December 1999

A prepared people with a holy purpose in their Father's kingdom are walking a new path in the kingdom of God. This new highway is a way of holiness, not according to man's standard of righteousness, but by God's higher standard of holiness and purity. This highway leads to the greater glory of Zion! No lions or other ravenous beasts are seen on that highway, including the "beast" of this Adamic mind and nature. Only the fully redeemed shall walk on this highway! Those who walk on this new highway shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and all sorrow and sighing shall be taken away from them forever (Is. 35:8-10).

We are spiritual beings walking through the darkness of this world with a divine purpose in the kingdom of God. We are not here by chance or by choice! We are here by divine appointment with a holy purpose to fulfill! When the circumstances of this life seem to rush in upon us with unrelenting pressure and stress, we may be encouraged in knowing that we are here by divine appointment, and that we have a holy purpose to fulfill. The pressures, stresses, tests and trials of this life prepare us for that holy purpose. And that holy purpose has nothing whatever to do with the things of this world, or with the systems of man. There is enough of Father's holy purpose involved in our walk with Him unto sonship fulfilled to lift our vision above the less spiritual ideas of man and his religious systems. If we did nothing else but grow spiritually, we would be doing all our Father expects of us for this hour. Christ is within us and we are growing spiritually! His progression of truth assures our continued spiritual growth. If the Lord wants us to do something more, He will speak to us and gently lead us by His Spirit to fulfill all His holy will.

For the elect of this hour, the emphasis is on walking out and fulfilling the word, not merely hearing that word. That new, kingdom highway is established on the firm foundation of the lives of the Lord's elect. Our walk in this life is establishing that highway in the realm of the Spirit so that others, although they may be "wayfaring men," or

"fools," may easily find it, as they are led by the Spirit. It is one thing to hear the word of the kingdom, but God would have us WALK and LIVE in obedience to the principles of His kingdom. As we walk this new way in the Spirit, the elect of the Lord are creating that new highway. It is a way that others before us have not known (Is. 11:16, 35:8, 40:3, 62:10). Only one has walked this way before, although in a different age. He walked His path in righteousness unto Life, and established an example and a pattern for us. Jesus is the pattern Son; He is our example of sonship fulfilled. He has shown us how to live and walk before our Father in the kingdom of God, and be perfect.

Jesus did only and always the perfect will of His Father. This is not to say that everything Jesus did and every step He took was without the struggles of the flesh. Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (He. 4:15). He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, that He might condemn, or bring forth judgment against, all sin in the flesh (Ro. 8:3). Jesus condemned sin in the flesh by living a righteous life, even though He had a body of flesh and blood with a carnal mind. This also is what we must do! Jesus struggled with the will of His Father on at least one occasion. But He never gave in to the desires of the flesh or of the carnal mind. Therefore, we are without excuse!

There is no reason why we cannot fulfill the principles of the kingdom of God in this world, as Jesus did. The same spiritual power (Christ) that was in Jesus is also within us. He is our example; the Christ within enables us to do all our Father purposed for us to do. Among the examples Jesus left us, one stands out as the greatest test of His life. Since He was in all points tempted as we are, we should understand that the same power He had, which enabled Him to live the victorious life He did in this world, is also within us. We will make it through all the tests and trials of our processing triumphantly, as He did, by His power that is within us.

Our main subject has been the renewal of our minds or souls, by a spiritual process of crucifixion unto resurrection. By the Spirit, I am seeing that our Father is beginning to deal with our souls. He is beginning a process of renewing or restoring our souls, and then joining our renewed souls to our heavenly spirits to make us one spirit within. When our souls are renewed or restored, we shall then be transformed into the full image and likeness of Christ (Ro. 12:2). Jesus left us an example of our soul's renewal and restoration by His very difficult experiences at the place called, Gethsemane.

Our story begins two days before the feast of passover. Jesus was to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, who would then crucify Him. The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people, gathered to plan how they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill Him. They decided not to crucify Jesus on the feast day, fearing it would cause an uproar among the people. Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper. It was in Simon's house where a certain woman came with an alabaster box of very precious ointment, poured it on His head, so that it flowed down His entire body. His disciples said it was a waste of that precious ointment, but Jesus said she did it "for my burial" (Mt. 26:12). Then Judas went to the chief priests and offered to identify Jesus for them. It was agreed that Judas should get thirty pieces of silver for his betrayal of Jesus.

