September 97
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THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT

 

Part Three September 1997

 

During this new Day, the work of the Spirit in kingdom purpose, shall be done everywhere among all mankind and in all the earth. A major, fundamental work of the Spirit today is to reap the harvest of the earth. The Lord may have certain priorities He follows in His wonderful plan of redemption, such as "every man in his own order" (1 Co. 15:23), but in due time all shall know Him from the least to the greatest. The work of the Spirit now is to do the will of God everywhere in all the earth. Then the whole earth and all mankind shall bow in humble obedience and contrition to serve and honor this glorious Christ, and do our Father's will. Among our Father's many purposes for this age of the kingdom of God on earth is to put every enemy under the feet of Christ. And one of the first enemies our reigning King put under His feet was the Soviet Union.

 

One of the most important and significant truths we are learning now is the truth that Christ, both Head and body, is beginning to reign in the earth. The kingdom of God has progressed beyond the era when it was only within us, to the greater kingdom reign of Christ over all the world. Silently and secretly, the kingdom of God continues to come to the earth without observation, as Jesus said it would, to reign over men and nations. If only the rest of God's people knew the Day of their visitation! If only more of His people knew of the wonders that are now taking place because of the greater reign of Christ in all the earth! And the evidence that confirms these truths may be found by reading the daily newspaper with enlightened, spiritual minds.

 

For example, a few months ago, our local newspaper published an article written by Kevin Sack of the New York Times News Service. That article by Mr. Sack was titled, "Public sentiment turned against Big Tobacco fast." And who do you suppose turned public sentiment against Big Tobacco? It was none other than our reigning King of kings and Lord of lords! He did it by changing the minds of many people in our country! And our King shall continue to reign by chang-ing the minds of multitudes of people, until in every nation and among every kindred, tribe, and people, the enemies both of God and of man shall be put under the feet of this wondrous Christ. In that article Mr. Sack wrote: "Political support for the tobacco industry has crumbled so quickly that antismoking advocates have taken to comparing it to the fall of the Berlin wall. `The Soviet regime looked totally formidable from the outside,' said Richard A. Daynard, director of the Tobacco Products Liability Project at Northeastern University in Boston. `But when it collapsed it collapsed in record time because it was rotten from the inside. And I think that's the position the tobacco industry's in.'" (End of quotation.)

 

Everything that is rotten from the inside, along with everything else that is evil and profane, is going to end in this new kingdom Day. All the evil, unbelief and darkness that came forth out of the carnal mind of old Adam shall be removed by the glorious, sovereign and omni-potent reign of Christ, our great King of kings and Lord of lords. And may God grant that His people shall be able to "see" and "hear" what we need to in these wonderful kingdom days. It is amazing that people such as these newspaper reporters have the insight they do. You would think that God's people could see these things taking place before anyone else. (See Mt. 21:32). But usually God's people are more interested in their problems, or in religious things, such as their doctrines, their ministry, their religious works, or their churches and fellowships, than they are in what the Lord is doing in all the earth.

 

Another article by a Frank Rich, titled, "Allowing Big Tobacco to blow smoke hurts our moral health," of the New York Time News Service, also appeared in our newspaper. In that article, Mr. Rich referred to Big Tobacco's attempts to lure children into smoking to replace the older people who are dying of cancer because of the nicotine in cigarettes and its effects. Then Mr. Rich wrote, "Because nothing else has worked, and none of these corporations appears to have any shame, maybe it's time for the law to hold their executives accountable for their sworn statements, which often are in direct contradiction not only of scientific fact but of internal documents being revealed from company vaults. If that fails, we might have to rely on divine intervention. Four days after he testified under oath in Florida that nicotine is not addictive, Andrew Schindler of R.J. Reynolds lost his North Carolina vacation home to a fire that caused $1 million in damage. Suspected cause: a construction worker's careless toss of a lighted cigarette butt." (End of quotation.)

