HOW TO BE STRONG
Warren Rogers
www.christisyourlife.com
Sure, it’s a good thing to gather together--we must never forget that. The Bible says not to forsake or neglect the assembling of ourselves together. Why?
For one thing, we encourage each other by doing this. How?--by the individual contribution of each one. Need a scripture? How about this one: “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working by every part adding something to the body as it edifies itself in love.”--Eph. 4:16
Everyone should have something to contribute above and beyond his own bodily presence. No person should dominate, however, and no one should look to a person to dominate. The Bible says we should “look” to Christ.
Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst...” We believe this and yet continue to look to a person to set the pace for the group.
No person is going to dominate God, and no true believer is going to look for a man to dominate. A greater than Solomon is in our midst. Each and everyone of us should look to God for direction.
Another thing--when we assemble, each one should expect to receive from God, and each one must be provided with the opportunity to give that which he does receive when he receives it--not just when the leader of the group says that it’s O.K.
We might receive a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation. It might be a thought or a joy in our heart we wish to express. 1 Cor.14:26 says, “How is it brethren when you come together? Everyone of you has either a Psalm, a doctrine (teaching), a revelation, an interpretation. Hold back nothing that edifies.” Notice it says, “everyone”--not just one or two persons.
Hebrews 5:12-14 speaks of becoming strong by exercise, not just by listen¬ing to good sermons. James 1:22 says we ought to be doers of the word, not hearers only. 1 Peter 4:10 says that as every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the many-folded grace of God. (A steward is someone in charge of another’s wealth.) Peter also says, “If any man speak, let him do so as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability that God giveth that God in all things may be glorified…”--1 Pet 4:11
Every believer has an equal right given by the Father to speak His Word, and no one has the authority to hinder it. After all, it’s God’s Word. Each one is an integral part of the Lord’s body, and we must recognize each other’s gifts or according to scripture many will be sick and weak among us. No one man can possibly present all the aspects of the gospel--that’s why God has a many-membered body.
This something we receive of the Lord, whether it be a revelation or a doctrine, is not for us alone. We are to encourage others with it. Col. 3:16 says to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another. You see, that way God is glorified, not man.
Jesus said that the Spirit of truth would guide us into all truth. John said that the anointing we have received abides in us and we have no need that a man teach us. He said this same anointing will teach us all things.
No one believer is more important than another. It’s the anointing of the Spirit that counts. “The flesh profits nothing; it is the Spirit that gives life.”
So when we come together, we should each one look to the Lord--not to a person. “God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in the Spirit and in the truth.” If not, we cannot truly say that we have worshiped Him.
We will find a new awareness of God in our lives as we look to Him and then be able to give to others that which He has given to us. That’s God’s plan.
Above all, we dare not go to the assembly and just get lost in the crowd. We have a responsibility to our Father that goes way beyond mere church attendance. But remember, don’t go only to get--go to give. You have received from God of His freely-given love, so you give likewise. This is how you will find strength and encouragement. If anything stands in the way of our giving, it will most surely stand in the way of our receiving, and our Lord says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Speak the Word of God and watch your problems dissolve.
I feel that many churches of the land are set up in such fashion that very few can give to the whole. Unless you are a pastor, a teacher, an evangelist, a singer, or some such thing, your place seems to be just to sit. That’s really too bad, and we must rise above this. We must give as God has given to us. He told us to.
The Father’s plan is that as we assemble together looking only to Him. He will lead or quicken our thoughts. We are to give out of the Spiritual reser¬voir or abundance of the Word of Christ within us. Why else should we let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly?
Doesn’t the Bible say that in the assembly He distributes to each person as He wills. Doesn’t it say that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each man so that all may profit? Is there only one gift or two? Are there not many manifestations of the Spirit? Is one manifestation of the same God more important than another? Shouldn’t we make room for all?
We dare not allow the structure of things, as it were, to limit the Holy One of Israel. We must not, we dare not, endeavor to direct God. We must look for His direction. No form or plan, however well thought out by the carnal mind, will ever substitute for the leading of God and meet people’s needs.
