A Body You Have Prepared for Me: Part 2

Isaiah 6:5-7

5 … “Woe is me! For I am lost…in the midst of a people of unclean lips…my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” [John 12:41]

6 …one of the seraphim flew…a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7 …he touched my mouth and said: “your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

God’s plan of purging man and giving man forgiveness is prophetically illustrated in this vision:

1. Man must recognize God’s holiness, His majesty, His supreme authority

2. Man must recognize his own sinfulness, the fact that he is lost, he is unworthy

3. Man must know God has made a way. The coal from the altar taken with tongs in the hand of the Seraphim was a foreshadowing of the cross.

The tone of Isaiah’s voice cries repentance. The content may not include the word sorry, but He is overwhelmed with the glory and splendor of the Lord, he sees his own desperate condition, and he wants to be right with God. This is Jesus by the way. Isaiah is seeing the Lord after His incarnation, after His sacrificial death, after His resurrection and ascension. He says, “I saw the King and the Lord of hosts”, and the angels cry you are holy, holy, holy. Heaven understands His holiness. The angels understand understand the great price the Father paid to redeem the human race. But the human race doesn’t understand. We so often think that we’re okay. No, brothers and sisters, we need to get a glimpse of glory and we need to understand what is going on here:

Revelation 19:10

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy >>>>>>Sweet smelling savor… ages

Repentance- a simple definition is someone changes their mind. When we repent towards God we admit to Him that we were wrong and He was right. We thought we knew, but now we see. Help me Lord, I’m undone! I’m lost without you!

Psalms 7:12-17

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; 13 he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. 14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies. 15 He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made. 16 His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends. 17 I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Isaiah 6:8-9

8 …Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”… “Here I am! Send me.” 9 The message ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.10 Make the heart of this people dull, ears heavy, blind their eyes; 11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,

Isaiah 6:13

And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.”

The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah 11:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse…

Isaiah was commissioned to go and tell, to prophesy God’s truth! God’s truth always surrounded the coming King. Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this

And this was what Isaiah saw exalted in heaven. He saw the ascended King of Kings the Lord of Lords. He saw the eternal word who created the heavens and the earth, who willingly lowered Himself and was fashioned into a man so that He could serve the Father’s will and die and not just any death but the death of the cross. He suffered torture and shame. he was offended for our sakes because we had offended God, and…

Isaiah 53:10–if you want to know how much God loves you…

…it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…

Isaiah said, “send me…” and Paul said, How beautiful are the feet of those who are sent…

Romans 10:14-17 who is they? All those who have not heard, all those who need to hear again…

14 How then shall THEY call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of  them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

And that’s where it all starts, to those who do believe, they receive a seed. It’s the whole plan of the harvest. A seed is sown (when an obedient mouth speaks) and a son is born:

And that is the beginning of the new life, and now we see the purposes of God in preparing a body for the Lord:

• Genesis 1:11

• Genesis 8:22

• Leviticus 23

• Ruth Gentile bride

• Parable of the sower

• Wheat in the store house

• It starts with a preacher

John 12:24

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 1:12

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

God sowed a Son seed into the earth and He will reap a harvest of sons.

Now, He prepares a body for us. I mean did we think that He would leave us the way that we were before? He has a plan for us, and it’s not just to bless you with more money, bigger houses and nicer cars. His plan and purpose for our lives is that we would be a body created in the image of Jesus and that we would be a light in a darkened world. Some of us He will use in various types of ministry and for some our ministries will be to our families, our children, our parents, our brothers and our sisters, but in order to use us, He has to form us, and yes, receive ye the promise of my Father, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that you will be endued or clothed upon with power from the Holy Spirit, so that you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the outer most parts of the earth.

But I have seen a lot of people who have said they were filled with the Spirit and not looking like Jesus. I have been filled with the Spirit and at times not looking like Jesus. No! That’s not acceptable. God is in the business of creating us into the image of Jesus, so that we will have a valid witness, and that is how He is preparing a body for us.

