10. The Sovereignty of God Through Us

Chapter 10 The Sovereignty of God Through Us

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that [life] which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, [the faith] which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).

I am learning that it is not I, living the Christian life and doing the works of Christ, but it is I accepting my death so that Christ may live and do His works through me. Jesus gave up a natural body in order to take up a corporate body so that He could continue on a much larger scale His deliverance of this fallen creation. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof. We are not the body of “another Jesus,” a weak and worthless Jesus. We are the body of the same Jesus, Who walked in that first body, exercising God’s power to set the captives free. (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yea] and forever. It is sad that most do not agree that Christ’s plan is to continue exercising the sovereignty that He had in His first body in His second. (Amos 3:3) Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? This chapter will be devoted to bringing us into agreement with the Word so that Christ may walk in us and exercise His sovereignty through us. A king’s sons are princes who grow up to inherit his authority and exercise his sovereignty. (Psalms 45:16) Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth. The mind of the flesh is the enemy of God and cannot be subject to Him (Romans 8:7). In Adam we all died and were made useless to God; by abiding in Christ, Who is the Word, we become vessels of His reigning authority. (1 Corinthians 15:22) As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (Romans 5:17) For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, [even] Jesus Christ. We were meant to accept God’s grace and “reign in life”. As the Adamic man dies in us, the spiritual man comes to life. (2 Corinthians 4:16) Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man (the Adamic, nature of self) is decaying, yet our inward man (Christ in you) is renewed day by day. As we read the Word and repent of our carnal thinking and life to accept Christ’s thinking and life, He is able to reign through us.

(2 Corinthians 4:11) For we who live are always delivered unto death (to self) for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Through death to self, we can expect the life of Jesus to be manifested in our human bodies. The life of Christ here is not only His fruit but also His ministry, as we shall see. Those who teach that we cannot expect the life of Christ in this life are deceivers. Those who preach that as long as we are in this body we will always be in bondage to sin are deceivers. (2 John 1:7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. When Jesus physically comes again, He will have a glorified body but He is coming now in the flesh of His body of believers. Those who preach that our ultimate hope here is only to be forgiven and not transformed are deceivers. Paul explained that he was revealing a mystery with the words “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27-28). He said that the wisdom in this mystery was to “present every man perfect (complete or mature) in Christ” (28). Christ in you has power over sin and the curse around us. As we come to realize the purpose of Christ is to live in us, our faith in what He can do in us and through us grows exponentially. (Philemon 1:6) That the fellowship (Greek: “sharing in common”) of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ. As we accept the mind of Christ, which is the Word of God, it transforms us. (Romans 12:2) And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. If we do not repent (Greek: “change our mind”) when we read the Word, we do not accept the transformation to the life and work of Christ. The first thing we must believe is the Gospel. (Galatians 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me…. The old me died at the cross and now Jesus lives in me. Faith in this justifies us and entitles us to the power to bring it to pass. Because many do not understand this, they believe we have no hope but to continue in sin and count on God’s grace for forgiveness. (Romans 6:1-4) …Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? Notice that because of grace we do not have to live in sin. (3) Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life…. When we were baptized, the old sinner died and was buried so now we can walk in new life. (Romans 1:5-6) For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection. By faith at baptism we both die and resurrect. Neither a dead man nor a resurrected man can sin. (6) Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin. Through faith we died, and now Jesus lives in us. We were “delivered out of the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). This is the real good news.

We are only free from the power of sin if we believe it. We can now use these promises as a two-edged sword to destroy corruption in our lives. (2 Corinthians 7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. We are responsible to cleanse ourselves by faith in the promises.

Those who believe the promises will bear fruit. As a type, Mary believed the promise that she was to bear the fruit of Jesus in her mortal body (Luke 1:31-35). Jesus said, “My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:21). In a type, we who bring forth the fruit of Jesus are His mother. In the parable of the sower, Jesus sowed the seed (Greek: sperma, “sperm”) of the Word in our heart. Since the Word is the spiritual sperm of Jesus, it can only bring forth His fruit. No word from man or religion can do this. Only one of the four types that received the Word bore fruit 30, 60, or 100-fold. Mary was told, “Blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord” (Luke 1:45). Because she believed the Word, she bore the fruit of Jesus. The Word must be believed for it to be fulfilled in us. (Hebrews 4:2) For indeed we have had good tidings (Gospel) preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. We can hear the Gospel but make it ineffective by our own unbelief, as Israel did. By bearing the fruit of the same Jesus, we are proving who the true believers are. Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” not by who they say they are.