On the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, which is also called the passover (Lu. 22:1), the disciples came to Jesus to ask Him where He wanted to observe the passover. Jesus told them to go into the city of a certain man and tell him, "The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples" (Mt. 26:17-19). What a bold thing to do! But Jesus knew by the Spirit that this man would open his home to Him, and would allow Him to eat the passover there with His disciples. While they were eating the passover at that man's house, Jesus revealed to the other disciples that it was Judas who would later betray Him. Yet all that was done was the will of God, including the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus! He was the Lamb that was to be slain on that passover (Mt. 26:47-56).

After they had eaten and had observed what was later called, "the Lord's supper," Jesus and His disciples went to the mount of Olives. While there, Jesus told the disciples they would be offended because of Him that night. The prophets prophesied that the Shepherd would be smitten that night, resulting in the sheep of that flock being scattered abroad (Mt. 26:31). And Jesus was that Shepherd! when Peter said he would never be offended because of Jesus and would never deny Him, Jesus told Peter that during that night he would deny Him three times. Peter said he would never be offended because of Him, but he did indeed deny Jesus later that night, just as Jesus predicted he would. All the rest of the disciples also later forsook Jesus and walked no longer with Him (Mt. 26:56). From the mount of Olives, Jesus then went with His disciples to Gethsemane.

Jesus at Gethsemane

At Gethsemane Jesus faced the end of His own will and the renewal of His soul or mind, as we shall see. We would naturally think because Jesus did so many wonderful acts and miracles of His Father's grace and mercy, that He no longer had a will of His own, including the carnal mind. But the carnal mind and the self-will that He had was only hiding behind all the good works that He did. I would not for one moment belittle or denigrate my blessed Savior, Head, Lord, and King! There is no question that Jesus did all the will of God as He walked this earth and lived among mankind. But before Gethsemane, the carnal, soulish mind of Jesus was only hiding in Him, just as it may be in us. Because He was the Son of God, the power of the Christ within enabled Jesus to deny the carnal mind its expression UNTIL He faced the cruel and unusual method of the death of the cross. At Gethsemane, the carnal mind and the self-will in Jesus was expressed and manifest. This brought His soulish "man" to the forefront so it could be dealt with by His Father, and then renewed or restored.

Before we continue, let us probe a little deeper into the truth of that which is hidden. The Apostle Paul declared a wonderful truth to the Colossian believers, when he wrote, "For ye are DEAD, and your life is HID with Christ IN GOD" (Col. 3:3). The sinful, Adamic man within us is to be considered dead! Paul tells us, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Ro. 6:11). There are two people, or two natures, revealed in this passage. One of them is to be considered as being dead, while the other is to be alive unto God. Also, the word "reckon" is a very significant word, as it is used here. The original Greek word translated "reckon," is "logizomai" and means, to take an inventory, and to make an estimate of something.

Thus, we are to take an inventory of that which is within us, then realize that we are two people, with two natures and two wills, each having a different and opposing opinion and purpose. The carnal man within us is to be reckoned or considered as dead, while the life of the greater, spiritual man within us is to be considered ALIVE UNTO GOD, through Jesus Christ our Lord. While we are to "reckon" this to be true, the reality of it is something else. No amount of religious hype, mental exercises, or doctrinal mind games can change what we are. We are carnal people with a carnal mind, which is all to be "reckoned" as dead. We also are a spiritual person with the Life of Christ within us. These two within us are constantly trying to influence our whole being. We need to know and understand these truths, for those who see their need shall be delivered. But if we insist that we are a new creation already, as many do today, then we deceive ourselves and delay the work of the Spirit within to deliver us.

If we are spiritually minded, the will of our Father shall always prevail. Then the will of that carnal, Adamic man within us shall be subdued until the Lord removes "him" from us completely and forever. In Father's time, the Lord will indeed deliver us of that carnal man within us with "his" sinful nature and self-will. Then, we shall truly be free of that old man! The Greek word, "logizomai," comes from another Greek word, "logos," which is sometimes interpreted as Christ, the word of God. Therefore, when we "reckon," or consider the old man, or the old nature, mind, and will within us, to be dead, that reckoning is based on the finished work of Christ, Who is the living word of God.