Many times we say we would never do such things; yet many find it difficult, if not impossible, to break through the prerequisites put upon the Father by our own traditions. By the word “tradition,” I mean our usual method of operation. No one can direct God, for who has known the mind of the Lord that they may instruct Him?
When we come together in Christ’s name, we should empty ourselves of all preconceived notions and look for fresh direction and guidance from our Father. Who among us is to say just what shall be said and done. Why don’t we leave everything completely up to our Father--who is going to speak, what is going to be said, how it will be done? Why can’t the Spirit tell us what songs are to be sung, when they will be sung, etc.? Can we do a better job than He? Does it matter who teaches the Word, who prophecies, who lays hands on the sick, who casts out devils, who raises the dead? Isn’t it God in us both willing and doing of His good pleasure?
We should never compete--we should compliment. The hand cannot say to the foot, “I have no need of you.”
Another thing, we must constantly encourage individual participation. God’s design of things is not just to make pew sitters. The devil isn’t afraid of those who just sit. Every believer should be encouraged to take an aggressive posture with the Word of God. Every believer is to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. But no one will become strong without exercising. It isn’t what others say about God--it’s what you say about God that will strengthen you.
Rev. 12:11 says, “And they (the believer) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” The Word says, “If you will confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart... you shall be saved.” It doesn’t say that they overcame by anyone’s confession of faith, but their own.
The Word of God should be the most wonderful and powerful thing in our lives. We should be so full of it and so excited because of it that we can hardly wait to get together and spill it out. Isn’t that God’s purpose?
I remember when I first met my wife and fell in love with her. Nobody could tell others about how I felt about her, but me. I didn’t go to my pastor and ask if he would preach a sermon on how wonderful she was. I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I was in love and that love demanded expression. No wonder Proverbs says, “A man can have joy by the answer of his mouth.”
So, come on--how about it--start talking. I am anxious for people to grow!
Warren Rogers Articles
There are two types of knowledge: Sense knowledge which rely on the five senses and revelation knowledge. God cannot be understood by sense knowledge. Ephesians 3:1-5 says that by revelation there was made known to me (Paul) the mystery…..my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. A mystery according to Webster’s dictionary is a religious truth which must be understood by revelation alone without the mind or intellect. God can only be understood by revelation. When a person’s heart turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. There is a lack of revelation knowledge in the church, but there is a lot of sense knowledge and academic knowledge. An example of revelation knowledge is recorded in Matthew l6:13 when Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do the people say that the Son of man is?” They answered, ”Some say John the Baptist. Others say Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.“ This was revelation knowledge. No man told Peter this. Jesus said, “Blessed are you Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but My Father who is in heaven.” Paul also declares that the gospel that he preached was not from any man but from God. Galatians 1:11-12 “For I would have you know brethren that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man nor was I taught it, but I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ.” In John 14, Jesus tells his disciples, “You will see me no more. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will take of mine and show it to you. He will reveal truth to you, and that truth will become yours.” The Spirit of truth cannot be seen or received by the world because it does not know Him. + + + + + Nicodemus saw the results of the Spirit of God moving. He said to Jesus, “No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him.” He saw the evidence of an invisible power just as we can see the evidence of the wind blowing, but we cannot see the wind. Nicodemus had to move from the things seen to the things unseen. What Peter saw was spiritual knowledge. Spiritual things cannot be understood by the natural man. I Corinthians 1:26-29. “For consider your calling, brethren that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised. God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God. Base things are those that fall below ordinary human standards. When Jesus told Peter, “Up on this rock I will build my church.” He was saying upon this understanding. All true believing is given by the Spirit. It is Spiritual knowledge and bears witness to the person. James talks about human wisdom being earthly, natural, and demonic filled with jealousy, selfishness and greed. The wisdom we have is not of this world. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, You do not have a chance of understanding unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to you. You cannot force a revelation on another person. The natural man is not just an unregenerated man.The natural man is the physically minded man.
