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All Scripture quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated.
October 27, 2007
THE GOSPEL
OF CHRIST
(Matt. 1:1, Rom. 1:16)
STUDY GUIDE
&
TEACHING MANUAL
Published by:
HANDS FOR JESUS
For additional copies of this book see our web sites
www.handsforjesus.org
www.handsforjesus.cc
or write to:
HANDS FOR JESUS
P.O. BOX 18655
MILWAUKEE, WI 53218-0655
2007 by Merle E. Koepke
All Rights Reserved
Introduction
The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek."
The Gospel that Paul preached is the same Gospel that the prophets preached. It's the same
Gospel that Jesus preached.
The Gospel of Christ should be the most important revelation in a Christian's life. Once we
are born again into the family of God, our greatest desire should be to understand what God's plan
for our life is? Why did God choose us as His children? What is the purpose of God in our lives
today?
The answers to all our questions concerning this earth, this life here on earth, and eternity are
all summed up in the Gospel of Christ. Without knowledge and understanding of the Gospel of
Christ, Christians can go through life here on earth, and never experience the true anointing of the
Holy Spirit in their lives. They can even be deceived by the devil and serve the devil thinking they
are serving God. This is the one thing no Christian should ever get caught up in "walking in
deception, and serving the spirits of this world" thinking it is God.
Whenever we study the gospel, we must look to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the
second Adam (Man, whom God placed upon this earth). The first Adam was created (formed of the
dust of the ground and became a living soul by the breath of the LORD God) (Gen. 2:7). The first
Adam was God's representative man on earth. He was the beginning of all mankind.
Adam disobeyed the LORD God and all mankind fell into a position of sin and death (Rom.
5:12). But Jesus (the second Adam) came down from heaven to show us the Father, to teach His
descendants the ways of God. Being God Himself (one with the Father), Jesus is the Way, the Truth,
and the Life. He became our example and our teacher sent from God.
If we commit ourselves to knowing Jesus and receive His knowledge and walk in His ways
we will see the glorious gospel He preached, and continued to teach by the Holy Spirit after He was
taken up into heaven to be at the right hand of God the Father.
When Jesus began His ministry, Mark 1:15 says, Jesus came "...saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
There is much to understand about this statement of our LORD Jesus Christ and yet only a
few have come to the knowledge of what Jesus was saying. As an example, let us look at the
meaning of part of this statement. Jesus said, "repent ye, and believe the gospel!" The word repent
is not very well understood by most Christians. It simply means, "change!" Jesus said we should
change, and believe the gospel. The word gospel means "Good News."
As we study the gospel, Jesus said, change, and believe the good news. Therefore, let us
determine in our heart, that as more light of the gospel is made known to us that we will change and
believe the Good News.
Keeping in mind that the gospel of Salvation is for all who will receive Jesus Christ as LORD
and walk in His ways. "For whosoever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved." (Rom. 10:13)
Salvation is purchased for us by the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God, His death, and
resurrection. Whenever we come to more light of the Word of God, we need to apply the blood of
Jesus Christ to our past, change, and walk in the new light we received. Going from glory to glory,
as we continue to learn and know the truth of the gospel.
Always remember, the blood of Jesus has been shed for the remission of all our sins. It is a
sin to walk in darkness, therefore as we see the light, let us confess our past walk in darkness as sin,
putting it under the blood of Jesus and walk in the new light of the gospel.
Just say, "Father, I confess that I have not walked according to Your Word, forgive me of
my past that I may walk in the newness of the light I have received. I thank You, Father, that Your
Word is true, when You said, If I will confess my sins, You would be truthful and just to forgive me
of all my sins, and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. As I confess, I believe Your Word; my sins are
forgiven and I will walk in the new light You have given me through Your Word."
Never forget the blood of Jesus, for it is the total payment for all the sins of the whole world, especially "any sins that any of God's children should commit in their time on earth, even in the world to come" (Heb. 9:12). The blood of Jesus has obtained eternal redemption for us. We have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb (1 Peter 1:18-21). Repentance and confession of our sins brings us into right fellowship with God the Father and the Son (1 John 1:4-10).
The Gospel of Christ
In Romans 1:16 it says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
What is the Gospel of Christ? It is revealed throughout the New Testament starting from
Matthew, Chapter one. In Matthew 1:1 it says, "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the
son of David, the son of Abraham." Then if we follow down to verses 16 and 17 it says, "And
Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ...So
all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the
carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into
Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations."
Some things of importance to notice about these verses are:
If you add up the generations from Abraham to David, you will get fourteen. If you add up
the generations from David to Jechonias (the carrying away into Babylon) you will get fourteen. If
you add up the generations from the carrying away into Babylon to Jesus, you will get only thirteen!
Let us look at these generations and count them:
Fourteen Generations from Abraham to David:
1 Abraham (Abram, Gen. 11:26, Luke 3:34)
2 Isaac (Gen. 21:3, Luke 3:34)
3 Jacob (Gen. 25:26, Luke 3:34 )
4 Judas (Judah, Gen. 29:35, Luke 3:33 Juda)
5 Phares (Gen. 38:29, Luke 3:33)
6 Esrom (Hezron, Ruth 4:18, Luke 3:33)
7 Aram (Ram, Ruth 4:18, Luke 3:33)
8 Aminadab (Amminadab, Ruth 4:20, Luke 3:33)
9 Naasson (Nahshon, Ruth 4:20, Luke 3:32)
10 Salmon (Ruth 4:20, Luke 3:32)
11 Booz (Boaz, Ruth 2:1, Luke 3:32)
12 Obed (Ruth 4:17, Luke 3:32)
13 Jesse (Ruth 4:22, Luke 3:32)
14 David (Ruth 4:22, Luke 3:31)
Fourteen generations from David to carrying away into Babylon:
1 Solomon (2nd Sam. 12:24)
2 Roboam (Rehoboam, 1 Kings 11:43)
3 Abia (Abijam, 1 Kings 14:31)
4 Asa (1 Kings 15:8)
5 Josaphat (Jehoshaphat, 1 Kings 15:24)
6 Joram (Jehoram, 2nd Kings 8:16)
7 Ozias (Azariah, 2nd Kings 14:21, Uzziah, 2nd Kings 15:13)
8 Joatham (Jotham, 2nd Kings 15:7)
9 Achaz (Ahaz, 2nd Kings 15:38)
10 Ezekias (Hezekiah, 2nd Kings 16:20)
11 Manasses (Manasseh, 2nd Kings 20:21)
12 Amon (2nd Kings 21:18)
13 Josias (Josiah, 2nd Kings 21:24)
14 Jechonias (Jeconiah, 1 Chron. 3:17)
Thirteen generations from carrying away into Babylon to Jesus:
1 Salathiel (1 Chron. 3:17)
2 Zorobabel (Zerubbabel Ezra 3:2)
3 Abiud
4 Eliakim
5 Azor
6 Sadoc
7 Achim
8 Eliud
9 Eleazar
10 Matthan
11 Jacob
12 Joseph
13 Jesus, Who is called Christ (Matt. 1:16).
Why only thirteen? It didn't say there were fourteen generations from the carrying away into
Babylon to Jesus, it said to Christ. Yet if we look closely at Matthew 1:1 it said, "The book of the
generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." It did not say "The book
of the generation of Jesus..." Neither did it say "The book of the generation of Christ..." It said,
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ..." Jesus was not "Christ" when He was born into this
world as the Son of Mary, a virgin of Nazareth. Jesus became "Christ" when He was anointed with
the Holy Spirit at about the age of thirty. Therefore, because of the teachings of men, the Gospel of
Christ is a mystery to many in the body of Christ even today.
In Matthew 1:16, it says, "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was
born Jesus, who is called Christ." The Scripture says in Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house
of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ." God hath made "Jesus," both LORD and Christ.
When Jesus was born into this world as a child, He was not "Christ." He was the Son of God,
and He became the son of Man by His birth in the flesh. Mary was His earthly mother. The Holy
Spirit was His Father. Jesus was not born of the flesh. He was born of a woman and of the Holy
Spirit.
In Genesis 3:15 it said, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Jesus
was the seed of the woman that defeated Satan on the Cross of Calvary.
For someone to be called Christ, or to become Christ is two different things. They do not
mean the same thing. When Jesus was born of Mary, He was called Christ, but He was not yet Christ.
For Jesus to become "Christ," God had to first start with "Jesus" the Son of Man, by coming into this
world, born of a woman. The Son of God was first born into this world as Jesus, a man, born of a
woman. Then later, God made Jesus "Christ," He became Christ when He was anointed with the
Holy Spirit at about the age of thirty.
When God made Jesus "Christ," He became the Anointed One, spoken of in the prophets to
become the King of the fourteenth generation from the carrying away into Babylon. From Jesus'
birth until the time He was anointed, there were only thirteen generations from the carrying away into
Babylon. The fourteenth generation of kings from the carrying away into Babylon did not begin until
after Jesus Christ arose again from the dead.
What does it take to make a generation? A generation is from the birth to the death of an
individual. Yet to reign as king it is from the anointing as king until the death of that king. That was
one generation.
The line of anointed kings continued from David to Jechonias; when Judah was carried away
into Babylon. The generations continued from Jechonias to Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus "the
twelfth after the carrying away into Babylon."
If the anointing of kings would have continued from David to Jesus, Joseph, the stepfather
of Jesus would have been king over Judah when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Yet, the Scriptures
had to be fulfilled; therefore starting with Salathiel (1 Chron. 3:17), the reign as kings stopped. Yet
the bloodline of the kings continued until Joseph.
Before Jesus was born, Herod the Great became king over the territory which included
Galilee and Judea. Herod the Great was first appointed governor of Coele-Syria, then advanced until
he became king before the time of Jesus birth. Herod the Great was the king that ordered the killing
of all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under
(Matt. 2:16).
Following Herod's death, Archelaus (one of Herod the Great's sons) reigned in Judaea.
Knowing that Archelaus reigned in Judaea, Joseph and Mary turned aside and went to Nazareth of
Galilee and abode there (Matt. 2:22,23).
The Scriptures had to be fulfilled. Therefore Jesus, the Son of Abraham, Son of David
(through Mary--see Luke 3:23-38), the step-Son of Joseph, rightful king of the generations of David
as prophesied (2 Samuel 7:11-17), became the thirteenth kingly generation from the carrying away
into Babylon. Although the kingly line continued from Jechonias to Jesus, the anointing of kings
stopped. Judah suffered about four-hundred years of darkness.
We must understand, Jesus was born in the flesh, of the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15), and
became the Son of Man; while He remained "the Son of God" from the beginning of creation. At
about the age of thirty, Jesus was anointed by God the Father "with the Spirit of the LORD" (Luke
4:18); or as Acts 10:38 says, "anointed with the Holy Spirit" and power. At that time Jesus of
Nazareth was anointed, or became Christ (Acts 2:38). Once Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit
He was called "Christ," meaning "the Anointed One."
There is something very few people understand about the anointing. It was spoken in Daniel
2:44, "that the God of Heaven in those days (during the Roman captivity), would set up a kingdom
which shall never be destroyed." Jesus of Nazareth was anointed, following His baptism by John
the Baptist (after He came up out of the water). He was anointed to be the King of the kingdom of
God. Jesus Christ became "the anointed One." Jesus' kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).
He was not yet glorified. The kingdom of God had not yet come. The night that Jesus was betrayed,
Luke tells that Jesus said, "For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the
kingdom of God shall come" (Luke 22:18). By the anointing of Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Spirit, He became "Christ." Jesus was anointed "to become King" of the fourteenth generation from
the carrying away into Babylon.
We need to understand "the wisdom of God," "the revelation knowledge of spiritual truths."
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the thirteenth generation died on the cross of Calvary (the Son of Man,
took the sin of man upon Himself, and died). Jesus' death ended the thirteenth generation. Hebrews
9:16 says, "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."
Yet, Jesus, the Son of Man, born of a woman, was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power
before He died on the cross of Calvary. By this anointing, He became "Christ," the anointed One!
Christ, being One with the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God), death had no power over Him. For that
same Spirit "raised Him from the dead." Romans 8:11 says, "But 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
your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
The question we could ask is this: Did Jesus die that the thirteenth generation came to an
end? The world will never understand this! Yes, He died! Is He dead? No! Why, Death had no
power over Him, or us, who are in Christ! Death lost it's sting, the grave lost it's victory (1 Cor.
15:54-57).
We need to understand what is meant by death. Jesus said, "But as touching the
resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I
am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of
the dead, but of the living" (Matthew 22:31-32).
In the gospel of John, Jesus also 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" (John 5:24). In John 6:47, Jesus said, "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47). Also in John
6:40 Jesus said, "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son,
and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John
6:40).
The same word "death, or dead" has two meanings; physical death or separated from God
which results in eternal death (Eph. 2:12). A person can be either or both depending upon their
position with God. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were physically dead, but alive unto God. Those who
are not born again are physically alive, but separated from God. They will spend eternity in Hell
unless they receive the life of God from Jesus Christ, and became born again (John 1:12-13). Those
who are born again and have died physically are dead physically, but are still alive in Christ (1 Thes.
4:13-18).
Everyone who is born into this world is born physically alive, yet with sin and death residing
in them (Rom. 5:12). When a person who is physically alive, but separated from God, believes on
the LORD Jesus Christ and receives Him as their LORD and Savior, they pass from eternal death
unto eternal life (John 5:24).
For those who are in Christ "the old spirit is passed away," all things are new "in the spirit"
(2 Cor. 5:17). For those who are in Christ, physical death of their bodies does not end their life, for
they are only "asleep" in Christ Jesus (1 Thes. 4:13), "being still alive in the spirit."
Therefore always remember, Jesus died, but He is not dead. Many of our brothers and sisters
in the LORD have died, but they are not dead. They have everlasting life; they are alive with Christ,
where He is they are also. Where He is, we are also for He is alive in us! "For greater is He that
is in us then he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). He is in us, we are in Him, we have eternal life
in Christ! Hallelujah!
What about Christ? He lives! And we who are "in Christ" also are alive in Him. In Romans
8:16,17 says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God...And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Christ is the heir of Jesus, who died on
the Cross of Calvary. Being in Christ, we are "...heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ..."
Let us now go back over the details:
What does Christ mean? The word Christ, means "the anointed One." At about the age of
thirty, Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit and power. In Matthew 3:16-17 and 4:1, it
says, "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....Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil."
Jesus became "Christ" the anointed One, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him, after His
baptism in water by John the Baptist (Mark 1:10). It was not the water baptism that brought the Holy
Spirit upon Jesus. The Holy Spirit came upon Him after He was baptized in water, after He came up
out of the water. From that time on, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit, not His by natural mind.
There is a difference between being led by the natural mind or being led by the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:5-8 tells us that to be led by the natural mind is the opposite of being led by the Spirit of
God. It also explains that if we, as children of God, follow the natural mind we become an enemy
(hostile) to God; for in our natural mind we cannot please God.
Let us also look at some history from King David to Christ. King David was anointed by
Samuel (1 Sam. 16:12-13) to be king over Israel while still a young boy. Following the death of king
Saul, David was then anointed by the elders of the tribe of Judah (2 Sam. 2:4) to be king over Judah.
Later, David was anointed by the elders of the other tribes to be king over Israel (2 Sam. 5:3). Each
of these anointings put David in the position of king, but he still had to "occupy the position of a
king" to be the king. In other words, he had to live according to the anointing of his position for it
to become effective.
King Saul was also anointed by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:1) to be the first king over Israel. When
Saul stopped following the leading of the Spirit of God the anointing stopped working in Saul's life.
Saul no longer heard from God as he used to. Saul then turned to a witch with a familiar spirit to
seek spiritual counsel (1 Sam. 28:7). Saul, following his own natural mind, his own thoughts, did
not do what God had called him to do, therefore, the kingship was taken from him and given to
David.
One can be anointed, but by not being obedient to the anointing, the Spirit of God can cause
the anointing to stop operating in their life.
Following King David, each of the fourteen generations from David to the carrying away into
Babylon were those who were anointed to be king. Following the carrying away into Babylon to
Jesus were those generations who would have been anointed to be king if they had not been taken
into captivity. The generations continued even though the anointing did not operate.
Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus was in the line to be king at the time of Jesus' birth. But, the
Scriptures had to be fulfilled that Jesus would be born of a lowly state, in a manger, in Bethlehem.
When a king died, the kingship was passed to one of their successors (usually one of their
children), and they became anointed to be king in their fathers place. It is possible that Joseph, the
stepfather of Jesus, the husband of Mary, passed on from this life prior to when God anointed Jesus
with the Holy Spirit at about the age of thirty.
When Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus died, Jesus became King of the thirteenth generation
from the carrying away into Babylon until Christ. There is no mention of the date of Joseph's death.
We know that Jesus was a king at the time He stood before Pilate. In John 18:33-37 we are told that
Pilate asked Jesus, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" (John 18:33). Then in John 18:37 it says,
"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am
a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." Jesus never lied. He
was telling the truth. He was King at that time (Jesus was king of the thirteenth generation from the
carrying away into Babylon).
Yet, Jesus was still living at that time, therefore, Christ was not King at that time. Even
though Jesus was anointed, and called Christ (being the Anointed One), Christ did not "reign as
King" until after Jesus died. Jesus was King of the thirteenth generation when He died. After Jesus'
death, Christ became King of the fourteenth generation after the carrying away into Babylon.
Once Jesus was anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, He became "anointed" as King David
was when Samuel anointed him in 1 Samuel 16:12-13. When King David was anointed by Samuel,
He did not become King, he was only anointed to become King. The anointing of Jesus with the
Holy Spirit following His baptism by John the Baptist did not make Him King of the fourteenth
generation from the carrying away into Babylon at that time. The King of the thirteenth generation
was still living. Because that Jesus Christ still lives today, there are no more generations. We are still
living in the fourteenth generation, under the kingship of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Son of
Man.
Therefore, Jesus, the Son of David, the King of the Jews has a kingdom without ending. His
kingship shall never end and His kingdom shall never end! Thus it is that the Scriptures might be
fulfilled (Dan. 2:44).
What about the gospel of Christ? What does that mean? Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, "For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
The gospel of Christ is the Good News of the Anointed One. For "Christ" means "the
anointed One." The Gospel Paul was speaking of in Romans 1:16, is the good news of the anointed
One. The gospel of Christ is not the gospel of Salvation, it is the good news of the "Anointing," "the
gifts of the Spirit," that bring salvation to others by the power of God working in the lives of those
who have been anointed to preach the Good News.
Who is the anointed One? First, it is Jesus of Nazareth Who became Christ by the Anointing.
Secondly, it is those within the body of Christ, for Christ is not many, but One. Galatians 3:16 says,
"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of
many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Then in Galatians 3:27 says, "For as
many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." For whosoever is in Christ
is in the anointed One. It says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." The old spirit
of man is passed away, and behold, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom
of God's dear Son (Col. 1:13).
Being baptized, "submerged" into Christ, we become one in Christ, born of the Spirit of God
into the family of God (John 1:12,13). All who are born again are in the family of God. Yet, not all
who are members of a kingdom are anointed as kings. Not all of Israel were anointed, only the kings,
priests, and the prophets. We can be in the family of God, in Christ, the anointed One; a part of His
body, and still not be anointed ourselves. But the Scripture does promise us to become kings and
priests unto God (Rev. 1:6), anointed ourselves with the same Holy Spirit.
How do we become kings and priests unto God? By also receiving the same anointing that
Jesus received, which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Which is the same anointing that the
Apostles received on Pentecost day following the ascension of Jesus (Acts 2:4). For the anointing
to pass on to us, Jesus first had to die, then His descendants could be anointed as kings and priests
(Rev. 1:6). Jesus did die on the cross of Calvary.
Being that God has no grandchildren, all who are "in Christ" are joint-heirs with Christ
(Rom. 8:17). We are all one in Christ. We can all be anointed as kings and priests. Yet, because that
the kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36), physical death does not remove us from the
kingdom of God, (it only removes us from this earth) for it has no power over those in the kingdom
of God. Jesus Christ still reigns as King of kings over His kingdom.
Therefore, following the death and resurrection of Jesus, the anointing of kings and priests
began on Pentecost day. To prepare the body of Christ for the anointing, Jesus first appeared to some
the same day He arose from the dead. Jesus had died, making the anointing available to those of His
household (John 7:39). Yet, Jesus was still alive and appeared to some the same day He arose from
the dead.
In John 20:21-22 it says, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my
Father hath sent me, even so send I you...And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and
saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost."
I pray that no one reading this book will believe that Jesus did not accomplish what He said,
"that they should receive the Holy Spirit." Yes, the disciples did receive the Holy Spirit that day!
They were "baptized into the body of Christ" (1 Cor. 12:13). They became one in Christ, a new
creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe (Rom. 1:16). As
we follow the Scriptures, we will find that Jesus was born into this world as a human being, the Son
of Mary and stepson of Joseph. He was the Son of God from the beginning of time. He was always
with the Father before this world was formed (Prov. 8:4-36).
Jesus, as the Son of Man, was born as a child, the Son of Mary, by the power of the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit come upon Mary, and she conceived and brought forth a Son, "the Son of
Man." This was a supernatural birth. Without the Holy Spirit this would not have been possible. The
Holy Spirit is the power of God which brings into manifestation the Word of God by a supernatural
means.
Mary received the Holy Spirit at the request of Gabriel, when she replied to him, "Behold
the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word...," the supernatural birth of
Jesus came through the work of the Holy Spirit in Mary. Mary, being yet a virgin, brought forth
Jesus, the Son of Man by a supernatural means, being conceived by the Holy Spirit.
It is the same with us today. When Jesus breathed upon the disciples and said, "Receive ye
the Holy Ghost!" They were supernaturally born again of the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit brought within the disciples a supernatural birth, making them children of God.
As it was with Jesus, He was always the Son of God from the beginning of time. But as a
human being, Jesus had no power to do miracles, or any of the supernatural manifestations that God
said the children of men would do. It was not until after Jesus was baptized with the Holy Spirit at
the age of thirty that He was endued with the power of God to do miracles. The first miracle Jesus
did was at Canna of Galilee, where He changed water into wine (John 2:11).
When a person is born again, they become "in Christ," the Anointed One. They become
children of God. Children must grow up and become adults in the things of God. Paul, in writing to
the Corinthians said, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, even as unto babes in Christ....I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto
ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able....For ye are yet carnal: for whereas
there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (1
Cor. 3:1-3). These Corinthian Christians were born again into the family of God, but they were still
as little children. They still needed to grow up into the things of God, to understand the power of
God and the working of God in His children.
Throughout the writings of Paul, he addressed the issue of walking in the flesh, or natural
mind, as opposed to being led by the Spirit of God. Paul explained many things in these Epistles. He
explained the difference between the natural mind of man and the Spirit of God in 1 Corinthians,
Chapter Two. He wrote to the Corinthian Christians, "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." (1 Cor. 2:11) When he wrote that no man knoweth, that included all born again
Christians as well. With the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit we all can be born again, yet still
not know the complete truth of the Word of God. Our natural mind cannot know or understand the
supernatural work of God unless it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14).
