One Thing Leads To Another
I have been struggling to be concise and to boil down what I hear the Holy Spirit saying which is why there have been no updates in the last week and a few days. But every time a word comes it never simply stands alone. Instead the Holy Ghost starts with a word or thought or picture, and as I begin to follow it out I find it leads to a whole precious vein of truth that in turn connects to even more. The things of God are so amazing that His vast ocean of truths, are all somehow interconnected all at the same time. But in the final analysis you realize that no matter where you begin, it’s all one voice coming from a single source, and that source is the God of all things.
The Holy Spirit has been settling questions and solving puzzles. One of the puzzles Jesus has solved this week actually goes back months, to January or February. I was walking down one of those “veins of truth” tracking down a thought I had been given when suddenly it just stopped and everything changed and I was diverted from following it any further at that time.
It was made clear to me that this was because some other more important work needed to happen in me personally before I could go any further pursuing that particular vein of truth. When He stopped talking about that I was under the impression the topic in question would be taken up again later and well, here it is.
What About This Seed Stuff?
Months ago I had this word quickened to me, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abides alone. But if it die it brings forth much fruit, some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred fold.” This had come in response to a prayer of mine. I had asked the Lord, “How do you take a thing and multiply it, turning it into two?”
I had been asking The Lord about supernatural means He uses to make things grow and increase. Okay, I’ll be completely honest. I was asking about money. I had asked, “How do you take one dollar and turn it into two, and two dollars and turn it into four and four into eight”, and on to infinity? And that is when I heard that word, “EXCEPT A CORN OF WHEAT FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE, IT ABIDES ALONE. BUT IF IT DIE IT BRINGS FORTH MUCH FRUIT, SOME THIRTY, SOME SIXTY AND SOME A HUNDRED FOLD.”
I have to admit I was thinking, “Yes, thank you, thank you very much Lord. That’s really helpful.” I knew this was a truth from God, but there was something about this I couldn’t get my thoughts around. I mean, on the one hand it was great as I was made to understand the idea that with a seed, the power and potential of the seed is on the INSIDE of the shell and that the seed had nothing to offer and no way to multiply until the shell was removed. But the fact remained regarding the shell that I didn’t know what the shell was and what it means for the seed to fall into the ground and die.
I could see that if the shell remained intact that the life could never be revealed and the allotted abundance of 30, 60 or 100 fold could never be enjoyed. I knew that the dying had to do with the weakening of the shell. But what was the shell?
He Didn’t Want To Discuss It
I mused on this for at least a week or more and peppered the Lord with questions, but He decided He wasn’t talking about it anymore and I decided it wasn’t a good move on my part to try and figure it out without the Holy Spirit. That’s probably one of the better decisions I’ve ever made. I’m learning if Jesus isn’t talking, don’t force the solution because if you do, it’s guaranteed to be wrong. Then you find yourself mired in some stinky cesspool instead of a steam of living water, and I’m tired of smelling like that. I have visited the cesspool of life on far too many an occasions.
The Shell Is A Prison
The solution to the puzzle actually started about five days ago. When praying I saw a person I know in a vision and there was a hard black shell that came up around them and began to enclose them. I saw on their face coldness and a sorrow and a sort of resignation to their fate and in their eye was fear, but in that moment they could do nothing about what was happening to them. I knew the shell that encased them was from the enemy and I started praying for them and doing battle on their behalf against the spirits that were imprisoning them into the shell.
After a time of praying the picture changed and the hard black shell began cracking, breaking up and falling away. Soon it was gone and the person stood there alone and naked. The Holy Spirit showed me to begin praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on them and blessing, abundance and the power of God to cover and protect them. Then another amazing thing began to happen.
A flower started growing from beneath their feet. The flower grew until it came up all around them and continued to grow until they were in the midst of the gigantic flower and its multiple layers of gigantic petals surrounded them. Then as the flower reached its fullness there was not only the beautiful flower surrounding them, but a wonderful fragrance began to emanate forth until it filled the whole atmosphere with its delightful smells.
Then people started coming, as they were attracted to the smell and the beauty of the flower. The peoples souls were ministered to by the flowers wonderful fragrance and its beauty and in the midst of it all was this person now clothed with a flower petal wrapped around them and their countenance was one of total joy, wonder and amazement at what the Lord had done for them.
We’re Just Warming Up
But the vision was just the warm up to what Jesus intended to tell me. Apparently the alterations to the fabric of my soul over the last months meant I was finally ready to understand the solution to the puzzle of the seed. “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it dies it brings forth much fruit, some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred fold.”
Men must understand the world we live in. The ancient scriptures reveal there are principles of a system in earth, which has been created by satan. The principles of this world system to which fallen humanity ascribe (they do so because there is no alternative for them) works for them within the world of darkness for a time, but ultimately these principles bring death and sorrow and evil and destruction to the users. The end result of using principles originating from darkness remains the same whether the user professes Jesus or does not know Jesus because the outcome of these principles will always be consistent with the nature of their developer. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy…”, (John 10:10).
On the other hand, there are available to the children of God alone certain principles of the kingdom of God which are higher and superior to the ones of this world. These principles are the very principles by which heaven operates. They are the very principles by which the Supreme Power of the universe operates and by which the heavens and the earth themselves were created. The things originating from the throne of God are high above the things of this world.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways declares 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”, (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Transformation From The Inside Out
The secret is that all of the principles of the kingdom of God are principles of the heart, and deal with supernatural transformations of the heart at their very deepest level. They do not operate as a set of external rules that can just be “worked” to anyone’s advantage. Living by the imposition of external rules is what Jesus came to put an end to because that kind of God-man relationship was worthless in the eyes of God because it was non-transformational.
“For the truth of the matter is this, there has come a disannulling of the commandment which came before because of the WEAKNESS and UNPROFITABLE NATURE of it. For THE LAW made nothing perfect, BUT THE BRINGING IN OF A BETTER HOPE DID; and it is by this hope that we DRAW NEAR TO GOD”, (Hebrews 7:18-19).