 

Now that is divine intervention! The casual, unenlightened reader might not think that a million-dollar fire in a vacation home in North Carolina four days after the owner lied to the public was divine intervention. But obviously Mr. Rich thought it was, and so do I. Tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs and all other harmful, addictive products are enemies of mankind, and therefore, enemies of God. And Christ is reigning now to put all His enemies and ours under His feet. Man's programs to reduce tobacco, alcohol and drug use especially among children are failing! Nothing man has tried has worked! In spite of all of man's failed efforts, teen smoking, drinking, and drug use have only escalated. O how desperately this nation and the world needs God! We need divine intervention; and divine intervention is what we now have! Christ is reigning now in a way He never has before. And by the sovereign and all-powerful reign of Christ in the earth at this time, every one of those enemies shall be defeated and put under His feet. Hallelujah!

 

Some time later, another article appeared in the newspaper. The headline of that article read "Violent crime drops record 7% in 1996." That article from Washington, D.C. by James Risen of the LA Times-Washington Post Service began by saying, "Violent crime in the United States dropped by 7 percent in 1996, the fifth straight annual decline and the largest on record since the government began keeping track 35 years ago, the FBI said Sunday. The pre-liminary FBI statistics seem to confirm widely reported evidence of a dramatic reversal in the nation's long-term trends in crime. The turn-around has been most striking in big cities, where residents once assumed that crime inevitably would get worse." (End of quotation.) Of course, various government agencies took the credit, but we know to Whom the credit, and the glory, and the praise, belong!

 

The Lord changed the order from the church age to the kingdom age. He began His earthly reign, by the Spirit, at evening time when spiritual darkness covered the earth. This present spiritual darkness, which covers the earth and floods the hearts of many, is an enemy just as evil, unbelief, sin and death are also enemies of Christ. And God's way of defeating all His enemies and ours is by reigning from His spiritual throne in the heavenlies! Therefore, the kingdom age had to begin at evening time, when the world was covered with spiritual darkness, thus bringing the spiritual throne of the Light and glory of Christ to the earth to dispel all this darkness. As this glorious Christ continues to reign in the earth, all spiritual darkness shall be removed from the minds of the people and from all the earth. Then, as with one magnificent and radiant burst of glory, the sons of God shall be manifest and the new morning of this great Day shall dawn. And what a glorious dawning that shall be!

 

The kingdom age also is the beginning of "the times of restitution of all things." (Acts 3:21) This is the time when the Spirit of God shall move in the earth to begin to restore all things. Even now, we are hearing reports of the wonderful and refreshing moving of the Spirit of God in kingdom power and purpose. These reports tell us that many are turning to Christ in this country and in other parts of the world. Wherever the Gospel is preached and the holy Spirit is allowed free reign, whether in a church building, a theater, a barn, a tent, or an open field, those places will be filled with repentant, hungry, and seeking people. And this wonderful work of the holy Spirit shall continue as Christ reigns and He puts more of His enemies under His feet. In due time, the Lord will lead the multitudes out of the confines and restrictions of the Babylonish church system, until, at last, all His people shall be free to do His will. Then they shall all be taught of the Lord, receiving all the truth that He is, to love and worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

 

 

The Importance of our New, Kingdom Ministry

Our new kingdom ministry is a part of those "greater works" which Jesus said we would do. (Jo. 14:12) As the elect of the Lord, or the sons of Zadok, we are called to minister to the Lord from the realm of His most intimate presence in the holiest of all. (Ez. 44:15-16) Others have their spiritual abode in the holy place and are called to minister to the people, or "to the house." (Ez. 44:10-14) We may not minister to "the house," or to the people, for we have a higher calling in God. We are called to BECOME true worship and praise to the Lord, and to minister to Him from the realm of His presence. And our spiritual ministry in the holiest of all releases a mighty stream of God's Life and power from the heavenlies that flows from the presence of the Lord to all the earth. This fulfills our Father's purpose, so that His will is done on earth even as it is being done in the heavens. This is taking place now as God is calling many to Himself. The present work of the Spirit in the earth is the result of our "greater works" ministry! It is the direct result of our union with our Father, or OUR NEW STATE OF BEING in the kingdom of God!

 

When we minister in praise and worship to the Lord, seeking for His kingdom to come in greater fullness, and surrendering our lives to Him for His will to be done on earth even as it is done in the heavens, that spiritual ministry from the holiest of all produces a spiritual odor or fragrance unto the Lord. Then, when that spiritual incense or fragrance ascends to the Lord, "the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." (Rev. 8:5) Our ministry to the Lord from the realm of His presence in the holiest of all is the most effective ministry ever given to any person. There has been nothing to compare with this new kingdom ministry all during the in-part ministry of the former church order. When we fulfill our calling in God by ministering unto Him, the angels will take fire from the altar of the Lord in the heavenlies and cast it to the earth. And when the fire of God's anointing and presence is cast to earth by the angelic hosts, there will be "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake."