The devil has blinded the minds of many of God's children, getting them to think "they know
it all," or at least know more than anyone else. Therefore, they are special, because they are called
of God to preach the gospel. So they go about preaching "what they think is of God" from their
natural mind, not knowing the true things of God; for it must be revealed by the Holy Spirit to be of
God.
Yet, they have very little knowledge of what it means to be a king or priest (Rev. 1:6). To be
a king unto God the Father in the kingdom of God you must be anointed. Secondly, after being
anointed you must live and walk in authority on this earth. That is accomplished by the Holy Spirit
working in you; giving you the power to cast out devils in Jesus' name, heal the sick, and do all the
things that Jesus said His disciples would do. When we walk in the authority that Jesus gave us in
His name, we are reigning as kings on this earth.
To reign as a priest unto God the Father in the kingdom of God we must do the work of a
priest. A priest' first duty is to make himself spotless, sanctify himself, cleanse himself, that he is a
pure vessel to perform sacrifices (Ex. 28:31-35,40-43). The priest' main duty is giving or performing
sacrifices. His whole life was not a life of receiving, but rather a life of giving. A true priest had to
give of himself wholly unto sacrifice. Jesus, our High Priest gave of His own self completely, His
body, His blood, and His life.
This is what it takes to be a priest unto God the Father in the kingdom of God. This giving
of ourselves means many hours of service to God the Father in prayer. Praying in the Holy Spirit in
private, just you and God. Praying in secret, in a closet "so to speak," and God will reward you
openly (Matt. 6:6). The open rewards for praying in secret are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit
working in your life; not for your benefit, but to set the captives free, heal the sick, raise the dead,
minster to those who are under attack of the devil. The life of a priest is a continuous giving of
oneself for others, making ourselves a "living sacrifice" unto God the Father.
There is so much Paul had to explain to the Christians in Corinth that he had to write two or
more letters to them. What Paul explained to the Corinthians is what he received of the LORD. It
did not come from his natural mind. It come to him by revelation. In 1 Corinthians 11:23 Paul said,
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you." In Galatians 1:11,12 Paul
wrote, "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after
man...For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ."
In 1 Corinthians, Chapter Twelve the Apostle Paul explained the working of the Holy Spirit
within the body of Christ. He explained the manifestation of the working of the Holy Spirit in love,
in 1 Corinthians, Chapter Thirteen. He explained the working of the Holy Spirit in the gift of tongues
and prophecy in 1 Corinthians, Chapter Fourteen. All throughout the Epistles Paul had to explain
to born again Christians, the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit.
It is no wonder that Jesus, after He arose again from the dead "commanded," His disciples
to wait for the promise of "the baptism with the Holy Spirit." Jesus knew, that without the baptism
with the Holy Spirit, the supernatural works of God could not manifest in born again Christians.
Therefore, it says in Acts 1:4-5,8, "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them
that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which,
saith he, ye have heard of me...For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized
with the Holy Ghost not many days hence....But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
To the same disciples that Jesus breathed upon the day He arose from the dead, He said,
"now wait for the Baptism in the Holy Ghost, that John the Baptist spoke of." This is the same
baptism that Jesus told them the Father had promised in Luke 11:13. This baptism with the Holy
Spirit will give us power to be witnesses. We need power to be witnesses unto Jesus. The power
comes with the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
The disciples received this power when the Holy Spirit came upon them in Acts 2:1-4. When
the Holy Spirit came upon them, they spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance
(Acts 2:4).
This same condition happened again, at the house of Cornelius in Acts 10:44-46. That was
the first time that Peter understood what Jesus was speaking of in Acts 1:5. Peter said in Acts
11:15-17, "And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the
beginning...Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized
with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost...Forasmuch then as God gave them
the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could
withstand God?"
Peter said, "...what was I, that I could withstand God?" What does it mean to withstand
God? It means "to not believe His Word," or "to not believe the Words of Jesus." In Acts 1:4, it says,
"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from
Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father..." It says that Jesus commanded them to wait
for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
There is a difference between commanding someone to do something and asking them to do
something. To command someone means "to require that they obey, without question!" To ask
someone means "to request that they do it, giving them a choice." So, what does this mean,
commanded them? It means that they were expected to obey Jesus that they would receive the
baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Some say, I'm a believer, I believe in Jesus. I believe He is the LORD of lords and King of
kings. That's great! That's wonderful! At least they are believers and most likely born again into the
family of God. But look at what Jesus also said about those who believe In Mark 16:17. It says, Jesus
said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues." Once we believe in Jesus unto eternal life, we must continue
to grow up from children to sons of God. We must continue to believe in the other things Jesus said
we should do. Don't stop just at being born again, but go on to maturity in the LORD.
In John 14:15-17 Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments...And I will pray
the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for
ever;...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." When
it comes to receiving the Holy Spirit within us (being baptized with the Holy Spirit), it is based upon
if we love Jesus! If we love Him we will keep His commandments. One of His commandments is,
"wait for the promise of the baptism with the Holy Spirit" (which is evidenced by speaking in
tongues).
Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized....shall speak with new tongues" (Mark
16:16-17). If we believe, we will speak in new tongues! That means another evidence of believing
Jesus, and keeping His commandments is speaking in tongues. Then it tells us that those disciples
that did believe Jesus went forth and did what Jesus told them to do. It says in Mark 16:20, "And
they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the
word with signs following. Amen." Therefore, if we do what the LORD tells us to do, the signs will
follow. He will be working with us, confirming the Word with signs following. One of the signs of
being baptized with the Holy Spirit is the speaking in tongues; just like Jesus said! When we believe
Jesus, not others who speak against the baptism with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking
in tongues, Jesus will confirm His Word with signs following, "Speaking in Tongues!"
To receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit after we are born again is a command of Jesus.
How many today, even of God's children, baptized into Christ have withstood God and taught against
the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a separate experience? The baptism gives us power to be witnesses
unto Jesus. Even for Jesus to receive the power of God in His life, He needed to be baptized with the
Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38 says, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and
with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for
God was with him."
There is no greater love than the love of God; for in His love for His Children He has made
available the power of the Holy Spirit, working in gifts of the Spirit for all who will obey the
commands of Jesus Christ, His Son.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, "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."
The god of this world has blinded the minds of many of God's children, who do not believe
the gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the Good News of "the anointed One." It is the
anointing of the Holy Spirit, with power, to be witnesses unto Jesus, by the working of miracles,
healing, special faith, discerning of spirits, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, prophecy, tongues,
and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor. 12:7-11).
It takes the understanding of the gospel of Christ (the anointed One), the anointing of kings
and priests unto God to set God's children free of the blinding of the minds of God's children by the
god of this world.
The god of this world has blinded the minds of many of God's children. They, unknowingly,
are held captive in their minds by the devil. They actually oppose themselves with their thinking they
are ok in the things they do and say, not knowing the workings of the devil in their minds.
In 2 Timothy 2:24-26, it says, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle
unto all men, apt to teach, patient,...In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if
God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;...And that they
may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
Unknowingly, Christians are held captive in their minds by the god of this world; for he has
blinded their minds to the truth of the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation to
all who believe.
Without the power of God working on our behalf, we cannot, of ourselves, deliver ourselves
out of the snare of the devil. It said, "if God peradventure will give them repentance to the
acknowledging of the truth..." Without God, repentance is impossible. We need the power of God
to bring about our deliverance from the captivity of the enemy in our mind.
In 1 John 2:27 it says, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things,
and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him." The anointing
that is spoken of here is the same anointing that Jesus received when He was baptized with the Holy
Spirit. It is the anointing that God the Father used when He made Jesus of Nazareth "Christ" (Acts.
2:36, 10:38). It is this anointing that does the teaching under the New Covenant (Heb. 8:10-11).
Acts 1:1-2, says, "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began
both to do and teach...Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy
Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen." Jesus began teaching
His disciples while He was on earth, but now the teaching is done by the Holy Spirit. You receive
the anointing when you are baptized with the same baptism that Jesus was baptized with.
Remember what Jesus said to John and James in Matthew 20:23? It says, "And he saith
unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be
given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." On the day of Pentecost the disciples were
baptized with the same baptism that Jesus was baptized with. You too, if you have received the Holy
Spirit after that you believed (Acts 19:2, Eph. 1:13), are baptized with the same baptism that Jesus
was baptized with. You also have received the same anointing.
In 1 John 2:20 it says, "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all
things." The word "unction," is the same word as "anointing," used in verse twenty-seven which
says, "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that
any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is
no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him" (1 John 2:27). It is from the Greek
word "chrisma." It is by the anointing that abides in you that you can and will know the truth, which
is no lie.
This is not a knowledge that we maintain in our mind. It is from our spirit that this
knowledge comes; it comes from the Holy Spirit Who is sent to be our teacher (John 14:26).
Therefore, it is important that we be "led by the Holy Spirit," from our spirit, and not by our natural
mind.
We receive the Truth from the Holy Spirit, from the anointing within us, that abides with us.
But our natural mind can and will deceive us.
Our mind is the captain of our soul, that is why we must be saved. Our mind must be renewed
(Rom. 12:2), that we train ourselves to walk after the Spirit, not after the flesh (Rom. 8:1-5). Many
Christians are held captive in their minds by the god of this world (2 Tim. 2:26), not knowing how
to walk after the Spirit, and not after the flesh. Let us not be so high-minded that we cannot yield
over to the Holy Spirit, so that the anointing within us can lead us by the Spirit and not the natural
mind.
High-mindedness is of the devil. The following verses warn us of high-mindedness: Romans
11:20 speaking of the Jews, says, "Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear." 1 Timothy 6:17 says, "Charge them that are
rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living
God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." In 2 Timothy 3:4-5, speaking of the last times in
which we are now living describes those who claim to have knowledge of the Word of God, but
operate from their natural mind. It says they are "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away."
When someone thinks they know it all, or think they are someone greater than their brother
or sister in the LORD, they are held captive in their minds by the god of this world. But, you do not
have to be so, for the anointing which abides in you will teach you all things, and it is the truth, and
is no lie.
Before we were born again, quickened by God, and translated out of the kingdom of darkness
into the kingdom of God's dear Son, our minds were controlled by the prince of the powers of the
air. Ephesians 2:2 says, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience."
Following our translation into the kingdom God the prince of the power of the air still tries
to hold us captive in our minds by thoughts we think are of God.
In 2 Corinthians 10:5 it says, "Casting down imaginations (reasoning), and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ." Understand that the knowledge of God is revealed in His
Word, for God and His Word are One (John 1:1, 1 John 5:7). We must cast down all thoughts and
imaginations, sometimes called reasoning's, that do not agree with God's Word. We are to bring
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. Christ, being the anointing within us, the
Anointed One who dwells in us.
The anointing is a result of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the same anointing that God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with (Acts 10:38). That same anointing will teach us all things (1 John
2:27), and bring to remembrance those things which Jesus already taught us. Jesus said in John 14:26
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall
teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you." This same Holy Spirit who dwells in you will guide and teach you all things (from your spirit).
Many born again Christians have not submitted themselves over to the Holy Spirit, but
continue to live and operate from their natural minds; not understanding that the god of this world
still holds them captive at his will in their natural minds.
Many pastors, called of God to minister, have let their minds do the thinking and preaching,
not their spirit. They have not yielded over to the anointing of the Holy Spirit within themselves.
What they have taught did not come from God, but from their natural mind, where the prince of the
powers of the air still has some control.
They reject any correction from the Word of God that tells them they are walking in the
counsel of the spirits, not the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Paul spoke of this problem among the
Corinthian Christians when he said, "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets"
(1 Cor. 14:32). The word "spirits" has an "s" added to it, meaning "more than one spirit." There is
only one "Holy Spirit," all other spirits are not the Holy Spirit. Many who think they are speaking
the words of God are receiving their information from other spirits. These spirits are subject to those
who do the speaking. This pertains not only to prophecy, for prophecy does not only mean that which
is spoken with the words, "thus saith the LORD" added to the end. Prophecy, is all revelation given
by the inspiration of God. Preaching should also be revelation given by the inspiration of God (1
Peter 4:11).
Too often preachers do their own preparing, outlining, practicing, and speaking from their
natural minds. The Bible does not teach this, even though most Bible Schools say that is the way to
do it.
If you are one who has fallen into this concept of what is taught by men, as the light of the
Word of God comes to you; repent (that is change your ways). Apply the blood of Jesus Christ to
your past and walk in the newness of the light God has given to you.
Remember, the blood of Jesus Christ has been shed for all our short comings, all those things
we have done in the past that are not pleasing to God. Confess those things as sin, receive
forgiveness under the blood of Jesus, and walk in the light of the good news, "the Gospel of Christ."
When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples in Matthew 10:7-10, He said, "And as ye go,
preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand...Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give...Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor
brass in your purses,...Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet
staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat."
In verse ten, speaking of what they should not provide for themselves; He said, "Nor scrip."
Some have reasoned with this word scrip, saying, it means purse. Yet, Jesus knows what He is saying
and says what He means. He already told them not to provide any money in their purses. So He is
not talking of a purse. He is more likely talking of a note pad, notes they make to remind them of
what they want to say. This is the same thing as sermon notes. Jesus said to those He sent out, do not
carry any sermon notes. Jesus knew, if they decided ahead of time what they would say, the Holy
Spirit would not be in control. For the Holy Spirit to be in control, men must get out of their own
control and yield over to the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Man, in his natural mind, cannot
perform that which the Spirit of God wants done.
Either it is from God, by His Spirit, or it is man, from his natural mind, in which the god of
this world holds many captive at his will. Jesus, in instructing His disciples, even went beyond the
witnessing to the lost sheep of Israel when He instructed them what they should say when they are
brought before governors and kings. He said, even when you are brought before rulers that try to
come against the work you are doing, "...take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall
be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak...For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit
of your Father which speaketh in you." (Matt. 10:19-20) Jesus is saying, trust not in your ability,
but put all your trust in the Holy Spirit. Whatever you say, let it be by the anointing of the Holy
Spirit.
In 1 Peter 4:11, it says, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any
man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Any man, includes everyone who is in Christ, that includes pastors who preach the gospel. When we
speak, we should speak by the anointing which comes from the Holy Spirit, not from our natural
mind. We should not be led by the human mind, but be led by the Spirit of God from within us. Not
from our head, but from our spirit.
The god of this world holds Christians captive in their minds, thinking they are serving God,
when they are operating from their natural mind.
In Proverbs 3:5, God says, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding." Our natural mind is not a safe guide to the things of God. For the
natural mind cannot understand all the things of God, for they are sometimes foolishness to man. It
takes the Holy Spirit to reveal them unto us. The Apostle Paul wrote about this to born again
Christians in Corinth (1 Cor. 2:11-14).
In Hebrews 8:6-8, speaking of Jesus, Paul wrote, "But now hath he obtained a more
excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was
established upon better promises....For if that first covenant 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 Israel and with
the house of Judah."
What was the fault with the Old Covenant? The natural man, of his own ability in his natural
mind could not know the things of God. Neither could he understand them (1 Cor. 2:14). Therefore,
Jesus Christ had obtained a more excellent ministry, by His Spirit dwelling in man, God could teach
every man to know God and the things of God. With the Spirit of Christ dwelling in man, man could
be led by the Spirit and taught by the Spirit from within his own spirit. Therefore, we must enter into
the new covenant, established upon better promises. A covenant where there is no fault, as there was
in the old covenant. Now that the new covenant has come, the old one is passed away (Heb. 8:13).
I am reminded of a brother in the LORD, when he was first called and ordained into the
ministry of a pastor. He was very intellectually intelligent and was very well liked by many of his
pastor friends.
He said, his sermons were so desired by his pastor friends that they wanted to pay him money
for them. They wanted to buy his sermon notes from him. Yet, he himself, knew there was something
wrong with his preaching. He recognized that the power of God was not manifesting in his
preaching, that is, there was no one getting healed, no blind people's eyes receiving sight, no deaf
people's ears receiving hearing, no lame people walking, and etc.
He prayed to God with all his heart, something like this; "God, what must I do to see the
manifestation of the mighty works of God among the people?"
He said, God spoke to him and said, "If you will burn all your sermon notes, and just let the
Holy Spirit do the speaking, then you will see the mighty power of God set people free!"
He said, he called his pastor friends to watch him burn all his sermon notes. They tried in
every way to get him to sell them to them for large amounts of money instead of burning them. But
he insisted that God said to burn them. Some came and watched him burn his sermon notes that day.
From the next Sunday on, for years, he preached without sermon notes, just yielded over to
the Holy Spirit and mighty miracles took place in almost every service, blind eyes received sight,
lame people walked, sick people were healed, deaf ears were opened, many great signs followed
almost every service.
He became well known to many pastors. He started traveling, teaching seminars, teaching
pastors and lay people how to move in the gifts of the Spirit, without using notes, without preparing
sermons, only doing what Jesus taught, and what the Holy Spirit has revealed through the writings
of the New Testament. He held many healing seminars where the Spirit of God moved and healed
many sick people of many diseases; the captives were set free in his meetings.
Don't let the devil hold you captive in your mind. Let the Holy Spirit have complete control
in your life. But to do this you must be baptized in the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in
tongues. For the evidence will follow the baptism. The LORD will confirm His Word with signs
following. His word is; "In My name...they shall speak with new tongues..." (Mark 16:17).
Always remember the blood of Jesus Christ, it has been shed on the cross of Calvary for the sins of all those who will believe. For all who will confess anything they have done in the past that is not according to the Word of God. God is truthful and just to forgive all who confess and change their ways! Confess your sins and walk in the newness of the light of the gospel of Christ. For, it is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe (Rom. 1:16).
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
AS IT IS REVEALED IN THE SCRIPTURES
We must not overlook the total revelation of "Christ" when we search the Scriptures for the
truth concerning the Gospel of Christ. Matthew reveals the Gospel of Christ starting with Abraham
and King David. But, that is not the beginning of the Gospel of Christ. The beginning of the Gospel
of Christ began before the foundation of this world. It came into manifestation at the time of Jesus,
the Son of God, when He was baptized in the Holy Spirit at about the age of thirty. Yet, the plan of
God was settled from the foundation of this world.
There are times in the Scriptures that God speaks to us from His eternal knowledge of the end
from the beginning. Then there are times when the Scriptures reveal things to come, or things of the
past. We must rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).
We must take into consideration the foreknowledge of God as it is revealed in the Scriptures
to understand the full revelation of the Word of God. Many places in the Scriptures there is
revelation given to us that can be very helpful in understanding the Word of God. Many who do not
use the Hebrew and Greek, but only use English translations will not get the truth that the Scriptures
reveal. The errors in English translations blind the minds of many Christians. They follow the errors
in translations, and are led astray from the true knowledge of God which is only revealed by the Holy
Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14).
The beginning of the Gospel of Christ, begins with the Son of God before this world was.
The Son of God, Jesus, and Christ are the same person of the Godhead. Each one identifies the
position and authority of the same person of the Godhead at different times throughout the
Scriptures.
In the beginning, Jesus was the Son of God. When Jesus was born into this world as the Son
of Man, He became Jesus. When He arose again from the dead He became Christ, the head of the
body of Christ. Each position is different, yet it is still the same person of the Godhead in each of
these positions.
Of the three positions, "the Son of God" is the first position. "Jesus" is the second position.
"Christ" is the third and final position. The Son of God was before the foundation of the world. Jesus
came during the time after the beginning of this world and before the end of this world. Christ came
as the beginning of "a new creation of mankind," those in Christ, God and man together in one new
man.
Looking at it from another point of view, the Son of God became man in Jesus. As Jesus, He
drew men unto God, by His life, death, and resurrection. After His death and resurrection, He
became the firstborn from the dead, and received unto God those who received Him. As Christ, He
is the Second Adam (that is the second creation of man). Adam was the first creation of man. Christ
is the second creation of man. In 1 Corinthians 15:22 it says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive." In Christ, are those who were in the flesh, but are now in the Spirit.
These are joined one Spirit with Christ. They are man and God joined together in one for all eternity.
Going back to the beginning, as Jesus was praying to the Father in John 17:5, He said, "And
now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before
the world was." What glory did Jesus have with the Father before the world was?
Unknown to many, the Scripture is true, but the minds of men have not been enlightened to
know the truth. Sometimes the Scripture only reveals things pertaining to this present world, the one
we live in today. Yet, this present world was not always the way some men believe. There are verses
in the Scriptures that reveal things unknown to the natural man.
When Jesus was speaking of the glory He had with the Father before the world was, He was
speaking of the time before Genesis 1:2. The earth was first created by God the Father before
Genesis 1:2. Yet, speaking of Jesus in John 1:3,10, Colossians 1:16,17 it is speaking of this creation,
starting in Genesis 1:2.
Look at what it says in John 1:3,10, and Colossians 1:16,17, "All things were made by him;
and without him was not any thing made that was made...He was in the world, and the world
was made by him, and the world knew him not...For by him were all things created, that are
in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions,
or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all
things, and by him all things consist."
Jesus, speaking to the Apostle John in Revelation 1:8 said, "I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the
Almighty."
So what was Jesus speaking of when He prayed, "O Father, glorify thou me with thine
own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." In Proverbs, Chapter Eight
there is a revelation of the Son of God with the Father before this world we now know of was. As
we study this Chapter of Proverbs, we must receive revelation from the Holy Spirit to see the truth
that is in this Chapter.
The word "wisdom" in this chapter is a person. It is the Son of God doing the speaking in
much of this chapter. We see this more clearly in verse twelve where it says, "I wisdom dwell with
prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions." The word "I" and the word "wisdom"
are the same person. Wherever the word wisdom is used from verse twelve on, it identifies the Son
of God. Wherever the word "I" is used from verse twelve on it identifies the Son of God. The word
LORD in verse 22 identifies God the Father.
With this understanding, let us look at what is said, starting with verse 22 through verse 31.
"The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old...I was set up
from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was...When there were no depths, I was
brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water...Before the mountains
were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:...While as yet he had not made the earth, nor
the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world...When he prepared the heavens, I was
there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:...When he established the clouds
above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:...When he gave to the sea his decree,
that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the
earth:...Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing
always before him;...Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with
the sons of men."
The person who is doing the speaking, called "I Wisdom" in Proverbs 8:12 is not the one
who was doing the creating of the earth at that time. It says it was "the LORD" that created the earth
at that time. If the earth in the beginning was created by Jesus, as it tells us in John 1:3,10, and
Colossians 3:16,17 then who was this person called "I Wisdom" in Proverbs, Chapter Eight? It
wasn't Salomon, who we believe wrote proverbs, that is very clear.
When we understand that Jesus (as the Son of God) was with the Father from the beginning
of all things, then it was during the time before Genesis 1:2 that the Father created the earth and
water that destroyed the earth before Genesis 1:2 as the Apostle Peter explained in 2 Peter 3:5,6.
According to Peter, the world that was before Genesis 1:2 "perished," became void and worthless,
completely. In the flood of Noah's time, only the flesh was destroyed, not the mountains and trees,
not even the fish. For those whose minds have not been blinded by the teachings of men, they will
understand that from Genesis 1:2 on, all things were created by Jesus, the Son of God (John 1:3,10,
Col. 1:16,17).
Why was Jesus, the Son of God, the creator of this creation, which included man? Simply,
because from the foundation of this world, God had a plan. This plan is revealed throughout the
Scriptures.