Paul showed us how to exercise this faith with our renewed imagination. (2 Corinthians 3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. If our face is truly unveiled, then we see by faith the finished work of God in the mirror, which is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Only seeing the Jesus of the Word in the mirror will transform us into the image of God. The Jesus we see must be the One Who has power over sin and the curse around us. Most Christians would think us proud to look in the mirror by faith and see Jesus, but in truth these are the only ones who are humble to the Word. The one who sees his natural face in the mirror will have no power to obey. (James 1:23) For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror. These are the ones who do not unite faith with the Gospel so that it can be fulfilled in them.

(Romans 6:11-12) Even so reckon (consider it done) ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof. Notice that the way to not let sin reign is to reckon yourself to be immune to it because you are dead. It is to believe that Jesus took away your sin and that you are free to obey God. God gives power to save from sin to those who believe the true Gospel. (Romans 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the Gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…. Those who do not accept their power over sin by faith will prove themselves tares and not wheat when they do not bear fruit. (Romans 6:17-18) But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; (18) and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. The true teaching, believed and acted on by the heart, sets us free from sin. Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” If our truth is not setting us free, either it is not THE TRUTH or we do not really believe it. If you have not had victory, study the truth, not religion.

I recently received a “woe is me” email from a friend who was grieved over his inability to overcome a certain sin. I highlighted in his letter phrases like the following: “I couldn’t resist; I’m hooked; my flesh is weak; they really got me; I have no hope; no will power; I’m defeated,” and “I’m licked,” and sent it back to him with this following note: “Just because you fail, that does not mean you give up faith. You were delivered of this sin 2,000 years ago. Compare what you have believed in these phrases with what you should believe. (I sent him the Gospel message of our deliverance from sin.) You have a lot of faith to stay in bondage. Even in your failure, you must walk by faith in order to get out of bondage.” My friend’s will was against the sin so it was not a willful disobedience. His failure was in his faith. He believed everything he should not have and that robbed him of power. Faith that fizzles out at the finish had a flaw in it from the first. If we sin, there are some steps we should take to lay a foundation for our faith. If we say we have no sin, in other words, justify self, we are deceived (1 John 1:8). If we confess our sins, we will be forgiven and cleansed from all sin (1 John 1:9). We should first confess our sins. Then, as the Israelites who had been bitten of the serpents turned and set their eyes on the sacrificial serpent on the pole, seeing their sin and curse on Him, we should turn and confess the sacrifice of Jesus (Numbers 21:8). From then on, we should believe that our sin has been put on Him and we are delivered. As John the Baptist said, “Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” God’s complaint about the Old Testament Law was that it could not “make perfect them that draw nigh” (Hebrews 10:1). (Hebrews 10:4) For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. (Hebrews 10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. The Old Testament had a blood covering and forgiveness but could not deliver from the sin nature. Many today are preaching only what that covenant offered leaving those that believe them in bondage to sin. Many of you, upon coming to the Lord, experienced total deliverance from certain sins. What the real Gospel teaches is that God wants to continue that process.

I hear it commonly preached that we are just sinners saved by grace. It may surprise you to know that there is no such saying in the Bible. Sinner saved by grace is an oxymoron. A man is either a sinner or he is saved from sin by grace. Jesus always made a distinction between His followers and sinners. (Matthew 26:45) …The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (Luke 6:33-34) And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. (34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much.