 

Each of these events represents manifestations of the Spirit of God in the earth. They are purposed of God to fulfill His will. The word, "voices," from the Greek, means a saying or a language that reveals or discloses something from God. Since it is God's voices (plural) that are sent to the earth, it must be the Lord revealing Himself, His truth, His will, and His glory to many people. The thunderings of the Spirit indicate that the voice of the Lord is roaring or thundering His word of truth and His message of kingdom Life to many people. His lightnings are vivid, spiritual displays of the Light and glory of God, perhaps similar to the manifestation of the sons of God. And a spiritual earthquake represents a commotion; it is a mighty wind of God's Spirit that is strong and powerful.

 

These manifestations of God's Spirit, which result from our new, kingdom ministry, will get the attention of those whom the Lord is calling to Himself. It shall turn them from sin and shame to the power and glory of the kingdom of God. Multitudes shall come to the Lord when He calls them. (Jo. 6:44) And Father shall call many into His kingdom during this glorious kingdom Day as we continue to minister to Him. A heavenly, spiritual voice invited John to "come up hither," into the realm of the Spirit. As soon as John entered that realm of Spirit, he beheld some of the wonders and mysteries of the ever-increasing and progressing kingdom of God. He saw "lightnings and thunderings and voices," which were "things which must be hereafter." (Rev. 4:1-5) John saw the mighty, omnipotent, kingdom power and authority of the Lord coming to the earth to change individuals and the world, and to establish a new order among mankind. He undoubtedly saw that which God is doing now in the earth by His Spirit.

 

On another occasion, when the heavenly, spiritual trumpets sounded, the announcement was made by the voices in heaven, saying, "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." As soon as this declaration was made, the heavenly hosts began to thank and praise the Lord, "because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." The kingdoms of this world have not yet fully become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, for we are only in the first stages of the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the earth. But we should thank and praise the Lord for that which He is doing now. He is bringing His throne and His kingdom to the earth, and is taking to Himself His great power and is reigning as He never has before. In due time, man's governments and kingdoms shall be broken in pieces and blown away by the wind of the Spirit as if it was chaff from the summer threshingfloor. (Da. 2:34-35) Then the kingdoms of this world shall truly and fully become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of this glorious Christ.

 

After this, the temple of God was opened in heaven, "and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." (Rev. 11:15-19) All these are manifestations of God's Spirit, sent to the earth to fulfill Father's will. And every manifestation of the Spirit during this Day shall change all mankind and the whole creation. A mighty manifestation of God and His glory shall take place when the completed and perfected temple of His sons is opened to send out His life-giving river to all mankind. When the temple of the Lord was opened in heaven, or in the realm of the Spirit, the ark of his testament was seen in the temple. The open temple suggests that there shall be a flow of God's Spirit out of the temple to the earth to draw all mankind to the Lord. That open temple also indicates that the multitudes of earth's billions, having been drawn to Christ by the Spirit, shall come into the house of the Lord, spiritually speaking, to receive the wonderful, spiritual bounties of His kingdom.

 

The open temple also uncovers and reveals the spiritual realm to show the ark of His testament. The portion of the temple that was opened and revealed is the innermost sanctuary of the Lord's presence, which is the Holy of Holies, for the ark of His testimony was kept in that area. It is the highest realm of His presence - the place where the elect abide spiritually. This would suggest the moving of the Spirit among mankind to bring the blessings and benefits of the kingdom of God to the earth in greater fullness. There have been other manifestations of God's Spirit before this, but this is a manifestation of God in His greater fullness. This is God manifest to mankind in the full glory of the Holy of Holies. He is revealing and manifesting Himself in full-ness, and in an abundance of grace and mercy. By this He shall abolish death and bring the Life, Light, and Glory of God to all mankind.

