Trials of Faith Prepare Us for Battle (4) - UBBS 11.05.2023 - David Eells

Trials of Faith Prepare Us For Battle (4) 

(audio) 

David Eells – 11/5/23 

 

Nailing The Old Man To The Cross 

David Eells 

I want to share with you something that’s probably one of the most hated and denied doctrines and, yet, one of the most important doctrines, if a person wants to bear fruit and walk in the steps of Jesus. I’m referring to the question of How we are to die to self. There is the death-to-self that comes as we repent day-by-day, that comes as we read the Word of God and realize what the Will of God is for us. “Repentance” means “to change our mind.” When we read and are corrected by the Word, the “old man” dies and the “new man” comes to life, because the new man is the Word bearing fruit in our soul. 

Let’s focus on another area concerning this. (Zec.13:7) Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. Jesus quoted this in Matthew 26, speaking about Himself being the Shepherd, and the scattering of His disciples being at least the beginning of God turning His “hand upon the little ones.” It sounds very much like the Lord is out to kill us all. The Lord Jesus was the first, the Example, the Sacrifice, and without Him nothing else would be possible. He made it possible for us to die.  

Is God really out to kill us all, to “turn” His “hand upon the little ones,” just as He turned the sword against His Son? You know, the Lord took credit for that. We will read some verses that absolutely confirm what I’m saying here. The Lord took credit for crucifying Jesus Christ. He used wicked men to do it. But now, He says, He is turning His Hand upon the little ones, too. So, what is it about us that has to go to death, that has to be crucified? (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. There’s a war going on because the flesh and the spirit are enemies.  

The flesh, representing the old man, must die. (1Co.15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. So, yes, the Lord’s Hand is against the old man, to put him to death. It doesn’t necessarily mean the death of the body. It means the death of the flesh which, of course, includes the mind of the flesh and speaks of the fallen part of the soul of man. We’re told that the flesh is contrary to God’s way and His Will. (Rom.8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of god, neither indeed can it be: (8) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God. The mind of the lower nature, the mind of the fallen man, the mind of the old man, is the enemy of God.  

What we have to do is cooperate with God in this process of the crucifixion of the old man. Our Lord Jesus gave us a perfect example of that: (Joh.10:17) Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. Does the Father love all of those who are willing to lay down their life? Of course He does. Jesus said the Father loves those who obey the Son: (Joh.14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. ... (23) Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Of course, obeying the Son is obeying the Word and obeying the Son is laying down your life to take up His life.  

The Father loved Jesus because He laid down His life so that He might “take it again.” (Joh.10:18) No one taketh it away from me…. Jesus is our example. He wants us to be willing to take up His life. No one else can take the life of the self, the old man, from us, either. People can kill you, but they can’t take that self-life from you. We have to give that up. (Joh. 10:18) No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power (literally, the word here is exousia, meaning “authority”) to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. “I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again.” We have authority!  

When we were baptized, we reckoned ourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God (Rom.6:11). We reckoned that the old man was dead, that we were crucified with Christ and we don’t live anymore. It’s now Christ Who lives in us. We received authority to lay down that old life and we can say no to self; we can say no to the devil. We received authority and, likewise, anybody who loses their life will gain their life. If we lay it down, we have authority to take it up.  

You know, Enoch was translated by faith. He was intricately involved in the resurrection life that came in him because he had already walked in death. He had been well-pleasing to God, having already walked against the self-life, against the stream of humanity. Because of that God loved him. Enoch laid his life down to take it up again. Jesus, as our Example, cooperated with this process. He said, “I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. … This commandment received I from my Father.” Of course, we have received the same commandment and we do have power because of what Jesus did at the cross.  

We have power, which is the correct word here – dunamis. Authority is the right to use power. We use God’s power to lay down the old life and to take up the new. Whether we will or not is a decision we have to make, individually. Not everyone will be a disciple of Jesus Christ, For many are called, but few chosen (Mat.22:14). So, although we have this command of the Lord to lay down our life, He said that it’s quite conditional upon us. Some people think we accepted Jesus and it’s all over; well, it is, by faith. We see the end from the beginning but we have to cooperate with God in this process of laying down our self-life.  

It’s all about denying self. (Mat.16:24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. “Follow me” indicates that this person is a disciple, which means a learner and a follower. Denying self and taking up the cross are synonymous. We are not permitting self to live through this body. We deny self, take up our cross and follow Him.  