Instead of the imposition of external rules of behavior, it is through relationship with Him that the mysterious principles of God are now written into our hearts and comes about by means of our continuing communion with the Holy Spirit. In other words, you don’t do things to get God to show you favor and to love you. But, because we trust that the blood of Jesus shed in His death on the cross is powerful enough to cleanse us from all our sins (acts of darkness), we are welcomed without reservation by that faith into the very glory of God’s presence.
By this faith in the shed blood of Jesus on our behalf, doing for all of us what we could not do for ourselves, those things that separated us from God are removed from us forever. Then by this amazing and transformational miracle, we become free to immerse our self in the glory of Gods presence, and as we absorb the glory of His presence into ourselves it, alters our existence in this world by completely natural process.
“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is also the emancipation from all those things which kept us in bondage. But all of us, as with our faces unveiled and continuing to stare into the very reflection of the glory of the Lord, ARE CHANGED INTO THE SAME IMAGE as we move from one dimension of His glory to another dimension of His glory, and this transformation is done within us by the very Spirit of the Lord”, (2nd Corinthians 3:17-18).
How To Bum Your Brothers Trip
If you want to stunt a person’s spiritual growth and openness to God, begin to impose rules on him or her from the outside. I can tell you this from firsthand experience and I shudder to think about the idiotic trips I’ve laid on others (Jesus forgive me). However, if you want to do a service to someone you care about encourage them to constantly immerse themselves in the person of Jesus Christ by teaching them the secrets of communion with the Holy Spirit.
Transformation in a child of God will happen under the care of Jesus, by an orderly and planned process specific to their needs, according to a work in their heart that expands their ability to incorporate new ideas from God as the Spirit engraves them into their innermost being, i.e. – their heart. Wow, that was a mouthful! But a necessary mouthful for sure and a word of wisdom for those who somehow think their ministry is to pull the mote out of the eye of every other person around them.
The Bible is not a book of RULES it is a book of RESULTS. It is the Holy Spirit’s historic autobiography on what happens when people tune their hearts in submission and honor to the voice of God. The things recorded are wonderful and amazing things beyond human comprehension, like experiencing heaven on earth. It also records what life is like when people harden their hearts to the voice of the Spirit and take themselves out from under the canopy of His love, care and protection. Not a pretty sight. Not a pretty sight at all.
What The Hell?
You see, exposure to satan is a hellish place to be, and ages ago he and his vile, corrupt and putrid followers were cast out of heaven into earth. When God made man, it was for the purpose of binding and destroying the devil and evil angels and associated spirits and cleansing the earth of them. But Adam surrendered himself and our entire race also to satan, Adam having been blinded by his own passion and choosing to follow the voice of darkness instead of the voice of God. By this, Adam subjected his entire race of offspring to the ravages of death, destruction, sickness, disease, frailty and a host of horrors resulting from association with darkness.
But God was a place of refuge and salvation, as always. Men throughout history who associated with Him and listened to His voice were brought under His canopy of protection and goodness. Those who didn’t left themselves without protection. God’s voice calls to men and they decide themselves whether to live under the canopy of His grace or not, to listen to His voice daily, or not. Men and women sort themselves out daily in their hearts before God.
“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘COME.’ And LET HIM THAT HEARS say, ‘COME.’ And LET HIM WHO IS THIRSTY COME. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life FREELY”, (Revelation 22:17).
The Arms Of Jesus
Therefore, men judge themselves by not listening to His voice, though the arms of Jesus are stretched out to everyone, but men always want to blame God for it what happens to them. But then again, satan also launches horrible attacks against men and definitely wants them to blame God for it, because a bitterness against God means men won’t turn to Him and satan prolongs his days of influence. How much better for men to turn in their hearts to God and instead launch horrible attacks against satan, destroying his hold over peoples lives, so they will glorify God for the power of His love toward them.
It’s kind of like being at the beach on a 1000° day. God provides an umbrella of protection from the heat and in fact under His umbrella it’s cool, like the Garden of Eden, with a cool mist, great refreshments and things beyond imagination. Jesus is there at the beach too and He keeps inviting more people to join Him under the big umbrella, but it’s like He’s speaking a foreign language or something. “What? Go under the umbrella and give up all this scorching heat?” Jesus wants to help so much that He keeps going out into the blazing sun to talk face to face with people and direct them in, but a lot of people just aren’t getting it. They would rather fry unprotected I guess.
Releasing The Power
Within the supernatural realm of God, there is a key to the fruitfulness and multiplication of anything, as Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone. But if it die, it will bring forth MUCH fruit, some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred fold.” The road to multiplication and fruitfulness begins with the BREAKING DOWN OF THE SHELL that traps the life so the power of the life might be released to flourish. If the hard shell is not taken away, that shell will continue to SUPRESS THE POWER of life, holding it in bondage. No matter what the seed tries to do within the shell, the life CANNOT get out and the destiny of the seed will never be realized.
I hope by now you are wondering what the shell represents. When the Holy Spirit told me, it was a wonder I hadn’t seen it before because it really was as simple and as plain as the nose on my face (and that’s fairly recognizable). But the truth is, until God chooses to reveal a secret to you, it remains a secret and there is nothing you can use or do to pry and force it open.
Breaking The Shell
Here is what He said, “THE SHELL OF THE SEED IS ITS PROTECTIVE MECHANISM.” Now you have to understand, I hadn’t asked about this. I had left this on the shelf months ago, but as soon as it was said I knew what it was about and on top of it the vision from the previous day with the person in the shell came rushing back to me.
I started laughing because it was like we had never really stopped talking about the corn of wheat. It’s like everything we had been talking about for months has all been part of the same conversation and Jesus had never really changed subjects, even though it seems we talked about a thousand different things. It’s like Jesus was saying, “Okay now, I said ALL THAT, to SAY THIS.” And I saw how clearly this word applied to the person in the vision but to all people as well.