 

Within the ark of His testimony were the two tables of the law, the golden pot of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded. Each item there has been raised to higher realms of the Spirit and fulfilled in a greater way. The law is no longer seen as written "in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." (2 Co. 3:3) If I am not mistaken, the law of God has thus been written in the fleshy tables of our hearts, replacing the carnal mind and flesh of old Adam. And when God does that for us, we shall then be able to fulfill all the law of God, not by religious works, but by the Spirit of the living God. The law is thus fulfilled by the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, and not by partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 

The golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded are also raised to higher realms in the Spirit, then to be fulfilled in our lives in a greater way. Manna was the food from heaven that sustained Israel through the wilderness. Even so are we also being sustained and brought to maturity in the wilderness of this world by the spiritual Bread of God. This Bread is Christ; He is the living Bread! He is made unto us the Life of God that has sustained us and kept us, and is bringing us to the fullness of Christ. Aaron's rod that budded is kept in the realm of Spirit, in the Holy of Holies, to illustrate the wonderful truth that we have the authority of our Father to be His kings and priests in full union with Christ, our Head. Aaron was chosen of the Lord and given the authority of God to be His priest in that day. Even so are we chosen of the Lord, empowered and authorized to be His kings and priests, and called to minister to Him. We can now see that our ministry to the Lord in the Holy of Holies is beginning to bring the benefits and blessings of the kingdom of God to all the earth.

 

Then there was the mercy seat with the two cherubims above the ark. If there is any one attribute or characteristic of God that is seen in the realm of Spirit, it is the Lord's mercy. That His mercy is everlasting and extends to the whole creation is clearly illustrated in the Holy of Holies. The mercy seat was all gold, indicating spiritual riches (Rev. 3:18), the mercy and purity of God, and the Life of Christ. The cherubim, which represent the Lord's presence, rest atop the mercy seat as if to insure that His mercy is freely given to all. Although the ark was made of acacia wood, it was covered with gold. This illustrates the truth that our souls and spirits shall be covered with the purity of the Life of Christ signified by the gold. (2 Co. 5:2-4) His Life would then completely cover us, thus swallowing up our mortality. And by His grace and mercy we are receiving that Life.

 

Voices, thunders, lightnings, and an earthquake also took place when victory was achieved at the battle of Armageddon. During that battle "the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air (of spirit); and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done (or, the battle is over, Christ is Victor). And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." (Rev. 16:17-18)

 

May the Lord help us understand what is taking place here! Arma-geddon may be the final battle between flesh and spirit, between carnality and righteousness, between corruption and incorruption, between evil and good, and between the first Adam and the last Adam. It is a spiritual warfare purposed of God to deliver mankind of the carnal, Adamic nature and mind, rather than a literal war. "Armageddon," refers to the city or hill of Megiddo on the Plain of Esdraelon. That area is also called the "valley of Jezreel." (Jos. 17:16, Ju. 6:33, Hos. 1:5) More literal wars were fought there than any other place on earth. Also, two major victories took place there, of Barak over the Canaanites, and of Gideon over the Midianites. And two significant disasters occurred there, the deaths of Saul and of Josiah.

 

In one of the battles on the Plain of Esdraelon, Barak, the captain of Israel's army, and Deborah, a prophetess and the Judge of Israel then, led the army of Israel into battle against King Jabin and Captain Sisera of the Canaanites. At one point, hearing the word of the Lord, Deborah advised Barak, saying, "Up, for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee?" (Ju. 4:14) With that, Barak and ten thousand men with him pursued Sisera and his army, defeating every one of them except Sisera, who ran away on foot. Seeing Sisera running in fear, a woman of the Kenites, who were then at peace with the Israelites, invited Sisera into her tent. When he asked her for a drink, she gave him milk. And when Sisera fell asleep, that Kenite woman killed him. Thus, this "Armageddon" battle on the Plain of Esdraelon ended in victory for Israel.

 

After their victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song of praise to the Lord. The first truth they sang was, "Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves." (Ju. 5:2) Not only did the people willingly offer themselves to the Lord for this holy cause, but so did the governors and leaders of the people. (Vs. 9) Deborah and Barak blessed the Lord and praised Him for this. They knew that only the Lord could cause the people to offer themselves willingly unto Him. This speaks to us today. Those who shall fight this final battle of Armageddon will not be conscripts or draftees; they must be volunteers. They are saints of God who offered themselves willingly to the Lord to do all His will. Paul described these elect and chosen ones by pointing out their willing sacrifice. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." (Ro. 12:1) Those who are involved in this "war" have willingly presented themselves to the Lord. And they shall be rewarded with eternal glory for each battle scar they receive.