Of course, that is to the death. (Mat.16:25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it. Many seek to save the life of self. They seek to justify self and, when they do, they are giving up the opportunity to have the life of Christ and bear fruit. (25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. The word used here for “life” is psuchē, and it’s talking about your soul life, or self. We lay down the old self in order to take up the new. We lay down our old soul, our own mind, will and emotions, in order to take up Jesus’ mind, Will, and emotions. This is our cross. We have opportunity to advance in this every day, if we’ll lay down our life to have the life of Christ. This is a condition and it should make many people tremble because this is a condition that’s given to all Christians.  

Those who don’t bear fruit in this area will not have eternal life. It doesn’t matter what they have by faith; it matters what they manifest before they leave this life. Those who walk by faith will receive power from God to walk the crucified life and they will love, they will embrace the cross! They will embrace death-to-self. (26) For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? Again, the word psuchē is translated here as “life,” but there’s still another way it’s translated: (Luk.9:24) For whosoever would save his life (psuchē) shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life (psuchē) for my sake, the same shall save it. (25) For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own self (psuchē)? That’s the same word, psuchē, translated as “life,” “soul” and “own self.” It is a person’s mind, will and emotions. We will have His life if we’re willing to give up our mind, our will and our emotions for His. The renewed mind of Christ comes from submitting to the Word of God.  

Besides just knowing the Word and submitting to it, there are some very important things we can do to cooperate with God in bringing this to pass: (1Pe.2:19) For this is acceptable, it for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. Obviously, we suffer wrongfully at the hands of the world, at the hands of the wicked and at the hands of the curse. We suffer wrongfully and, if we do it because of “conscience toward God,” this is okay. (20) For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it,] ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it,] ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. The word “acceptable” here is actually the word “grace” and may be read, “this is grace with God.” When we do what we’re called to do, what the Scripture commands us to do, and we suffer for it, this is grace with God. The Lord says, My grace is sufficient for thee (2Co.12:9)…. 

So, we’re called to a cross and we’re going to suffer if we do what’s right. (2Ti.3:12) Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The world is going to come against us if we bear our cross. If we’re willing to accept exactly what the Word of God says and if we’re willing to submit, in circumstances, to God’s commands, we’re going to suffer death to self. And it’s good because it’s the only way to bear fruit.

(1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: (22) who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: (23) who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously. When Jesus was reviled or threatened, He turned the other cheek; He resisted not the evil (Matthew 5:39). He knew that this was God’s method to bring Him to His cross and the next two verses speak of exactly that: (24) Who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. So, by not defending self, we come to our cross, just as when Jesus refused to defend Himself, He came to the cross.  

There is a well-known chapter in Isaiah concerning the cross and what Jesus bore there: (Isa.53:7) He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. We know this is true when He was before Pilate and when He was before Herod. He didn’t defend Himself. He knew that this was the Father’s Will for Him to go to the cross, so He denied Himself and went to the cross. He could have said quite a few things that probably would have served to defend Him, but He didn’t.  

When we defend self, we’re proving that we want to save this life, rather than lose this life. (Mat.16:25) For whosoever would save his life shall lose it…. Many people, during the coming Tribulation, for instance, will seek to save their life, but they’re going to lose it anyway because, in the great and terrible Day of the Lord, those who have proven themselves to be the Harlot are going to be destroyed by the Beast. They could have accepted their cross during the Tribulation. They could have accepted their deliverance from this world by the crucifixion of self, but since they cast it down, they will lose everything during the great and terrible Day of the Lord.  

We don’t have any choice about losing our life – it’s lose it now and have heaven or lose it later and have hell. The point is, if we lose it now, we don’t have to endure the Day of the Lord. Jesus was our example here because “he opened not his mouth” and did not defend self. He went to the cross. Today, many people defend themselves when you try to bring the Word to them. When you show them that they’re doing something wrong, they take no correction; instead, they defend themselves, refusing to go to the cross.  

Well, Jesus was the Way and gave us the method. God had many people around Jesus who were willing to help Him go to the cross and so do we. We have many people around us whose only purpose in life is to help us to go to this cross. This is God’s process to create His sons. We’re still in this creation mode. (Act.2:22) Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; (23) him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God…. Jesus was delivered up to His cross “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.” Are we? Absolutely. He said He would turn His “hand upon the little ones” (Zec.13:7).  

However, we still have to cooperate with God. He gave us a decision to make: either lose our life to gain our life or save our life and lose our life. So we have to cooperate. No man takes our life; we have to lay it down. Of course, they can take your physical life but they can’t do anything to take that self-life. We have to lay that down. (Act.2:23) Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay. He is speaking to “Ye men of Israel,” who today are what we loosely call the “Church.” 

The Harlot church will use the Beast to bring about the crucifixion of God’s true disciples. I’m not talking about physical crucifixion. What happened to Jesus in His crucifixion was a sign representing the crucifixion of self. We are here to lose our life, our psuchē, our fallen, soulish life. Not every Christian will physically die, but every Christian will lose their life or they won’t be Christian.  