It has been said that Paul as a disciple claimed to be the chief of sinners. False! He said that he was the chief of those that Jesus came to save from sin. (1 Timothy 1:15-16) Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: (God was showcasing Paul as an example of His power to save anyone.) (16) howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life. Paul had just said that his sins were in his past by God’s enabling power and that he was now counted among the faithful. (1 Timothy 1:12-13) I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service; (13) though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Paul included himself when he said that we were sinners but we were made righteous. (Romans 5:8) But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:19) For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous. (Galatians 2:17) But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Or 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 men, (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 were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. The Lord through Paul said that Jesus is separated from sinners. (Hebrews 7:26) For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Those who justify themselves in their sin by saying that we are all just sinners saved by grace will not obtain mercy through our High Priest. (Proverbs 28:13) He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy. David said that sinners would be separated from among the righteous and would be judged. (Psalms 1:1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers. (Psalms 1:5) Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

If we believe the deceiver’s gospel that we are always going to be sinners instead of “made free from sin,” then that is what we will have. Jesus said, “As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee” and “According to your faith be it done unto you.” It is important that we believe exactly what the Word says. It is important that we see the Biblical Jesus in the mirror and not “another Jesus” of man’s making (2 Corinthians 11:4). If in the mirror, we are looking at the humanistic Jesus preached most often today, then that is the only image we can come into. This is a Jesus who has no power. Does the Jesus in your mirror have power over sin and the curse? Does He have power to minister healing, deliverance, and provision? If so, then that is what He will be able to do through you.

(Colossians 1:21-23) And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, (22) yet now hath he reconciled (Greek: “exchanged”) in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: (23) if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye heard (the original Gospel). We are now reconciled because of the cross if we continue in the faith, unwavering from the true Gospel. The Greek word translated “reconciled” here means “exchanged”. On the cross, Jesus exchanged His life, blessings, and power for our old life, curse, and weakness. Our old life and its penalty, the curse, are on the cross, and now Christ lives in us. God exchanges us to present us holy and without blemish, to deliver us from our past evil works. The Christ, Who is blessed with righteousness and power, will exercise sovereignty through us because He lives in us. We are now ministers of this reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). In other words, it is our job to administer the exchange to those who believe so that people are saved from sin, healed, delivered, and provided for. The curse is enumerated in Deuteronomy 28, and it covers everything bad that happens to man as a result of breaking God’s laws. Jesus bore this curse so that we would have authority over it, both in our own lives and in the lives of others who believe. (Galatians 3:13-14) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us… (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus…. Jesus became the curse, and now we who believe have the “blessings of Abraham.” He was blessed in “all things” (Genesis 24:1). The exchange was accomplished at the cross but will be manifested as we apply the Gospel by faith to the curse. Before the fall, Adam lived in the Garden of Eden with no sickness, corruption, or lack of any kind. Look around you. The curse is manifested in all of the creation because of the fall. In His life and in His death, Jesus destroyed the curse. He passed on this ministry to His disciples, and they were commanded to pass it on to their disciples, and on down to us (Matthew 28:19-20). Eventually this Gospel was totally corrupted by religion so that what was passed on was a form of godliness that denies the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5). The Holy Spirit empowers those who have received Him to come into all that Christ is. Paul prays in Ephesians, “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). The full scope of Christ, His breadth, length, height, depth, and love, was provided to us through faith. Christ is to be “apprehended” by faith as we are empowered by God’s Spirit, “that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God.” Does it seem too good to be true? “Gospel” means “good news”. I did not write the Word, I just believe it. Do not let religion stop you, brothers and sisters.

