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This podcast contains many bible study teachings to empower true disciples to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ.
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Trials of Faith Prepare Us For Battle (4)
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.)
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Wednesday Nov 01, 2023
Trials of Faith Prepare Us For Battle (3)
David Eells - 11/1/23
Surrender Ownership
Samuel Fire 5/11/23
I dreamt that I was with my family and with other brethren.
We all decided to have a group BBQ at a water park. (The water park represents the apostate church where they go to be entertained while only playing in the water of the Word. The BBQ represents fiery trials for the flesh to be a sacrifice.) This park had a bunch of wild animals, which were treated kindly and were dotted around the area being left alone. They were like a theme to the water park. (The wild animals represent unsaved worldly people around us and in the apostate harlot church, who are part of the beast kingdom.)
We were all having fun and were going to go for a swim. One of the neighbor adults was hesitant due to a fear of the animals and didn't know if they were dangerous. I said, “The worst animal here is a duck that is completely harmless and cute, which would just paddle nearby.”
We were then all waist deep in water splashing, and the children were excited and having fun with shouts of glee.
Suddenly I saw someone grab my laptop. They decided to use it and wanted to swim at the same time. I was gritting my teeth and being as lenient and kind as I could. In the natural I would have gone berserk and kept it safe and far away from anyone else. (God uses family and even brethren to try us and crucify our flesh.) (This kind of fiery trial is what the BBQ is doing... the flesh is being burned up when we do not give into it. Psa 39:3 My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned:…)
Suddenly, they had it in the water with them before I could react. Then as expected, the laptop got wet and stopped working. They were trying to drip off the water to get it to work but to no avail. I was upset and grabbed it from them and said, “If you wanted to do this, have the expectations to replace this. All my life’s work is on this, and I need to use this all the time.” They all fell silent. (Even when someone is being used by God to crucify our flesh, we are to NOT react in the flesh. We are to forgive and love them just as Jesus did.) (Pro 17:17 A friend loves at all times, but a brother is born in adversity.
1Pe 4:8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins: 1Co 13:7 [love] beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.)
I then felt sorry, and I repented to Father for my heart and reaction to them and the whole situation. I felt that our Father would easily replace it and I shouldn’t get upset over something our Father had provided and everything belongs to Him. (It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us when we are wrong and brings us into the image of Jesus for all eternity, so we can let go of everything that isn’t Holy and isn’t the Word of God.) (Many do not repent and justify their feelings and actions towards others who behave in weakness or ignorance. It is a gift of God to repent when we realize we have reacted in the flesh in a situation.)
Trials Passing Through The Harlot Church
Tianna Fire 1/21/23
I dreamt that Samuel and I were journeying in a red van (We are covered in the blood of the Lamb.) to a good place (the Promised Land) with many other brethren in the back of the van. Samuel was driving and I was in the passenger seat next to him. We stopped in a town where they were professing Christianity. We only wanted to be there for the night to rest and then continue our journey. (There are many who claim Christianity, but they are part of the harlot church who look and act like the world. We are to pass through these church denominations.)
We met the leader of the town; his name was Cornelius. (In the New Testament there was a Roman centurion named Cornelius, which means “of a horn.”) Everyone in the town tried to make us feel welcome, although they were not spiritually on the same page as us, they were still kind. (Most of Christianity are not spirit-filled and mind the things of the flesh.)
Cornelius gave Samuel and I a tour of a house. The house was absolutely perfect and the type of house I would like; it was small with an open living area with only one bedroom and two bathrooms. Literally everything in the house was exactly how I would want it. One bathroom had a deep bath and a nice shower that was set up with climbing steps that I thought our son would love. In the dream, I kept repeating how this house was what I would like and how awesome the design was, and I would have it all the same way. (In our journey to the promised land, God knows our weaknesses and what our flesh would be tempted with, which we learn to say no to, and die to.)
At the end of the tour, they said that if we stayed in this town that they would let us have the house for free. (This sounds like the “prosperity gospel” of worldly comforts.) I knew this house would be better than I expected, however I certainly did not want to stay in this town and I wanted to be regularly around people who are on fire for God and want more of Him and are growing in Him.
I knew this was the enemy tempting me. (We are all faced with the desires of the flesh, and are tempted to compromise? We have to forsake all to follow the Lord and not given in to our flesh.) (1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it.)
We tried to get alone with the brethren we traveled here with, but we were unable to because there were so many people in this community, and they just kept wanting to talk. I found out from one brother that he was also tempted with a free house. (The harlot churches tempt the flesh with worldly comforts, and nothing about growing up in the Lord and the crucified life. Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil: Pro 7:21 With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield;...)
It was now night and everyone was gathered around a fire. We felt that we should leave this place right now, so we went to find the brethren to tell them we were going to leave. All but one of them agreed to leave, this one person decided to stay in this town. (Many people desire to stay in the comfort and ease of the denominational churches. In the parable of the Sower, this person represents those where the seed was sown among the thorns. Luk 8:14 And that [seed] which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.)
We looked for the van to leave but we couldn't find it anywhere, so we decided to just walk the rest of the way.
We all planned to meet in a forest just outside of the town. On our way out, some people noticed we were leaving, and they started chasing after us. We ran to the meeting spot and together we started running through the forest. We didn't know where to go but felt in Spirit when to stop and where to turn etc. A few of the brethren gave up running and they didn't want to stay in the forest so they just went back to the last town. (The apostle Paul exhorts us to continue in the race and endure to the end. 1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
Heb 12:1…lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,) (Not everyone who starts out with us in the race continues to the end. Many fall away and go back to their worldly ways. Many of Jesus’ disciples chose not to continue to follow Him in John 6:66 (Notice the number) because they felt His words were too hard for them to hear and to do them. Also we see in the 6th Book, Romans 6:6 (666) knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin.)
We ran until the next day, and at around midday we arrived at another town. We jumped over a fence to get into the town and searched around not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. Samuel heard the Lord say that He would provide another vehicle in this town to continue the journey. While we were in this town a few people got distracted with food in a marketplace and they decided it was too much to continue the journey. (Many Pentecostal people get in idolatry with food and get weighed down with the world.)
They wanted to settle down and stay in a place where they would always have access to food, water, shelter and other comforts. (So they didn't have to contend with the trials of living by faith and chose to go back to the worldly comforts and fleshly satisfaction. Paul says in Php 3:19…whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. 2Ti 2:3-5 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully.
The Israelites didn’t like the Manna in the wilderness. They longed for the flesh pots and the foods they were accustomed to in Egypt where they were in bondage to the old man. God’s people are being called out of Egypt to follow the Man-child Jesus into the wilderness where they lived the crucified life, where they were to deny self and learn to rely completely on God to provide.)
We met a few people in this town who wanted to join us. The Lord blessed us with a green van (Green represents life) and more brethren, although we had lost all the brethren who started out with us, except one. (Again, in the parable of the Seed and the Sower, only one went on to bear the fruit of Christ. Mar 4:20 And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
Not everyone continues with us. As we have seen some have come and gone from us and we will see this in the Tribulation period too. 1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.)
We continued our journey in the green van, not wanting to get distracted and keeping watch to make sure we didn’t give into the flesh but persevere in getting to our desired destination. Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (The high calling of Christ to be in the Bride and manifest the 100-fold fruit.)
Cleansing Idols From The Heart
Anonymous12/10/22 (David’s notes in red)
I sought the Lord regarding idols in our heart and heard:
“Be aware of idols of ‘insecurity’ and ‘selfishness’. You need to reshape and rethink on how you perceive the life in Christ. (He is our example.) Col 3:3-4 For ye died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God. 4 When the Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. Eph 4:22-24 that ye put away, as concerning your former behavior, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Insecurity is where you want or require something, that when put to the test of does it promote eternity with Me, would be thrown out into the fire. I supply all your needs and desires for your heart. Continue to replace the earthly and always put Me first and keep a watch for the things that could be contrary to My Word. (Remember that we own nothing, we are only stewards handling it for God. Luk 14:33 So therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Father will supply our every need, not necessarily our every greed.)
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Php 4:19 And my God shall supply your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Psa 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in Jehovah; And he will give thee the desires of thy heart. 5 Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him, and he will bring it to pass.
1Th 5:6 so then let us not sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. Selfishness is where there is pride and misunderstanding, especially what has been taught and learned through the world’s ways, comes between us. Pro 13:10 By pride cometh only contention;… 1Co 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but each his neighbor's good.
Php 2:4-5 not looking each severally to his own things, but each severally also to those of others. 5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. The renewal of your mind is the best place to begin, to be cleansed and sanctified. After these things are put into check and aligned back according to My Son and My Word, you can receive and manifest 100fold!
Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well-pleasing to God, your spiritual service. 2 And be not fashioned according to this age: but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that ye may prove what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God. Col 3:10 and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Luk 8:8 And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold.... Mar 10:29-30 Jesus said, Amen I say unto you, There is no one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or fields, for my sake, and for the gospel’s sake, 30 but he shall receive hundredfold now...
Like when a bath is filled up with water. You get in, and the water rises. When you get out, you can fill it up all the way. The objects within (idols) are of no value and when removed, then they enable more room to be filled with Me. Aim and focus on the hardest and most hidden of evil. This is self. Learn to hate the concept and mindset of being an individual. Instead, you need to incorporate My Son as He is the perfect replacement.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease. Pro 8:13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
To get past all of self and anything that is carnal and fleshly, you need to seek and find and rout out all the things that can be of this type. Keep an eye and ear on the self (watch out for outward evil manifestations) and bring it into the Light for full exposure. Eph 5:8 for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light.
Eph 5:11-13 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; 12 for the things done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of. 13 But all things when reproved are manifested by the light: for everything manifested is light. (Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my lamp: Jehovah my God will lighten my darkness.)
Speak it out, and pray it out, and know that it is a process for it all to go. (Sanctification or holiness is a process where God shows us what needs to be cleansed and gives us the faith that we were cleansed.) Believe that you are at the end of your current state, and are already perfected in Christ. It is just the flesh and soul with understanding that needs to catch up. Col 1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Jas 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; 3 knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4 And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. (1Jn 4:17 Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.)
The Seed
Samuel Fire 1/13/23 (David’s notes in red)
I saw a giant oak tree dropping acorns (the seed) from its branches. The tree was praying that these seeds would sprout. (We are like this tree when we sow seeds that we expect will bring forth fruit.)
Some animal, maybe a squirrel, grabbed one and broke it open, but for some reason was startled and dropped it on the ground. (The little beast natures in our life seek to devour the seed that it become unfruitful.) It landed where a smaller tree had been knocked over and it fell in the soft fresh dirt near it. (The soft fresh dirt represents the good ground in the heart to receive the seed of the Word. Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.)