Communion, an interesting word. Actually, there are two words in the one word. They are COME and UNION. An invitation to us from the Christ to enter into union with Him and His Father--no more separation. Paul said in his writings, “You are dead and your life Is hid with Christ in God.” Sin had separated us from God. Jesus came to remove that separation. We need never worry about being separated from the Lord. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Paul said in Romans Chapter 8 “I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Jesus prayed for us as recorded in John, Chapter 17. “I pray not that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil that is in the world for they are not of the world even as I am not of the world.” Jesus always had His prayers answered so we are quite secure. No demon power can remove us from the love of the Father--isn’t that great!!
Satan’s method of operation in order: 1. Deception of the mind. 2. Temptation to the flesh. 3. Accusation to the conscience. 4 Condemnation to the soul. Exactly what Satan did to Adam and Eve in the Garden. Satan only has the power of suggestion-nothing more. Deception : To cause one to believe what is not true and to doubt and question what is true. Adam and Eve entered into a state of sin consciousness which is a universal, spiritual, inferiority complex. All of the above is remedied for the children of God by a new birth and transformation of the mind.as they study and meditate on the word of God
It is not the nature of the flesh to appreciate the value of Spiritual thoughts. It seems that only when flesh and blood are brought to the place of utter desolation that a divine appreciation is born within the human spirit. How we ought to praise our heavenly Father for the trials and temptations that come our way — knowing that His promise IS that it will always end in a divine conclusion. He has said that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us and that He WILL perfect that which concerns us. You see, in order for God's will to be done we must be purged from every desire that opposes Him. (That's really the only time that God's will is done.) The Father knows just how and when this is to be brought to pass. It is through these "wilderness experiences" that we learn the most significant spiritual lessons. It is often when we are in the desert of human aloneness and seemingly isolated from the rest of the world that we can hear our heavenly Father talk to us, Sometimes we are not willing to bring ourselves to this solitary place of meditation, so our Father arranges things in such fashion that we are reminded once again of our need to seek His face. We do not always like the process that brings us to this place of learning, but we may be comforted in the knowledge that ALL things do indeed work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. His purpose, of course, is that we be "conformed to the image and likeness of His dear Son" - Rom. 8:28-29. Sometimes we forget just HOW our Father brought His first Son into conformity with His will. We read in the Bible that He was A MAN of sorrows and acquainted with grief — He was tempted in His desires in all ways like we ourselves — He was lonely — despised and rejected of men -- He had emotions and even wept as we might today. Many times He found it necessary to withdraw Himself not only from the multitudes but His own disciples too, in order to pray and seek His Father’s will. You see, the Father understands the weakness of all flesh -- He made it! He also knows just what must be done in order to conform us to His likeness while all the time strengthening our faith. The Bible takes time to record that even Jesus, God's first Son, the captain of OUR salvation, the author and finisher of OUR faith, the first born among MANY brethren, LEARNED obedience through the things that He suffered - Heb. 5:8. Jesus, the human Jesus, was not always aware of His Father's leading in His sufferings, perhaps even as we many times are not aware. His flesh did not necessarily enjoy the process of change any more than ours. You see, obedience is the criteria here and disobedience is deeply rooted.in ALL flesh. That is WHY in order for man to learn the things of God, his flesh must be subjected to a certain kind of suffering. It is this suffering we are talking about that brings about the will of the Spirit in our lives. Jesus experienced this suffering, for He spoke from the same place of conflict when He said "The Spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak" - Matt. 26:41. Paul says in Romans 8:3 that Jesus came in the "likeness" of sinful flesh. So, you see, the flesh is not really the answer, it is just a part of the problem: that is as long as it is not under the control of the Spirit. In fact, that's all a problem really is, just something that is not yet under the control of the Spirit. Quite simple, isn't it? Maybe we should yield "right away".) About this suffering thing: the Bible says that IF we suffer with Christ we will also REIGN with Him, It sounds like it is saying, "no