Vaetchanan and I besought Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 by Mike Balloun Saturday, August 16, 2008

Introduction Moses underlines the seriousness and importance that is found in the book of Deuteronomy; he says of its words, It is no trifling matter for you, but rather your very life Deut. 32:47 (also 4:1-4 and 4:40). He confronts all with the choice of life and death, exhorting all to choose life, Deut. 30:15, 19-20. Moses reinterprets and expounds here in his last sermon the Law of GOD given to them on Mt. Sinai and in context the commitment to the covenant, the contractual agreement, to be afresh, renewed by this new generation who is about to go into the promised land and take it. Here, they are east of the Jordan, close to where the Jordan River dumps into the Dead Sea today known as Jordan. Then it was just taken by the Israelites from the king of the Amorites, Sihon. And just north of their camp is land where they defeated the other great king, the king of Bashan, the giant Og today known as the Golan Heights. Deuteronomy seven tells us the seven greater and mightier nations they are to defeat and utterly destroy. This refers to a present spiritual battle, but also points to a future day physical fulfillment, at the Second Coming, when the King of

Kings, the risen and exalted Messiah will fight and defeat the heathen occupiers of the whole world, "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14; also Zechariah 14); And all idol worshippers and all those who refused to serve Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. (Luke 19:27)

Overview Moses tells the people how he pleaded with GOD to allow him to go into the Promised Land, but GOD refused and instructed him to ascend the mountain and view the Promised Land. Moses warns take heed, lest you forget the covenant, make any image or likeness that He hath forbiddenFor the Lord they GOD is a consuming firea jealous GOD, (Deut. 4:24)

Moses exclaims the greatness with which GOD has brought them out of Egyptthat unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord He is GOD; (Deut. 4:35), and Thou shalt keep His commandmentsthat it may go well with thee. (Deut 4:40) Moses here establishes three refuge cities on the eastside of Jordan. Moses reiterates the covenant and the decalogue of Mount Sinai and how GOD spoke with them face to face and you were afraid and asked of me to go alone and hear and return and instruct them and they would hear and do it. (Deut 5:4, 27) In chapter six we have two of the three scriptures Christ quoted while being tested in the wilderness by Satan. (Deut 6:13, 16) This Parashah also includes some Jewish and Christian fundamentals the unity of GOD in the Shema, the command to love GOD, study His Torah, bind these words as Tefillin on our arms and heads, and inscribe them in Mezuzot affixed on the doorposts of our homes. The Israelites are instructed to utterly destroy the inhabitants of Canaan and all idols and do not co-habit with them. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy GOD with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. (Deut 6:4) We shall attempt to shed light by the help of the Holy Spirit on this essential truth Love as it related to man. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. (Matthew 15:16-20)

Oswald Chambers - July 26 The Account with Purity "Out of the heart proceed . . ." Matthew 15:18-20 We begin by trusting our ignorance and calling it innocence, by trusting our innocence and calling it purity; and when we hear these rugged statements of Our Lord's, we shrink and say - But I never felt any of those awful things in my heart. We resent what Jesus Christ reveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme Authority on the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attention to. Am I prepared to trust His penetration, or do I prefer to trust my innocent ignorance? If I make conscious innocence the test, I am likely to come to a place where I find with a shuddering awakening that what Jesus Christ said is true, and I shall be appalled at the possibility of evil and wrong in me. As long as I remain under the refuge of innocence I am living in a fool's paradise. If I have never been a blackguard, the reason is a mixture of cowardice and the protection of civilized life; but when I am undressed before GOD, I find that Jesus Christ is right in His diagnosis.

The only thing that safeguards is the Redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will hand myself over to Him, I need never experience the terrible possibilities that are in my heart. Purity is too deep down for me to get to naturally: but when the Holy Spirit comes in, He brings into the centre of my personal life the very Spirit that was manifested in the life of Jesus Christ, viz., Holy Spirit, which is unsullied purity. Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:16, 17) Oswald Chambers July 27 The Way to Know "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine . . ." John 7:17 The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be sure there is something I will not do. Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey. No man ever receives a word from GOD without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don't go on spiritually. 'If when you come to the altar,' said Jesus, 'there you remember your brother hath ought against you . . . don't say another word to Me, but first go and put that thing right.' The teaching of Jesus hits us where we live. We cannot stand as