The oak tree somehow knew this and was pleased because that would be a good spot to grow. (Throughout the Bible, God likens people to trees; Israel is like the fig tree. Hos 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first-ripe in the fig-tree at its first season: Mar 8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking. Isa 61:3 …that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.)
(Jer 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,... neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by its fruit. Father plants them where He desires and causes them to grow and bear fruit. But those that do not bear good fruit prove not to be His and are cut down.)
I then saw us at Burger King restaurant where we basically gave all our food to a young couple, who we prayed for and shared the Gospel seed with them. Then we bought more food and this time we drove off to eat somewhere else. (This represents constantly sowing our seed into people.) (We always feel edified when we share the seed with others. Ecc. 11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. According to the parable of the Sower, 3 of 4 do not bear fruit. We don’t know who will “hear” and receive it, but we sow the seeds to many people and the Lord causes the fruit to bear forth in His own.)
(As seeds drop into the ground and the husk dies so it grows and bears fruit, so our flesh is to die to everything carnal and worldly so it can grow and prosper in the life of Jesus. The Word of God in the parable of the Sower is the seed that brings forth that life.)
Travel To Peace
Anonymous 1/4/22 (David’s notes in red)
I dreamt that my husband and I were journeying to a place named Tully. (Tully: Celtic/Irish origin means “peaceful, flood, and from the hill”. Tully was a very beautiful place, it was very green, perfect temperatures and was like a paradise on earth, with all earthly delights. (The earthly delights represent trials of fleshly lusts we must overcome, and Jesus is our peace as He leads us through the wilderness towards this Mt Zion, and we continue to abide in Christ Jesus (heavenly). Joh 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.)
To get to this heavenly place we had to follow a long path that went through many different towns. All the land to get there was very green and a tropical climate and the path went through the center of the land. As we began this journey to Tully, most of it seemed to go very easily, there were no struggles or difficulties. (In the beginning of our walk we may not experience much tribulation but it does lie ahead for “Through much tribulation shall you enter the Kingdom”) Then we saw the first town ahead we had to pass through.
This town also looked so very beautiful, and all the land here was green. However, I saw in spirit an extremely deep ocean trench just before entering this town. The trench was hidden by of all the green grass, and if someone walked through this particular area, they would fall into the trench. It was extremely deep and honestly, it was very scary.
(The deep ocean (waters) represents the nations of the world where some fall back into their old lifestyles like the parable of the sower. Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. The grass represents the flesh (1Pe 1:24 For, All flesh is as grass…) which hides the danger. The trench represents the hidden snares, and traps laid out by our enemies to try to entrap us. Psa 140:5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside;...
Psa 35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit; Without cause have they digged a pit for my soul. Psa 119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me; Yet have I not gone astray from thy precepts.) But it was revealed to us so that we would not fall in it. (The Lord leads us by the Spirit revealing the enemies' plans and the way of escape.)
In the next scene I saw that we had somehow safely made it through the town with the hidden trench and we were being introduced to the man who founded the town. This man was extremely rich and very evil. He was telling us how and why he founded it. The logo for the town was an orange and white crab with navy blue as the background. (Crabs roam on both land and sea; they hide and use their claws to catch and hold their unsuspecting prey.)
I knew this man had evil desires and intentions. As he was talking, he did not seem to have any issues with us. He showed us the town and it looked beautiful but there was so much hidden agenda. (“They hide and use their claws to catch and hold their unsuspecting prey.”)
He took us to this underground motel that he owned. (Crabs hide underground above or below water) The rooms went extremely deep underground in water, very deep like an ocean trench and it was so very dark. There was an elevator that quickly descended underground; there was one room per floor. He showed us one room which was laid out like a large, tall motel room. One half of the room was filled with water containing sharks. In the other half was water containing an octopus. (Both are predators)
When we returned from the underground motel, we met the man's wife who seemed friendly, and I couldn't understand how she could be with such an evil man. We shared the gospel with them both and spoke about our Lord and the woman was receiving but the man was not. It appeared that this man held nothing against us, despite his evil intentions. (I.e. hiding his evil intentions. I was reminded how Christian Children go to college to get a higher education to get better job but they are often spiritually killed by liberal professors as Satan’s helpers hiding there.)
I said to the man that I am believing and hoping for God to give him repentance, even if it is only a short time before his death, I want him to repent and be with our Lord. (Bless everyone, with truth in love NENT Luk 6:27-28 But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those hating you, 28 bless those cursing you, pray for those reviling you.)
We said goodbye to them and went to leave the town when we overheard some men shouting. We went over to them and saw how they were trying to stop six Christians from following Jesus. The Christians refused and were threatened and then they took them to the underground rooms containing the sharks and octopus. It was made known that they put the Christians in there to kill them but if they survived, they would be taken to another underground area containing lions to kill them. (Christians are persecuted, and killed, in covert and overt ways everywhere. We are to be steadfast in the faith, despite the physical risks. Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake.)
(Mat 10:28 And fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul: but rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in geenna.)
Two of these people survived the sharks and octopus and were taken to the underground room of lions. The men then said that they wanted my baby son. I either said it aloud or in my mind, ‘No because Jesus has set us free from sin and death and we won't physically die because it's not us living’. They started chasing me, and I knew that they couldn't touch me, but I wasn't sure about my son, so I ran out of the underground cave with them chasing me. I started flying forward and off the ground. I asked God to take my baby now up to Heaven, like Enoch and Elijah were taken and that God won't let him physically die. I lifted him up to Heaven, while flying and I saw him be lifted up higher and higher out of my arms. (NENT Rev 12:5 And she was delivered of a son, a male, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and unto his throne.) I woke up.
AIDS In Water
Marie Kelton 10/14/23 (David’s notes in Red)
I had a dream, that I was telling someone that the government or the D-S was putting HIV/AIDs in the water. (There have been many prophesies about this happening and the D-S are always up to de-pop-ulation. But behind all this, God is in control. He will use this to test His Saints to see if they will believe His Word and trust Him for His protection, that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. (Mar 16:18 …they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them:) For many, this will be a judgement that we hope will bring them to repentance.)
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The Cross
Samuel Fire 10/1/22 (David’s notes in red)
I looked at a bible cover, that we read occasionally when near the kitchen, and as I looked at the symbol of the Cross, I felt the Lord say:
The cross, it is an upside-down sword. A declaration of victory. There are no more foes to battle and it is pushed into the earth (Just like the long end of the cross is pushed into the earth) just as a victorious knight would do at the end of battle. It is done, it is finished! NENT Luk 11:22-23 but when a stronger than he shall come upon and overcome him, he taketh from him his whole armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 Who is not with me is against me; and who gathereth not with me scattereth.
Joh 17:4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do. Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 1Co 15:57 but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Praise God for He has already done it ALL, He has given us the grace to overcome the flesh and to get through every trial, He has given us the faith in His Word, He HAS set us free from the power of darkness, (He has redeemed us out of the hand of our enemies.) He HAS set us free from the curse of sin and death, it is finished!)
Glory to Father God Almighty ♡
Question Regarding Chest Pain
Anonymous 9/9/22 (David’s notes in red)
I had been having chest pain and I sought The Lord asking what was causing it and this is what I heard.
The Lord - “You asked of Me to deliver you and heal you; I already have and your faith in your soul is lining up with the Spirit. The Spirit is now in charge over you. Your soul cries to Me and aches and yearns for Me. I have heard and will manifest in you more. Where it hurts is the body. It has had damage and sin, and this opposing habitat of evil is being cleansed – it does not like or want to let go. Each time My hand (Angel) and in prayer with thanks and praise to Me, I am destroying this and creating in you a clean heart. The flesh needs to be scrubbed and stripped and all wounds exposed to the truth, light, love and Holy Spirit. I Am digging deep into all roots and flushing out all this.”
(Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.) (Heb 12:15 looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;) (Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word.) (Psa 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds.)
The Lord said, “Your soul and mind is set on Me and the body proclaims Me on your lips - the body must obey My Spirit. As the body learns and realizes it cannot do anything without your will, soul and mind, it obeys Me. Then it tries to resist Me but loses every battle.
DO NOT CONDEMN YOURSELF IN BEING OBEDIENT TO ME!
The pain is ongoing and will be filled more with My love, Spirit and Truth. Continue to voice it out (speak with your heart) the Living Waters and think on My Son’s life. (blood, life and wine) Let go. Tell the body – obey. Each time it hurts – I Am here with you. Remember, My Son did all for you and showed that the toughest challenge has a greater reward – which you can endure, and the victory was done at the cross.
The pain you feel is Me cleaning you up of all that is not welcome or required by me. It hurts because was stained for too long. Now as it is gone you also hurt from something you never felt truly before. This is My real love for you. Be in joy, I made you new. My Son desires you and no pain or flesh or evil or lies or unclean vessel – nothing can come between Me and you and Our marriage for eternity.
Bless you for your reward will come more each moment. As the wind, and breath and heart beats, you come to Me even closer. I will not forsake this amazing work I have done, and you have proven to Me – even before you realize it – that I want you. I perfected it all for My glory. All this pain/hurt is no more as my words prove it all – and the last is death – it is defeated even at the beginning. I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE EVERLASTING – and you already are with Me!
What hurts is that way because it is cast out forever and cannot win.
WE ARE VICTORIOUS IN CHRIST JESUS – I LOVE YOU!”
Sunday Oct 29, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Wednesday Oct 25, 2023
Son Of Perdition
Hello Brethren! God bless you. Thank you for joining us. We’ve been into some deep studying here of the end times and revelations of the Word and Father, we just ask You in Jesus name that You would be here with us today. Lord, anoint me to be able to get these points across to my brethren Lord, and that You would bless them to be able to perceive and understand these revelations and we trust in You, Lord because You’re the Great Revelator, we’re not. We trust in You to open our understanding into blessings today in Jesus name. Amen.
Well, brethren, I think that what I'm going to share with you today is concerning the real true nature, and the real true story of the Son of Perdition. You know, years ago when I was writing an article called the Son of Perdition in my in my book on our site, America's Last Days and the book is called Hidden Manna For The End Times. I was writing the article on the Son of Perdition. I was in the midst of it and a brother with the gift of prophecy called me. He said he found out about me because he sat down his computer one day and the Holy Spirit spoke to him the address to type in. And in those days I had a very complicated address. It wasn't simple at all, and he typed in this address and ended up at my website. And he was very enthused with some of the things he found there.
And so he called me and he said, “David, you’ll never guess how I found out about you?” I said no, so tell me. So he explained to me how the Holy Spirit gave him the address and then he started sharing something else with me, he said, “You know, the Lord told me that next month I'm going to see the Son of Perdition.” And I kind of came back at him, I said, “Well, I don't know how that's possible that you should see the Son Of Perdition next month.” Because I knew what the Bible had to say about when the Son of Perdition was going to be revealed, so on and so forth. And when I said that the Holy Spirit just said, “Be quiet.” “You're writing this article on the Son of Perdition,” (which I was doing at that particular time.) “And when you get through with it, he's going to read it and he's going to see the Son of Perdition.” I said, Okay.