So God used the hand of Israel here and used these lawless men to crucify Jesus Christ, to bring Him to His cross and to life again. There is no eternal life without the cross. No cross, no crown. People are deceived by the devil into thinking that they can justify themselves, that they can defend themselves in the presence of the Word of God, instead of embracing the truth there and letting it put to death their old life. We call baptism a sign and it surely is a sign of the water of the Word putting to death the old life. We accept it at the very beginning of our Christian walk but as we continue our walk in the Lord, as we read the Word of God, putting it into our hearts, repenting, the Word now replaces the old man, the old life (which is the mind, the will and the emotions of the old man).  

We’re embracing the cross if we repent, if we do not justify ourselves and our sin. Notice that God has helpers. He has the Harlot and the Beast to help bring us to our cross. (Act.4:27) For of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate (that’s the head of the Harlot of apostate Judaism and the local head of the Beast), with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel…. That’s the whole world. The Lord says, we’re going to be“hated of all the nations for my name’s sake” (Mat.24:9). This is because all nations are cooperating to help us to take up our cross, deny self and follow Jesus into everlasting peace and life. Notice the purpose that the heads of the harlot, the heads of the Beast, the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, “were gathered together”: (Act.4:28) To do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass. Then, it was to crucify Jesus; now, it’s to crucify the body of Christ.  

Again, we don’t all have to die a horrible death on the physical cross but, as we’ve noticed, the Scriptures are teaching a spiritual cross, a death-to-self; is what we’re here for. Jesus’ commands that we do this but we have to make that decision. 

Jesus was very explicit about the most important method of cooperating with the wicked world around us: (Mat.5:38) Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Isn’t that the example He gave to us? He didn’t defend Himself. He was as a lamb led to slaughter and, in type and shadow, that’s exactly the way we need to be. Do not defend self; self is the enemy.  

You should be standing on the Lord’s side. The people around you are all gathered around you for a purpose. I’m talking about the wicked, whether it be the wicked in the so-called “church” or the wicked outside the “church”; it makes no difference. They have a predestined work of God to do on us and it is crucifixion. We need to cooperate with the vessels of dishonor used of God to bring us to our cross, because no one is in your life by accident. The Bible says, “A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven” (Joh.3:27) and God “worketh all things after the counsel of his will” (Eph.1:11). Just know that no one is in your life, as obnoxious as many of them are, without God having sent them and put them there for this purpose.  

Jesus demands here that we “Resist not him that is evil.” We know that this is not talking about the principalities and powers because the Bible says to “resist the devil” (Jas.4:7). We also know that we wrestle “not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]” (Eph.6:12). So what He’s saying here is, “Resist not man who is evil to you,” especially in any physical way.  

We have some brilliant theologians who came up with the idea that Jesus was preaching this to people who were to obey it in the Millennium. They should be ashamed of themselves. First, if Jesus was going to give the Sermon on the Mount as rules for the Millennium, He could have waited another couple thousand years before giving it, when He came back. Second, the people in the Millennium are going to have a new body. Why do they have to worry about not resisting the wicked? The wicked can’t touch them; they’re in a born again body.

He’s speaking this to His disciples because He was demanding that they resist not the wicked around them, just as He resisted not, so that they would go to their cross, too. We’re in the Hands of the Lord, a sovereign God; nothing can happen to you. You may ask, “What will happen to me if I do this?” Well, you will die to self, but you’ll be in the Hands of the Lord. It’s His decision to make and it’s His demand. He commanded, “Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Mat.5:39). So we can justify self, we can make up some fairy tale like, “This is for the Millennium” and we don’t have to go to our cross. But, ultimately, we’re going to die if we don’t go to our cross. What we need to do is embrace this and learn to turn the other cheek. 

Do you know what happens when you resist not the evil around you? People are going to come against you with this and come against you with that, but when you resist them not (I’m talking about personal forgiveness now, not about governmental forgiveness for the Church), your flesh rises up. The very one that you want to deny, the one you want to put to death, that’s the one that rises up within you and wants to retaliate, to be angry, to be unforgiving. That one is the one that’s contrary to God, the one who is the enemy of God. The easy way to put him to death is to just refuse him. God has harder ways to deal with that old man.  

As I noted, this is not a governmental issue. We’re told very plainly, “whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained” (Joh.20:23). Jesus gave them governmental authority. For instance, the example of Paul turning a man over to “Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1Co.5:5) was governmental authority. It wasn’t because Paul didn’t forgive the man. He forgave him personally, as Jesus told the disciples to do in John 20, but he didn’t forgive him for the Church because a little leaven leaventh the whole lump (1Co.5:6).  

