Rightly Dividing the Word

One of the greatest fallacies in the teachings given to the Body of Christ is that God does not want the saints to suffer. If I said this in certain circles, people would frown at that particular statement. But, it is real. In this series we will prove that it is real.

II Timothy 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Paul, being a Jew, understood the Jewish covenants. As a good teacher, he always dealt with people where they were. In Hebrews 8, he was ministering to Jews who had become Christians and took them back to situations and relationships where they could relate. Here Paul reminds them of the covenants given to them in the days of Moses and Abraham.

Hebrews 8:1

1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.

Paul is beginning to sum up what he has ministered in the first seven chapters.

Hebrews 8:2-3

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Paul is talking about Jesus Christ being our high priest.

Hebrews 8:4-5

4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

We see in verses 4 and 5 that those of the Levitical priesthood who offered up sacrifices in the tabernacle were doing those things that were only a shadow and a type of things to come. This is important because, we understand that the Old Testament uses natural things to be our schoolmaster for spiritual things that came in the New Covenant.

The tabernacle was built and patterned after the heavenly tabernacle. God warned and admonished Moses to stay with the specifications He gave him. The pattern was a type of Christ and of the Church that was to come in the New Covenant. It was also a type of the spiritual relationship God was going to have with His people in the New Covenant.

Hebrews 8:6

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

We often use the terminology that we have a better covenant than the Israelites. However, we need to remember we have the same New Covenant God offered to those under the Old Covenant and to us, although most of the Jewish race has chosen to hold onto the Old Covenant. Paul is saying to the Hebrews, and to all of us under the New Covenant, that we now have a better covenant than do the Jews who chose to hold onto the Old Covenant and reject the New Covenant.

Hebrews 8:7

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

If the first covenant or the promises that God made and the relationship that God had with Israel had been without fault, then there would not be a need for another covenant. However, someone broke the covenant and it certainly was not God. Israel broke the covenant. They sinned against God. But God, in His love and mercy gave them a better covenant with better promises in the New Covenant.

Another point we must remember is that at the time Israel received the first covenant, they were the only people on the face of the earth God spoke to. God did not even consider the Gentiles a people. Israel was not without fault in the Old Covenant, so God came forth with a New Covenant and had a plan that included the Gentiles also.

Hebrews 8:8

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Paul is quoting the Prophet Jeremiah from chapter 31:31.

Hebrews 8:9

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Because they did not walk in the covenant that God gave them, He did not even regard them.

Hebrews 8:10

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

The Church as a whole is off course because it has been taught a message that alienates the saints from any type of suffering. We must look and see where the error exists and to correct the error we need to look at the root cause.

The root of the error is the two covenants. Remember scripture will always interpret itself. Man’s opinions are not valid nor is his interpretation of scripture. We must always stay with what is written in the Word of God. Whatever God does in the Body of Christ is going to remain in the boundaries of what is already written in His Word. God is not going to do anything that has not already been written in His Word.

SCRIPTURE MUST INTERPRET SCRIPTURE

The law of biblical interpretation is to allow the scriptures to interpret themselves. If we allow the scriptures to interpret themselves, there will be no private interpretations and no man-made doctrines. If we let the scriptures tell us what they mean, and all scripture bears witness of itself, we will stay within the boundaries of what has been set by Faith.

The Church moved off course inside the covenant relationship God has with man. God spoke to Israel by the prophets. When He first called them a nation God spoke to them by the Prophet Moses.

Deuteronomy 28:1

28 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

Let us look at this first covenant. God says He would set Israel on high, that they as a nation would be exalted and set above all nations, if they obeyed and kept His commandments.

Deuteronomy 28:2-3

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed means to be commended, to have others speak well of you. Israel was so blessed to have a God who fought their enemies until their enemies wanted to befriend them. As long as they were in obedience to God, Israel, the Jewish race could not fail.

Deuteronomy 28:4-6

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

God was to make them a people of reputation, of wealth and ones who others would recognize and know as God’s chosen people.

Deuteronomy 28:7

The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

He would fight their enemies, and if the enemy came up against them one way God was going to scatter them seven different ways. What we need to do is examine that covenant and see if it is the same covenant in the New Testament. We need to see if the Church inherited the same blessings. Let us first, however, establish who is Israel, who is the Church, and the nature of these two.

I Corinthians 15:45

And so it written, The first man Adam was made a living soul: the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

A quickening spirit is a life giving spirit. Already we have a distinction between Adam and Jesus. We see that the first man Adam was a living soul. Who was the last Adam? The last Adam was Jesus Christ, who was made a quickening spirit.