So I didn't say anything to the brother, but, sure enough, it was the next month when I got through with it and I sent it to him and he read it and he said, “I see it, I see it!” Because it has been hidden, folks, it's been hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes, that's God's way. And I want to tell you something that the Son of Perdition is a corporate body of people. I shared with you a few teachings back, how that the Lord gave me a word of knowledge and wisdom years ago. He said to me, “Everything that happened in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts will be repeated in the end time, except the cast of characters will be multiplied many times over.” And what the Lord showed me is what happened in the Gospels and Acts. That whole scenario is repeated except the characters like Jesus and like the apostles and like Judas and like the Sanhedrin and the Roman government; these all became multiplied on a worldwide scene. And they're being enacted again now.
I want to remind you of Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. which means “God with us.” The word sign there is the word “oth” and it means, “to come” literally means to come. “Oth” is like the word, omen. It's a sign of something to come, and in Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 it speaks about Immanuel several times.
And but in verse 17, there's another sign. In Isa 8:16 Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. (Disciples is not the common word in the whole testament.) 17 And I will wait for Jehovah, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom Jehovah hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel. As you know, Jesus did signs and wonders and his children did too. He called them his children, his disciples, His signs and wonders.
If these people were for signs also, a sign of something to come, then Judas Iscariot was a sign of something to come. He represented also a large corporate body in our day. Fathers pass on to larger and larger groups in a geometric progression. Like Israel at the beginning was a man, but Israel, as you went on, was a corporate body of people. So we had this sign of Judas, and the Lord told me that this was a sign of a corporate body of people to come, and that everything that happened there is going to happen again.
So let's examine this a little bit. Now Jesus said in Joh 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; (That was Judas.) That the scriptures might be fulfilled. Only one of the people that the Lord had chosen to walk with him, the Son of Perdition perished. You know in Joh 13:18 …he that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. Judas represented a corporate body of people. That in our day will lift up their heel against the people of God, their brethren. Jesus told us that this would be a corporate body in Mat 24:10 And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another. Notice that Jesus said many would stumble and deliver up, just like Judas delivered up Jesus. But now it's delivering up one another. It's delivering up the corporate Body of Christ, and since the Body of Christ needs to go to its cross, it needs a corporate body of Judas. And this is God's plan, folks.
We're going to study a lot in 2 Thessalonians. This also speaks of a Son of Perdition that I'm convinced that almost nobody knows about. 2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; Notice it's talking about the coming of the Lord and the rapture the Saints. 3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. Notice what he said, folks. The very opposite of what most people say it says here, is what he's saying. He said, “the coming of the Lord for his Saints is not going to happen except the falling away comes first and this man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” People say what they're never going to see this contrary to what the scripture says. The word falling away here is the word apostasia, where we get our word, apostasy. It means, “a defection from the truth.” Just as Judas was hidden in the midst of the Body of Christ in that day, and “one revealed until there was a falling away.” The same thing is going to happen in our day.
Judas represents a corporate body of the Son of Perdition who's hidden in the midst of the Body of Christ today, that will be used to deliver up one another. This I'll tell you, in the name of Jesus and I think we can prove it pretty well from the Scriptures too. Jesus at the time of the Last Supper, for instance, when Judas did end up delivering the Lord up, Jesus was asked by the disciples, who it was that would betray him? And of course, they all said, “Is it I?” and “Is it I?” That I they weren't sure of themselves even. Joh 13:26 Jesus therefore answereth, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 And after the sop, then entered Satan into him. Notice two things entered into Judas here, Satan and the SOP. There's a connection here; it's a type and a shadow. The Lord said to me when I was reading this one day, He said, “SOP, S.O.P. Son of Perdition.” I thought, “Wow!” You say, David, that's just in English. I know it, but I don't care. I know what the Lord said to me and it really makes sense, SOP, S.O.P. Son of Perdition. That's what He said.
You know Satan entered into Judas at that time making him the mark. We studied the mark a while back. We found out that the mark represented both the word and the name. It was the character of God that He used to recreate His image in His Body. Well, this is what was created in Judas and it wasn't the image of Christ. It was the image of Antichrist. And you know what he became? He became an abomination of desolation. And I'm going to explain that to you.
First, I want you to look at a little bit of timing here with me. Jesus taught these disciples, including Judas for 3 1/2 years. At the end of that 3 1/2 years, the son of perdition fell away. He was revealed to the disciples who he was and he betrayed the Lord, and he became desolate. The word desolate in the text means without God, he became desolate, in that God forsook him, he became reprobate and as you know, he hung himself. Well, in accordance with this type, the Man-child is going to teach for 3 1/2 years, the corporate Man-child. Remembered that Jesus was going to be manifested in our day as a first fruits corporate body too, called the Man-Child in Revelation 12. So the Man-child is going to teach also for 3 1/2 years the disciples among whom is, I might say, some “Sons of Perdition” and this will bring us to the mid tribulation, when the Bible teaches that the mark, the image and the abomination manifests. Now what I'm going to prove to you is that that mark and that image and that abomination has to do with Judas in the Body of Christ. It happens at the exact same time according to the Scriptures.
Now first I want to point out to you that, that God used the hand of Judas; it was his plan. God put him in the midst of that body. Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (Joh 13:21). See, He knew from the beginning, the Bible says who it was that would betray him. He told the disciples, “One of you shall betray me.” He said, “One of you.” He had faith that was going to happen because it was supposed to happen. One of you shall betray me, he said. …And what thou doest do quickly? (Joh 13:27) He told Judas at the last moment. See, this is a job that God wants to done. God is using the hand of Judas. It's his plan. He's not going to depart from it. Act 2:23 him being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, (This was God's plan.) Ye by the hand of lawless men, did crucify and slay. God used the hand of lawless men. Now this is the word lawless here just happens to be the same word in 2 Thessalonians where it says 2Th 2:3 …the man of sin. (The word sin there, is lawlessness, the same word.) …berevealed the son of perdition. The son of perdition is the man of lawlessness and God used the hand of the son of perdition. Notice, He used the hand of a man of lawlessness to crucify the Body of Christ, and so it's going to be in our day. I've seen many of these folks. I've seen quite a few of them come against me in this ministry. And of course, they do humble you, they do crucify you. They do have a wonderful work in your life.
The Lord said to me one day when I was looking into this, one of those words of knowledge He gave me, He said, “Look up Judas Iscariot.” So I did and Judas is a Hebrew word that means, “to use the hand.” Wow! There it is again, “to use the hand.” So I looked up Iscariot and I found that Iscariot came from two words. Is, which is a Hebrew word for “man.” And “cariot” is a Babylonian word for “city.” Now if you put that all together, here's what you come up with, “to use the hand.” (Hebrew in this case it's Christian because we've been grafted into the olive tree.) “To use the hand of a Christian man who is a Babylonian city.” This was proven to me all through the scriptures after the Lord showed me this about this city that's in the midst of God's city. You know the Son of Perdition is a city of Babylon, a corporate body of people that are hidden in the corporate body of the City of God; God's people. So you've got an evil city, an evil corporate body of people in the midst of a righteous city. In other words, you've got a Babylonish temple in the midst of a true Temple of God.
Mat 5:14 ye are the light of the world. A city, that set on a hill cannot be hid. He said his disciples were a city. And here you've got this Babylonian city, “Iscariot,” a man who is a Babylonian city in the midst of them that doesn't belong there. You know the falling away and the mark will separate the spiritual harlot city from the true city of God. It will separate the spiritual harlot temple from the Temple of God. This is God's plan. The Body of Christ won't be ready to meet him until this happens. I'm going to prove that to you.
Judas was a type of the end time, Son of Perdition who betrayed Christ to the Sanhedrin. And the Sanhedrin in that day was the corporate false prophet. That's right, there was a corporate false prophet in Jesus's day and it's a much larger corporate false prophet in our day. There's no place in the Bible that says that there is one false prophet, not any place. There is a symbol of the false prophet in Revelation Chapter 13 and people call it the false prophet. But there's no words to say that. Jesus said there were many false prophets. That's a body there, a body of people. The second beast in Revelation 13 and we'll talk about that a little later.
Well, like Babylon was guilty of the blood of the Body of Christ and Revelation 18:24, so Judas was guilty of the blood of the Body of Christ. You see the parallel there? And Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation… (See, it's happening in a corporate way. It's going to happen in a corporate way) and shall kill you, and you shall be hated of all the nations…. (That’s the Beast Kingdom) for my namesake. And then shall many stumble. (Which is to fall away. Remember the falling away of the Son of Perdition?) Many shall stumble and shall deliver up one another and shall hate one another 11 and many false prophets shall arise. And she'll lead many astray. So you see, folks, it is going to happen just the way Jesus said. The people are looking at the types and the shadows, and they're basically repeating the types and the shadows, but not interpreting them. Jesus interpreted them for us.
Paul said in 2Th 2:4 (the son of perdition)he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. Twice he talked about exalting self and setting self forth as God. We'll look at that in a minute. First, I want to look at this word, he says “Sitteth in the Temple of God.” The word for Temple here is the word “naos” and it is used nine times by the apostle Paul, like in this case. And in every case that it is used, it is speaking about the spiritual temple of God's people in every case. Now the word temple, by the way, is used 71 more times, but it's the word “hereon”. And it's always used as the literal temple. What are we saying? What we're saying is that the Son of Perdition sits in the temple, but it's not a physical temple, it is the temple of God's people. Just like Judas sat in the midst of a temple. It was the Temple of God's people, the Body of Christ. And of course, the people who see only the letter they're pointing you towards something that's going to happen over there in the Middle East, they think. Which has nothing to do with your life and will be no help to you in the situation that you're about to find yourself. “The letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (2Co 3:6)
Just as Judas was in the body of the believers, the latter day, Son of Perdition will take the mark, (Which of course identifies him as a member of the body of the Beast.) and will sit in the midst of the Temple of God's people. So you've got a personal temple of Judas himself being in the midst of the Temple of God's people.
And this verse goes on to say, an abomination, which maketh desolate. It is an abomination for the beast to be in the Temple of God's people. And that's exactly who Judas was, and that's who Judas, the Son of Perdition in the future will be, because he will take the mark of the beast. He will have an abomination that maketh desolate. Everybody who takes that mark, as you know, will be desolate. God will depart from them. They will be what the Bible calls reprobate. Reprobate is a word used in the New Testament for the departure of God from an individual temple. But desolate is the term that's used for the corporate temple.
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but by their works they deny him, being abominable... There it is. These people who claim to know God, but their works don't prove that they don't agree with that. They claim to know God, but their works proved them to be abominable. That's an abomination in the midst of God's temple, when a person that does this, they profess they know God, but by their works, they deny Him being abominable and disobedient. There's not any premium put on obedience today. But if you're not obedient, you're abominable. And profess they know God. But by their works, they deny being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. And there is the word for desolate that concerns the individual temple. See, we are a body of temples that that is made into a holy temple according to Ephesians.