When our spiritual man is alive unto God, our true life is then hid with Christ in God. Where is your true life, your spiritual life, and mine? It is HID with Christ IN GOD! Also, we are dead, which is to say, the old man, or the sinful mind and nature of old Adam within us, is now dead. All our struggles with the flesh will end when these liberating truths break in upon our weary soul and mind by the revelation of the Spirit. The old, sinful Adamic mind and nature would like to rise up within us and manifest his sinful nature; but "he" is to be reckoned or considered as being dead. Spiritually and prophetically, the old, carnal Adamic man died on the cross in and with Jesus Christ. And since "he" is dead, old Adam can no longer trouble us with "his" carnal mind and the desires of the flesh. Settle it once and for all, our old sinful nature is DEAD! And when something is dead, it cannot rise up and become active again, unless we allow "him" to do so. A dead man cannot do anything! Blessed be the Lord; he can't even sin! And all we have to do is believe it, live it, and walk it out!

Not only are the Adamic mind and nature within us dead, but your life and mine also are HID with Christ IN GOD! What does it mean when the word of the Lord tells us that our life is hid with Christ in God? It means that our redeemed life, or our "zoe" life as the Greek gives it, including every part of our being that has been saved or redeemed by the blood of Jesus, with its expressions and manifestations, are all HID IN GOD in that secret place, which He is. When we minister, according to our God-given ability and calling, by the Spirit, we are to minister as out from God. We are HIDDEN IN GOD! Therefore, all our service or ministry should take place as from our "IN GOD" position and relationship, so that it is the Spirit of God doing the ministering, not we ourselves. But whether or not we are ministering to people, our true life, our real spiritual life, the life that is hidden within us, should be a life that is manifesting or showing forth the righteousness, the peace, and the goodness of God, since our lives are hid with Christ in God.

These truths are not for babes in Christ! They are for those maturing saints of the Lord who have established a firm relationship with their Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Babes in Christ tend to continue their struggles with the flesh, for they are more fleshly or carnally motivated than more mature believers. In fact, much of the religious system, especially in later years, including churches and Bible schools, were built and established by babes in Christ. Those "babes" obviously have no understanding of such wonderful truths as entering into the REST of God, waiting on the Lord, doing only and always the perfect will of God, or letting the Lord do His work His way. Such immature, restless, anxious, working believers know nothing else but to run here and there, ministering to people and establishing earthly, worldly institutions. But all such works of the past age are no longer of the Lord! He is leading His elect away from such earthly practices and institutions, and would have us minister to Him instead. Thank God, more mature believers are now coming forth out of the womb of the spiritual, New Jerusalem mother (Ga. 4:22-28). They are trained to hear His still, small Voice, and then DO only what He tells them.

Paul also told the Thessalonian believers, "Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:22-24). As we "abstain from all appearance of evil," by our daily experiences in this world, we will soon discover that the very God of peace has sanctified us wholly, so that our whole spirit and soul and body are being preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The more mature we become in Christ, the more we learn to rely on and believe God's word. Then, believing His word of truth, we will put our lives into His sovereign and omnipotent care, knowing that all is well because of His indwelling presence. When we do this, by faith in Him, we will then know that our whole spirit and soul and body are being preserved blameless unto the coming or the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. All that we commit unto the Lord, including every part of us, is also hidden with Christ in God. As our whole being is hidden with Christ in God, we are assured that every part of us is being preserved blameless by our Father, unto the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obviously, it is by the appearing of Christ, in the Spirit and by the Spirit, that our souls are brought out of "hiding," so to speak, to be dealt with by our Father. It was true of Jesus, and it will be true of us as well. The crisis of being confronted with the cruel death of the cross forced the soul of Jesus to express himself. This showed, perhaps for the first time, that there was just a tiny bit of opposition to the perfect will of His Father left in his human soul. Whatever it takes, you may be sure the Lord will bring your soul and mine out of hiding, cause "him" to express himself, so our Father can change our souls and renew them in preparation for our full salvation.

