81.1K
Downloads
1210
Episodes
This podcast contains many bible study teachings to empower true disciples to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ.
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 04, 2024
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Confess Your Promises
David Eells 8/28/24
Keeping God’s commandment is not too hard if we understand the keys. Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off… 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 5 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil. The key here is, if the Word is in our mouth and heart, we can do it.
Pro.18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. The tongue has the power to give life, which makes it easy to keep His commandments. Speaking them into existence and agreeing with Him is the key.
Confirming the words so we can do them is the key. Deu 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen. He goes on to talk about the blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. The blessings come to those who confirm the word. We are called to speak in agreement with God’s Word, not add to it or take away from it, under penalty of a curse. Rev 22:18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of this book, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.
In James, we’re told that the man is a perfect man who has control over the tongue. (Jas 3:2) For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. Now we see that, if a person can speak in agreement with God’s Word, he will be able to obey because he will be able to bridle the whole body also.
Speaking is a manifestation of faith. Faith without works is dead; it’s unfruitful according to Jas 2:17. When we speak in agreement with the Word, we bring the power of God into the situation; otherwise, it is just dead religion. So, since our words can bring blessings and curses, we must, therefore, come into agreement with God’s precious Word that we may receive the blessings. Read it, speak it, and live.
Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say [so], Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary. We’ve been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. It’s absolutely necessary that our faith be completed with works, according to James 2. The tongue and what we say are the most common way that we fulfill our faith. Faith that is not spoken or acted upon is faith that will not bring you anything. So, if we say we’ve been redeemed, we had better be talking that way. Many people destroy the works of God with their tongue. Out of one side of their mouth they claim that they believe that they were redeemed, but out of the other side they speak against it and they destroy it.
Col 1:14 In whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. The word “redemption” means “a release on payment of a ransom.” We owed a debt we couldn’t pay and Jesus paid a debt He didn’t owe. A ransom is a price that is paid to release someone who is under a curse or in bondage. We’ve been in bondage to the curse, the old man, the devil, the world, sickness and all the bad things that go along with that.
Yet, Jesus paid the price to set us free; He paid a ransom so the devil would no longer have authority over us because we have the forgiveness of our sins. A ransom, according to Scripture, is something that must be confessed according to Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so... We have many opportunities to confess Him before men according to Matthew 10:32 so that He, as the High Priest of our confession, can have an offering and confess us before the Father and we in turn receive the promises.
It’s not good enough to just loosely say, “I’ve been redeemed.” When we have the opportunity to profess and confess that redemption in the midst of our trials and don’t do it, we are negating what we say we believe. We are not bringing the benefits of the Kingdom to bear upon our life or our circumstances. Redemption covers all of the curse. Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The curse of the Law in Deuteronomy 28 includes all of those negative things that happen to sinners. We see the curse all around us and even in our own life, until we exercise the authority that we have been given to come out from under it. Jesus paid the price, the penalty, for the curse that we would normally bear. We were redeemed. If we fail in our confession, we can renounce this, confess it to the Lord, and begin again.
Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say [so]…. Why? Because faith without works is dead according to Jas 2:17. When we get into a situation that involves a curse (something which most of Christianity considers to be quite normal), we should know that the normal Christian life is a life delivered from the power of the curse of sin.
We understand the truth of the Gospel, that the Lord paid for our sins and we’ve been forgiven of our sins; therefore, we are no longer under the curse. Jesus bore that curse for us. We’re not supposed to bear it and it doesn’t please the Father that we bear it because His Son suffered and died to bear it, and for nothing in most lives. But we will bear it, if we do not confess our redemption.
When you read the Bible confess those things you see you lack, as yours. Jesus said, According to your faith be it done unto you in Mat 8:13; 9:29. When we agree with God’s Word, when we watch our heart and tongue, and even ask the Lord to keep our tongue, then God is able to help us confess in the midst of the situations and trials that we are redeemed. Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
It doesn’t matter what the curse is; we have been redeemed from it. Jesus paid the penalty and we don’t have to live under it. We are supposed to agree with this and speak our redemption, which is that we’ve been redeemed from the power of sin and its curse according to Romans 6:18, 22. According to this Jesus “made you free from sin.” So He solved this problem. Do you confess that you still have a problem with sin after you have confessed it to him?
Or do you know that the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world in John 1:29? Do you know that God made reconciliation already and sin is not a problem for you any longer, since He’s taken care of it? Now you are to reckon yourself dead unto sin, as the Lord commanded. Rom 6:11 Reckon (Consider it done) ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (What will this do if we believe it?) 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof:
Are you going to “let the redeemed of the Lord say so”? Are you going to confess your sins and then confess that you have been delivered and redeemed from the power of sin? Most Christians don’t believe this because they have been taught otherwise. There are many aspects of our redemption that we need to confess before the Savior and High Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14). Who then offers them as our sacrifice (Hebrews 13:15) before the Father. He has redeemed us out of all trouble. Psa 25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles. He has delivered us from the curse. How many troubles would we get out of, if we would just turn to God and confess His redemption? He has delivered us from all evil.
Gen 48:16 The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads... Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons and this is our blessing, too. The apostle Paul said, The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, in 2Ti 4:18. Do you believe that this is God’s plan? Most Christians believe their old life, which is their human nature. They believe that the normal Christian life is just to wait on the Lord to come and save them, but there is a battle to be won before this happens. A few believe in divine healing and a few in deliverance, yet redemption is deliverance from all evil and all of our enemies.
What can we identify as enemies? The flesh, the lusts of the flesh, the devil, principalities and powers, the world, the curse and so on. Luk 1:68 Blessed [be] the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David 70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, 74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
That’s what redemption paid for! Glory to God! Most Christians never receive the fullness of what’s been paid for by Jesus Christ because they don’t confess their full redemption shown in many promises. He has redeemed us from a life of vanity, foolishness and failure. 1Pe 1:18 Knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers. We have been redeemed from our “vain manner of life,” a worthless and useless life. If you look at the life of the disciples, the apostles and Jesus, you will see a self-sacrificial life, not a life of materialism and pleasing self. They lived lives of sacrifice for others.
This was anything but a “vain manner of life.” Most people live, whether in peace and prosperity or not, a “vain manner of life,” given over to the corruption of the world. They ...strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel (Mat 23:24), making little things big and big things little. Important things are not important to them. What we need to do is confess that we have all of Christ. He was given to us as a gift. He now lives in us and we no longer live according to Paul’s confession in Gal 2:20. We need to confess this before men, although I know it’s a very unpopular thing to do, even before Christians.
But the Father has given us the life of Jesus through the reconciliation. Col 1:22 Yet now hath he reconciled (Or “exchanged”, meaning His life for ours.) in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreprovable before him: 23 if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister. God gave the life of Jesus to us and took our lives and nailed them to the Cross.
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies. We’ve been redeemed from destruction. If you look up the word “redeemed” or “redemption” in your Bible concordance, you will see how much has been provided.
The Lord Jesus has bought us out of bondage from the devil. The devil had his rights over us because we had sinned and we had no sacrifice, but now that we have a sacrifice, we must believe and confess the redemption that the Lord has given us so we can receive it. If we hold redemption only as a religious dogma and do not confess it with our mouth and accept it in our mind, then it’s worthless.
Num 14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore doth the Lord bring us unto this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And God replied… 28 Say unto them, As I live, saith Jehovah, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me.
The Israelites spoke this against the promises of God because the spies had come back from spying out the land and told of the giants there and spoke of themselves as grasshoppers before these great giants. These giants represent our flesh that most don’t believe they can conquer. Also, we must not speak what destroys others faith. They saw the Land of the promises, milk and honey and luscious fruit for 40 days but all they thought and spoke of were the giants.
Now get this: We have a refuge land of promise given to us by promises in dreams, visions, Words, types etc. And also we have received the promises for all of our needs to be met. And it is all free to you… We are each individually responsible to exorcise faith to take the Land of promises so it is not “revoked” and we are “disinherited” and “die in the wilderness” as we shall see. (Beware you do not go to this land for selfish purposes as some have and died in sin there.) I asked the Lord why many have not received this already. He said, “because too many are not exorcising their own faith to receive these things.” I also have known people who were counting on my faith to be enough. We will see that God wants your faith to count for you and yours. I have done my job up to this point. I have consistently claimed Father would supply the funds “abundantly above all we can ask or think”. Father has shown that the Soloman anointed Man-child will soon take possession to build the Latter Rain kingdom. Now everyone has to believe for their piece of the pie and the Lord will decide for faith just as He did for the Jews.
Please let us agree in prayer and confess our faith for God’s complete provision.
Father, we who know we are called to this and ask that you make the wilderness provision for our needs that is already provided be ours in Jesus name. We commit to think and speak in agreement with this fact now just as the Israelites were expected to do when they went to take their land of the promised provisions. In accordance with your command in Mar 11:23-24 we believe we have received this provision. We know that the double minded man will not receive from you. We ask that you keep our thoughts and tongue in agreement with this because of the reconciliation which gave us the mind of Christ when the mind of the flesh was crucified. We ask that if we ever waver you will give us a mind to repent and begin again our confession. Fill us with your Holy Spirit to empower us to hold fast to the confession of our hope that it waver not. Amen!
Also we represent the land and the giants represent the old man of the flesh resisting us, which most preachers say are unconquerable destroying the faith of many. They say that we should accept that we are only “sinners saved by grace,” but we were sinners and now we are saved by grace. And the truth is the Lord said we can take the giants down and in fact, He has already accomplished this. He has taken down the giants of doubt and unbelief too. He was righteously offended that they spoke against His promises but He gave them what they confessed.
Num 14:11 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have wrought among them? 12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a nation greater and mightier than they. God can disinherit us from the promises He has given us if we do not personally believe, just as He did with them.
Num 14:23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it. Notice that He swore to give them the land but changed His mind because they did not keep their part of the covenant, which was faith. Jesus said, “Be it unto you according to your faith”, and “As you have believed so shall it be unto you.” Notice that He put the responsibility on you and your individual faith.
This can be more than just missing out on some benefits; it can also bring death! Remember their children didn’t die and were not held responsible but they were. Num 14:28 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, surely as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, that have murmured against me. They spoke against the Lord and He was highly offended. When Jesus was on this earth and He heard a word of faith from anyone, He was so pleased that He gave the person their request and so it is now.
Only believers will take possession of their land and promises. Num14:30 Surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. (Both faithful confessing believers) 34 After the number of the days in which ye spied out the land, even forty days (The number of tribulation, which they had to go through because they did not believe.), for every day a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my alienation. So God said they had rejected His covenant and had come to know His “alienation,” which literally means “the revoking of His promise.” Why? It was because they refused to confess their redemption. In the midst of the fiery trial, they refused to say what God had done for them.
We must watch in our daily trials that we do not think and say the very opposite of what we should believe as Christians, which is that Jesus has provided everything for us and we received this for us by faith.
Isa 43:1-5 But now thus saith Jehovah that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed thee; I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt as thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in thy stead. 4 Since thou hast been precious in my sight, and honorable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men in thy stead, and peoples instead of thy life.
Luk 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David 70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), 71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, 74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
Jesus gave us the key to meet all our needs in Mar 11:23-24 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain (of resistance), Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. (Jesus commanded every miracle before they happened.) 24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them, and ye shall have them. “Received” is past tense in the original text because we are shown to believe we received everything at the Cross.
Notice we are to speak it and believe we have received the promises. In this text Jesus was preaching long before what science has discovered in Quantum Mechanics or Physics. That is that the smallest particle is able to transform into whatever we receive by faith, good or bad. Faith cannot be seen but it is described in the KJV as the “substance” of what you need.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I.e. While you have no evidence of what you need faith is the smallest particle or substance of it. Give God the substance. The whole creation was not made of physical things, but the spoken Word of God. Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. And we are sons and daughters of God to walk in His steps.
Jesus showed us that the tiniest particle or seed of faith can turn into the largest tree of support for His people. Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast it out? 20 And he saith unto them, Because of your little faith: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Mat 13:31 …The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof. We are likened to birds by Jesus so He is saying this that starts out as the “smallest particle” will grow huge to support His people.
Believe and speak what the promises of our future say. Jesus made you free from sin, as Romans 6:18 says. He set you free from the curse, as Galatians 3:13 says. He delivered you out of the power of darkness, as Colossians 1:13 says. He “will supply your every need” as Php 4:19 says. We individually need to speak and confess these needs as ours now in order to receive them.
I am reminded of a dream my wife had about getting rid of bad words that curse our fruit of Jesus in us. She was praying for a friend and had this very vivid dream; she saw her friend inspecting her own fruit tree, which represented herself. She saw fruit on the tree but there were worms in the fruit. She had a can of spray and was broadly spraying the entire tree; however, my wife told her friend that this wouldn’t work.
Then my wife walked over to her and told her to spray each worm right in the mouth. She took the can from her friend and noticed that it now wasn’t worms in the fruit, but little serpents, so my wife sprayed the can into each serpent’s mouth to kill them. The thing that is ruining our fruit is the “little serpents” or demons that speak through our carnal nature, – those negative thoughts and words that come out of our mouth. The spray is speaking the good news of the promises which is the power to save us from these thoughts and words.
I remember when I had gathered my kids together and lectured them on why they shouldn't leave their shoes out on the front porch. I said, “I told you, if you leave your shoes out on the front porch, a dog can come and take one of those shoes off and then the other shoe is good for nothing.” Well, that is exactly what happened. A dog came and took one of their shoes and I realized that I was the one who made it happen. I had given the dog permission to come and take one of their shoes. To make a long story short, I told them to go out and look for the shoe but they couldn’t find it.
So then I said, “Here’s what we’re going to do,” as I looked out the front window at the porch. “We’re going to command that dog to bring back that shoe and put it back where he got it,” and that’s just what we did. We didn’t think about it anymore. The next day we just happened to be standing right by that window and I think it was my son who yelled out, “Look!” We all looked out the window and here comes this dog from around the back of the neighbor’s house with the shoe in his mouth, and he dropped it on the porch. Of course, the kids and I were amazed. I spoke that thing and God brought it to pass. We have the power of destruction or creation in our mouth. We’re sons of God and the Lord Jesus Christ lives in us.
He has given us authority in our words. Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. We need to pay attention to what we say and be careful to agree with the promises of God. We are constantly binding and loosing by our words, which could be for good or bad. We don't want to bind God and loose the devil. Jesus “could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief.”
We each need to watch our thoughts and mouth because, in so many ways, we can bring a curse upon our life, upon our children and upon the people around us. Mar 11:12 And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered. 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. 14 And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward forever.
And his disciples heard it. What do you think Jesus was talking about in this parable? Well, God’s people are the fig tree and the next verses seem to imply that God was reprobating people even before they bore fruit because of unbelief, just like the actual fig tree. We have seen this happen to the faction in Jesus’ day and ours. Faction and witchcraft took away all knowledge or respect of scripture which leaves them with no conscience. They are now dying in unbelief without fruit.
We have our opportunity to bear fruit and it has everything to do with what we say and do with the Word of God. We pray the prayer of faith for our children, and we should chasten them as the Word commands to cause them to fear judgment for their sin. If they don’t fear your judgment, they will not fear God’s judgment. Many times we get caught up with frustration and fear when we see them running after their flesh. We should, instead, be walking by faith for them and confessing their salvation by faith.
We need to not just broadly “spray the whole tree.” If we speak a word against our redemption, we need to deny that word and come against it. I think a good example of this is in Numbers. It speaks of a husband having the authority to disallow the words of his wife and children when they say things that bind their own soul, which the Bible calls a “rash utterance of her lips.”
Num 30:6 And if she be [married] to a husband, while her vows are upon her, or the rash utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul (this is speaking things that bind our soul; the very opposite of our redemption), 7 and her husband hear it, and hold his peace at her in the day that he heareth it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. 8 But if her husband disallow her in the day that he heareth it, then he shall make void her vow which is upon her, and the rash utterance of her lips, wherewith she hath bound her soul: and Lord will forgive her.
The same is said here of a father for his daughter. The father can deny and disallow what he sees and hears from his children, or he can just let it go and the Lord can hold them accountable for that. The one in authority here has the authority to let these words stand or to say no to things contrary to the Word. “No, we’re not believing that for our child, or about our situation, or about our health. We’re not accepting that.” Of course, it always has to be done with kindness, since it could cause some friction. God said, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you (Num 14:28).
It came quite naturally to them to say that they were afraid of the giants because they were not believing what God said and He was offended. We are in the same situation. Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God (according to the Numeric pattern it is, “Have God’s faith”. This is because in the exchange He traded His faith for our unbelief.