suffering, then no reigning". Some today would like us to believe that suffering, any kind of suffering, is absolutely unnecessary. I can't buy that! The Apostle Paul must have derived the same kind of SPIRITUAL BENEFIT through his sufferings. He must have seen some sort of purpose in it even to the extent that he sounded these most unusual words..."That I might KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection AND the FELLOWSHIP of His SUFFERINGS being made CONFORMABLE to His death" - Phil. 3:10. Wow! That’s a pretty difficult statement to make, let alone understand, Why in heaven’s name, if a Christian is to escape ALL manner of suffering, would Paul want to fellowship or share in the sufferings of Christ? I thought that Jesus came to deliver the human race from suffering. I thought that one did not have to suffer. I supposed that suffering, any kind of suffering, was a sign of spiritual weakness and ignorance on the part of the believer. 1 thought that if you were to read "Seven Steps to Victory" by Dr. Know It All , one didn't have to suffer. I thought that all suffering was supposed to be of the Devil and any one who suffered in any way, shape, or form was living far below their God given privileges. Surely, any one that suffers must be out of the will of God and lacking in faith! Evidently, neither Peter, Paul, James, John or Jesus, who all either wrote or spoke about suffering and trials, had not been fortunate enough to get their hands on the right cassette tape series. They must not have known better. Question: Could there be a certain kind of suffering that is JUST AS MUCH a part of the will of God as being healed? Seems to me that the Bible speaks an awful lot about trials and temptations accompanying the Life of the believer. Even Jesus mentioned a cross for EVERY ONE to bear. You don't hear much about that to¬day though. It seems that in order to be in tune one must be a heavy advocate of health, wealth and prosperity, or he is out of rhythm. Maybe there is another side to the coin that flesh and blood does not like to hear. Even Peter said some of the strangest things about suffering. Perhaps what he said, according to some of our modern day seminar teachers, was way out of context. Maybe the Holy Ghost didn't give him his material. Perhaps he wasn't fortunate enough to have attended one of our modern theological seminaries. Maybe he didn't have a Bible dictionary or an analytical concordance. Maybe he didn’t know anything about Greek or expository preaching. Perhaps he had forgotten to memorize the fundamental principles of "Victorious Living". Here are some of the things he said about this matter of suffering — listen! "For as much then AS Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (no wonder flesh wants nothing to do with suffering) — THAT he no longer should live the rest of his time (the time he has left) in the flesh, to the will of man, but to. THE WILL OF GOD. Beloved, think it NOT strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some STRANGE (out of the ordinary) thing has happened to you. But rejoice in as much as you are partaking of CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS. After you have suffered a while, God will make you perfect and establish, strengthen and settle you. Wherefore let them that suffer ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD " According to what? I Peter 4:1-2. It sounds like suffering, a certain KIND of suffering, is just as much the will of God as having a Devil cast out. Could it be that there is a particular God ordained suffering that is used to bring ones will into subjection and conformity to the will of the Spirit of God? Aren’t flesh and Spirit contrary one to the other? If, according to the Bible, Jesus LEARNED obedience BY the things He suffered, then He must not have known what the Father required of Him until He was trained in the things of the Spirit. You do not need to learn something you already know — it is only that which one does not know that he must learn. The Apostle Paul wrote another thing about this thing called obedience. He said that we are to "cast down (dethrone) imaginations and EVERY high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge (Word) of God and bring into captivity EVERY thought to the OBEDIENCE of Christ". He said that this is HOW obedience is fulfilled ~ II Cor. 5:4-6. It was Paul who also said^ "I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you PRESENT your bodies a living SACRIFICE (how the flesh abhors sacrifice), holy, acceptable unto God, which is YOUR reasonable service: and BE NOT conformed to the worlds system, but be YE transformed by the RENEWING of your mind, that you may understand what is that good, and acceptable and perfect, WILL OF GOD - Rom. 12:1-2. Renewing of the mind IS the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. You see, until we learn to PRESENT our bodies in obedience to the Lord (actually presenting of our bodies IS obedience to the Lord) and to lead every thought captive, suffering will be the inevitable tool that God will use to help