We are to “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves” (13). There are people in the Church we’re commanded to throw out to defend the Church, not self.  For instance, We’re to have no company or even eat with the ones who cause division or are outwardly immoral, (1 Corinthians 5:11). There has to be some governmental unforgiveness, if you will, for the Kingdom. When a person has been chastened or turned over to the devil, as Paul did to Hymenaeus and Alexander, it’s because they haven’t been forgiven for the Kingdom, not because they haven’t been forgiven for themselves. At the personal level we have to go to our cross, we always have to forgive. 

Here’s an example of what it is to “Resist not him that is evil”: (Mat.6:14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Remember that Jesus, on the cross, didn’t retaliate. He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luk.23:34). Anger is retaliation and resisting the evil. Anger is siding with evil against evil, literally trying to overcome evil with evil, but we’re told to overcome evil with good.  Jesus did defend the people from the wickedness of their apostate leaders.

Unforgiveness opens the door to bitterness, wrath and all kinds of evil things. (Mat.5:43) Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: (44) but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; (45) that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. These are two things that speak to what resisting not him that is evil is talking about. We have to love our enemies and we have to forgive those around us, both of which our flesh resists strongly.  

That’s why people around us do the things that they do, in order for this old man to rise up in us. Then we’re able to face what may have been hidden to us and make the decision whether to lay this down or justify self. Do I take my cross or do I align myself with evil, with the old man? So, Jesus tells us to love our enemies, which is truly resisting not him that is evil. If you love someone, and if you forgive them, you are not going to retaliate against them. Can a person love their enemy and shoot them? No. Can a person forgive someone who does them wrong and then shoot them? No. Nor, if you forgive them, can you retaliate in any lesser way. You just have to take it and resist not the evil.  

This pacifist doctrine that Jesus had is railed against in most churches today and they give all kinds of reasons why this can’t be what Jesus meant, though He said it over and over and demonstrated it over and over. If you don’t want to go to your cross, if you don’t want to have more of Christ, just listen to these people because they are refusing to go there. No matter how religious they are, they’re refusing the fruit of Jesus Christ. They’re refusing to take up their cross so that the old man dies. All you have to do is deny him and he’ll die. All you have to do is not feed him and he dies. When you indulge in anger, retaliation, hitting back, all the things that normally come to mind when you’re attacked, then you’re feeding the old man and he will live. He’ll be there the next time to try you again because he won’t die at all.  

You see, he’s nailed on the cross and it’s up to you to not let him come down off that cross. He wants to come down; he wants to live. He doesn’t want this Word and he loves to pervert this Word so that he can live because this Word means death. Just as when the children of Israel told Moses, “Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die” (Exo.20:19). The Word of God would bring death to them and they knew it. It brings death to the old man today. So, if you humble yourself to what God says right here, to “Resist not him that is evil,” it’s going to put you in a position to die.

If you love your enemy, if you forgive those who trespass against you, you are going to be put in a position to die and the more you do this, the easier it will come because the old man is passing away. You’re putting him to death at the edge of the sword, the Word of God. He’s passing away because you’re submitting. You’re not resisting the very people whom God sent to bring you to your cross. Now suppose Jesus would have retaliated and drawn His sword and not gone to the cross! He had to submit of His own free will and we do, too. We can say, “No!”  

God is not going to reward those Christians who only love those who are nice to them. (Mat.5:46) For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (47) And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others?] do not even the Gentiles the same? (48) Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. And how is that? By loving your enemies and resisting not him that is evil. This what God has called us to. We can do this daily and actually come into more and more fruit of Jesus Christ.  

(2Co.4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. The outward man is your fleshly man and the part of your soul that is unregenerate.  Your inward man is your spirit and the part of your soul that is born of God. If the outward man isn’t decaying, the inward man is not being renewed because they occupy the same territory. That old man has to die for the new man to take his place. This happens when we cooperate with these people around us whom God has sent into our life, many of whom are obnoxious, and they’re warring against us. But, the Lord has sent them to take us to our cross. You’d might as well go peaceably because if you don’t go to your cross, you’re going to lose your life. Going to the cross is easier than the alternative. 

Here’s something our flesh doesn’t want to do: (Rom.12:14) Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Paul in 1Co 5 turned a man over to satan for chastening so he would be saved. This is obviously not a curse! Without correction we die. Our flesh doesn’t want to pray for those who do evil to us, but it’s a command from God and if we do it, we die a little every time. The old man that wants to live, that wants to retaliate, that wants to be angry and wants to be justified in doing it, won’t live if we don’t let him live.  