Hebrews 1:3

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

I remind you that Adam was created in the image and likeness of God, but the fall caused his offspring to be born into the image and likeness of fallen Adam:

Genesis 5:3 ESV

When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

God prepared a body for the last Adam, so that Adam’s fallen race could become recipient’s of the Father’s grace!

Colossians 3:10 KJV

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Romans 8:29 KJV

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 KJV

17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:3-7 KJV

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. This creation talk right here. God does a creative miracle inside of people’s hearts.

Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:13-14

13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Until You and I are One

Genesis 1:26

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Image- Hebrew- ṣelem >> from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol: — image, vain shew

Words used to describe image in Hebrew:

1. Shade

2. Phantom— shadow

3. Idol

Think about this… God formed man out of the dirt/clay of the earth. He formed and fashioned him with His hands like a craftsman forms and fashions a piece of clay into an image of his liking. No wonder it’s so offensive to God for man to fashion an image with his hands that he worships as God, and no wonder, the antichrist will demand that all mankind will worship an image as though it were God.

God’s purpose of fashioning man with His hand was that man was to be a reflection of His glory, a shadow of His likeness, a representative of His purpose. When we see man walking upright as a bipedal being, we should not imagine that this was God’s intent and purpose regarding image. Rather, the reflection was His character and His glory. Like the late Michael Heiser said, “Man was intended to be an ‘imager’ of God’s glory.” Wherever man went, God’s image, character and glory was reflected on the earth. He would have God’s mind on the matter. He would rule dominion on earth the way that God would rule dominion on earth.

God gave him power to have authority and dominion over the whole earth. It was his duty to rule, reign and subdue. The creation was to be under His dominion and control.

Image- Greek—eikon>> icon- a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol

Ephesians 4:24

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Before we move too quickly, I would like to talk about the “new man”, but I would also like to talk about the word “created”. Adam was created and formed by the hand of God. The new man that has experienced the new birth has been recreated in Christ— if true conversion has taken place place (Titus 3:5). Regeneration—“re-gened” if you’re not being convicted and changed, don’t be fooled, you’re either not converted or you’re living in rebellion against God, His will and His word!

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

2 Peter 1:4 partakers koinonos common-union “a sharer” I’m sharing His nature because, in my spirit, I’ve been made one with Him.

2 big problems in the lives of people who call themselves Christians:

1. Rebellion/stubbornness—sins of witchcraft and idolatry (1Samuel 15:23)

2. Doubt and unbelief will cause a person to be uncertain to what the truth is or what the answer for the problem is (James:5-8)

Colossians 1:13-16

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

If you’ve been converted, you have been delivered and translated. You either believe it, doubt it or are rebelling against it. If you’re rebelling or doubting, don’t be confused why you’re being tossed.

He (creator) lives through you: you are His vessel

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I don’t know who or what you or other people may think they have living in them, but the word of God says that I have Jesus living in me. I’m possessed by the creator of the universe. He created dominions, principalities and powers, and He lives in me, so those entities surely don’t have power over me. That is His word.

Colossians 3:10

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Whatever was lost in Adam was regained in Christ, but more so because Jesus is greater than Adam and Jesus lives in us. The potential of what God can and will do through us is limitless:

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Whatever He wants to get done, we are His answer, we are His vessel as we believe the truth and yield, I said yield and allow the Holy Spirit to have His way. If He needs a dead man raised, I am His man, if He needs a devil cast out, I am His man, a healing, a message preached, I don’t care what it is. If He wants it done, we are the ones!

The problem we have is that our soul man (mind) limits us from believing what God’s word says.

Ephesians 4:23-24

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness  and true holiness.

Romans 8:29

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

• To be jointly formed

• Having the same form as another

• Identical or Siamese twins

• I am re-gened

Romans 12:2-3

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye **transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the  measure of faith.

conform to the same pattern (figuratively): — conform to, fashion self according to

Colossians 2:15

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:16

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Colossians 2:18

Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Colossians 2:19

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Lord I Give You My Heart, I Give My Soul, I Live For You Alone

1 Corinthians 6:17

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit— so if our spirit and the Holy Spirit are made one in Christ, then that means that salvation is perfected in our spirit with God, but is it okay to just stay in this spot, where we are one with Him only in the level of our spirit?

