21. Holiness and Dominion

Chapter 21 Holiness and Dominion Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away (2 Timothy 3:5).

God gave dominion unto Samson even in his ignorance. What was the secret of Samson’s power? Judges tells us that the secret was his long hair, and as soon as he lost his long hair he lost his power. Samson was not a big, muscle-bound man. In Judges 16:17, he told Delilah, “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” His enemies wanted to know the secret of his power. They were not asking, “How did you get such big muscles?” That did not occur to them. It is not because of our great ability, or power, or wisdom, or even sinlessness, but through what Jesus did at the cross that we have this authority to reign over sin and its curse. Samson reigned over the enemies of God’s people. When Samson lost his submission to God, he lost his dominion. In 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, the long hair was given unto the woman as a sign of submission to her husband. Who is our husband? The Lord is our husband. The one who took the Nazarite vow, as Samson did, could not cut his hair as a sign of submission. The point is that this great dominion was given to Samson, and he lost it because he lost his hair, a sign of his submission to the Lord.

Nazarites were separated from the world by their submission unto the Lord signified by their long hair. (Numbers 6:5) All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long. This separation by submission is the meaning of holiness. How did Samson lose his holiness and power? (Judges 16:19) And she (Delilah) made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Samson went to sleep, spiritually meaning he no longer had his eyes open to the light of the truth. He submitted his head or mind in the lap of the harlot Delilah and lost his hair (submission, separation, holiness) and consequently his power or dominion. The moral of that story is that we should not let the harlot have our mind for then we will have no power of dominion. The religious systems of man, the harlot, have deprived God’s people of their power because they are not submitted to the Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:5) Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. The “bride” in the Song of Solomon was a prophetic parable of the sojourning of the Bride today who temporarily lost her submission. (Song of Solomon 5:7) The watchmen (ministers) that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls (denominations or sects) took away my mantle (Hebrew: “veil”) from me. The watchmen are identified by the Lord as shepherds (Hebrew: “pastors”) in Isaiah 56:10-12. These pastors, in trying to keep the Bride within their sectarian walls, smote her and took away her veil, which is also a sign of submission to her husband, the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:3) …The head of the woman is the man… (1 Corinthians 11:5) But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head… (1 Corinthians 11:10)for this cause ought the woman to have [a sign of] authority on her head… (1 Corinthians 11:13)Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled? False shepherds have made the people of God submissive to religions rather than Christ. In a true type to our day, the Bride in vain sought her beloved first in the broad ways of Babylonish religion. (Song of Solomon 3:2) [I said], I will rise now, and go about the city (Babylon); In the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. She sought Him from the false shepherds whose loyalty was to themselves and their own kingdom. (Song of Solomon 3:3) The watchmen that go about the city found me; [To whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was not until she was delivered from them that she found the one whom her soul sought. (Song of Solomon 3:4) It was but a little that I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, (In her excitement she wanted to share Him with those among whom she was first conceived and birthed.) Until I had brought him into my mother’s house, And into the chamber of her that conceived me. The other daughters of that corporate mother did not share her excitement for her peculiar beloved. (Song of Solomon 5:9) What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, That thou dost so adjure us? Because of her not being content with “another Jesus,” she was not defiled with the religions of these other daughters and was chosen by her Lord. (Song of Solomon 6:9) My dove, my undefiled, is [but] one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed. She regained her dominion when she became undefiled with the women representing the false religious systems. Those who bear fruit will walk in the holiness of her steps, not being defiled with the seed (word) of the men, for they are spiritual virgins. (Revelation 14:4) These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These [are] they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, [to be] the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. The sects of Christianity have become defiled with what Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:4, “Another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or [if] ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different Gospel, which ye did not accept.” (2 Corinthians 6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. Only the Word is the truth that sets free. (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.

Jesus calls His sheep out of the fold of apostate religion to “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” (John 10:3-5) …He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This little flock that follows the Lord in rest is what the bride sought for. (Song of Solomon 1:7) Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest [thy flock], Where thou makest [it] to rest at noon: For why should I be as one that is veiled beside the flocks of thy companions? The veil in this case represents the blindness and bondage of submission to religion. (2 Corinthians 3:15-18) But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. (16) But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty. (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…. As we can see, those who are unveiled of the legalism of religion see the Lord and come into His likeness. The beloved Lord’s answer to “Where thou feedest [thy flock]?” was (Song of Solomon 1:8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents. In Jesus’ day it was not possible to feed His Church, meaning “called-out ones,” in the apostate sects of Judaism, so He fed them “beside the shepherds’ tents.” Likewise, because the Church has greatly apostatized in our day, Jesus is feeding the flock of freedom, rest, and truth, outside the shepherds’ tents. This brought reproach to the bride and Jesus. (Song of Solomon 1:6) …My mother’s sons were incensed against me…. Those who take up their cross to follow Jesus are commanded to accept this same reproach. (Hebrews 13:11-13) For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest [as an offering] for sin, are burned without the camp. (12) Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. (13) Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Moses, in a true type of Christ, led his people out of the camp of the rebellious apostates. (Exodus 33:7) Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought the Lord went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp. It is in these days that thundering judgments will put the fear of God in those in the camp to come out and meet with the “called-out ones” in the true mountain of God’s kingdom. (Exodus 19:15-16) And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman (apostate sect). (16) And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning (the beginning of the third millennium since the last Adam – where we are now [2 Peter 3:8], that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled. (Exodus 19:17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

If you have discovered that you have been following man’s religions and decide to repent, God will restore your dominion. In bondage to the Philistines, Samson repented and his hair began to grow. His dominion returned and he brought down their false temple upon their heads. (Judges 16:30) And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life. Likewise, as we die to self, we increase in dominion over our enemies.