Then the words kept coming like a flood and the more they came the more sense it all made. This was so amazing to me I jumped up from the “chair of prayer” and ran to my office and started writing because this was to good to not get it right. I wrote, “The shell of the seed is the seeds self-protective mechanism. What is inside of the shell is the seeds capacity to bless the lives of others. As long as the seed maintains its SELF PROTECTION MECHANISMS it abides alone. When the desire within the seed to bless and to be a blessing with WHATEVER IT HAS INSIDE TO GIVE TO OTHERS, EXCEEDS ITS DESIRE FOR SELF PROTECTION, then life comes forth from it.”
You see, the shell on the seed is protecting the life within it from harm, thus the self-protection mechanism. But in order for the life to reach its destiny, the shell or self-protection mechanism must be removed. Then and only then can the life spring forth and bear its fruit and bring its blessing to the world.
If I Were A Seed…
I’m sure if you were a seed, it would be a very frightening process to you. All you’ve ever known in life is the self-protection way of existence. You know of no other way of life. There was no seed school for you to attend where they explained to you the process you will have to go through. Besides, the explainers aren’t the ones who have to go through the experience, you do. The transition means you have to let go of everything you’ve ever known which is everything you’ve ever been comfortable with. You don’t know any other way to live. If you don’t protect yourself, tell me who will?
This word and the vision suddenly connected perfectly. What had happened to the person in the vision is the enemy, by repeated demonic attack against them (disguised often as the circumstances of life), caused their self-protection mechanism to light up and activate. The hard shell they disappeared behind and hid within was literally created by these WELL PLANNED, AND WELL ADMINISTRERED attacks (the devil is a pro at debilitating people), but the outcome was the walling off of the wonders of God within them and away from those who would be blessed because of those wonders. It was by prayer and intercession AND BRINGING THE POWER OF JESUS AGAINST THE ATTACKERS that the power of the shell, the self-protection mechanism began to break up and to be destroyed over this person.
Self Protection versus God Protection
There is an alternative to self-protection but it lives within the scary realm of faith. I would like to take this deeper now because at issue with the shell is self-protection versus putting trust in God to protect us, defend us and show His power in us.
Self-protection is a losing proposition. Notice that I am NOT saying self-protection is for losers. Nothing is further from the truth. But what I am saying is YOU CAN NOT WIN THAT WAY and you cannot EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD THAT WAY. You will not break free that way.
YOU WIN BY LETTING GO OF SELF PROTECTION AND TRUSTING INSTEAD IN THE ABSOLUTE LOVE OF GOD. This is the transition that you are asked to make on the road to fruitfulness. I’ll try to illustrate this further down the road.
“And we have known and BELIEVED the love God has to us…”, (1st John 4:16).
You see, Jesus can do and will do more to protect us, defend us and save us than we can ever do for ourselves. And just like the seed, the power is released when our self-protection mechanism is relaxed and we follow instead the specific life of the Holy Spirit within us. Self-protection causes us to close up while confidence in God’s love to us, and Spirit within us causes us to open up. Reactions of self-protection trap us within the confines of its walls while faith in God’s absolute love to us, and His Spirit within us, empowers us to do bold things.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will become the director of your paths”, (Proverbs 3:5-6).
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant will he (a dark power) corrupt with flatteries: but the people that do know (are intimately acquainted with) their God will BE STRONG AND DO EXPLOITS”, (Daniel 11:32).
The Most Perfect Example
Jesus is the most perfect example. Had Jesus reacted in self-protection instead of absolute faith in His Father’s love for Him, He would not have let Himself suffer at the hands of men and go to the cross to be sacrificed there for us. As He prayed in the garden the night He knew He was to be betrayed by a friend into the hands of His murderers, the pressure of the hour and of what lay just moments ahead was so great on Him that blood vessels began bursting and He sweat great drops of blood as His humanity wrestled with terror of what He was about to face. Three times He prayed, “O My Father, if it is in any way possible, let this cup (this experience I’m about to drink in) pass from me.” But it wasn’t possible that the ticket for mankind’s salvation could be purchased any other way or by any other man, and so knowing in His heart that it must be done and done by Him alone He added, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Jesus cast Himself upon the one thing He had left and it was the only thing He knew to be absolutely true at any moment in His life. In spite of what lay ahead, He cast Himself entirely on His Father’s love for Him, for in the Father’s love there was no need for self-protection. In the Father’s love Jesus had come to know all safety, love and care.
Without this single confidence, Jesus would not have taken upon Himself the sins of the world, instead HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED HIMSELF from it. Without this confidence, Jesus would not have taken to Himself our iniquitous, fallen self-will that resists the thoughts of God at every turn, instead HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED HIMSELF from it. Without this confidence, He would not have taken to himself all the terrors and torments, grief and afflictions in life prepared for us at the hands of satan, instead HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED HIMSELF from it. Without this confidence, He would not have taken on Himself the sickness, disease and physical frailties of the whole world, instead HE WOULD HAVE PROTECTED HIMSELF from it. He who knew none of this, hung on the cross and by willing choice absorbed it all and the judgment of it all into Himself.
“For Christ also has once suffered for sins, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, that He might bring us to God”, (1st Peter 3:18).
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, yet the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so opened He not His mouth (crying out in protest)”, (Isaiah 53:6-7).
It was Pilate who said to Jesus, “Don’t you see the accusations they are bringing against you? Don’t you have anything to say to defend yourself? (Mark 15:1-4). And Jesus said nothing in reply. Jesus had no need to reply, defending Himself, because His trust was in the Father’s protection and the whole universe would soon see the reward of Jesus trust.