humbugs before Him for one second. He educates us down to the scruple. The Spirit of GOD unearths the spirit of self-vindication; He makes us sensitive to things we never thought of before. When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don't shirk it. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watch the things you shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually. First go - at the risk of being thought fanatical you must obey what GOD tells you. GOD gave the gift of the Holy Spirit with the shedding abroad of the love of GOD in our hearts, that we would have within us the potential to keep GODs commandments, that is to remove the hindrances to love Him with all our being. (Rms 5:5) GOD so loved the world (John 3:16) There is no retaliation in GODs love. For His love is just at the same time merciful, free from any selfishness. Love has extended forgiveness, yet there is no pardon from a connivance with sin, but GODs justice is satisfied through His manifestation of His self-denial, His love represented perfectly in Christ, His Sons propitiatory and reconciliatory sacrifice. Now the fact is that because we have never exercised this love we cannot understand its nature. As this love must be lifted and extended past the filthy sewer of our soulish nature. GOD is not filled with the spirit of retaliation which is a product of our fallen nature, and therefore, although He sees and knows all the guilt of the sinner, He does yet look upon that rebellious soul with pity and compassion and laid Himself out with all His heart to save him. It is into participation with such a love as this that He has called and equipped us by the shedding of love abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit. That love we must

participate with and extend to ourselves, our brother in the Lord and the rest of the lost world. Backslidden Christians as well as sinners mistake the nature of GODs love. They always suppose that they must do something to deserve His love. You ask them to come to the Lord and they think I must do moreI am not yet sincere, I must become better, I must pray, I must do this or that to deserve His love. They must deserve it before they have it. They want to feel they deserve it. Just as you are, in your sins, GOD loves you. Retaliation is not in the nature of GODs love. Think to yourself what need, what purpose is there for me to continue to resist such a love that He has for me. What a waste of valuable time for me to hopelessly seek to render myself more deserving if GOD loves me now just as I am. It was as a sinner He first loved me. Does He love me less as a son? As sinner or wayward son He loves me still. As sinner I will go humbly to Him through the atoning blood of Yeshua where there is forgiveness, reconciliation, fellowship, relationship, lifeand it more abundantly. Maybe if it was just an emotional appeal we might stop here, but love goes beyond emotion; its deeper; it is good. CHRIST-Likeness Concept to be learned: Love-nature is needed. THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2) These laws are not POSTED in heaven as there is NO need for them in heaven. Love reigns and love does no harm. To bring the will of GOD to earth is to bring the result of Love. What is contrary to love in us is our soul nature that remains uncrucified. The nature of satan that is in us is without love. Satan is lawless because he is loveless now in nature, and his children are of his nature.

To bring heaven to earth is not to bring the external environment of heaven to earth, but to bring the nature of GOD and all those are there to earth. Sin nature is the lack of love nature. What we are born into is the sin nature. Mishpatim or Laws were given because of this unruly nature in the earth caused by sin, satan and rebellion. oTorah/Mishpatim/Laws cannot perfect mans nature oThey can only hope to hold in check by threat of punishment, the outward expression or action of the inward nature. The recognizable need is not laws that restrain behavior but a change of naturefrom that which is fathered by satan to that which is born and recreated by the Spirit of Love, GOD HIMSELF. The Law/Torah was given to show our need. The Law/Torah was given to show our helpless state, through our inability to keep it. The Law/Torah was given to be completely fulfilled by GODs own Offspring, so that HE might redeem man through whom the Law was fulfilled by Yeshua. To redeem is not rescuing an oppressed, sinful being out of a sinful kingdom and placing him directly into the kingdom of heaven where love reigns for heaven is a place where GODs nature only may reside. The nature that lives naturally without need of Law or Mishpatim is Love. That is a nature that needs no regulationLove never envies, Love never boasts, Love never behaves unseemlyLove thinketh no evil (1 Corinthians 13). Love is a nature higher in all respects than the nature we are of. We are not ready to inherit the kingdom of heaven and occupy it as we have need of this lovenature.