We see here that He is not talking about having faith in God, but about having God’s faith inside of you. Some people may say that they don’t have enough faith. First, they should stop saying that because it’s not the truth and it can only hurt their faith. God has given to every one of us a measure of faith according to Romans 12:3. He also made reconciliation or exchange at the Cross, which gives us everything we need, including His faith.
Faith can be positive or faith can be negative. Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Most people, when they are not lying, are saying what they believe. We have to exercise faith for some things, while for other things we exercise faith quite naturally because it is our belief and it does come to pass.
Gal 6:7 … Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. How do we sow things in the New Testament? When the sower went forth to sow, how did he sow his seed? He sowed the spoken Word. He sowed a seed called “the Word” in the hearts of men. How did Jesus know if the centurion had faith? He wanted Jesus to heal his servant who was sick of the palsy and grievously tormented. Jesus said in Mat 8:7 ... I will come and heal him. 8 And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. How many times do you hear people say such a thing? Jesus knew by the fruit of the centurion’s lips that he had faith. Jesus knew by his confession and then Jesus gave the centurion what he had confessed.
Do you think it is any different today? Jesus is waiting for us to confess our redemption, our reconciliation, and He is going to render to every man according to his works. Faith without works is dead. Jas.2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? 17 Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 18 Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith.
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Sunday Aug 25, 2024
Sunday Aug 25, 2024
Testings Prepare for the Wilderness
David Eells 8/25/24
UBM and the Wilderness Refuge
Eve Brast 6/7/2011
(David’s notes in red)
This dream shows spiritual pictures using UBM's broader Internet/TV/radio church getting ready to go into the wilderness. In these pictures the relationship of the Man-child, Bride and the rest of the remnant church is explained along with each respective work.
I had a dream that I was in a small building that was a church. It had white walls and a white ceiling. (Representing a church clothed in righteousness.) The front door was in the back of the church. It was a small single white door. This door led from the side of a shopping mall hallway to the white church. (Christ is the Door which leads away from the shopping mall, representing Babylon's merchandising of buying and selling, and the white church. In John 10 Jesus called His sheep out of the sheepfold of Babylonish religion into a white church, meaning "called out ones") and there was a flight of red metal stairs leading down into the sanctuary. (It takes humbling steps washed in the blood to enter a white church).
The front wall of the church was actually the back and was open; there was no wall. (This church is contrary to Babylon; what is behind them is ahead for them for they have decided to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once [for all] delivered to the saints (Jude 3)). We have placed no religious wall between us and what was given behind us, in the beginning. (Isa.30:19) For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; thou shalt weep no more; he will surely be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear, he will answer thee.
(20) And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; (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.) It just opened out into an empty parking lot. (Our church is not attended physically in the flesh, but spiritually by radio, Internet and TV. This last part was and will be. Videos. Etc.)
There were about 100 people in chairs facing the back of the church, which was actually the front. (100 represents fullness -- 100%. We are all returning where we came from, and the rest will fall away.) We were all singing praise to God without a "music leader". (Personal, heart-led worship in Spirit and truth as Jesus commanded.) There was a gigantic screen on the wall to the right of us. (Many join us by Internet computer screen or TV screen and watch our videos.) As my children and I were worshipping with our hands raised, Cindy, a friend of mine and a member of our local bible study, came through the white door and down the flight of stairs and found me along the aisle. ("Cindy" means light. The true children of light will come out of Babylon and through the Door of Jesus into the true church.)
She said, "I know I'm late". (Those who are waiting until now are late for the wilderness is upon us.) “I had quite a time with my kids, so I just left them at home, but I just don't care anymore. I just had to come. I know I'll find grace for this". (Those who were considered spiritual fruit in Babylon will have to be left behind if they resist. Those who come out from among them will find grace.) On the screen were colors that reacted to our praise by moving around. David Eells would come on the screen and teach us through the screen normally. (We will teach through Internet, radio and on TV again.)
But this time he surprised us all by showing up in person. (A personal invitation to come follow the David man-child reformers into the wilderness as it was with Jesus and His disciples.) He came out on the stage and stood at a podium. I (Eve) was all of a sudden standing behind him on his right. (This is the spiritual place of the Bride, which Eve represents.) All fell quiet. He spoke two words and then turned around and walked out behind or underneath the staircase. As I (Eve) was left standing on the stage facing the people, they all began turning to one another, murmuring amongst themselves, and consulting with one another and began to slowly leave out the front (back) of the church. (As we have seen, the factious murmurers are separated from the Body before the wilderness refuge.)
They dispersed out into the parking lot which was empty of vehicles. (Gen.3:20) And the man called his wife's name Eve [Hebrew: Havvah; Living or Life]; because she was the mother of all living. God has chosen the Bride company for the last Adam, Jesus Christ, who lives in the Man-child company represented here by the David ministry. This will happen very soon. The Bride is chosen before the last seven days/years which are the marriage feast. After this time the whole party is escorted by the virgins to the Groom's home in Heaven. The people murmur because they are not happy to not be included in the Bride company, but to be included in the true remnant church is still quite an honor. This parable is seen in Song of Solomon and the book of Esther. The remnant church leaves after the revelation of the new Eve to go to the wilderness tribulation.)
The two words David spoke were foreign. I didn't know if all the people understood what he said. I didn't understand the words themselves, but I knew they had the opposite meaning of the words "Terra Delphi". (These words were given to me many years ago in a revelation of the corporate body of the false prophet in the pulpits today and how they pass on their own nature to God's unsuspecting people. The opposite of this is the corporate body of the true prophet, which is Christ in His first-fruits who will pass on the nature of Jesus to His saints in the wilderness. (I will share that revelation below.)
After I watched everyone leave, I turned and followed David through the door under the stairway into his office. (The Bride will have access to the counsel of the Groom through the Man-child.) Cindy had left back up the stairs out the small door and into the mall. (Children of the light will bring the light to Babylon in a great revival.) There was a window that had been behind the stage in the church that looked like a store window on the other side in this shopping mall.
Our small Bible study group was standing around in front of this window. (What many have seen in the window into our meetings through Internet, videos and audios, they will turn and bring to the Babylonish church.) David's office was next to the window with a small door that was open. (A door will open for the Man-child ministry to bring the true Gospel to the Babylonish church.) There were about ten chairs in his office -- no books, or book shelves and no desk. It was a temporary step-up with cubical-like walls. (His books are no longer necessary for the Word of God's law has been written on the heart of the Man-child reformers to instruct the Bride and Church. "10" represents law like the Ten Commandments.) Our group was standing around in the main hall of this shopping mall. We were all talking about what we planned to do with the information that David had given us (those 2 words). (They will bring the Gospel they receive to Babylon in the coming wilderness tribulation, just as Jesus did the bride in a repetition of history.)
I said something to my husband about renting a U-Haul van and he said, "Oh, I've already got that covered. A guy I know sold me one. I got it for a real good price". I told him that was good. In my mind I could see this U-Haul and it was very small and I thought to myself, "I hope that is going to be big enough". But my husband seemed satisfied with its size. (Little will be needed in the wilderness for our husband will provide all.) The Spirit seemed to be telling me in the dream or showing me that He would be going alone, without his wife and children. (Joseph, Moses and Jesus entered the seven years without their families who came later because of their faith and obedience and it will be the same with many of our families.)
I looked at his face as he told me about this U-Haul and he was happy and excited. We were all excited. (Who wouldn't be excited if they knew that God is coming in His people in the great latter rain revival!) Whatever these two words meant to us, it was like we were all moving somewhere soon, but we all had to go home and figure out what to take and how to get there ourselves. Everyone was peaceful and calm and just talking with us and among themselves. They were excited about the two words more than they were concerned about what to take. (God is going to restore the leadership, anointing and truth that will cause the saints to walk fully in the steps of Jesus into the wilderness tribulation. PTL!)
I was not sure whether to pack anything or not. (I.e., What the Bride will need in the wilderness.) I felt a little lost. I walked back into David's office and through the other door into the church onto the stage. As I was looking out onto the empty chairs and parking lot; it was dark. It was dark outside during this entire dream. (Greater darkness will be upon the world when the Bride goes to the wilderness tribulation.) David came up behind me. He told me he had just received a revelation from the Lord that we needed to leave as soon as possible and get away from there. (We must be in the safe place of abiding in Jesus Christ before judgment takes many away.)
He told me that he didn't know exactly where we were to go yet, but that he would let us know the next day. He told me that it was very important to "only go with the clothes on our backs". He said this twice and patted my right shoulder with urgency. (The Bride's provision and protection in the wilderness are the brilliant clothes that she wears, which Rev.19:8 says are "the righteous acts of the saints". This is being dressed up with Jesus as in (Rom.13:12) The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (13) Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. (14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfill] the lusts [thereof].)
He then went back through the door under the stairway. As I looked back out from the stage, Cindy (Children of Light) had returned and came back down the stairs and said, "Well, I tried to go home and think about what to pack, but I only packed a few things because it's just so overwhelming and I know I'll receive grace for this". (If we go without man's provision, grace will be our provision as it was with Jesus' disciples when He sent them out.)
I turned back toward the parking lot and I saw the 100 people sitting in the parking lot with sleeping bags, tents, coolers and blankets. (The complete number, 100%, chosen by God to go into the wilderness.) They had gone home to pack whatever they could manage to carry and were waiting for David to give the word. (The Davids as Moses represent the Man-child to guide God's people in the wilderness.)
I then looked off to the right of the stage and building and was transported to Renee's mobile home. (Renee means "reborn" and she is in a mobile home, which means God's people will be pilgrims and sojourners.) She is a long-time friend from high school. She and her husband were telling me how they had packed up their entire belongings into a large U-Haul and how hard it was to pack everything. (It is hard work to bring our own provision. I was reminded that when we moved to Florida we gave our house and appliances away. Some will have to leave many things behind. But God had provided us a home freely.)
They also told me Renee's mom was giving them a very hard time about moving. I was then transported into the back of a minivan. Renee's mom was driving her around and really spewing all kinds of lies and deception out of her mouth to discourage Renee from going with us. (The mother is the Babylonish religious harlot that we must leave behind) But Renee was staying strong and not allowing her mother to dissuade her. They couldn't see me sitting behind them in this minivan. (The world will call God's people deceived fanatics.) Then I was back on stage in the church.
I thought about my husband and his U-Haul and Renee and her U-Haul. (The small one that was easy on the sojourner and the large one that was hard.) Cindy had even packed a few things along with all the people in the parking lot. (Those who walk in various stages of the light.) There was both dread and excitement in the air. We were all about to leave for the actual wilderness. I felt a little panicked and worried. (There is anticipation for the trials and yet excitement to see God's miraculous provision in the wilderness tribulation.) I hadn't even gone home yet. I remembered what David had said to me as he had patted my shoulder. "Don't leave with anything but the clothes on your back, the clothes on your back!" After that I woke up. (We need only godliness as our provision from God.)
The Revelation of the Terre Delphi
David Eells
False prophets pass on their nature to those who listen to them. (Lev.17:11) For the life (Hebrew: soul) of the flesh is in the blood ...for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. Men pass on their life (soul) of the sin nature to their children through their blood. Christ passes on His life (soul) and sinless nature through His blood. So how do we get the nature of His blood in us? In John 6:53 Jesus said that we have to drink His blood or we will not have life in us. How do we drink it? Let me explain by using one of Jesus' signs. (Joh.2:11) This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee. The word "sign" indicates a deeper meaning here.
In John 2:1-11 Jesus commanded the servants to fill the six (the number of man) water pots of stone (hardened clay vessels symbolizing man) with water (symbolizing the Word in Eph 5:26); then He turned it into wine (symbolizing the blood in Mat 26:27-29). The moral of the story is that if we are consuming and being filled by the Word of God, the Lord will turn it into the blood or nature of Christ. A clear confirmation of this is stated by John. (1Jn.1:7) If we walk in the light (of the Word), as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (Joh.6:63)...The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life.
So the Word creates the blood, which is the life or nature. Then our words are spirit and they have the power, if received, to manifest our life in others. (Joh.7:38) He that believeth on me, as the said scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water (spirit words). The key then is receiving words "as the scripture hath said" so that we may pass on God's words which recreate His blood or nature. Another word creates another blood or nature. Have you not seen cult leaders pass on their nature by their words? Have you not seen apostate Christian leaders pass on a "different spirit", preaching "another Jesus", with a "different gospel" (2Co.11:4)? (Pro.18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Many years ago I had a dream that taught this:
I was casting out demons in a church when I noticed that the church building was made all of woodwork. The columns, the walls, everything was all wood grain; and it was all stained with blood. I said to the people, "I'm going to prove to you that this is not the blood of Jesus". Then, addressing the blood, I said, "Go in the name of Jesus", and it disappeared. After this, I noticed on the pulpit, a note; it was fluttering as if to catch my attention. I knew that the pastor of this church had left me the note about himself. It read, "I'm being groomed to be the Terre Delphi".
The interpretation is this: All the demons identified this as a Babylonish church (Rev.18:2). The woodwork symbolized the human nature (2Tim.2:20; Jer.5:14) for men are symbolized as trees. The blood on the wood is the nature of "another Jesus" given to the people through a "different gospel" by a false prophet with a "different spirit" (2Co.11:4). He is coming to maturity as the Terre Delphi. "Terre" means earthly; "Delphi" was a town in ancient Greece famous for the Temple of Apollo and the Delphic Oracle, his false prophet. Apollo was the Greek and Roman god of light, healing, prophecy, music and manly beauty. Sounds very much like a false Jesus. Obviously the false prophet passes on his nature to worship a false Christ in the temple. The earthly false prophet is in many pulpits, reproducing after his own kind. Seek out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and pray for the truth, even if you think that you have it.
Angels Guide to Refuges
Eve Brast - 07/15/2008
... It was dark outside and it seemed like we had spent the night there. Suddenly, the next morning, late in the morning, a young man with short brown hair burst through the front glass door and braced it open with his foot and said very excitedly, "David said it's time to go to the wilderness!" We (our UBM study group) all hurried out into the parking lot with the kids and a supersonic noise got my attention. (This represents UBM study groups and families all over who are waiting for this direction.)
I thought it was a jet plane flying overhead. As I looked up into the sky there were no clouds and the sky was blue, and about 11:00 AM. I saw an arrow-shaped vapor trail just clearing the mall on my right, high up in the sky and flying overhead toward the left horizon. It went all the way around the world (To give direction to saints around the world.) and then I watched it come up from the horizon ahead of me and I followed it overhead and turned around to watch it head down the horizon behind me, but it stopped 30 degrees up from the horizon and faced us. We realized it wasn't a jet but an angel. He had golden, curled hair and a simple white robe with a thin gold rope around his waist. He motioned with his right arm and forefinger to follow him in that direction. So, we all started to walk in that direction. Then I woke up. (The angels will guide the saints to wilderness refuges.)
(The arrow-shaped vapor trail cleared the roof of the mall from the east, heading west down past the horizon, around the world and came up the northern horizon and headed over our heads toward the southern horizon, then stopped 30 degrees from the southern horizon. Our UBM group then all began to walk toward the direction of the south, following the angel.) Our UBM group was located in Texas, which means Friends. (When the people of God left Egypt to go to the wilderness refuge from the Beast they went south first and then went north to their Promised Land.) I felt in the dream that this angel was showing multiple groups of people at the same time around the world where their refuges were.)
Note from David: It was an angel of God that guided Israel into the wilderness place of safety from the beast kingdom (Exo.12:37; 13:20; 14:19). I believe God's angels will do this for UBM and saints all over the world. Three angels in Rev.14:6-9 preach the Gospel, warn of judgment, the fall of Babylon, and the Mark of the Beast, from mid heaven... and all of this before the middle of the tribulation.
The Lord will have us use the Starlink satellites to reach the population of Earth with this same message and will guide the elect to the wilderness refuges. Satellites are also commonly called "birds". (Rev.12:13) And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man [child]. (14) And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Entering the Cleft
Anonymous 2/05/2011
(David's notes in red)
(This dream came just before the faction began in 2011 and is accurate.)
I had a dream where I stood in front of an expansive outdoor scene. It was a nice sunny day. The ground was rough, rocky and not much grass. What grass there was, was dry with little green. In front of me and to the left was a huge black mountain face with a narrow crack or cleft straight down the center of it. Sunlight streamed from inside the cleft and it looked like it was a very nice day beyond that cleft. This cleft was just wide enough for one person to walk through with maybe a regular size backpack on.
At the bottom of the cleft in the mountain, was a rather narrow path only wide enough for one person to walk. (We are individually responsible to stay on the narrow road of God’s Word so we can go to the cleft of the rock of safety, Jesus.) It ran from left to right and made a gentle arch to the right and on out of view. I watched as a single-file line of local UBM folks, who are already here in TN, made their way walking at a regular pace from right to left heading directly toward the cleft in the rock. The people walking along carried no baggage. I saw no backpacks, no walking sticks, no suitcases, no canes or walking aids of any kind. We were all dressed quite casually like we usually dress for our fellowships.