Jesus knew what was about to happen with the unjust punishments, the beatings, the mocking of His royal stature as the Son of God, the humiliations, the cruelest of deaths by crucifixion, and the transportation of His soul into the pit of hell to the very judgment seat of satan to which all men previously appeared and from which they were then sent into eternal torment (with the exception of a remnant who went to a special partitioned place in hell called paradise), and rightly so, for the sins they had committed in life and for the sin of Adam and their rejection of the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Our Humanity Speaks
Our humanity cries out, “Protect your self!” Our humanity cries out against trusting in a God we cannot see with our naked eye. Our humanity cries out against the unknown. Our humanity cries out against what does not and cannot fit into our learning, our rationale and our logic. And the powers of darkness continue their masterful onslaught against us in a thousand ways to keep the power of what we can be in God encapsulated by our fears and self-protectionist behavioral impulses in life. Because of our collapse into a self-protective shell, the fruit that can be born by us that God intended for our own blessing and for the blessing of the world lies dormant within us, blessing neither us or them.
“Whoever will seek to protect and preserve his life will discover he has in fact lost it; and whoever will lose his life will discover he has actually preserved it”, (Luke 17:33).
The Voice Of The Father Speaks
The motive of God the Father TO US is clearly expressed:
“The LORD has appeared of old to me saying, “Yes! I have loved you with AN EVERLASTING LOVE; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you”, (Jeremiah 31:3).
“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER believes in Him WOULD NOT PERISH, but experience life forever more. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him MIGHT BE SAVED” (John 3:16-17).
The Voice Of Jesus Speaks
The motive of Jesus is that our knowledge of the Fathers love be as full as His own knowledge of the Fathers love. Jesus wants us to know the wonders of His salvation through that love and that our lives are filled with incredible fruitfulness as we continue to rest in that love, following Him through thick and thin, always trusting:
“In this is My Father glorified, that YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT; by this you demonstrate that you are following my teachings. AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME, SO I HAVE LOVED YOU: continue on in My love for you. If you follow my instructions, you will find yourself continually living in the experience of My love; even as I have kept My Father’s instructions, and continually live in the experience of His love. These things I have spoken to you that My joy might remain in you, AND THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL. This is my instruction, that you love one another in the same way I have shown that I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE TO DELIVER BENEFITS TO HIS FRIENDS” (John 15:9-13).
The Voice Of The Holy Spirit Speaks
The voice of the Holy Spirit speaks to us and comforts us saying, “No matter what, trust Me. I am the Spirit of Jesus sent forth to confirm to you the eternal love of Jesus and the eternal love of the Father for you. Follow my lead and I will show you the wonders of being a son of God.”
“And I will pray the Father and He will give you ANOTHER COMFORTER, that He may continually live in experience with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; who the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him and does not know Him: but you know Him because He dwells with you AND WILL BE DWELLING INSIDE OF YOU. I will not leave you without comfort: I WILL COME TO YOU”, (John 14:15-18).
“For as many of you that follow the guidance of the Spirit of God, you are acting as the sons of God. For you did NOT RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE TO BE ENSLAVED AGAIN BY FEAR; but you have received THE SPIRIT THAT CONFIRMS YOUR ACCEPTANCE AS A SON, by which our hearts cry out delightfully to God, YOU ARE MY VERY OWN FATHER. The Spirit bears witness within our own spirit, that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD: and if we are indeed the SONS OF GOD, then we are also HIS HEIRS; WE ARE HEIRS OF GOD, AND JOINT-HEIRS TOGETHER WITH CHRIST…”, (Romans 8:14-17).
And Your Point Is?
My point is this: For us to know the wonder of our destiny and the full fruitfulness and power of God in our lives it is required for us to shed our self-protection response to life. We cannot know the mighty wonders of God without trusting Him, as unusual as it may seem at times. The shell of self-protection must be left behind us or the power of the life within us will lay dormant and our enemy will continue to entrap us in this bondage, which is based on our fears of being hurt. We could die in that bondage, WITH OUR SONG HAVING NEVER FULLY BEEN SUNG.
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with their song still in them.” Attributed to Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862) American Author
Thoreau hit on something. Is this idea of the shell self-preservation (of mistrust and disbelief toward God) at the heart of the “quiet lives of desperation” he witnessed as he saw men go down to their graves with their song, the song God gave them as He breathed life into them in their mothers womb and sent them into this world, still unsung within them? With no one ever hearing the glory of his true sound, the sound that can only be released through abandonment to the Spirit of God that Jesus came to give us? Is your song or is my song yet locked within the shell?
The world is full of men and women who are unable to free themselves FROM this shell of defense in order to free themselves TO live their lives in the fullness of God and His love for them. AN ENEMY HAS DONE THIS! And it is high time to crush this enemy in the Spirit and power of Jesus Christ.
“And there was delivered to Him (Jesus) the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, ‘The SPIRIT OF THE LORD is upon me, because He has anointed me to SPEAK OUT incredible news to the poor; He has sent me TO HEAL the broken hearted, TO PROCLAIM DELIVERANCE to the captives, AND RECOVERING of sight to the blind, TO SET AT LIBERTY those that are being crushed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord (THE TIME OF GOD’S ACCEPTANCE AND FAVOR).’ And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say to them, “THIS VERY DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS”, (Luke 4:17-21).
“And He (Jesus) said to them (His disciples), ‘I saw satan like lightening fall from heaven. Behold, I GIVE YOU POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY: AND NOTHING WILL BY ANY MEANS HARM YOU”, (Luke 10:18-19).
Dangerously Delicious
It is a dangerously wonderful life, living with the Holy Spirit out of a dimension that is far, far beyond the mundane ways and thoughts of earthly, mortal men. He offers to us a life on earth that is rooted and flowing out of heaven. It is a life that transcends mortality and the darkness of the earthly world.