According to Romans twelve, verses one to two, the process of the renewal of our mind or soul begins with the surrender of our bodies to the Lord. When we have committed our bodies to the Lord, the Spirit then focuses on our mind or soul. Our mental-emotional trials seem to be the most predominant trials of the present, and involve new experiences for us. The area of our mind or soul is the area of greatest need and concern at this time, for our minds or souls must be renewed so our bodies may be transformed. From one extreme to the other, and from the negative to the positive, the Lord is using all these realms to bring our souls or minds to a crisis, that they may be renewed or restored. Temporary discouragement and depression in the negative realm, as well as spiritual revelations of new truths in the positive realm, are ways that our minds are being renewed. Whenever we receive a new truth, by the revelation of the Spirit, another portion of our mind has then been renewed. Brief, temporary bouts of depression seem to be the tool God is using to remove some old thought patterns and erroneous religious doctrines from our minds. God is thus shaking our minds to remove the old religious doctrines from us so we may receive new truths for this new kingdom Day.

The carnal mind considers these temporary bouts of depression as something negative, something to be avoided. But the mind of Christ sees a wonderful, positive result from all that is taking place in our lives. All things, including brief bouts of depression and physical tests and trials, that take place in our lives, are ordained of our Father, and "work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose" (Ro. 8:28). If you are experiencing brief, temporary bouts of depression by the omnipotent and sovereign purpose of God, know that He is removing some old religious "stuff" from your mind, that He may impart new truth to you and show you greater and more glorious things to come.

God will deal with us firmly and completely, so there will not be one shred of carnality or soulishness left within us. Then, the "house" of our soul will be swept clean by the presence of the Lord, and fully prepared for our glorious change (see 1 Pe. 4:17-19). It is God Who has been preserving our whole spirit, and soul, and body, by keeping it all hidden with Christ in God. When He decides it is time to deal with our souls, Father is well able to bring that part of "us" out of hiding, deal with our souls, and then unite our renewed souls to our heavenly spirits, making us one spirit within. And what a union or marriage that will be! Then, when every enemy within us has been conquered, our Father will call us out of this realm of sin and death into the greater glory of the fullness of the kingdom of God. Then we shall be transformed to receive the Life of Christ in fullness. This will be our final change or metamorphosis into the full image and likeness of Christ! What glory yet awaits us!

When Jesus arrived at Gethsemane, He told His disciples to sit there while He went a little further to pray. Going further into the garden, Jesus took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. Then Jesus said to them, "My SOUL is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me" (Mt. 26:36-38). The soul of Jesus, including His mind, His will, and His emotions, was exceeding sorrowful. In His Spirit, I firmly believe Jesus knew the will of His Father. He knew He was destined to die on the cross for the sins of the world. But His soul was distressed at the thought of dying such a cruel death, which would take place at the hands of sinful men. I see the experiences of Jesus at Gethsemane as a revelation - as the unveiling of HIS HUMANNESS, and as a manifestation of the God-man that He was, and that through His Gethsemane experiences, Jesus was setting a pattern or example for us.

Jesus was every ounce a man of flesh and blood, just as we are. Jesus was God in the flesh! He suffered and died, not as God, but as a human being and as a man of flesh and blood. The Spirit of Christ, which was in Jesus and which is in us as well, can never by affected by anything of this world, including the most severe punishment. Before He was sent of His Father to this earth, Jesus was totally in and of the Spirit, and in heavenly places. In my opinion, one of the greatest events of all time was the coming of Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, to this man-oriented world, to live and die as a man of flesh and blood, then to be resurrected, and returned to the realm of Spirit, by being seated again at the right hand of the Father. And He did it all, among other purposes, as a righteous example for us, to show us the way back to the Father.

The way back to our Father may be fraught with severe tests and trials, but Jesus showed us how it is to be accomplished. He left an example for us! Jesus experienced the renewal of His soul and mind before His death, burial, resurrection, and glorification. In like manner, we also must face the death of our carnal, soulish mind and nature, before our transformation, just as Jesus did. He also showed us that this crucifixion and renewal of our souls (not of our bodies) must precede our ultimate, total and complete, bodily transformation (Ro. 12:2), and that our soul's renewal and restoration will prepare us for that great event.

