal purpose of God in Sonship, and of His relationship with the Father He
said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he
seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will
shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel (Jn.
In this picture
we have the reflection of the relationship God intended to exist between Himself and the
whole world of mankind! God created man, from the very beginning, to be in His own image
and likeness. But, alas! man repudiated the Fathers great plan and love and set
about to do his own thing in defiance of God. So, the heavenly Father finds it
impossible to start fallen man on the road to RESTORATION until he is brought to the
recognition that he is inescapably subject to a SUPERIOR BEING God! First, God has
to get mans attention! Thus, when man can see the demonstration of Gods
inescapable power, he is encouraged to take the first step toward his restoration to the
original purpose of His creation. Deliverance from the factors and forces which keep him
in bondage cannot be wrought until man is brought to the acknowledgement of the complete
superiority, the absolute authority, and the unlimited ability of a loving God. Thus the
first objective in divine judgment is to demonstrate the power of God. The Scriptures
abound with examples of this.
One of the
outstanding examples of this is found in the manner in which God wrought judgment upon
Paul was not
violating the love of God when he ministered judgment of blindness upon Elymus, the
sorcerer. By all means, Sergius Paulus, the Roman Proconsul of the Isle of Paphos, would
have testified that Gods judgment of blindness on his servant, whose sorceries were
keeping him from the glorious blessing of God which Paul was bringing to him, was an
expression of Gods love unto him, and ultimately to his servant, when he later was
healed and came to know the love and power of Christ Jesus. The love of God was not
violated when Saul of Tarsus was smitten with blindness on the
Judgment must
come to bring down the thrones of men. It must come to bring down the dominions and
kingdoms of men. It must begin at the house of God. We have conformed to mans words,
his plans, and his programs for long centuries. We have offered our sacrifices, performed
our rituals and ceremonies, and established our institutions. We have exalted men by the
thousands, idolized the words from their lips, and worshipped at the powerless shrine of
their personalities. Gods day is destined to bring an end to this stupidity and
insanity. He purposes to remove all these foundations of mans establishments, and
establish Himself a people on His eternal foundation, the Rock, Christ Jesus. He is
abolishing all idols and establishing His people in the life and reality of His Spirit. He
alone shall be exalted! I have no hesitation in saying that the very last particle of
church tradition is about to vanish away, and every thing will become completely new.
Unknown to us there are still things about us that retain the nasty odor of the old
religious disorder, but these also will have to go that THE LORD ALONE MAY BE
EXALTED in our lives and hearts. God is going to make a complete riddance of the flesh,
first of all in the house of God, and finally among all nations of men upon the face of
the earth! You can count on it! The judgment day is at hand! Doubtless, God
would desire to be exalted and have full rulership of our lives without the necessity of
judgment. God would like for us to give the reigns of our lives to Him, to die out to
ourselves, our will, our wishes, our plans, our ambitions, our dominion, without having to
be broken in judgment. But He finds man to be a very rebellious and stubborn creature. It
would be so much easier if we would yield control to Him and rejoice in the leadership of
His Spirit. He shall rule! And He is even now bringing a firstfruit company of people to
the experiencing of His kingdom, His rule, His will, His dominion, His mind. Because He
has chosen a people for it, he shall set up His dominion in them and His Kingdom shall
rule. His Kingdom shall be the overthrow of all other kingdoms within them and without
them, bless His name!
THE MINISTRY OF
REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION
The day which God
has appointed, in which He shall JUDGE THE WORLD, is now at hand. The judges for this day
are now in preparation. Yes, you shall judge the world, saints
but you will do it in
humility and with a broken heart full of compassion and love. The first aspect of the
ministry of the judges in the coming age is judgment. This work, however, shall be swiftly
followed by the second ministry of mercy and restoration, for Gods judgments are
ever unto mercy and redemption. Praise God! Let us now consider the processes of this
wonderful work of redemption.