“And God who is RICH IN MERCY, AND FOR THE INTENSITY AND GREATNESS OF HIS LOVE THAT HE HAS LOVED US WITH, even when we were dead because of our sins (lives acted out from dark spirit influence), He instead has come and MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, (FOR IT IS BY HIS GRACE THAT YOU ARE SAVED AND DELIVERED), And He has RAISED US UP TOGETHER WITH CHRIST, and made us to BE SEATED TOGETHER WITH JESUS CHRIST IN HEAVENLY [SUPERNATURAL] REALMS OF EXISTENCE: That in all the ages yet to come He might SHOW the EXCESSIVE [LIMITLESS] RICHES OF HIS GRACE that flows to us out of HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US as expressed through JESUS CHRIST. For it is BY GRACE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED through your faith [in Him]; AND NONE OF THIS IS OF YOURSELVES [of your own doing or of you own efforts] BUT IT IS ENTIRELY THE GIFT OF GOD TO MAN: NEITHER HAS ANY OF THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN WORKS, so no man can boast [of his own greatness as if in forcing God to serve or be indebted to him]”, (Ephesians 2:4-9).
Leaving behind our innate reaction for self-protection, we become alive as we throw ourselves upon a belief in the absolute love God has to us. We become capable of doing anything and everything the Holy Spirit might direct us to do. We live our lives out of the power of the realm of heaven, not of earth. There is no challenge too big or obstacle that is greater than our God. We embrace the challenges in life, in ours or in others, with a call out to the Holy Spirit for leadership, and we act with boldness on the instructions received knowing that we are backed in our Spirit inspired actions, by an unfathomable, incomprehensible love by the God of all things for us.
“Who is it that dares to lay anything as a charge against God’s elect [hand chosen ones]? IT IS GOD WHO JUSTIFIES THEM, HAVING PRONOUNCED THEM AS HAVING ABSOLUTELY NO BLAME OR GUILT IN THE HIGHEST JUDGMENT OF HIS WILL. Who is he that dares to condemn [bring punishment upon] them? IT IS CHRIST WHO [already] DIED, or rather, IS RISEN AGAIN, WHO IS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, who also MAKES A PLACE TO MEET AND CONVERSE [WITH GOD] FOR US. Who is it that will separate [to sever or divide] us from THE LOVE OF CHRIST? Will tribulation do it, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter’. But no, IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS [gaining surpassing victories] THROUGH AND BECAUSE OF HIM WHO HAS CONFIRMED HIS LOVE FOR US. For I am fully persuaded that neither death, or life, or angels, or principalities, or powers, or things in the present, or things that are to come, or height, or depth, or anything in all creation, will be able to separate (to sever or divide) us from THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”, (Romans 8:33-39).
His Absolute Love Is The Foundation
Our confidence is in the absolute love of God for us. His love for us is a final fact and we trust this final fact absolutely. But our faith also extends out to believe in His love toward all men and all of His creation, with the clear exclusion of the spiritual darkness, which sets itself to destroy the people and things that God loves. These evil spirit beings God hates and has chosen to turn the tables on them and destroy them instead through us, by Jesus.
The assurance of God’s love is the wellspring and force of power behind all faith expressed by man to God. Without the belief in the Father’s unimaginable love to us, faith shrinks to non-existence and we cower back into our shell. But with the sure knowledge of His eternal love, those who have believed in Jesus and received His Spirit unleash a supernatural energy that nothing in the world can stop.
Founded upon the knowledge of God’s love, there is no longer any need for self-protection. We are free to let our self-protecting responses go away forever and free as well to settle down forever on the sure love of our Father for us:
“Whoever will confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives continually in him, and he also lives continually in God. AND WE HAVE KNOWN AND BELIEVED THE LOVE GOD HAS TO US. GOD IS LOVE and whoever lives continually in love, lives continually in God, and God lives continually in him. By this is the love within us brought into fullness, and by this we receive boldness in the day when judgment comes to us: because AS HE IS, SO ARE WE in this world. THERE IS NO FEAR [of being harmed] IN LOVE; but love that reaches its fullness CASTS OUT ALL FEAR [of being harmed]: this is because fear and torment are of the same. Whoever is living still in fear has not been made complete and full yet in love. WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE EXPRESSED HIS LOVE TO US FIRST” (1st John 4:15-19).
This is a secret to fruitfulness, multiplication and growth in any area of our lives. This could include relationships, acts of service, careers, finance, and all. As we face life, if our responses to it are from a base of fear and self-protection we close ourselves off from the glories available to us from the very throne of God’s love for us. On the other hand, if we trust Him and meet Him at the point of Jesus, our lives become as expansive as His love for us.
When our souls are anchored in a heartfelt belief of God’s unfailing love for us, we are free to sing the song we’ve been given to the universe, and nothing can stop us. The Holy Spirit within us empowers us and leads us to do things beyond the understanding of mortal men. What seems risky to those wrapped within their self-protective shell seems like nothing to those who’s lives are bathed in the sure knowledge of the Fathers eternal love. Risk is not risk and chance is not chance to those who live surrounded in the atmosphere of His love and follow His guiding Spirit.
“And what else can I possibly say to you? For time would fail if I were to tell you of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jepthae; of David also, and of Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: others were tortured, not accepting deliverance [by abandoning their faith] so that they might obtain a better resurrection [obtaining even greater rewards]”, (Hebrews 11:32-35).
The Ultimate Test
Jesus faced the ultimate test. All He had to go on was the Fathers word that, “He would not leave His soul in hell, neither let His Holy One see corruption”, (Psalm 16:10). It was just a word. It was just a promise.
No one forced Jesus to face death. Not even the Father. But the Father had told Him, “I’ve got a job that needs doing and you’re the only man who can do it. You’re the only one who has the skills. If you do this willingly for the salvation and deliverance of mankind, I promise I will not leave you in hell under the power of satan, I will raise you back to life again. I’ve brought you up in a way that the devil will have no power over you and if you do this, you will be the champion and the Savior of the world. All power in heaven and in earth will be yours, and your name will be the highest name of praise and power in all of the universe. Devils will tremble at your name and the powers of heaven will rejoice and rush like a flood to wherever your name is spoken and the power of hell and death over those who believe will be broken.”