No person living can tell of the depth of the sadness, the sorrow, and the grief Jesus experienced at Gethsemane. So great was the sadness and the grief Jesus suffered, as He anticipated His death on the cruel cross at the hands of wicked men, that He said He was "almost dying of sorrow." His natural mind or soul was going through a struggle of such intense sorrow and grief that He thought the company of His disciples and their prayers would help Him make it through that night of deep trial. Instead of helping Jesus and supporting Him through what was the last and greatest test of His earthly life, they all fell asleep, leaving Jesus to deal with His soul's grief and sorrow alone. In reality, no one can help us as we go through our soul's travail unto crucifixion, resurrection, and restoration. We will go through it all without human aid, possibly with angels ministering to us as they did to Jesus (Lu. 22:43, He. 1:13-14), and with the inherent strength, power and authority of the Christ within.

After Jesus said, "My SOUL is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me," (Mt. 26:38), He went a little further into the garden, and then fell on his face and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (vs. 39). In His spirit, Jesus knew He had to face the death of the cross for the sins of the world. He knew He was the Lamb that was to be slain on that particular passover. But His soul and His carnal mind were not yet fully prepared for that most sorrowful and horrendous event. So Jesus gave expression to that which was in His human, soulish mind, when He said, "if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me." But then, knowing in the Spirit that it was His Father's will that He must die on the cross at the hands of evil, cruel, and sinful, Roman soldiers, Jesus added these most significant words of truth to His prayer, "nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Luke's account of Jesus' experience at Gethsemane adds some interesting details, showing more of His soul's sufferings. While praying alone in Gethsemane, Jesus said, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Lu. 22:42-44). Imagine a man's sweat falling off his body as great drops of blood! That is a word picture of the severity of the sufferings of the soul of Jesus that He endured at Gethsemane. So great was the battle between soul and spirit within Jesus, that His body gave forth the evidence of that soul-crushing conflict.

The dual expression coming from the two natures, the two wills, with two different opinions within the heart of Jesus was prayed by Him in the garden of Gethsemane. It was a time of agony and exceeding sorrow for Jesus. It is quite obvious a struggle was going on within Him. It was a struggle with the flesh, between the soul and the Spirit within Him, and between the carnal mind and the mind of Christ. That same struggle may be going on within the soul and mind of every one of us, to indicate that God is beginning to deal with our souls. That struggle may not be obvious to others around us, for the carnal mind and soul are hidden within us, and will remain hidden until the will of God crosses us, or opposes our own will. Then, when the will of God is revealed and comes forth in direct opposition to our own carnal, soulish will, the struggle within us will begin. And as with every struggle in the Spirit, Christ will always be the Victor!

God's answer to the two wills, the two opinions, and the two natures within us is to bring us to our Gethsemane. At Gethsemane, Jesus faced the end of His own sorrowful soul. Remember, Jesus lived and walked this earth as a man of flesh and blood! He not only lived on this earth as a man of flesh and blood, but He also died as a man of flesh and blood. It was necessary that Jesus live in this world, as we are, with a body of flesh and blood like ours, and then experience the death of the cross in an earthly body, that He might redeem us and deliver us out of this realm of sin and death. And He did just that!

The writer to the Hebrews tells us, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (He. 4:14-15). There is a wonderful old song that describes the way of Jesus so beautifully: "Out of the Ivory palaces, into a world of woe..." Imagine the Son of God, Who is dwelling with and in the Father and the God of all creation, being sent of His Father from that heavenly realm of abundant life, glory, and splendor to this troubled, sin-cursed world. Jesus left those "Ivory palaces" of heavenly, spiritual glory, in obedience to His Father's perfect will, to take on a body like ours that is bound by the curse of sin and death. Only by the Spirit can we possibly see and understand the immense change Jesus went through when He left the heavenly, spiritual realm of all glory (as Christ) to walk the crooked, perverted paths of this wicked, sinful, war-torn, and disease-ridden world. And He did it with grace, mercy, and compassion for His suffering, groaning creation, and to set a perfect, righteous example for us.

The divine love of His Father was always the motivating force in the life of Jesus Christ. He was despised and rejected of men, yet He cared about their every need. When they became hungry, He fed them by taking a few small loaves of bread and a few fishes, divided it and then blessed it, so that that meager supply fed the multitudes, with twelve baskets left over. The learned elders and leaders of the synagogues of that day esteemed Him not. Although Jesus was the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, with the wisdom of the mind of Christ, they had no respect at all for Him. Yet our blessed Lord could teach in their synagogues, in a garden, in a boat, in someone's home, on the sea shore, or on a mountain, totally surprising them with the wisdom of His Father.