What does this have to do with Israel and the Church? The Church was formed by Jesus Christ and He is a quickening spirit. We see a nature change between the first Adam and the second Adam. From Adam to Christ, mankind was a living soul. Now we have an introduction to another race: Jesus Christ, who is a quickening spirit. A quickening spirit is a life giving spirit.

I Corinthians 15:46

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Adam was:

1. Not the offspring of God.

2. He was made in the image and after the likeness of God.

3. He was a representative of God but he did not have the seed.

From Adam until Jesus Chris,t mankind was not spiritual. Yes, we know there is a spirit in man and it is called the inspiration of God (Job 32:8). But when we say man was not spiritual, we mean he was not the offspring of God.

ADAM WAS NOT AN OFFSPRING OF GOD

God made everything after its own kind. Kind means kinsmanship. Kind means the seed of life is in that thing and what it produces is like the original. When God made man He did not make Adam after His own kind. God did not say let us make man after our own kind. He said let us make man after our likeness and our image.

Man has the similitude of God. Image and likeness are a copy but not the real thing. Man was a representative of God and was given dominionship, authority and the bishopric of planet Earth. But Adam was not the God-kind. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary He told her the Holy Ghost would overshadow her and would plant the seed of God in her womb. What she produced was of the God-kind. In other words the seed of God was not in Adam.

The Bible tells us in I John 3:9 that “whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him.” God’s seed was not in Adam, if it had been, then Adam would have been a spiritual race.

Genesis 1:26-27

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

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

Everything it took to make Adam came from nature, from the earth. Even the spirit in Adam was the spirit of the earth and was not the Spirit of God.

Genesis 1:7

7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Most theologians believe God blew His Spirit into Adam. The breath of life that was breathed into Adam was nothing more than the wind or the air we breath. According to Genesis 6, God was going to destroy everything that had the breath of life in it and this He did: not only in man, but also in the animals that had the breath of life in them.

Genesis 6:17

17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

God channeled the wind or breath of life through Himself and put some inspiration in it. If God can take clay with His natural hands and make a man out of the dirt, then surely God could suck in the air and come out with a soul, a conscience, a will, an imagination and the inward parts. God brought the wind through Himself so man would know who He was. When Adam came alive, he came alive with divine inspiration. God put knowledge inside Adam’s conscience and gave Adam an awareness of who God was.

I Corinthians 15:47

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

No one had to tell Adam who God was. Even when God gave Adam a mate, He took his mate out of Adam’s side. Man was made from dirt but woman was made from man. God did not use any part of Himself to make man. God was Adam’s father only in the sense that God created him. Adam was not begotten, but Jesus was begotten of God and was made a quickening spirit. Jesus was of God. First came man which was the natural race and then came the spiritual.

Beget – 1. To father. 2. To cause to exist. Produce. Webster’s Dictionary

I John 4:9

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Do you know why they use the word earthy? Because everything it took to sustain the man came from the earth. Not only was he made from the earth, but the very thing that would keep him alive was the Tree of Life planted in the Garden.

The second man, now, is the Lord from heaven. The scriptures say flesh and blood shall not inherit heaven, and there was a difference in the flesh which came out of heaven and the flesh which came out of the earth.

II Corinthians 5:21

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus’ flesh did not see corruption. He stayed in the tomb three days and did not start to decay, as His flesh was incorruptible. Why? Because of the seed. The scriptures say He was made like sinful flesh, but was without sin. Jesus was in an incorruptible body. He was flesh so He could die, but there was nothing sinful about Jesus Christ at all. This does not mean He did not have the ability to sin. He could have sinned, gone against God and turned His back on His purpose. He did not. He stood steadfast in purpose, in what He came to do . . . for you . . . and for me.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

I Corinthians 15:48

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly

Hebrews 4:15

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

From Adam to the birth of Christ Jesus, all were born earthy, natural, non-spiritual. The race of man had the nature of the earth, the nature of this world. Just as we took on the character of Adam, once we are born again (filled with the Holy Spirit), we take on the nature of Jesus Christ. And with the Holy Spirit we have the ability to act just like Christ.

Hebrews 9:28

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

I Corinthians 15:49

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly

Just as we bore Adam’s image, we now bear the image and completeness of Jesus. Now we can see two races of people. We have a natural race which Israel definitely fulfilled because the covenant they received was before Jesus came.

II Peter 1:4

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

GOD’S LAW IN THE INWARD PARTS

Jeremiah 31:33

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to become very Christ.

Ezekiel 36:25-26

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

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

The Inward Parts:

a. The Heart

b. The Soul

c. The Conscience

d. The Imagination

e. The Will

This is the new covenant God made. In the latter days God was and will put His Spirit in us. He says He will take the laws off the tables of stone and write them in our inward parts. Just what are our inward parts? The heart, soul, conscience, imagination and will. God was going to put His law in our invisible parts . . . and He did just this.