No man had ever done before what Jesus was about to do. No man had ever before met the qualifications to do this job. But no man had ever before been the direct offspring of God and loved as none had ever before been loved of the Father.
The devil had come to Jesus repeatedly, probing Him, attempting to get Jesus to act on a hell inspired word but repeatedly found in Jesus nothing but trust in the Father. By trusting completely the Holy Spirit that was His life, Jesus left nothing by which the devil could gain any foothold, restricting, binding and accusing Jesus. But in the garden of Gethsemane the night He was to be taken, Jesus weighed His options as the great drops of blood poured out of Him from the intensity of the choice He was to face.
Then, having settled the issue within Himself, the man Jesus stood like no man had ever stood before, about to do what no man had ever done before. He would go forward, do the work He was asked to do in passing into death. The man Jesus would be carried into hell itself to the very seat of satan where He would be examined by the focal point of all the evil, hatred and destruction in the universe.
“For this very reason my Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. NO MAN HAS THE POWER TO TAKE MY LIFE FROM ME, BUT I LAY IT DOWN BY MY OWN CHOICE. I HAVE BOTH THE POWER TO LAY IT DOWN, AND THE POWER TO TAKE IT AGAIN. This instruction I received from my Father”, (John 10:17-18).
The Ultimate Test Brings The Ultimate Victory
On that very ground, at satan’s own throne and stronghold, Jesus would defeat the power of darkness, showing satan there was a new breed of man coming, born again and regenerated by the Spirit of God. Jesus would show satan that He was God’s second and last Adam, the head of a new race of man and this new breed of man would be just like Him, and loved by the Father just like Him. Within this new breed of man there would be no sin by virtue of Jesus own sacrifice of His own blood for their sins. In these men, just as in Jesus, darkness would have no claim, thus stripping satan there at his own throne of his power over the new breed of man, destroying the power satan had stolen over man through his subjugation of Adam.
“For it was known by Him (the Father), for whom are all things and by whom are all things, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO HIS GLORY, that it would be necessary for the Pioneer of their salvation to complete in his own purpose through sufferings. For both He that sets people apart and makes them useful as special instruments in service to God and those people who are then set apart and made useful as special instruments in the service of God, are in effect ALL OF ONE FATHER: and it is for this very reason He (Jesus) is NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM HIS BROTHERS [and sisters]. Saying, ‘I WILL DECLARE YOUR NAME TO MY BROTHERS [and sisters], from the very midst of your people will I sing praises to you.’ And again he said, ‘I will put MY TRUST IN HIM.’ And again, ‘I AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS GOD HAS GIVEN ME.’ In the same way as THE BOYS AND GIRLS are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself participated in the same; THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY [decimate and annihilate] HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, that is, the devil; AND DELIVER [rescue and save] THEM WHO THROUGH FEAR OF THEIR OWN DEATH WERE ALWAYS THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE [enslavement, shackles, restrictions and lack of freedom to act]”, (Hebrews 2:10-15).
These Are Not Children’s Games
Men toy with the idea of satan. They treat the darkness as if it were some joke to amuse their self with and laugh about as if the devil, his angels and the demons are some mere fairy tale. But the dark powers are worse than men can ever imagine. The hatred by the evil toward God and men and women and our children and all creatures of God are also beyond what men can ever imagine.
Jesus knew where He was headed and what He would be facing as a man at the seat of satan. It’s part of the explanation of His agonizing experience in the garden as He faced the final decision to enter death and thereby enter hell as a man to face Lucifer. Jesus knew the adversary and was fully aware that at one time he was one of the highest and most powerful of the angels of God. If men knew, they would tremble at the thought and they would worship all the more at the throne of God and at the feet of Jesus for the salvation He has purchased for us.
Knowing fully what was about to happen, Jesus was not concerned with self-protection. He had placed His entire confidence in what He knew to be the absolute love of His Father for Him. His Father promised Him, “I will not leave your soul in hell.”
“I know your actions, and where you live, EVEN WHERE SATAN’S SEAT IS”, (Revelation 2:13).
Jesus indeed knows, because He was there as one of us, he was there as a man. But He trusted the words of His Father, that as He finished His man to satan confrontation, a path out of hell would be provided, and it was.
“For YOU WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL; neither will you allow your Holy One to see corruption. YOU WILL SHOW ME THE PATH OF LIFE…”, (Psalm 16:11)
“Yes, even though I walk through THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL”, (Psalm23:4).
The Keys Of Hell And Death
Everything in a person’s life is a result of the spirits they interact with. There are some spiritual influences that are multi-generational, affecting whole families generation after generation throughout their history. These spirits leave a distinctive “mark” on people and sometimes, whole families and the effect of the spirit interaction in the person or peoples lives becomes an identifying characteristic to them. “That’s just the way he/she is”, people say or, “That’s just the way that family is”, or “That neighborhood”, or “That community”, or “That city”, or “The people of that country.”
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, everything about them was a result of their interaction with the Spirit of God. Interaction with the Holy Spirit was all they knew and their life experience reflected their interaction with the Holy Spirit. They were spiritually in union with God and His entire universe. Physically, they enjoyed perfect health to the point where had they not interacted with the spirit of satan and sinned, they would have never died and would be with us to this very day, vigorous and healthy. In addition to physical health and longevity their lives were surrounded by total abundance and had more than they would ever need for living. They would have never gone without anything necessary for life.
But, through the interaction with another spirit all of that changed. Through the interaction with satan and subsequent obedience to (acting in accord with) his voice, Adam and Eve became subject to the power of satan and the destructions emanating from that association. The question of the ages becomes, which spirit will a person interact and reason by? And which voice will a person yield to and act in harmony with? One leads to good and the graces of God ALWAYS, and the other leads to evil, bondage and suffering ALWAYS. Jesus explained it this way:
“For a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit; neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit”, (Luke 6:43-44).