I can tell you that that the simple answer to that is NO!

1 Thessalonians 5:23

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.

New life in our spirit is the starting point of new life, and it’s the place from where the Lord spreads His life throughout us, permeating who we are and changing who we were from the old creation in Adam into the new creation in Christ; however, our (free will) must be willing to work with Him.

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of man is the candle (lamp ESV) of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly (innermost parts ESV).

A while back I made the comment about this scripture…Leviticus 25:23

The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

What I said was that the Lord was showing me how everything we know and see belongs to Him, but because Satan deceived Adam and through Adam’s own willingness to yield to Satan by giving him his will, Satan was able to usurp the dominion and power that was given to Adam by God and arrest it for himself. God has a right to do what He wants because He is creator, but He created all this for His creation mankind, going back to the thought that He desires an eternal family. In His justice and holy character, He chooses to operate in such a way that it includes the free will of His creation. But He started redemption by making a promise to Abraham that He would give him land for a people and a plan. Looking backwards, we see what He did. He gave them the land, created the nation, and gave the world Jesus.

But the point is that through this little sliver of land He created for Himself a base of operations to take it all back, it’s such a huge deal, because He’s saying, “I’m taking the whole thing back one piece at a time, but I'm doing it in partnership with a people that will yield their will to my will.

“Don’t sell the land, it is mine”. You are strangers and sojourners with me. Your father Adam pushed me out of the picture through the defiance of his freewill. But I’m taking it back one piece at a time, and I’m recruiting a people through the ages that are going to walk and believe with me.

As the sliver of land we call Israel is to the taking back of the physical world, so our spirit is to the soul and body as He takes the individual human back from the captivity of Satan. His will is that we partner with Him in allowing our whole person to become His property. Through the implantation of His Spirit into our spirit, and these being fused into one. He has formed a base of operations where He will begin the plan of His entire take over.

1 Corinthians 2:16

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Part of the truth that our spirit is one with His Spirit is the fact that we have also been given the mind of Christ in this transaction. Because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, the mind of Christ is in us and we know the truth… AMP 1 John 2:20 But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things.

But we aren’t always yielding to the will of God or allowing the mind of Christ through the unction or anointing of the Holy Spirit to have His way— in believing God’s truth.

Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Flesh & mind

Ephesians 2:3

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This is a good example of how the flesh and the mind are closely related. The flesh gives the mind a base of operations. In this case, the soulish man (mind & will) and the fleshly man (carnal nature- I want what I want) are working together to entertain or give action to the desires of the sinful nature.

Heart— kardia— of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the place of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions__ Strong’s

Heart," kardia, is the place of feeling, intelligence, moral choice__ Wuest

Ephesians 5:18

The Greek is, "the eyes of your heart," the heart referring not only to the emotional nature, but also to the reason and to the faculty of intelligence__ Wuest

The ancient Hebrews regarded the heart as the organ of the intellect, and the mind, that of the desires and affections__ Wuest

Many people serve the Lord from their soul with their mind; rather than what God seeks after according to Jesus’ comment to the Samaritan woman… John 4:23-24

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.-

The heart is related to desires and emotions of the mind/ intellect. This part of the man can be affected negatively by the world through the flesh, engage fleshly lusts of the world through our members, or positively through the Spirit of God’s grace as we engage God’s will through our spirit.

The way we process the world’s sensualities is through our soul: the mind, will and emotions. In order for the heart to be affected by God, the soul must be influenced by the Spirit. The Spirit of God is one with our spirit; however, the more we feed the soul fleshly appetites, the more we suppress our intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, which prevents our soul from being sanctified/ our mind from being renewed.

Like a computer virus

++When we bring the world into our soul, it entices our affections towards the things of the world. When we feed our spirit man the things of the Spirit, our affections for spiritual things are aroused. Unfortunately, we can also embrace spiritual things from a fleshly or soulish level in that we are just punching a God clock and not really interested in pleasing the Spirit of God by feeding our spiritual man. This will not result in spiritual life.