In Ephesians 1:3-6, it says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:...According as he
hath chosen us in him 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 by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,...To the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
What a plan God has for you and I! How wonderful it is to know that He "hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world..." That being the case, God already knew that Adam
and Eve would sin in the garden of Eden before the foundation of this world. That is also seen in
Revelation 13:8 where it says, "whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world."
Our names were written in the book of life from the foundation of the world. Praise God, for
His wonderful plan, even before the foundation of the world. But look also at the statement, "the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Why was the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world? God knew what Adam and Eve would do, even before they were created. How come God
is so intelligent and many Christians are so ignorant concerning the Gospel of Christ?
Knowing what it says in John 17:5 and in Ephesians 1:3-6, and Revelation 13:8, let us go
back to Proverbs 8:31, where it says, "...and my delights were with the sons of men." Jesus, as the
Son of God before the foundation of this world knew the plan of God for man. Why was man created
in the beginning? What was the purpose for man from the beginning? How is God doing His will
here on earth? All this is explained in the Gospel of Christ.
When the Son of God saw the plan of God for man, He said, "my delights were with the
sons of men." The Son of God saw that He would be the One to create this earth as we see it today,
and create all things therein, including man. Satan was already here on this earth. He had been cast
down from the third heaven to the earth (Ezek. 28:12-20, Isa. 14:12-20). The earth became his
domain for he could no longer stand before the throne of God and lead praise and worship before the
throne.
When the Son of God saw the end from the beginning, He also saw in Revelation where it
says, "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes
within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which
was, and is, and is to come....And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him
that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,...The four and twenty elders fall down
before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their
crowns before the throne, saying,...Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and
power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev.
4:8-11).
The Son of God said, His delight was in "the sons of men" who would spend eternity with
Him and the Father forever and ever. Jesus never gloried in the praise and worship He would receive
in heaven. Jesus gloried in the plan of God that "in Christ" there would be countless numbers of
people with Him in heaven for all eternity. His glorying was in the replacing of Satan and his angels
that left their first estate (before the throne of God), with people who would believe Him, and receive
Him as their LORD and Savior. These are the ones who will replace Satan before the throne in
heaven. These are the ones who love the LORD more than they love the world and the things of this
world. To those, heaven is worth more than anything this world has to offer.
Jesus said to the Apostle John, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:8). Jesus
knew from the beginning that, what would happen on this earth from Genesis 1:2 through Revelation
22:21 would be forever and ever. Jesus knew what He needed to do that those "in Christ" could
inherit eternity with the Father and the Son.
Jesus knew He would be creating man in the beginning. Jesus knew that Adam and Eve
would sin in the garden of Eden. Jesus knew that He would come into this world and redeem those
who would choose Him over the devil and receive eternal life "in Christ."
In Hebrews 12:2 it says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus suffered more than any other man. He carried our sins
and iniquities upon Himself, when He went to the Cross for us. For God "hath made him to be sin
for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21).
Though He suffered more than any other man, it was a joy for Him to endure the Cross,
knowing that because of what He did, we could spend eternity with Him forever. Through His death
and resurrection, we could become born again "in Christ," and have the very life of God within us.
We would be forever with Him in eternity.
But not everyone will enjoy eternity with Him. All throughout the New Testament it tells of
those who will spend eternity in hell. We must search the Scriptures and know who they are that will
follow Jesus and those who will be deceived by the enemy and end up in hell.
The Gospel of Christ is the good news, that those who were men in the flesh can become
"in Christ" in the spirit and spend eternity with the Father and the Son. But for this to happen, we
must first come to the knowledge and understanding, it is not of our good works, or our
righteousness. It is only by what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. It is by God's goodness and
grace that He chose us in Christ from the foundation of the world, to spend eternity with Him
forever.
God did His part, in His wonderful plan for mankind. But, there is a responsibility on our part also. It must be us working with God according to His plan, for us to spend eternity with Him.
We cannot change the Word of God.
We cannot expect God to do things our way.
We cannot expect God to make any exceptions to His plan revealed in His Word.
The Word of God was settled from the foundation of the world, and God will never lie or
change even one Word that He has spoken. In 1 Peter 1:25 it says, "...the word of the Lord
endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." Jesus said
to the devil in Matthew 4:4, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The Word of God is written in the Bible for our
learning. The Word of God stands forever and it will never change. We must study the Word of God
to know what it says and what it means.
Just a little clue for those who have not seen what Jesus meant by "Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Our Bibles are
divided into two testaments, the Old Testament and the New Testament. How many Christians
understand the difference between the Old and the New?
In the Old Testament men lived by bread, that is, man was natural, earthly, of this earth (1
Cor. 15:44-48). Therefore, man lived according to the worlds system of physical means. One thing
mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 4:4 was physical food for the nourishment of the physical body. The
devil was tempting Jesus to use His power as the Son of God to change a stone into bread to supply
his physical needs. Jesus had already fasted forty days and He was hungry.
Jesus knew who He was, and God's plan for mankind on this earth. Jesus understood that the
power of God is greater than the worlds system. God's Word cannot fail. God has a plan for man that
goes beyond this world, into eternity. Jesus also knew that the Word of God controls everything in
this world and in heaven. Jesus' statement to the devil went beyond human reasoning.
Jesus came into this world that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10b). This
abundant life is not "natural life" but rather "spiritual life." God is Spirit, and all things were created
by God. All things are subject to God, both the natural and the spiritual. What we need for our
physical body is subject to God (God can supply all our needs).
In Matthew 4:4, Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 when He spoke to the devil. In the
wilderness God supplied the manna from heaven to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness. God
did this for forty-years in the wilderness. The LORD had Moses lead the children of Israel into the
wilderness. It was not their idea to go out into the wilderness. It was God's idea. Therefore,
according to the Word of God, if God wants us to do something, He will supply all our needs. God
is our source for everything we need including food for our physical bodies.
The devil was tempting Jesus to use His "divine powers," as the Son of God to change stones
into bread for his physical body. Jesus would not submit to the devils temptation, but quoted the
Word of God in response to the devils temptation. In quoting the Word of God, Jesus also told the
devil what every Christian today should be telling the devil. Christians, "those who are born of the
Spirit," live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." This is New Covenant
living, not Old Covenant living.
In the New Covenant, Christians are born again of the Spirit and are to be led by the Holy
Spirit, not the natural mind of the flesh. We are to believe the Word of God according to what is
written in the Bible. If Christians let the devil get them over to where they let the circumstances
control what they do rather then the Word of God, they are right back in Satan's control.
The Gospel of Christ should set Christians free of the works of the devil. Christians should
not let the devil tell them what to do and how to do it. Christians should understand the New
Testament. The Old Testament had its purpose, but it was for those who were born of the flesh and
lived in the flesh. Christians are born of the Spirit and should live in the spirit, and walk in the spirit,
and be led by the Holy Spirit (not the natural mind of the flesh).
When Jesus was tempted by the devil in Matthew 4:3, He did exactly what the Word of God
said He should do. He trusted totally in the Word of God and not in the circumstances. Jesus did not
trust in His ability to supply His needs according to that which the devil said He could have done.
Jesus refused to let the devil tell Him what to do and how to do it. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit,
and He trusted completely in the Holy Spirit for whatsoever He needed. Jesus knew the Holy Spirit
knew He was hungry, but Jesus refused to do anything about His hunger without first being led by
the Holy Spirit.
When we know that we are true Children of God and that God will never let us be tempted
beyond that which we can endure "we pray and believe God for the answer." This Jesus also did
when they needed food to feed five-thousand and another time when they needed to feed four-thousand (Matt. 14:15-21, 15:36:32-38). Jesus knew how to hear from the Holy Spirit and be led
by the Holy Spirit. Jesus walked by faith not by sight. Jesus knew that God was His Father, and the
Word of God could not fail, for "...the word of the Lord endureth for ever."
God would not let Jesus die in the wilderness of starvation as long as He continued to do the
will of God and listen to the Holy Spirit from within Him. Therefore, Jesus refused to let the devil
dictate to Him what He should do. Jesus kept His focus upon the Word of God and the leading of
the Holy Spirit, Who had led Him out into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:1).
Jesus knew the end from the beginning (Rev. 1:8). Jesus knew why He was here on earth, and
what the outcome of His presence here on earth would produce for God for all eternity. Jesus knew
what Christians today should know and could know, if they would study the Word of God and
believe what it says. Jesus knew the Word of God and believed the Word of God, therefore, even
when Jesus was brought before Pilate, he could not find any fault in Him (John 19:4).
What is it that Christians should know and don't know today concerning the Word of God?
They should know the total plan of God for their lives here on earth. They should know the
difference between the flesh and the Spirit. They should know the difference between the natural
mind of the flesh and the mind of Christ in their spirit. They should know the plan and purpose for
their being here in this world.
Christians should understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). Christians should walk after the
Spirit and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:1-7, Gal. 5:16,17). Christians today, who do not understand
spiritual things are still babes in Christ (1 Cor. 3:1-3). Let us go on and look at some of the things
most Christians do not know, and should know concerning the New Testament.
Christians should be "taught by the Holy Spirit," from their spirit. One day I was working,
keeping my mind on what I was doing when there came to me out of my spirit these words "The
wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth." When this happened at first in my mind I thought, why would the
Holy Spirit bring that Scripture verse to me. I already knew what I had been taught by pastors of
churches what that meant. I was taught that Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about the Holy Spirit.
That the Holy Spirit is like the wind, when the wind blows, you can hear it, but you don't know
where it came from or where it is going. But you do know the wind is there, even though you only
see the effects of it.
Knowing what I was taught concerning the wind and the Holy Spirit, in my mind I wondered,
why would the Holy Spirit bring that Scripture verse to me? What could I learn from that Scripture
verse that I didn't already know? But, knowing it came from my spirit and not my mind, and that is
the way the Holy Spirit begins teaching me many things from the Word of God, I went and got my
Bible and looked up John 3:8. There I read, "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 every one
that is born of the Spirit."
When I read John 3:8 that time, my eyes were enlightened by what I saw. It didn't say Jesus
was talking about the Holy Spirit, it said, "...so is every one that is born of the Spirit." I must have
read that verses in John 3:8 over one-hundred times over the years. But, I never noticed that Jesus
was not talking about the Holy Spirit, but rather those who are "born of the Spirit." Jesus was
talking to Nicodemus about what happens to Christians after they are born again. That is, if they
continue in the Word of God and obey the Holy Spirit as He leads them.
How many Christians today are still making plans for the rest of their lives, what they want
out of this life and how they are going to go about to obtain what they want? Even Pastors today,
who say they are walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh, are still making plans every day,
what they will do and how they will accomplish what they intend to do? How many have others on
their board of directors, and in their employment that are controlled by what the pastor tells them to
do, and how he tells them to do what he tells them? Are the churches being controlled today the
same way business are run in the worlds system? Are they using the same system, only calling it a
Church rather than a business?
Is that what Jesus was telling Nicodemus in John 3:8, or was Jesus explaining something
totally different from what many Churches are teaching today? Was Jesus speaking the truth to
Nicodemus? Did Jesus really mean what He said? Or, is it that Christians have another way to live
other than what Jesus said in John 3:8? Sometimes, when we understand worldly things so well, it
is difficult to understand spiritual things the way the LORD taught them.
One time in Matthew 8, it tells us that after Jesus had cast out devils from many and healed
all that were sick, "a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest...And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the
air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head....And another of his disciples
said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father....But Jesus said unto him,
Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead" (Matt. 8:19-22). What was Jesus telling these who
came to Him? How many Christians today understand what Jesus was saying and why He said what
He said?
Unless we are taught by God, we will not understand some of the things Jesus taught. Yet,
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). How many Christians today can understand
spiritual things?
In the Old Testament it talked about faith. But in the New Testament it says, "Now the just
shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him" (Heb.
10:38). What kind of faith is this speaking of? Is it the kind of faith that is taught in many Churches
today where they believe in their system of raising money? Or is it "faith in God, and what God said
in His Word?"
In Hebrews, Chapter Four it talks about a rest. It explains this rest as a rest of faith. This rest
is for today, for those in Christ, who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Yet, many
Christians today have no idea of what the Scriptures are saying in Hebrews 4:1-12. We must
continue in the Word and be taught by the Holy Spirit concerning the Gospel of Christ.
Let us take one more look at the Gospel of Christ and see that which God is trying to get
Christians to understand. When the LORD God created man of the dust of the ground, He created
man a living soul (Gen. 2:7). Man became earthly, of this earth. Man was a living soul, with a body
of flesh and bones, and a spirit given to him by God. Take one more look at 1 Corinthians 15:44-49
and see what it says, "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural
body, and there is a spiritual body...And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living
soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit...Howbeit that was not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual...The first man is of
the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven...As is the earthy, such are they also
that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly...And as we have
borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."
In the Old Testament times, man was earthly, of this earth. Man was natural, born of the
flesh. At that time God wanted to dwell among His people. The LORD spoke to Moses in Exodus
25:8, saying, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Notice that
the LORD did not say, "that I may dwell in them," but rather He said, that I may dwell among
them." Over and over again the LORD made statements concerning His dwelling "among them."
In Exodus 29:45 it says, "And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God."
In Exodus 29:46 it says, "And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought
them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God."
In Numb. 35:34 it says, "Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell:
for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel."
Before that Jesus came into this world and paid the price for our redemption, and arose again
from the dead, God could not "dwell in man," He could only "dwell among them." All throughout
the Old Testament, God did all He could to help those who He called His own. But, they were still
earthly of this earth. They were natural man, born of the flesh, walking after the flesh.
God had a better plan which is revealed in "the Gospel of Christ." Once Jesus died and arose
again from the dead, He became "Christ," the arisen LORD. In Christ, man, a living soul could
become born again of the Spirit and enter into a new spiritual birth. In that spiritual birth, man
becomes "one spirit with the LORD." Which is, God in us and us in God, making one new man (a
new creature in Christ), God in man and man in God. Colossians 3:3 says, "For ye are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God." Our life is hid with Christ in God. This was not possible for
those in the Old Testament. But, with God all things are possible. Therefore, Christians today are
no longer of this world, but born again from heaven above.
What really happened when we became born again? God came down from heaven above and
made His residence in man, that is, in our new created spirit. We are still here on earth, but God
came down to earth and became one spirit with man in Christ. God and man are One, right here on
earth today!
What does it mean to be One with God? One day it came from my spirit, "look up in the
dictionary the word one." I thought, was that the Holy Spirit telling me to look something up in a
dictionary? Yet, at that time I was getting use to the Holy Spirit bringing things to me from my spirit.
So, I did what the Scriptures tell us to do, "prove all things" (1 Thess. 5:21). I got a Webster's
Dictionary and looked up the word "one." There was a whole page in the Dictionary concerning the
word "one." After studying each part, I came to the conclusion "one means, not more than one and
not less then one." In other words, one means one.
When the Scriptures tell us that we are "one spirit with the LORD," that means God is in us
and we are in God, we are one in the spirit. Being one in the spirit, and being that Christ is the head
of the body and we are His body, we must learn to believe Him in everything He tells us. We must
be doers of the Word, not just hearers only.
When the Word of God says, "the just shall live by faith," we should learn how to live by
faith. When the Word of God says, "walk after the Spirit" we should learn how to walk after the
Spirit. Whatever the Word tell us to do, do it, not questioning if it will work or not? Just do it, mix
faith with the Word and do it.
That is where the children of Israel failed in the wilderness, they did not mix faith with the
Word that was spoken to them. Hebrews 4:2 says, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well
as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them
that heard it." Who are we that we should not believe God and mix faith with the Word of God
given to us? We are in Him and He is in us, why don't we believe the Word of God that He has
spoken to us?
In Hebrews 4:3 it says, "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I
have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished
from the foundation of the world." How many Christians today are still walking according to the
flesh, living the way the world lives and thinking they are doing the will of God? There is a rest for
those who will enter into that rest. That rest is in believing the Word of God as it is written in the
New Testament.
In Roman 8:9 it says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit
of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Christians
are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. In John 17:16, Jesus said, "They are not of the world, even as
I am not of the world."
Christians are born from above, where Christ sits upon His throne (John 3:6, Rev. 3:21).
Being that we are in Christ, it's time to enter into that rest that is promised to those who are in Christ.
Who will understand spiritual things, and know what is the mind of Christ? Who will enter into the
rest that is prepared for those who are in Christ?
Are Christians listening to other spirits, thinking they are God? Are Christians turning to the
worlds system to supply all their needs? Are Christians still earthly minded, rather than heavenly
minded? Colossians 3:1,2 says, "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, not
on things on the earth." Are Christians still wanting all the world has to offer, calling it a blessing?
How many Christians have read 1 John 2:15-17, which says, "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, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world...And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."
God came down from heaven to dwell in man. While we are here on earth, we should know
that it is God who created all things and He is well able to supply all our needs according to His
riches in Christ Jesus. We are in Christ, that means all our needs are already supplied by Christ who
is our head. Why look to the world and the worlds system for what we have need of? Why not
believe the Word of God, and do the will of God while we are here on earth?
What is still to come for Christians living on this earth today? God came down from heaven
to live in us, in our new created spirit. When we leave this earth, we will go to God in heaven and
will always be with Him where He is. We are one, where God goes, we go, where we go God goes.
We are one in the Spirit and you cannot have one if you have more or less than one. One is one.
We are one in the Spirit with Christ Who dwells is us. The fulness of the Godhead dwells in us (Col. 2:9,10). This is not just information. It is a fact of truth that we must receive the revelation of. When the revelation of the Truth is made known to us, we should walk in it. In Philippians 3:13,14 the Apostle Paul wrote, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,...I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Let us also, set behind those things that hold us back, and press on for that high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
IN CHRIST, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Before we can understand what it means to be "in Christ," we must understand what it means
to be "in Adam." This is very important to understand for in 1 Corinthians 15:22 it says, "For as in
Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
When the LORD God created mankind on this earth, He called mankind "Adam or man."
Therefore, when Jesus Christ came into this world He was called the second Adam "mankind or
man" In 1 Corinthians 15:47 it explains this by saying, "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the
second man is the Lord from heaven."
Let us go back into Genesis 2:7 and see what it says about the creation of man. It says, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." We must be careful when we preach the Gospel of Christ that we do not let the teachings of men change the written Word of God. The written Word of God will always confirm itself when we search the Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation.
What the Word of God says in Genesis 2:7 is explained in 1 Corinthians 15:45-48. It says
in 1 Corinthians 15:45, "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the
last Adam was made a quickening spirit." What is a living soul? In the Greek the word "soul"
comes from the Greek word "psuche," which means "to breathe." If we stop at just the Greek word
"psuche," we will not know what the Scripture is telling us. For it did not say that Adam was a soul
"psuche." It says, "The first man Adam was made a living soul..." We must include the verb
"living" along with the word "soul" to understand the meaning of Genesis 2:7 and 1 Corinthians
15:45. If the first man, "Adam, was made a living soul," that would mean that man was more than
just a breath of air breathed into a body formed of the dust of the ground. That means "that breath
that was breathed into man in the beginning contained more than just breath," it contained "a life,
a living soul."
Therefore, "a living soul" became a person, "a human being." What we must be careful of
the teachings of men that do not agree with the Scriptures. Some teach that Adam was created a
spirit, and had a physical body, and a soul. This does not agree with 1 Corinthians 15:46 which says,
"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that
which is spiritual." Adam was not spiritual. Adam was a living soul. Jesus was spiritual, a living
Spirit that came down from heaven to give spiritual life to mankind. Before Jesus came as the second
Adam, man was not spiritual.
What is a living soul? It will help if we would use the English word "psyche," which is
comparable to the Greek word "psuche." The meaning of the English word "psyche" is (1) the
human soul. (2) the intellect. (3) the mind, considered as a subjectively perceived functional entity.
The soul of man contains our mind, our intellect, our ability to think and function as a living human
being. The living soul of man is considered to be "psychic," meaning "having to do with the "psyche
or mind," even beyond the natural known processes apparently sensitive to forces beyond the
physical world." This means, the mind or living soul can contact the natural realm of the physical
world as well as the unseen realm of the spiritual world. Living souls can contact God or the devil,
angels or demons as well as all physical beings on earth.
Man was created in the beginning, having a mind which is able to contact and communicate
with God and with the devil. Man can also communicate with angels and with demons. Therefore,
we must understand the difference between the soul of man and the spirit of man. Man was not
created a living spirit. Man was created a living soul. The living soul of man is not made of physical
substances. The body of man was formed of the dust of the ground, but the living soul of man came
by the breath of the LORD God, and was breathed into the physical body by the LORD God.
Man is a living soul. Man has a physical body formed of the dust of the ground. Man has a
spirit within him, given to him by the LORD God. Everywhere you look in the Scriptures that it talks
about the spirit of man, it always speaks of the spirit being in man. Man was formed of the dust of
the ground, then a living soul was breathed into man by the LORD God, after that a spirit was
formed in man. In Zechariah 12:1 it says, "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith
the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and
formeth the spirit of man within him." By this it tells us that the LORD "...formeth the spirit
of man within him." Man was created before a spirit was formed in man. Therefore, the Scripture
always speaks of the spirit of man being in man. In Job 32:8 it says, "But there is a spirit in man:
and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." From the beginning, God
always used the spirit of man to give him understanding. God works from the spirit of man. Satan
works from the mind of man. Once Christians learn this, they will know what is of God and what
is of the devil.
If we do not understand that the spirit of man was placed in man after man was created a
living soul, we will never understand the Gospel of Christ. Man was created a living soul and will
always continue to be a living soul, whether in heaven or in hell. The living soul will never die or
cease to exist. It will live forever either in heaven or in hell.
But the spirit of man is not the same as the soul of man. The spirit that was in man in the
beginning is taken away, and a new spirit is placed within man (when his is born again) according
to the Scriptures. Ezekiel 11:19 says, "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit
within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of
flesh." Ezekiel 36:26 also says, "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." Ecclesiastes 12:7 speaks of when those who are in Adam die, their spirit returns to God
who gave it. It says, "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return
unto God who gave it."
All of this is explained clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, which says, "And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening
spirit...Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward
that which is spiritual....The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from
heaven....As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are
they also that are heavenly....And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly."
It states in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18a, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of
God..." What are we being told here in this Scripture? How can a person become a new person, a
new creature in Christ? In John 3:1-5 it tells us of Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus
by night, asking Him about the miracles. Jesus answer to Nicodemus' question was "...Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3b). Nicodemus did not understand
what Jesus was saying. Therefore Nicodemus said, "...How can a man be born when he is old? can
he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" (John 3:4b). Jesus then said,
"...Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God."Jesus did not say "born again of water..." as some want to believe. He did not say, "be born
again by water baptism..." as some want to believe. Jesus said, the first birth is of water "born of
water," which produces flesh. (Keep in mind that the Apostle John often used the word "water"
symbolically, for the Word of God. Peter also wrote in 1 Peter 1:23, "Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever").
When we are born into this world of earthly parents, we are born of the flesh. The second birth is of
the spirit, "born again of the Spirit."