Notice the phrase “the fullness of God”. If, as Genesis 1 says, each seed brings forth after its own kind, then what seed has been sown in us? First, by our parents, we were all born of the seed of fallen humanity. Then, according to the parable of the sower, we receive the seed (Greek: sperma, “sperm”) of the Word (Jesus) and are born again from above. That seed of the Word is not the seed of man, but God. (John 1:1) …The Word was God. (John 3:6-7) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew (Greek: “from above”). When Jesus told the Jews that He was the Son of God, they tried to stone Him, saying, “Thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:29-33). They knew that if God had a son, He would be God, also. (John 10:34-36) Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ye are gods’? (35) If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be broken) (36) say ye of him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am [the] Son of God? In the original language, there were no capital or lower case letters for words such as “gods” or “spirit”. Jesus was saying that the Jews who had received the Old Testament Word of the letter were by position gods. How much more then are we who have received the New Testament Word of the Spirit? We are gods, not in the flesh for that is the seed of man, but in the spirit for that is the seed of God. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit.” Since each seed brings forth after its own kind, the son of a dog is dog, the son of a man is man, and the son of God is god. The more of God’s seed that we give good earth to, the more God manifests Himself in us. (Romans 1:3-4) concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (Jesus was Son of man in the flesh.) (4) Who was declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness (Son of God in the spirit), by the resurrection from the dead; [even] Jesus Christ our Lord. We, as Jesus, are son of man in the flesh but son of God in the spiritual man. (Hebrews 2:17-18) Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren…. Jesus was made like us in everything. (18) For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor (Greek: “come to the aid of”) them that are tempted. As Son of man, Jesus knew temptation and is therefore able to help us. Our Jesus is the “only begotten (born) Son of God,” and we are reborn sons of God through Him.

(Ephesians 4:11-13) And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers (The Nicolaitan error [Revelation 2:6, Revelation 2:15] teaches that some of these ministries are done away with, but the Word says no such thing.); for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The fullness of Christ, all of His righteousness and ministry, are provided for us. The apostate church tells us that this stature is unattainable because they count on man’s ability, not God’s. They are saying that God is unable or unwilling to completely save us from the power of sin and corruption. (Hebrews 7:25) Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost (Greek: “completely”) them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

I can hear some say, “Dave, I do not see any of these people around. How can this be?” First of all, without a mind completely renewed by the Word, we could not discern them. Jesus was discerned by very few as being in the fullness of God. The leaders of Israel did not recognize Him. Even His disciples questioned Him: Peter rebuked Him, and Thomas doubted Him. Secondly, He has saved the best wine for last. (2 Thessalonians 1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Paul believed there was a day coming when the saints would have grace to believe His teaching and manifest Jesus. This declares that the Lord would come when this happens. His crop has come to maturity, ready for the harvest. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12) To which end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and [every] work of faith, with power; (12) that the name (Greek: “character and authority”) of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s grace, through the faith of the saints, will manifest the character and authority of Jesus in preparation for His work and His coming. The prophet Joel declares full restoration of all that the curse and religion has taken from God’s people. (Joel 2:23-25) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he giveth you the former (or early) rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first [month]. (24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil (bearing much fruit). (25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you. These insects represent the curse on God’s crop or His people. God said the early and latter rain would restore His people from the years of devastation. This rain was identified in Joel 2:28-29 as the outpouring of the Spirit on God’s people.

Peter quotes Joel 2:28-29, declaring that the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost was a fulfillment of this prophecy. (Acts 2:16-17) But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: (17) And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams. The “former rain” of the Spirit came “in the last days” of the Old Testament people of God, and the “latter rain” will come in “the last days” of the New Testament people of God. This former rain came to the Jews that believed, to restore them after a great falling away, and then it was passed on to the Gentiles. Those disciples who received that power of the Spirit walked as Jesus walked and did His works. The pagans called them “Christians,” meaning “Christ-like”. There is little evidence to convict many of that today, but the story is not over. For almost 2,000 years, only a few have been partakers of the former rain. The latter rain will come to believers, to restore the fallen Church to Christ-likeness, and then it passes on to the Jews. When will the latter rain come? Both the Jews and the Church have fallen away from what was given in the Gospels and Acts for 2,000 years. The Spirit of God says, (Hosea 5:15) “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.” This is clear that the Lord left Israel and the Church to their own self-will and false leadership. In the midst of affliction, which has already begun, there will be repentance. His people will say, (Hosea 6:1-3) “Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (2) After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him. (3) And let us know, let us follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is sure as the morning; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.” The Lord will come as the latter rain. The Holy Spirit will manifest in those who receive Him, Jesus Christ. We see on the morning of the third day the latter rain outpouring will come to empower and restore after a two-day (2,000 year) falling away period.