I was near the front of this line of people, BUT I was the only person who was not actually on the path. Somehow I was about 2-and-a-half feet lower than the narrow path, trying to step up onto the path. I was standing in roughly torn up dirt and rocky ground that looked all around like the earth had been torn up by an earthquake. There was no sure footing around me and though I only needed to make it two steps to get up onto the little highway, I could not get a proper foothold to step up. I kept lifting my left leg to get the first step up, but found myself falling back onto my right foot again without making any progress to even take one full step up to the road.
I was right at the road and just two steps and I would be on the raised narrow path. But I just could not get a foothold to get enough oomph, so to speak, to make it up onto the road. Neither the first person in line nor any of the others coming along after would be able to give me a hand up because the path was so narrow, there would be risk that they could topple over themselves. There was no banister to reach out to grab hold of and retain a foothold if I could even gain one.
The idea of scampering or scrambling up using hands and feet did not occur to me either (... and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins ... Ephesians 6:13,14). The idea of backing up and getting a running start to run up the tiny embankment I needed to climb up was also not an option as, again, the path was so narrow that a running start would give too much momentum and you'd just end up overrunning the narrow path and tumble over the other side into more ravines and ground sloping downward.
As I watched myself try again and again to step up onto the road and fail, I had such a feeling of dread. “Why, oh why could I not make that step?” The others would surely pass me by and they could not help at all as help was impossible due to the narrowness of the way. They were within 40 steps of that cleft in the rock. We were all so close, within just a few, maybe 40 steps and we would enter the cleft. I so wanted to be up on that road and my worry and dread was increasing and my heart sinking that I would not make it.
This dream was shared with the local UBM fellowship that Saturday afternoon. It had a different effect on every person hearing my explanation of it. For me, I wondered about possible issues in my own personal life that could keep me outside of that cleft. Some identified with that and like me, sense a warning to be watchful and make whatever changes in heart or mind are necessary to make that last step back onto the path again. Others felt confirmation that they are indeed still on the narrow path and all is well.
The last part of this dream was removed from our site by a person who fell into faction, while building our site, because it condemned them. However, I recall very well that there were people on that path who we now know fell away to faction and slander when tested. They were all in armor as though they were making war, which was against us. As they approached the cleft of the rock they all stumbled against one another and fell to the ground and their helmets fell over their eyes to blind them. They never made it to the safety and provision of the cleft of the rock.
Psa 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy: Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer. They have all been destroyed, except a few who were reformed because they barely entered into the deception.
Tested to Be in the Ark
Anonymous 5/21/2016
(David's notes in red)
I was with a group of people. We had just gone through some very challenging circumstances in which I felt we had escaped with our lives. (We escaped the faction dismemberment that took out those not accounted worthy to be in the Bride.) I was unable to remember the details of what took place, but I knew that it was cataclysmic in nature and that we had survived and made it through. (We had overcome in the faction test of brotherly love. (Rev.3:7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (The city of brotherly love, the Bride, one of seven daughters like Moses' wife.) write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth (They have been given the key of David to bind and loose, open and shut.):
(8) I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. (9) Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie (they claim to be Christian); behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (10) Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
(11) I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. (12) He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem (Bride), which cometh down out of heaven (born from above through obedience to the Word) from my God, and mine own new name.
We ended up on a ship that seemed to be a "safe haven" for survivors. (The ship or ark in the land is a refuge for those who pass the faction test of brotherly love. The Lord showed us this refuge through many dreams, visions, prophecies and Scriptures.) All on board were grateful to be there. (Amen!) Myself, as well as a woman (whom I do not know), were there tending to a group of children (getting them settled in) on the ship. (Both the spiritual and physical children of the obedient righteous are favored of the Lord. (Pro.20:7) A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him. (Psa.112:2) His seed shall be mighty upon earth: The generation of the upright shall be blessed. (1Co.7:14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. The whole Bible is full of these verses, we shared recently.)
As we were doing this, we were talking about all the things we had just gone through. (Learning how to escape being devoured by the faction dragon through obedience to the Word.) The woman was concerned about the threat of some aspect of what we had just survived. I said, "I don't think we need to be as concerned about that as much as them". (The factious were rejected from the boat in the land/ark and many have physically died. The factious leaders died by the hand of God. This was witnessed by 14 people. Unlike those who are permitted to remain in the boat. One of the witnesses is writing a book of this amazing story.)
As I said this, I was looking either out a window or maybe off the deck of the ship. I saw a large crowd of people standing there, wanting to get on board but they could not. They were all visibly sick and desperate to get on board. (The faction want to escape the coming judgments but cannot without repentance.) Either the ship had not yet left the dock or we were still really close to land. (The ship had not left yet because it is the earthquakes that separate it from the land and that is by miles, not feet.) There were security measures that had to be met before anyone could step foot onto the ship. (They must pass the tests of brotherly love.)
It was then that we realized that there had been an outbreak of a disease or virus and that all those people were sick and contagious. They looked very sick and unhealthy. (The factious people are spiritually sick and contagious to those who live in sin or do not love. (Gal.5:9) A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.) It was at this time that the woman was tending to some children when a young black girl walked up to her and just started acting very crazy and threatening. (The ship is spiritual and this black girl is spiritual. She represents one who walks in darkness and not in light. (1Jn.1:7) but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.)
She was very obviously sick with the virus. She became aggressive toward the woman. (The aggression they feel is that of the demons that infest them.) So the woman pulled out a can of mace or pepper spray or something and sprayed her in the face. The black girl ran off. We realized that she was sick and had somehow gotten through security and gotten on the ship. (This has happened as a test for those on the ship, but it has been less and less as the infected leave the ship or die as they have been doing, leaving a sanctified Bride.)
Then the scene changed and I was back at my home where I grew up (in his Father's house). There was a black kitten that got into the house. (This represents that rebellion against the Word and darkness that got into Father's house and must be thrown out.) It was really playful and seemed harmless. I was thinking of the viral outbreak in the earlier part of the dream and had a thought that possibly the kitten had been exposed to it and could possibly be contagious. (Gal.5:9) A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. My thought was to get it out of the house before anyone got bitten or scratched. I tried to grab it but it ran. (When the demons are exposed, they always get offended and run.)
Eventually, I cornere it and decided to just grab it and get it out of there. I found myself thinking that I would rather take the risk of getting bitten myself than for someone else to get bitten. I grabbed the kitten and, sure enough, it scratched and bit me in the process. (As long as a person obeys the commands of God concerning factious people, they are immune. Demons must have legal rights which are disobedience to the Word. (Tit.3:10) A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; (11) knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-condemned.
(Rom.16:7) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. (18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. (2Jn.8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son.
(10) If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting: (11) for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works. (Jas.3:16) For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.) Then I woke up. (Unfortunately this person thought he could handle the cat, representing the faction, instead of being obedient to the commands to stay separate and was scratched and infected. He destroyed his family and died by the hand of the Lord.)
Wilderness Trials
David Eells 8/18/24
We are children of the last Adam, Jesus Christ. We are a new-creation man, meant to live above this world, and to walk in His ways and His steps, and that includes going into the “wilderness.” Let’s read (Mat.4:1) Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. (2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. (3) And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
(4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (5) Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, (6) and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone.
(7) Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. (8) Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; (9) and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (11) Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Jesus went through a 40-day wilderness trial before He overcame and then He brought God’s people in His day through their wilderness. In our day, those who are in the First-fruits corporate body each go through their individual wilderness first; that’s where they learn to walk in the principles of the Kingdom, which is the purpose of the wilderness. Moses was a First-fruits. He went through a 40-year wilderness before he overcame and then he went on to bring God’s people through their own wilderness.
Many people don’t understand that the wilderness is available to every Christian worldwide because the wilderness is not some physical location to which we go; it’s a place in the Spirit. It’s a place where we no longer depend upon the world and the principles of the world. It’s a place where we are, instead, ruled by the principles of the Kingdom. We no longer trust in the world for our sustenance, our salvation, our healings, our deliverances, and so on. Scripture tells us that most of the Israelites who left Egypt never learned that lesson: (Psa.78:19) Yea, they spake against God; They said, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? When they could no longer depend upon the flesh-pots of Egypt, they murmured continually. They found it hard to trust in the living God.
The Israelites, are just a type and a shadow for us. They went into a literal wilderness, but our wilderness is spiritual. Everybody who walks by faith goes into the wilderness. It’s not by legalism put on us by others, its only by faith. Everybody who walks by faith in the commands and principles and promises of God automatically gives up salvation by works. The promises of God are for the whole man. They are meant to save us completely in spirit, soul, body and circumstance, and they are meant to do that totally outside the principles of this world.
As a matter of fact, He even gave us promises that are all-inclusive: (Mar.11:24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye received them (The original Greek word there is past tense.), and ye shall have them. Why does Jesus tell us to believe we have already received them? It’s because everything that has to do with the salvation that the Lord gave us has already been accomplished. (1Pe.2:24) Who his own self bare our sins (that’s past tense because it happened behind us) in his body upon the tree, that we, having died (that’s past tense) unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. Again, the word there is past tense.
All of the promises that have to do with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross are past tense. (Eph.2:8) For by grace have ye been saved (That’s what it says in the original; it’s past tense.) through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; (9) not of works, that no man should glory. You have been saved! (Col.1:13) Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the son of his love. You have been delivered out of the power of darkness. (Rom.6:18) And being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. (11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. You were made free from sin!
When you realize that the Lord has already done this, there is nothing you can do of yourself to bring it to pass. You have to walk by faith in the fact that it is already accomplished. We enter into the New Testament “rest,” which many Christians erroneously think is a Saturday or a Sunday, but let’s take a close look at what Scripture says about this “rest.” (Heb.4:1) Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. You see, the promises cause us to enter the rest because the promises are past tense and when you believe them you have to stop your own works to try to bring them to pass. (3) For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said....
When you believe these promises, you enter into the rest. For instance, you cannot do anything to get healed, if you believe you were healed. The reason men run to man to get healing is because they don’t believe Jesus has already healed them, but I’m telling you something that I know. For the past 50-plus years, I’ve been receiving healing because I realize that I don’t have to do anything to bring it to pass. All I have to do is thank God for it. (Heb.13:8) Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and to-day, [yea] and forever. He still heals everyone who comes to Him by faith. If you accept that you were healed at the cross and you are not harboring unforgiveness or in any willful sin, then there’s nothing that can keep you from receiving your healing.
(Heb.4:9) There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. The word “sabbath” there is the Greek word sabbatismos and it doesn’t mean “a day of rest.” It means “a continual keeping of rest.” This is the true Sabbath that remains for the people of God. We have to cease from our own works everyday. (10) For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. God doesn’t want our works; He doesn’t believe in salvation by works. Whether you are talking about your spirit, your soul, your body or your circumstances, salvation is not by self-effort.
The apostle Paul also taught us, (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. You see, when we get out of the business of trying to save ourselves, God’s very powerful to do it for us, just as He did for Paul, who went through a lot of trials because of the “thorn in the flesh” that was given to him. (7) And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch.
People like to say that the “thorn in the flesh” was a disease of the eyes or some other disability, but the Scripture plainly tells us that it was “a messenger of Satan to buffet” him and Paul lists for us these “buffetings”: (2Co.11:23) Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. (24) Of the Jews five times received I forty [stripes] save one. (25) Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep;
(26) [in] journeyings often, [in] perils of rivers, [in] perils of robbers, [in] perils from [my] countrymen, [in] perils from the Gentiles, [in] perils in the city, [in] perils in the wilderness, [in] perils in the sea, [in] perils among false brethren; (27) [in] labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (28) Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. He was brought into all those situations through weakness and in Paul’s weakness God was made powerful. (29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? (30) If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness.
We need to do the same thing; we need to be weak to save ourselves. Many Christians today don’t receive the deliverance they need because they keep trying to save themselves by their own efforts. Yet, what did Paul say? (2Ti.3:10) But thou didst follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, (11) persecutions, sufferings. What things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Why is that? It’s because Paul was being weak in that he wasn’t trying to save himself. He gave himself into the hands of God because he believed the promises of God; he believed the Lord would always deliver him.
(2Ti.4:17) But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me; that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (18) The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] the glory forever and ever. Amen. And when Paul said the Lord would “save” him, he meant he would be saved like the Bible uses the word for “saved,” which is the Greek sozo. The word sozo is used for every manner of salvation of spirit, soul, body and circumstance. Sozo is used for deliverance from demons, for healing the body, for salvation of the soul and so on.
It’s the same word the disciples used when they cried out to Jesus as their boat was sinking: (Mat.8:23) And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. (24) And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. (25) And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save (that’s the word sozo), Lord; we perish. (26) And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. (27) And the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? They said, “Save, Lord,” and He saved them.
“The Lord will deliver me from every evil work.” Do you believe that? We’re supposed to be going into a wilderness now. You can choose to enter into it by faith, by trusting in the promises of God, because God cannot fail you, if you believe in His promises. Or you can be forced into it, along with the Church, in the coming Tribulation. If you walk by faith now, then you are walking into that spiritual wilderness and I want to tell you that the wilderness is not as bad as you’ve heard.
The Lord told me many years ago, “I’m sending you through a wilderness, so that you can tell My people that I still supply there,” and He has proven that to me over and over by putting me in a position of weakness. For instance, the disciples never took up offerings for themselves; they only took up offerings for other people, so the Lord wouldn’t let me take up offerings. He wouldn’t let me tell anybody my personal needs. He wouldn’t let me store up my treasures on earth. He wouldn’t let me borrow money. He wouldn’t let me sell things. He wouldn’t let me take any government benefits. And through all of that, I haven’t worked for man and I haven’t taken worldly benefits.
God has faithfully sustained me; He’s paid for everything all along the way. He put me in a wilderness, but it has nothing to do with a physical wilderness and He’s never failed to meet our needs. I’ve shared with you before how I raised five children: they didn’t know doctors, they didn’t know medicine, they didn’t know anything but the power of God. And God always fed them, except for one time when the Lord put the trial of a fast on them. For all of these years, God has faithfully fed us, paid our bills, made sure our lights stayed on, made sure our gas stayed on and so on. He’s been totally, 100% faithful.
Yes, we are all going into a wilderness, but it’s one that God made and He made it for our good. He is separating us from the world. He is behind the Beast kingdom and He is bringing the mark of the Beast (Revelation 3:17) to force us into this coming wilderness. The whole world is going to hate us. We won’t have the help of “Egypt,” just as Israel didn’t have the help of Egypt. We are going to be thrust upon the mercy and grace of God, and the only thing we really need to be sustained is to repent of our sins and believe His Word. And when we do that, we also should expect that we will be tried.
When you are tried over and over, and you see each time that God is faithful, you enter into the rest. You just hold fast to your confession and hold fast to the Word. You don’t even worry about your trial anymore. You just rest in Him because you become hardened to your flesh, hardened to the world, hardened to temptation, and hardened to sin. (Rom.5:3) And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness (“patience”).
As a matter of fact, I’ve enjoyed the tribulation. The tribulation is trial on the flesh, but it’s so neat to see God being a personal God and loving you enough to look after everything. That’s what He really wants to do. He doesn’t want to share His glory with man, which He’s been having to do because His people always run to the world. They always run to Egypt and its methods and its ways.
Well, the Lord put me and my family in the wilderness and I’d like to share a few testimonies of how the Lord has been faithful to sustain us. The Lord actually multiplied food for us in more ways than one. Once we had run out of everything in the house, except for some spaghetti, so my wife cooked up a pot of spaghetti and we prayed over that pot because we didn’t have anything else. But I want you to know that we weren’t even considering that God wasn’t going to bring any more for us to eat because He had been doing this for us for quite some time. Anyway, my wife cooked up this fairly big pot of spaghetti and it was about three-quarters full when we blessed it and we started eating. We probably ate that pot down to lower than halfway and when we were done, we didn’t think about it, we just shoved that pot into the refrigerator.
The next day, when we took it back out and my wife lifted the lid, we saw that God had refilled the pot! She said, “David, do you remember that the spaghetti was down to here?” And she made a mark on the side. I said, “Yes, I remember.” Folks, the Lord had replaced everything we had eaten. God is awesome! You can’t get anywhere where He can’t supply. Think about those Israelites. He brought those Israelites water out of a rock. God can bring you water in the middle of a wilderness (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:2- 13), He can pay your taxes out of a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27), He can bring you flesh out of the sky (Exodus 16:1-13; Numbers 11:18-20; 31-34) and bread out of the sky (Exodus 16:14-36; Numbers 11:7-9). Now, if our God can bring several million Israelites through a wilderness like that and feed them, just think what He can do with us, who are actually filled with His Spirit!