Few who ever exercised dominion in the earth for God were manifestly perfect, including Samson. He refused the dominion of the Lord over himself, and he ultimately lost the dominion that he had over the earth. It is not necessary for God to take away the promises of dominion from the rebellious. Their own heart will not have the faith to partake of it. (1 John 3:21) Beloved if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness towards God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. If we do not serve God, our own heart will condemn us and we will have no faith to exercise dominion. He is still not speaking of manifestly perfect people here, but He does expect us to be disciples, walking in the light that we have. In this way, we are perfect by faith until we manifest perfection. The baby Christian has little knowledge of good and evil, but he is innocent in God’s eyes if he is doing what he knows to do. Baby Christians have dominion over sin and the curse, but not over God’s people.

Years ago, I had a dream instructing me about the way in which God promotes some to leadership positions over His people. I am making no claims for myself with this dream, merely pointing out principles. In this dream, there were two mountains. (The first mountain represents the kingdom of the world, Babylon, and the second mountain represents the kingdom of God, Mount Zion.) I was driving a car down the first steep mountain. (This represents humbling ourselves to the Word [Isaiah 40:4], becoming as a child [Matthew 18:4], and losing our carnal life in this world [Matthew 16:25-26] The road that descended this mountain had a trench going down the center of it to the bottom. My car had one set of tires on one side of the trench while the other set was on the other side. I could not turn right or left without falling into the trench and, of course, halting my progress. (Joshua received instructions similar to this for taking the Promised Land. (Joshua 1:7) Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. Turning to the right or to the left symbolizes getting off the narrow road of Scripture. It will stop us from exercising authority to take our promised land, which symbolizes living on the promises.) At the bottom of this hill, I got out of the car. I sensed that I had many enemies. (The more we humble ourselves to God’s Word the more enemies we will have, both in the carnal church and the world, just as our Lord.) Then I found hidden under a bush some tools like hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches, which were drenched in oil. (The burning bush is where Moses received authority to deliver God’s people from bondage. Tools bind and loose, as does God’s authority given to His disciples (Matthew 18:18). The promises of the Word are the binding and loosing keys to the kingdom of God that were given to disciples. The oil signifies the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, if we stay in the straight and narrow way, we will receive authority to bind and loose for God.) From there, I turned to the right (The sheep are set on the right [Matthew 25:33]) and went up a steep mountain. (Going down the first mountain entitles us to go up the next. Being humbled in the estimation of the world makes us great in the estimation of the kingdom. The last shall be first and the least shall be greatest. (Isaiah 40:3-4) …Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord… (4) Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…. The way of the Lord is that those who are humble in the world shall be promoted on God’s mountain, but those who are exalted in the worldly mountain will have to come down.) (James 4:10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

Reaching the top of the mountain, I went through the door of an immense palace. (John 10:2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:7)Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (Jesus is the only Shepherd of the sheep. He uses vessels that come to the sheep only through Him, the door. This palace represents the New Jerusalem on Mount Zion, the city that rules over God’s people.) Old Jerusalem ruled over God’s physical letter people just as New Jerusalem rules over God’s spiritual New Testament people. Paul declared that we have come to this spiritual city. He showed us that it is not a physical city that can be touched. (Hebrews 12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched… (Hebrews 12:22-23) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem… (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn…. (Jesus’ called-out ones come to this mountain. Our journey is to come to this mountain, climb it, and enter the throne room through the door.)

Then I saw Jesus, the Son of David, sitting on the throne of David. I walked over and sat down next to him, and we talked. (The throne is the place of dominion that the bride has next to her king.) (Revelation 3:21) He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. All who overcome the stubbornness of their evil heart to abide in the Name of Jesus will come to this throne. (Jeremiah 3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations (of the Gentile Church) shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. (All who overcome the first mountain of the world will live on the second mountain of the kingdom of God. These act in “the name of the Lord” because they are seated in the throne of authority with Jesus. This position has been given to all who are born again, but many have turned to the right or left and do not take their rightful position by abiding in Christ.) (Ephesians 2:5-6) Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), (6) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus. As I talked with Jesus, I heard a noise behind me and turned to see some men trying to climb up into the throne room through a rear window. Jesus said, “Don’t worry about them; they can’t come in here.” (Obviously, the position of authority may be usurped in Babylon but not in Zion, God’s mountain and kingdom.) (John 10:1) He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Jesus, speaking of the apostate ministers of His day said, “All that came before me are thieves and robbers” (John 10:8); and so it is today. Many have stolen the position of authority by not going down the road of humbling themselves to the Word and entering through the door of Christ. They have robbed the sheep of gifted mentors. They have robbed the sheep of Christ, for ministers can only pass on what they are. Religion has historically made the same mistake. They mistake education in a sect of Christianity to be God’s authority and commission. The disciples were perceived to be unlearned and ignorant by the religious leaders (Acts 4:13). However, the religious leaders knew that the disciples had been with Jesus by their gifts. Faith, fruit, maturity, submission to the Lord, and personal knowledge of the Lord and His ways must be passed on to the sheep. Ministers cannot pass on what they do not possess themselves. The daughter harlots (Revelation 17:5) are still mass producing hirelings (John 10:12-13; Isaiah 56:9-12); but Jesus comes to lead His sheep out of the Babylonish sheepfolds of men (John 10:3-4) so that, unhindered by the traditions of men, they may run after Him. A man must be an elder in experience and maturity in the Word to be promoted as a bishop (overseer) over God’s people
(1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). A friend dreamed about Christians as babies with beards, showing they had been with the Lord for many years but were still immature. God’s people have loved the world so He has given them immature apostate leaders to tell them what they want to hear. (Isaiah 3:4-5) And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. (5) And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the old man, and the base against the honorable. Choose the man with the gift over the man with the title. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; (4) and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.