Born, means "to come into being." Again, means "a second birth." Born again of the Spirit
means, "the Holy Spirit causes a new birth." Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus, "That which
is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." The first birth from
your mother's womb is born of water, the flesh. That Nicodemus already had. Therefore, Jesus said,
"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (John 3:5-7).
At this time, let's see what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus in answer to his question about
the miracles Jesus was doing. Jesus told Nicodemus that for a man to do the miracles He was doing
he first had to be "born again." In John 3:3 Jesus told Nicodemus that unless he is born again he
could not "understand the kingdom of God."
The natural mind, without the help of God cannot understand the kingdom of God. In 1
Corinthians 2:14 it says, "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." When Nicodemus still continued to question Jesus about the new birth, Jesus
expounded upon His answer. The difference between the first birth and the second birth is, "That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
The first birth into this world is a birth of the flesh born in the likeness and image of the first
Adam. Genesis 2:7 says, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Adam's descendants
were not born in the likeness and image of God, they were born in the likeness and image of Adam.
Genesis 5:3 says, "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own
likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth."
Therefore, the second birth is a spiritual birth, born in the likeness and image of the second
Adam, "Jesus Christ." In 1 Corinthians 15:49 it says, "And as we have borne the image of the
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly (The Lord Jesus Christ)."
Nicodemus still could not understand and so Jesus continued to explain to him. "...Art thou
a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that
we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you
earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no
man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man
which is in heaven" (John 3:10-13).
Jesus came down from heaven with the knowledge and understanding of heavenly things
"spiritual things." Jesus had the spiritual life of God in Him, giving Him the ability to understand
spiritual things. Without this spiritual life, no one can understand spiritual things, or heavenly things
"not even Nicodemus who was a teacher of the Jews."
Spiritual things, or heavenly things, are not understood with the natural mind (2 Cor. 2:14).
They are spiritually discerned, not naturally discerned. Therefore, unless a person is born again, they
cannot see (understand) heavenly things.
Some, like Nicodemus ask, "How can I be born again?" The Apostle John wrote in John
1:12-13, "But as many as received him (JESUS), to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:...Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12-13).
What must a person do to receive Jesus? Let's use this example; say, someone is coming to
your house and they knock on the door. You ask, "who is it?" They reply, giving their name. You
then open the door and let them in. This is "receiving them, the person who is outside your door
knocking." By this you received the person into your house. All you do is open the door and say
"come in!" Whoever is at the door comes in when you invite them in. Once you have let them in,
they are in your house.
Now let us look at this from a spiritual point. Spiritual things are not seen with the physical
eye, neither is the spiritual knock heard with the physical ear. But thoughts are spiritual things which
manifest in the natural, or come into being once you act upon them. As an example, in the morning
you think you should get up out of bed and get ready to start a new day at work or whatever it is you
plan to do that day. The thought itself is spiritual. It comes to your mind, but until you do something
about the thought nothing happens. You can lay in bed thinking about getting up, but until you
actually get up, nothing happens other than thoughts of getting up.
To receive Jesus, first comes the thought of receiving Him, then comes the action, the doing,
the opening the door to receive Him.
Being that the new birth is spiritual, of the Spirit, and not of the flesh, everything happens
in the spirit of man. You cannot see spiritual things with your eyes, you cannot feel spiritual things
with your hands, you cannot smell spiritual things with your nose, nor hear them with your ears, but
they are real, they do exist. God is real, God does exist, but the natural man cannot know Him, he
can only know about Him.
The door that must be opened is the door between your soul (mind), and your spirit. Your
soul normally relates to the things of the natural world. Your spirit normally relates to things of God.
So when you decide in your mind to receive Jesus Christ as your LORD, you open the door for Him
to come into where you live. You live in your body, so into your body He comes.
Now let us go a little further in the example of a person coming to your house and knocking
at the door. Let us say that person who you let in is going to stay with you for some length of time.
In order for that to happen you will need to make room in your house for that person to stay, maybe
fix up a bedroom for him to sleep in, and a place to keep his things he needs while staying with you.
There must be room in your house for the person if they are going to stay for any length of time.
The same thing happens in the spirit realm. When you receive Jesus into your body, there
must be a place in your body for Him to stay and live.
Here there is a problem. Your body is of the flesh and bones of man, after the likeness and
image of Adam (Gen. 5:3). When Adam sinned in the garden of Eden, sin and death entered into
mankind and passed upon all who are born of Adam (Rom. 5:12). God is holy, and cannot live in
a body which is full of sin and death. Yet, God said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and
I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor. 6:16). For this to happen the Holy Spirit
first has to prepare a place for the LORD to dwell. At that time, when you receive Jesus Christ into
your life, the Holy Spirit creates a new spirit within your physical body. This is the new spirit spoken
of in Ezekiel 36:26. It says, "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."
This new spirit in you, is totally a work of God, not of man. It explains in John 1:13, "Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." In 2
Corinthians 5:18, it says, "And all things are of God..." Everything that is done in this new birth
is done by God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit prepares a place for Jesus Christ to dwell in you.
This place in your body is called a new spirit.
In the preparing of this new spirit, it tells us that the old spirit was passed away, "removed
from our body" and a new spirit was put in its place (Ezek. 19:11, 36:26). Going over to 2
Corinthians 5:17, it says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new." We should not be taking this Scripture
verse out of context to make it say something other than what it is saying. This Scripture is talking
about what it means to be "in Christ." It is not talking about a new physical body, and it is not talking
about a new soul. It is talking about a new spirit "in Christ." Our old spirit was in Adam, "in the
flesh." Our new spirit is in Christ, "in the Spirit of Christ." Adam is the first man on earth, earthly
of this earth. Christ is the second Man on earth, heavenly, which came down from heaven. One is
natural. The other is spiritual.
Not taking that which is in 2 Corinthians 5:17 out of context, the subject of 2 Corinthians
5:17 starts in 5:16, where it says, "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea,
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more." How
are we trying to know those who are in Christ? Are we still trying to know them by the flesh or by
the Spirit? Secondly, this whole series of verses from 5:16 through 21 it speaking of "redemption."
It is speaking of a work of God, and not a work of man. It is speaking of God, saving the souls of
men by translating them from the flesh of Adam into the Spirit into Christ within us (Rom. 8:9).
Man is a living soul. To save man, God gives us a new spirit and places that spirit "in Christ."
From that spirit "in Christ," the Holy Spirit can dwell "in us," to do the work of "reconciliation."
God was reconciling man "a living soul" back to God, through the work of "Jesus Christ," whom
God worked in and through to take away the sin of the world. For it says, "To wit, that God was
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:19). How did God do this work "in
Christ"? Verse 21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him."
When a person is born again, because they asked Jesus to come into their life, He comes to
dwell in their new spirit. Therefore, they are now joined one spirit with the LORD (1 Cor. 6:17). The
two of them dwell in the same spiritual body. Now, Jesus is also joined one spirit with the Father
(John 10:30). Therefore, what Jesus spoke in John 14:23 comes to pass in your life. "Jesus
answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:23).
Jesus said, while you are still living on this earth, He and His Father will come and make
their dwelling place with you! This is before you leave and go to be with the LORD in heaven. "...He
that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son" (2 John 1:9). The
Father and the Son are both in your new created spirit. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).
What old things are passed away? Your old spirit is passed away. You now have a new spirit, and
that spirit is "in Christ Jesus." Therefore, you are a new creature in Christ. You are no longer in
Adam. You are now "in Christ."
Now look at what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:5-7, "...Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel
not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
The only way you can enter into the kingdom of God is to first be born again. You must have
a new spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:44-48). There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body.
Christians have both while on this earth. Without this spiritual body you cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
In 1 Corinthians 15:44 it says, "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." When it says, "...There is a natural
body, and there is a spiritual body" (1 Cor. 15:44b). The word "is" indicates at this present time.
Once you receive the revelation of this new spiritual body, the new you, the new creature in
Christ; then you will understand 1 Corinthians 15 starting in verse 35 where Paul wrote, "...How are
the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" You will notice that Paul is addressing
the question concerning the raising of the dead, the day of resurrection. Whereas, verses 44 through
50 pertain also to this life now.
If you have knowledge of things present and things to come, you most likely know already that when a saint in Christ leaves this world, his physical body is buried, but he goes to be with the LORD already. Our loved ones who have died in the LORD are already in heaven with the LORD, yet their physical bodies are still in the grave. The LORD does not call them dead, He calls them asleep in Christ. Jesus said, even "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not dead, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22:32). If we will permit the Holy Spirit to teach us, He will enlighten our hearts and minds to know the mystery of spiritual things.
Let us have a look at this spiritual body. Paul wrote in Romans 7:21-22, "I find then a law,
that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the
inward man." In 2 Corinthians 4:16 Paul writes "For which cause we faint not; but though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." In Ephesians 3:16 it says,
"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might
by his Spirit in the inner man." Peter wrote in 1 Peter 3:4, "But let it be the hidden man of the
heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price."
In Ephesians 2:14-15, it tells us that this new man is joined to the LORD. "For he is our
peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between
us;...Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace." In verses 18 and
19 it continues to explain our relationship to God through this new man. "For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father...Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God." Some believe this
is speaking only of making Jews and Gentiles one in Christ. That is not totally correct. God is taking
natural man and making him a spiritual man in Christ Jesus.
Jesus was both, natural (having a physical body of flesh and bones), and spiritual having a
spiritual body that came down from heaven. This is what God is doing, taking those who were in
Adam and translating them into "Christ." That which was in the natural and that which was in the
spiritual come together and make one new man "in Christ." We who were natural, become spiritual
"in Christ." Having a new spiritual body, we now have the ability to enter into heaven when we leave
this earth.
This one new man, is "in Christ." In Ephesians 4:22-25 we are told to stop living after the
old man and live according to the new man. It says, "That ye put off concerning the former
conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;...And be renewed
in the spirit of your mind;...And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness."
We are told in Colossians 3:9-10, Romans 6:6, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds;...And have put on the new man, which is renewed in
knowledge after the image of him that created him,...Knowing this, that our old man is
crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin"
The Apostle Paul gave us some information concerning himself, the difference between his
natural man, the outward man, and the spirit man, the inward man. In Romans 7:5 he starts off by
saying, "For when we were in the flesh..." Paul knew that at one time he was in the flesh (in
Adam). But not any longer, for now he is born again and the real Paul is in the spirit. In Romans 8:9
he wrote, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in
you..." Paul, the new creature in Christ was in the Spirit, not in the flesh. In Romans 7:19-25, Paul
described his problems between the new creature in the Spirit and the old man in the flesh. "For the
good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do....Now if I do that I would
not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me....I find then a law, that, when I would
do good, evil is present with me....For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:...But
I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members....O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?...I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
Paul said his inward man (the spirit man, the new creature in Christ), delights in the law of
God. But there is another law warring against the law of his mind (in the natural man, the outward
man). In verse 24 he asks the question, "who shall deliver me..."? In verse 25 he gives the answer,
he is delivered through Jesus Christ our LORD. And again he states the problem "with the mind
I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." With "the mind of Christ in his
spirit man" he serves the law of God, but the flesh, the outward man still wants to serve the law of
sin.
Let us also see what Jesus said about the difference between the natural man and the spiritual
man (born of the flesh or born of the Spirit). Jesus said in John 17:16, "They are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world." The real Jesus (who the Father knew from the beginning of eternity
was the Spirit Man), the Son of God who was with the Father from the beginning. God knew Jesus
as His Son, one with Him, and one in Him. Jesus 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" (John 5:24).
Life and death are opposite of each other. The life of God and the life of man are not the
same. Zoe (life) and Psuche (life) are two different lives. Even though Jesus was in the flesh
(physically), He spoke words of Spirit and truth when He said, "...even as I am not of the world"
(John 17:16). Jesus was not of this world, even though He was in this world. The word "world" that
Jesus used means, "the earth, it's inhabitants, including the whole universe, the son, moon, and
stars." Jesus said those who He was praying for were not of this "world." Jesus' life came down from
heaven, from the Father, and was implanted in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. This Spiritual
life took upon itself the likeness of man.
Now, because the disciples believed on Jesus, the Son of God and received Him for who He
was, they also were born again of the Spirit (when Jesus breathed upon them in John 20:22). They
also were not of this world, just as Jesus was not of this world. Their true identity was not of this
world, but from above.
We see also the opposite spoken of by Jesus to other Jews, born of the children of Abraham.
In John 8:37, Jesus said, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my
word hath no place in you." Then in John 8:44 Jesus said they were of the devil. In John 8:47 Jesus
said, "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not
of God."
What was the difference between these Jews and Jesus' disciples? The disciples believed on
Jesus and the other Jews did not. By believing on Jesus the disciples received eternal life (zoe), the
life of God in Christ Jesus. God sees those in Christ Jesus as His children, born of the Spirit. Those
who are not born again are of this world and still under the control of the devil (Eph. 2:2).
God looks upon the spirit of man as to who they are, in Christ, or of this world. If you are in
Christ, you are not of this world. You are a new creature, a new person, born from above.
Sometimes we must ask ourselves this question, are we going to believe Jesus, the words of
Jesus or the reasoning of our natural mind? If we are going to believe Jesus then we cannot go by
our reasoning mind, and reason out spiritual things. Spiritual things are not understood by the
reasoning mind, but are revealed to us by the Spirit of God. When the Spirit reveals to us a spiritual
truth, we know the truth and the truth will set us free of reasoning.
Paul continued on in Romans 8:9 to explain that the new inward man, the new creature in
Christ is not the same as the outward man, the natural man from Adam. To make it clear to those
who have no understanding of spiritual things, Paul wrote, "But ye (you) are not in the flesh, but
in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you..." (Romans 8:9).
How do you know if the Spirit of God dwells in you? You have a witness of the Spirit of God
giving witness to your spirit. Romans 8:16 say, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God." In 1 John 5:10 it says, "He that believeth on the Son of God
hath the witness in himself..."
Secondly, in 1 John 3:24 it says, "And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the
Spirit which he hath given us." You know by "the speaking in tongues!" For it is the Spirit of
God in you that gives you the utterance (Acts 2:4, Rom. 8:26). When you speak in tongues, it is the
new creature in Christ speaking unto God in tongues to which no man understands (1 Cor. 14:2). It
is the new creature in Christ edifying itself (1 Cor. 14:4), building up your most holy faith, praying
in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20).
The word "tongue or tongues" used in Mark 16:17, Acts 4:2, 10:46, 19:6, 1 Cor. 12:10,28,30,
14:2,4,14,18, etc. in the Greek is "glossa," meaning a sound, made with the tongue of a person or
being. This word tongue is distinguished by the type of sound made with the tongue. This sound does
not come from the human mind, or understanding; it comes from the new created spirit of man.
Those who are not born again and filled with the Holy Spirit cannot speak "this tongue," for this
utterance that comes forth comes from the Holy Spirit in the new created spirit of man. This tongue
cannot be understood by the natural mind, without the help of the Holy Spirit giving the
"interpretation." The interpretation can be given to someone who is not born again, for the tongue
itself and the gift of interpretation are both under the control of the Holy Spirit "used according to
His will" (1 Cor. 12:10-11).
Let me insert an example of this in a church I was attending at the time this happened. There
was a message given in tongues "glossa." While this message was being given there were two
women in the church, which heard every word in English. Yet, the whole congregation could speak
and understand English. The Holy Spirit "who is in control of the speaking in tongues and the
interpretation decides who will hear it in their own native language." When the interpretation was
given, these two women also heard the interpretation in English. After the service, one of the women
came up to the pastor and told him the interpretation was exact, the same as the tongue for she heard
both in the English language. Later he learned that there were two women who both heard both the
tongue and the interpretation in English.
This is the same manifestation of tongues and interpretation of tongues that took place on
Pentecost day. The Apostles and disciples that spoke in tongues (Acts 2:4), gave the utterance from
the Holy Spirit within them. Others, of various languages heard them speak "received the
interpretation in their own language." Yet, not everyone that spoke the various languages received
the interpretation, therefore some mocked and said, "These men are full of new wine" (Acts 2:13).
Those doing the mocking did not hear the tongue in their own language, all they heard was the
tongue, the sound made by human tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Holy Spirit now began His indwelling of men, and manifest Himself through the gifts
of tongues and interpretation of tongues. You will notice very clearly in Acts 2:4, it says they spoke
"with other tongues," it does not say they spoke "in other languages." It says, they made an
utterance with their tongue "as the Spirit gave them the utterance." The utterance did not come
from their natural mind. It came from the Spirit of God dwelling in them.
The Holy Spirit, who dwells in those who are in Christ, has complete control of "tongues,"
therefore, if you speak with tongues, you are in Christ and you have the Spirit of God in you. If you
have the Spirit of God in you, the real you that God sees is the new creature in Christ. He cannot
miss seeing you, for He is in you "One in the Spirit with you!"
It is not only the Holy Spirit that dwells in you, in the new creature in Christ. It is the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. How do we know this for sure? Jesus said in John 14:23, that if we love
Him and keep His words, He and His Father will make their abode (dwelling place) in us. Jesus is
the truth! He cannot lie! Jesus knows the difference between Himself, the Father, and the Holy
Spirit! In 2 John 1:9, it tells us that "he that hath the Father hath the Son also." When we speak
in tongues, it is the Holy Spirit within us that gives us the utterance, therefore, the Holy Spirit also
dwells in us.
The real you that God is looking at as His children is the inward man, the spirit man, the one
who is "one spirit with the LORD" (1 Cor. 6:17). When it says "One spirit with the LORD," it is not
saying one spirit with the Holy Spirit. God is not out to deceive any of His children. He speaks the
truth, and there are no lies in what He says. The real you is the new creature in Christ!
We should understand spiritual things and understand spirit beings. You have a spirit, you
dwell in a body, you are a living soul (1 Thes. 5:23). The real you is the new creature in Christ, the
inward man, who is to bear the image of the heavenly man, Jesus Christ, the second Adam sent from
God (1 Cor. 15:49).
Understand also, what it says in Colossians 2:9-10, "For in him (in Christ) dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye (YOU) are complete in him, which is the head of all
principality and power." The new man is the spirit man, joined one spirit with the LORD. "But
he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17).
There is what is called an inward man, an inner man, a hidden man of the heart, a new man,
in a born again Christian. This is the new creature in Christ. This new man is one spirit with the
LORD. We are in Him and He is in us; we are one! Jesus prayed this prayer to the Father in John
17:21-23, "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou
gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in
me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent
me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
Jesus' prayer is answered by God. We who are in Christ are one with the Father, and the Son.
This new creature in Christ is a spirit being. It is not limited to the natural realm of life. But
is a separate man inside of the natural man. This new spirit man can leave the natural man and return
again at any time the LORD (who is the head of the spiritual body) so desires. In 2 Corinthians
12:2-4 it says, "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot
tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the
third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words,
which it is not lawful for a man to utter." Paul said, this man was in Christ, therefore he did have
a new spiritual body.
Whenever the LORD should desire, the spiritual body can leave the natural body and be
somewhere else. There the spirit man can know things, see things, experience things in the spirit
realm and return to the natural body. It says, "I know not if in the body or out of the body..." The
size and shape of the spiritual body is in proportion to the natural body. Many born again Christians
have seen both their spiritual body and their natural body at the same time. They have seen
themselves leave the natural body and return to the natural body. While in the spirit, they have seen
their own spiritual body looking just like their natural body. This experience for Paul at that time was
somewhat new. The body he saw looked just like the natural body; he didn't know which body it was
that ascended into the third heaven, the spiritual body or the natural body. Today, many Christians
are experiencing this same condition where the spiritual body leaves the natural body and goes
somewhere else.
Operations like this are controlled by the LORD. We do not, of our own ability, leave our
natural bodies and go off into the spirit realm without the help of the Spirit of God. Some may think
it was their idea, their intentions, their desire; but if it was a work of God in their life, it was for His
purpose.
But, be aware that there are spiritual operations which are not from God. Satan can cause
people to leave their natural bodies and go off into space or other areas without the help of God. This
is called "astral-projection." Where a person who is not born again can leave their natural body and
go off into the spirit realm. Christians must be careful not to let Satan operate in their lives in
spiritual experiences.
Christians are joined in one spirit with the LORD in the "New Creature." Christ is the head
of the new spirit man. We are a part of His body. The new spirit man, joined with the LORD goes
only where the LORD, "the head of the body" directs.
The spirit man is "one spirit with the Lord," a part of the body of Christ. Christ is the head
of the body. The spiritual body does not leave the natural body without Christ. It stays in our natural
body until the Spirit of God takes it out or separates it from our natural body for His purpose. When
our natural body dies, our spiritual body goes to be with the LORD. The Apostle Paul wrote, "For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour:
yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart,
and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful
for you" (Phil. 1:21-24).
Here Paul was not speaking of taking his own life, or dying purposely so he could go to be
with the LORD. Paul had already died at one time, but came back to finish his course.
We need to come to an understanding of the new creature in Christ, the new spirit man.
Within our new spirit man is the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). The mind of Christ operates at the
direction of Christ, not according to our natural mind in the outer man (the old man, the natural
man). The mind of Christ makes no reputation of itself. The Apostle Paul explained the mind of
Christ in Philippians. 2:5-7, saying, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus...Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God...But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men." The mind of Christ is a servant to Christ. It is not puffed up, prideful, self-promoting, glory seeking, etc.; it is obedient to the Spirit of God.
When the new spirit man leaves the natural body, there is no respect of persons, no envy, no
strife, etc. only the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), operate at that time. This is not the same as
when someone sees into the spirit realm, while still in their physical body (their spiritual body is still
in their natural body)
We are not talking of translation, such as with Philip (Acts 8:39-40). This is an operation of
the Spirit of God which includes the natural body and spiritual body being translated to another
location at the same time.
Many saints alive today, have experienced their spiritual body leaving their natural body.
Many have died, went to heaven in their spiritual body, and returned to earth, into their natural body
and are alive at this time. Others today have left their natural body, gone places other than heaven,
and returned to their natural body to give testimony of what they saw while out of their natural
bodies.
We are already in the last days when God is doing wonders in heaven and on earth; wonders
which no man can understand, unless he is born again and entered into the kingdom of God. Peter
spoke of this in Acts 2:19, quoting Joel 2:30, "And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the
earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke." These wonders are not only "blood, and fire, and
pillars of smoke." Some of these wonders are the greater things that Jesus spoke of in John 14:12;
man leaving his body and entering into heaven, then returning to tell others of what he saw and
heard.
We must be mindful that this operation of the spiritual body leaving the natural body is not
something we do of our ability, but it is done by the Spirit of God according to God's purpose. It is
not to glorify man, but for the glory of God, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Yet, we can have a great part in this experience. We can, and should have knowledge of these
experiences to prepare ourselves for this experience "if God should so desire to use us this way."
We are admonished to walk after the spirit and do not walk after the flesh, then we will be
doing the will of God, for then God is in control. What we do and where we go will be determined
by God, by the Spirit of Christ, to whom we are joined. Christ is the head of the spirit body (where
all directions come from). It responds to His directions.