Be here you askdid I not get this nature when I was born again? Does not the Word of GOD say that the Love of GOD was shed abroad in my heart? Does not the Word of GOD say, I am a New Creatureand all things are of GOD? Yes, these things are so. All these things, rebirth and the gift of the Holy Spirit, represent the truth of the New Creature you now find yourself to be. All this represents the power and grace of GOD, who has done these things in you through the power of the cross and HIS resurrection all underserved, without your help [of which the deliverance of the Israelites out of Egypt type]. Here now we find ourselves changed but not perfected, delivered or redeemed out of the satanic spiritual kingdom but not placed directly into the kingdom of heaven. What does this mean or indicate? That GOD has given us again, similar to Adam, the power through free choice to be overcomers. The condition we now find ourselves in is one of determining our own eternal inheritance through free choice, being empowered by one of two, (1) the unregenerated soul nature of sin, or (2) by the New Creature, our alive spirit, and empowered by the Spirit of Holiness. GOD has left us on the earth surrounded by the influence of satan and his nature that we through the revealed Word might make overcoming choices that allow the Holy Spirit to change in completeness what HE started in the New Creature, that is, into the complete likeness or nature of Love incarnate in Christ. This work is done internally, then outwardly from the spirit to and through the soul and body. We are not here to be happy but to overcome. GODs mercy relates to time on earth to accomplish this. This is what is meant by Christs proclamation and description of an overcomer written in the book of Revelations 3:26 and 3:21. This is yielding the soul for renewal/destruction of the selfish nature.

This is what is meant by Take up the cross and follow Me (Matt 16:24) This is what is meant by He who will save his soul will lose it. (Matt 10:39) And He that will lose his soul will gain it.(Mark 8:35) This is what is meant by Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alonebut if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.( John 12:24) This is what is meant by Well done good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of the LORD. (Matt 25:2) The birth of the Love-Nature in us has a beginning and matures. It is a process brought about through willing cooperation with the Holy Spirit for the death of the inherited nature of satan in our flesh. It is revelation communicated to our soul via our Holy Spirit filled and led spirit. That is, we are to obtain unto what we desire in our regenerated spirit [the complete nature of Love manifest in us]. We must choose the death of the inherited soul nature, that which is of the nature of satan in us and resist the nature from without that appeals to the carnal nature within reflected in selfish expression through thoughts, words and actions. As we recognize this nature in our flesh [soul/body] we desire its death. This death is accomplished through sincerity and pursuit expressed by repentance and resistance, a putting off and a putting on. Col. 3:9-10 and James 4:7-8 The Holy Spirit does this empowering based upon HIS criteria. HE cannot be moved by feigning or lack of sincerity. HE is not mocked. This process of cooperation for nature change with the Holy Spirit is called Overcoming. It is the same process for all regenerated people, but with different results. The results are contingent upon our degree of cooperation and our willingness to yield up the soul for death. Thus we have degrees of

rewards, expressed in GODs Word. Not all will Overcome so not all will be called Overcomers. Not all receive an Overcomers reward. GOD knows how to judge us rightly. This is not our concern. Our concern is that we recognize the truth of this teaching and reject the teachings of cheap grace and embrace the truth, cooperating with the Holy Spirit in administering death to the carnal nature of the flesh/self and releasing the life giving force in us through the forming of CHRIST-Likeness. A clear understanding of the scriptures can facilitate that nature changing. Understanding with accompanying revelation by the Holy Spirit not knowledge, not heritage, not Torah observance but understanding with accompanying revelation preceded the Holy Walk of the disciples as the Word gives us many examples of this in Peters and Pauls lives. [Drawing of seed; Spirit/Soul/Body; Revelations from Holy Spirit outward > cleansing>overcoming>chart on words/thoughts/actions] Death to Self The Holy Spirit Working in You Hebrews 12:1-17 It is much easier getting out of Egypt than getting Egypt out of you. Matt 10:34-39, Matt 16:24 [Acts 14:2, Phil 1:27], Mk 8:35-37, Luke 9:22-25, John 12:25-27 By not dying to self, you only participate partially in salvation as you received the forgiveness of the debt for which you owed, but you do not relinquish the one who incurs the debt. The spirit is saved by Christ bearing the Cross! The soul is saved by the believer bearing the cross. To forsake the soul life is not as easy as accepting redemption. Its much easier to come out of Egypt that to inherit the Promise Land. The soul is saved by us bearing the cross! Sanctify you wholly-spirit, soul and body. (1 Thess 5:23) What is your soul? The spirit is saved by believing and

confessing, called justifying faith, which brings regeneration to the spirit. The souls salvation is based upon following. This is a life long matter. This requires denial of the self nature that makes up the soul. This has to do with the will, direction, choices and decisions as life goes on. Matt 10:34, Luke 2:35 and Luke 14:26 one who chooses not to avoid suffering will be rewarded as an Overcomer. What makes it so difficult for one not to love HIS soul? Why do we fear to die so much? Heb 10:35-38, James 1:19-21 and 1 Peter 1:3-9 The Holy Spirit rules the believer through his renewed will. A Christian must control his beliefs by his Holy Spirit empowered will. To will and to do is undoubtedly what our life is made up of to will, an inward decision - to do or work, an outward action. This is what we do every day. Phil 2:12-13 (These scriptures are about out will) A spiritual Christian is one who has self control and exercises his own will to do GODs will. And GOD saw everything that HE had made and behold it was good. Gen 1:31 This scripture is therefore fulfilled in that human being, son of GOD. Gal 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Death to the self soul 1 Peter 4:1-2, the flesh finds the perfect hiding place in religion in church, where it is encouraged not to suffer. It is told that suffering is of the devil. GOD does not want you to suffer!