Notice that the son of perdition “exalts himself” in the verse that we just looked at “and he sets “himself” forth as God.” Do you know that that's pretty common? With the people who are disobedient and abominable whenever they go their own way, do their own thing, who is ruling in that temple? The Beast or God? Well, the flesh is, self is ruling in that temple. And you know, these parables are meant to hide these wonderful revelations from the wise and prudent, but revealed unto babes. He doesn't want the Pharisees to find out about it, and he don't want their people to find out about it. Because this is revelation that He's reserved for His children. So he “exalts self” to rule as God in his individual temple, which is in the corporate temple. So you've got a Babylonish temple in the midst of God's temple here. And by the way, there are many sons of perdition. So you're talking about a corporate temple in the midst of a corporate temple.
Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; You know what your belly represents? Something that cries out to be served and I tell you what, you serve it pretty good too, don't you? The belly represents “self” to the Jews that represented “self” They don't serve Christ, they serve their belly just like it says. He exalts “himself” he sets “himself” forth as God; Where? In the temple of the People of God. and by their smooth and fair speech, they beguile the hearts of the innocents. Oh yes, these sons of perdition, some of them are pretty smooth talkers. And they might be pretty impressive to some people, but they won't be to the right people, Php 3:18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: You know the cross, of course, is something we need to embrace. It is the death of self. You know why they don't want the death of self is because their belly is their God. They want to serve “self.” They don't want to serve Christ. If you don't take up your cross and follow Him, you will serve self, but you will also be reprobated at the end.
And in verse 19 whose end is perdition. (There they are, the sons of perdition. They serve self rather than serving Christ.) …their end is perdition, which is a word meaning destruction. They will be destroyed. whose God is the belly. They're sitting in the Temple of God serving “self” “Self” is ruling in the people of God. …whose God is the belly and whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things. What is this? This is what we talked about earlier. About the spiritual mark of the beast. The mark on the hand or on the forehead? The forehead, meaning the mind. Those who walk after the mind of the flesh serve their belly. They have the spiritual mark of the beast, and as we saw earlier, they will take the physical mark of the beast.
Now Judas also was an apostle. He was ordained to be a leader in the corporate temple. As some sons of perdition will also be in our day. The Beast will be ruling in the temple. See, if you have the spiritual mark of the Beast and you mind earthly things and you're walking after the mind of the flesh, which Paul said in Romans chapter 8, you must die if you do that. So if you mind these earthly things and you're sitting in the Temple of God, that's the Beast ruling in the Temple of God because you've got the “mark of the Beast” that identifies you as a member of the body of the Beast.
Now folks, let me tell you, we've got a corporate temple worldwide and in the midst of this temple, increasingly, the Son of Perdition will be coming to rule. You say, “David it looks like pretty much like that, now.” “Yes, I agree with you.” That is absolutely right. Before the end, we're going to prove which of these people will repent and which of them will go on into perdition as Sons of Perdition ruling in the body.
Now the Son of Perdition will take the mark, which is the final abomination that maketh him desolate. Kind of like the straw that breaks the camel's back. God says, thus far and no more, basically. They become the image of the Beast in the apostate temple, in the corporate apostate temple of all of the Sons of Perdition. And here's the proof, Dan 9:27 and he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week. We saw this was the spirit of the Roman Empire. The principality that that brought Rome together and ruled over the world. Because the rest of that text also speaks about the Prince of Greece and the Prince of Persia, and they're all talking about all the Princess there are principalities. And he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And upon the wing (or pinnacle) of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate.
Now, back up a little bit. Let's look at this, He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. We found out what the sacrifice was of the true Christian. It is to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service. (Rom 12:1) But when you take the mark of the beast, you no longer serve God because you're a member of the Beast you're now serving “self”. You're serving the beast; you're serving the flesh. And so, a person that goes into this covenant comes into agreement in this covenant, and takes the mark of the beast, that is causing “the sacrifice and the oblation to God to cease.”
Folks, there is a continual burnt offering that has been offered since the time of Jesus, and it is the Christians who have sacrificed their life taking up their cross to follow him. They are continually a burnt offering. They go through the fiery trials to burn up the wood, hay, and the stubble in their life. That is their sacrifice of their body. But I want to tell you that there are others in our midst that will not touch that with a 10-foot pole. That is not their plan. They don't want to lose their life in this world. Jesus said, if you don't lose your life in this world you won't gain your Zoe life, your higher life, your heavenly life.
So this covenant and this mark that identifies these people is the cause of the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And on the wing (or pinnacle) of abominations… Let me tell you that the pinnacle of abominations is the mark. Because just like Revelation 14 tells us that anybody that takes this mark is reprobated. They are going to be tormented day and night forever and ever in the presence of the angels. They are reprobated.
So, upon the pinnacle of abomination shall come one that maketh desolate. That is, the mark of the beast. And I want to say that for the corporate temple it is the image of the beast in the temple. The image of the beast, as we saw, the image or the icon, is created by the charagma or character. And the character is the word of God, Jesus Christ for our Kingdom. But the Beast also has his character. And it is being imprinted on the people who walk after the flesh, the mind of the flesh and the works of the flesh. They are serving their fathers, like Jesus told the leaders, “You're of your father, the devil.” That was the leaders of Judaism.
So this makes them desolate, which means, of course, deserted by God. Even unto a full end and that determined shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate. There they are, these people will go through the wrath of God, not the righteous. They'll go through the tribulation, but they won't go through the wrath. The wrath is that year in which the Sons of Perdition will go into and be destroyed. And of course Judas hanged himself, which is a spiritual thing, of cutting off the breath, or the spirit of life. He cut himself off from the spirit of life. The word, breath and spirit are the same in Hebrew. That's the spiritual type there.
Now the corporate Son of Perdition will take the mark and he will go back to his Christian assemblies to fulfill the word. Mat 24:15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand). Watch carefully now, When you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken by Daniel standing in the holy place.? No, literally the Greek word here is “a” holy place, but since people thought well, there is only one holy place, their theology got in there, so they just put it the way they wanted it. But did you know the Textus Receptus, which so many people rely on and commend, the ancient manuscripts, and the numeric pattern or the Numeric Bible all say, “a” holy place. “The” is not in their, the Received Texts, ancient manuscripts or numeric pattern; it's not there. “A” as opposed to “the” holy place implies individual bodies of believers that the son of perdition are in the midst of. When you see the abomination of desolation standing in a holy place; what did he tell you? Flee! That's the time of Great Tribulation, great tribulation. That means the 2nd 3 1/2 years. When you see that, that's the end of the peaceful time of being taught for 3 1/2 years by the Lord.
2Th 2:6 And now ye know that which restraineth, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. Now what keeps, or what restrains the son of perdition from being revealed? We have verse 3 Accept the falling away come first, the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. See the thing that restrains the revealing of the Son of Perdition is the falling away, it has to happen first. When Judas fell away, everybody knew, Aha, it's Judas! They were asking the Lord moments before. Well, so the thing that restrains the revealing of the. Son of tradition is the falling away. Just as the pattern with Judas clearly shows, he was hidden in the midst of the body, and the disciples didn't know it until the falling away happened. Then suddenly they realized Judas was the one Jesus was talking about.
2Th 2:7-8 for the mystery of lawlessness doth already work: only there is only there is one that restraineth now, until he become out of the midst. See the one that's restraining the coming of the Lord is the Son of Perdition in the midst of the body. I'm going to explain this in just a minute. …until he become out of the midst, he is restraining the coming of the Lord because he has to come out of the midst of the Body of Christ first. And this “become out of the mist” is what it says in the Greek numeric pattern. It's what it says in the Received Text, and it's what it says in the ancient manuscripts. So why did they translate it differently? Well, in the original is very clear what we're talking about here.
And the verse goes on, 8 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; And truly, when the Lord comes into your life, He is putting to death that old son of perdition, because there's a little bit of him in all of us, true. And he is in the body; he has to be put to death in the Body so that the body is spotless and blemishless.
Notice that the Lord is restrained from coming until the Son of Perdition “become out of the midst” of God's people, the temple. Peter said the lawless are them that walk after the flesh, in the lusts of defilement. There is a defilement in God's temple. The lawless being in the mist of God's temple, they are a defilement. They are a spiritual mark of the beast. An image of the beast in God's temple. They shall, in their destroying, be destroyed. Then what did he call them? Spots and blemishes. Wow, the man of lawlessness, the son of perdition is spots and blemishes in the Body of Christ. Revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you. Yes, they are deceivers. They are in our midst; they're not committing to discipleship. They walk after the flesh, they're not denying their life and they're not taking up their cross, but they feast with us. [2Pe 2:8-13]
God is coming for a spotless and blemishless bride. How can it be? We have spots and blemishes. Well, what did it say? …Until he become out of the midst. That's restraining the Lord from coming because in the body there are spots and blemishes. These people in the corporate body are the spots and blemishes. Clearly, the Bible says that in Matthew 13. It says that the Lord's going to gather the tares and bundle them into bundles to burn them, but he's going to gather the righteous into his barn. Listen, a portion of the Antichrist beast is in the midst of the true Temple, and they have to come out. 1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; Notice, they heard the same thing we've heard, that Antichrist cometh, but I want to tell you, even now, there are many antichrists and many of them are in the Body of Christ too, because he's fixing to say that right here, you have heard that Antichrist cometh, and even now have there is many antichrists whereby we know that it is the last hour. And some people argued that probably John didn't really know what the last hour was, but I want to tell you it was the last hour of the covenant that the Jews were being reprobated from who had disobeyed Christ and refused to step over into the faith era. It was the last hour of their covenant. Now we're coming to the last hour of our covenant. The last hour then was a type and a shadow of the last hour now.
And what did he say? Listen very carefully. “They” who was they? These many Antichrist. 1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; They went out from us. Antichrist. We recognize Antichrist as the beast in the world, and that's true. The whole world is Antichrist, according to 1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, lives in them, is Antichrist. That's what John says. If that be true then the whole world is Antichrist and we know that that's true.
But let me point out to you that that body of Antichrist is also in the Temple of God. They are these people who walk after the mind of the flesh and the works of the flesh and have his mark, just as the people of God have the mark of God in the mind and in the forehead. In the mind and in the hand, that is the works of Christ and the mind of Christ. The people of the devil are the same way, “they went out from among us and they were not of us.” Didn't Jesus say, did not choose you, the 12 and one of you is a devil. 19 …for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us. Now, why did they have to come out? Because in that day, just as in our day, the Son of Perdition has to come out of the midst because he is that Babylonish temple that's in God's temple that defiled temple, that’s in the midst of God's temple. The spots and blemishes that are in the midst of God's people.