That’s what fasting is all about, by the way. If we don’t feed the old man, he becomes weaker and weaker. It’s a parable. Not that fasting is not very good for us – of course it is, but if we don’t feed him, he becomes weaker and weaker. If we do feed him, he becomes stronger and stronger. Now when we fast, we do it for the purpose of weakening the old man so that the new man is strong and it’s true, too, in the natural. When we feed the old man by giving him what he wants, he becomes strong in our life. (15) Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep. (16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. (17) Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.  

In the natural, how do we “render to no man evil for evil”? How do we practically bring that to pass? Well, people are accosting us all the time with words, with deeds and so on, and when that old man rises up, don’t let him live. He wants to react, even in self-righteous indignation, but for your own self and your own life, you have to not feed him.  “Render to no man evil for evil” is all-encompassing. (Rom.12:18) If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. (19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]….  

Do not avenge yourselves, do not retaliate, do not get angry, do not get back at anyone. “Of God” was added in there after “wrath,” but it’s just basically telling us, “give place unto the wrath.” Let it come. God’s in control of it and He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond what you’re able. If you give in to it, whatever comes will be from God and you can trust Him. He’s in control of the cross; men are not. He will retaliate if we don’t. (19) … For it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. Truly, if you don’t retaliate and if you don’t hit back, God will; but the person will learn a lesson, if God does it. If you do it, they’ll only become angrier at you and they won’t learn any lesson from it.  

When I trained my two eldest sons, I would tell them, “Now if you get mad at him, don’t you hit him. You come tell me and I’ll take care of it.” If they disobeyed me, if one of them did something to the other one, and the other one retaliated and hit him back, when they complained to me, I would have to say, “Wait a minute. Didn’t I tell you to come and tell me and not to hit him back? Now I’ve got to spank you because you disobeyed me. You already hit him back so he already got his punishment because you hit him back.” Is that what God does with us? Of course He does. If you retaliate, you hit back, you return evil for evil. They got their “just deserts,” but now you’ve got to be punished because you disobeyed.  

God’s people are retaliating and disobeying Him, so He has to spank them. The easiest way is going to the cross; the hard way is to rebel against it. (Pro.13:15) … But the way of the transgressor is hard. So when my children would hit back, I would have to spank the one who hit back because I told both of them not to do that. Well, notice what it says here: (Rom.12:19) … Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (20) But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.

This “coals of fire” is not an easy thing here. It’s God’s retaliation, God’s chastening, upon them. At least then they’ll learn something. (21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. That’s what the Lord is calling us to do. The first place we need to overcome evil with good is in our own life. If we’re going to retaliate, we’re not learning the lesson. We’re letting the old man live; he’s doing what he wants and he doesn’t die at all. 

Here is something very similar: (Mat.5:39) but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. Wow! That really comes against the flesh. If a person is going to sue you and take away something, give them something extra, as well – more than what they asked for.  

The most important thing is coming against the flesh. It’s not who wins down here on earth. In 1Co.15:31, Paul said, “I die daily”. He daily came against that flesh. We have to learn to do this and God is going to help us in the days to come. We’re coming to a time of great trial and tribulation and God is going to assist us with this. He also has this army of people who are willing to help us. (Mat.5:41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.

We find almost the same thing repeated here. (1Co.6:5) I say [this] to move you to shame. What, cannot there be [found] among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren, (6) but brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? (7) Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded?  

So he’s saying it’s better for you to turn the other cheek, to take the wrong, to be defrauded. Of course, you can’t do anything if they drag you to court, but if you attempt to use the worldly law against your brother, Paul calls that defrauding because you’re hitting back. Now God has to hit you. (8) Nay, but ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren. (9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? In other words, if you don’t take your cross, then you’re not inheriting the Kingdom of God.  Also if you hit back you are not forgiving and according to Jesus you are not forgiven your sins which puts you under the curse.

That puts you under the wrath of God. You see, the cross is the easy way. The cross is something we have to embrace to bear the fruit of Jesus Christ. He said, Whosoever doth not bear his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple (Luk.14:27). That’s pretty dangerous. If you don’t lose your life in this world, you cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you don’t lose your life, you will not gain your life. That’s conditional. Some people have many unconditional-eternal-security-type thoughts and teachings and they want to do away with things like this because this is crucifying. They don’t even think it possible to live this life of the Sermon on the Mount. They try to put it off to the Millennium. The truth is, that’s a dangerous thing for them to do. They are selling their own soul to the devil. 