 

Our bodies may be the battle ground for this final Armageddon war. As we receive the mind of Christ, by which we shall be completely and totally governed and transformed; the old, carnal, Adamic mind and spirit will challenge the territory of our minds and bodies, claim-ing it as "his" own. In this "Armageddon" war, our bodies may suffer during this spiritual conflict. But when we presented our bodies to the Lord as a living sacrifice, we thus surrendered control of our bodies to our King and Lord for His will to be done in our lives. Whatever happens to us now is in the hands of our loving, gracious and merciful King. Our bodies may be racked with pain in this conflict, and we may struggle with its weaknesses. But we also know, "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." (2 Co. 4:16) In the end, the Adamic mind and nature shall be defeated and put under our feet. But the mind of Christ shall prevail in Life to the glory of the Lord, changing us into His image and likeness. The elect, and eventually all others also, shall be released from this long and painful bondage to the power and influence of old Adam. Then, by the reign of Christ, the major enemy of all mankind shall be put under the feet of Christ, never to trouble anyone again.

 

During Israel's war on the Plain of Esdraelon with Canaan under the leadership of Deborah and Barak, two tribes were given honorable mention in Deborah and Barak's song of praise and victory. "Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places in the field." (Ju. 5:18) This natural, literal incident is also an example for us of a greater, more glorious, spiritual work. The Lord has a holy remnant in this day who are willing to jeopardize their lives unto the death in the high places. They care not for their own lives, for they have surrendered it all to the Lord. They are willing to march into hell, if necessary, for a heavenly cause. They are made strong and invincible, not by their own strength but by His. And they shall stand in the face of many adversities, overcoming death by the power of the risen Christ within them. These elect ones shall deliver the creation and bring the fullness of His Life to all.

 

While the literal armies of Israel were engaged in that earthly warfare, the heavens also took part. Thus, Deborah and Barak sang: "They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera." (Ju. 5:20) When anything is accomplished in the will of God, the forces of heaven must be involved as well as the natural, literal powers of earth. In this case, heaven fought as well as earth, resulting in a triumphant victory. The Lord is giving His elect the keys of the kingdom, enabling us to bind and loose things in heaven as well as things on earth. (Mt. 16:19) And when we bind or loose something in heaven as well as on earth, the mighty, spiritual powers of the heavens shall assist us in doing the will of God on earth. That which occurred in that literal battle at Megiddo is an example for us of the greater, spiritual battle that shall take place at our symbolic, spiritual Armageddon. And we are fully equipped of the Spirit to win this final battle to the glory and honor of our triumphant, all-glorious King.

 

Deborah and Barak closed their song of praise to the Lord with this prophetic blessing: "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." (Ju. 5:31) This is a prophecy of the kingdom of God that is beginning to come to pass in this, our day. The Lord has begun to put all His enemies under His feet. Also, those who love Him and who are wise "shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Da. 12:3)

 

Barak heard a prophetic word telling him to go forth to battle at the right time according to God's time and purpose. So we too, shall hear a word from God telling us how and when to fight this battle. We shall hear a word, saying, "Up, for this is the day in which the Lord hath delivered old Adam into thine hand: is not the Lord gone out before thee?" As is generally the case with doing the will of God, He always goes BEFORE us to lead us triumphantly to complete the task and gain the victory. Just as Barak and the army of Israel defeated Sisera and his hosts, so we shall defeat the powers of the Adamic mind and nature. This shall release us and all mankind from this ages-long bondage. Then we shall join Deborah and Barak in singing unto the Lord, "Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves." The remnant saints of God are offering themselves willingly to the Lord, to be cleansed, purged, and healed of all limitations and carnality. They are laying all they are and hope to be on the altar of the Lord in submission to His will. And these elect and chosen ones in union with Christ are the hope of the world!