Much more could be said here. For example, Eve’s rejection of the Holy Spirit and obedience to satan was because she was just flat out bamboozled. She was out talked, out reasoned, probably flattered up one side and down the other and had stars in her eyes about the new power they would have. Her reasoned analysis of the fruit presented was, “Oh, it’s so pretty! It’s a culinary wonder too. On top of that, it makes you smarter! And the devil did look pretty swell decked out the way he was with all those flashy jewels (see Ezekiel 28:11-19). He seemed very successful and I really do think he had my best interest in mind.” Eve, we are told was deceived.
But it seems that Adam’s rejection of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the voice of satan was quite possibly for another reason. In that moment, it appears Adam’s choice was between God and Eve. We then realize that Adam decided he just couldn’t do without the pleasures Eve had brought into his life and chose to love pleasure over loving God. In either event, they both fell in love with a created thing instead of the Creator of all things.
“Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things…Who changed the truth of God into a lie, AND WORSHIPPED AND SERVED CREATED THINGS MORE THAN THE CREATOR, who is blessed forever, Amen”, (Romans 2:21-25).
The issue with Adam was an issue of trust. God had already, by a miracle of creation made Eve to be his lovely assistant. Who knows what miracle would have happened had Adam turned to God at that moment? It’s very likely we would have all witnessed a wonderful miracle of redemption in Eve. The wrath of Adam against the devil would have been something to see as well as he lashed out at the darkness to destroy them for what they had done to his bride.
But, we don’t get to see that story because that’s not the way it happened. Instead we see our earthly parents come under the power of satan our enemy, who hates God and His love, who despises heaven and all it represents and hates mankind who was created in the image and likeness of God whose purpose here was to be the vehicle on earth that would subdue and destroy the devil and his minions. God’s creation of man was the start of a planetary takeover that went temporarily awry because Adam subjected himself and us under the powers of hell and death through sin (acting in accord with the communications of darkness).
Hell and Death
Obedience to the spirit of darkness brought the human race into subjection to hell and death. The picture of hell in scripture has several facets to it, but one of them is represented as the entire structural organization of the kingdom of satan in our earth. The Bible talks about these invisible and evil powers that oppose God and all that is known to be of God in the earth. They oppose all that is good, all that is lovely, all that is freeing and all that is life giving. Evil is not just something these spirits of hell do, evil is their very nature, and it is what they are within their very being.
It is impossible for evil entities to do anything else because the core of their nature is corrupt. The end result of interaction with them is always the same, which is the strengthening of their control over a person and that person’s destruction in both the spiritual and physical dimension. The common tactic of their deception is to offer certain pleasures up front as an enticement as they did with Adam and Eve, and continue to do with men, women and children today. But the end is always bitter. What the darkness always brings forth is the true fruit of destruction, misery, sickness, hatred, murder, enslavement and other things consistent with their nature.
You need to know about hell and death, because these are the two effects Adam’s surrender brought upon all mankind. Hell is the enslavement of men, women and children under the influence of the devil and his angels, turning them away from God and His glory for them. But to the contrary, a man acting in union with the Spirit of God will destroy the power of the devil and the works of darkness.
Regarding death, where there was no sin (acting in accord with evil) there was no death. The physical deterioration of men’s bodies was non-existent under a life lived in perfect harmony with the Spirit of God. It was in the make up of mankind to live physically forever as God Himself permeated a man’s entire being. This was one of the benefits of living within the powers of the heavenly kingdom. All that was necessary for mans physical health, sustenance and well - being was a natural by product of life harmonized with the Spirit and voice of God. Those who have sought the fountain of youth needed only to bathe themselves in God.
There are no broken bones in heaven. In God there are no diseases, no open sores, no leprosy, no deformities, there is nothing lame, there is no blindness, or any thing that is not of spiritual and physical health. Whatever is true of the nature of God in all His glory and beauty, can also be true of those who become saturated with His Spirit within them. In fact, when a man becomes saturated with the life of God, the power of that life effervesces and radiates to everything around him.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And GOD WILL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM THEIR EYES; AND THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH, NEITHER SORROW, NOR CRYING, NEITHER WILL THERE BE ANY MORE PAIN”, (Revelation 21:3-4).
The Life Of Jesus
Look no further than the life of Jesus. Conceived within the virgin, Mary (she had not yet known a man – which would also be an interesting subject) and born as the Son of God, Jesus as a man was not under the power of hell (satan) and death (the subsequent results).
And what do we see Jesus doing as a man not under the power of hell and death? What do we see in a man in whom the Spirit abode without limit? We see that everywhere He goes He challenges both hell and death and brings instead the glories of heaven to earth.
The sick are healed, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and all manner of sickness and disease disappear when He is around. When it comes to necessary provisions, if they don’t have enough to eat and feed their gusts too then food is supplied supernaturally to feed the five thousand men, besides their women and children. If they need wine to liven up a wedding party then He makes the best vintage and does it out of just plain water, and lots of wine by the way. When they need a little cash Peter is told to go fishing and look into the mouth of the first fish he pulls up and it will have money in it. The very forces of nature obey Him as he commands the wind and the sea and if He needs to go from one place to another across the sea He just starts walking there, on top of the water.
And what happens when unclean spirits are around Jesus? They cry out in fear is what happens. And the end result is their power over people is broken and they are cast out to terrorize and bind those people no longer. At Cornelius house the apostle Peter preached it this way:
“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”, (Acts 10:38).
What Happened In Hell?
When Jesus descended into hell, the most amazing thing ever took place there. Jesus the Son of God, who is at the same time also called the Son of Man stood at the seat of satan. As the devil began to examine Jesus, enjoying how he had defeated God once again and looking to see what in Jesus had allowed Him to die and how he would imprison Jesus forever, THINGS MUST OF GOTTEN MIGHTY QUIET.