bring this about. Someone once said, "God does not use force, but He certainly knows HOW to make you willing". The Scriptures say that the way of the transgressor is hard and as the sparks fly upward man was born for trouble. Suffering in the flesh is the Father’s way of redeeming the spirit and bringing man’s will into conformity with His will. Even Paul once said that he had delivered a man’s flesh to Satan’s control that the spirit might be saved. The Bible clearly states, "The wrath of God IS revealed from heaven AGAINST TVLL ungodliness". It also says, "Tribulation and anguish upon EVERY soul of man that does evil, but glory, honor and PEACE to EVERY man that works good" - Rom. 1:17; 2:9-10. It must be clearly understood that when the Bible speaks of suffering, it does not necessarily mean to suffer from sickness or disease or some kind of physical disablement. The kind of suffering the Bible speaks of here is the kind of suffering that belongs exclusively to the believer. The world does not experience this kind of suffering. This kind of suffering comes from the conflicting and contrary desires that are at war within the believer. The reason for this conflict is because man HAS been made a new creature and that new creature is at work within him and wants to gain control of his mind. If there were only one entity, there would be no struggle. Actually, it is God and the Devil fighting it out for control of man's will through his mind. Man yields to whomever he chooses. The Bible plainly identifies this as ".the sufferings and afflictions of Christ" You may remember Paul mentioning this kind of suffering when he wrote about the struggle between the FLESH and the SPIRIT - Gal. 5:16-17. He said that they are CONTRARY (in opposition) to one another and they strive to gain control of man's mind. Actually, you might say there is a civil war going on within man. This causes the most painful of all battles until the will is conquered and brought once again into subjection to the Spirit of God. Remember when we said that a problem is just something that is not yet under the control of the Spirit? Jesus Lord .
Roy Stahl Articles
There is not such a great gulf between those who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and those who believe that God is one. The doctrine of the Trinity opens the door to harmony by saying, “These three are one.” The Trinity tries hard to explain God but it runs into the same difficulty that has always been encountered when explaining the things of God--carnal understanding. Flesh just can’t know the things of God (1Cor. 2: 11). Trinity is inadequate and admits it! After fashioning minds to accept the “Personages” of God they turn around and in effect say, it wasn’t so because these three are one. The doctrine of “oneness” stops short of things too. They feel that the one and only God is Jesus Christ and that is His name! It is true this is the only name by which we know God. You see, God never had a name, but God is not contained in a name either. I would like to suggest that we look further into what the Bible says in regard to “Oneness.” I know of no other word to use; but by using the term “Oneness,” I do not refer to the doctrine of Oneness. I might as well define what I do mean. Oneness is not only Jesus being made one with God, but it is the believer being made one with God as well. The understanding of this is where the flesh falls short every time. I feel the truth of this Oneness is quite evident throughout the Bible. Jesus prayed to the Father and said, “That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me and I in thee, that they also maybe one in us.”--John 17:21. There is no thought of merely being “in accord with” or of having a “singleness of purpose” as some would have us believe. One is just a number, not many, just one. So when I use the term “Oneness,” that is what I mean. It is my desire that these words will help to establish harmony between those two groups of people who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness. These words are meant to “put together” not “take apart.” I can put together only by talking about the Spirit of God, because it is only in the Spirit that we are made one. Here, again, I must define my words: Spirit is God--not part of God, but all of God. The Spirit is the Father God that Jesus represented. “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”-- John 1:1. There is no disputing the fact that Jesus was the Word because the Bible plainly states, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”--John 1: 14. In Jesus dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Col. 2:9). It is extremely difficult for me to consider how God, the Father (as a person) could dwell within God, the Son, another person, but I can understand a Spirit dwelling in a person. “And the Word was God.” The Word,” (Logos in the Greek) does not suggest a person. God is not so easily defined. Logos is a dynamic thought, not man’s thought. It is the dynamic, or expression of Divine thought, that existed in the beginning that was made manifest