 

In another battle on the Plain of Esdraelon, which is typical of the present "Armageddon" warfare, Gideon defeated the combined hosts of the Midianites, the Amalekites, and all the children of the east. We all know the story. Gideon had assembled an army of at least thirty-two thousand men. But the Lord told him that he had too many men to fight against the massive armies of the Midianites, the Amale-kites, and the children of the east, for they might think they could win that war by their own strength. So the Lord told Gideon to tell the fearful to turn back. When they heard this, twenty-two thousand of them left, leaving Gideon with only ten thousand men. But the Lord said they were still too many, so He told Gideon to take his army down to the water for another series of tests. When the Lord finished testing and trying that army at the water, only three hundred remained with Gideon to fight the combined armies of the Midianites, Amale-kites, and the children of the east, who covered the valley like locusts.

 

With Gideon's army of only three hundred men, the Lord defeated the vast armies of the enemy. Three hundred tried, tested, and true soldiers of the Lord, who are committed to doing only and always the perfect will of God, can be successfully used of the Lord for any purpose. And they will always be victorious! On the other hand, thirty-two thousand untested, untried, and undisciplined conscripts, who cannot hear and obey the commands of their Captain, and who persist in doing things their way, will only bring confusion into the camp and will be defeated on the battlefield. The Lord had a plan in place to defeat the enemies of His people. Through a series of tests the Lord brought forth a small army who would hear and obey His every command. The elect remnant, which the Lord has formed and brought together in this new Day, are much like Gideon's small army. They/we are all tried, tested, and true soldiers of the Lord. We are solemnly dedicated to the Lord and committed to doing only and always the perfect will of our Father in the earth. The task before us may appear to be very difficult, but with God all things are possible.

 

The war of the Israelites under King Saul against the Philistines was among the many wars fought on the Plain of Esdraelon in the area of Armageddon. As the fighting continued and raged on, the battle turned against the army of Israel. Many of them were killed in the area of Megiddo, including King Saul. In spiritual type, Saul represents old Adam, while David represents Christ. Saul is a type of the carnal-minded kings, rulers, and leaders of the people who have ruled man-kind all during the six days of man's misrule. But as David succeeded Saul as King of Israel, so the spiritual authority of Christ has succeeded the carnal leaders of the past, to become the mighty King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

When Samuel was old, he appointed his sons to be judges in Israel. But they walked not in the ways of their father. They corrupted them-selves by seeking filthy lucre, perverted their judgment, and turned away from the way of righteousness. So the elders of Israel went to Samuel and asked him to appoint them a king. This displeased Samuel, so he took it to the Lord. The Lord told Samuel to give the people a king according to their carnal wishes. He assured Samuel that the people were not rejecting him and his reign, but they were rejecting the Lord, that He should not reign over them. (1 Sam. 8:1-8) The Lord also told Samuel to tell the people of Israel the manner of the king they had chosen, and how their new king would treat them.

 

He told them that King Saul would "take your sons, and appoint them for himself... He will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed... And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day." (See 1 Sam. ch. 8)

 

As I read this passage, the last verse quoted stood out. "And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day." Thank God for the qualifying phrase "in that day!" The Lord could not hear Israel's cries for release and deliverance from the bondages of the many rulers who ruled by the carnal mind of old Adam "in that day," for He allotted man six thousand years to do his work on the earth. But now we have come to the seventh day/age. It is a new Day in the purposes of God for mankind. Although He could not hear man's cries for deliverance "in that day," our merciful Father shall hear us and deliver us in this new Day of His greater kingdom power and authority.

 

As King Saul took and took from the people, so the governments and systems of man have taken of our lives and resources. At times we may feel deeply oppressed by man's governments, kingdoms, and systems. Every war that was fought has taken the valuable and precious resources of our young men. The warring nations lost the lives of their young men, and more recently young women, in desperate wars for freedom. Others may have been senseless wars for the sake of mere pride, arrogance, egotism, honor and land. Also, some of our precious girls and boys are living on the streets or are taken into houses of ill fame to be prostituted for the gratification and pleasure of SELF. Or, they may be taken by the drug lords, who seek to bring them into bondage to drugs. The old, carnal man, Adam, manifests himself in deep-seated desires and lusts for the satisfaction of SELF. And old, carnal SELF will never have enough! Also, it is getting so that every working person must work almost half a year to pay the taxes that are levied against us all. But enough of these negative facts!