Another experience we had, that I thought was even more awesome, made me realize that you really cannot get anywhere God can’t feed you. (Php.4:19) And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. If our God will supply our every need according to His riches in glory, then it has nothing to do with the economy and nothing to do with our surroundings. Even if you’re in a desert, it has nothing to do with any of that. God made the promise; He’s the One Who stands behind it and He will take care of you.
On this occasion, we came to another situation where we had run out of everything in the house and my wife asked, “What are we going to do?” I said, “Well, the Lord sent us here,” and she agreed. She said, “Yes.” So I told her, “You set the table and we’ll go sit down at the table, and we’ll eat.” So she did that and then she and I and our five children sat down around the table with these empty plates in front of us, and I prayed a simple prayer, really the only kind I know. I prayed, “Father, You sent us here and we’re asking You to please fill these plates or fill our tummies.” That’s just the way it came out of my mind and I’m sure the Lord put it in there because He wanted to show me something. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
And so the prayer had no sooner come out of my mouth when my oldest son said, “Dad, I’m full. I don’t need to eat.” It wasn’t long before another one said it, then another one, then another one and then I realized I was full, too. I thought, “Isn’t that something!” He filled up all of us while we were just sitting there at the table. So you can’t get anywhere where He cannot feed you.
Then there was one time I decided I wanted to grow tomatoes. It wasn’t the Lord; I made that decision on my own. God didn’t call me to grow tomatoes; He called me to study the Word of God and go out and share it with His people. But I just decided, “Well, I’ll take on this hobby. I’ll plant some tomatoes.”
Now, the house we lived in at that time was under big oak trees and we didn’t have any sunshine in my yard, except for one place, so I planted the tomatoes in five-gallon buckets. That way, I could move them to keep them in the sun as the season went on. Soon, lots of little tomatoes popped out, but they didn’t hardly get to be any size at all before the birds came and just took them all away. And I asked, “Lord, why did You let that happen?” The Lord answered, “I didn’t call you to plant tomatoes; that was your idea. I have other things for you to do. Now get about what I told you to do.” So, of course, I told Him, “Yes, Sir!” and I never said anything to anybody about trying to grow my own tomatoes.
Well, the very next day, a lady who was acquainted with us was going to a local tomato farm to get tomatoes for her family and while she was out there picking these monster tomatoes, the Lord spoke to her and said, “I want you to pick a bag of these for David Eells.” She said, “Okay.” And she brought me a big bag of the largest, most luscious-looking tomatoes I’d seen in a long, long time. You know, the Lord was kind of rubbing my nose in it when the lady brought me those tomatoes the next day and I thought to myself, “I really couldn’t have grown anything like those, Lord.” I had to come to that place of weakness before He would do this miracle.
We’ve also often prayed for very specific things and the Lord has always done miracles for us. One morning, we prayed for Him to send us poultry, mayonnaise and cheese. We asked Him for those three things and we didn’t tell anybody, not a soul. This is the way God gets the glory. I remember a brother many years ago, who was an elder in the Church with me. He used to be a part of the prosperity movement, where the people would brag out in public about what God was going to do. They would tell everybody, “I’m believing God for this,” or, “I’m believing God for that,” so eventually someone else in the congregation would feel like they had to have compassion on their brother in “need” and they would bring it to them. God doesn’t get any glory from that.
When you ask God for something, just believe Him. Then, when it comes, He gets the credit. So we didn’t tell anybody about our needs, but that day and the next day, all three of those things came. We had a friend who was going out of town and she had this large jar of mayonnaise that she didn’t want to leave in her refrigerator until she came back, so she brought it over to us. And then another person brought us a turkey and the cheese. It was exactly what we asked from God. You may wonder, “Would God do that for me, David?” I guarantee you He would. God is no respecter of persons.
(Act.10:34) And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: (35) but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. God is a respecter of faith, but He’s no respecter of persons. He won’t do anything for me that He won’t do for you. I’m just trying to teach you how to be weak and to exercise faith at the same time, so that you are in this ideal position in the wilderness to see miracles from God. We’ve received so many over the years, I’ve forgotten most of them, but I can tell you that He consistently met our needs and we saw many, many miracles.
I like to share this next story because it tickles me. My children all wanted to go camping one day, but when I was a kid, I did so much camping, I’ve had enough of it. I like my bed and I was making up excuses. Well, I’d been back there before, walking through the woods where they wanted to go, and finally I told them, “There’s nothing there to start a fire with and, really, we don’t have any permission to cut down any of those trees back there,” but they were begging me, “Awww, Daddy, please.” So I gave in and we packed up our tents and other gear, and we took off into the woods.
Now, there was a downed tree in the little opening in the woods that we picked for our campsite and I want you to know that downed trees were hard to find in those woods. We set up our tents and I sent out the kids to go gather firewood, but everything they dragged back was either rotten, or little twigs and branches, or pieces of tree bark. I told them, “That stuff just makes smoke; it doesn’t really make fire.” And I sent them out again, and while I was waiting, I walked a little bit away from the camp. I was kind of praying, asking the Lord to provide for us and I had told them earlier that there was nothing to use for a fire and we couldn’t cut down other people’s trees. Well, I had walked maybe 20 or 30 feet away from the tent when I came across this little lump on the ground.
The floor of those woods was completely covered with leaves and this was just a lump in the leaves, but when I kicked it as I walked through it, I hit something solid. So I backed up and raked all the leaves off, and there was a pillowcase on the ground. I pulled the pillowcase back and there was a Poulan chainsaw on the ground. I thought, “Wow! Wouldn’t it be something if this would crank?” because we had a downed tree right there by the campsite. Sure enough, it cranked. I cut up enough wood to have a really good fire the whole time we were there. I tell you, when that chainsaw cranked and I cut up that wood, I was thinking, “I’m sorry, Lord! Forgive me! I repent, because I said You couldn’t supply us with wood back here.”
God had somebody plant a chainsaw out in the middle of the woods so it would be there waiting for us because God sees the end from the beginning. He doesn’t dwell in time; He has no problem meeting your needs. He will have it there when you get there. (Isa.65:24) And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. See, He answers before we call and He can have our provision already there or He can manufacture it. It makes no difference to Him.
When Jesus brought the disciples into the wilderness, He multiplied the food there. (Mat.14:15) And when even was come, the disciples came to him, saying, The place is desert (The Greek word there is eremia and it can be translated as “desert,” “wilderness” or “uninhabited place.”), and the time is already past; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food. (16) But Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat. (17) And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. (18) And he said, Bring them hither to me.
(19) And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. (20) And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. (21) And they that did eat were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Jesus was raising up disciples. He was the teacher and He was showing them, “This is how you do it.” Then they went off into their tribulation, the Book of Acts, and they repeated what they saw.
The Man-child, Who was Jesus then, was God’s provision in the wilderness and, folks, nothing has changed. God’s going to do it again; He’s just going to repeat it with a larger group of people. Since we didn’t have a big worldly income, we prayed for everything and God brought it. Back before I started full-time in ministry, we decided we were going to stop using money for the things that we needed. Instead, we started praying for what we needed and we saw God just do miracles. Things we would normally buy with money, we prayed for and God would bring them. Any money we had, we would use for His Kingdom. Folks, there are different ways you can enter into the wilderness, but all of them give you confidence in God’s faithfulness. You’ll find that God’s going to be there and He’s going to supply your needs. If you need something, pray for it. Put faith in God. It honors Him and it builds your faith. Amen!
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Deception is Under Control
David Eells - 8/21/24
And even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that perish: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them] (2Co.4:3-4).
The god of this world is Satan, but he does not run this world. He is called the god of this world because this world worships and serves him whether they know it or not. Anyone who serves the lusts of their flesh worships and serves Satan as their god. He is the father of the flesh, which is also called the old man. God never gives Satan credit in the Scriptures for being sovereign. Jesus said, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth (Mat.28:18).
Satan blinds the minds of the unbelievers so that they do not understand and see the light of the Gospel. We can see from other Scriptures that Satan received his authority from the Lord to blind the unbelievers. (1Pe.5:8) Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (9) whom withstand stedfast in your faith… We have the ability to withstand Satan when we walk by faith, but the word “may” here implies that he has permission to devour those who do not believe. With Christians or non-Christians, unbelief gives permission to Satan. The faith that resists and binds Satan is a gift from God (Eph.2:8).
(Joh.12:35) Jesus therefore said unto them, Yet a little while is the light among you. Walk while ye have the light, that darkness overtake you not: (Notice that word “overtake.” This indicates that darkness is chasing all of us. The Lord is saying that for a little while we are going to receive the light but do something with that light while you have it, so that the darkness does not overtake you.) and he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
(36) While ye have the light, believe (I.e., trust in and act on) on the light, that ye may become sons of the light. (If we do not act on the light now, the impression will leave us and the darkness will again close in. When we pass by the moment, we have been tried and failed if we have not done something with the light.) These things spake Jesus, and he departed and hid himself from them. (Jesus hides Himself from those who do not value the light enough to act upon it.)
…(38) that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? (39) For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again, (40) He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them.
Israel had the light for a long time, and they did not bear fruit of it. Many Christians have the light, but do not act on it. They start out in a blaze of glory, but soon the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, trials, and persecutions hardens their hearts and allows the darkness to overcome them (Mat.13:19-23). We must believe and walk in the light while we have it so that Jesus does not withdraw and hide himself.
In (Isa.6:8) And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me. (9) And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. (10) Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed. God is blinding eyes and hearts through the devil. God makes us responsible when we see His Word to walk in the light of its truth. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Walking in the light sanctifies us.
God has a method for weeding the Church which most do not understand. (2Th.2:3) Let no man beguile you in any wise: for [it will not be], except the falling away come first… (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; (9) [even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10) and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Falling away comes through the deception of Satan.
However, God is sending this working of error to those who do not love the truth so that they might be judged. This letter is addressed to the Church. Only Christians, using the term loosely, can fall away. There is a great falling away today, but an even greater deception is coming. Before God sends judgment, He sends “a working of error” to weed out the Church. Who will believe a lie? It is the evil and wicked who will believe a lie.
(Pro.17:4) An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; [And] a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue… (11) An evil man seeketh only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. The evildoer will be weeded out by deception. They will be the ones who are going to buy the lie and fall away. The righteous love God’s Word and the truth, and will not be deceived because they will not depart from it in the midst of trials.
(1 Cor.11:19) For there must be also factions (Greek: “heresies”) among you, that they that are approved may be made manifest among you. It is necessary for heresies to be among us, so that they that are approved by God may be known. God is doing two things with deception and evil: He is revealing the wicked, and revealing the true. This is God’s method throughout history for separating His people from the tares. Birds of a feather flock together. God will gather the tares into bundles to burn them.
Deception is one of God’s methods for proving who will be counted worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Remember this working of Satan will come through power, signs, and lying wonders. These are placebos to pacify the Church with replacements for the genuine to confirm the lies being taught. The genuine are listed as gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healings, workings of miracles, prophecy, discernings of spirits, kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues. For our own safety, we should obey Paul who said, Learn not [to go] beyond the things which are written (1Cor.4:6).
We read in (Dt.13:1) If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, (2) and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (Elohim), which thou hast not known, and let us serve them. Here we have a false prophet speaking a sign that comes to pass. No false prophet can command something and have it come to pass unless God says so.
(Lam.3:37) Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? This is clear that God is trying His people with error. This prophet is saying, “Let us go after other gods.” This is not as uncommon as we may think. Actually, the Hebrew word for “gods” here is the same word used everywhere else in the Old Testament for our God “Elohim.” In this case, he is talking about a false elohim.
There are many false elohim, because anyone who has a Jesus of their own making and not the Jesus of the Bible has a false elohim. (Dt.13:3) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. False prophets prove us for God by deception. God is saying it is necessary for us to be proven by deception to see if we love Him.
Those who love Him will not buy the lie. (Dt.8:2) And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not. This is the whole point. A prophet, a dream, a vision, a teaching, or anything that comes to us that is not according to the commandments is a trial from God, to see if we are going to be counted worthy of the kingdom.
Now in (Eze.14:1) Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. (2) And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, (3) Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? An idol is anything that demands more of our love, time, or money than God; self-will being the most evil idol. Should we ask the Lord’s direction if all we want is what we want? It is dangerous to inquire of the Lord with self-willed motives before our face. We may satisfy our flesh but lose a blessing.
(Eze.14:4) Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord: Every man of the house of Israel that taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the Lord will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols.
God is not our God, and we are not His servants when our will is more important than His Will. Before we ask God, we should ask ourselves if we would be as willing to go in the opposite direction should He give that answer. If we would not, then we have an idol. We should deal with our idol first. (Eph.5:5) For this ye know of a surety, that no… covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. The Greek word for “covetous” only means “to desire more.” A person who desires more than is necessary is an idolater. The word “idolater” comes from two words, eidolo, meaning “that which is seen” and latres meaning “a servant to.”
Those who constantly desire more are servants to that which is seen (physical things), not the Lord. These things can be anything – possessions, a job, a religion, or people to name a few. When people serve themselves, they can be their own idol, like the son of perdition who sits in the temple of God making himself god. Judas, whom Jesus called the son of perdition, sat among the disciples who were the temple of God. He was his own idol because he only wanted to please himself. There are many Judas’ today. (Exo.20:3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Whatever is more important to us than the Lord is going to deceive us if we do not renounce it.
Back to (Eze.14:7) For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I the Lord will answer him by myself: (8) and I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
Those who are separated from God through their idols will be answered according to the lusts of their own heart. God is going to give them an answer that is not a true answer because He will be answering their lusts. God said, “I the Lord will answer him by myself.” The Lord’s answer may come through an apostate prophet, a religion, a thought, a dream, a word or a doctrine, but it will come to deceive. This could bring chastening or even reprobation as we see in verse eight.
(Eze.14:9) And if the prophet be deceived and speak a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. A true prophet, who has idols, or a false prophet can be deceived by a false word from God, as we shall see. (2Th.2:11)… God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie. The Lord sends the false word because people do not love Him, but the world. (1Jn.2:15)… If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We are here to prove who it is that loves God.
God is going to cleanse His Church in these days because there are many idols. When the Word of God says one thing, and we believe our religion, which says another, our religion is our Babylonish idol. God will send deception and it’s an increasingly degenerative road to travel. The more we believe religion, instead of God, the more deception comes in. Nothing but the Word of God should move us.
(Rom.3:4) God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified (accounted righteous) in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. When we agree with God in the midst of judgment, we will prevail. These are the people whom God accounts as righteous.
When we receive a prophecy, vision, dream, revelation, or a word that agrees with the Word of God, praise the Lord because the Word does not give many specifics. It does not tell us where God wants us to live or work or whom He wants us to marry. It gives us principles to find out the true will of the Lord in all areas. We can desire something so much, we hear “the Word of the Lord.” We can become convinced that this is what the Lord wanted us to do, only to find out later that we missed God. We need to be careful, because if our desires are not for the will of the Lord first, we can be deceived.
Let’s look at Balaam’s situation. The children of Israel were in the plains of Moab. Balak, the King of Moab, was very fearful of the Israelites. He gathered together the elders of Midian and Moab. They decided they would hire Balaam to curse these people. Balak said to Balaam, I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed (Num.22:6). If Balaam spoke the Word of the Lord, it was going to come to pass.
The “profit” Balaam went to the Lord with the promise of rewards in his heart and a request to curse Israel on his lips. (Num.22:12) And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed. (13) And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land; for the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
Balak did not give up. He sent more honorable princes who offered to bestow upon Balaam a very high honor and give him anything he asked. Balaam decided to ask the Lord again since this sounded like a pretty good offer. (Num.22:19) Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will speak unto me more. (20) And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.
Balaam did not like God’s “no,” so God, wanting to put to death his covetous self-will, gave him a “yes.” (21) And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. (22) And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the Lord placed himself in the way for an adversary against him…
Notice that God was angry that He went contrary to the first word spoken to him. The ass carrying Balaam to his reward, saw the angel with his sword in the way and stopped, saving his life. Balaam, still ignorant of the angel, was furious and beat the ass. Then God opened the ass’s mouth to reason with Balaam, who was so blinded by the prospect of reward that he did not realize that an ass was reasoning with him and making more sense than he was.
(Num.22:32) And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me. The Hebrew word translated “perverse” here means “headlong” or “self-willed.” Because of this self-will, the Lord gave Balaam what he wanted to hear and told Balaam to go and speak what he was told to speak, but when Balaam went, the angel of the Lord was waiting to kill him.