to us in the form of the flesh so we could see it. “We beheld His Glory…”--John 1: 14. When I look to the flesh, the only thing I can see is Jesus. It is not the flesh that is God; it is that which is in the flesh--the motivating force (Spirit) that is God. God entered the flesh because through Jesus He could express Himself in such a manner that man could understand. God dwelt in Jesus. Jesus’ flesh was made alive by God. Herein He was the Son of God. The believer’s flesh is also made alive because God dwells in the believer (Rom 8: 11). The same thing that made Jesus the Son of God makes us the Son of God. There came a time when Jesus gave Himself up to the Father. He is no longer in the flesh; he gave that up so we might also become Sons. While He was in the flesh, God was in Him reconciling the world to Himself. Now He has committed unto us the words of reconciliation (2 Cor.5 19). As God worked in Christ, He now works in us, both planning and doing what He desires (Phil. 2:13. We can look to Jesus in the flesh and see Him as the Son; and because we are flesh we can see, and in a measure, comprehend the great compassion and love that He showed forth to those about Him. But because we believe Him, we have received a new dimension of Life by God’s Spirit dwelling within us. We have the privilege and favor of being with Him in the place of glory that was His when only God was, or as the Bible says, “Before the world was.”-- John 17:5. This is the place of our Spiritual abiding; it is the place in the Father’s house that Jesus prepared for us. It is the place in which He received us to Himself so we could be where He is. It is the fulfillment of this prayer that He expressed to the Father, “Father, I WILL that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.--John 17:24 All of this transpires in God. This Oneness is in the Spirit--it is not in the flesh. In the flesh I am a Son of God, with God’s Life in me. But when one sees his position in God, he will inevitability come to the conclusion that God is all in all and that in Him we have all been made one (Eph 1: 10). Jesus spoke in recognition of two things. He spoke, recognizing His position as a Son in the flesh, and He spoke recognizing His Oneness with God in the Spirit. Consider these remarks: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30, or “Before Abraham was, I AM.”--John 8:58, or “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”--John 14:9. These are Spiritual facts because they recognize a position found only in God. Then speaking from His position in the flesh, as a Son of God, He said, “All that the Father hath told me, I have told you.”--John 15:15; and again, “The words I speak are not my own, but the Father who dwells in me.”--John 14: 10. There are many words which Jesus uttered that become understandable only when we consider this duality within Jesus, but to suggest the thought is, for the moment, enough. Jesus reigned as the Son, until He put all enemies under His feet--even death (1 Cor.15:26). When God raised Jesus from the dead, He gave Him an incorruptible body so at this time there did exist two Gods—God, the Father, and God, the Son. Let’s consider these things for a moment: Jesus was resurrected from the dead. He had a material body. It was one having form and substance--it was not Spirit. He was emphatic about that. He said, “A Spirit does not have flesh and bone as ye see me have.”--Luke 24:39. Death no longer had any power over Him, He now could live forever. Jesus could have restored the Kingdom to Israel or do anything He wanted to because He had triumphed over all things. He was Lord of all (Acts2:36). Jesus had received the nature of God, the Life of God, the power of God. He literally was all of God in the flesh (Co1.2:9). But there was a God who was Spirit too! What would have happened if this condition continued? To understand this you must understand somewhat of the nature of man. The Bible is quite plain when it comes to exposing at least one of the weaknesses of the flesh. Flesh CAN NOT SEE, nor will it BELIEVE, anything outside its own realm (Rom 8: 7). Therefore flesh can’t understand or believe God, who is Spirit. Jesus could have remained in the flesh and all men would have flocked to Him. They would have beheld His miracles, and argued His wisdom, but THEY WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THE FATHER GOD, who is Spirit. No man can truly know Jesus without knowing God! Yet there were those who claimed to know Him. “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?” By their very words they showed forth their ignorance of who Jesus really was. Jesus said if they had known the Father they would have known Him; but because they knew Jesus only AFTER THE FLESH, they did not know the Father. Had Jesus continued to exist in the flesh, no man would have known God. Although the fullness of God dwelled within the body of Jesus, man did not see God; they only saw another man, one possessed of powers beyond their comprehension, but a man nevertheless. They did not perceive the Spirit. The whole