 

God is now moving by His Spirit to change all that! A new Day has come to the earth! This is the wonderful and glorious kingdom Day/age when God shall finally hear our cries for deliverance from the many bondages of old Adam and his carnal mind. And it is at the place prophetically and spiritually called "Armageddon," where God shall defeat old Adam, remove him from us, and strip him of his power and influence over all mankind. Our Father has a people who are uniquely prepared as Gideon's army was to fight this "war" until victory is achieved. The prophet Isaiah heard the sounds and the voices coming from the heavenly realms announcing that intense battle. He heard, "A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies." And the same Spirit-ual voices that declared recompence to his enemies also declared the birth and manifestation of the sons of God. Isaiah's prophecy continues by saying, "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child." (Is. 66:6-7)

 

When the seven angels began to pour out their vials upon the earth and the various areas of the beast, this signaled the beginning of the Lord's judgments upon flesh and the ways of old Adam, the man of carnality. When the first angel poured out his vial, "there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." (Rev. 16:2) According to Strong's Concordance, a noisome and grievous sore is an injurious, hurtful, diseased, ulcer-like sore. In this case, it is not a literal disease or sore, but it describes a spiritual condition resulting from having the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is not a literal mark, but it is a spiritual defect identifying the person who worships and obeys old Adam and his image rather than Christ and the Father. It is the identifying characteristic of those who have surrendered the headship and control of their spiritual lives to a man or men, and not to Christ alone. And may God grant that that old, Babylonish headship idea shall never be tolerated among the called-out-ones. The Lord set us free of that, and by His grace, we shall remain free indeed!

 

God's anointed word describes the mark of the beast. While in the Spirit, John said, "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev. 13:18) The number of the individual man apart from his carnal works is six. Every man is represented by the number six, for we all carry the image of old Adam. But those who are in Christ are covered over and imprinted with the glory and the likeness of Christ. In the fullness of time, they shall become all that Christ is. They are the overcomers and are identified by His new Name. (Rev. 3:12) They that are Christ's have put old Adam (self) on the cross, and have kept Christ on the throne, where He reigns in their lives. They have crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts. (Ga. 5:24-25) Because they walk in the Spirit, they shall be delivered of Adam's image and likeness in the fullness of time. These overcomers shall be changed into the image and likeness of Christ, thus destroying and replacing old Adam's image with the greater image and glory of Christ. Ultimately, all who died Adam's death shall fully live the life of Christ. (1 Co. 15:22-23)

 

When we understand that man's number is six, we will then see that everything man has touched and built of the present world systems also has the number six within it and upon it. The corrupt systems of the world are all called Babylon, which is the symbolic city of man's confusion, for every one of them were created by the carnal, Adamic man. Although there may be many divisions and parts of carnal man's conglomerate, worldly systems, there are three major divisions of that Babylon city. (Rev. 16:19) This is the reason for the number given in the scripture above, which is "six hundred threescore and six," (666). The whole, Babylonish world order may be divided into three segments like this: 1) religious Babylon, 2) political-governmental Babylon, and 3) economic Babylon. Each of these three segments of Babylon has man's number (6) upon them, and are bound together by man's inherent, Adamic lust and greed. The number 666 thus marks all the systems of the world as being man's carnal creation.

 

But the wonderful reign of Christ shall change the world and its corrupt systems into the righteousness and justice of the kingdom of God. Christ and His sons shall do all this by reigning with the wisdom of the mind of Christ. The Lord gave man dominion over all the earth for SIX, long age-days. All mankind was in a corrupt and carnal state, bearing the likeness of the first Adam. Nevertheless, the Lord gave that Adamic man dominion over all the earth. The number SIX, as in SIX days or ages, again shows that the whole world, from the beginning to the present, has been under the dominion of carnal man. But, thank God, He changed the order! The kingdom of God is coming to the earth. Both man's days and man's works are ending. And Christ now reigns in a greater way than He ever has before.