What are these two days, and when is the morning of the third day? (2 Peter 3:8) But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. Having read the writings of the early Church fathers, I can tell you that they commonly believed in the 1,000-year prophetic day and that after six of these days from the beginning, the end time would come. The Hindus, Muslims, and the Jews also believed this. Gibbon in The Rise And Fall of The Roman Empire said that the early Christians believed this. I have found in Scripture over a dozen astounding revelations using the 1,000-year days pointing to this time in which we live. The Bible is laid out in seven prophetic 1,000-year days. These days are always numbered from the creation of the first Adam or the birth of the “last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), Jesus Christ. There were 4,000 years, or four days, between the Adams. Since the days of Jesus, the calendar was tampered with extensively, but most believe we have come to the morning of the third day, or beginning of the third 1,000 years from the last Adam’s birth. It is also the morning of the seventh day, or the beginning of the seventh 1,000 years from the first Adam. This is when the end time begins, and God finishes His work. (Genesis 2:2) And on the seventh day God finished his work, which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. According to this type, God is about to finish His new creation work on this morning of the seventh day, also called the third day in some types, and rest. This soon coming latter rain outpouring will restore the true believers to the holiness, power, and ministry of Jesus. As Solomon said, “That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done”… (Ecclesiastes 1:9). What happened with the former rain in Acts will also happen in the latter rain acts of our day. The apostate people of God will fight against this move of the Spirit and be rejected. The persecuted, Spirit-filled remnant will by signs and wonders bring revival to lovers of truth worldwide. The former rain was first offered to Israel, but as many blasphemed, it was given to the Gentiles. The latter rain will first be given to the Church, but when many blaspheme, it will be given to a remnant of Israel. I thank my God that by His grace I was not stubborn but received His early rain. It has given to me a miraculous life of God’s provision, but the latter rain will be far greater. Do all believers have the former or early rain of the Holy Spirit? Jesus said to His disciples, “Ye who have followed me in the regeneration…” (Matthew 19:28). Regeneration comes from the Greek word meaning “new birth.” The disciples were born again but did not have the Holy Spirit because Jesus told them, “He abideth with you and shall be in you” (John 14:17). He later told them, “But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses… unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the Spirit comes, we receive the power needed to be witnesses of Jesus. The disciples were called Christians by the lost because they did the works of Jesus. The apostate church of our day has separated many from this infilling power by saying that all who are born again automatically have the Holy Spirit. Obviously, Jesus did not teach this, nor did the disciples teach it later. Paul did not believe it. (Acts 19:1-2) …Paul found certain disciples: (2) and he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed? And they [said] unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether the Holy Spirit was [given]. These disciples had not experienced the infilling of the Spirit. (Acts 19:6) And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Why would believers need prayer to receive the Spirit if it was automatic? As with every New Testament case, they knew when they received the Spirit from the signs and gifts.

(Acts 8:14-17) Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: (15) who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: (16) for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Baptized believers did not receive the Holy Spirit until the Apostles came and prayed for them. Our spirit must be born again before the Holy Spirit will come to dwell in it. The lost cannot receive the Spirit for Jesus said, “The Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive”… (John 14:17). The promise of the covenant is clear that those who have “a new spirit” can have “My Spirit”. (Ezekiel 36:26-27) 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 a heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep mine ordinances, and do them. When God’s Spirit comes to dwell in our born again spirit, He will empower you to obey the Word.

Jesus had two spirits, a born again, human spirit and the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God. When we are saved, we receive a born again spirit in His image called the “Spirit of Christ.” Only then are we capable of receiving the “Spirit of God” into the holy, born again temple for power. Notice the clear difference in these two states. (Romans 8:9-11) But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. (The Spirit of God empowers us to be spiritual.) But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If we do not have the Spirit of Christ we are not born again. (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. The Spirit of Christ does not empower our fallen body but gives us His Spirit of life. (11) But if the Spirit of him (God) that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. When we receive the Spirit of God, He empowers and gives life to our bodies as He did with Jesus. (Mark 5:30) And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power [proceeding] from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who touched my garments? This is the power of the Spirit of God coming out of Jesus’ body to heal.