Balaam got the following revelation through this: (Num.23:19) God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good? Balaam really wanted God to change His Word. Have we ever been there? It is a dangerous place to be in if we want a straight answer from God. God can send deception that will lead to crucifixion of the flesh or in more stubborn cases reprobation.
(Jude 1:11) Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. We can be hired by our own selfish desires. Balaam wanted God to tell him “yes” and refused to hear God’s “no,” so God told him “yes.” Be careful how much you want something from God. God wants us to submit our will to His, to desire what He wants, and to take Him at His Word. Do not let your flesh be pampered by voices that speak contrary to what the Word has already spoken, or God will send deception.
(2Th.2:11) And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: (12) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Many have adopted deceptive doctrines that appease their selfish desires such as doctrines of materialistic prosperity rather than sacrifice, unconditional eternal security so that they may live after the flesh without fear of God’s warnings, rapture without purification through trial, eternal life without discipleship and holiness, etc.
God’s people have justified just about anything to appease their flesh such as unscriptural divorces, abortion, drunkenness, drugs, lying, stealing, etc. Peace for the flesh is deception. Satan and his ministers are anxious to tell us what our flesh wants to hear. (2Co.11:14) And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. (15) It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness…
When Jeroboam was the king of the northern ten tribes, he was afraid that his people would go and worship in the ordained temple at Jerusalem and, in so doing, stay and serve the king of Judah. He decided that he would erect altars for the people in Bethel and Dan. Jeroboam then made two golden calves and called them in Hebrew Elohim (1Ki.12:28). He put the name of our God on his own creation. Aaron did the same thing when Israel came out of Egypt. He built a golden calf and called it in Hebrew YHWH and Elohim. The apostate religions teach a Jesus of their own creation, not the Jesus of the Bible. Paul called him another Jesus (2Co.11:4). Jeroboam and his people were serving another Jesus.
The golden calf was the Egyptian god Apis who was called the creator. In other words, they were worshiping the god they knew in the world before they ate the Lamb and came out of Egypt. Many “Christians” are worshiping a Jesus that is acceptable to the world and the flesh. Jeroboam and his apostates were also making priests (ministers) who were not Levites (1Ki.12:31). This tells me that in ten of the twelve tribes, the ministers were not ordained of God but apostates. That is exactly what has happened in the church today.
God sent a young prophet to prophesy against the altar in Bethel. In Hebrew, “Bethel” means “house of God.” At that time, the king was standing at the altar offering incense before the people. When the prophet prophesied against the altar, the king stretched out his arm and pointed his hand at the prophet and told his men to seize him. At that point, the king’s hand dried up and he could not draw it back. The altar rent and ashes poured out, which the prophet prophesied would happen.
This, obviously, symbolized that God did not accept their sacrifices in this place of apostasy. The king asked the prophet to restore his hand, so the prophet prayed, and the Lord restored the king’s hand. As a result, the king wanted to take the prophet home and reward him. The prophet declined for he was commanded by the Lord to neither eat bread nor drink water in that place (1Ki.13:8-9). That place was where God’s people were in apostasy and where their leaders were not ordained of God. It was an apostate religious system.
We must not eat their bread! This represents partaking of a false Jesus since He was the bread of life (Joh.6:48). Jesus is also the Word. Jesus said to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. Leaven changes the bread (the Word) to make it more acceptable to the flesh. Neither should we drink their water, which represents the false spirit formed by a false word. Jesus commanded us to come unto Him and drink of the living water of the Spirit through the Scriptures. (Joh.7:37)… Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water. (39) But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive… Without this, any Jesus we might know is another Jesus.
The prophet was being obedient and was leaving those backslidden people. In Bethel, there was an older prophet who had heard what the young prophet did. He saddled his ass and caught up with him. (1Ki.13:15) Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. (16) And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: (17) for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. (18) And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. [But] he lied unto him.
(19) So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. The young prophet falsely believed that God had changed His Word that was originally given and so ate and drank of the apostate word. We are told in Jude 1:3 to contend earnestly for the faith which was once… delivered unto the saints. Today many without scriptural foundation tell us that after the apostles God changed what He called an “eternal covenant.” This lie has robbed the Church of its power by replacing Jesus with a golden calf. Daniel and his three friends would not defile themselves with Babylon’s food (Dan.1:5-16). After refusing Babylon’s food, they were said to have ten times the wisdom and understanding of those who did eat (Dan.1:17-21). They also were the only ones to not bow down to the image of the beast (Dan.3:12,18), Babylon’s version of the golden calf.
The young prophet was deceived into a modern gospel. (1Ki.13:20) And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back; (21) and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast been disobedient unto the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
(22) but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy body shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers. The Lord tried the young prophet; but he was said to have “not kept the commandment” of the Lord, which was synonymous with partaking of apostate spiritual food. He lost his life in that place as many do today. The old prophet of God spoke a lie for personal gain. That place had leavened him, and he was now a false “profit.”
We must respect the Word of God so much that nothing can turn us away from it to another Jesus. We have to remain on guard, for even vessels of honor can be used as vessels of dishonor to try us. When the young prophet left a lion met him in the way and slew him. (1Ki.13:26)… the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord…The lion was given permission from God to kill the one who ate the apostate spiritual food. (1Pe.5:8)… the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. “May” is used here because the devil must have permission to devour. He is ordained to devour apostates.
The Lord tested the apostle Paul by His Spirit. (Acts19:21) Now after these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. Paul determined in the Spirit, that he was going to Jerusalem and then to Rome. He could have only gotten that revelation from God because it was in the future. (Act.20:22) And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: (23) save that the Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. It was the Holy Spirit telling Paul to go to Jerusalem where he could expect bonds and afflictions.
(Act.21:4) And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days: and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in Jerusalem. Notice this was just the opposite of what the Holy Spirit had told Paul he was going to do three times before. Paul was being proven by “the Spirit” as to whom he would listen. Other disciples were offering a new word. He was being given an opportunity to obey his flesh and avoid the spiritual cross. (Act.21:10) And as we tarried there some days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. (11) And coming to us, and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Having been told by the Spirit again that he would go to Jerusalem and be persecuted, he was now going to be tried by human sentiment. (12) And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. (13) Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. (14) And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Paul obeyed what the Lord told him, which is the important thing.
The Lord will try us by His Spirit to see if we will believe what He has told us. We need to believe the original promises above all that we see and hear. God will prove or try us through religion, ministers, spoken word, or well-meaning friends. We are tried by external circumstances, but we are tempted by our own lusts. These things are necessary to prove who loves God. God waited until the last seconds, when Abraham was about to plunge the knife into Isaac, stopped him and said unto him, Now I know that thou fearest God (Gen.22:12). There is no proof that we believe God’s promises until we are tried. The Lord then provided a ram caught in a thicket for a sacrifice in the place of Isaac, the seed of Abraham. This, of course, typified Jesus who died in the place of all the seed of Abraham, including we who believe.
God will tell our spirit what He wants us to do. Dreams, visions, revelations, or spoken words will agree with our spirit, but not our flesh. When God sends us to a cross, we are going to be tried to not go. We can also be tried to go beyond the Lord. We should do nothing when we are uncertain of God’s direction. We should not be led by prophecy or by dreams and visions when they disagree with our own spirit. These are to be wonderful confirmations and direction for what we feel in our spirit. We are to be led by the Spirit of God.
If God puts something Scriptural in our spirit, we should let no one talk us out of it. Peter was used to try Jesus in this way. Jesus told the disciples that He was to die at Jerusalem, and Peter rebuked Him. (Mat.16:22) And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. Jesus knew that He was being tempted by Satan through Peter to do his own fleshly will.
Many may be tested by alien demons, artificial intelligence, CGI, religion’s seducing doctrines, fleshly enticements, money and prosperity but we must follow the Spirit and Word through our spirit to escape.
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
Sunday Aug 18, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Sacrifice and Discipleship
David Eells (8/14/24)
I thought I'd share a little bit about sacrifice and discipleship. The Lord Jesus is known by His people as a sacrifice and as a Savior, but far fewer know Him as an example of an overcomer. Many don't see Jesus as an example of an overcomer because they don't see it as an opportunity for us to even walk in the steps of Jesus, which 1 John tells us that everyone that abides in Him are to walk as He walked (1Jn 2:6). So many of those not understanding the Gospel have really sold many Christians short on what the Lord has given us as a great opportunity.
The Lord Jesus came as an example of an overcomer. He came to give us an example of what it is to walk as Christians. And not just as a sacrifice and a Savior. All those things are important, but they misunderstand, really, the very nature of Jesus. And I want to share just a just a little bit concerning that so we can understand this sacrificial life that Jesus gave is the same sacrificial life that He wants us to give.
As we know, He told us to take up our cross and follow Him, or we weren't His disciples. Let’s look at Philippians 2. We're told this a few times concerning the Lord in the Scriptures. Php 2:5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, (or a thing to be clutched to) 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. Now most Christians believe that the Lord Jesus came down in all the omnipotence of God. But actually He didn't come that way. He came as, we're going to see from this text, He came very much like a spirit-filled man who had the Life of Christ inside, and He was the first born among many brethren the Bible says. And many people don't understand that.
But notice, He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant being made in likeness of men. You know, Jesus called Himself the Son of Man far more often than the Son of God. “Son of Man”, He wanted to emphasize His humanity and really, truly, He was the Son of Man. Romans 1:3 says that He was declared to be …born of the seed of David, according to the flesh, but ….the Son of God according to the spirit of holiness… His body really was the “seed of the woman”, the seed of David through Mary. He was truly human and truly God.
And I'm going to read in Php 2:8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. So we see that the Lord Jesus came to walk as a man and to be sacrificed; actually He came to live as a sacrifice and to manifest the sacrifice of the cross, also.
In Hebrews Chapter 2 is another text that’s really an eye opener for a lot of Christians to understand the very nature of Jesus. In verse 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. We don't think too much about Jesus becoming perfect. I think most people believe that Jesus was always perfect from the time He was a baby. The word perfect there means “complete”, it means “mature” or “full grown”. The Bible says that Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and with man. (Luk 2:52) So it says here that He became perfect through suffering.
It also says in Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; (Yes, Jesus learned obedience by the things which he suffered.) 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;
Well, that's the truth, it's the word of God. Some people think it's blasphemy, but it comes right out of the Word of God. Jesus was truly an overcomer. He had something to overcome as we're going to see in just a minute. Most people think Jesus didn't have anything to overcome. Jesus suffered in coming to perfection according to what Heb 2:10 says.
I'm going to go to Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Truly the sons of God are brothers of Jesus. Now, Jesus was the only “begotten” Son of God, meaning, “born” Son of God. But we have to be reborn sons of God. We're being born-again sons of God. Born again first in spirit, then in soul, and ultimately in body.
It says in verse 14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; (Jesus partook of the same flesh and blood that we do.) that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; The same flesh and blood of the “seed of David according to the flesh”. He called himself, “the Son of Man.” And of course, we know He was the Son of God and all true Christians are impressed with that fact. But sometimes they're not as impressed with the fact that He was the Son of Man and that He suffered as a Son of Man in coming to perfection and in bearing fruit and so on and so forth. People don’t see that.
In fact, I'm going to show you verse 17 here, it says. Heb 2:17 Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren,… If we want truth and understanding we must believe exactly what the Word says. Once again, Jesus came as the Son of God manifesting in the Son of Man, as a spirit-filled Son of Man. It says in Romans 8, that He came …in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. (Rom 8:3) So we see that Jesus came to truly be an overcomer of His flesh. Going on in verse 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (or come to the help of) them that are tempted. So Jesus understands us because He's been there, He's done that; He was tempted. When Peter told Jesus He would not go to His cross, Jesus rebuked him calling him a stumbling block.
How could Jesus be tempted? Well, let’s go to Heb 4:15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; (Jesus suffered temptation.) but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In all points He was tempted like us, yet without sinning. Is temptation sin? Obviously not. Temptation is not sin, but it does tell you that Jesus was in a real flesh and blood body.
We read in Jas 1:14 but each man is tempted when he's drawn away by his own lust and enticed. When a person is tempted, it's because they're drawn by their own lust or desires and enticed. Everybody has flesh that's been passed on down through humanity. We know Jesus, from Romans 1:3, had that kind of flesh, the same flesh. The flesh is tempted because they're drawn away by their lust. Now the word “lust” here is translated from the same word that means “desire.” In fact, sometimes the word for lust is translated in a positive way in other places. It's just translated “desire.” The word lust just means “desire”. So they translated it as lust here because they knew it was negative and lust has a negative idea to us. Jesus had His own desire when He wanted to escape the cup of suffering but did not give in but accepted the cup.
But a man is tempted when he's drawn away by his own desires and enticed. The Bible doesn't say that this is sin. It goes on to say, 15 Then the [desire], when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death. So just being tempted by your desires is not sin. It's said about Jesus that that he was tempted in all points like as we yet without sin. In other words, He didn't give in to those desires. He had the desires very plainly, but He didn't give into them. He was a true overcomer.
Isn't that what we're called to do? We can't do anything about the desires other than not giving into them. If you give in to them, if you stir them up, you make them stronger. The more you give in to them, the stronger they get; so we can do that. We've been passed on down through our heritage from our natural parents, the “desires of the flesh.” And we see here that Jesus was also tempted with the desires of the flesh. Now I'm getting somewhere with this so please stay with me.
I want to show you how much Jesus suffered and how much He sacrificed even before the cross. He spiritually bore His cross a long time before He ever went to His physical cross. He tells us we're supposed to take up our cross and follow Him. So as we just read, when a person is tempted, they're drawn away by their desires. Jesus had desires, He just didn't give in to them. We don't have to either because of what He did on the cross; we do not have to give in to temptation. He has given us the victory.
We are going to suffer in the flesh when we refuse to give in to it. 1Pet 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind (Again, He wants us as man, the spirit filled man, to have the same mind that was in Christ. In other words, God used Him as an example for us, to be armed with the same mind.); for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts (or desires) of men, but to the will of God. There are many desires of men we obviously don't have to serve, that are not even necessarily negative, and I'll point out a few things to you.
Jesus gave up a lot of things in order to be Who He was even before the cross. If He was tempted in all points like as us, because of His desires, then He probably as a man, had a desire for a family, a wife and a home. He probably had desires for these things. He saw other people His own age desiring these things, and in themselves, these are not bad things, they're just desires, right? But He denied Himself many things, because He was really consumed with His Father's will. He was consumed with the harvest that was coming and He spoke of it many times.
But He gave up His desires for all these things, much like the apostle Paul did. The apostle Paul gave up desires for these things because he was also consumed with the harvest. Now, we are also coming to a time in history when the first fruits Man-child, who is going to walk in the steps of Jesus, who is also going to be consumed with the harvest. So much so that other things will be less important to them, like they were to Paul, like they were to Jesus and Jesus is our example.
The Bible says, That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (Ecc 1:9) Jesus spoke of coming again as a Man-child born to a woman in John 16 and we find in Revelation 12, just that, the Man-child born to the woman. We know that to be the first fruits of those to walk in His steps in these days. That's why I'm studying this, because we need to know what it is to walk in His steps. So now, what about these desires, that in themselves are not bad, but they would certainly distract from the purpose of God, and from the very very important thing of the harvest to come?
Let’s look at Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. Well His disciples asked Him about this prior in verse 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not. 33 The disciples therefore said one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat? Jesus was talking about the thing that keeps Him alive. Meat is for the mature and milk is for those that are without experience in the Word. It says in Heb 5:13 For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. So meat is those that have experience of living and acting and doing the Word of righteousness. And Jesus was receiving His meat because He was fulfilling the will of the Father that sent Him and He was accomplishing His work.
And going on in Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? (Can you imagine that the same thing could be said in our day? There's always been a harvest, hasn't there? We know that there’s a harvest in the last seven years, a great harvest! But also throughout history there's been a harvest and Jesus said, ‘don't be waiting for the harvest because the fields are already white.’) behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest. 36 He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal;
Notice the people that reap in this harvest. This is what God has called us to. No, we're not all going to be in the Man-child, nor are we all going to be in the two witnesses. But we're all going to be laboring in the harvest. In our little part of the world here at UBM, we've got brothers and sisters in the Lord that are laboring at the sacrifice of their own lives, at the sacrifice of being with their families; and at the sacrifice of things that they would love to do. They're sacrificing their lives to work in the harvest, to get prepared to feed multitudes of people. And I praise God for all of you.
36 He that reapeth receiveth wages, (Well, that’s interesting, in a time when the disciples are basically giving up their livelihood, God is talking about giving them wages for working in the harvest. Many people today are worried about, “Lord, what am I going to do when the tribulation comes and this job is not there and so on?” Well, guess what? The Father is still going to pay you. He doesn't have hirelings, they do it for love, but He's still going to pay them. The laborer is worthy of his hire, He said.