Jesus was God manifest in the earth! Yet, I doubt that He enjoyed His journey on this earth. I am sure He would have preferred to remain in the ivory palaces of His heavenly, spiritual home. But His Father's will was His first concern! No doubt, His soul-wrenching experiences at Gethsemane were also expressions of His desire to leave this realm and return to His Father. Perhaps Jesus consented to do His Father's will and agreed to come to the earth to die for the sins of the world, during the heavenly councils that took place before the ages of this world began (see Job chapter 38, Ps. 33:11, 73:24, Pro. 8:13-16, Is. 5:19, 46:10, Jo. 17:5, Acts 2:23, 1 Cor. 2:7, & Eph. 1:4 & 11, 2 Tim. 1:9, Titus 1:2, 1 Pe. 1:18-20). So Jesus came here in obedience to His Father's perfect will, thus setting an example for us.

I wonder if we really appreciate all that Jesus did for us, for all mankind, and for the whole creation! Sometimes we need to reconsider all Jesus did for us when He came to this world as a man, and then suffered and died on the cruel cross for our redemption. It is good for us to look back to our spiritual beginnings, or to our spiritual foundation, to make sure that we are firmly anchored in the cross of Christ. If repentance and the cross of Christ are part of our spiritual foundation (as in He. 6:1-2), we will not hesitate to go through the tests and trials, with repentance, that are called the "the sufferings of Christ" (2 Co. 1:5, 1 Pe. 1:11, & 5:1). Paul also tells us that these sufferings are "for your consolation and salvation" (2 Co. 1:6). With a proper understanding of repentance and the cross of Christ in our lives, we will gladly submit to the agony of our soul or mind, which is necessary to renew our souls unto our ultimate transformation. If we really appreciate all Jesus the Christ did for us, we will show it by making sure we are walking in His spiritual footsteps, that we might be transformed to become manifest sons of God, as He did!

When Father called us out of the church system, He cut us free and loosed us from the shoreline of the in-part realm of the past that bound us to man's religious systems and traditions. Having been set free from that old, traditional shoreline, we now find ourselves out in the open waters of His Spirit where Christ alone is our Head, Lord, and King. Here, in the vast, open waters of His Spirit and of the kingdom of God, we are partaking of Him in greater fullness. Once again, it is time to move out into the deeper waters of the Life of Christ. The Spirit is beckoning us to come out into the deeper ocean of our Father's Love. Again we hear the Spirit saying, "launch out, launch out in the ocean Divine, out where the full tides flow." Not only is the Lord calling us to launch out into the deep, but He is enforcing that word by moving us out into the deeper waters of His Life.

We know we are moving into the greater depths of the truth of God and the glories of His kingdom, for the view of the spiritual shoreline is changing. The shore, where we once were anchored, is more distant and the view we once had has changed. Just as the view changes when we literally move out into the deeper waters of any significant body of water, so our spiritual view of things in the kingdom of God changes when we progress into the deeper waters of His Spirit. Now, we no longer see the old landmarks of the obsolete church order. God has moved us out into the depths of Himself and His kingdom, and we are seeing new things in the Spirit.

We now find ourselves out in the immense ocean of the love of God! The deep waters of the ocean or sea of God's love have much prophetic, spiritual significance for us at this time. The Lord brought us out into the deep waters of His Spirit to completely fulfill His sovereign purposes for our lives and for the kingdom of God. One of His purposes concerning us is to conquer us and forever remove from us every one of our enemies. And our most common and ever-present enemy is old Adam, which is the carnal nature and mind in every one of us. The Lord shall conquer all the enemies in our lives by ruling and reigning within us. As we submit to His Lordship and Kingship, allowing Him to reign within, every one of the enemies in us, especially the carnal nature, shall be completed eliminated.