Here’s another admonition: (Mat.10:16) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. You remember that Jesus was a lamb led to slaughter and God’s hand would be turned against the little ones. Now, He sends His disciples forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus said, As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world (Joh.17:18). As Jesus was sent as a Lamb led to slaughter, Who opened not His mouth, Who resisted not the evil, now we’re sent in the same way, to be sheep in the midst of wolves. And, as sheep, we are to be “harmless as doves.”  

The whole world teaches contrary to this and most of you out there who are patriotic have a spirit that is totally contrary to the Word of God. Our allegiance is to our Kingdom.  Our allegiance is not to the kingdoms of the world. Our Lord told us to be harmless as doves, to turn the other cheek, to resist not him that is evil, to love our enemies and to forgive. If we don’t, we’re not bearing our cross, we’re not losing our life, we’re not gaining our life. We have to lose one to gain the other because they occupy the same territory.

(Mat.10:17) But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you (of course, if they’re told to resist not the evil, they’re going to be mistreated in this way); (18) yea and before governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. Your old man says, “No, we want to escape that, Lord.” But the Lord says, “ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name’s sake” (Mat.24:9), meaning that God’s Name (Greek: onoma – meaning His nature, character and authority) will be manifested in us. We are hated by these people so that the life of Christ is manifested in His people.  

We don’t have permission to hit back but we can flee. (Mat.10:23) But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. So we see that God’s people have permission of the Lord to flee, but we have no permission to fight, to wrestle with flesh and blood. We do have permission to deal with principalities and powers that use flesh and blood. We have more power by exercising our authority over the principalities and powers than we do by wrestling with flesh and blood. That’s why we’re forbidden to do this, because the Lord has ordained these people to help us to our cross. He tells us we’re to be sheep in the midst of wolves and harmless as doves. He is really putting us in a situation whereby we are weak, but God’s “power is made perfect in weakness” (2Co.12:9). God saves us many times when we resist not the evil because we give up our own power and deny ourselves. 

 

 

Show Kindness And Feed Your Enemies 

 

Anonymous 5/28/23 (David’s notes in red) 

My wife said she ordered two couches which we needed to pick up at a nearby Red Cross store. (We rest on the promises of the blood stained cross.) We drove the short distance to the store. When we arrived, I parked our vehicle and my wife said that she would grab the couches and she wouldn’t be long. While waiting, another car parked next to me. Two women got out and one of them seemed to be the store manager and I somehow recognized her. I smiled and waved at her. She stopped and turned to the other woman, wondering ‘who I was, and why did I smile and wave at her?’ The other lady motioned to her and said, “That’s the guy from the other week.” She then acted as if she just remembered and walked over. She said, “Why are you smiling and waving?” I said, “Why not?” She then said, “You and your wife are so kind and generous.” I said, “It’s all Jesus.” (God’s children have the fruit of Christ and He puts it in our hearts how to treat others with love and kindness.) 

(Pro 10:7 The memory of the righteous is blessed;… Psa 112:5-6 Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth; … 6 For he shall never be moved; The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.) 

Just then my wife came out with the couches and somehow just placed them on top of the car.  

We then drove off to go get some food. At the restaurant, two men in black (black clothing mean works of darkness.) rushed over and grabbed me and put me in their black SUV. (Vehicles represent a person’s life and ways, the black SUV travels in darkness, it represents a large body of the Beast.) They were very angry with me and asked strange questions about my job here and why I’m here and what I am up to. (The Beast is of the world (Babylon, which is confusion) and uses fear and intimidation with people to make them comply to their demands.) 

I said, “I just follow Jesus” and cheerfully answered and helped them. They were insistent and made it clear to me that they would harm me and eventually kill me somewhere, and no one would know or would hear me scream. I wasn’t worried and kept telling them about my life with Jesus. It was like chalk/nails on a blackboard to them: Each testimony and amazing love Jesus has for me and my family and all the people I met was making them manifest such hatred and anger. (Those with anti-christ spirits hate Jesus in us and all righteousness. The 14 satanists who God killed hated us with a passion but they could do nothing to us when we held to the Word. Psa 56:4-5 In God (I will praise his word), In God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid; What can flesh do unto me? 5 All the day long they wrest my words: All their thoughts are against me for evil.  

Psa 109:30 I will give great thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude.) We then arrived in a very dark, isolated place. They got out, and to their surprise I got out with them. One of them said to the other, “I wish I had eaten something before we did this.” I then said, “Here, you can have this.” I had no idea how, but I had a French salad baguette. He said, “Woah, thanks so much!” and he was so happy. (Rom 12:19-21 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. 20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.) 