Now let me read this to you. Some of you probably have never really understood this text in Mat 13:24 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. So we know that there's tares among the wheat. Notice it said, the Kingdom of heaven, not the kingdom of the world. The kingdom of heaven, is likened to a man that sowed good seed and among this good seed was sown tares. You know what that means? Among the Body of Christ there are these tares. 26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. Why? How can you tell the difference? Because a tare has a very tiny little fruit, there's very little fruit compared to the great big fruit of the of the wheat. 27 and the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it tares. 28 And he said unto them, an enemy had done this. That's right, these people are sowed into the Body of Christ by the enemy. They are not true members of the Body of Christ, but they're hidden in the midst, just like Judas was a son of perdition, a son of destruction, a son that will be destroyed, so to speak.
And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them... Now, why do you mean that? Because folks, let me tell you, the wheat needs the tares to come to maturity. We need the sons of perdition to bring us to our cross; that's their job. Jesus knew that. That's why he chose 12 and one of them was the devil. So here's what he says in verse 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares,… Now this bothers somebody cause he's talking about gathering up the first the tares. Folks, that's what's going to happen. There is going to be no rapture before the son of perdition is revealed before the falling away. That's what we just read very clearly in the black and white. It's not even deep, you see. …Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn. Well, that's God's Kingdom. That's God's temple we're talking about here, “gathered up first the tares.” See the mark of the beast in the middle of the tribulation, is to gather up first the tares and bundle them. Birds of a feather flock together. When Judas came out of the midst, guess who he gathered around with? When he came out of the mists, as a matter of fact he gathered with the Pharisees, didn't he?
Now when he gives the interpretation of this in verse 40As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom… All things wasn't in the original folks. There's no Greek word for things. They shall gather out of his Kingdom all that cause stumbling and them that do iniquity. Do you believe it? Yes, the whole reason for the tribulation and the mark of the beast and these things is so that God gathers together into bundles these people that cause stumbling and do iniquity and he's going to do that first before He gathers the Saints, did you notice? 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. He's bundling them up in order to throw them into the wrath of God. …there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the son in the kingdom of their Father. Notice, He gathers the tares into bundles first, in order to throw them in the fire. But then, because they're bundled together because the birds of a feather have flocked together, suddenly God's people shine forth in the Kingdom of their Father. Why is that? Because now the spots and blemishes are gone. The bride has now become the spotless and blemishless bride. You see, folks, they're leaving our Kingdom. Remember the parable at the beginning? He said, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a man that's so good seed in his field. But while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares in the man's field, the Kingdom of heaven.
Look, folks, we're not talking about who flies away first here, it's talking about who's leaving whose kingdom. They are leaving our Kingdom, the spots and blemishes. Not only corporately, but individually are going to be washed away. In your individual temple you’ve got spots and blemishes too. You know, it's little bits and pieces of the son of perdition in there I suspect. At any rate, he'll come to nought by the manifestation of the coming of Christ in you. And that was 2 Thessalonians says basically. Not just in you individually, but in you the corporate body. Boy, it's neat that things God's hidden in His word, it's just so awesome.
You know, he says that they're going to shine forth as the sun. Sun glory they've grown from star glory to moon glory to sun glory. The Bible says if we behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord will be transformed into that same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord's spirit, and Paul explains, these three glories in 1 Corinthians 15. You know what that's saying? That God is going to cleanse his individual bodies in the temple. He's going to cleanse the corporate body of the temple. He's going to cleanse the spots and blemishes that are in His Body so that it is a beautiful, glorious church, complete and ready to serve Him. We're going to know these sons of perdition when we see them. They're going to do the same thing that the first Son of Perditiondid. There will be no reasoning with these people. They don't have the Spirit of God in them to give them a conscience, or at least they won't act that.
Jesus was the most righteous man on the face of the earth, obviously. And yet Judas very unreasonably turned against Him, tried to manipulate Him and turn against Him and turned to the harlot and the beast to crucify Him. The harlot of that day, of course, was apostate Judaism and the false prophet was the Sanhedrin, and the beast was the Roman Empire that was ruling over the people of God. Judas used the harlot of that day and used the beast to crucify Jesus. That's exactly what's going to happen today. They're going to deliver up one another and many shall stumble. Many are going to fall away, in which the son of perdition will be revealed, and at that time they will use the harlot of our day, which is not necessarily apostate Judaism, but apostate Christianity, is the harlot you're going to worry about. They're going to use the harlot of our day to crucify the Body of Christ. They're going to use the beast of our day, the revived Roman Empire, the worldwide revived Roman Empire that's coming on the scene right now. They're going to use that to crucify the Body of Christ. I suspect folks that most everybody, every local body will have some of these people; at least one. You know the local body that Jesus chose to have together as a type and a shadow, there was one in the midst. He had a purpose. They have purposes in our day.
We generally don't choose to go to our cross without help. God is sending us help. I'm not talking about a physical cross. I'm talking about the cross Jesus said we would have to take up. The Cross of death to self. We're called to die to self. Jesus was as a lamb led to the slaughter. Many times these people will mercilessly persecute us, speak against us, rail about us, lie about us, you know, accuse us to everyone around us. But they're just a bunch of lions, sons of perdition that are there to bring us to our cross. They have a good work. They are bad, demon possessed people, but they have a good work. You know that God works all things together for our good. That has to include these people. They are for our good or He wouldn't permit them. Jesus wouldn't have chose one purposely knowing he was the son of the devil. Oh, he was very religious, let me tell you. Judas went out there and did miracles with the best of them or they would have all suspected him. They didn't suspect him, they even suspected themselves before they suspected him. “Is it I, Lord? Is it I?”
See the son of perdition wasn't revealed until the falling away came, and that happened about the middle of the tribulation period. When the mark of the beast is demanded, these people who have no Christian fortitude, who have no power from God in their life will take the mark. Judas was a thief, he was a liar. He proved he had no power of God in his life. These people will take the mark of the beast. They will be doing it for 3 1/2 years if you ask me. The beginning of it will be in the middle, but they will be attempting to put this on everybody and these people because they don't want to face their wilderness, they don't want to face death to self in the wilderness. They're going to do this, they're going to be an abomination that maketh desolate. These spots and blemishes are going to be cleansed out of the body. That evil Babylonish temple that's in the midst of God's temple will be removed. They will be bundled together. They will be their own Babylonish temple and Judas being an apostle and leader in the church. Let me tell you that the Babylonish temple has a bunch of leaders that are just like that. And I can tell you God has a plan for him. He's got what He calls the wrath of God. He will give them time to repent during the Tribulation period that is coming to prove who's who, who's the wheat and who's the tares. But at the end of that time, He will destroy him. God bless you, brethren.
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Sunday Oct 22, 2023
Trials of Faith Prepare Us For Battle (2)
David Eells - 10/22/23
The Desert Shed
Anonymous 4/20/23 (David’s notes in red)
I dreamed that I was given an opportunity to go stay at an Airbnb for a few weeks for free, and I was going to spend that time fasting and focusing 100% on God to get closer to Him. (It is good to fast from the world and the flesh to seek God. An Airbnb represents trusting in the heavenly provision for food and covering.)
I wasn't sure where the Airbnb was because someone took care of all the details and paid for it so it was free for me. (This is a spiritual place where Jesus paid for everything and has taken care of every detail of our lives with His life.) I had to go on a small private plane (representing being led into the wilderness through heavenly places in Christ.) to get there, and the plane flew into a desert (wilderness) where there was literally no one else. (It is our individual fellowship with the Lord like a feast of individual tabernacles.) There were barely any trees and the dirt was a bright orange color. (The dirt represents the flesh and its bright orange because of the burning heat of the sun/Son in the fiery trials of the wilderness.)
As we flew further out into the barren desert, I started feeling God's presence stronger and stronger; I assume it was because it's more into God’s creation and there are less spirits out there. (When we go into the wilderness, that’s where the Lord reveals Himself to each of us personally. The desert is where we learn to trust and be dependent on God only. Moses (a type of the Man-child) fled Egypt into the desert and was there 40 years (1st time), which was his tribulation before he was qualified to lead the Israelites through the desert (2nd time) for another 40 years. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert where He was tempted by satan, and He spent much time alone in the desert mountains fasting and praying. The apostle Paul received the revelation of Jesus Christ and the Gospel from the Lord while he was alone in Arabia.)
As I was looking down, my flesh had slight fear of how strong God's presence was and I knew that the old man was dying just by being here and the Holy Spirit was rising. Pro 9:10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Psa 119:120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; And I am afraid of thy judgments.
The plane landed in the desert area next to a silver shed. (The silver shed represents our spiritual tabernacle in the wilderness. Silver is the refining and purifying away of the dross (flesh). Pro 17:3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; But Jehovah trieth the hearts. Psa 12:6 The words of Jehovah are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, Purified seven times.)
There was a small old-looking house not far from the shed that looked abandoned. (The small old, abandoned house represents our old carnal life which we gave up to follow the Lord into our spiritual wilderness.) I got out, and the pilot said he would pick me up in a few weeks, and he went back into the air, and I went and walked around the shed. There was no internet service for reception (no worldly electronic distractions) and no way to get help from man or self-works. The Airbnb was a large open plain shed without a door. (The veil has been torn by what Jesus did at the cross so we can come directly into the presence of our Father in the Holy of Holies.)
Inside, it had a table with chairs, (to partake of the Table of the Lord) there was a small room with a door, and inside to the right there was a bed. (to enter the rest) Located outside the shed was an outdoor shower and toilet. (This represents cleansing our soul of the defilements of flesh and spirit; our sanctification. It is done outside because nothing unclean can come into the Holy of Holies.)
Although there wasn’t much there, I was completely satisfied. (The soul is satisfied and sustained with the Word in the presence of the Lord. Isa 58:11 and Jehovah will guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in dry places, and make strong thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.) This is a place in the wilderness with no distractions of the world. (Rev 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (3 ½ years)
I explored the area and found that there was a cliff edge over the ocean and the land was so very high up. (This represents Mt. Zion and the promised land high above the ocean representing the peoples tribes etc..) The temperatures were not as hot as I was expecting but it was still warm with a nice breeze. (When we go willingly into our own wilderness to let the Lord do His refining work in us, the trials are not as hot as they could be if we resist what God wants to do in our sanctification process. 2Co 12:9 And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.)
I spent the time here growing closer to the Lord and staying here was a big help to crucify my flesh spiritually and physically.