Just how much is controlled by Christ is dependant upon our fellowship with Him in the
spirit. If we neglect our fellowship with Him in the spirit and remain controlled by the old man, the
natural man, the outer man; very little will be accomplished by the spirit man. Therefore, Romans
8:5-8 tells us, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that
are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit....For to be carnally minded is death; but to be
spiritually minded is life and peace....Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be....So then they that are in the flesh cannot
please God."
To please God we must walk after the Spirit, living and operating from our new created spirit,
not our natural mind.
In this world, those who are born again of the Spirit are a new creature in Christ. The old
spirit is passed away. A new spirit has joined itself to our natural body. Now we are two persons in
one (a spirit man and a natural man) (1 Cor. 15:44).
While in the world, before we were born again into the kingdom of God, we operated from
our natural mind. We thought the way the world thinks. We lived the way the world lives. We did
the things the world does. We were a part of this world. The world was our home, our place, our
heritage.
When we are born again, we are born of the Spirit of God. We are born from heaven. Heaven
is our home. We are no longer of this world. We are of God. It says in 1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now
are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." When the Apostle John
wrote this, he most likely did not have the writings of the Apostle Paul. For in Paul's writings we can
get a much better understanding of what will appear, what we shall be like. Yet, there is still much
more coming, that we will see when we get to heaven and see Jesus face to face.
When we are born of God, God is in us and we are in God. Our spirit man is like unto the
Son of God (1 Cor. 15:49). But our natural man must be saved. The natural mind must be renewed
(Rom. 12:2). Our natural bodies must be brought into subjection to the Word of God (Rom. 12:3).
How is this done?
Our minds must be renewed (transformed by the Word of God dwelling in us). When the
Word of God in us bears a witness with the Spirit of God in us and our natural mind comes in
contact with the written Word of God a transformation takes place inside of us. Our natural mind
says, "it is true, that is the way it is!" Through a process of continually hearing the written Word of
God (the Spirit of God in us bearing a witness with our natural mind), it transforms us to believe the
Word of God contrary to the old nature of man.
Let us put it this way, Galatians 5:17 it says, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other..." This is a war in our
being. The Spirit of God in our spirit man is warring against the old man, the flesh and blood man,
the natural man. It is a constant battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Which one will win this
battle? It's up to us to determine which one we will follow, the flesh or the Spirit? If we follow the
Holy Spirit we will not do the things of the flesh. If we follow the flesh we will not be doing the
things of the Spirit. We are in control of our future by which one we choose.
But, we must remember, it is a war, it is not just some little unimportant thing that makes no
difference what we do. It is a battle we must fight. In 2 Corinthians 10:3 it says, "For though we
walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh." We are in these bodies, but our problem is not
our bodies. It is the thoughts that come to our mind. It tells us in verse 5, "Casting down
imaginations (reasonings), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).
Christ is in us. We are in Christ (our new created spirit). Our thoughts must be brought into
subjection to the new man in Christ, where the mind of Christ is in us. We have the mind of Christ
in our new spirit man. The mind of Christ knows all things pertaining to the will of God for our lives.
His will is in us. His laws are in our heart (the spirit man), and in our mind (the mind of Christ).
We are in a battle, the flesh, "the natural man" against the Spirit and the new created spirit
man. Who will win this battle? It is up to us to determine which one we will obey, the old natural
man or the new creature in Christ.
There is a way to win this battle. Let us see this in the Scriptures. Already in Genesis 4:1-7
it tells us of Adam and Eve's first two sons, Cain and Abel. When Cain was led astray by the devil
(1 John 3:12), God spoke to Cain. God said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and
if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt
rule over him."
Sin is a work of the devil, for he sinned from the beginning (1 John 3:8). There is "like a
door," between the spirit of man and the soul of man. Between the new spirit man born again in
Christ, and the old man (the natural man) of the flesh today. Cain had a spirit in him. Job 32:8 says,
"there is a spirit in man..." Cain was also a living soul in a body (Gen. 2:7). God, speaking to Cain
was telling him "at the door of your spirit (between your soul and your spirit) Satan is putting
thoughts, but you can rule over these thoughts."
Let us see this same condition described in the New Testament. In Revelation 3:14-22 Jesus
was instructing the Apostle John to write to the church at Laodicea. In verse 20, Jesus said, "Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
We must remember, this is written to the church, born again, spirit filled Christians, in
Laodicea. To the body of Christ in Laodicea, Jesus said, I am at the door, knocking, if you will hear
My voice and open the door, I will come in and sup (eat, have fellowship) with you.
Where is this door? It is between the old man of the flesh and the new created man of the
spirit. From our spirit, where we are one with the Father and the Son comes a voice, the voice of
Jesus. He is knocking, and saying "open the door," the passage between the spirit man and the
natural man.
If we will open the door between the spirit man and the natural man of the flesh, Jesus will
come in and have fellowship with us. In 1 John 1:1-7 the Apostle John is talking about having
fellowship with the Father and the Son. This fellowship is in us, between our spirit man and our
natural man. This fellowship is for us on a daily basis. Through this fellowship we are cleansed from
all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.
The words light and darkness, are words often used to describe the works of God and the
works of the devil. If we walk in the works of God we have fellowship with the Father and the Son.
If we walk in the works of the devil, the works of the flesh, we are out of fellowship with the Father
and the Son. The door between our new spirit man and the old man of the flesh is closed. We close
the door by having fellowship with the works of darkness. We open the door by doing the works of
God, hearing His voice and following Him. Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me." Where is His voice coming from? From inside our new
spirit, the new man created in Him. He is in our spirit man, saying to our natural man of the flesh;
open the door that I may come in and have fellowship with you.
Jesus is speaking, Jesus is knocking, we must open the door! How do we open the door? First
by "loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and soul." Trusting in Him in everything
according to His Word. Letting the Holy Spirit have His way in our lives.
There is a key to knowing the will of God, and doing the will of God in our lives. That key
is, "Praying in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18), praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 1:20). The Holy Spirit
is sent to be our helper, guide, comforter, and teacher. When we pray in the spirit, we have
communication with the Holy Spirit, and in this communication He can guide us, help us, teach us,
whatsoever is the will of God can be done in our lives while we are in communication with the Holy
Spirit.
We must open the door for Jesus to come and have fellowship with us. We can open that
door by praying in the Spirit; for when we pray in the spirit it is our spirit man that is praying, our
natural man does not know what we are saying. In 1 Corinthians 14:14 it says, "For if I pray in an
unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful." Yet, we know that
whatsoever we speak it is of God from our new created spirit which is one with Christ, a part of His
body. We are one with Him, He is in us and we are in Him. When we pray in the spirit, the Holy
Spirit helps us pray according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 says, "Likewise the Spirit also
helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit
itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered....And he that
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession
for the saints according to the will of God."
Praying in the spirit edifies our spirit man. In 1 Corinthians 14:4 it says, "He that speaketh
in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church." In 1
Corinthians 14:2 it says, "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."
We are not speaking to the natural man, or to any other natural man, but unto God who dwells in us.
This speaking with the help of the Holy Spirit will help to open the door between your spirit
man and the man of the flesh. With the door open Jesus can come and have fellowship with you.
We must fight this war between the flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:17, 2 Cor. 10:3). This war is
fought in the spirit realm, the thought realm. What will we do about our thoughts? Will we continue
in communication with the Holy Spirit (praying in the spirit), or will we walk according to the flesh,
the natural man?
It is when we mortify our flesh through the Spirit that we will have fellowship with the Father
and the Son (Rom. 8:13). "Through the Spirit" means by the help of the Holy Spirit working in us
to overcome the flesh. We cannot (of our own ability) overcome the works of the flesh. It takes the
Holy Spirit working in us to help us mortify our flesh (that is, to bring it to a state of death to the
things of the devil).
Now to answer the question asked in 1 Corinthians 15:35, "...How are the dead raised up:
and with what body do they come?" If we study the remaining text in 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 you
will see that this raising up pertains to the last day, the day that we shall all be changed. Yet, not all
will be asleep in Christ at that day. For the dead in Christ shall arise first, then we who are alive shall
meet them and Him in the clouds, in the air and shall forever be with the LORD (1 Thes. 4:13-18).
In which body shall we arise to be with the Lord? "For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Cor. 15:53). Which body is
mortal, the natural body. The word "mortal" means "death is resident, in the process of dying, will
eventually die, etc." The word "immortality" means "not mortal; deathless; living or lasting forever."
Then it says, "this corruptible must put on incorruption." The word "corruptible" means
"that which can be changed or corrupted." The word "incorruption" means "cannot be corrupted;
cannot be changed, remains the same forever." Our living soul is corrupted. It does not think the way
God thinks. It must be changed to think the way God thinks.
Which body is he speaking of? The one that is mortal! But what kind of body is the spiritual
body, in the likeness and image of Christ? In 1 Peter 1:23 it says, "Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
This new creature in Christ is the born again Christian. The Word of God is incorruptible. We are
born of the Spirit. When we are raised again from the dead, we are changed in our bodies and our
souls. Christ is incorruptible, and the living soul then becomes incorruptible. Until the last day, that
day when this corruptible puts on incorruption and this mortal puts on immortality we must present
our bodies a living sacrifice, and renew our minds (Rom. 12:1,2).
God said already in Genesis Chapter One, "every seed shall bare fruit" "after his kind." The
seed, "the incorruptible seed" which we are born again of is the "Word of God." Jesus is the Word
of God manifested in the flesh (John 1:14). Jesus Christ is the seed that dwells in our new created
spiritual body. We are joined one spirit with the LORD! This seed, the Word of God, that began in
us when we were born again is "incorruptible." It is not mortal, it is not corruptible, it is God in us!
The corruptible shall put on incorruption, the mortal shall put on immortality (the mortal is
the physical body we were born into the world with), the soul was corrupted by sin and death (by the
soul being corrupted sin and death passed upon all men) (Rom. 5:12). The sin of man, "a living soul"
caused the body to become mortal.
On the last day, some will still be in that body, the natural body, others who have already
fallen asleep, their bodies went to the graves until that great day of the LORD. Then shall come to
pass that which is written "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:54-55). In 1 Thessalonians 4:14 it tells us that those who
have died and left their natural bodies in the grave, and went to be with the LORD in their spiritual
bodies "God will bring them with Jesus when He returns," their spiritual bodies will join with
their new immortal bodies and we will all meet together in the clouds, in the air and rise with the
LORD to be forever with Him.
Many people have reasoned within themselves and said this body "this spiritual body," that
is spoken of here is a body like unto the LORD Jesus Christ, after He arose from the dead and
appeared to His disciples. According to Jesus own words, that is not so. The body Jesus appeared
to His disciples in was His "resurrected body of flesh and bones."
In John 20:19 it says, "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus
and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." In Luke 24:36-39 it says, "And
as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be
unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And
he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold
my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and
bones, as ye see me have."
Jesus had a spiritual body, but that is not the body the disciples saw when they saw Jesus
standing in their midst.
What body did the disciples see when they saw Jesus standing there in their midst? Jesus
said, this is not a spirit body you see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones! Men, reasoning in
their minds have limited God to their understanding. God wants man to stop reasoning in their mind
and believe His Word.
The supernatural ability of God is much greater than the natural mind can comprehend.
Let's ask this question also, which body was Jesus in when He walked on the sea in Matthew
14:25-31? The disciples were in the ship. They saw Jesus walking on the sea. They thought it was
a spirit, but Jesus said "...Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Then Peter also walked on the
water. Which body was Jesus in at that time, and also which body was Peter in? Which body was
Philip in when it tells us in Acts 8:39-40, he was caught by the Spirit of the LORD and was found
at Azotus? Which body was Lazarus raised in when Jesus called, "Lazarus, come forth!" in John
11:41-44? Remember, Jesus said to Martha in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life!"
With which body was Elijah taken up to heaven in? With which body did the saints come out
of the grave and appeared to many following the resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 27:52-53)?
In every one of the above mentioned it was the physical body that was seen, not the spiritual
body. God is able to do things beyond the human reasoning mind; believe God, believe His Word,
don't reason in your mind what God is saying.
When men reason in their minds as to what happened and how it happened they get off into
error. God is a supernatural God, Who is able to do things beyond the reasoning of men, beyond the
imagination.
So when we read the Scriptures, let us read what it says and believe the Word of God, not
the reasoning minds of men.
Paul said that his prayers were, "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).
We need the revelation knowledge of "who we are in Christ!" Then we can learn to walk
after the spirit and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:4).
Brethren, know who you are in Christ, and do the works of the calling of God while you are
still on earth. There shall be a great day of rewards for the things we did on earth after the LORD
returns for His saints.
But remember, dead works don't count, they will be all burned like as in fire; but the man
himself shall be saved (1 Cor. 3:13-15). Our foundation must be laid on Jesus Christ. Any other
foundation will not stand as it is tried as by fire. Look what it says in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15,
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid
the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon...For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ...Now
if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;...Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed
by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is...If any man's work abide
which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward...If any man's work shall be burned,
he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
The religious works that we do that are not inspired by the Holy Spirit will be lost, yet the
man shall be saved. These works are works of the flesh, the natural man; trying to do the will of God
from his mind. Yet we must understand there is a sin unto death; that is whereby the man will not
be saved. In 1 John 5:16 it says, "There is a sin unto death..." Jesus spoke of this in Matthew
12:30-32, Paul wrote of it in Hebrews 6:4-6, 10:26-29. We must be ever mindful that we do not let
pride, or self-exaltation lead us into works of the flesh, which could lead to blasphemy of the Holy
Spirit. Remember what Jesus said, "...beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees..."
(Matt. 16:6). Paul said in Galatians 5:9, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." There is a sin
unto death, and it starts with pride, and self-exhortation; Satan enters in and repentance is no longer
possible.
Now let us read the last of Chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?...If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are...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...Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;...Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;...And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. 3:16-23).
WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT
In Romans 8:1 it says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Christians have a choice. They
can walk after the Spirit or they can walk after the flesh. As we see what is written in the Scriptures
concerning walking after the Spirit we can easily see that God wants us to walk after the Spirit and
not after the flesh.
It is important that we understand why God wants us to walk after the Spirit and not after the
flesh. In Galatians 5:16.17 it says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh...For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." When
it talks about walking after the Spirit it is speaking of being led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
leads Christians from within their new created spirit in Christ. Therefore, it is important to
understand the difference between the flesh, which operates from our natural mind (in our head) and
the Holy Spirit that operates from our spirit (in our belly).
When Christians operate from their natural mind they do things the way the world does
things. Unknownly, they are walking according to the thoughts of their mind, not always listening
to the Holy Spirit within their spirit. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, we are told to bring every thought into
the obedience of Christ, which is the anointing within us. This is the only way to overcome the flesh
in this world. There is no other way to overcome the flesh. The anointing within us comes from the
Holy Spirit. If we walk after the Spirit the anointing within us will help us to overcome the flesh.
We must be aware of what happens in the spiritual realm. When we walk after the Spirit we
cause the flesh to rebel against the Holy Spirit within us. We are still in this world. Satan is still the
god of this world. Satan had control of our thoughts before we were born again of the Spirit. Satan
will still do all he can to control our thoughts. Therefore, it is up to us to control our thoughts and
not let Satan control our thoughts.
How can we win this battle between the flesh and the Spirit? Galatians 5:17 tells us, "the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one
to the other." The answer is in the remaining part of that verses which says, "so that ye cannot do
the things that ye would." It is not saying it is not possible for you to do the things you want to do.
It is saying, if you are going to obey the Holy Spirit, you cannot obey the desires of the flesh, which
operate from your mind.
To walk after the Spirit we must also be led by the Holy Spirit, not the flesh. The flesh is of
this world. It is formed of the elements of the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7). The flesh normally lives
by the worlds system, which operates by the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17, 3:1-19).
Even though the flesh is physical and the mind is spiritual, they are connected and a part of the
created man (Gen. 2:7). Because of corruption and sin which came in the garden of Eden our natural
mind must not follow the flesh, but rather we must walk after the Spirit.
In Romans 8:2-4 we are told how to overcome the flesh. It says, "For the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death...For what the law
could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh...That the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
There are "two laws" working in the lives of Christians, "the law of sin and death," and
"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." The law of sin and death was at work in Paul's
members (his flesh) (Rom. 7:23). But, Paul was not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Rom. 8:9). Yet,
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus was at work in the inward man, the new creature in Christ.
Therefore, Paul said, as long as he "walked after the Spirit," and "not after the flesh" he was free of
all condemnation.
How do we walk "after the Spirit" and not "after the flesh?" We must learn the difference
between the flesh and the spirit. Jesus told us in John 3:6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh;
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." When we were born into this world, we were "born
of the flesh." What does that mean? Our natural birth came as a result of two people, one man and
one woman came together and the woman became pregnant. As a result of that pregnancy we were
born into this world. We were born with a physical body, a soul (which included our mind,
reasoning, intellect, understanding, and all the abilities to function as a normal human being). We
also had a spirit within us which was given to us by God (Job 32:8; Ecc. 12:7; Isa. 42:5; Zech. 12:1).
The first thing of importance was that we had everything that all normal children were born
into this world with. We were a living soul, with a physical body, and a spirit given to us by God.
We were created a living soul (Gen. 2:7, 1 Cor. 15:45-48). We were born of earthly parents.
Therefore, we were earthly (of this earth), just as our parents were earthly. We began as an infant
child and needed to grow up physically and mentally.
The second thing of importance was that to grow up mentally, we needed to learn how people
live in this world. We had to increase in knowledge and understanding of worldly things. We needed
to learn how to get along with other people in the world. How to communicate with other people.
In other words, we had to learn how people live in this world.
These two things make up what is called "the flesh" in many verses in the New Testament.
When it talks about walking after the flesh it is many times talking about living the way the world
lives. Using our natural senses, mind, reasoning, understanding, intellect and etc. to live our daily
lives.
But now, once we have been born again into the family of God, we must learn how to live
in the spiritual world, based upon spiritual principals set by God. This is a whole new way of living,
called "walking after the Spirit." God's ways and our ways were not the same when we walked
according to the flesh. In Isaiah 55:8,9 it says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways, saith the LORD...For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
For us to walk after the Spirit, we are going to need to change the way we live. Our thoughts
must be brought into subjection to the Spirit of Christ in us (2 Cor. 10:5). Our mind must be
renewed, and transformed. Romans 12:2 tells us, "be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God." If we are still conforming to this world by walking according
to our thinking, our thoughts, our reasoning, our understanding, our intellectual knowledge we will
not be able to walk after the Spirit.
When it says in Romans 8:1 that we should walk after the Spirit, it is talking about walking
after the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is to be our Teacher, Guide, Comforter, Helper, and Leader.
If we are not willing to make the Holy Spirit all of these things in our spiritual life, God cannot help
us. Not only that God cannot help us, but Romans 8:5-8 says, "For they that are after the flesh do
mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit...For to
be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace...Because the carnal
mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be...So
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
How could God be pleased with those who do not walk after the Spirit? If God was to be
pleased with those who walk after the flesh, all that God has done for us through Jesus Christ, would
be of no avail. There would not have been any benefit to God if He would have been pleased with
the way people lived from the time Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden until now. If God
was pleased with the way people lived in the flesh, there would have been no value in Jesus
becoming our substitute and paying the price for all that man has done while being under the control
of the prince of the power of the air.
Ephesians 2:1-3 tells us the condition we were in before we were born again. It says, "And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;...Wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience:...Among whom also we all had our
conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
Ephesians 2:12 even gives us more information concerning our past before we were born
again. It says, "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in
the world."
That is the condition we were in before we were born again. Satan and his demons controlled
our minds, our thoughts, our way of living. Satan was our master and we did not know it. Now look
at what God did for us in Ephesians 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, (by grace ye are saved;)...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 shew the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."
We were born into this world of the flesh. We were without hope and without God. What a
condition to be in, heading for hell and didn't know it. Satan was controlling what we did and how
we did it. We didn't know what the devil was doing. Many thought things were great. They were
gaining in prosperity and recognition in this world, not knowing it would all lead to eternity in hell.
God, in His great love and mercy, chose us in Christ Jesus to be His very own. We were
adopted in Christ, to spend eternity with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in heaven.
Ephesians 1:3-6 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:...According as he hath
chosen us in him 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 by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,...To the praise of the glory of his grace,
wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
All of this God has done for us, because of His great love for us (each one individually). This
includes all who are born into the family of God.
In understanding all that God has done for us, because of His great love for us, we should
learn what God desires of us now, while we are still here on earth. There are two things of
importance that God desires of us while we are still here on earth. One is, that we "walk after the
Spirit and not after the flesh" (Rom. 8:1,4, Gal. 5:16,17, 25). The other one is that we "walk by
faith and not by sight" (Rom. 1:17, 2 Cor. 5:7, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38).
Jesus made many statements about His own life here on earth that indicates that He was led
by the Holy Spirit. There are also other verses concerning Jesus' life here in the flesh that tell us that
also. In Luke 4:1 it says, "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness." There are two things of importance concerning this
verse. One is that Jesus was "full of the Holy Ghost," or we could say, Jesus was filled with the
Holy Spirit. This is important for Christians to understand. We cannot be led by the Holy Spirit on
a daily basis unless we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Once we understand that, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit," we should have a good idea of what it means to walk after the Spirit. When
it talks about walking after the Spirit, it is talking about walking after the Holy Spirit. In other words,
we should be led by the Holy Spirit in what we do and how we do things. The Holy Spirit should be
in front of us, and we should be following Him.
The second thing about Luke 4:1 is that Jesus was "led by the Holy Spirit into the
wilderness." Jesus did not go out into the wilderness because He wanted to hear from God. Many
Christians have done that, and they have heard voices speak to them, but in checking out what they
heard with the written Word of God, there are some questions as to whose voice did they hear? Jesus
did not go because He wanted to go, He went because the Holy Spirit led Him to go.
In Jesus' case, the Holy Spirit knew what the devil was going to do when Jesus was out there
in the wilderness, for the Holy Spirit knows the future before it happens. The Holy Spirit also knew
that Jesus would trust in Him as He helped, guided, comforted, taught, and led Him. The Holy Spirit
had full confidence in Jesus and Jesus had full confidence in the Holy Spirit.
This is something Christians need to learn before they try doing the work they have been
called to do. You must have "full confidence" in the Holy Spirit, helping, guiding, comforting,
leading, and teaching you "as you go, day by day" without having to know all the details in advance.
Neither Luke or Matthew tell us that Jesus knew what was going to happen in the wilderness.
But we know that Jesus had total confidence in the Holy Spirit as He led Him out into the wilderness
to be tempted by the devil. We know the devil will tempt us every chance he gets. But we must have
full confidence that the Holy Spirit is with us, guiding us, leading us, teaching us, helping us, and
comforting us whenever the devil tempts us.
To walk after the Spirit is to have "full confidence" that the Holy Spirit is leading us, guiding
us, helping us, teaching us, and comforting us. Without that confidence in the Holy Spirit we are too
likely to try to do things on our own, of our own ability. When we do things on our own, of our own
ability we are "walking after the flesh" and not after the Spirit. That's a no, no, if you understand
what that means.
If we are not led by the Holy Spirit, then we are walking after the flesh. We need to
understand how the Holy Spirit leads us. When we understand that the Holy Spirit resides in our
spirit which is in our belly, and our mind is in our head, then we can better understand what is of the
Holy Spirit and what is of the flesh.