How was this going to happen? If God was going to put His Spirit in man, He was going to change man. God was going to take a grown man and wash him, cleanse him, and give him a new spirit. Man already had the spirit of the world (Ephesians 2:2), but God said He wanted to put His Spirit in man

When God’s plan came together and He put His Spirit in us, the spirit of Satan (iniquity) was evicted from us and God placed the new Spirit or His Spirit within and gave us His seed. He has given us His seed. WE BECAME THE BEGOTTEN OF GOD.

Having become the begotten of God, we have become the God-kind. Just as we bore the image of Adam we are now going to bear the image of our Christ. We are a new race and this race is called the SONS OF GOD.

SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS FOR A SPIRITUAL RACE

Ephesians 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

We are blessed! With what? Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Now we see a spiritual race who is being blessed with spiritual blessings. This is important because this is where the Church departed from the truth. It is not the fault of the Church that the Jews rejected their Christ. It is not God’s fault. Nevertheless, the covenant still stands true and there are Jews who did receive the second covenant.

Jesus started the Church with twelve men and for three and one-half years He taught them a new mindset He trained them to think differently from natural men. We see this in Matthew 5.

Humble – 1. Characterized by modesty or meekness in behavior, attitude, or spirit. 2. Exhibiting differential or submissive respect. 3. Unpretentious. vt. 1. To humiliate. 2. To make lower in condition or status.

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT

St. Matthew 5:3

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Look at who is blessed here . . . those who are humble. Poor in spirit means we are to be humiliated and broken but under the Old Covenant people were exalted. They were somebody, they walked proud . . . proud to be a Jew and of the seed of Abraham. To take on the seed of Christ we now have to become poor in spirit which will be rewarded by exhortation into the kingdom of God.

Isn’t it just like God to take the foolish things to confound the wise? He is doing just the reverse of what man would do. Now in order to enter into the kingdom we have to humble ourselves, exalt others higher than ourselves and be abased. When we become broken, God calls us blessed. Before we were blessed walking in pride, now we are not blessed unless we are broken, poor in spirit and take on the mindset of an unprofitable servant.

The first covenant God gave, He made with flesh. The second covenant was made with the Spirit. The first covenant always exalted flesh and the New Covenant, made with a spiritual man, humiliates the flesh.

This second covenant was an entrance into the kingdom of God. God sent forth His Spirit to draw, adopt and bring men into the kingdom. The Jews did not have any problem with the kingdom, but their problem was with the door into the kingdom. Jesus stood up and said, “I’m the door and you cannot enter into the kingdom except you come through me.”

This would have been all right if Jesus had been exalting flesh, but He was humiliating flesh and His very presence revealed the sinfulness of flesh and was humiliating to the Jews who were a proud people. They were the seed of Abraham. How dare Jesus insinuate they were not fit for the kingdom. Therefore, they were unable to deal with this Christ, their own Messiah, who was going to be their entrance into the kingdom.

St. Matthew 11:29

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls

Jesus is the door into the Kingdom of God. When Jesus spoke the following, He infuriated the majority of the Jewish race: “No man can come into the sheepfold unless you come by me, and if you try to get in any other way you are a thief and a robber”. He was in the Father and the Father was in Him. “If you do not hear Me, you do not hear My Father. If you do not believe in me, you do not believe in God.”

St. John 14:6

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

St. John 10:1

1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Jesus became the stone the builders rejected. How can one build a building without the cornerstone? They had nothing for the building to be fitly joined to, so everything they were building from then on was nothing but sinking sand and vanity.

God was tired of their sacrifices so He sent His only Son to be the final sacrifice. Yes, they were going to sacrifice Jesus just as they sacrificed the ram, lamb and the bullock. Jesus came to die for their sins, and if any man received Christ they received the Father.

Jesus came and established another kingdom. Planet Earth now had two kingdoms. Remember Jesus called Satan the god of this world, and Satan also, is the prince of the power of the air.

The entrance into the spiritual kingdom is by Jesus Christ “ . . .YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.” Why do you have to be born again? Because you are natural, you have the nature of the earth, you are of the world and have a sin nature.

II Corinthians 4:3-4

3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Ephesians 2:2

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN

St. Matthew 5:4

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Saints, we cannot even enter the kingdom until we become broken in spirit because of who we are, what we have become and are sorry for the life of sin we have been living and our separation from God. This should bring us to our knees in repentance and weeping.

Weeping. . .why? For the wretch that we are. We do not even know that we are a wretch until we see the truth. We thought we were all right. When we walk in darkness, we do not know it is dark until a light is turned on. We did not know we were walking in a dark world until the light, Christ, entered the world and the light of His light began to shine in the hearts of those that were chosen.