So there are people that are going to have needs in the coming days and I want to tell you, God's people are going to be busy in the harvest. They're going to know the end is near. They're going to be working towards the thing that the Lord has called us to work in from the beginning. Most people are just playing religion! They're living after their own “desires”. But the Lord was giving up His desires in order to fulfill this wonderful harvest.
Going on, 36 He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal (Sounds pretty important, doesn't it?); that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are entered into their labor. Some exhort, witness, or do evangelism and some enter into those labors and do teaching. Some are lazy busybodies.
The Lord Jesus’ normal, natural desires, were overpowered and overwhelmed by this desire to please the Father and to work in the harvest. And you know, the Great Commission is all about us going forth to do that harvest, too. And yet very few people have been obedient to it. Very few people are willing to sacrifice their desires to give up what they have in the world to do this. Moms have their own evangelistic work but they can pray for God to open other doors too.
When Jesus went to disciple, we read in Mat 4:16 The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. The same thing is going to happen in our day. Some are laying a foundation for when the Man-child goes forth; a great light is going to be given to God's people who have been sitting in darkness.
And verse 17 From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left the nets, and followed him.
Can you imagine with no more convincing than that! These men must have been prepared by God to be ready to follow the Man-child at this very simple plea, because they just immediately dropped their their livelihood, which of course they were feeding their families with. And as we just read that they would receive wages for working in the Lord's harvest, but they just dropped their living and they followed Jesus.
Do you think that possibly a lot of people are coming to this situation? I'm convinced of it. I'm convinced that it’s not just the Man-child who was represented here by Jesus; and the two witnesses, which are represented by those disciples that He sent out two by two, which is a corporate body of two witnesses in our day. But also the Lord is preparing others. He’s not only preparing the Man-child, who's lived a sacrificial life, and are not consumed with their own desires. And the witnesses who are to be raised up by the Man-child are also not consumed by their own desires.
Obviously, they were willing to drop their livelihood, the only thing that they'd known all their lives, the very thing that they were feeding their families with. You may be asking, “David, do you think they had families?” Yes, they had families and most of these Jewish men were married at a young age. Some of them were arranged marriages which was very, common. I’ll speak more of their families in a moment.
But let’s read the rest of this text in verse 21 And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Notice that they just gave up their livelihood to follow Jesus. Multitudes of people are going to find themselves in the same situation, with the overcoming grace of God to give up their normal desires. Not necessarily bad desires, just their normal desires like Jesus and Paul did, and these disciples are now doing. I know I'm talking to some people who have families and you thought that possibly this was going to constrain you from doing the work of the Lord, or possibly it's constraining you now from jumping into the harvest, right? It is clear Jesus’ disciples families were provided for. 1Ti 5:8 But if any provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.
Now Paul is saying in 1Co 9:5-6 Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? So this was after the Ministry of Jesus, and we see that Paul and Barnabas were single, but all the rest of them at this time in Corinthians, were leading about a wife, and I can guarantee you, children too.
During the time when the disciples followed Jesus, we don't find any indication that their wives or their children were with them. But they were following Jesus, and guess what? Somebody was taking care of their families because they were seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness. The Lord was taking care of their families while they were doing this. They were giving up all the things that men normally desire in life in order to have the great joy of seeing the benefits of the Kingdom of God, given to God’s people and sacrificing everything to do this.
Verse 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have we not a right to forbear working? Notice this, that all the rest of the apostles, and those disciples were forbearing working. They weren't working for a living, they were working for God.
You know, when I first came to Pensacola, I was ministering in a revival. I hadn't been working at a regular job for some time. I've been just working for the Lord from the time I left Louisiana, many, many years ago. And while there, I had a lady walk up to me and asked me, “David, what about these verses, here? I mean, should you be working while you're doing what you're doing?”
I said, “I'll tell you what, why don't you go and ask the Lord that question? I already know it for myself, but I'd rather you get it from Him. Go and ask the Lord that question and tell me what He says.” So the next day she was back and she said, “David, I got a real clear answer from the Lord. He told me that you ARE working. You're working for Him.” I said, “That's right. He's the one ordained me. He appeared to me twice to do it. He ordained me to do what I'm doing.”
You know what, folks? We all have to work. Paul said. If a man doesn't work, he doesn't eat, in Thessalonians, right? And so Paul, in verse 6, for the first part of his ministry was working for a living while he was serving the Lord and doing the work of the Kingdom. He was working for living, but notice none of the rest of the apostles were. He said he had a right to do exactly what they were doing, but he wasn't taking that right. I remember doing the same thing for the first ten years of my ministry. I worked while I ministered, while I taught and while I pastored. But there came a time, just like with Paul, I didn’t have time to work.
By the time 2 Corinthians came around, Paul wasn't working either. He was taking wages from other people so that he could serve God continually, but for part of his ministry he was working. Now we all have to work; I'm not talking about not working, because like the apostle Paul said, we if a man doesn't work, he doesn't eat.
But now notice that these men who followed Jesus, they were working for the Lord and the Lord was paying their wages. Now, I've been asked of people, “Well, how is it that in the Tribulation period people are going to be going out just serving God? How is it they're going to make a living, and how is their family going to make a living?” I tell you folks, the laborer is worthy of his hire. The Lord will see to it. He's doing it today with people who are walking by faith.
He's done it with me, for 50 years in the ministry, He's taken care of us. I haven't had any visible means of support, but I was listening to the Lord and following Him and He always came through. I never took up an offering for myself. When I went on tour they took up offerings for me. He brought us through some wonderful trials!
Trials that helped me to learn to walk by faith in the Lord, Who is always our Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. But I wouldn't have traded those trials for anything, honestly. I would not have traded those trials to see the miracles of God providing for me and providing for my family, I wouldn’t have traded that for anything in the world.
And God's been absolutely, totally faithful. I've seen Him do wonderful things like multiply food and seen Him multiply money. So we're not talking about not working, but there is coming a time when men, especially Christians, who cannot be a part of the Beast system any longer and not be able to work. But they will get wages because finally God's people are going to be into the same thing that Jesus and His disciples were into, and that is the harvest. Right now, so many people are living after the desires of their flesh.
I want to say something else, we are told in Heb 12:1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Well, notice they ‘lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us…’ Paul had a right to lead about a wife, even as the rest of the apostles and that desire is not sin at all. It wasn't a sin for Jesus if He had wanted to be married and a family. He had those desires, they were not in themselves sin, except that the Father had a plan for Jesus, and these things would have been a weight. They would have kept Him from fulfilling the job the Lord sent Him to do. Am I preaching that men shouldn’t have these things? No, I'm not preaching that at all. I'm just saying that we have some desires that are perfectly legal but will not bring forth the end result that the Father sent us to do.
Many of them would be weights holding us back. They are simply human desires. The Lord wants us to find our desire in the things that He desires. He wants to work in us, to will, and to do of his good pleasure. And I'm sure that the human desires Jesus had were totally overwhelmed by the desire that God put in His heart, and that was to see souls saved; to see the sick healed, to see deliverance of God's people! I'm sure that was His great desire and it's very fulfilling to see that.
Now, these disciples were in very primitive situations. Look what it says in Mat 8:19 And there came a scribe, and said unto him, Teacher, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. Well, would everybody follow Him in the rather primitive provision the Lord gives to people that do this? He says, 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. That didn't sound like He had a home or had any kind of worldly provision. Father provided for them, but it seemed like they were living a pretty primitive and simple life in order to get the Gospel out; they couldn't carry a lot with them. I know that there's spiritual revelations here too, but I'm just looking in the natural here.
And in verse 21 And another of the disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me; and leave the dead to bury their own dead. In other words, there are a lot of things that we might think are important that God doesn't think are as important as doing the will of the Father and bringing forth the Great Commission.
So we are being called by the Lord more than anything, to seek to have His desires in these days, before these days actually come upon us. There's a repetition of history seen in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts about to come upon this world and God's going to find some people willing to take up their cross and follow Him in this work. He has others to do much of the support work. We've got a lot of brethren allied with us to do this; supporting us with their funds, supporting us with their gifts and their talents. They support us by giving up things that they normally could do in order to bring forth this harvest. And we praise God for them.
Continuing in Mat 8:23 And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord; we perish.
I've seen many people ‘tried’ who have come into our ministry. They have the funny idea that they may not have to sacrifice anything of their natural life; things that are normal to everybody, like the fellowship with their children. Did you know Jesus’ disciples sacrificed the fellowship they could have had with their wives and children, or building their homes? They sacrificed these kinds of things for the work of the Kingdom. And now we see that when they chose to follow Jesus, they even ran into tempests, storms, troubles, and different tribulations.
People who came to our ministry to help, didn't realize that just because you're serving the Lord, doesn't mean you're not going to run into these ‘tempest, troubles and tribulations’. The Lord permits it. He lets the devil bring forth a storm or a tribulation and some people think, “Well, I must have missed God somewhere, because I'm going through this, and here I am trying to serve the Lord. Here I am doing this work of the ministry. Maybe I'm missing God somewhere.” No, we are told, through much tribulation shall you enter the Kingdom.
This tempest came upon the disciples and the Lord was their Savior in the midst it. He didn't save them from the tempest, but He saved them in the midst of it. He didn't keep them from the trial, but He saved them in the midst of it. All of God's people who serve Him in this harvest are going to be opposed by the devil. It's permissible by God for this to happen, and we're going to be rejected. It's not because we've missed God, it's because we we're in the will of God.
The disciples found themselves in primitive situations while they were sacrificing the normal desires of their life, and yet they were leaving all to follow Jesus, and they spoke to Jesus about this in Mark 10. I'm going to start in verse Mar 10:17 And as he was going forth into the way, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor thy father and mother. 20 And he said unto him, Teacher, all these things have I observed from my youth. 21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Saints, we're coming to such a time as this, where God is going to demand this from some people. Because of the Beast kingdom, many people are going to have to give up many things that they have, which are not necessarily bad in themselves, but in order to walk through the wilderness, in order to be tried, in order to be come forth as a gold, they're going to go through these things.
Mar 10:22 But his countenance fell at the saying, and he went away sorrowful: for he was one that had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they were astonished exceedingly, saying unto him, Then who can be saved? 27 Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with God. 28 Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
This very thing is coming very soon. There are people who are going to leave all to follow the Lord. I'm not talking about just in the capacity of these apostles or these disciples, but many others are going to leave all to follow the Lord. They're not going to be distracted by the things of the world. They can't carry these things with them and the Lord Jesus is going to bring them through wonderful times of provision. ‘They that reapeth, receiveth with wages’; Father is going to take care of them and provide for them.
Mar 10:29 Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel's sake, 30 but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Even today people are giving up the fellowship of family, houses and lands. They’re giving up these things, which the Lord said He would multiply back to them because obviously we've got family everywhere, we've got houses everywhere. Everywhere we go there's a provision, there's a door opened, and God says, now in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life. God is going to multiply back for those people who do give up something. Don't forget the Lord will give it back, He will multiply it back. The Bible says He will multiply your seed for sowing in 1 Corinthians chapter 8.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. What do you think He meant by that? You know, if we put ourselves first and Him last, then we're going to be last in the Kingdom. But if we put Him first and us last, we're going to be first in the Kingdom and that's what He was talking about doing here. Like people who give up normal things of life to follow Him, not because they’re sin, but because they are weights. I think God's got a calling on all of us and it's going to be the Great Commission and we're all going to be fulfilling our parts as far as bringing this Great Commission forth. We should have been doing it for the last 2000 years, but God's people have really been caught up in materialistic Christianity rather than fulfilling what He desires for us. Now the desires that we have are normal, but we give them up as a sacrifice for the greater good of bringing forth this harvest into eternal life. God bless you, Brethren!
Wednesday Aug 14, 2024
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
Sunday Aug 11, 2024
The Importance of Baptism
David Eells (8/11/24)
There is a great disconnect in the church today concerning baptism and it is so important! If a person just looked at the Scriptures and read all the verses, you'd know this. When I first became born-again the first thing that the Lord began to impress us to look at was baptism. So we looked up every verse concerning baptism and printed them out. With them all written out on pages before us, we just knew, “Yep, we have to do it. There is no choice. We have to do this.” So we looked for a church to do it.
Well, a lot of Christians today don't read their Bible, so they just wouldn't know unless the preacher emphasized what the scripture emphasizes. We noticed in the Bible, that as soon as someone believed, the next emphasis was to be filled with the Spirit. Once in a while, being filled with the Spirit got ahead of the baptism, but baptism was right there always when someone first believed. And there's a reason for that. It's because it's important. Some churches do not even mention it, as though it's not important.
So, I thought we'd look at a few scriptures and study what the importance of baptism is. Remember, it's not just what they say about baptism, it's the emphasis they put on it and that should be our emphasis too. I mean, if it's that important to Jesus and the apostles, we don't care that others don't think it's important. It should be just as important to us as it was to Jesus and the apostles.
I’d like to start in Acts 22. Well, you remember how Paul was converted and then got himself in trouble with the religious folks and he was recounting to them about his conversion in Act 22:12-14 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there, 13 came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked upon him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
As important as Paul was to the Lord and to God's plan, he still needed to be baptized. 15 For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. 16 And now why tarriest thou? (I.e., What are you waiting for?) arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. (Amen. Do you hear that? He is saying, What are you waiting for? Get baptized and wash away your sins. That sounds very important, doesn't it?)
So baptism has a key work in doing this. People argue about what is that work. But I think we can cover that a little bit today. So yes, baptism is important in washing away thy sins. It is an act of faith that God recognizes and it’s our obedience to our Lord. You know, faith without works is dead. Some people say they have faith, but they don't have works. So, obedience is important in the Kingdom.
Well, it says in 1Pe 3:19-21 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, (Speaking of Jesus.) 20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, (That sounds very important, doesn't it?) not the putting away of the filth of the flesh (In other words, it's not the water washing your skin, that makes you clean), but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; It is through the resurrection gift of Jesus Christ given to us and it is given to us through baptism, as we'll see in Romans chapter 6. When we come up out of the water, we claim His resurrection life.
So you see, baptism is very important. You know, tell your children; tell your lost loved ones, “Yeah, believing in Jesus is important, and so is baptism.” It’s a command from God and any command from God is important. Sad to say, but some people don't read their Bible to find out these things and the poor preachers don't know enough either.
Another great example is in Act 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison-house were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened: and every one's bands were loosed. 27 And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. 32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, (And that's just how important it was. Most people today would make excuses; they would say, “Well, wait till the preacher preaches on baptism. Next month I think we're going to have a baptism…”, and so on. Well, they thought it was so important that in the middle of the night, they were going to go and baptize this person because you have to start your Christian walk with baptism as an act of faith. It's an act of faith that gives you the good confession that you make before Satan and before the world that now you don't live, Christ lives in you.) and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. This shows how important baptism is. I've done the same thing in the middle of the night. When people believed, we started looking for a pool in the middle of the night. And it's just that important to God. Our emphasis needs to be God's emphasis in this regard. Jesus said in Mar.16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.
Now it says in 1Co 10:1 For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; Look at that, “all of them” It must have been important to do that right? God wants to show us through this type and shadow that it's also important to us. So what can we say? We're warned not to add to or take away from the words of the Book, or He'll take away our part in the tree of life. We're warned to obey, just as they did.
So it’s important because it says in 1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. (We are a many membered body of Christ.) 13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, (Baptized into the body! My goodness, that makes baptism very, very important. We're talking about one body, and we're supposed to be a member of it. Some people say this is “spirit baptism”. Folks, the overwhelming majority of Christianity out there have never been spirit baptized, so none of them would be in the body. No, this is talking about being baptized into Christ, which is what the baptism verses say. It never says that about spirit baptism.
Now we all need spirit baptism too, because as we just read, Moses and the children of Israel were baptized in the cloud and in the sea. And that represents our spirit baptism and water baptism. We’re just saying what the Bible says. Now some people say, “Oh, David, you’re preaching baptismal regeneration.” I don't care what you call it, I'm just saying what the Bible says. It doesn’t matter what you call it. Regeneration is not something you do when you step over a line somewhere. Regeneration is something that's carried out in your life as you repent and believe.)
It goes on to say, 13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. Wow, sounds kind of important, doesn't it! Many people are missing God on this regard here. There's a lot of people I've run into that have been Christians for a long time and yet they haven't been baptized. And God's even brought it to their attention, but they just hardened their conscience against it because nobody else around them thought to be baptized. We're not following the people around us, folks. We're following the living Word of God. We dare not follow men. They have been so foolish over the years and they've forgotten baptism and you can see how very important it is! We need to tremble before the Lord.