Remember, we have a natural body and we have a spiritual body. Our natural body is
controlled and operated by our brain and mind which is in our head. The medical people will tell you
that your brain controls the functions of the whole body by electrical impulses. These electrical
impulses travel throughout the body triggering every function of the body. When a persons brain
stops working, they are considered brain dead, or unable to regain normal functions as a human
being. The brain also supplies electrical impulses to the heart, which in turn keeps the heart beating
to keep the blood flowing throughout the body.
The Bible tells us "the life of the flesh is in the blood..." (Lev. 17:11). Without the electrical
impulses to keep the heart beating, the blood stops flowing and the body dies. It's the life of the flesh
that is in the blood that enables a person to continue to live in the flesh. But, the living in the flesh
is determined by the mind, which operates through the brain, which is a part of the natural body.
Now, let us consider "the spiritual body" of a born again Christian. Our spiritual body is
joined "one Spirit with the LORD" (1 Cor. 6:17). Our spiritual body normally resides in our natural
body and it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor.6:19). Our spirit is in our belly, not in our head,
therefore, we can tell if something comes from our belly or from our head. That is, we can tell if it
is from our spirit or our mind, for there is a distance between our belly and our head.
When words come out of our mouth, they come from one or the other, our mind in our head
or our spirit in our belly. Once Christians learn the difference between their spirit in their belly and
their mind in their head they will understand the difference between walking after the flesh or
walking after the Spirit.
The second thing of importance in understanding where things are coming from is the witness
of the written Word of God. In the wilderness, Jesus quoted the written Word of God when the devil
tempted Him. The Bible tells us that in the New Covenant "there are three that bear witness on
earth, the Spirit, the Word, and the Blood" (1 John 5:8). If at anytime what comes out of our mouth
does not agree with the witness in our spirit, the written Word of God and the blood of Jesus, then
it did not come from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not bear witness with anything that does
not agree with the written Word (that He inspired), and the blood of Jesus.
What Christians should learn is that when they are filled with the Holy Spirit and led by the
Holy Spirit, He will help us, comfort us, lead us, and teach us at all times. The Holy Spirit never
sleeps, or takes time off to do something else. He is with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every
day, every week, and every year of our lives here on earth. He is always with us, and always knows
what is about to happen before it happens. He is all knowing, and has all wisdom and knowledge of
everything from eternity past until the end of this earth age. He is not a man, and He will never lie,
deceive, miss-guide or make any mistakes. He is the Spirit of Truth and will always lead us in the
way of Truth. The Holy Spirit cannot fail. He is God with the Father and the Son. God cannot fail.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit cannot fail.
Here on earth, the Holy Spirit is many times called God, for He is sent down here on earth
by the Father to do all things according to what He inspired to be written in the Bible. He inspired
the Word to be written and now He is the One here on earth to confirm the Word with signs
following.
In John 8:26 Jesus said, "I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent
me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him." Jesus is our
example, what He did we can do also. The way Jesus did things is the way we must do things also.
When Jesus said He heard from His Father, His hearing came by way of the Holy Spirit. God
the Father does all things according to what is written in the Word. Therefore, God the Father uses
the Holy Spirit to speak to us from our spirit. That was the same way it was with Jesus.
One good example of Jesus not doing anything until He heard from God is in John 8, when
the Pharisees came tempting Him, concerning a woman they had taken in the act of adultery. They
were waiting for Jesus to give them an answer, "But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger
wrote on the ground," not saying anything (John 8:6). "So when they continued asking him,"
while Jesus was waiting to hear from God, what to answer them (John 8:7). Then, after hearing from
God it says, "he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him
first cast a stone at her."
Christians can learn a lot from Jesus, how that He would not do anything unless He first
received His information from God. It is the Holy Spirit that carries out the will of God here on earth.
He has been sent down here to the earth to do the will of God and be in control of all things that
happen here on earth. From the time that Jesus was taken up to be with the Father, the Holy Spirit
was sent to do the will of God here on earth.
Christians must learn how to be led by the Holy Spirit and do nothing until they hear from
God. Once we learn that, we will be able to "walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh" (Rom.
8:1). It is important at this time that we look at Romans 8:14 which says, "For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
God's plan for man in the New Covenant is that they "be led by the Spirit of God," not by
the flesh. Galatians 5:16,17 says, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh...For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." The flesh
and the Spirit "...are contrary the one to the other..."
Christians cannot walk after the flesh and walk after the Spirit at the same time. These two
are contrary to each other. One goes in one direction while the other goes in the opposite direction.
As Christians, it says, "...ye cannot do the things that ye would." In other words, if we are led by
the Holy Spirit we cannot do our own will.
Jesus said of Himself in John 5:19, "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." When we are led by the Holy Spirit, we must walk like Jesus walked. He said,
"The Son can do nothing of himself..." It is not possible for a Christian to do their own will and
be led by the Holy Spirit at the same time.
When Christians start doing their own will, the Holy Spirit lets them go and do whatsoever
they desire. The Holy Spirit is still in them. He didn't leave them. But God is Love and will not
force anyone to do anything. God will not compel anyone to follow the Holy Spirit, or be led by the
Holy Spirit. We must be willing to set aside our own will and "be led by the Holy Spirit."
This is God's creation and God will do His own good pleasure. In Isaiah 46:9,10 it says,
"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there
is none like me,...Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that
are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."
God was speaking to the children of Israel at that time, but He was also speaking of the New
Covenant in which we are under. In the New Covenant God will do His good pleasure according to
the way He said He would do it.
In Zechariah 4:6 the LORD spoke prophetically of the New Covenant, saying, "This is the
word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,
saith the LORD of hosts." In short, the name Zerubbabel means "called out of Babylon, or called
out of man-made religion, and works of the flesh." Therefore, Zechariah 4:6 is speaking of the New
Covenant, saying, God is calling Christians out of religions and religious operations of the flesh, into
an operation of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament operation is an operation whereby the Holy
Spirit is in control not the flesh. The Holy Spirit will work all things together according to the will
of God. It will not be done by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit. Not by anything that man does by his
might or power, but only by what God does by His Holy Spirit working through those who are led
by the Holy Spirit.
It is interesting to see how the Holy Spirit works. He works from our spirit, not from our
mind. There was a time when someone said to me, "you know it takes a lot of money to get the
gospel into all the world." Out of my spirit came these words "no, it takes the Holy Spirit to get the
gospel into all the world."
Christians today still want to do God's work for Him, by their own ability, according to their
own ways. This is not new. This same thing happened in the Old Testament with King Asa. In 1
Kings 15, King Asa knew the will of God concerning the children of Israel, that they should go up
to Jerusalem to worship three times a year. "Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and
built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah" (1 Kings
15:17). King Asa took things into his own hands and 1 Kings 15:18 it says, "Then Asa took all the
silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures
of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them
to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus."
In 2 Chronicles 16, it tells us that King Asa made a league with Benhadad king of Syria, to
go up against King Baasha of Israel, because of his attempt to stop the children of Israel from coming
to Jerusalem to worship.
What King Asa did was, he relied upon the heathen King of Syria to help him stop King
Baasha from preventing the children of Israel from coming to worship in Jerusalem. King Asa knew
the will of God concerning worshiping in Jerusalem, but he relied upon the worlds system to do the
will of God, instead of relying upon God.
Going back into 2 Chronicles 15:1,2 it tells us, "And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah
the son of Oded:...And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all
Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will
be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." Then as we read on further down
in 2 Chronicles 15:8.9, it says, "And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded
the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah
and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed
the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD....And he gathered all Judah
and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon:
for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with
him." King Asa knew he was to rely upon the LORD, and not forsake the LORD when things were
not going the way they should.
What King Asa did was, he relied upon the heathen King of Syria to help him do what he
thought was God's will. King Asa "took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures
of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the
hand of his servants," who gave it to the heathen King of Syria to help him do what he thought was
God's will. What is also not good is where King Asa got the silver and gold from to give to the
heathen king. He used what was for the LORD's service in the house of the LORD. He gave that
which belonged to the LORD to a heathen king to help him do what he thought was the will of God.
Because of what King Asa did, "Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said
unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God,
therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand" (2 Chron. 16:7). When
Christians use the worlds system to do the will of God, they cause more problems than they solve.
They are walking in the flesh and not being led by the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Chronicles 16:9, the prophet Hanani said to King Asa, "For the eyes of the LORD run
to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou
shalt have wars."
When Christians use the worlds system to do the will of God, they can cause many more
problems than they solve. Many Christians, trying to do the will of God, using the worlds system are
bringing shame to the LORD Jesus Christ, and the body of Christ itself. Their systems and operations
are turning many away from the LORD rather than to the LORD. They are walking after the flesh
and not after the Spirit.
The main emphases in the New Testament is "being led by the Holy Spirit." "For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14).
Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, and those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons
of God. Those who "are not led" by the Spirit of God are still walking after the flesh. They are
Christians. They can be Spirit-filled Christians. But, if they are not led by the Spirit of God they are
still walking after the flesh. Those who walk after the flesh cannot please God (Rom. 8:6-8).
What about the flesh or the Spirit operating in the spiritual realm? Many Christians do not
understand the spiritual realm, what happens and how it happens. Primarily, most of what happens
in the spiritual realm starts with thoughts, either from the Satanic realm or from the Holy Spirit.
Christians are under attack by the enemy much of the time. Thoughts keep coming to our
minds from the spirits of this world, trying to get us to receive their thoughts, that they can have a
place in our lives in the flesh. These thoughts that do not agree with the written Word of God
concerning Christians, are to be brought into subjection to the anointing within us (2 Cor. 10:5).
Let's take a typical example of what happens, using the example of when a woman that does
not take control of her thoughts concerning breast cancer. For years she hears about breast cancer
on the radio, or on the television, or in the news papers, or other advertisements. The medical system
here in the United States is constantly talking about women with breast cancer.
Satan uses these types of media to put fear in the minds of women. All kinds of examples of
women who got breast cancer and what happened to them. A few of them, they say got healed by
some medical system. But most of them die of cancer which started with breast cancer.
Being that we live in a world that operates by thoughts, women get use to hearing what
happens to women with breast cancer. The reports are not too good, and they get women thinking
about what is happening and putting fear in them, that maybe someday they may get breast cancer
themselves. That's the worlds system. That's what is happening in every area of our lives in the
natural.
As an example, one day a young woman is taking a shower and she notices a lump in one of
her breasts. Right away the thought comes to her mind, "am I getting breast cancer"? If this woman
is a born again Christian and walking after the flesh and not after the Spirit, the first thing she usually
does is starts checking herself. Then she starts talking to others, maybe her friends, or husband, or
someone else she knows. The next thing she does is goes to a doctor to have a checkup.
The doctor tells her, it looks like it could be cancer. Then the doctor orders some tests. While
waiting for the results of the tests the woman starts looking at all the alternatives. What should she
do if the reports come back and says she has cancer? What are her alternatives? How will she deal
with the thoughts of her future? What about her life? What about her husband or children? What will
happen if the cancer spreads to other parts of her body? What is she going to do?
Fear gets a strong hold in her thought realm. Everyday fear gets a greater hold on her
thoughts. She cannot stop thinking about all the possibilities of what will happen because of the
cancer she may have?
Then the doctors report comes, saying, "we will need to do some more testing, it doesn't look
good." More fear comes to her mind, and it becomes a constant thought pattern in her mind. She tries
to analyze everything based upon the doctors reports and the lump in her breast.
Then the day comes when the doctors tells her she needs surgery on her breasts to remove
the cancer. More fear comes to her mind and she goes in for surgery. After the surgery, she thinks
everything will be fine. Then, after follow-up examinations, the doctor tells her, it looks like you
have cancer in another part of your body. Then they start all over with the tests and examinations.
Fear keeps coming back into the woman's mind. All over again, the same procedures are taken to
try to fight off the cancer before it gets worse. When will it stop, or will she die from cancer?
Women who go through these times of trying to get rid of cancer, usually end up with other
problems. The fear that came with the cancer gets a hold of her, and worry becomes a companion
on a daily bases. This worry causes other symptoms of other physical problems. There is no end to
the fear and worry. Her whole life is affected by the thoughts in her mind. Daily, she goes about
thinking thoughts that cause fear and worry.
This is the way it is for those who walk after the flesh and not after the Spirit. The only help
they know is the worlds system, doctors, medication, surgery, etc. The bills get higher and higher.
Their whole life is no longer a joy, but a trial to live from day to day with fear and worry.
This is only a typical example of what is happening in the churches in the United States
today. Spirit-filled Christians minds have been blinded by the god of this world. Even Pastors are
teaching their congregations to go to the doctors when they have a sickness or disease. Many Pastors
require that their congregations pay for their medical and hospital insurance.
What happened to the Gospel of Christ? Why did Jesus go to the cross? Isaiah 53:5, "But
he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Don't the Pastor's of churches
believe the Word of God? What are they teaching in their churches? Many of them have more
confidence in doctors, and hospitals, and medication, then they have in the Word of God. They
believe the doctors before they believe the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit cannot help those who will not believe the Word of God. The Holy Spirit can
only bear witness to the Word of God and the Blood of Jesus (1 John 5:8). If Pastors do not believe
in the Blood of Jesus and the Word of God, the Holy Spirit cannot help them. Neither can the Holy
Spirit use Pastors who do not preach the gospel of Christ to their congregations.
When Satan attacks Christians, we need the Holy Spirit to help us. It is not by our power, or
our might that we overcome the works of the devil. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit confirming
the Word of God with signs following that overcomes the works of the devil.
I learned by experience, how the Holy Spirit helps us when we are attack by the enemy. The
Holy Spirit confirms the Word of God with signs following. If we are walking after the Spirit and
not after the flesh, the Holy Spirit is right there when we need Him.
In 1981, I was in the television repair business. I was wearing tennis shoes made of canvas.
There was not a lot of protection for my toes in those shoes. I was on a television service call. I was
leaving the apartment building, carrying the chassis of a televison set in my arms and it was not easy
to see where I was walking.
As I was going through the doorway, I stubbed my foot on a concrete block in the doorway.
I felt a sharp pain in my toe, I knew I had broken it. I drove home and took off my shoe. I saw the
swelling and the black and blue coloring of my foot. I felt the pain. When this happened, my mind
began to receive thoughts from the devil. I knew it was broken. I had experienced a broken bone in
my body many years ago. The pain of a broken bone is different than that of a sprain or torn
ligament.
The thought came to me, "I had better go to the hospital and get it x-rayed, to be sure the
bone was in the right place." Then a second thought that went through my head was, "When I do
that the doctor will cut out the front of my shoe and put a bandage on my toe, and I will go around
like that for about six weeks."
Then the Spirit of God rose up within me and said, "You don't have to do that, by His stripes
you are healed, He bore your sickness and infirmities, tell the devil to take a jump." Immediately I
said, "Devil get out, I don't need this and you can't put this on me, by His stripes I am healed."
"Jesus, Himself took my infirmities and bore my sickness, so you can go take a jump. Thank You,
Jesus."
When Christians are in tune with the Holy Spirit, walking after the Spirit and not after the
flesh, the Holy Spirit is right there to help when they need Him. He never leaves us, but He cannot
help us if we are not walking after the Spirit. When we walk after the flesh, we are on our own, and
God can do nothing for us. We need the Holy Spirit working in our lives daily, every day.
At this time I was alone in the house. I spoke words out loud to the devil and I confessed
before God my healing. Then I took a shower, dressed up, and went out for lunch. The thought came
to me again to go to the hospital and have an x-ray, but then I said within myself, "Why should I
spend God's money for something I didn't need. God's Word is true and I am healed."
That day my foot was very sore but I kept on going. I did not let the pain stop me from going
out to lunch and then to a movie after words. We cannot give place for the devil when we know we
are healed. The Holy Spirit was working with me, and I had peace in my spirit that I was healed by
the stripes Jesus bore for me. The person I went to lunch with said to me, "Merle, you should have
stayed home, and not be walking around on that foot." I just said, "Don't worry about it, it's Ok."
The next day the soreness left. It was Sunday and I went to Church. On Monday evening I
showed my foot to those at my house who were there for a share group meeting. All we could see
was one red spot and a blue stripe mark where the break had been. Praise the LORD for His Word!
By Tuesday all was back to normal, no red spot, no blue stripe.
On Friday, a woman who was a nurse come into my business to have work done on her
television set. I showed her my foot and told her what had happened the week before. She told me,
it had to have been the LORD, for it normally takes one week to ten days for the black and blue to
disappear after what had happened to me the Saturday before.
The Word of God works, just like it says in the Bible. But the Word of God does not work
alone, it takes the Holy Spirit to confirm the Word with signs following. In the natural, walking after
the flesh, we cannot overcome the works of the devil. But with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit
helping us, we can walk in health and be healed from all our sicknesses and diseases. As it says in
Romans 8:2, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law
of sin and death." This includes healing for our bodies, and health for us while we are here on earth.
What about those who are walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh? What happens to
a woman who is walking after the Spirit when she feels a lump on her breast? The first thing that
happens is the Holy Spirit within her says to her something like, "by Jesus stripes you are healed,
rebuke the spirit of cancer and command him to leave your body." Scripture verses keep coming
to her mind such as, Psalm 107:20, "He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from
their destructions." Psalm 103:3, "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy
diseases." Isaiah 33:24, "And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell
therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." Isaiah 53:5, "But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed."
The Holy Spirit keeps bringing Scripture verses to those who are led by the Spirit. The Holy
Spirit works with them to keep them from receiving thoughts of fear. The Holy Spirit reminds her
that in Jesus' name, she has authority over all the works of the devil (Luke 10:19). He keeps working
with those who are led by the Holy Spirit that they do not give any place for the devil in their
thoughts.
If Christians listen to the Holy Spirit, He will help them remove all thoughts and symptoms of breast cancer (or any other sickness or disease) from their mind and from their body. They will be free of all sickness and disease. They will not suffer any loss of anything. They will have peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. They will not need to tell anyone about any sickness or disease, for there will be nothing there. Satan is a liar and he cannot put sickness and disease upon Christians who are walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh.
HOW TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT?
There are certain things that are important to understand and to know that will help us to be
led by the Holy Spirit. The first thing is we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of
speaking in tongues (Acts 1:4,5,8; 2:4). It must be God leading us from our spirit, not man operating
from his mind.
Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God..." (John
6:45). The Holy Spirit Himself will teach us how to be led by the Spirit. When we receive the Holy
Spirit, He becomes our Helper, Teacher, Comforter, Leader, and Guide. It is by His power and His
might that we are taught to do the will of God according to His plan.
In Isaiah 28:9-13 it says, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts...For
precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a
little, and there a little:...For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this
people...To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this
is the refreshing: yet they would not hear...But the word of the LORD was unto them precept
upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a
little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken."
We don't learn everything all at once. But for the most part, the teaching of the Holy Spirit
starts after we are baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The Holy
Spirit teaches us from our spirit, not from our mind. Although we receive information in our mind,
it comes from our spirit.
In my life, I did not understand how the Holy Spirit teaches us until after I received the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. At the age of sixteen, I made a decision that I would study my Bible so
that I would be sure that when I died I would go to heaven. I knew the answers were in the Bible, and
I was determined to find the answers to life and death.
From the age of sixteen until the age of forty-five I remained a member of a denominational
Church that did not understand what it meant to be born again (John 3:3-7). Their idea of born again
was by infant water baptism (Ezek. 36:25). Even though I spent much of my time working with the
church system, being on church councils and teaching Sunday School, working with pastors, I only
knew what they taught me.
For years I had many experiences whereby I knew God was working in my life, but I really
never understood why or how, God was doing what He was doing in my life. When I reached the age
of forty-five I heard the true gospel of the new birth.
In June of 1979 I prayed to the LORD and asked Him to take over my life for me, and be
LORD in my life. That night a supernatural change came into my life. My thinking changed, I could
no longer think or plan on worldly things. My whole life turned to doing the will of God and not my
own will any longer. The things of this world were no longer important to me. Only the Word of God
and the will of God for my life was important to me. The desire for worldly wealth and security was
gone in one night. The desire to know Jesus personally, and the will of God was my only desire.
I spend many hours reading and studying the Word of God. The Word of God was more
important to me than anything else at the time. Within months, I had a great desire for the baptism
in the Holy Spirit. Yet, being taught against speaking in tongues for years it seemed no matter what
I did, I did not receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit until May 7, 1981.
Although God was working in my life during those years, I still did not understand spiritual
things the way a Christian should. Once I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, God Himself
started teaching me spiritual things.
I recall some of the things I was taught by God that I first learned after the baptism in the
Holy Spirit. I learned how the Holy Spirit works in our lives to do His will and confirm His Word.
When people would ask me questions, answers would come out of my mouth before I could think
about what I should say. I would answer their question without thinking, then when I realized what
I had said, I would have peace in my spirit, knowing it was the LORD putting the words in my
mouth.
What was happening, I had to check it with the Scriptures to be sure it was God and not some
other spirit. In Numbers 23:12, Balaam said, "Must I not take heed to speak that which the
LORD hath put in my mouth?" It was through these experiences, which there were many, I learned
it was the LORD putting the words in my mouth that I was speaking without thinking about what
I said until after I had already said it.
I knew a woman who was a single parent with three teenage children. The oldest one was in
her last year of High School. This daughter had a full time baby-sitting job, and got paid every
month. She also had a boyfriend in the service. She made a lot of long-distance telephone calls. She
always paid for them from her baby-sitting money.
In December, the grandmother of the children came to stay for a month. So, that month there
was no baby-sitting money coming in. The telephone bill got rather high, and no money to pay it.
The telephone company said they were going to disconnect the phone if the bill was not paid by
Tuesday.
The Sunday before, this woman heard what I said about being specific when you ask God to
answer your prayer. That Monday morning, when she got up she prayed. Then she told her daughter,
"before you go to school, call the telephone company and tell them I will be in on Tuesday with the
money to pay the bill in full." Her daughter asked her, "where are you going to get the money?" She
said, "Merle is going to lend it to me!" The daughter asked, "did you ask Merle?" She said, "No, I
prayed and God is going to have Merle loan me the money!"
That day, she called me from her work and asked, "will you loan me some money?" Without
thinking, I said "sure"! (That's how the Holy Spirit works. He gets us to say things without
thinking). I asked her, "where she was." She said, "she was at work." Then I asked her, "what time
she got out of work?" She said, "five o'clock." I told her, "I would be at work until six o'clock, so
she should stop by on her way home from work."
Every question she asked me, I answered without thinking of what I was saying. The words
came out of my mouth before I could think about what I was going to say. When she got to my place
of work, she said, "you are going to loan me the money, aren't you"? I said, "sure!" Then she said,
"but you don't know how much I need?" I said, "that's ok." Then she said, "she needed another one
hundred and thirty-five dollars to pay her telephone bill by Tuesday." I asked her, "when do you get
paid?" She said, "this week on Thursday." I said, "you'll need some money to buy milk and other
groceries between then and Thursday," so I loaned her one hundred and fifty dollars. All the time,
I answered her questions "without thinking of what I was saying, the words just came out of my
mouth."