Religion vs relationship

Starting at verse psalm 51 verse 10 (create in me), but verse 16 differentiates between religion (sacrifice) vs relationship (a broken heart) now, the doing of spiritual practices has meaning—once the posture of the heart is proper—psalm 51 verse 19 Matt 5

Psalms 51:17

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Getting Jesus from my Spirit into my soul where He is the affection of my heart, and He is the influence over my thinking, my will and ultimately my emotions….

Psalms 42:5

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me?

hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Matthew 6:21-22

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Ephesians 3:17

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

The word "rooted" has the idea of securely settled, and "grounded__ Wuest

Ezekiel 36:26-27

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

The condition of the heart is affected by what we feed the soul. When we bring the ways of the world or live for self, we allow the fallen nature and selfishness to rule in our hearts.

Matthew 12:34-35

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 13:19

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth (to consider it or act piously) it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The seed of the Kingdom was sown into the heart. We are aware that the Kingdom is eternal treasure. It’s the treasure in the field, the pearl of great price, it’s Jesus the lover of our soul and when that seed is planted into the heart, and it’s protected and nourished, it grows. But if I treat the word of God like a common thing instead of a treasure, I’m not considering it properly or piously— meaning I’m just treating the things of God, the word of God, like a common thing.

Mark 6:52

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened [calloused]

The word "heart" here refers to the entire inner man, his reason, affections, will__ Wuest

Mark 7:6-7

6 He answered and said unto them, -- Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mark 7:15

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

Mark 7:17-23

17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, -- That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

The heart is related to desires and emotions of the mind/ intellect. This part of the man can be affected negatively by the world and his flesh. In order for the heart to be affected by God, the soul must be influenced by the Spirit.

Romans 2:29

But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Acts 7:51

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

1 Peter 2:11

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

War against— to carry out a military campaign against your soul.

++He dwells in our spirit, but are we allowing Him to dwell in our hearts

Ephesians 4:18

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

++blindness

Porosis- the covering with a callus, dulled perception— comes from poroo

poroo— to cover with a thick skin, to harden by covering with a callus, become dull, lose the power of understanding

Jesus Hates Religion

Philippians 3:9-10.   Difference between acts of righteousness and the gift of righteousness

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is

 Performance

of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith/:::/

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

This verse says being made conformable to His death. The word means that something takes the same morphology or form as something else—to be made like something or someone else. In this case, Paul is saying, “I want to take on the form of His death.” We know that the Apostle died the martyr’s death, but he is speaking of something spiritual here.

He is speaking New covenant truth—faith in Jesus makes me one with Him. I die with Him. I resurrect with Him. I become a new creation in Him with a new source of life. My new life is the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the one conforming, fashioning and molding me into the image of Jesus. In this way, I must be conformed to His death. As He died, I die in Him, not physically yet. Once born again, the Matt born in Adam slowly dies as he yields to the work of the cross through the Holy Spirit, as the new creation trusts in the work of the cross, it results in resurrection power. This power brings new life. This power is the miracle working power. It is the wonderful power of the Holy Spirit!

How different Jesus and His cousin look compared to religious tradition and complacency.

John the Baptist

Matthew 3:7-12

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Talking about the root

Jesus is the vine and there are natural branches [Jews] and unnatural branches [Gentiles] that are grafted in, and the purpose of the branches are to bare fruit. The root is the foundation of the plan. The root is eternal life, eternal salvation for the lost creation. That root ultimately produces Jesus, which is the vine/ tree that the branches grow out of. . There are times where God’s work looks dead in a life or on the earth. In Isaiah, the word said:

Isaiah 11:1-2 And there shall come forth a rod (green growth) out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him…

That’s what religion does, it sits dry, dead and idle. It cannot produce life. This prophesy perfectly describes what things looked like when Jesus came to earth. The religious system was a dried stump. Many churches are a dried stump, if we’re not careful, a spirit of religion will try to make us a dry stump.