(Acts 5:32) And we are witnesses of these things; and [so is] the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him. Obey, dear friend, and receive. If you are born again, ask God for His Spirit. (Luke 11:13) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? God only gives the Holy Spirit to those who belong to Him. (Acts 2:18) Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. With this power of the latter rain, God is going to completely destroy the curse of sin and death in the most faithful of His people. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. Notice that we shall all be changed at the last trump, which is at the end of the tribulation when God takes over the world. (Revelation 11:15) And the seventh angel sounded (last trumpet); and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever. Who are these people who will not die but be changed at the last trumpet? All that sin will die. (Ezekiel 18:4,Ezekiel 18:20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die…. Jesus told His disciples that they would have to lose their life to find life. (Matthew 16:25) For whosoever would save his life (soul) shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life (soul) for my sake shall find it. The Greek word for “life” in this verse is psuche or “soul.” Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions. Jesus was saying we must lose our fleshly mind, will, and emotions to gain our spiritual mind, will, and emotions.

Even though all of God’s elect will lose their lives, all will not physically die. Some will be changed without dying because they have already put their old life to death. (Romans 8:6) For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. Those with the mind of the flesh must die so that the mind of the Spirit can live. Everyone who has not overcome sin in the mind, will, and emotions must die. (Romans 6:23) For the wages of sin is death…. Sin must be overcome before physical death can be overcome. Jesus died to empower us to lose our old life, to gain His life, and to have a blood covering so we would be accepted during the process. This process can be finished in a fruit-bearing disciple at physical death should he not completely crucify the old life while still alive. This process can also be finished in this life as we die to self through faith in what Jesus did at the cross. There is no curse of death in the Bible on those who do not sin. Enoch and Elijah symbolize these people who will not die because they walk by faith in God. Jesus overcame in His first body so that He could do it in His second body, which is made up of those believers who take up their crosses. He abolished all of the old life, even the last enemy, death. (2 Timothy 1:10) …Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. After God abolishes the rule of the beast, harlot, and the old life over His people, death will be abolished. (1 Corinthians 15:24-26) Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. (25) For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. (26) The last enemy that shall be abolished is death.

One enemy in power that rules over God’s people is the old life of flesh. (Romans 8:7) Because the mind of the flesh is enmity (enemy) against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. Jesus conquered these enemies for us at the cross, but we must walk by faith to see it manifested. The resurrection and rapture, both which abolish death, are at the end, when He will have abolished all other rule over His people, not seven years before the end while these reign. Jesus said, “I will raise him up in the last day” (John 6:44), or “at the last day” (John 6:39). There is one more resurrection of the righteous dead at the end so all are included (Revelation 20:4; 1 Corinthians 15:22-24). The rapture happens at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). (John 11:25-26) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live (resurrection); (26) and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. If the first part of this sentence is speaking of physical death, certainly the last part is. In order to prove the power of God’s salvation, He will restore in these last days the faith to believe that Jesus abolished sin and death. Then some will escape death. (Hebrews 11:5) By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing unto God. The faith to be an over comer will be restored by the latter rain. (2 Thessalonians 1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. When will these things happen? Jesus gave us a clear clue in a type and shadow. (Matthew 16:28) there are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Notice He said that some who stand “here” will not die till they see the coming of the Lord. Where is here? In type, they stood before the end of six days, or 6,000 years, which is proven by the next verse. (Matthew 17:1-2) And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: (2) and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

Some alive today will see the coming of the Lord because we just passed the end of six days, or 6,000 years. We are now “after six days,” on the morning of the seventh day, when Peter, James, and John saw the coming of the Lord in His glorified body. In type, three disciples saw the coming of the Lord without dying. Peter, James, and John, who were the closest disciples to the Lord, also prefigured “we that are alive, that are left until the coming of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). The two witnesses represent the martyrs who are resurrected at the last trump (Revelation 11:12, Revelation 11:15). These two groups account for the resurrection and rapture at the coming of the Lord, fulfilling the Word.