Saved From Leviathan
Marie Kelton 7/10/23 (David’s notes in red)
During the meeting I had an open vision of a desert place. (The wilderness) I saw a stone or concrete slide that was next to a small body of water. The water was a turquoise color. (Turquoise is a blue-green color and often associated with “waters of the Caribbean.” These waters appear very clear and blue because they are shallow, and there is a lack of Plankton, which are a crucial source of food in the sea. These waters could represent taking a vacation, which the world does. It represents a distraction from the daily grind. But the Body of Christ should stay focused on eating the Word of God and continuing to serve the Lord.) I saw my spirit man get on a slide and slide into the water. When my spirit man went into the water, it was very deep. In the water was a huge, long black creature; I knew it was Leviathan.
Leviathan (the serpent) swam around my spirit man, like it was about to attack her. My spirit reached up like she was trying to escape. I then saw the hand of Lord come down and pull my spirit man out of the water and placed her on the land that was on the other side of the body of water. (Psa 18:16-17 He sent from on high, he took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from them that hated me; for they were too mighty for me. Psa 31:8 And thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; Thou hast set my feet in a large place. Psa 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; Thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, held me up.)
My spirit man then turned toward the desert with her back toward the body of water. (I knew that meant that I had to continue to walk through the wilderness.) (We should not entertain vacations from the wilderness training grounds for the promised land is where that leads.)
I asked the Lord what the body of water was, the Leviathan was in. I heard Him say, "Waters of deception." (These are fleshly appealing luxuries we cannot afford if we want to win the race.) Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. Col 2:4 This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.
The Lord will destroy the old serpent when He’s done tempting us. Psa 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces; Thou gavest him to be food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. (Babylon is being plundered to build the Kingdom.) Isa 27:1 In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea.)
Light Track
Samuel Fire 1/11/23 (David’s notes in red)
I saw a tall mountain (Mt Zion) from a distance. Then I saw many people making a journey to the top. (Many people start out with us on the Way to holiness and maturity.) However, most of the people took different paths to get there. Some did follow the same parts of another’s path but took diversions and added length and time to the journey. (We are to follow Jesus and keep His ways, not turning to the left or the right. When we try to go another way, it takes more time and effort, and if we are diverted we have to start over. The Israelites’ journey through the wilderness could have been a very short journey to the Promised Land but sin, rebellion and unbelief made it longer and some died there.) Deu 5:32-33 Ye shall observe to do therefore as Jehovah your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 Ye shall walk in all the way which Jehovah your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
I then saw who resembled to be the Lord Jesus at the very peak and there was a path He made for them to follow along the mountain. (The Lord leads us up to high places; He is calling many to come and follow Him.) (Isa 30:21 and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Psa 23:1-3 A Psalm of David. Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.) Psa 5:8 Lead me, O Jehovah, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; Make thy way straight before my face. Pro 8:20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice;
It seemed that each of the people making the trek up the mountain had a map and some ignored it, and some followed as close as possible. (The Word of God (Jesus) is our map. When Jesus called His disciples, He said, “Follow Me” and “I am the way”. Some follow Jesus closely and others ignore what God has said.) Joh 1:1 In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life:…
(Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path. Psa 43:3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: Let them bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy tabernacles. Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life)
It felt that all these people making the journey to the top are brethren with different trials and types of life (And different callings), that’s why there were different paths. NENT Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the world’s foundation, that we be holy and without blemish before him in love: Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then I saw in another vision, individual light rays coming from a lightbulb, illuminating a room. All the light rays travelled outwardly separately and independent of one another and filled the room with the light source. (The source of Light that filled the room is the Lord Jesus, and the room represents each individual who make up the one Body of Christ.) Joh 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.
(Joh 12:36 While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light. 2Co 4:6 Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.)
NENT Rom 12:4-5 For even as we have many members in one body, but all the members have not the same office: 5 so we, the many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
Then I saw how if the direction of the light rays were to return to the source, the quickest path is to go directly in a straight path. But each ray was never in the same spot as another, and none would reach the source if being diverted or blocked. (Jesus said His words are spirit and life and our born-again spirit returns to the Lord.)
(Joh 3:13 And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. Ecc 12:7 and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.) Isa 40:3 The voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God. Psa 107:7 He led them also by a straight way, That they might go to a city of habitation.
Seeking In Secret
Anonymous 12/17/22 (David’s notes in red)
I heard in prayer and The Lord spoke:
He said, “Shut out everything.” (Close off all distractions, the enemy always uses everything he can to distract us from seeking God’s presence and to distract us from staying in God’s rest.) (Seeking His will through the trials is a test of Faith and devotion to the Word. Just as Job gave acknowledgement and glory to God during his trials. Job 1:8 And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.)
He said, “Prayer closet.” (Dedicate more of your time to God and His Spirit, not the flesh.) (“You have not because you ask not.” Being intimate with God in prayer has eternal rewards. Distractions will try to steal this time with God.)
He said, “Have patience.” (Knowing that your prayers will be answered in His perfect time.) Jas 1:3-4 knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. 4 And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. Rom 5:3-5 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; 4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: 5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. (“He that endureth to the end shall be saved.”)
He said, “Speak out when you can see the enemy attack, call out to Me.” (Alert the Saints and respond to duty. God sends these tests to cause us to get in line with His Word so the enemy has no advantage.) (There is safety in numbers because some brethren may have overcome some specifics that we have not encountered. It is not only Christ in you, but in your brothers and sisters too.)
He said, “Turn up the heat, get into deep, fervent and desperate prayer!” (“The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much.” “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”)
He said, “Laugh the enemy to scorn for he does this all the time.” (Calling out the enemy’s bluff and stay in the resolve of Jesus and the truth of the Word.) (The majority of trials are enemy lies, or a twisted truth to deceive. Symptoms, curses and afflictions – never last. Only Jesus is the everlasting!)
He said, “That test is to turn it all back for what it is.” (Refute and retake the stolen things back from the enemy.) (Act 3:20-21 and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus: 21 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old.)
He said, “In humility give all gratefulness that nothing is done for you or to you, unless I allow it.” (Praise God in all things, praise Him for He is in control, and we can trust Him only.) (Psa 149:6-9 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, And punishments upon the peoples; 8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: This honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jehovah.)
He said, “Seek Me in fear and gladness for everything.”
He said, “Bring the life of Christ into the open.” (Reveal the greatest of things for all to experience.) (Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.)
He said, “Love all and be showing the example of Him.” (God through us to others.) (Rom 13:8 ASV Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.)
He said, “See that nothing is allowed into Me unless passes the test of being in the image of My Son.” (Nothing of self or evil can ever imitate.) (A final result of our trials is more of Christ revealed. “Christ in you the hope of glory.”)
He said, “As you look to Me by the Word and heart, you can see I look through all things.” (There is nothing that can be hidden from God.) (Only the wicked do not believe He sees all and will do anything about it.)
He said, “When you see that you need Me in everything and when you are that desperate, you can see Me in others too.” (Everyone is in dire need for more of the Lord Jesus and His salvation.)
He said, “Pray in tongues and write down interpretation you get.” (Exercising the gifts to be trained and gain experience.)
He said, “Seeking the Lord in servitude and want.” (Nothing for selfish gain) (But to serve the Kingdom.)
He said, “Draw close to Him” (Honestly and sincerely prefer The Lord as priority always.) (Talk to Him for He desires our fellowship.)
He said, “Fan the flames that burn the traps and attacks.” (Nothing can withhold you when the fire of the Lord burns everything evil. Praise and worship engulfs the evil.)
He said, “Add to the fire the fuel of the Word and continue to add each verse in thought as it burns.” (Keep the fire burning with explosive power)
He said, “The light shines as the flames burn brighter in the zeal and desire of the Father.” (Love burns so hot, it eliminates all darkness.)
(Return us Lord into Your wonderful garden and keep us hedged around and protected from all evil, under Your wings, in Your promises.)
The Fiery Trial to Overcome the Flesh
David Eells
You know, we have to make decisions. Every day we’re faced with a decision. If you decide the easy way, which is the flesh way, then you say, “Okay, devil, you can rule over this flesh.” That’s what you’re really saying. Of course, we can see it across the country, too – people who are so-called Christians rising up against the government and actually being used of the enemy who is going to invade this country. But God said, My power is made perfect in weakness (2Co.12:9). (9) And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
We need to see how the power of God comes to those who will enter into weakness of self. The commands, many of the principles, but also the commands of God, are to put us into a position of weakness. If you obey the commands of Christ, you will be weak and you’ll cease from your works. You will not be able to handle the situation yourself. You will have to trust in God to do it, if you obey His commands. (2Co.13:4) For he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you. Weakness brings the power of God.
Weakness brings crucifixion in the flesh, but it also brings the power of God to bring resurrection. Resurrection life is what we’ve all wanted from God, but many times we won’t pay the price for it. We ask God for the fruit of Jesus to live in us, but before you can have the fruit, you have to give up the lust. The two war against one another, they seek to occupy the same territory in your life. They can’t both live together. The lust must be crucified in order for the new man to live in you and for the fruit to be borne. Anger and forgiveness can’t be in the same place. You can do one or you can do the other, but you won’t do both.
Christ was crucified through weakness. He obeyed God’s word to Him. As a matter of fact, it appears to be a command to Him and He passed on that command to us. To me, it’s one the most important commands in all of the Scriptures for those who want to bring forth fruit. (Isa.50:5) The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward. (6) I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (7) For the Lord God will help me; therefore have I not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
You’ll recognize this as a prophecy about Jesus. But His ears were open to the Lord’s command and His command to Jesus was that He was to give His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. That command has been passed on to us. It wasn’t a request; it was a command. (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. (40) And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
(41) And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two. (42) Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. The reason I say that this is such an important command of Jesus is because of our human nature. The lusts of the flesh rise up against a person who wants to obey these Scriptures. You can imagine in your mind turning the other cheek, either in word or in deed or in action of some kind, and you know what kind of lusts rise up inside of you when you try to do this.
There’s a war that goes on inside you when you do this. Jesus fought that war. (Gal.5:19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these:] fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) idolatry, sorcery (from here on you can identify these as having to do with this command), enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, (21) envyings (maybe some of these don’t apply so much), drunkenness, revelings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. These things must be put to death.
You know, the Lord has given us a method to put these works of the flesh to death. He spoke to me one time and He said, “You don’t get resurrection life before you get death.” That was at a time I was trying to bring some people into resurrection life and they weren’t entering into the death part. If you want fruit, these lusts have to die. They have to die on this side of Heaven. That’s the purpose of God. God’s grace delivers from sin; it doesn’t just cover sin. Yes, it’s wonderful that it covers sin, but that’s just for the meantime so that you can have fellowship with God until you manifest its full deliverance.
Jesus came to do away, to destroy the works of the devil and that’s what we’re talking about here. Most of these lusts are affected by just one command of Jesus and they’re put to death by obedience to just one command of Jesus, and that is, “Resist not him that is evil.” It’s one of the most important and most neglected doctrines in all of the Scriptures. This regards bearing our cross of death to self. We are to resist the Devil and to defend the weak.