A Christian must learn about posturing. True posturing realizes your inadequacies, your powerlessness to change yourself, but yet the knowledge of the requirements of GOD. 2 Cor 10:5-6 A further work needed other than regeneration 1 Peter 2:11, Abstain [self control] Prov 25:28, 1 Peter 4:17-19, 2 Peter 1:10-11 calling and election sure. The soul without the regenerated spirit control seeks only its own selfish waylost to the purposes of GOD. Matt 11:29, Matt 6:25 - once brought into subjection by the will to do GODs will we become like those in Heb 10, James 1; 1 Peter ____ Some of what we gain by the death of soul is peace Ps 63:8, my heart swells like Marys, Luke 1:46 If the LORD is not magnified in our soul, HE is not magnified in us at all. Acts 20:24, 1 John 3:16 Self love must be abandoned; if not, the believer shall forever shrink back when asked to take up the cross and follow Christ. Love flows into the spirit from the denial of the self life. Matt 10:34-39, Matt 16:24 soul = psuche [Acts 14:2, Phil 1:27] Mark 8:35-37, Luke 9:22-25, John 12:25-27 He that loveth his soul shall lose it, but he that hateth his soul in this world shall keep it unto eternal lifeserve MEFATHER honored. For this cause came I to this endthis hour. [What does it mean that HIS soul suffered?] By not dying to self, you only participate partially in salvation as you received the forgiveness of the debt for which you owed, but you did not relinquish the one who

incurs the debt. Again, the spirit is saved by Christ bearing the cross. The soul is saved by you bearing the cross. To forsake the soul life is not as easy as deliverance from sin. It is easier to get out of Egypt than to go through the wilderness into the Promise Land. You just had to believe to come out of Egypt. To be a participant in the salvation plan of GOD you must deny you soul and take up your cross and follow HIM. If you dont want to go that way, then you wont follow HIM. It was for this purpose that HE came so we could die to the soul. HE came to become poor that we might become rich; thinking this is talking about finances is a perversion. Sanctify you wholly, spirit, soul and body. (1 Thess 5:23) If you dont or dont choose to know what the soul is, you cant very well put it to death. The spirit is in your inner man; soul, psuche, is the mind, will and emotions. You have to die to your soul, crucify it. Is it saying kill your mind, emotions or will? No! You must renew it to GODs Word. Christ is saying everyone has a soul life inherited from satan that must be brought into subjection to the Word of GOD (James 4:7). They must follow the Spirit/Word and not your soulish dictates/lusts/appetites. All the things inside your soul that are separate must be yielded to GOD - deny the old nature the right to rule. Here is an important thing - the spirit is saved by believing and confession, Christ called justifying faith, which brings regeneration to the spirit by the Spirit. We believed Yeshua was the Messiah and we were regenerated. When you accepted Yeshua as LORD, you werent automatically plugged into heaven. The souls salvation is in the following. Was Christ relating to a regenerated believing person in HIM or speaking to the world? HE is talking to the believers. If you want to follow Yeshua, you must deny self, the soul nature you inherited from satan, you father. This is a pursuit. It is a continual, daily application of the Word to our soul to crucify it and conform it in HIS image HIS salvation plan for us. The key part to the soul, the will, is the noblest part of the soul making decisions that control your life. If your will by your renewed mind does not control the soul, you will follow your souls dictates and