While the one guy was eating the other reached for a cigarette but couldn’t find his lighter. I reached into my pocket and somehow had one and gave it to him. He was surprised and said, “How did you do that?” I said, “If I need anything, my Father will just give it to me. Here, I know you need it.” He lit up the cigarette and acted angry and muttered something and walked around by himself while the other guy was still enjoying the food. And he then shouted excitedly, “Isn’t he so kind to give me this food? Do you want some? It’s really good!” The other guy was starting to be less angry and said, “No thanks.” (Pro 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.) 

The two of them were talking to each other, but I couldn’t hear them. He then walked to me and said, “Look, we were told (just following the Beast’s orders) to get you and then just kill you, but there’s no way I can do that now.” He pointed at the other guy who had just finished eating. Then he went on to tell me that he wasn’t sure about this whole scenario, and that the other guy just said they needed to let me go. So, he was now just going to drive off. The other guy spoke then saying, “Why not just drop him off where we got him?” Then I was taken back to where I was. I woke up.  

(When we obey the commandments of God, He works on our behalf. Also if we do not fear the enemy for fear hath torment. He can change a person’s heart and any situation we may find ourselves in and He controls all vessels of honor and dishonor. We do not defend ourselves against the worldly Beast and God will deliver us. Also if we believe that they cannot harm us because we were redeemed from the hand of the enemy. 

Pro 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. Pro 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; But righteousness delivereth from death.  Pro 11:6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them.  Pro 16:7 When a man's ways please Jehovah, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Pro 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will.)  

 

 

Castle Advancement 

 

Anonymous 2/23/23 (David’s notes in red) 

I had a dream where I was living in a sand-colored castle with other believers. (Sand is earthy but also represents the seed of Abraham so this castle represents our old life.) We had done everything we wanted to in this castle (This represents self-will and the mind of the flesh which does what it wants with this earthly body.) and we wanted to advance to another castle in a different location. (This advancement into another castle is like Esther advancing to go into the King’s house.) 

So, at night we snuck out of the castle and we left through the back gate to start journeying across deserts and plains to get to the other castle. (Leaving at night represents going out into the wilderness without having much Light or understanding of the Word to lead us.) There were so many stars in the sky and the moon was bright and you could see planes flying above.  

We had to pass through a specific area in the desert with these hills and rocks and all these people would come out from behind the rocks when we got close. We didn’t know what these people were going to do or if they were good or bad. So some of us fled, others tried to hide, and some stood still when we would get attacked by these people and then we were teleported back to the previous castle. We failed a test so we had to go through the same process of leaving the castle, going through the desert and coming back to the area with the rocks and hillls where these people were. There was no way to avoid them, we always had to pass this area. (There is no way to avoid dealing with other people and the trials we face in our wilderness. We must remember our renewed mind.) 

After a few times of us going through this process of getting to the hills and rocks area and us being returned back at the castle, I cried out to God asking why we couldn't get past this area, because we knew God wanted us to get past it. 

He spoke to me clearly and said this area in the desert is to crucify our flesh, and the enemy will only be allowed to attack us when we do something out of the will of God. We need to listen carefully every moment to hear what God wants us to do, how to respond and how to move and then the enemy couldn’t touch us. I felt God say that He wants brides, to be married to for eternity but He wants a specific bride who is in complete agreement, communion and unity with Him. (Col 1:9 …that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,) 

I saw that God is sovereign over these enemies and He controls them but he uses them to show us how He wants us to be and how he doesn't want us to be. I saw the Lord in all the enemy, I saw Him in the sky and stars and planets, and in the ground and trees in the desert. I could see Him in the brethren and all the other people in the desert. I shared this with the other brethren. (There are no accidents in a believers life, “A man can receive nothing except it come from heaven.” Everything is a test. Col 1:16-17 for in him [Christ] were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.) 

So now knowing this, we went out of the castle and went across the desert and came to the area with the rocks and hills. This time I asked God in my mind what to do. He said for me to stand still and love them and to be joyful and kind and treat them as Jesus. One of the people came over to me and he looked just like my husband. I felt that each person individually looked differently to the others, too, as it was between them and God. That God would appear to each person uniquely how He wanted to. (Everyone is a test.) 

I did what God said for me to do and then the person who looked like my husband was very kind and loving back to me and he became very protective of me. I asked the Lord what He wanted me to say before I said it and the man always responded back very well, filled with fruit of Jesus.  When I spoke and did what God wanted me to do everything would go perfectly with this person and Jesus would manifest through this man in spirit and in soul. If I stepped out of what God wanted, the person would react differently and then I knew when I wasn't doing the will of God. 

I felt I was being corrected with every move I made and every word or thought. Which I was grateful for because I was happy to and wanted to know how God wanted me to be and what God wanted me to do. During the process I learned much about how God wanted me to react and move and it became natural and flowing that I could hear the Lord clearly and see Him clearly. (Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge;… Pro 15:32 He that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul; But he that hearkeneth to reproof getteth understanding.) 