Let’s read on. (Gal.5:22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. (24) And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. Well, the Lord said that we had to take up our cross and follow Him as in Matthew 16:24. We just saw that “he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth through the power of God” (2Co.13:4).
If we’re going to enter into the resurrection life of Jesus in the earth, we have to enter into this death. We have to take up our cross. I don’t think many people realize that Jesus always bore a cross. It wasn’t just at the end of His life. He bore a cross His whole life by denial of self. He “hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin” (Heb.4:15). And “each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed” (Jas.1:14). Jesus was “of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Rom.1:3).
I know a lot of people don’t believe that, but I’m just quoting what the Bible says. According to the Spirit, He was the Son of God (Romans 1:4), but according to the flesh, He was of the seed of David. You know what? He was tempted. That flesh Jesus had was real flesh. He was a great God because He came down in the likeness of sinful flesh and overcame sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3).
But He bore a cross all of His life and that cross was to deny self, to deny the old man to live through Him. He wouldn’t permit the lusts of the flesh to speak or to live through Him. And we have to take up our cross and follow Him or we cannot be His disciple. Taking up our cross is to walk as He walked. We probably won’t be called upon to bear the physical cross of Jesus, but we’re definitely called upon to bear this spiritual cross that He always bore as to the denying of self.
The commands of Jesus put you in a position of weakness. If you obey them, your flesh is going to squirm and it’s going to writhe and it’s going to try to rise up on the inside of you. It’s going to tell you, “No, don’t believe that doctrine,” but it’s just too prevalent, too common in the Scriptures to deny it. Jesus said, “resist not him that is evil” (Mat.5:39). I tell you, your flesh rises up on the inside of you and it says, “No, no, no! Hit back, talk back, do something, get even!” That flesh just doesn’t want to die. It’s a crucifixion.
You can always tell when the flesh is in trouble because it squeals like a stuck pig. If you don’t ever go against it, you don’t ever hear it squeal, but I can tell you that the commands of Jesus are going to put you at variance with the flesh. They’re going to cause the flesh to be seen by you very plainly. It’s easy, before you read the Scriptures, to think you’re doing pretty well, that everything’s alright. Then you start reading the Scriptures and you see commands like this and, if you start to obey them, you’ll find out what lives in you. You’ll find out what’s way down inside of you when it shows its ugly head and when you go against it, that’s where the power of God takes over.
We want the fruit of the Spirit, but before the fruit of the Spirit comes the crucifixion of the lusts. Jesus taught us. He was an example to us. A lot of people think He was an example so that we wouldn’t have to die. No, Jesus didn’t die so that we wouldn’t have to die. Jesus died so that we could die. I’m talking about dying spiritually, dying to self, not about dying physically, but dying to self. He died to make it possible for us to die.
Those who refuse to take up their cross and follow Him, those who refuse to obey His commands, are refusing to be disciples. It doesn’t matter that they call themselves Christians. I want to show you that Jesus turned the other cheek, but He did it as an example to us. When Jesus was before Pilate and the Sanhedrin He resisted not the evil. He did turn the other cheek. (Mat 27:12-13 ASV And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?) He had the power to say “No” to the flesh. He had more power than the disciples understood He had because they thought they were going to save Him with the sword.
(Mat.26:52) Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. He said, “Don’t you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels (Matthew 26:53)?” Look, Jesus had power they didn’t know of to keep from going to the cross. He didn’t have to resort to man’s arm of the flesh. One angel in the Old Testament killed 185,000 men in 2 Kings 19:35, and Jesus is talking about calling 72,000 angels here. That’s power! Christians need to realize that their power is not in the arm of the flesh. Their power is in the Kingdom of Heaven, but that power shouldn’t be used when you’re going to the cross. That power should be used to fulfill God’s Will.
In the very next verse after Jesus said, “Don’t you know I could call more than 12 legions of angels?” He said, “how then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be” (Mat.26:54)? We want the Scriptures to be fulfilled in us, which is the manifestation of Christ; however, they won’t be fulfilled, if you refuse to go to your cross. Just as Jesus had a free will and He could have called the 12 legions of angels, we have a free will and we could, in many cases, walk away from our cross. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be faced with it again. We will be faced with it again and again because God is merciful. And we’ll be faced with it until we get it right or just run out of time because we are running out of time.
We’ve been put here to bear fruit and we’ve been given a certain amount of time to do that. There’s a door closing on the other end of this life. My wife saw a vision like that, on a treadmill. The door ahead was closing. We had to run faster and faster in order to get through the door before it closed. The treadmill was imperceptibly picking up speed going in the opposite direction and we had to run faster and faster. That’s the way the world is. The world is picking up speed going in the opposite direction, but there’s a door closing.
We’re running a race but, let me say, this is not a race against one another; this is a race against time. There’s a door closing. You have to bear fruit or else you’ll be called what the Scripture and Jesus called an “unprofitable servant” cast forth into outer darkness (Matthew 25:30). There’s no such thing as bearing fruit without the cross. I’m going to point out just a few of Jesus’ commands and show you that when you obey them, they put you in a position of weakness. You cannot defend yourself. You cannot hit back. You cannot do any of the things that your flesh wants because, if you do, your flesh will live and it will get stronger.
(Rom.8:13) For if ye live after the flesh (in other words, if you walk in submission to the flesh), ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. We want the new man to live and there’s only one way that can happen – the old man has to die. They live in the same house. The spiritual man was supposed to go into the Promised Land and kill that enemy and live in his house and we are, in one parallel, that promised land. That spiritual man is Christ in us and He’s the spiritual man in every one of us Who seeks to take over this vessel.
(1Pe.2:18) Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (19) For this is acceptable (the literal translation is actually “grace”), For this is grace, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. Grace? That’s right. God sends us through grace down here on this earth. Sometimes we don’t look on it as grace, but it’s wrongful suffering. He calls it grace. That’s the original word there. We have to go through suffering. (Act.14:22) … Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
We must go through suffering because the flesh doesn’t die without suffering. If you’re not suffering, then you’re not ceasing from sin. Peter said, He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1Pe.4:1). That’s because when you’re suffering, when the flesh is suffering – and I’m talking about that entity of the old man in you, the mind of the flesh in you – when that old man is suffering, it means that he’s not getting his way. I’m not talking about this physical flesh suffering, you understand. I’m talking about that entity that lives in us that wants to gratify self. If he’s not suffering, you’re not bearing the cross; you’re not obeying the commands of Jesus.
So Peter called it “grace” here. (1Pe.2:20) 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 grace with God. The last thing we want is to do right and to have wrong done to us in return. We want justice. We want our rights. The flesh demands its rights, but the flesh is a dead man. We reckon the old man to be dead unto sin (Romans 6:11) and dead men don’t demand rights. Dead men don’t have rights. You can slap them on one cheek and they’ll turn the other one every time. That’s the way Jesus commanded us.
If you want that old man to die, then don’t feed him. Just don’t obey him and he’ll die. This is grace with God. (1Pe.2:21) For hereunto were ye called…. We were called to suffer wrongfully, to suffer in what the world would call “wrongfully.” In other words, we’re called to suffer when we do right. (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. But when we are called to defend the flock from wolves we should point out their sin as was done in scripture.
In other words, Jesus left judgment, wrath and payback in the hands of God, concerning self. Peter said Jesus left this example to us so that we should follow in His steps. Every day we’re going to have an opportunity to do this. There’s just no way you could live in this life without having an opportunity to do this. Don’t waste your time. Redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16), the Scripture says. This is what we’re here for. Suffering is one of God’s greatest methods, to put to death your flesh so that Christ can live in you.
(1Pe.3:13) And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good? (14) But even if ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; (15) but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: (16) having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.
(17) For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. (18) Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit. We can see a spiritual type there in the life of Christ. When he resisted not the evil, he was put to death in the flesh, but he was made alive in the spirit. This is a spiritual type for us because, if we want to be made alive in the spirit, we must be put to death in the flesh. (1Pe.4:14) If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed [are ye;] because the [Spirit] of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you.
(15) For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men’s matters: but if [a man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. (17) For the time [is come] for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if [it begin] first at us, what [shall be] the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? (18) And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? (19) Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God (That doesn’t fit the prosperity doctrine very well, does it?) commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator. Commit your soul unto a faithful creator.
Jesus obeyed His own command in Matthew 5:39 and He was crucified for it. I can imagine several places where He could have interjected just a little bit of truth and totally turned the situation around, such as when He talked about, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (Joh.2:19). Of course, he spake of the temple of his body (21), but that’s not what was brought out at the trial by the Sanhedrin and I never saw Him even objecting to it, though He knew what He was meaning. He didn’t bother to stick up for Himself.
There’s one person from the Old Testament who really impressed me with his understanding of not resisting him that is evil and that’s David. He obeyed this. I’ve seen probably a half-dozen to a dozen good examples of where David obeyed this doctrine. He seemed to be way ahead of his time in an understanding of what it was that pleased God. He seemed to be almost walking in New Testament revelation in some areas of this resisting not evil and it definitely bore fruit in his soul.
(Psa.38:12) They also that seek after my life lay snares [for me,] And they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and meditate deceits all the day long. (13) But I, as a deaf man, hear not; And I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. (14) Yea, I am as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproofs. (15) For in thee, O Lord, do I hope: Thou wilt answer, O Lord my God. David put his trust in God to bring about justice, just as the Lord did (1 Peter 2:23), and not with his own tongue, nor in his own strength. In fact, as we read on here, you’ll see that David knew and understood God’s purpose.
You know, it’s a fiery trial when you resist not the evil, no matter what form it is. This so-called righteous indignation rises up on the inside of you wanting justice, but listen, folks, we can’t afford justice. Nobody reading this can afford justice. We want mercy. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful (Psa.18:25). If you get justice, you’re in trouble. Did you know that? God gives justice to some and He gives mercy to others (Romans 9:21-23). Christians get mercy. The world doesn’t always get mercy. But, I’ll tell you what, the only thing we better show to the world is mercy because God’s going to be merciful and forgiving to those who are merciful and forgiving. And to those who are not merciful, He’s going to give justice. Mat 18:34-35 ASV And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. 35 So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not everyone his brother from your hearts. Justice is not what we can afford.
Everybody doesn’t even get a revelation of God in this world, but they get justice because every man is going to reap what he sows (Galatians 6:7). People ask, “What do you do with the wicked who never hear the name of Christ?” No problem. They’re going to get justice being judged by their own conscience. Everybody in this world is going to at least get justice, but the Christians, the true Christians, are going to get mercy and grace.