carnality will take dominion over your whole being. You cant have an alive spirit and live in the flesh and spirit at the same time. For your spirit to have its control in your being, controlled by the Holy Spirit, He is to guide you all your life. Your spirit must take control of your old nature [soul] by your will. The spirit cant take control without cooperation with your will. Jesus, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Judah, Paul and Peter all have tough stories. You want a smooth road let your soul take its natural course. Matt 10:34, Think not that I am come to send peace on the earthvariance between mother... Luke 2:35, Yea, a sword will pierce thine own heart also, that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed. You hate the warring soul that is at enmity with the Word of GOD. You are to fight the carnality of your soul. Any man that will not suffer will not follow the Holy Spirit. If you choose to suffer the death of your soul, that equals to an Overcomer. This is the truth. The things about GOD equal absoluteness; the things about the world equal, relativity. We have to make a stand for the Word of GOD. There is wisdom we must use. Be what you are. Stand for what we stand for and stand against what we stand against even in the midst of persecution. We arent worthy unless we do. What makes it so difficult for one not to love his own selfish soul? (1)The fear of suffering. The result of not dying to the soul is to live by the soul. We want to live by the soul and inherit the things of GOD. (2)It is a lack of understanding as well. Christ is saying we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. We must put to death the idolatry that is active in our heart, self worship. Thats why I pray that we dont consider the intellectualism as spiritual if we arent using it to destroy the strength of the soul. We have to decide to follow Christ. You have to qualify that

you cant do it in yourself but only through the power and will of the Spirit. We have to get out of the mental assent and kill the old soul nature. If we live contrary to GOD, we are living to ourselves. Luke 14:26, If any man come to ME and not hate [love less] father, mother, sister, brother, own soulcant be my disciples. The truth is we are trying to get understanding of something hating your own soul actually loves yourself resulting in unity of the heart, loves GOD-likeness and oneness. Yeshua was born to suffer and raised up to do the will of the Father. Yeshua had a will different to GODs will in the midst of all tests, trials and temptations. We have the ability to align our will to the Holy Spirit and crucify the soul; it is active/action. We cant let passivity take hold here. You are allowing the Spirit of GOD to do the will of GOD through your spirit in the soul. If we were as concerned about what spiritual food we eat for our spiritual health as we are for our physical health, we would be in so much better condition. Your flesh doesnt like it when it is disciplined. You put to death the things of the flesh, not because GOD wants you into works, but sacrificing self to get rid of things that will ultimately harm you. GOD is asking, Can you not make up your will to follow ME? I will empower you to do what I want you to do. HE is giving us a practical approach to spiritual truths. John 12:24, Unless a seed fall into the groundHE had to die so we could live in HIS abundance. Out of our soul death comes life for you and life for those around you. You have to die to yourself before you can see the life. Heb 10:35-38, Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of GOD, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

James 1:19-21, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow of wrathreceived the engrafted word able to save your souls. Allow your will to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit; it will save your soul. 1 Peter 1:3-9, Blessed by the LORDliving expectationMessiah raised from the deadgrieved by manifold trials much more precious than gold tried by firehaving not seen you loveobtaining the goal of your belief-salvation of your souls. The Holy Spirit rules the believer through HIS renewed will a Christian must control by his will, to will and to do of HIS good pleasure. (Phil 2:13)every day it has to do with willing and doing. Phil 2:12-13, Therefore, my beloved as you have always obeyedin my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is GOD WHO works in you both to will and to do of HIS pleasure. [The apathetic hang their hat on this scripture. This has to do with your will, the noble part of your being; you can move this at your own volition]. Isaiah 66:5 trembling at the Word of GOD if you understand what HE did. It is a fearful and trembling place where you have to do it. You should fear and tremble because your salvation is in your hands. If GOD did will and do HIS good pleasure in ALL people there would be no need for overcoming. It is your responsibility to seek GOD, crucify your flesh/soul and yield to HIS WILL in you. HE knows whether you really want HIS WILL or not. It is clear for HIM to see youll stay in your blindness; you wont break out. If your will will to do HIS will and not your souls will, HE will empower you to do it. A spiritual Christian has self control and exercises his own will ruled by the Holy Spirit. Self control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). Quit letting the soul

dictate to you what you will do, laying back because you are in sin. Do you remember how happy you were when you were born again? You did that for two to six months and something happened. GOD withdraws. HE wants you to pursue HIM. GOD backs off a little and now youll find out who you are. You have to start standing. Another month goes by and now you question if it was just emotionalism. Now you look like youve returned to your former ways. Repent GOD returns to you. Do you see GODs hand in this? GOD withdraws from you for you to see you, to instigate you to affect your will. You choose. Heb 10:38 - Those that shrink or draw back had to have been forward to do that. Paul was speaking to those who had moved forward. Shrinking back is following your own soul to perdition [eternal damnation, hell]. Paul must not have meant that! Could he? Could he have meant you could shrink back to the death of your soul? I believe that is all through the New Covenant little focus on it. I wont say unless you kill the soul you are going to hell. You can make a strong case for that through the New Testament. There is a great loss to those who shrink back. There will be great loss. If you thinkjust let me get in, you will regret the day you believed that lie. We are all warned about shrinking back. If we dont walk in the faith that GOD tells us to do, we will never see the results. GOD wants you to take ascendancy over your flesh/devil, the nature like its father, satan, the carnal body/soul, the nature of self. Death to self soul 1 Peter 4:1-2, Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh arm yourself with this same mind that was in Christ... Nail those thoughts into subjection to the WORD. Your intellect is not necessarily your mind. Your mind uses the knowledge; its not the same. There is a difference between your intellect and your mind which engages you will. Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. (Phil 2:5) Your will will be affected by the knowledge you take in. When you