Another thing I learned, when I was praying for the sick, was that even though my mind was
one-hundred percent positive that what I did and said would not work, God does not go by the
thoughts in our mind, God goes by His Word. When I prayed, they would not get healed, they got
healed regardless of the thoughts that were in my mind. This I could not understand, for the Scripture
says in Mark 16:17, "And these signs shall follow them that believe..." I was positive in my mind
that it would not work. Therefore, I believed in my mind, they would not get healed.
I thought that I had to believe in my mind when I prayed for them to receive. I learned that
it is not my mind that the Scripture was referring to. It was my heart and my spirit. Satan works on
our mind when we pray for the sick, but God works from our spirit. If we believe in our spirit God
heals the sick when we pray for them, they will get healed. Once I understood that, many people got
healed when I prayed for them, because I didn't go by the thoughts in my mind, I went by the Word
of God, it cannot fail.
A year after I was baptized in the Holy Spirit I attended Bible School, thinking I could learn
how to do the will of God in Bible School. Before I went to Bible School I had a vision. In the vision
I saw a pastor sitting at his desk with his Bible in front of him and a few other books on his desk. He
was making notes for his Sunday Sermon. But, on the other side of his desk was a demon (which he
could not see).
First the pastor would write some notes on the paper, then the demon would put a thought
in his mind and he would write again. After watching this vision for quite sometime I knew what the
vision was all about. I know now that the LORD (by a work of the Holy Spirit), wants to put the
words in our mouth when we preach or teach from the Scriptures. It should not be man doing the
work of the ministry according to his ability. It should be the Holy Spirit, speaking through the
pastor's mouth by the anointing of the Holy Spirit within him. It can only be one or the other. Either
man will do the speaking according to man's ability or the Holy Spirit will do the speaking by the
anointing within the spirit of the person speaking.
The Bible says it should be by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, not by the wisdom of man.
The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:4, "And my speech and my preaching was not with
enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." In Romans
1:9, the apostle Paul wrote, "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel
of his Son..."
Christians are born again of the Spirit, and should be doing all things by the power of the
Holy Spirit within them. It should be God, working in us and through us doing His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13 says, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure." God is working in us, to do the work of the ministry. Too often, we try to do God's work
without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Through praying in the Spirit, I began to notice the difference between that which came from
my spirit in my belly and that which came from my mind in my head. What comes up from my spirit
is what the Holy Spirit is doing. What comes down from my head (my mind) could easily be Satan
working in my flesh.
The apostle Paul explained this in Romans 7:14-23, every time he tried to do good according
to his mind, (the outward man) it did not accomplish what he wanted to do. When he tried to serve
God in the flesh, he failed. Therefore, he explained in the eight chapter how to do the work of the
ministry, by walking after the Spirit and not after the flesh.
The Holy Spirit taught me many things that helped me to understand the difference between
trying to do God's work for Him from our mind, or letting the Holy Spirit use us to do God's work
for Him.
One day a woman, who was a single parent with a teenage daughter called me. Her daughter
was getting involved in sex with older men. She tried to get her daughter to change, but she could
not. So, she called me to see what the Bible said to do.
The day she called I had my own television repair shop and was at work. First she told me
the situation with her daughter, then she asked to come and see me about it. I told her to come over
to the shop and I would talk to her about it. It took almost an hour for her to get to the shop from her
house. In the meantime, I spent all that time going through my Bible, marking down all the Bible
verses I could find, to show her when she came. As you can imagine, being from a denomination that
didn't teach the born again experience or the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I went to the Law.
When she got to the shop, I already had a number of verses marked down. But, the first thing
I did was asked her to explain the situation to me once more. When she finished explaining
everything, the Holy Spirit took over. I did not use a single Bible verse that I had marked down. I
said, "Let me ask you a question, is your daughter born again"? She said, Yes. Without thinking what
I was about to say, I said, "then she is not your daughter, she's God's daughter, she is your sister in
the LORD! So, put her in God's hands, love her, pray for her, ask the Holy Spirit to take over in her
life and set her free." I told her, "she didn't have to let her daughter get involved with men in her
house, but to love her and pray for her every day."
About six months later she called me and told me her daughter met a young man in church,
who was born again and they were going to get married. About another six months later, her
daughter sent me an invitation to her wedding. I went to the wedding.
When we let the Holy Spirit put the words in our mouth we will be like Jesus, when the
Pharisees brought a woman to Him that they caught in the act of adultery. The Holy Spirit gave Jesus
the words to speak, and He spoke what He heard from God.
We need to learn the keys to "walking by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). For the
Scripture says, "The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17, Gal. 3:11, Heb. 10:38).
Who are the just? The just are those who are justified by the works of Jesus. He is our
justification. He is our righteousness.
He is also our sanctification. John 17:19 says, "And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that
they also might be sanctified through the truth." Hebrews 10:10 says, "By the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 2:11 says,
"For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is
not ashamed to call them brethren." Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath
perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
Jesus is our salvation. He is everything in our lives that God intended us to be. He is our
LORD and Savior. We have the same Father in heaven, for we are children of God with Him. We
are in Him and He is in us, we are One.
When we know who we are in Christ, and when we believe who we are in Christ, we can
walk by faith and not by sight. When Christians don't know who they are in Christ, Satan has an
advantage over them. Satan works by "the law of sin and death" in the flesh. If Christians walk after
the flesh they put themselves under "the law of sin and death" and Satan has an advantage over them.
How do we walk after the Spirit? It's simple. We walk according to the Word of God. The
Word and the Spirit are One. In 1 John 5:7,8 it says, "For there are three that bear record in
heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one...And there are
three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree
in one." If the Bible you are using doesn't say what it says in the King James Version, then you may
have a problem walking after the Spirit. Those who do not have full confidence in the inspired
written Word of God do not have a lot to go by. Many newer Bibles do not have these verses in
them. That is a work of man, working from their minds. We need the Holy Spirit working from our
spirit, not what comes from men working from their minds.
When we walk according to the Word we are walking in agreement with the Holy Spirit.
When we are not walking according to the Word, we are not in agreement with the Holy Spirit. The
Word of God and the Holy Spirit are God with the Father (1 John 5:7). The Holy Spirit and the Word
of God always agree (1 John 5:8). If we are to be led by the Holy Spirit, and walk after the Spirit, we
must walk according to the witness in our spirit when it agrees with the written Word of God.
In Romans 8:2 it says, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death." This is a spiritual law. It is a law that God established before the
foundation of the world. It is revealed in the written Word of God. The law of sin and death was
made known to Adam before he ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). Adam
disobeyed the LORD God and did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, sin and
death entered the human race.
Why did the Holy Spirit have the Apostle Paul write Romans 8:2? Mainly, because He first
wrote Romans 7:14-23. The Apostle Paul faced the same situations in this world as we do. The same
devil was working against Paul also. The devil is still the same. He has not changed. What he tried
to do to Paul, he tries to do to us also. What he tries to do to us is no different from what he tried to
do to Paul. Paul overcame the devil, what about us?
Paul said, the things he wanted to do, he didn't do. The things he didn't want to do, he did.
What was the reason it was that way in Paul's life? After all, Paul said, "I delight in the law of God
after the inward man" (Rom. 7:21).
Do we delight in the law of God after the inward man? Then, why aren't we doing the will
of God? Paul said, "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Rom. 7:23).
It is important what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach us from Romans 7:14 through Romans
8:9. There is an outward man of the flesh. In 2 Corinthians 4:16 it says, "For which cause we faint
not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." The
outward man is the man of the flesh, born of the flesh. The inward man is the man of the spirit, born
of the Spirit.
Remember, Jesus said in John 3:6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit." These are two different creations of man. The man of the flesh
is in the likeness and image of Adam. The man of the Spirit is in the likeness and image of Jesus.
Those who are born again are a new creation of man (2 Cor. 5:17). In 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 it says,
"The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven...As is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are
heavenly...And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly."
Looking back at 1 Corinthians 15:22, it says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive." The law of sin and death entered mankind in the garden of Eden. Sin and
death passed upon all mankind (Rom. 5:12). Mortality (which is physical death), and corruption
(which brings eternal death) entered into mankind in the garden of Eden.
For all those who are still in the flesh (in Adam) when they die, they will spend eternity in
the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). But, for those who are in Christ Jesus when they die, they will spend
eternity in heaven.
Being born again of the Word (1 Peter 1:23), and of the Spirit (John 3:5,6), we are no longer
in the flesh. Romans 8:9 says, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." We
are not in the flesh, but, we still have the flesh with us. We still have our natural mind and our
natural body.
Romans 8:5,6 says, "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit...For to be carnally minded is death; but
to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
Satan attacks our minds and our bodies. Sin is a product of Satan, produced by his demon
spirits. There is sin in the flesh. Romans 7:20 says, "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." It says in Romans 7:23, "But I see another law in my
members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members."
There has always been sin in the flesh, from the garden of Eden on. But, if we are born again,
we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. We are not in Adam, but in Christ Jesus. Our living soul,
which is the real person, was translated from the flesh of Adam into the Spirit of Christ when we
were born again.
Satan is the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). Satan is the author of sin, for he sinned
from the beginning (1 John 3:8). Satan still works from the flesh, operating in our mind. Satan tries
to deceive us into doing his will, not the will of God.
God has never bowed to the devil, or the works of the devil. The Lamb was slain from the
foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Regardless of what Satan does, God continues to carry out His
Word, as it is written. His Word has gone forth into the world and it will not return to Him void (Isa.
55:11).
There is a law of sin and death. There is also a law of "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus." The
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makes us free of the law of sin and death.
Look at some of the attempts Satan made to destroy man through the law of sin and death.
Take for instance King David. Now, King David was a man after God's own heart (1 Sam. 13:14,
Acts 13:22). King David was under the law of Moses. Yet, the LORD prophesied through Nathan,
that out of King David's own bowels, Jesus would come. Therefore, from the bloodline of David,
Jesus would be born in the flesh.
Now, look at the bloodline of David to Jesus. Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus was from the
bloodline of David through Solomon (Matt. 1:6-16). But what about the bloodline of David to Mary,
the mother of Jesus? From Mary back to Jesus the bloodline of King David came through Nathan
(evidently, a younger brother of Solomon) (1 Chon. 3:5; Luke 3:31).
Look how the devil worked in King David's flesh. King David had many wives and
concubines (contrary to the law of Moses). Does God approve of sin? No, but He does approve of
the righteousness of Jesus which is upon all those who believe (Rom. 3:22,23).
Don't follow in the footsteps of King David, but follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Set the past
behind, and "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" (1 John 1:7). There is sin in the flesh,
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you" (Rom.
8:9).
Do Christians believe they are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit? (Rom. 8:9). Do they believe
they are a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17)? Do they believe it is the inward man that goes to be
with Jesus, not the old man of the flesh? Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Do Christians
believe about themselves as Paul believed about himself?
Christians need a better understanding of the difference between the flesh and the spirit. In
John 3:6, Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit." When we became born again of the Spirit, the old man of the flesh did not die. We
still have the same body of flesh and bones we had before we were born again. We still have the
same mind and intellect we had before we were born again.
Yet, when we were born again of the Spirit, we became a new creature in Christ (2 Cor.
5:17). We were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's Son (Col. 1:13).
Even though we still have the same body of flesh and bones, we are not in the flesh, but in the spirit
(Rom. 8:9).
We now have two lives. We have soul life (psuche), and we have spirit life (Zoe). When
Jesus spoke of Himself in John 10:10,11, He said, "I am come that they might have life (Zoe), and
that they might have it more abundantly...I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth
his life (psuche) for the sheep."
Jesus came that we could become born again of the Word (1 Peter 1:23), and the Spirit (John
3:5,6), and have the very life of God as He had. Before we were born again of the Word and the
Spirit we only had soul life (psuche). We were only born of the flesh, not of the Spirit. We lived in
this world as natural man, in Adam, born of the flesh.
Before Jesus came into this world as the Son of Man, He had the very life (Zoe) of God in
Him. When Jesus was born of Mary, He became Man, born "in the flesh," that is, He took upon
Himself a body of flesh and bones and became as Man (Phil. 2:7,8). Jesus became as man, having
a physical body and soul life (psuche) and lived as man until He gave His physical body and soul life
(psuche) on the Cross for us.
Jesus did not give His spirit life (Zoe). He only gave His soul (psuche) life for mankind (John
10:11). Jesus' spirit life was not of this world. He only gave that which was of this world. Jesus
continued to live in the Spirit, for His spirit life (Zoe), is eternal life. It will not die.
Jesus, speaking of those who are born again, said in John 17:16, "They are not of the world,
even as I am not of the world." In John 5:24, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life (Zoe), and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (Zoe)." When we are born again, we
pass from eternal death unto eternal life. We become a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). We are
no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit (Rom. 8:9).
We are the inward man that Paul wrote about in 2 Corinthians 4:16, saying, "For which
cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day
by day." Our outward man is the man of the flesh, born of the flesh. The inward man is the new
creature in Christ, born of the Spirit. Our outward man may perish, but our new creature in Christ
is renewed day by day. It is eternal, it has eternal life, it will not die.
In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The outward man does live by bread, but the
inward man lives by the Word of God.
In John 6:45, Jesus said, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of
God..." Today, Christians are to be taught by God. In the Old Covenant, under the law, the people
were taught by man, each one taught his brother and his neighbor (Jer. 31:34, Heb. 8:11).
The teaching according to the law of Moses was man operating in the flesh, not from his
spirit. In the New Covenant, man is to operate from his spirit, not his flesh. In John 6:63, Jesus
explained, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak
unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." In John 3:6, Jesus said, "That which is born of the
flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Those who are born again are not born of the flesh, but of the Spirit. Therefore, it is the Spirit that will do the teaching, not the flesh. What is done by the flesh will not profit anything, only that which is done by the Holy Spirit.
The Leading of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit leads us from our spirit. He dwells in our new created spirit in Christ. The
Holy Spirit does all things according to the written Word of God. Anything that does not agree with
the written Word of God is not from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit also puts thoughts in our minds. Satan also puts thoughts in our minds, to
try to get us to do what he wants us to do. We must be sure the thoughts agree with the written Word
of God. The Holy Spirit also gives us visions and dreams to help us. Satan also gives us visions and
dreams. Therefore, we must try every vision and dream according to the written Word of God to be
sure it was the Holy Spirit and not Satan. The Holy Spirit can speak to us with an audible voice.
Satan also can speak to us with an audible voice. Therefore, we must also try the voice according to
the written Word of God.
God does everything He can to help those who are His children. But God operates from the
spirit of man and Satan operates from the mind of man. Therefore, we must learn to listen to the Holy
Spirit as He works from our spirit.
Christians must learn to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. To walk after the Spirit
we cannot go according to our own thoughts. In Proverbs 3:5 it already told us, "Trust in the LORD
with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." If we try to continue to go by
our own understanding God cannot lead us by His Spirit. We are to listen to our spirit and trust the
LORD and the Holy Spirit. Many times we are to trust the Holy Spirit without any evidence of why
He is warning us not to do something. From our spirit we get a witness, something is wrong, and we
should not do what we intended to do. We do not always know why, but we must trust the Holy
Spirit, He knows why.
I knew a Christian man in the early 1990's who was married to a woman from another state,
about three hundred-fifty miles from where they lived. They had purchased a beautiful used vehicle.
Everything with that vehicle was working great, almost like a new vehicle. They loved that vehicle,
for it had been their desire for years to have a vehicle like it. They had that vehicle for less then a
year and they got into an accident.
This husband's wife wanted to go about back to her hometown on a holiday weekend. In the
natural it seemed there was nothing wrong with making the trip. But the Holy Spirit knows what is
in the future, and the things that Satan has planned to destroy the lives of Christians.
For about a week, this husband did not have peace in his spirit about going. Many times he
said to his wife, "I don't think we should go, there's something in me that makes me uneasy about
going." Yet, his wife kept saying, "there's nothing wrong about going, there's no reason why we
cannot go." Yet, inside the husband's spirit there was no peace about going.
Even on the day his wife wanted to leave and go for the weekend her husband said, "I don't
think we should go, there's something in my spirit that is warning me about going." His wife came
back with the answer, "there's nothing wrong with going, you just don't want to take us."
The husband then agreed to go, even though he did not have peace in his spirit. The husband,
the wife, and their daughter left for the trip of about three hundred-fifty miles. Almost all the way
the husband was praying in the Spirit. He just couldn't stop praying in the Spirit. He didn't know
why he couldn't stop praying in the spirit, but something was keeping him praying in the Spirit. He
recalled his wife saying to him at one time, "can't you talk to me?" He had to tell her "he had to keep
praying in the Spirit, he just couldn't stop praying to talk to her."
It was a good day for traveling. The sun was shining. The roads were clear. After traveling
about three hundred miles, they were on a straight road with the cruise control set at fifty-five miles
per hour. Coming from the opposite direction (toward them) was a pickup truck. When this truck got
about fifty yards from them it started to come right toward them, crossing the center line, heading
straight at them.
The husband quickly, turned the steering wheel toward the right side of the road, to try and
get out of his way. When he got off the pavement onto the gravel, the pickup truck hit the left side
of his vehicle, just enough to push his vehicle off the gravel toward a deep ditch along the road. He
knew at that time, if he tried to turn back toward the road, the vehicle would roll over in the ditch.
So, he turned the steering wheel to go into the ditch, thinking, once he was at the bottom of the ditch
he could turn again and come out of the ditch back on the road. But, he didn't know, there was a
farmers driveway across the ditch just at that point.
The vehicle hit the driveway head-on, jumped into the air and landed on the other side of the
driveway. The back wheels on the driveway and the front wheels in the ditch on the other side. When
this happened, there was a bright flash of light in the vehicle. It was so bright, it was as though
someone was taking a picture with a flash camera. Yet, the light did not cause any blinding effect
in their eyes.
His wife was injured by her stomach pushing up under her rib-cage from the sudden jumping
of the vehicle over the driveway. Their daughter was thrown from the seat to the floor and a ring on
her finger got caught and injured her finger. The husbands left arm hit the drivers door and he
received a chipped elbow.
The husband was still praying in the spirit, even after the vehicle landed with its front-end
in the ditch on the other side of the farmers driveway. He prayed for his wife and daughter, then went
across the road to the farmers house and they called the Police and the ambulance for him.
When the Police and the ambulance arrived, the ambulance took his wife and daughter to a
hospital. The husband did not want to go to the hospital. He knew he would be healed by faith. The
Police told the husband the vehicle needed to be picked up with a flatbed tow truck. The Police
called a tow truck for him. When the Police finished making out their report and left, the husband
called a Pastor friend of his who lived only about fifty miles from where the accident was. He told
this Pastor friend what happened and that his wife and daughter were taken to the hospital. His Pastor
friend went immediately to the hospital to pray for them.
Once the tow truck left, someone from the farmers house offered to take him to the hospital
where his wife and daughter were taken. At the hospital his Pastor friend was already there. He
prayed for his wife and daughter, and they were released from the hospital that evening.
Their vehicle was declared "a total loss," and there they were, about three hundred-fifty miles
from home with no vehicle. It took a few days to get all the paper work done with the Police. During
that time they prayed. With the help of the LORD and his Pastor friend, they were able to do some
temporary repairs to the front of the vehicle so it could be driven.
Had it not been for the love, grace, and mercy of the LORD, this family could easily have
been killed that day. God did all He could to help this family. The Holy Spirit was working from the
husbands spirit, warning them a week or so before it happened. Then all the way, for about six hours
the husband keep praying in the spirit.
When the accident happened, it is possible that angels picked up the vehicle and set it down
on the other side of the farmers driveway for them. The flash of light in the vehicle could have been
angels helping them. There were no tire tracks on the driveway, indicating the vehicle was
completely air bound from the time it hit the driveway until it landed on the other side.
What happened that day could have been prevented had the two of them listened to their spirit and not gone according to their natural mind, thinking they could still go. The Holy Spirit knows what is in the future. He does all He can to help those who will listen to their spirit and not operate totally from their natural mind of the flesh. Christians are to learn to walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. If they trust in the LORD and not go according to their own understanding God can help them. If they walk after the flesh they will face defeat. But, if they listen to the Holy Spirit, He will keep them from the works of the enemy.
THE NAME OF JESUS
The name "JESUS," pertains to the same person as the title, "the Son of God." Jesus was the
Son of God before He was born in the flesh (born of Mary after being conceived by the Holy Spirit).
Jesus is the name He was given when "He was born into this world." He was always "one with the
Father" from the beginning. The name "Jesus" in English is comparable to the Old Testament name
"Joshua" in English. The name "Joshua" in the Old Testament means, "Jehovah is Salvation."
Mary (Jesus earthly mother), was told by the angel Gabriel to call Him "JESUS" (Luke 1:31).
The name "Jesus" in Greek means "Savior" (Matt. 1:21). In Isaiah 7:14 it was prophesied, saying.
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Immanuel means, "God with us."
Jesus always knew who He was. Jesus always knew He was the Son of God. Jesus always
knew that God was His heavenly Father. In John 17:5, Jesus prayed to His heavenly Father, saying,
"O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the
world was." In John 10:30, Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." In John 5:17, it says, "But
Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." In John 5:19 Jesus 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."
How many Christians today understand what Jesus was saying in the above verses? Jesus was
a man, born of a woman and the Holy Spirit. Yet, Jesus was still "the Son of God," and always
remained the Son of God. While Jesus was here on earth "as the Son of Man," Jesus defeated Satan
and all his demons.
How was Jesus able to defeat Satan and His demons? By the knowledge of Who He was.
Jesus knew He was One with the Father (Jesus was the Word of God come in the flesh) In John
1:1,2,14 it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God....The same was in the beginning with 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."
In 1 John 5:7 it says, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." Jesus always knew Who He was. Jesus
knew the Father was greater than the Son. Jesus knew how to look to the Father for everything He
needed, at all times.
Jesus obeyed the Father in everything He did. Jesus never did anything of His own ability,
He only did that which the Father showed Him.
When Christians learn who they are in Christ, and do only that which they are shown by the
Holy Spirit within them, they can also do the things that Jesus did and even greater things, because
Jesus has gone to the Father. Look what Jesus said in John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these
shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
When Peter walked on water in Matthew, Chapter Fourteen, he continued to walk to Jesus
until "...when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid..." (Matt. 14:30). Matthew 14:31 it says,
"And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou
of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"
Many Christians today are like Peter, when they see the circumstances, they doubt. When
doubt comes in they began to fail in what they were doing. Doubt must be overcome by faith.
After Peter received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day he learned how to
overcome doubt by listening to the Holy Spirit from within his spirit.
Peter learned how to received information from within his spirit and he learned to obey the
Holy Spirit.
Faith comes from God. Faith is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23). After being filled with the
Holy Spirit in Acts, Chapter Three, it tells us about when Peter and John were going into the temple
to pray. They saw there a man who was born lame, sitting there asking alms. It says, "Who seeing
Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms....And Peter, fastening his eyes upon
him with John, said, Look on us....And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something
of them....Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk....And he took him by the right hand, and
lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength....And he leaping up
stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising
God....And all the people saw him walking and praising God" (Acts 3:3-9).