To
The book of
Judges records how
What a sordid
state of affairs! Do you get the picture? Over and over, time after time, repeatedly, the
cycle goes on and on
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the
Lord
and the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He delivered them into
the hands of their enemies
and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord
and
the Lord raised them up judges
the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out
of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge
and it came to pass, when the
judge was dead that they corrupted themselves more than their fathers
and the
children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord
and the anger of the Lord was
hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of their enemies
the
children of Israel cried unto the Lord
and the Lord raised them up judges
and
the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hands to their enemies all the
days of the judge
. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they corrupted
themselves more than their fathers
and the children of Israel did evil in the sight
of the Lord
and the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He delivered them
into the hands of their enemies
the children of Israel cried unto the Lord
and
the Lord raised them up judges
DO YOU GET THE PICTURE, NOW? How unmistakably
evident that it was not their enemies from whom they needed deliverance they needed
DELIVERANCE FROM THEMSELVES! Their great problem was that they continually cried unto the
Lord because of the oppression of the king of Mesopotamia, or the Moabites, or the
Canaanites, or the Midianites, or the Ammonites, or the Philistines; but never once did
they cry mightily unto God because of their own desperately wicked and rebellious hearts!
The book of
Judges is a wonderful book. Over and over again it records the loving kindness and tender
mercy of God on the one hand and the incredible corruption of the human heart on the
other. The corruption of the human heart is beyond belief and it would have been
completely useless had the Lord sent His Son to be the Deliverer of His people
In that
approaching age of the Kingdom of God what good would it be to raise up righteous Judges
to judge the people: to settle disputes between individuals and nations, to pronounce
verdicts and sentences, to execute judicial decisions, while the heart of man remains
deceitful and corrupt and his mind more nearly the mind of a devil than the mind of God?
If ever the world is to be judged and ruled in righteousness then righteousness must first
of all be established WITHIN THE HEART OF MAN and the rule of God removed from outside of
man to be brought into the very tables of his heart and mind. There must be a NEW BIRTH,
even a birth from above. The wickedness of man demands it. There must be a conversion, a
total change wherein evil men who once were afar off from God are made NIGH by the blood
of Christ. The very well-spring of that conversion must be a birth from above by which a
new heart and a new spirit are placed WITHIN THE MEN OF ALL RACES AND NATIONS. This is why
Jesus, when He appeared on the world scene, came preaching the gospel of the KINGDOM OF
GOD, and the very first word of that Kingdom Gospel is this: Repent, for the Kingdom
of heaven is at hand! (Mat. 4:17). Godly sorrow worketh REPENTANCE TO
SALVATION not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death (II Cor.
The whole problem
with
I have no desire
to be sarcastic or cynical, but if we aspire to be of that glorious company of Gods
Sons who shall judge and reign over the earth-realm in righteousness and power, then we
must learn first and foremost that the time is come that judgment must begin at the
house of God (I Pet. 4:17). The sooner we learn that the human heart is UTTERLY
CORRUPT the sooner we will come to the fountain of his precious blood, not merely for
mercy and pardon, but for CLEANSING and DELIVERANCE that through the grace and power of
Christ we might be soundly converted and made an entirely new Creation in Him. I can say
without fear of contradiction that most Christians have come only to know what it means to
be saved in their sins, but the Sons of the Most High must now become the
firstfruits of them that are saved from their sins. Out of the midst of all
the empty form and ritual of man-made religion, the violence and war, the cheating and
lying, the drugs and heathenish rock music, illicit sex and filth of lesbians and
homosexuals, and the plague of every abominable eastern cult and devilish religion, God
shall still bring forth a blessed firstfruit company of people who are UNDEFILED BEFORE
GOD. These are they that have repented of sin and every work of the flesh. With Christ,
their victorious Head, they have died to all the desires of the flesh and mind. They are a
people who have fixed all their hopes in Christ the Lord. Their hearts cry not for the
tinsel of the world, nor yet for the trinkets of popular religion, but their prayer
ascends to God day and night, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is
in heaven (Mat.
We have seen that
it is utterly useless to deliver men from their external enemies unless first they have
been delivered from their own corrupt and wicked hearts. All mankind desperately needs
DELIVERANCE, and the Sons of God, the righteous judges to be raised up unto all nations
SHALL BECOME THE DELIVERERS. Hallelujah! And saviours shall come up on
The salvation of
the nations shall not be accomplished upon principles nor by processes other than those
that are now working in the firstfruit company for our redemption and perfection. The
process for us is clear: Unto Him that loved us, and washed us for our sins in His
own blood, and hath made us KINGS AND PRIESTS unto God and His Father (Rev. 1:5-6).