 

During the past ages of man's dominion, all that was done in the world was done in corruption and confusion. Christians, some who are Spirit-filled, have built the churches, denominations and systems of religion that the Spirit of the Lord now calls Babylon. Much of their works resulted from the carnal thinking of the mind of old Adam. Many Christians still have Christ on the cross and self (old Adam) on the throne of their lives, resulting in the chaos and confusion we now see in the present religious systems of man in the earth. God allowed man to do his thing all during the previous six ages of man. But with the coming of the throne of the kingdom of God to the earth in greater power and glory, the works of man must come to an end. The SIX days of man's labors have ended! This is the seventh Day, the great Sabbath Day of man's REST! It is the Day when the Lord shall do His work in the earth! We enter the Sabbath Rest of the Lord by ceasing the religious works of the past age, and by ministering to Him. Let no one think that they shall ever reign with Christ with their carnal opinions of God's work and the administration of His kingdom. The kingdom of God shall be executed in the Spirit and by the Spirit, by saints who are in full union with Christ, and who know what it is for Christ to reign in their own lives. Those who reign with Christ must first have known what it is to be governed by Him!

 

Earlier we wrote that the present work of the Spirit in the earth is the result of our "greater works" ministry! It is the direct result of our union with our Father, or our new state of being in the kingdom of God! We are now beginning to see the results of our new kingdom ministry, or our "greater works" ministry. The Lord is moving in churches and fellowships to bring people to Himself. But those realms of Passover and Pentecost are still not our realms; that is not where we must walk with God. We are called to the higher order of Tabernacles, to minister to our Father in the holiest of all. Our Father put us here, according to our calling in Him, and this is where we must remain. The Lord put a desire within us for His fullness, and nothing less than His fullness will ever satisfy us. We would not be comfortable or satisfied in the other realms of Passover or Pentecost where people are being saved and filled with His Spirit.

 

We have a higher calling in God. Only as we remain in our place, and continue to minister to the Lord from the realm of His greater, spiritual presence in the holiest of all, shall the many benefits and blessings of the kingdom of God continue to change us and the world. As members of God's Christ, we are told to remain seated in heavenly places until every enemy is defeated. (See Ps. 110:1-2, Eph. 2:6 & Rev. 3:21-22.) Father put us in a unique place in this spiritual temple of the body of His sons. We would not be satisfied anywhere else, nor would we be in His will. As we remain in our places in God, obedient-ly fulfilling our high calling in God by ministering to Him from the Holy of Holies, His mighty, Spirit-power shall continue to flow to the earth, changing the world and turning the hearts of many to the Lord.

 

There is another reason we must remain in our places in this holy, spiritual temple. It is that we shall be changed into His likeness as we minister to the Lord from the realm of His presence. The mighty pre-sence of the Lord is a consuming fire. By the consuming fire of His presence within, all that is of old Adam's image and likeness shall be burned out of our lives, leaving only the "good" man of the Spirit. (Mt. 13:47-48) God's word for us now is: "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire." (He. 12:28-29)

 

We have indeed received a kingdom, even the kingdom of God. And the kingdom of God includes everything everywhere that is spiritually constant and safe, and which cannot be moved. All that is of the kingdom of God is as stable and secure as God Himself. But every-thing else of this tired, old earth shall be shaken and moved as the power and influence of the kingdom of God more fully comes to the earth. When the things of this old, worldly order are removed and the kingdom of God has come to the earth in greater fullness, the world shall then be blessed with the stability, peace, justice, love, and the righteousness of Christ.

 

Since we have received this kingdom, and have been given authority in Christ to reign with Him, we should then serve Him acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. To serve the Lord acceptably means that we are agreeable to the Lord. We please Him well by abiding in the place where He put us. We do not desire someone else's place or calling in God. But we shall remain in our place with reverence (or with awe and respect), and godly fear. This fear is a godly caution and reverence, for by it we are kept in full union with Christ. Our union in Christ enables us to fulfill His will and purpose in all the earth, and then in all the universe, for His glory and honor.

 

Those who are called to reign with Christ in the kingdom of God have ascended and shall continue to ascend in the Spirit to the high places in God. They have taken their rightful place on the throne of the Lord, by the Spirit, where they reign in Christ. In doing this, they have ceased doing their own works and have entered the wonderful Sabbath REST of the Lord! And when we REST in the presence of the Lord in the high place of His throne, we do show forth the high praises of the Lord and the faith of the Son of God. There, in that high and glorious realm of His greater presence, we praise the Lord among all the peoples and the nations of the world. And they shall all hear and respond to that message of good news coming from Zion.

 

This scripture describes the attitude we should have as we manifest the kingdom of God in the earth: "The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul." (Ps. 103:19-22)

Paul and Emily Mueller

P O BOX 25055, PORTLAND, OR 97298-0055

 

 

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