It sounds pretty important in Mark 16:15-16, the Great Commission. Well, if He sent them out to do this, we have to go do the same thing. If we talked to somebody about salvation, baptism is supposed to be a part of it, every time; immediately as we just read. If a person gets saved and they don't want to get baptized, well, we'll find out what the Bible has to say about that.
Here's the good word in Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. Notice, He said two things here. “He that believeth and is baptized”, So it's not just believing, it's actions that go with that believing. Baptism is the New Testament sign of the Covenant. The sealing of the Covenant. Just as circumcision was the sealing of the Covenant in the Old Testament, according to the apostle Paul. And so, He said, preach the Good News to them. And then those that believe it and are baptized shall be saved.
Well, now I'm just going to say a few words about this before we go on. I know a lot of you out there may have been sprinkled and they call it baptism. But really, not anywhere in the scriptures is there sprinkling when dealing with baptism. There is a word, rhantizō, which means sprinkling, like sprinkling of the blood. However, the word baptism is the only one that's used for baptism, and we're told in Vines, it says it's a process of immersion, which means submersion and emergence. And submersion is going under and emergence is coming up. And it comes from the word baptō, which means to dip or plunge beneath, which is exactly true. Strong’s, for instance, says that to make overwhelmed. In other words, he says, fully wet. And it's from the word baptō which means to cover completely with fluid, Strong’s says.
So, it's a pretty strong emphasis on being plunged beneath, the waters. There is no such thing as “sprinkling” in baptism. And there’s no such thing as sprinkling babies in the scriptures, because the Bible says, repent and believe and repent and be baptized. We’ll look at that in just a minute. So babies don't repent and they haven't done much that they're held guilty for. Basically, if you've only been sprinkled, you need to get baptized. Who can baptize you? Well, our examples in scripture are men who baptize. Can women baptize? The scripture doesn’t say. It has to be done. I would say in most cases people say, “Well, go find a preacher.” Well, that's a possibility to go to a church to get somebody to baptize you, but most preachers don’t believe it is necessary and may put you off until they have more people who want to be baptized. Baptism is very important concerning your faith. It's an act of faith.
People think it's just joining a church. Well, it's joining the Church. It's being baptized into the body of Christ. But it's not talking about joining a local assembly. And it's not just a thing of naught, you know, it actually has an effect upon you. I've seen people that couldn't overcome certain sins until they got baptized because they just weren't obeying; they weren’t washing away their sins. I mean, it's an act of faith for you, that you believe your sins are washed away when you get baptized, and we will study this.
No, there's no such thing as infant baptism or sprinkling. Because obviously sprinkling is dead wrong and even the dead church used to teach that. And if I remember correctly, it was Constantine who ordained sprinkling as baptism because on his death bed he just wanted to be baptized. He thought if he was baptized just before he died he would be okay, which was totally false. So, he got sprinkled over and over until he died. Silly stuff that people want; they want some kind of magic to make sure they can get into the Kingdom of heaven. But without repentance and faith you just get wet when you get baptized. Notice this progression: Act 2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Just obey the scriptures and you will be safe. Trust in men and you will not.
Now let’s look at Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name (Now listen to this. You're not baptizing someone in a name, you’re baptizing them into the name. You know, when you get married, you wives out there, you took on the name, right? And thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. When you take His name, you need have faith to live up to it.
God's given principles whereby you can do that if you believe the gospel. Baptizing them literally, it says into the name, so it's not talking about using a name over someone. It’s talking about baptizing you into the name of someone. Who is that? Well, this is the only place in the Bible that uses this term, so you need to understand it in regards to the other places in the Bible where it says being baptized into the name of Jesus. Because some people think these are formulas. And then they pick and choose which formula they think is the right one. But that's phony, and it's wrong. There is no scripture that contends with other scriptures. It all fits together. So therefore we need to understand how “this and that” go together.
Well, it says you baptize them into the name, that is, …baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Notice that if you understand your English here, there's only one name here. It’s baptizing them into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and notice also that Father is not “a name” and Son is not “a name” either, and neither is Holy Spirit “a name”. Those aren't names. He's telling you to baptize them into the Name. So what is this name?
Let me read the next verse first in Mat. 28:20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Notice that we not only baptize, we tell them to obey everything Scripture says. But when they baptize into the name, what is the name? Some people nowadays are very confused about what the name is. I just want to point out to you one thing that's very important to you Judaizer out there. That is, you folks who want to go back and be Jews. Now the Lord was so fed up with the Jews that He wrote the New Testament in Greek, and we have absolute proof of that. The Old Testament Hebrew has a numeric pattern that won't let you add a letter or take a letter in the original Hebrew without ruining the Hebrew pattern in the text. And we've written about that, if you'd like to go and read it. This book is available on our website, The Numeric English New Testament. Here’s a link: NGNT
And here’s why God put His signature in all of the scriptures. So in the Old Testament He used the Hebrew and in the New Testament, He used the Greek. That's a fact, because the New Testament Hebrew texts that are out there don't have a numeric pattern in them. And I'm talking about not just the pattern here and there, like you can find in War and Peace, which have little bits and pieces of things that accidentally come up to have a little bit of a numeric pattern with just a few letters. I'm talking about every letter of every word being a part of a numeric pattern and that's in both the Old Testament Hebrew and the New Testament Greek. So when you talk about “name” in the New Testament, you're talking about the word, onoma and it means character, authority, and nature. In the Old Testament, it’s the word Shem, it was the chosen lineage back after Noah, because he took the name. He was the name. So in the New Testament, when you're baptized into the Name, you're baptized into the nature, character and authority of Jesus. We'll see that even more as we go on. So, it’s into the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit which is spoken here. These three agree it’s only one name, Jesus. Act 4:12 And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
Also, I want to point this out to you that are caught up in the Judaizer thing. I’m going to read Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations (Gentiles) shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, (Notice that the name of the Lord is synonymous here with gathering unto Jerusalem, and the apostle Paul said that “you have come unto the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem”, meaning those Christians then who were baptized and filled with the spirit, and believe what the Word of God said. This is talking about Gentiles coming to it. Now, so this is not the Old Testament Jerusalem, but the New Testament, born-again Heavenly Jerusalem that he said we had come to. And all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord. Now we know the name of the Lord in the New Testament. That is my own new name.) We'll talk more about that in just a minute.
So going on here, … shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. (Now, so this is a born-again experience because they were certainly stubborn!) Jer 3:18 In those days the house of Judah (You know, by the way, folks, I got to tell you that just as there were 12 tribes back then, there's 12 today. Many have received that revelation from the Word. And there is a Judah; Judah was first. Judah means praise, and Judah represents the spirit-filled people.) … the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance unto your fathers.
19 But I said, How I will put thee among the children (This is the true children of God here), and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me. Now, these Gentiles that came to the Jerusalem, he said, “you shall call me my Father.” And Jesus taught in the New Testament for us to call Him, My Father! All you need do is get out your concordance and look up the word. It'll be two pages. Father. Father. Father. Father.
This is the relationship the Lord wants us to have with Him in the New Testament. Not an Old Testament name that is not in the New Testament or covenant. The only thing you can see Jesus calling Him is, Father. Amen. He said it again in Jer 3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth? So forget all these Jewish names. You're not Jews, at least most of you aren't. And even if you were, you've got a New Covenant and the anointing is in the Greek. The New Testament Greek has the numeric pattern, which is God’s signature.
So, the name of the Lord; what is the name of the Lord? Jesus. Why does He say of the Father? Because it's the same nature, character and authority in the whole family; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is the same name. You understand? We're not talking about a title, here. We're talking about the nature, character and authority that's passed on from generation to generation. Now in the natural you inherited a name from your parents and in the spiritual you inherited a name from your spiritual parent, so we have to pay attention to that. We inherited the blood of Jesus. He is called “Everlasting Father” in Isa 9:6. Neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit have blood.
So if you want to see this, for instance, you look in Gen 3:22 And Jehovah, or Yahweh, as some people say, or other names they put in here. But the truth is, that was what was in the Tetragrammaton, which is YH, or VH if you hold to the Jewish, or WH if you hold to the English translation YHWH, and YHVH. Now how can you baptize somebody in the name of YHWH when you can't even pronounce it? Because that's not what it's telling you to do. It’s telling you the name, the nature, character and authority. And Jehovah God, Yahweh Elohim, it is translated in this Bible. Yahweh or YHWH, Elohim; and did you know Elohim is plural, never singular?
And so He says, Behold, the man is become as one of us (So we're talking about why YHWH is plural here. Who is he talking about? “…has become as one of us.” The Lord and the Angels know, in fact all through Genesis, He uses this terminology. I'll just point this out to you. So YHWH or YHVH, if you prefer, that's plural. Yes, it is in Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, (Oh my goodness. Now you know He's talking about God, right?) after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish… so on and so forth. And we see in Genesis, by the way, we see that Jehovah God translated from YHWH, Elohim is used quite often. For instance, Gen 2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God (YHWH Elohim, so He's plural, the family name.) made earth and heaven.
And here’s another example. Gen 2:7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground,… So there's the name. However, not in the New Testament, because now it was written in the New Testament as Greek, you understand? For instance, in the Greek it's something like, Iésous, and Spanish it’s Jesús “hay-SOOS”. Some Jews use Yeshua, but that doesn't come from the Greek, it comes from the Hebrew. There's no numeric pattern in the Hebrew NT. It's in the Greek. Some people say, “Oh, you can't use ‘Jesus’.” Well, why not? I've been using the name of Jesus to cast out demons and see miracles for over 50 years now. And you know what? He works. He doesn’t care if I use the name Jesus. So they're just trying to drag you back under the Law and into the Old Covenant, which the Bible says passed away in Christ. Now, not one jot or tittle will pass away until all is fulfilled, because the Law is the letter that has to be made spirit, and that's the fulfillment. The New Testament is a fulfillment of the Old Testament. But God didn't make the Old Testament with you, He only made it with the Jews. Psa 147:19-20 He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye Jehovah.
So the Lord turned away from their covenant and language. All but a remnant rebelled up unto the end. We know they even crucified the Christ, and they crucified the prophets and the apostles. So does that mean they can't be saved? Nope, we're supposed to be believing for a remnant of them to come into the New Covenant and of course, the Lord will do that. Oh, praise be to God!
So we understand that the Lord accepts these names in the New Testament, the transliteration of Iésous is Jesus into English, and He certainly answers to that. And if you go to Spanish and use Jesús, He will answer to that, and if any other translation He will answer that. Because it's not the word that you're speaking over someone. Notice you're not baptizing them in a bucket of Jesus. You are baptizing them into the Name and the Name is His nature, character and authority. Praise God!
So we see that we are also to do all in the name as it says in Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. It's not that you have to “say” the name to do it in the name. You do it in the nature, character and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the scripture says. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is a name. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not a name. They have a name, they have a nature, character and authority, and it's always the same. But it's not that you speak, “the Father, Son, Holy Spirit” over someone and there's something magical about that or a particular formula of doing it. It's that they're baptized into the Name.
Now Jesus is a name and everywhere else in the Bible it uses the name Jesus because you're baptized into His death, burial, and resurrection. That's what baptism is. So if you want to say the name of Jesus, that's fine. It's still not a formula to say over someone. I hope you understand that because we are ambassadors for Christ, as it says in 2 Co 5:20. It means we are sent forth to do and to speak with authority in His name. Do you have to “say” His name every time you do anything? No, but you have to be in His name. The scripture says you “do all in the name.” In the name means, in the nature, character and authority. That's what it means. It doesn't mean, “say” the name. Now, can you say the name of Jesus? Yes, I do it all the time because I want everybody to know who Jesus is. And it's His authority, it's His power! Praise be to God. But I'm an ambassador on behalf of Christ to this world from His Kingdom and I'm coming to the Kingdom of this world. And so everything that I do in His name has authority you see. I hope you understand that.
And I'll point out something else to you in Acts chapter 2. We see here that Peter is preaching the Gospel to these Jews, and they were convicted of their sin, so we read Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said unto them, (This is a very important answer here. Thousands were converted here you see) Repent ye, and be baptized (Babies can't do that. Now just understand babies don't need to be baptized. Those that need to repent need to be baptized.) …Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you (Did he say, “some of you”, or “if you want to?” No. Did he say, “you need to and another doesn’t?” No, every one of you.) in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Maybe that's why some people don't get the Holy Spirit, because they're not even being obedient unto baptism. Well, that's clear. Notice, he said “every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” And can you say the name of Jesus Christ? Definitely you can, you know, because it is a name; Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not a name. There's just one name there, you understand one nature, one character and one authority. And we're baptized into Jesus Christ. So if you're going to say the name, you need to say the proper name here. It is the name. It's Jesus. It means “Jehovah is salvation,” or “YHWH is salvation.”
So who was in Jesus? The Father! The Father was in Jesus. In fact, let me just read to you, Joh 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, (Oh, praise the Lord! So, what did that mean? Was the Father's name, Jesus? That's kind of the oneness doctrine. Generally it’s the oneness doctrine or Trinity doctrine and neither one of them are quite right. Because if you just read the scriptures, you don't have to make up formulas that don't quite fit anything, and neither one of them do, actually.) But notice, He said, I am come in my Father's name and you received me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Now, what did He mean by this? He came in His Father’s, nature, character and authority. Another person can come in their own nature, character and authority, and they will listen to them, but they won't listen to somebody who is an ambassador of Christ. That’s what He was saying. 44 How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not?
Let's look at Act 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, (The Jewish were calling the apostles on the carpet. The Sanhedrin really didn't have any authority from God. They had failed and gone their own way.) they inquired, By what power, or in what name, (Not by what name, it’s in what name. We have to do all in the name, in the nature, character, and authority of Jesus. You can say things using the name or “by the name” and nothing will happen. Have you ever noticed? But if you do something in the name, well then the authority of heaven is behind you because you're an ambassador for the Kingdom.) By what power, or in what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders, (We have the same problem today.) 9 if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, by what means this man is made whole; 10 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ (In the name, not by the name) in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even in him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, (And this is still happening today.) which was made the head of the corner. 12 And in none other is there salvation: (Can you “say” the name of Jesus and still not have salvation? Of course, and a lot of other things you won't have if the only thing you're doing is “saying in the name of Jesus,” you'll be without a lot. But you can't do anything in the name and not see results. You’re in the nature character and authority of Jesus Christ.) for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein (not “whereby”) we must be saved. (That's what it says in the original, “wherein.” Salvation is in Him.” And to have salvation, you must abide in Him. If you don't abide in Him, you're cast forth as a branch and picked up and thrown into the fire.)
Another example is in Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ (There it is again. We're baptized into the body. Doesn't that make it very, very important? Absolutely. So why aren’t people doing this? Well, because they don't mind just filling churches up with people that tithe, then they come and listen and they become “cookie cutter Christians.) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. (So when you're being baptized into the nature, character and authority of Jesus, you are putting on His acts. What you put on represents your actions, or works. Is the fruit of the Spirit those actions? Yes, of course it is. The fruit of the Spirit is the manifestation of being in Christ. We are first in Christ by faith. You accept everything that Christ gave you, and your faith is accounted as righteousness. But while you walk in that faith, God's going to be manifesting it. And if you don't see any of it manifesting, guess what? It's not faith in what the scripture has to say. Because there's definitely always going to be fruit of faith in what the scripture has to say.)
28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man (man was added in there) in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise. Baptism is very, very important. You see that? Glory be to God! It’s the truth.
Let’s read another one. Let’s go to Col 2:11 in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ; (How were we circumcised? We as Gentiles don’t’ get circumcised as Paul said in Galatians chapter 5. If you trust in circumcision, you are separated from Christ. You're not, naturally speaking, but if you do it in order to be justified, you’re separated from Christ. Circumcision has a different meaning in the New Testament.) 12 having been buried with him in baptism,… (We see here that circumcision in the New Testament is baptism. How do you fulfill Old Testament circumcision? “Having been buried with him in baptism.” Cutting off the flesh from sowing our seed has the same meaning as cutting off the flesh man in baptism.
He tells you very plainly in Galatians that seeking to be justified by the works of the Law, Christ won't profit you anything. In Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (You're not to go back under the Law. You're supposed to be obeying what it points to.) 4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
And all the rest of the Law is the same way. It's all a type and shadow of something in the New Testament, and all you need to do is start reading the New Testament and you'll find out what it is. In this case, circumcision equates to baptism. Now, if you were in the Old Testament and you didn't get circumcised, you were cut off. Now, if you're in the New Testament, you don't have to get circumcised because you have a New Covenant, but there is also a baptism that equates to circumcision, which is the sign of the Covenant. Let me explain that to you. Let's go back and read Genesis 17 and we'll see the type and the shadow of what baptism was, and we'll see how important it is!