I really wanted to please God and in seeking God each moment I could feel God was pleased. As I listened and responded as God wanted, I felt His presence through me, but His presence also manifested through this man that looked like my husband. It was Jesus in me and Jesus in him and when I obeyed God and sought Him everything went perfectly but when I didn’t that’s when things would go bad. (Mar 3:35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.) 

I looked over and saw a few other brethren struggling and worrying and many of them ended up getting attacked and taken back to the castle. Some because they were afraid, others because they were not treating the people as if they were Jesus or because they were doing what they thought to do, and not what God told them to do. I then felt the Lord say not to worry about them right now and I could talk with them later but right now I'm to focus on this training and what He has before me.

(We each need to stay focused in our own individual trials and overcome the mind of the flesh and sins. Php 2:12…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling) I felt if I left to go over and help the brethren at that moment, that I would upset this man. I was supposed to be fully focused on him and on leaving the castle. If I didn’t, I would then be teleported back to the castle. Gal 6:5 For each man shall bear his own burden. (We can better help others when we have overcome in our own trials and experiences.) 

The process of interacting with this man kind of felt like courting; it was as if Jesus in me was courting Jesus in this man. When I was allowing Jesus to manifest through me, I could be corrected. If it went too far off track, I would be taken back to the castle to start again. The courting was like Jesus was in this man, but I had to seek the Lord to see how He wanted me to respond, what to say and what He wanted me to do that would please Him. It felt as if I was courting Jesus through this man and that I was being corrected and perfected to be how Jesus wanted. (Heb 13:21 [Jesus] make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ;) 

I then went to a certain area or did something that I thought was right, but I erred, and I was taken back to the castle to start again. (I thought we need to do as the Word says, Pro 3:5-6 Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart, And lean not upon thine own understanding: 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.) 

When all the brethren were back together, we all testified to each other what God told us to do and how to react and they all shared what worked for them and what didn't work. (Our testimonies help each other to understand in our own trials.) One of them shared they really struggled with fear of the people and the unknown of what they could do and repented for not trusting God. I shared that I felt God is in control of every step. 

We went out again and arrived at this same area with the rocks and hills. This time God said for me to enter into one of the buildings and I did. The inside was like a grocery store and I felt hungry. I heard God say to walk over to the deli area and I did, where I saw so many meats everywhere. I wanted a piece of pepperoni, so I went to grab it but then God told me, “No, pick up some roast beef.” I wanted the pepperoni, but in obedience, I picked up the beef because God said to. 

Then I turned around and the man that looked like my husband was there and he said he had been waiting for me. He had pepperoni in his hand and gave it to me and I gave him the roast beef I had in my hand, and he told me he felt like eating the beef. Then he and I walked around as if on a date, but I would wait to hear what God wanted me to say, when and how to move etc., every moment.  

I saw the Lord in this man like my husband and in all the others. (2Co 5:16 Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh...) I could see Him in control of them and I saw how when I did something that wasn't in God's will for me to do, the people would react negatively. I felt so close to God in this dream as I was going through all of this. I felt as if I was dating Jesus, and I felt the crucifying of my flesh and coming out of agreement with the things that were not God's will. But when I spoke and acted how God wanted me to, everything would go so perfectly and I felt that God was pleased. (When we hear and obey the Lord, this is walking in agreement with God and doing the will of God. Luk 8:21 But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it.) 

It was honestly a really wonderful feeling and I really loved in this dream, feeling this close to Jesus and wanting to please Him, being able to hear every moment how He wanted me to be, and what He wanted me to do and speak. This went on for a while as I was learning to hear God and do as He said each moment. When I failed I would be corrected but I learned to not do that again, but to hear God more clearly. It was so awesome to feel so close to Jesus and hear His voice so clearly.  

I felt that once we passed this area we had accomplished hearing God's voice every second, being obedient to Him every moment and pleasing Him that we will move through the desert with our husband, Jesus. Which to me, he looked just like my husband, but to others He looked different and personalized to each of them. After passing this area we would be escorted through the desert with our husband onto the next castle. 

 

 

Crucified In Christ  

 

Marie Kelton 2/6/23 (David’s notes in red)  

I had an open vision at the meeting, I was looking at the floor and then I saw drops of blood falling on the floor. I then saw the Lord getting whipped and with a crown of thorns on His head. I then saw myself in the same position. Then the vision ended. (As we are committed to taking up our cross by obeying the Word in our trials, we follow Jesus to the death of self and His resurrection life.)