plan of God would have crumbled at this point if Jesus had not given Himself to the Father. Jesus was to reconcile man unto God and man was not reconciled. His place of abiding was not yet prepared. The Holy Spirit (God) did not dwell within man. Here is the paradox that would have happened if Jesus had stayed “in the flesh.” Men would have believed Him because of His works--things they could see. This is the thing that Nicodemus based his belief on (John 3:2). But because Jesus spoke not of Himself, but of God, men could not believe because God is Spirit and no man can understand the things of God--only the Spirit knows the things of God (1 Cor.2: 11). So Jesus had to go away if man was ever to know and abide in God. The fullness of God dwelled within Jesus, and only Jesus. Had Jesus remained in the flesh, no man could ever have had the Life of God within Him because God had already committed Himself. He had given Himself to this man Jesus in whom He was well pleased. He was satisfied. He had found the man worthy of His love. God loved the world to such an extent that He gave Jesus over to Satan (death) and let Him go through the torments of hell, just so we would not have to taste the penalty of sin. What a tremendous thing this is! He was forsaken by God, which IS the penalty of sin, then God raised Him from the dead and rescued Him from hell. He gave Him authority over all things and in effect said, “It’s up to you.” Now the final test of love was up to Jesus. God had lifted Him up above all principalities and all power and made Him Lord of all. He could have established Himself in this world or He could have established us in God. He desired that we know God as He knew Him, so His prayer was, “Make them one, Father, EVEN AS we are one.”--John 17:21 He tried to explain this to the disciples. He said that He was in the father and the father was in Him (John 14:10). Jesus knew the futility of trying to make the disciples understand this amazing thing, but He told them about it anyway. “I have told you about these things before they come to pass so that when they come to pass, you might believe.”--John 14:29. He said that the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things (John 14:26). He would bring to mind the words that they were hearing now and they would understand. “At that day,” Jesus said, “Ye shall know that I am in the Father, and He is in me, and I am in you.”-- John 14:20. In order for this to happen He had to go to the father. This is what He had started to tell His Disciples. It was disturbing news to them. They sensed a termination of their relationship with Jesus in the flesh; but they had no inkling of the NEW, and more COMPLETE LIFE, that was in store for them in the Spirit, and they were troubled. “Let not you heart be troubled,” Jesus said, “You believe in God, believe also in me. I go to prepare a place for you and when it is prepared I will come again and receive you unto myself so that where I am there you may be also.”--John 14:3. But Jesus knew that when He left, the world would see Him no more. He also knew why He was going to give Himself over to the Father, (no man can see God). But He also knew (as no one else had ever known, because He experienced it) that when God had given a man Spiritual Life He also gave him Spiritual eyes. So He told His disciples, “In a little while ye shall see me no more, and yet, in a little while ye shall see me because I go to My Father. Because I live you shall live also.”--John 16:16. He promised them, “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.” Then He told them plainly, “It is necessary for your sake that I go away because if I don’t go away the comforter will not come”--John 16:7 If the Comforter did not come, we could never have the Life of God. There would be no such thing as a New Birth because that comes only because Jesus prepared our dwelling place in God. Had the Holy Spirit not come, we could never have known the things of God (1 Cor.2:12), but Jesus did go away! The world will see Him NO MORE, but we see Him because where He is, there we are also. We can behold His Glory because we are hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). Listen to the words of the Bible: “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him that God may be All in All.”--1 Cor.15:28) This has already been done! All things were put under Jesus feet! This is the ultimate--One God! Man has come into the knowledge of the One God by Jesus Christ. God extended Himself into the realm of flesh by Jesus Christ and man’s ears heard God’s Word from His lips. He came from God and we called Him the Son of God. Remember Jesus had said that the Father is greater than I. He returned to God so that we might know beyond all doubt that there is but One God. He came from God and He returned to God (Spirit) so that we might be one with God. He returned to God so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit (God Himself), could dwell within us and we would know no division! Had Jesus not given Himself to the Father, there would have been two Gods--one Spirit and one flesh. Man cannot worship two Gods! One cannot worship the man Jesus and worship God at the same time. “God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.”