Later in Acts 3 it tells us that the people started to look at Peter and John as though they did
something great. Acts 3:12 says, "And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men
of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own
power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" Then in Acts 3:16, Peter explained what
happened by saying, "And his (Jesus') name through faith in his name hath made this man
strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect
soundness in the presence of you all."
Peter understood the faith that Jesus was teaching all throughout the Gospels. Peter
understood the power Christians have in the Name of Jesus. What Peter knew and understood all
Christians should know and understand.
What happens when a Christian is born again? They are translated from the flesh of Adam
into the Spirit of Christ. They become true Children of God, adopted out of this world into the family
of God (Eph. 1:5). They are born again into a heavenly family (Col. 1:13). They are no longer of this
world, but of the household of God the Father.
This is similar to when a person in this world is adopted by a new father, they inherit the
father's last name. The father has the right and privilege of changing the name of the child to identify
with his mane.
Therefore, in the case of someone being born again into the family of God, they are adopted
by God the Father in Christ Jesus (Eph. 1:5). Christ is the Anointed One, which became heir of all
that Jesus possessed when He died on the Cross for us. When we were adopted into the family of
God, we were translated from the flesh of Adam into the Spirit of Christ. In Christ, we inherited the
name of Jesus. We possess that name, because of who we are in. Therefore, the name of Jesus
belongs to us.
When Jesus was put to death on the Cross, He defeated the devil and all his demons. The life
of the flesh that was in His blood was given in total payment for all our sins, iniquities, infirmities,
sicknesses and diseases. At that time, all that the devil had against us was nailed to His Cross, and
declared finished, complete, paid in full.
Once Jesus completed all that was required of Him to set us free of all the works of the devil,
He arose again from the dead, and ascended to the Father in heaven. There His name was exalted
above every name, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth (Phil. 2:9,11). In Philippians 2:10,11 it
says, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth...And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
In Mark 16:17,18 Jesus explained the use of His name. He said, "And these signs shall
follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues...They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
The one thing that is required of us is that we believe in that name (the Name of Jesus). When
we believe, and do what Jesus told us, His name has authority over all the works of the devil.
I wasn't Peter and John that made the man at the gate of the temple whole. It was "the Name
of Jesus," along with "faith in that name" (Acts 3:16). Peter had faith in the name of Jesus, of which
belonged to Peter. The name of Jesus belongs to every Christian by the authority of God the Father.
When God the Father exalted the name of Jesus above every other name, He also gave those who
are in Christ Jesus legal right to use that name against the works of the devil. What we command of
the devil in the name of Jesus will be upheld by God. Satan must obey the commands given him and
his demons when we us the name of Jesus as we are told to in the Word of God. (We must
understand, it is not to be used against people, only against the works of the devil).
We are also authorized to use the name of Jesus when asking the Father for those things we
have legal rights to as heirs, and joint heirs-with Christ. We do not command that God do for us
whatsoever He promised us in His Word. Instead, we ask the Father in Jesus' name, and the Father
will give us what we ask for, because we have the authority to ask in Jesus' name. Jesus said in John
16:23, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will
give it you." If we ask the Father in Jesus' name, He will give it to us. We have this authority "being
joint-heirs with Christ" to all that Jesus accomplished when He defeated the devil on the Cross of
Calvary.
Jesus defeated the devil, and stripped him of all his power when He died and arose again
from the dead. In Colossians 2:13-15 it tells us of Jesus' victory over the devil. Verse fourteen says,
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and
took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." All that Satan had been holding against us, Jesus
took it away, by nailing it to the Cross. Jesus took all our sins and iniquities, all our sicknesses and
disease, and all our infirmities and nailed them to His Cross. In His death, we are set free of all that
Satan held us in bondage to.
Jesus even went further in His conquering Satan. Jesus took away the keys of death and hell
from Satan. In Revelation 1:18 Jesus said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am
alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." In Matthew 28:18, Jesus said,
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." All the power that was given to Jesus was
also given to Christ. Christ it the heir of Jesus, and we are joint-heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
Jesus defeated Satan in every area of our lives, for us. Jesus did it for us. Jesus came into this
world as a man, born of a woman and the Holy Spirit. He lived a sinless life, and then took all our
sins and iniquities, our sicknesses and diseases and our infirmities upon Himself. Jesus went to the
cross for us. He died for us. He defeated the devil for us. He stripped the devil of all his power and
took the keys of death and hell from Satan.
In 1 Peter 3:18,19 it says, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit...By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." Jesus was "put to death
in the flesh..." Jesus was born as the Son of Man in the flesh. He took upon Himself the likeness of
man. In Philippians 2:7 it says, "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form
of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Notice, it says Jesus "took upon him the
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." In Hebrews 2:9 it says, "But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man."
Jesus became man, that He could defeat the devil for us. That through His victory we could
be free of all the works of the devil. Not only those who are living after His death and resurrection,
but also those even before the flood of Noah. For during His three days in the grave, Jesus went
down into hell, defeated the devil, took the keys of death and hell from the devil. Then 1 Peter 4:6
says, "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might
be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." Jesus preached
the gospel to those who were already dead, that they could live unto God in the spirit. This means
they could become a part of the same body of Christ as we are, who received Jesus Christ as LORD
and Savior, and were born again into the family of God.
Jesus did what He did for the whole world (everyone who would receive Him as their LORD
and Savior). Even for those before the flood of Noah. Everyone who will believe the true gospel can
be free of all the works of the devil. Jesus did it for us. What we could not do, Jesus did for us.
God has given us His Word, that whosoever will believe, they shall receive. But, those who
do not believe will not receive. Jesus said in Mark 16:16, "He that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." Even though Jesus defeated the devil for
everyone, the only ones that will benefit are those who believe. Those who do not believe will be
dammed (sentenced, judged).
What is important to understand about what Jesus said in Mark 16:16 is that He spoke this
to His disciples. He didn't say that to those who were not His disciples. Jesus didn't say that to those
who refuse to believe on Him. Jesus said this to those who are His own, those who the Father had
given Him. Therefore, Jesus is not speaking to those who are not Christians. Jesus is speaking to
Christian today. Those who are born again into the family of God.
To those who are Christians, Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned." Many Christians today are suffering the same works
of the devil that the world suffers, simply because they do not believe the gospel that Jesus preached
to them. They do not believe the Word of God as it is written in the Bible. By not believing they are
not free of all the works of the devil. They could be free, but the only way to get free is to believe
the Word of God concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Satan has blinded the minds of many Christians today. They do not believe the Word of God
which is written in the Bible. They believe according to their natural minds (which have been
blinded by the devil through the teachings of men). The Word of God will never fail. The Word of
God will stand forever. By His Word we can be justified, or by His Word we can condemn ourselves
for not believing the Gospel.
If we do not believe the Word of God, God can do nothing for us. We limit what God does
in our lives by not believing the Word of God concerning who we are in Christ and what God has
done for us through Christ Jesus. We are one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Being one
in Christ, we have authority to use "the name of Jesus" whenever we need to, to destroy the works
of the devil.
Jesus and the Father have given us the name of Jesus to use (but not to abuse). When we
speak the name of Jesus against the forces of darkness it is the same as if Jesus Himself is speaking
to the forces of darkness.
When demons were speaking through people, Jesus said, come out of them, and the demons
came out. The same thing applies to Christians, when demons are operating through other people,
we say, "in the name of Jesus, come out of them," and if we believe in that name, and have faith in
that name, they will come out. It is the believing in the name of Jesus, with faith in His name that
all demons are subject to us.
Jesus said in Mark 16:17, "... these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall
they cast out devils..." Jesus cannot lie. He is the Truth. Therefore, if we believe when we use His
name the demons will come out. It is not a question of will they come out or not? It is a question of,
"will we believe when we use the name of Jesus?" Jesus said, they will come out if we cast them out
in His name. It's all up to us individually.
The only thing that will prevent them from coming out is "doubt and unbelief." The best way
to overcome doubt is like Jesus told His disciples when some of them could not cast out a deaf and
dumb spirit from a child in Matthew, Chapter Seventeen. In Matthew17:19, The disciples came to
Jesus apart, and said, "Why could not we cast him out?" In Matthew 17:20 Jesus said to His
disciples, "Because of your unbelief."
Jesus said to His disciples, the reason a demon will not come out when a Christian commands
then to come out is "Because of their unbelief." All Christians need to do is overcome their unbelief,
and the demons will come out.
Jesus explained to His disciples how to overcome their unbelief in verse twenty-one, saying,
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Prayer and fasting will help us to
overcome unbelief.
When we know who we are in Christ and the authority we have in the name of Jesus, every
demon will come out when we use the name of Jesus in commanding them to come out. The name
of Jesus is not just for casting out demons, but also for healing the sick, and any other condition that
is caused by a work of the devil.
In Luke 10:19, Jesus said to His disciples, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." We must know who Jesus truly is, He is the Son of God, the Creator of this creation, the One who defeated the devil on the cross of Calvary. Then we know that whatsoever Jesus said to us is truth. If we do exactly as Jesus said to do, nothing shall by any means hurt us. Satan has no power over those who do exactly as Jesus said to do. When we obey the Word of God, Satan has no power over us.
ASK GOD
In John 14:13,14 Jesus said, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that
the Father may be glorified in the Son....If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." This
works when we do it the way Jesus said to do it, the same way He did the works He did.
When we do things the way Jesus said to do them, then they will work for us, the same way
the worked for Jesus. It is important that we are not be led astray by the teachings of men. The Word
of God is truth, and it does work when we do exactly as it says.
Let me give you one example of how John 14:13,14 works for Christians today, just as Jesus
said it would work. I had a Christian friend (who is now gone to be with Jesus), who was Baptized
in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4). This brother in the LORD was
self-employed.
Somewhere in late July or early August of 2003, this brother in the LORD called me. We
went out to lunch after Church one Sunday. While at lunch, he said to me, "Merle, I don't know what
I'm going to do. I don't have enough money coming in to pay my bills. I've been in business for
thirty-years. I keep up my advertizing, I'm doing everything the way I always did, but the work and
the money are not coming in."
Out of my spirit, I said to him, "why don't you go over to John 14:13,14 and ask the LORD
to bring in work for you, that you have enough to pay your bills"? He looked at me, and I said, "Just
ask the LORD to bring in the work your need, and then thank and praise Him for doing it." "Do this
every morning, thank Him and praise Him, and He will bring in the work you need"!
About two weeks later, he called me and told me, he had all the work he could do, and was
making a lot of money to pay his bills with. A number of times during the next months he called me
and told me, the work is coming in and the money is coming in, and he would say, "and you and I
know it's not my advertizing."
On January 15th, 2004, He called me and said, "Merle, I just wanted to tell you, I have to pay
over $3,000 additional taxes today." He made more money in the last six months of that year than
he made all year the year before (2002).
Later, this brother in the LORD told me the totals of his income for the year. In the first six
months all he made was about $10,000. In the last six months he made about $40,000. That is an
example of what God can do if we do what we are told to do in the Scriptures, exactly the way it says
to do it.
We know there are many Christians who say they have tried the same thing and it didn't work
for them. That's understandable, for we must take into account the whole Bible, not just one or two
verses. Many who have tried John 14:13,14 have not studied James 4:3 where it says, "Ye ask, and
receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
We must "walk after the Spirit" in all areas of our lives, not just in seeking blessings of
worldly things. Money can be a curse to those who do not use it for the right purpose. In 1 Timothy
6:10 it says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Christians
should always be led by the Holy Spirit, not the natural mind of the flesh. Had this brother not been
walking in the will of God the Holy Spirit would not have given me the Scripture verse to use to
teach him how to receive from God that which he had need of.
To receive from God according to His Word we must be "led by the Holy Spirit" from within
our spirit, not walk after the flesh from our mind. The Holy Spirit works from our spirit, not from
our natural mind of the flesh. As we learn to listen to our spirit, God will use us to do His will here
on earth. It will not be us doing the works, it will be God doing His will working from our spirit.
Many Christians today have money problems. Their real problem is that they don't know how
to be led by the Holy Spirit. They don't know the love of God within them. They don't know how
to believe God's Word, that He can supply their needs.
When Christians are doing the will of God in their lives, then God will supply all their needs.
I know of a brother in the LORD who was in a Bible College, learning to do the work of the
ministry. In this Bible College, he was required to walk by faith in God. He was required to pay his
cost of schooling. Yet, he was not allowed to ask anyone for money, not even his parents, friends,
churches, or anyone. He had to learn how to believe God for his money.
One time when this Christian brother was in Bible College he and the other students needed
money to pay their bills, he said, he and some other students went into prayer. He laid his Bible on
the seat of a chair and kneeled on the floor, with his chest on the Bible. He prayed for some time, and
when he and the other students finished praying, he got up, picked up his Bible, and on the chair,
under his Bible, was the money he had prayed for.
How did the money get there? He didn't move from laying his chest on his Bible all the time
he prayed. He asked the other students, did they do something, that the money got on the chair under
his Bible while he was praying? They all said, they didn't do anything, it had to be God answering
his prayer. God does not need to work in the natural realm. God is God, and he can do things in the
supernatural realm. God will confirm His Word if we will do what He says in His Word. God cannot
fail, neither can His Word fail.
The Bible College that the above brother in the LORD attended was founded by a Christian
brother by the name of Rees Howells. Rees Howells who learned to believe God for all his needs.
He learned to believe God for money whenever he had a need. What Rees Howells learned by
intercession and believing God, he taught his students.
Christians who have learned to believe God and His Word when they had a need, have also
learned how to be led by the Holy Spirit from their spirit, not their natural mind. Many times in the
life of Rees Howells he believed God for money, right up to the last minute. Many times when he
needed money, it came at the last minute. One example is when he needed money to close the deal
on buying the first property for the Bible College. The day he was to make the payment, he was short
a small amount. He continued to believe God would supply all that he needed. He left for the closing
meeting still short a small amount. While in the closing meeting, Rees Howells wife came in with
the remaining amount that he needed. It had come in the mail just after Rees Howells left for the
meeting.
God keeps His promises, if we will believe His Word and do exactly as He tells us in His
Word. God will lead us by His Holy Spirit, from within our spirit. We will have a knowing that God
is faithful and will work out all the details according to His Word. God cannot fail. We cannot fail
if we are led by the Holy Spirit, from our spirit.
If we insist on doing things ourselves without the help of God, God will just let us do what
we want. But, if we will look to God when we have a need, He will help us.
In February, 1999 I was in the process of refinancing my house. The mortgage company that
had my first mortgage had given me some problems over the time we had the mortgage. I called
them, asking them how much prepayment penalty I would have to pay if I paid off the loan. They
said the prepayment would be about 4% of the total loan. But, they told me they could not give out
the amount unless I would pay them $10.00 for a pay-off statement (which they would issue). So I
told them to send me a pay-off statement by Fax to my home (which was another $10.00).
When I received the pay-off statement they had a pre-payment penalty of $2,129.34. I
remembered that when I got the loan I was told the pre-payment penalty would be sixty-days interest
at the rate of interest of the original loan, applied to the balance at the time of pay-off. That would
have been less than $800.
I read over the pre-payment penalty part of my loan papers and that is what it said the way
I read it. I took the papers to the Loan Company that was going to pay-off the loan for me. When the
loan officer read the papers I had, he agreed that it looked to him as it should be only sixty-days
interest for pre-payment. He then suggested that he first have an attorney he knew read the papers.
After the attorney read the papers, he also agreed that it said sixty-days interest for pre-payment.
The loan officer then called the company which issued the pay-off statement and tried to
explain to them that our papers said only sixty-days interest. They would not agree with him, and
asked him to send them copies of the papers we had. After sending them copies by Fax, they put him
on hold and he finely gave up waiting. He called me, and asked if I would call them to try to get them
to read the contract I signed and change the prepayment penalty to only sixty-days interest.
When I finely got to speak to the person who was in charge of making out the pay-off
statement, she insisted that the prepayment penalty was 20% of the total balance. This is not what
I was told before, and it did not agree with my papers. I asked her to re-read the papers I signed. She
then asked me to fax her a copy of the papers I had. She already had a copy from the loan officer
earlier that day. But, I sent her another copy of the same papers by fax. At first, it seemed there was
some deliberate opposition to sending the fax, for their phone would ring and ring and ring and no
response from their fax machine. I tried five or six times, but could not get their fax machine to
receive the fax.
I called back to the person in charge and left a message on her answering service that the fax
machine was not taking my fax. About an hour later I tried again, and this time the fax did go
through. I waited about an half-hour, then I called her again, and left a message on her answering
service, mentioning that the fax did go through and asked if she would please call me back.
All throughout this operation, thoughts kept coming to my mind, get a lawyer, let him talk
to them; or get a lawyer who may even go to the federal institution over loan companies and request
an investigation of this company, they could be getting away with this kind of operation with others
as well. All kinds of thoughts came to my mind, to get others involved and cause problems for them
through the court system.
But, that is not the way Christians should handle these problems for "our weapons are not
carnal, but mighty through God..." (1 Cor. 10:4). I waited about one-half hour after leaving the last
message on her answering service; then within me, I knew what I should have done long ago. I
stopped doing what I was doing at the time and prayed "Father, I ask You in Jesus' name to show
these people that the prepayment penalty is only sixty-days interest, and I thank You for it. Amen."
The thought keep coming to my mind, that will do work, they still will not agree. All kinds
of thoughts came to my mind. But, in less than 15 minutes the telephone rang and it was the woman
from the loan company. She said, "we found our mistake, and the prepayment penalty is only sixty-days interest. I will send out another pay-off statement to the bank by fax for you." I thanked her for
what she did for me.
I should have prayed long before that and it would not have taken so long to resolve the
situation. Prayer works better than anything we can do in the natural. God always answers prayer
when it is in accordance with His Word. Christians should be praying a lot more and operating from
their natural mind of the flesh a lot less. God will answer our prayers if we pray according to His
Word.
THE JOY OF BEING ANOINTED
The Bible tells us in Romans 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." When a child of God is anointed with the
Holy Spirit and power they can be witnesses unto Jesus.
This anointing does not make someone great, but glorifies Jesus. The LORD works with us,
with signs following. The signs that follow us are signs that are supernatural. These are things that
man alone could not do; only the supernatural power of God can manifest in these ways.
When I first received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, "the anointing of God on my life," the
power of God began to manifest in my life. One day, I broke my toe. By the power of God, the Holy
Spirit working with me, my toe was totally and completely healed in three days.
One time my oldest daughter was in a car accident. Her arm was all banged up to the point
where doctors told her she would not be able to use her left hand for at least two weeks. By the
anointing, and the help of the Holy Spirit, the LORD healed her arm that very same day.
Things like this continue to happen in the lives of those who have received the anointing, "the
baptism with the Holy Spirit." Following their being baptized into the body of Christ.
In another incident of the anointing of God working through my wife and I a young woman
was set free of many bondage's. She came to us, telling us she had no place to stay, no money, her
job was in jeopardy. She felt rejected by many, without hope, and without joy.
That very evening, we ministered the Word of God to her. The joy and happiness began to
return to her. She thanked us and praised Jesus for the things He had done. Two days later, she lost
her job; but the assurance that the LORD will provide was with her. On the third day, as I ministered
the Word of God to her, a brother in the LORD came to see me. He prayed with her about a new job
that she had applied for. Praise the LORD! The bondage of Satan was broken and she received the
job she wanted.
Two days later, while ministering to her she mentioned she was not baptized in the Holy
Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Immediately, we got up and prayed with her; the
LORD baptized her with the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Following that, her first day on the new job, as she was leaving the parking lot to go into
work she fell. Her hand was bruised and sore where she fell on it. She worked that day with a
bandage on her hand. That evening when she took off the bandage, and told us what happened, we
ministered the Word of God to her. While I was revealing the truth of the Word of God to her the
LORD healed her hand. I said to her, "look at your hand!" She looked with amazement, and joy,
saying "Thank You, Jesus!" The joy of the LORD was all over her. Jesus healed her hand as I
ministered the Word of God to her.
The next day she told us that her job was one that was repetitious, silk-screening bottles. This
type of work could be very tiresome, but she said "it didn't bother her one bit, she just prayed in the
Spirit all day and the joy of the LORD kept her happy and joyful!"
The kingdom of God is "peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost!" You can have this peace and
joy also, if you do not let the god of this world blind your mind to "the Gospel of Christ." For "the
Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe!" Believe the Word of
God! Believe the Words of Jesus! Receive that which is promised to you and flow in the anointing
of the Holy Spirit. Just as it was with the Apostles following the day of Pentecost, "...the Lord
working with them, confirming the Word, with signs following" (Mark 16:20); so can it be with
you.
Believe God, and walk in peace and joy all the days of your life.
If you are not born again, you can be RIGHT NOW! You can enter into eternal life in Christ.
There is only one way for anyone to enter into eternal life. We were first born into this world
as descendants of Adam, the first Adam. We must then "be born again" as descendants of Christ
Jesus, the second Adam. The first Adam was of this world, where we are now! The second Adam,
Jesus, the Son of God, is from heaven. To become children of God we must be born of the second
Adam, Jesus Christ. To become born again, the Word of God tells us in John 1:11-13, "He came
unto his own, and his own received him not...But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:...Which were born,
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Ask Jesus to come into your life and become your LORD!
Say a Prayer Like This, Out Loud:
"LORD Jesus, I know that You are the Son of God. I know that You died on the cross for me. I know that God raised You from the dead. Jesus, I ask You to come into my life, live Your life in me. Jesus, Let Your will be done in me; let the will of God be done in my life as it was in Your life. I surrender my will to You, Jesus! You lead me by Your Spirit and I will follow to the best of my ability. I will live for You all the days of my life, as You lead me by Your Spirit.
Jesus, forgive me of all my sins, wash me clean in Your blood; that I may be the righteousness of God in You. Thank You, Jesus!
I receive You now, as my LORD, and SAVIOR for all eternity. I will be with You here on
earth, and I will be with You in heaven, forever and ever. I will give You all the Glory, it is for You
that I live forever. Amen."
PRAY FOR THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
God is love. He wants you to have the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Say a prayer like this, believing in your heart on what God has promised you in His Word.
"Jesus, You said in Mark 16:17, that in Your name I can cast out devils.
Satan, in the name of Jesus' I cast you out of my mind. You have no authority over my mind. My mind is clear of all demonic oppression in Jesus' name.
Father, according to Your Word in Luke 11:13, You promised me the Holy Spirit if I ask.
Father, I am now asking You to give me the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in Your
heavenly language. I receive Him from You now, in Jesus' name."
Continue to pray in your new tongue, praise and worship the Father in His heavenly language.
Always remember the blood of Jesus. It was shed for the sins, of us all. Confess that which
we have done in the past that is not pleasing to God; receive the forgiveness purchased for us by
Jesus, and walk in the new light of the gospel of Christ.
For more information on these subjects get the following books by Merle E. Koepke:
Two Adams
The Second Adam
Born Free
Taught by God
From My Spirit
By My Spirit
God is My Father
Plus many other books to help you. These are all free by downloading from our Web sites,
www.handsforjesus.org
www.handsforjesus.cc
or write to:
HANDS FOR JESUS, INC.
P.O. BOX 18655
MILWAUKEE, WI 53218-0655