Gen 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. (So, that's the sign of that Covenant. And what is the sign of the New Testament covenant? Baptism.) 11 And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
So some people say, “Oh it's everlasting!” Well, yeah but except for one thing, it's being interpreted when you come into the New Testament. You're still keeping it, but you're keeping it because you're keeping the Spirit, not the letter. You're actually fulfilling it with baptism. If you get circumcised in the New Testament and you're not fulfilling it, you're going back to keeping the Law. But if you understand that it's being translated from letter understanding to spiritual understanding, you get the real understanding. The letter kills but the spirit gives life, according to what the apostle Paul said. Every jot and tittle of the Old Testament must be fulfilled in the New. Now continuing 14 And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. So that was true about circumcision if you are under the Old Covenant. Now that you're under the New Covenant, this shows the importance of baptism!
So let's look at Romans now. Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. 9 Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. 10 How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision: (Because he was reckoned righteous by his faith before he got circumcised. Is it same truth for baptism? Yes. He was reckoned righteous, not righteous, but reckoned righteous. We are also reckoned as righteous when we obey the commandments on baptism.
Now, I want to also say this regarding, opportunity. See, some people say, “Oh, the thief on the cross, he wasn't baptized, so we don't have to be.” No, wait a minute, the thief on the cross had no opportunity to be baptized. The Bible says also, you need to pay attention to this. Speaking of baptism Paul said, We become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be of his resurrection. (Rom 6:5) Now the thief was united with him in the likeness of his death. So he fulfilled what baptism and Romans 6 says, because if he “died with Christ, we shall also be raised with him”. He died with Christ, so he fulfilled it in that way. So now, you are not like the thief on the cross. You have opportunity to obey this word. If you have faith without works, how can that faith save you? You say, “Do we have to do this? Do we have to do that?” If you're just trying to get your toe in the door, you've got nothing. You have not yet become a disciple of Jesus Christ. What do I have to do? You have to do everything He tells you. Because He bought you with a price. You are not your own. You have the privilege to do everything He and His apostles told you to do in this New Covenant.
And the proof as we read on here is in verse Rom 4:11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision: (So faith came and works came and those works of obedience sealed what he received by faith.) that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them;
(So when you believe, righteousness is reckoned unto you, but if you don't obey, you're not getting sealed. If you believe without obedience, that's faith without works. James said, Can that faith save him? No. Why do you become a disciple of Christ and don't do what He says? “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I say?” How can you call him Lord if you don't do what He says? It just can't be.
So their argument about the thief doesn't count for them because they have opportunity, and he didn't. Of course, if a person dies after becoming a believer, and they had no knowledge of a need for baptism and there was no opportunity, I believe their faith would be “accounted as righteousness”. But when you have opportunity, you need to do it. Notice that all through the Book of Acts, when they baptized people, they did it immediately. Why? Because it was important! It was an act of faith that washed away sin. Wow! You see, it's important!
So let's go on to look at the baptism chapter, Romans 6. It’s so good, so full of power! Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Well, there's a lot of people that believe that. A lot of dead religion out there that believes that. The “Once saved, always saved” love that. They don't understand what grace is, grace also brings obedience.) 2 God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? (That should be our attitude towards sin. We've been made free from sin. Why should we serve it anymore?) 3 Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (Yes, many people get baptized and they are ignorant. They don't even know what it's for. They just think it's a ceremony so they can join a church. It's a ceremony, all right. But it's one that acts by faith and causes you to enter the church. The church, not a local building.)
…we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (So therefore if you were baptized into Jesus, you're dead. You're dead to sin. How shall you any longer live therein, he says. Do you believe that you're dead to sin? Or do you believe you're always going to be a sinner, like most preachers say? They’re like the spies with the bad report. By the way, if you listen to them you won't enter the promised land. It says this very plainly. You were baptized into his death, you’re dead by faith when you get baptized, you're dead to sin. You don't have to serve it anymore.)
4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: (Now if you're not being buried, it's not baptism. If you're being splashed in the face, that's not baptism. It says buried and that’s what baptism is. The only difference here is, he’s using water instead of dirt. When a person dies they’re buried in dirt. But we die when we are buried in water, representing the washing of the Word of God, which puts to death the fleshly life. Every day that you walk in the water of the Word, it washes you clean.
The water of the Word is to put to death your old man. When you obey the word, the old man who wants his own way dies. This is a type of being buried in the Word of God. Being overwhelmed as we studied what Strong’s says about baptism. When you're overwhelmed by the washing of the water with the word, it's washing you clean. If you're ignoring God's word, don't bother getting baptized. Don't waste God's time and yours. You're committing to the death of self when you go down into the waters of baptism and you reckon it to be done.
We're told how to do this. 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. (Now why do we get baptized into death? So that we get resurrected to walk in newness of life. You can see here that it’s not just a ceremony. Notice the condition.) 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, (baptism) we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; (Notice the condition to have His resurrection life is going down in baptism by faith.
Well, have you noticed there's good promises that come with baptism? Why are you tarrying? What are you waiting for? Get baptized and claim Jesus’ new life and you will have it. That's why I'm sharing this with you today. What's the benefit of baptism through faith? The benefit of entering into the body of Christ. The benefit of washing away thy sins. People will try to pick this apart but I am just saying what the Bible says here. If they emphasized this and thought it was so important that they would bring people down in the middle of the night and dunk them, then you ought to do the same thing. You ought to not go on in your Christian life and not be baptized. You're taking a chance, aren't you? Yes, and you have opportunity. You're not thief on the cross.)
Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, (So you see the purpose of baptism? That the body of sin is done away since the old man was crucified with Him. This is just awesome! Praise be to God!) …that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin; (The purpose of baptism is so we are no longer in bondage to sin! What about the preachers out there that say you're always going to be in bondage to sin. Well, they're separating the people from the benefits of the Kingdom! They don't know what the Bible says, and they have no faith.) 7 for he that hath died is justified from sin. (When you go down and you come up, and you believe that your old man was crucified with Christ and buried, you’re justified from sin, which means accounted righteous from sin. Is there an advantage here to baptism? I’d say so. Would you like to be justified or accounted righteous from sin?)
8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him; 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; (So that's part of eternal life. It's part of the obedience you do with your faith to receive eternal life.) death no more hath dominion over him. (So now think about this, baptism is an act of faith which is fulfilled the rest of your Christian life. It can be just getting wet if you are not holding to faith in the purposes we have looked at. See when the Lord tells you in His Word to do something, what He's telling you is for your own good that you may prosper in the fruit of His Kingdom.
Rom 8:11-13 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Your spiritual man must be obeying this word, and disobeying the flesh-man. The flesh says, “No, I don't want to do that.” And the Spirit-man says, “It doesn't matter; I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ and I will walk in His steps. I have the authority to do it because you are dead. Therefore, I can do this.”
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It says who strengthens me in all things. When God gives you a command to “resist not him that is evil”, for instance, and “love your enemy”, for instance and so on, and you ignore it because you think nobody else does it? Or you ignore it because you don't want to do it? Then the water of the Word is not putting to death your old man. Don't waste God's time. Don't take His name in vain. Your baptism means nothing. Do people get baptized for nothing? Yes, they do because they're not planning on walking in it. In fact, quite often “they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies”, speaking the lies of the Pharisees and dead religion.)
So going on to Rom 6:10 For the death that he died, he died unto sin once: but the life that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Amen. When you went down in those waters, friend, you died. When you came up, that’s Jesus, that's not you anymore! When you go down in the water, the “old you” died under those waters. It’s the same thing with the Word of God. You read this Word in order to be a disciple of Jesus, which is a learner and a follower. And it puts to death your own life in the water of the Word. You have the ability to do it because you received this by an act of faith at baptism. You're “calling the things that be not as though they were.” Jesus said, “all things whatsoever you pray and ask for believe that you received them and you shall have them”. So what happened at baptism? You believe you received it, God gives you the power to walk it out. You're walking out your baptism as you read this Word daily.
It should be the most important thing in your life, to read this Word. Do you love Jesus? Well, it'll be proven if you do. If you love Him, He said you would keep His commandments. There's no salvation if you don't love Him. The Bible says if you don't love Him, the Father won't love you. There’s no salvation if you don't love Him.
Verse says 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, (Which means, consider it done. This is faith. This is totally contrary to what's being taught in most churches. They're taking away your faith. They teach you to walk by sight, and that you're always going to be a sinner saved by grace. No, grace saves; it really saves so they’re liars.) 11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (Oh, praise God! You’re alive unto God. You are now alive in Jesus! Now you can follow Him. You're baptized and your old flesh is dead. But the flesh is going to say, “No I’m not.” And the devil's going to say, “No, you’re not.” But you say by faith, “Yes, I am.” When the devil tempts you, you tell him, “You can't tempt me because the one you can tempt was the one who died back there in those waters of baptism”. Jesus did that against the devil. He used the Word. He slapped the devil right in the face every time he tried tempting Him, He said, “It is written.” He was using the water of the Word. You got to fight the good fight of faith here. You need to see the “new man” Who is Christ in you, in the mirror and you will be changed into His image from glory to glory. Amen.)
Rom 6:11 Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (What power will this faith give you?) 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: (So how do you not let sin reign? You use verse 11, you are dead to sin and alive unto God. You use your faith in this verse and you can do verse 12. Now can you see why baptism is so important and it needs to be at the beginning of your Christian walk?) 13 neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; (Now you don't want to go and foolishly tempt yourself either. You don’t want to hang around with drug users or sit and watch T.V. and all that garbage available these days in the Media.
Don’t put yourself into a position so that you're presenting your members to sin.) but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (You say, God, here I am! I'm alive from the dead and Jesus lives in me. How do you do this? Don’t put yourself in a position to be tempted. When you're tempted, the first thing you feel is the old man's power. Now, if you're not doing it on purpose, you might receive grace from God, but if you're purposely going because you desire these things, you're presenting your members as instruments of unrighteousness.
Be not deceived, evil companionships corrupt good morals. (1Co.15:33) That's why when there's a little leaven in the church, you cast it out because a little leaven, leavens the whole lump. You don't want to fellowship somebody that's going to feed your soul through the devil. Ministers, you are commanded in 1Co. 5 to cast them out. You have to obey the Word of God if you want a holy church!) 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace. (So, if you are truly under grace through faith sin has no power over you. Grace is not permission to sin; its power over sin. See if you're under the Law, you're going to a place where you won't receive any help from God. Remember the Old Covenant was a type and a shadow of the new. The Law was the letter, and “the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life”. The spirit is given to those who receive grace through faith.)
So he goes on to say, Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid. (We know that sin no longer has power over us and we don't have to sin. That wasn't true under the Law, because the Law could not make perfect. That's why God saw need for a New Covenant based on better promises. You believe and reckon yourself to be dead to sin and that He will rise up in you and He will do the work. That’s what grace is, it's the unmerited favor of God.)
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (You can obey the flesh if you want, you’re free! You never were free before you came into faith. You can still go back and serve your flesh if you want to. Or you can obey Jesus Christ calling upon the Lord to give you grace and His help. He wants to help you. He wants you to overcome.)
Going on in verse 17 But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, (Notice: You're no longer a sinner.) ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; (So we need to be overcome by the truth that sets free! There's no power under the Law. Faith gives power. People always want to do something so that they can feel justified. But that's self-righteousness, and that’s not going to work and the Lord won't permit it.) 18 and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. (Do you believe it? Because you have to believe it before you can receive it. We no longer live in sin. We need to see it put on Jesus on the cross. Like the serpent on the pole in the wilderness. Everyone who got their eyes on the serpent on the pole were healed of the snake bite, which is sin. Now anything under the curse is the snake bite. But when we see the curse put on Jesus we can be free of it. It already happened back there at the cross.
You apply what you received at the cross at your baptism. If you haven't been baptized, you need this act of faith. There’s something about humans that we're able to apply things when we do things. In other words, your faith becomes effectual when you act it out. Faith without works is dead. Now one of our works is baptism. Is that a work that saves you? It's a work of God. He saves you, His work saves you. By grace have you been saved through faith, and that's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works; (that’s your works), lest any man should boast, for in Christ Jesus, were we created for good works. (Eph 2:8-10) Oh, praise God!
Back to Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye presented your members as servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification. 20 For when ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of righteousness. (So when you were a servant of sin, you had no ability to be righteous.) 21 What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (You know, if you're not ashamed, the end of those things is death; remember that.) 22 But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification,
(I will say it again, the reason you get baptized first is so you can look back at that and say, “It was done.” And every time you're tempted, you tell the devil it was done. Every time your flesh tempts you, you tell it, “It's done, you're dead. You have no authority over me anymore.”) and the end eternal life. (Notice and the end eternal life. So you're claiming eternal life by faith. How do you get manifestly eternal life? Well, he's telling you to walk in faith and because of that faith, God empowers you to walk in righteousness, and that is eternal life.) 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (It's freely given to you, accept it by faith, stand on the Word of God. Speak faith. Don't let the devil talk you out of it, and don't walk by sight.)
Let’s read next 1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith, (Obviously you can't do verse 11 unless you do verse 12. Fight the good fight of the faith; these things are yours! They’ve been given to you in Jesus Christ. You were baptized into His nature, character and authority. Fight the good fight of the faith.
Faith is believing you've received something that you can't yet see. He says to Christians;) lay hold on the life eternal, (Notice that you manifestly lay hold of the life eternal by fighting the good fight of faith and laying hold on these attributes. You're laying hold on Jesus Christ.) whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. (Confess means “to speak the same as.” Speak what Jesus Christ says. He said, if you confess me before men, I will confess you before the Father. He says your old man is dead and the new man lives and you've been made free from sin.) 13 I charge thee in the sight of God, who giveth life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession; 14 that thou keep the commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
He says if you love Me you will keep My commandments. Now you understand that you can keep His commandments by faith. You can't keep them as long as you don't understand. You live in Christ and the old man has passed away. You're a new creature in Christ. Remember your baptism, the one that went down under the water was you and the One that came up out of that water was Jesus Christ. When you devour this Word, it overwhelms your old man and puts him to death. The Word is Jesus Christ. Ask Him to give you a hunger for His Word. So fight the good fight of the faith and lay hold on life eternal!
You're saved from the old man. You're saved from the devil, saved from the world, saved from the curse. That's what the Bible says. It doesn't say you're saved so you can continue on in your sins. We just read Romans 6, right? Oh, this is Good News! It's the Good News that makes you holy; it separates you from this wicked world. It delivers you from the power of Satan and the power of the flesh and the power of circumstances around you. Glory be to God! So lay hold on life eternal. Lay hold on the attributes of Jesus Christ! He set you free!
Okay, let’s go to 2Pe 1:2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; (We looked at some knowledge today that empowers people to overcome sin.) 3 seeing that his divine power (Your baptism helps you to be able to apply this.) hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life (Life here is Zoē’ It's God's life.) and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; (When you read the Bible, it gives you knowledge of what is yours. God knows if you think it's valuable to read the Bible and get the knowledge that gives you the power of God, godliness, and holiness.)
4 whereby he hath granted unto us (You have to see that He’s already given all this to you by faith.) his precious and exceeding great promises (These will give you faith. Are they precious to you? If they are then you're going to spend time with them because they're valuable and because you like to spend time with Jesus.); that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature (The divine nature is Jesus. Faith in your baptism just gave you His divine nature!), having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. (The apostate preachers do not offer escape from lusts.)
5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence in your faith, (I put the coma after faith here and not behind diligence because you really don't have any power to be diligent without faith.) supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; (I’ve shared before that each one of these attributes of Christ are inside the previous one, and it's inside of faith.)
6 and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience (If you have patience in your faith, you'll lack nothing James 1:4 says. When the answer doesn't come immediately, you have to be patient in your faith. He wants your faith to grow so He's going to try you.); and in your patience godliness; 7 and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. (That's really the end result because God is love.) 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Notice this, it starts with knowledge and it ends with knowledge too, because you accept the knowledge you walk by faith.
God gives you the gifts of what you read there, and it enables you to gain more knowledge. Why is that? Because we walk in the light as He is in the light. And thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. See it tells you where you're walking and where you should go. So if you will walk in the light that you have, God will put more light in front of you. The more knowledge you get, the more holiness you can have.)
9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. (Remember, that old man is dead. He has no power anymore. You don’t have those sins anymore. People forget that and they can't bear this fruit that we just talked about.) 10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: 11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Notice that you should be leaving the kingdom of this world and entering the eternal Kingdom of God where he rules. Oh Hallelujah! Believe in your baptism, Saints! Glory to God! Thank you, Father!