-- John 4:23. Jesus was the first born among many brethren; and because of His love for us, we are made accepted in the beloved. We live in the Father because Jesus lives in the Father. He has given us the Holy Spirit so we may know that all He has said is true. This is our guarantee! I hope now that you have begun to see how Jesus has taken us beyond the limits of persons and places and things and placed us in Himself. The Bible says that we are not of this world even as Jesus was not of this world (John 17: 14). Our Life is no longer of the flesh--flesh divides, and we are not divided. Flesh cannot please God--that’s why we are new creatures (literally a new creation). We are made this way because God dwells in us. “Ye are not in the flesh if so be the Spirit of God dwells in you.”--Rom 8:9. It is through Jesus that we entered into oneness in God. Jesus said, “No man cometh to the Father but by me.”-- John 14:6. He gave Himself to the Father that God maybe the only God. Then because Jesus asked Him, God gave Himself to everyone who believes Jesus. Because we believe, we have entered into God! There should be no contention between those who believe the doctrine of the Trinity and those who believe that God is One. Our understanding of God should go beyond the limits of the flesh and be enlightened by the only God, who is Spirit. The doctrine of the Trinity is a good place to start; but not to stop. We must go further! If Jesus had stopped and not given Himself to God, no man could have eternal life. On the other hand, had He not been a faithful Son, we would not have an abiding place in God. My desire is that we know the Son and His relation to the Father, that we will understand the love that caused the Son to give Himself to the Father; and above all, that we today, right now, KNOW AND ACCEPT OUR POSITION IN GOD! There should be harmony with our brethren who believe that God is One. They too must go on to understand that as God is One so are they, in Christ. To be one with God is the miracle of Salvation. We are made to be a NEW CREATION while we are yet in this mortal body. We must reckon ourselves to be dead to sin. We must consider our lives (our desires in this world) to be no more, because it is God who is now working in us. He plans what is to be done, and He is the only one who can do it. He is our place of rest. When we are willing to listen to God and let Him work, when we are willing to say, “Not my will, but thine be done,” we are in a position to learn more of God than we can ever imagine.
There is a scripture in the New Testament that on the surface of things looks most peculiar. It’s Romans 10:9. Actually there is a wee bit in the eighth verse that tells you what the whole thing is about. It goes this way: “This is the Word of Faith that we preach that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” That’s just plain talk! It’s somewhat reverse order from the way most people do things today. Today we figure that we better have something in our hand before we start talking about it. That’s true too. But this other is “talking faith.” The person who is not born again doesn’t do much faith talking. That’s one of the big differences between people today. Some talk faith, and some don’t, even among those who are born again. The person who believes God tries to do what God tells him to do. One of these things is to talk and act faith. The Bible says that FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”--Heb.11:1 Putting this together with Romans 10:9, I come up with this way of receiving from the Lord. If the Lord has provided something for me that I want and need, I confess that I have it, believe in my heart that this is so, and it becomes mine. This is like the Lord told us about prayer. He said, “Whatsoever things ye ask when you pray, believe that you have received them, and ye shall have them..”--Mark 11:24 Super psychology, you say. Well, maybe, but it’s God that’s backing it up. When you believe God, and put this thing to work because you believe God, you’ll see things happen! When the children of Israel finally came to the point of believing God, they began to act. They acted strangely perhaps, but they acted. God said, “There’s Jericho, it’s yours. Here’s what you do...” Then He laid out one of the strangest battle plans I’ve ever seen. Just go out and march around the wall of the city. Do it once everyday for six days, then on the seventh day march around seven times, but don’t say a word, just be quiet. Then on the seventh day when you finish your marching, just give a big shout. It looked somewhat strange to do all this marching and shouting before the victory, but Jericho wasn’t delivered into their hands until they did open their mouths and shout. O.K., look at Romans 10:9 again. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart…” then you’ll possess. That’s God’s way of doing things. Why don’t you do it?