The Reign of Christ The King Within us

When Jesus was on trial and awaiting His crucifixion, He was called "the king of the Jews," or of Judah, and "the king of Israel" (Mt. 27:11, 29, 42). By using these terms, it is clear that the purpose of God concerning Jesus Christ was that He should rule over a people, not all people at first, but only the remnant of Israel to begin with (Is. 10:20, Zeph. 3:13). And we are that remnant who have BECOME the will of God in the earth! Our prayer now is, "Father, rule and reign in my earth. Establish thy throne in me. Reign supreme in the kingdom of my heart and life. Rule my flesh. Rule my mind and soul. Rule my spirit. Conquer me and all the enemies within me. And let your mind be my mind." After our King has ruled us, His remnant, completely, bringing us into subjection to His Headship, Lordship, and Kingship, and the principles of His kingdom, Christ the King would then rule over all other peoples and nations. The remnant of Israel, which we are, who were fully ruled by Christ the King, would then become co-kings with Him as kings under the great King, to rule and reign with Him, first in all the earth and then in all the universe.

Although Christ the King was to rule over the remnant of Israel, which we are, He comes to His remnant saints individually, revealing Himself to each one of them as their King. Christ must reveal Himself to you and to me individually as our King. And when He has revealed Himself to each individual member of this Christ body as our King, it can then be said that Christ rules and reigns over this entire body, not only individually, but collectively as well. The manner of the coming of Christ as King to His people was demonstrated in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. At that time, Jesus said, "Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass" (Mt. 21:5).

What a way for a mighty, majestic King to come to His people! In His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus thus illustrated the way of His kingdom, as well as the way of the King, that He was. As Christ rode into Jerusalem riding on a young colt, in meekness and without the fanfare of trumpets sounding and drums beating, He thereby revealed the manner of His coming to His people in the Spirit. Christ, our King, comes to us in meekness! He comes in the simplest and most unpretentious, modest, and inconspicuous manner possible; He comes or appears to those who desire His reign in their lives, on the winds of the Spirit (Ez. 37:9), in the Spirit and by the Spirit.

Christ, the King, comes to you and to me in the glory and power of His kingdom authority, without fanfare and generally without incident. He may not even announce His coming to us as King. The way of Christ the King, and His kingdom, is just the opposite of the ways of man. It has been my experience that Christ prepared me for His coming into my life as King, by preceding His coming with deeper tests and trials. In that way, I began to realize that my King was coming to me, in meekness and in the simplicity of His Spirit, to do a greater work in my life for His glory. And He may also come or appear to you in the same way, in meekness and with deep tests and trials to announce His coming, riding on the winds of the Spirit, to come into your life to reign over all things within you as your King.

It is written of Christ and His reign in power and glory, "For he must reign, till he hath put ALL ENEMIES under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Co. 15:25-26). That which our Father shall do in all the universe, in the power and glory of Christ the King, He will first do in the lives of His remnant. All the enemies in our lives must first be conquered. Then Christ the King will conquer all other enemies, not only in many other people, but also in all the universe, for He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. And when all enemies, including death, are put under the feet of this glorious Christ, including Christ, the Head, and Christ the body, "then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all" (1 Co. 15:24 & 28).

When Christ the King has brought us into the dominion of His kingdom, by ruling and reigning in our lives, He, as King, will then say to those on His right hand, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Mt. 25:34). By the rule and reign of Christ the King in our lives, we are being delivered of the duality of soul and spirit within us. This glorious, miraculous deliverance from the dominion and control of our carnal souls is preparing us for our transformation from death to life. We are coming out from under the partial dominion of our carnal souls, into the fullness of the dominion of the Spirit of Christ the King, and into greater union and harmony with Him through our transformation. When we have been changed into the full image and likeness of Christ, we shall be blessed of our Father, Who shall invite us into the fullness of our inheritance in the kingdom of God. And what a blessed union or marriage that shall be!

In the days of John the Baptist, his disciples heard Jesus speak, and began to follow Him. This is as it should be. Those who have a true ministry in Christ will always point or lead people to Christ, not to themselves. Others began to follow Jesus, including Andrew, who brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. When Jesus saw Peter, He immediately read his heart and prophesied the word of the Lord to him. The next day, Philip found Nathanael and brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, Jesus said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and said unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel" (see John 1:43-49).