Jesse is King David’s father. The promise was that a King would be born of David. God stayed true to His promise. And a green sprout shot forth out of what looked like a dead, religious stump.

A green shoot would come forth and the Spirit of the Lord would be upon Him. That is how God works, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2).

But religion is the works of man’s hands and man’s plan. The Lord showed me an axe head and it was chopping in a downward motion.

Then this scripture came…the axe is laid to the root. As the days grow darker and God’s light shines brighter, we do not want to be caught under the influence of a religious spirit that prevents the Holy Spirit from having His way. Whether it’s corporately or individually, we want to allow God to have His way in our lives.

The spirit of religion manifests itself in many different ways/

1. It wants to be seen and get its recognition —Matt 23:5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others/::/— John 12:42-43 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

2. It wants its dignity and respect more than God’s will— Matt 23:6 they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others— /::/Matt 20:20-21 sons of Zebedee

3. It can’t see the value in someone else’s ministry—Matthew 26:8-9 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

4. It has malice in its heart towards others— 1 cor 13:4-5 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful

5. It is controlling and thinks that it’s the only one that can help you— Luke 9:49-50 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us—Numbers 11:27-29  27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!—Philippians 1:15-18

6. If it feels threatened by you, it will try to make you ineffective, trying to kill you or your ministry—Luke 4:27-29 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff

Matthew 23:1-12

Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees

3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

So when we are being made conformable to His death and knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, we are not only being set free from the bondages of sin like drugs, alcohol, fornication…, we are also being set free from the bondage of religion and becoming a vessel where His Spirit of truth can flow out of us in love. Rivers of living water bring life.

Jesus exhibited selfless actions long before the cross

Jesus had things heavy on His heart. His cousin just died:

Mark 6:27-29

27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

Mark 6:30-31

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

Mark 6:33-34

33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:35-36

35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. Do you ever feel that way, just tired and feel like go get your own bread?

Mark 6:37-38

37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 -- He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

The disciples had to be willing to work even though they were tired

If either one those things breaks down, the miracle does not take place.

In order for this miracle to take place, the disciples had to be willing—they were tired, they were hungry.  The people had to be willing to believe that God could meet their needs and to sit still and wait.

Jesus understood that the disciples were tired and hungry, it was His recommendation that they rest and eat; yet, when he saw the people’s needs, He was moved with compassion.

What happens here if the disciples are just too tired think that Jesus is insensitive and they decide to go home for a week or two?

After all, they were just on an amazing evangelistic crusade, they healed the sick, they casted out devils in the name of Jesus, can’t someone else organize this buffet and pick up the scraps? I’m tired.

He takes what we have

He uses it and

He multiplies it

Commitment vs compromise

Commitment- the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause

Compromise- the acceptance of standards that are lower than desirable

The New Covenant Made You His Temple

He is clearly addressing believers

Courtroom

1 Corinthians 6:6-20

6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 -- Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

1. Unrighteous wont/ righteous δικαιοσύνη will

2. Justified δικαιόω—Jeremiah 3:11

3. Such were some of you

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. 15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

2. 18 your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Righteous God, righteous people to reveal to an unrighteous world

Deuteronomy 4, 6, 8

Jeremiah 31:31-33

31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts,**** be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Previously, there was no indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the Old Covenant

Ezekiel 36:27

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

The Old Covenant Law revealed to God’s people His righteousness and through them revealed it to the world around them. The New Covenant put God’s righteousness [Jesus] in God’s people and gives them power through the grace of the Holy Spirit to live a life of righteousness— all the time. No, really we can live a righteous life towards the lord all the time. The power of sin is broken. The problem we have now is that we need our own will broken. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to break our will and crucify our flesh. In order for that to happen, we must joint participate with the Holy Spirit: 2 Corinthians 13:14 KJV The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

                                              Fellowship ESV

Through the cross, there is an empowering grace supplied

Colossians 2:14-15***the cross purchased grace and gives victory over the power of sin—you have to know it & believe it… faith

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:15

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Romans 6:16

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:17

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

What form of doctrine? The form that was delivered to you and delivered you!!

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:1-3

1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?