decide death to the soul and mind and life to your spirit in your mind, then your will aligns with the will of the Spirit/spirit and administers life to a crucified soul. We are given the power to become sons and daughters through being led by the Spirit. Out of the abundance of the heart-the mouth speaks. (Matt 12:34) Our enemy is the nature of satan. You dont have to understand soul to act on death to self. If you continue in a certain sin, you know something has to change. A Christian must learn about posturing To be a Christian you must posture to receive HIS promises. Belief in HIS word equals energized faith energized by love. Its over a period of time posturing its not a shallow Christian approach of riding the waves of emotions. We have to position ourselves to receive from GOD when all hell is coming against you. When things are good, you posture; when bad, you posture. On the side of good are pride, apathy and lethargy. On the other side of bad are disappointment, discouragement, despair and fears. I will posture myself in the center where I can hear the Holy Spirit and stay in communion with HIM. Realize your inadequacies; youre totally powerless to change yourself, yet the knowledge of the power of GOD. We still posture in a way that we know we are responsible for change in us. HE requires us to seek with the right attitude; this is our will. When you decide to posture to seek HIM you determine, relentlessly, without giving up, knowing it is GOD who has the power to change your inner nature. That is posturing. This is the action needed to seek, knock and ask that will open the door. Joseph didnt reveal himself earlier because it would have been cheap grace. We dont posture because we dont want GOD accused of not doing it HIMSELF. It is suffering and then glory. They had to suffer to an extent before GOD would reveal HIMSELF to them. Immaturity has affected my relationship with the LORD. My relationship with the LORD affects my response to the world.

If we believe a lie, we will remain in our flesh. An Overcomer has to do with is heart attitude not sinlessness. One must know his inadequacy. GOD can give him a pure heart and clean hands. Self saying it is useless causes us to give up trying. You continue in the face of daily failure. You will finally realize it is not in the trying and failure; yet, you dont change the program. At that place of maturity you see you cant change yourself for the doing, but you continue to do it and rest in that you are doing all you are responsible to do. You have to see you cant do it, but then you do it anyway knowing it is GOD working it in you. Dont give up; change the attitude and rest in the doing. Dont strive trying to get the results. They are up to HIM to affect and do. When we dont see results in our own flesh, we get angry. You can be more tolerant to others than you will be in seeing yourself miss it. Your suffering that you go through is of GOD to perfect your soul. Quit crying for yourself and acknowledge you need to die and let HIM work in you. If you shun the suffering, you wont get accomplished what needs to be done. There is a peace in you to face the situation. The Holy Spirit is quite capable of shedding light on HIS own WORD. The biggest need we have is to know and desire to get rid of self/selfishness and cause our will to align with the Holy Spirit. This is not meant to condemn; it is meant to rebuke passivity. The Word is so clear on HIS promise to help us to crucify the flesh. HE hasnt left us without the ability to do it. We get lost in the little areas of bringing our thoughts into obedience of Christ. Set your mind to do GODs will. Dont let your mind wander. I started practicing capturing my thoughts maybe 30+ years ago. When one came not of GOD I cast it down and rejected it, thinking on the Word. I was almost powerless to stop the thoughts; they came like a machine gun. Over the years I have continued to resist the thoughts. I have discovered it is not like it used to be. My thoughts dont wander and imagine like they used to. I dont allow the thoughts to come into my mind that are not GOD. The moment they come in, I cast them out. They dont get into my area of will where action is. If you cant bring the thought life into subjection, you

wont bring the soul into crucification. Set your mind on Christ and cast down anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD (2 Cor 10:5). The flesh finds the perfect hiding place in church. Religion will tell you suffering is satan pray against him. Religion will not allow you to suffer. It doesnt let you see it is for your own good.

Saturday, August 16, 2008