God’s not doing wrong by doing that because He’s at the very least giving justice to people. But we better pray that we don’t get justice because that means we’ll pay for what we’ve done and what we are doing that is wrong. David understood this and Jesus understood this. So David says, “for I said, Lest they rejoice over me: When my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me” (Psa.38:16). (17) For I am ready to fall, And my sorrow is continually before me. (18) For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
(19) But mine enemies are lively, [and] are strong; And they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. (20) They also that render evil for good Are adversaries unto me, because I follow the thing that is good. (21) Forsake me not, O Lord: O my God, be not far from me. (22) Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. (39:1) I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. (2) I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred. (3) My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned; [Then] spake I with my tongue: (4) Lord, make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; Let me to know how frail I am.
You know, when David resisted not the evil, when he kept his mouth shut when he was really being pressured to speak up, he said the fire burned in him. Have you ever felt that fire? I have. It’s just like a real fire burning in you. It’s a fiery trial that’s come to prove you and to burn up the wood, hay and stubble.
You know, we’ve been told that the fiery trial is in the next life, but that’s as big a lie as has ever been told. (1Co.3:12) But if any man buildeth on the foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; (13) each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself shall prove each man’s work of what sort it is. Here is where you go through the fiery trial to burn up the wood, hay and stubble, not in the next life. The Bible says “the day shall declare it.” There are no days in eternity.
This is where the fiery trial comes. But you can avoid the fiery trial very easily. All you have to do is not obey the commands of Jesus. If you don’t obey Him, it’s easy to avoid those kinds of trials and quite often we’ll go around them, but what we’re doing is putting off the day of crucifixion and the day of bearing fruit. God wants to motivate us with many, many Scriptures that today is the day of salvation. Today is God’s day of deliverance 2Co 6:2 (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation):
I found many places where David understood this. One of them is when Nabal’s herds had been protected by David and his men out in the wilderness (1 Samuel 25:16). By the way, Nabal means “fool.” And David’s men were sent to Nabal to get some supplies for his men, who were living in the wilderness, and Nabal answered them very roughly and sent them back without any help (1 Samuel 25:10,11,14). So David had decided, “I’ll just go over there and take his head off” (1 Samuel 25:22).
Meanwhile, Nabal’s wife, who was a very understanding and wise woman, decided she was going to go meet David and ask his forgiveness and she did (1 Samuel 25:24). And one thing she said is, “Thank God that the Lord has withheld you from avenging yourself at your own hand” (1 Samuel 25:26,31). She said that twice. Then David thanked her for her part in bringing that to pass (1 Samuel 25:32,33).
You know, there’s something wrong about us avenging ourselves with our own hand. (Rom.12:19) 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. He said, if you do this, “thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head” (20). In other words, it’s God’s job to repay. If we repay, then God has to whip us because we’ve been commanded over and over not to repay. If we do it, He’s going to whip us, but He doesn’t have to whip them.
I’ll give you an example. If you have two kids and you tell them, “Now, look, don’t you hit back. If so-and-so does something to you, you come and tell me; I’ll take care of it. If one of them hits back, then the other one has already gotten his punishment. In that case, why should I hit him again? I’m going to have to hit you since you’re the one who needs the whipping because you disobeyed me.” Here’s the point. This is the way God does things. If He tells us. “Don’t do it,” there’s a purpose in it. (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is 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]. What we can do must be done in the spirit; it must be done through the power of faith. It can’t be done in the flesh. We can be used of God to speak prophetic words that bring judgment on those who harm and kill his people but this should not be personal vengeance.
Let me show you a really good example of this from David. (2Sa.16:5) And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. (6) And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. (7) And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow: (8) the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned …
Well, I don’t know if Shimei knew it or not, but David had opportunity about three times to kill Saul. It was in his hand to do it and he wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t resist the evil. He wouldn’t repay. He left that to the Lord and the Lord took care of that. The Lord used the Philistines to take Saul and almost his whole family out (1 Samuel 31:6), but He didn’t blame David for it. David even had to dodge some of Saul’s spears and his evil spirits (1 Samuel 18:11, 19:10).
And Shimei continued his railing… And the Lord hath delivered the kingdom unto the hand of Absolom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood. (2Sa.16:9) Then said Abishai the son of Zeruah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse the lord my king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. (10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David … Do you see that? “The Lord hath said unto him, ‘Curse David.’”
David wasn’t wrong here. The Lord works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). He sends wicked people to us to crucify this flesh. It’s His purpose to do that, just as He sent and used the hand of wicked men to crucify the Lord. (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. God used these vessels of dishonor. He used the people of Israel and He used the wicked Roman empire to crucify the Lord, as the Scripture says.
It’s the same way with us. He put us here in the midst of a bunch of wolves. Jesus said, “I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luk.10:3). We have been put here for crucifixion and the world is designed to crucify us. If you don’t understand that, you don’t understand the sovereignty of God. God designed this world to crucify us. Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). Stop and think. The lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Before Adam fell, God designed a Savior. Do you think we’re in Plan B? Nope. We’re in Plan A. There never has been a Plan B because God is sovereign. He designed this world to manifest sons and to do that you have to have a fallen nature to begin with. You have to have somebody who does not deserve God’s goodness. That’s where you have to start out because God wasn’t creating angels.
If He was creating angels, He wouldn’t have had to make man at all. God didn’t want angels. He wanted somebody who was fallen and picked up by the grace of God. You remember what Jesus said to one of the Pharisees? (Luk.7:40) And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Teacher, say on. (41) A certain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred shillings, and the other fifty. (42) When they had not [wherewith] to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most? (43) Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
(47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, [the same] loveth little. In other words, “Who is forgiven much, loveth much.” See, we’re going to know how to love God because we don’t deserve anything. We have fallen and have been picked up by grace, not by our works, by grace. We don’t deserve anything but justice, but pray you don’t get it because God’s grace and mercy is far above justice. That’s why we have to be graceful with other people. Don’t give them what they deserve; you may get what you deserve. (Mat.7:2) For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.
Don’t think that you’re going to give somebody justice because you’ll get it back. Give them mercy. Give them grace. God will judge them. God may even judge them out of your mouth, but understand that it won’t be with your flesh. The prophets spoke judgments. In the book of Revelation, prophets speak judgment (Revelation 11:6). I’m convinced that everything that happens in the book of Revelation comes out of the mouth of God’s children. Many of the curses today that are coming upon this world are coming out of the mouth of God’s children.
In fact, I’m convinced that all of them do. God is bringing judgment and He’s doing it through His people. They’re speaking that judgment, but they’re not doing it with the arm of the flesh. You know, we can’t rise up against this government (Romans 13). If you do, God promises, “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (26:52). But, we can tear down this government because God has a Kingdom that’s coming. The saints are going to possess the Kingdom and they’re going to take it from the beast. And they’re going to do it in the spirit realm. They are not going to do it in the flesh. In the flesh, they must be crucified. In the flesh, you must cease. You must desist. You must resist not him who is evil.
In the spirit realm, we can do many mighty things. God has planned it that way so that your spirit man will be strong, but your flesh will be weak. That’s the way God’s salvation, God’s deliverance, is going to come. David understood that the Lord had commanded this and we need to understand this, too. All we have to do is read Job to see that circumstances are the same today as they were back then. (Job 2:10) … What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?…. And you know what? Job repented after God answered him in chapters 38-40. He repented of his self-righteousness. He repented in Job 42:1-6 and God gave him back what he’d lost in Job 42:10. But God used crucifixion in Job’s life. Job wasn’t physically doing wrong things; he wasn’t in outward immoral disobedience. His problem was self-righteousness. He had to repent and God brought this against him to bring him to repentance.
David, too, was put in a position of crucifixion by God. God sent this enemy against him and David understood that. And he said, (2Sa.16:10) And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? (11) And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. “The Lord hath bidden him.” Think about that the next time people come against you and want to put you on the cross but you keep wanting to climb down. We do want to climb down off that cross, but you can’t drive the nails. God has designed the wicked to put the cross in the ground and drive the nails. That’s their calling in this world.
God has vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor. He has vessels of grace and vessels of wrath. They’re all going to do His Will, one way or the other. All things serve the Lord and He works all things after the counsel of His Own Will (Ephesians 1:11). If you understand this, you can walk in grace and peace in this world, no matter what comes against you, because God put you there for a purpose. He put you there to be crucified and He put you there so that you would learn to use the weapons of your warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4).
You know, sometimes the Lord sends the devil against you just so you can defeat him. He’ll send him against you. He’ll send the enemy against you but He doesn’t want you to go against him by wrestling with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Remember that the Bible says, “resist not him that is evil” (Mat.5:39). On the other hand, it says “resist the devil” (Jas.4:7). “Resist not him that is evil” is talking about man. We don’t wrestle with flesh and blood. When they wrestled with flesh and blood in the Old Testament, that was a type and shadow of them wrestling with principalities and powers. Go back over there and read the names of those kings and the names of those tribes that were conquered and study in the Hebrew what those names mean. You’re going to find out they’re all the lusts of the flesh and demon spirits.
That’s who the Israelites were spiritually wrestling with and everything that happened to them was a type and a shadow for us. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. So go back to the Old Testament and look at it carefully. You’ll see what they wrestled with. Today we think we’re supposed to carry on an Old Testament-type warfare in the way we war with people, but you can’t grow if you do that and God will chasten you if you do that because you’re rebelling against His Word. And David said, “the Lord hath bidden him” (2Sa.16:11). (12) It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day.
David is saying that the Lord will pay him back good for his resisting not evil. If the Lord’s going to bless you for it, go ahead and let them curse. Didn’t Jesus say you’d be blessed when men would curse you? Absolutely (Matthew 5:11). Didn’t He say the spirit of grace and the Spirit of God would rest upon you? Have you ever experienced that? I have. When I first learned of this doctrine, the Lord put me in situations where I did, by His grace, turn the other cheek and I felt the power of God on me for going through that. It’s just a great anointing that comes upon you when you obey God in the place where you want to defend yourself and you refuse to do it. You, instead, leave it in the hands of God and you won’t defend yourself.
If you do defend self, then the old man will live; he’ll climb down off that cross. Even though he’s crucified, he’s not totally dead yet, so he can still climb down. It’s true that we have to reckon him dead (Romans 6:11), but until he is dead, don’t let him live; don’t feed him. Do you know what fasting is a type of? Well, when you fast, you’re not feeding the flesh. What does it do when you don’t feed it? It gets weak. What does that do? It makes the spiritual man strong. There’s a reason for fasting and there’s a spiritual type. The whole chapter of Isaiah 58 is talking about spiritual fasting, about denying yourself, so we see that they had a revelation of that in the Old Testament, too. (2Sa.16:13) So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. (14) And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.
Well, that wasn’t the end of the story. David never did do anything to Shimei but his son Solomon had him killed because he rebelled against his commands and left the city. It’s hard to comprehend why Shimei was so against David. My guess is he was a low-life who just didn’t want to understand the situation here. Anybody who was on Absalom’s side and saw righteousness in Absalom and not in David, and saw righteousness in Saul, and not in David, was in trouble. He was a sick son of the devil.
Wednesday Oct 18, 2023