I’m sure they must have gone over things quite a few times, looking for the reason why Jesus had ended up there. The only way a man could enter into hell is because of sin right? And the only way a man could be subject to death was because of sin, right? So here is Jesus standing at the seat of satan and they’re looking real hard, BUT THEY’RE NOT FINDING ANYTING! There is no place in Jesus where the advantage necessary to keep Him there can be found.
It must have slowly begun to dawn on them what they had inadvertently done. In their thirst to destroy Jesus the Son of God, they had brought into hell their worst nightmare. They had brought to the seat of hell a man whose blood was pure and untainted, unmarred, undefiled by the actions of sin. For the first time ever, they had a man who didn’t belong there. This was about to ruin everything for them.
When Jesus hung on the cross dying, He borrowed the sins of the whole world and thus the consequences for the sins of the whole world and cloaked Himself in them. By willingly bearing our own sins on His own body, He gained access for us into death and hell. But now having arrived, and standing before the seat of satan, there was nothing that death and hell could do to keep him there. They could do nothing. They had to let the man go and by that Jesus destroyed the legal authority of death and hell over all men who believed. The “keys” of hell and death, representing the power of them, are now in the control of Jesus.
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ will all be made alive”, (1st Corinthians 15:21-22).
“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam was made a living soul; the LAST ADAM WAS MADE A LIFE GIVING SPIRIT…The first man was of the earth, earthy [earthly world oriented]; THE SECOND MAN IS THE LORD FROM HEAVEN. As is the earthy, SUCH ARE THEY THAT ALSO THAT ARE EARTHLY [of Adam’s origin]: AND AS IS THE HEAVENLY, SUCH ARE THEY ALSO THAT ARE HEAVENLY [of Christ’s origin]. And as we have born THE IMAGE [the reflection] OF THE EARTHY, WE WILL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE [reflection] OF THE HEAVENLY”, (1st Corinthians 15:45-49)
“For if by one man’s offence [Adam] death reigned by one; MUCH MORE THEY WHICH RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL REIGN IN LIFE BY ONE, JESUS CHRIST”, (Romans 5:17)
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me saying to me, ‘FEAR NOT; I am the first and the last: I am He that lives, and was dead AND HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND DEATH”, (Revelation 1:17-18).
You Aren’t The Child You Used To Be
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is of paramount importance because without it Jesus is just one more dead man with some pretty ideas. Without it no one gets delivered from sin and no one gets born again, becoming a son or daughter of God almighty. Without the resurrection there is no triumphant Lordship of Jesus Christ, seated at the Fathers right hand with all power IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead man cannot receive the power of the Holy Spirit and God cannot inhabit us. Without the resurrection of Jesus from the dead there is no triumph over hell and all men remain bond slaves to satan and to death and all of the ravages of death forever. Without the resurrection signifying the defeat of hell and death there is nothing.
“And if Christ is not risen, then all our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also vain. Yes, and we are found to be false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He did indeed raise Christ: and God did not raise Him if the dead don’t rise. For if the dead can’t be raised, then is Christ not raised: AND IF CHRIST IS NOT RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS VAIN; YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS”, (1st Corinthians 15:12-17).
Do you see why the resurrection of our Lord out of the grave, and out of hell, and out of death are so powerful and awesome? It changed the tilt of the entire planet. It is this triumph of Jesus that is pivotal to all things and to the knowledge of our own salvation and who it is God has made us to be.
“Let this mind be in you so you can reflect the exact mentality of Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God and possessing the same attributes and power of God did not think this was a thing to be pridefully retained: But instead He set aside all of His heavenly power and authority and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient [to the Holy Ghost] all the way to death itself, and not just any death but the horrible death of the cross. For this reason God also has HIGHLY EXALTED HIM AND GIVEN HIM A NAME THAT IS ABOVE EVERY NAME: THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD [absolutely must] BOW, INCLUDING ALL THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND ALL THINGS IN THE EARTH, AND ALL THINGS UNDER THE EARTH; AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD [and will] OPENLY CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE LORD, WITH EVERYTHING POINTING TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER”, (Philippians 2:5-11).
It is by the resurrection that the power of hell and death has been destroyed forever over them that believe. It is by the power of the resurrection, destroying the power of hell and death that we are fortified in our faith. The devil has no claim in all of his representative forms and death in all of its representative forms likewise has no claim. WE ARE EMPOWERED TO TRUST GOD AND HIS LOVE AND POWER TOWARD US IN EVERY AREA AND IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE OF OUR LIVES BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR FAITH IN HIM WILL ALWAYS BRING FORTH THE WONDERS OF A SUPERNATURAL LIFE. AND WE ARE EMPOWERED TO LET HIS HOLY SPIRIT FULL US TO OVERFLOWING AND LEAD US BY THE WISDOM AND POWER OF HEAVEN IN EVERY THING.
Let The Shell Fade Away
Jesus wants to deliver you and I from the shell of our self-protection. He has showed us there is nothing to fear because the Father is with us and loves us beyond anything we can ever imagine. In trusting Him and following the leadership of His Holy Spirit there is always triumph even in the face of danger.
“Now thanks be unto God WHICH ALWAYS CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST, and makes manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish”, (2nd Corinthians 2:14-15).
“Oh death, where is your sting? Oh grave, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST”, (1st Corinthians 15:55-57).
EXCEPT A CORN OF WHEAT FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT ABIDES ALONE. BUT IF IT DIES IT BRINGS FORTH MUCH FRUIT, SOME THIRTY, SOME SIXTY AND SOME A HUNDRED FOLD.
Revelation 22:1-5, “And He showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, and it bore twelve manner of fruit, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. AND THERE WAS NO MORE CURSE: BUT THE THRONE OF GOD AND THE LAMB WILL BE IN IT…”
Randy