And again, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and
to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy
blood
and hast made us unto our God KINGS AND PRIESTS: and we shall reign on the
earth (Rev. 5:9-10). The glorious God of power and holiness who has constituted us
kings and priests is the One who first of all washed us from our sins in
His own blood.
Zechariah
prophesied of a day, saying, In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the
house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness, and
Isaiah spoke of that fountain of cleansing performing its redeeming work upon many
nations: So shall He sprinkle (wash, cleanse, sanctify) MANY NATIONS; the kings
shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and
that which they had not heard shall they consider (Zech. 13:1; Isa. 52:15). In Rev.
21:6 John calls the cleansing and life-giving stream of the blood of Christ a
fountain of the water of life. The words of the old hymn are so appropriate:
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me PURE WITHIN?
NOTHING but the blood of Jesus! Washed by His blood; cleansed and quickened by His life!
This is the process for the firstfruit company. And then in proportion as the Sons of God
learn, in their own experience, how far-reaching and all-including the effects of the
blood are, their hearts are opened up to long for the ultimate and complete experiencing
of the power of this blood in the world around them. If the blood can so redeem, cleanse
and perfect the firstfruits that they are suitable to be MADE KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD,
then surely nothing less than the power of this blood must be ministered to the hearts and
lives of the sin-blighted creation. Truly it is the blood-washed PRIESTS OF GOD who shall
SPRINKLE THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB upon MANY NATIONS in the glorious age soon to dawn!
This is the plain
teaching of Scripture. It pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell;
and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to RECONCILE ALL THINGS TO
HIMSELF, whether they be things on earth or things in heaven (Col. 1:19-20). The
power of the blood avails for every creature. The experience of what the blood can
accomplish for those who believe, will teach them to regard their fellow-men as living
under the tender mercy of God, under redemption, and under the call to salvation and
deliverance through the precious blood. It will fill them with an irresistible impulse to
consecrate their lives, which have been bought and transformed by blood, to be
blood-sprinkling PRIESTS OF THE MOST HIGH, fellow-workers with God for the deliverance of
all nations, that the blood may ultimately have the full honor which belongs to it.
Hear it!
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the
midst of the elders stood a LAMB as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,
which are THE SEVEN OF GOD SENT FORTH INTO ALL THE EARTH (Rev. 5:6). The seven
Spirits proceed from the SLAIN LAMB. The seven Spirits from the slain Lamb are sent forth
INTO ALL THE EARTH. The seven Spirits are nothing short of the FULL AND COMPLETE POWER OF
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. The blood is the life of man; the Spirit is the life of God.
The life is in the blood (Lev.
Where does this
cleansing take place, and what is it that the life-giving blood washes? It is the heart.
It is the deep, hidden, inner life of man that experiences the effect of the blood. Jesus
said: The
And so we read:
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and
Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of
the Lord
with righteousness shall He JUDGE
the wolf shall dwell with the Lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the
fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed;
their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And
the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his
hand on the cockatrice den
for THE WHOLE EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:2-9). As the sevenfold intensified
Spirit of the Lord is poured forth from the throne, what peace, what joy, what blessedness
this will result in for the earth-realm! What changes shall be wrought, what altering of
attitudes, what changing of personalities, all likened to the wolf, the leopard, the lion,
the bear, the asp, the cockatrice! And while I am sure that in due time there shall be
even a flowing of the peace of God unto the animal kingdom, yet our present application of
the type must be to the peace and life of the Kingdom of God on a higher level where men
of the most wicked, corrupt and fierce dispositions shall have their natures so entirely
transformed by the matchless grace of Christ that they shall live in love and
righteousness with the meekest of men and those who formerly were an easy prey. Christ,
who IS OUR PEACE, came to establish PEACE IN THE HEARTS OF MEN! Thus the asp and the
cockatrice(poisonous serpents) shall cease to be venomous, so that parents shall let their
little children play with them. A generation of vipers shall be so converted
and made a seed of saints that the little ones of the
The nations shall
indeed be saved. God shall, in His great mercy and love, raise up JUDGES, DELIVERERS unto
them. At long last, thank God! deliverance shall come to mankind. And it shall not be
merely a deliverance from Communism, or Nazism, or Fascism; not a deliverance from
J. PRESTON EBY
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