Jesus could see into the heart of all men by the Spirit. And by that same Spirit, Jesus recognized Nathanael as an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile. He recognized Nathanael as a man without guile, as a godly man who would acknowledge and honor the Lord Jesus Christ as King, when he "saw" Him in the Spirit and by the Spirit. When Nathanael recognized Jesus as the Christ, by the Spirit, he immediately proclaimed Him King of Israel, which also meant that Jesus the Christ was his King as well.

No better commendation could be given to a saint of the Lord today, than the one Jesus gave Nathanael. If He could say that any one of us is "an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile," that would mean that we are believers in union with Christ. It would also mean that we are in a covenant relationship with Him as Israelites in the Spirit. As Israelites indeed, we are a part of that remnant company that shall grow to full maturity to become manifest sons of God, who shall set the groaning, travailing creation free of its bondage to sin and death. And being true Israelites, we would also honor, recognize, and pro-claim Christ to be our King, Who rules completely in our lives for His glory and honor. Jesus Christ is declared to be "King of saints." This means that He reigns in the lives of those saints whom He has chosen and set apart for this honor, or for this high calling. He is also proclaimed the "King of kings," meaning that as King, Christ presides over other kings among this remnant company, which we are. Each of those who reign with Him has first submitted to His reign. They know what it is for Christ to reign in their lives, and to be subdued by His omnipotent and sovereign authority as King. Because they were subject to His reign in their lives, the elect are fully qualified to rule and reign with Christ, and to establish His peace, justice, and righteousness everywhere in all the universe.

The reign of Christ over all the earth has already begun. The beginning of His reign in all the earth is described as a negative reign. The reign of Christ is to begin with the overcomers being given "power over the nations: And he (Christ and His overcomers) shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they (the nations of the earth) be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father" (Rev. 2:26-27). The reign of Christ the King, in union with His overcomers, began with a negative power and influence. This power is declared to be "with a rod of iron" that would cause the nations to be broken "as the vessels of a potter." And I believe this kingdom power to break the nations has begun and has come to the earth, by beginning with the nations of the former Soviet Union. That power to break the nations shall continue its negative influence, until all the nations of the world are also broken and prepared of God to receive and welcome the blessed reign of Christ in all the earth.

There is coming a glorious morning dawn when the reign of Christ in all the earth shall no longer be of a negative nature, which is to break the nations and prepare them for His reign. This negative, kingdom power and authority, which is purposed of God to break the nations and make them willing for Him to reign over them, shall only endure for the duration of this present night. When this night is over, the negative power of the kingdom will end, the nations will be ready for His reign, and the sons of God shall be gloriously transformed. The fact is, the transformation of the saints will be the great event that will bring an end to the darkness of this night, and initiate the dawning of the new morning. All the earth shall then come under the reign of Christ in the greater glory of His righteousness, justice, and peace. His negative reign shall end along with the darkness, and the Light of Christ shall then shine everywhere in great glory. Before the reign of Christ in the earth can ever progress beyond the present negative power, the elect of the Lord must be transformed and resurrected in power and glory. Then, we/they shall have a part in establishing the righteousness, justice and peace of Christ in all the earth. It is impossible for anyone to reign in peace, justice and righteousness as long as this carnal nature is still within those who shall reign.

Before we shall ever be changed into the image and likeness of Christ, our carnal souls and minds must be renewed or restored, to eliminate the mixture and the duality that is still within us, that we might be made one spirit within. And it should give us great joy and comfort to know that our Father is beginning to deal with our carnal souls, which will prepare us for our glorious transformation into His image and likeness. With the knowledge of this truth, we can now see that the kingdom of God is progressing in the earth, that we are a part of His kingdom work in the earth, and are in the forefront of God's dealings with His people. Undoubtedly, the next event in Father's order for the earth will be the resurrection of the just, or of the elect (see Lu. 14:14, 1 Co. 15:51-53, 1 Thess. 4:14-18, & Rev. 20:4-6). This resurrection of the just will include all the elect, those who are "the dead in Christ," as well as "we which are alive and remain."

Those who have been made worthy of that resurrection are described this way: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Rev. 20:6). These chosen saints gladly submit to the reign of Christ in their lives, allowing Him to do His work of restoring their souls in preparation for their transformation or resurrection. They are becoming royal, life-giving kings and priests in His kingdom! When they become manifest sons of God, they shall initiate the morning dawn for all!

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