Men became so offended, they killed the One who brought the light, but they could not destroy the light because the light had been put in others. Now we clearly see the two kingdoms--a kingdom of light and a kingdom of darkness. Therefore, there are now children of light and children of darkness.

God wanted to wash our conscience of sin, and for us all to be holy in our inward parts. He had already condemned our flesh to the dust, but He now wants to save the real us. That is certainly no problem for God. He made the first one, He can make the second. But this new body, His Word says, will not be made with His hands. He will speak it into existence.

St. Matthew 5:5-10

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in hear: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Not only do we have to be poor in spirit and mourn, but we must also be meek, hunger and thirst after righteousness; being merciful, pure in heart and peacemakers.

Look at verse 10. If we are righteous, we are blessed if people persecute us. Then what about the covenant God made with Israel in Deuteronomy 28, if this is still our covenant too. He said if our enemies came up against us one way, He would scatter them seven different ways.

Now He says in Matthew 5, we are blessed when we are persecuted. If we continue to read on in Matthew 5, God even tells us to love our enemies. We see a brand new creature being formed. He tells us to pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us. In order to do this we have to be a different person. This is not the character of flesh. This new covenant is not made with flesh, it is made with spiritual people.

I Corinthians 3:1-3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Paul is unable to write to the elders as spiritual people. They were not living as spiritual men but were living as carnal men. Carnal is the same as natural and of the flesh. They were acting like natural men. Paul wanted to talk to them as the spiritual beings they were, but they were walking as natural men. The distinction of two races is made here again: spiritual verses natural. Envying and strife is of the flesh. Flesh is fighting for position, authority, recognition and substance.

The Spirit does not entertain these things. The Spirit only strives for the purpose of God. The Spirit of God in us does not care who fulfills purpose, but just wants to see the job done. The Spirit does not know how to be jealous of what someone may do for the Lord. When we walk in the Spirit there is no envy, strife or divisions.

TAKE NO THOUGHT

Because the flesh lusts for what is wants, theologians have tried to give flesh what it wants. Theologians took us back to the Old Covenant and took the blessings that were promised to flesh and gave them to the spiritual creature. The Church is a spiritual entity. Let us look at the blessings we inherited as a spiritual race:

St. Matthew 6:30-32

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Where withal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

This is totally different from what He told Israel. God told Israel they would be wealthy. But He is telling us to take no thought and do not worry about what you are going to eat, drink or wear. The Gentiles seek after these things but our heavenly Father knows what we have need of. God is going to supply our needs. Do you know what that means? It means He will keep you alive to serve Him. You may have to live in someone else’s house, ride in their car, catch a bus or even walk, but God will keep you alive to serve Him.

St. Mark 10:23

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Now God told Israel He was going to make them wealthy, but now to the Church He says it is hard for the man with riches to even be saved.

St. Mark 10:24-25

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to inter into the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Because a rich man trusts in his riches, it is hard for him to get into the kingdom. But Jesus has a remedy:

St. Mark 10:29-30

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospels,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Verse 30 is where we have erred again. It states we shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and lands. A person may lose everything they have for the gospel's sake, but he will receive an hundredfold now in this time. Please, continue reading. The verse then says that all of these things come with persecutions and a promise of eternal life in the world to come.

How does a man lose his mother, father, wife, children, house and land and then receive a hundredfold in this life? The scripture is saying if we give up all we possess in the natural, we will receive spiritual mothers, spiritual fathers and spiritual children; and since we have everything in common, none of us should lack anything.

Persecute – 1. To harass or oppress with ill-treatment. 2. To bother persistently: Annoy. Webster’s Dictionary

St. Luke 22:24

24 And there was also strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

St. Luke 22:25-27

25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors,

26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

The disciples were all trying to get close to Jesus to see which one was going to be exalted. Jesus is saying the greatest one should take on the low role. He was telling His disciples the one who is greatest among you must be a servant. This is not what He told Israel. He told Israel He was going to make them of great reputation and exalt them higher than every nation.

FLESH IS EXPENDABLE

Hebrews 10:32-33

32 But call to rememberance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

Paul is reminding the readers here that when they came into the gospel they were made a gazing stock and were made to look like fools. They were persecuted and afflictions came upon them, but that is not what God promised Israel. He did not promise Israel persecutions and afflictions, but promised if their enemies came up against them one way He would send them fleeing seven different ways.

I Thessalonians 3:3

3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Expendable – 1. Subject to use or consumption. 2. Considered unworthy of retention or maintenance. Webster’s Dictionary

WE ARE APPOINTED TO AFFLICTIONS!

We were not taught that the Church would be afflicted. This is an afflicting gospel. To be a partaker of the gospel means you will be a partaker of afflictions, persecutions, heartaches, heartbreaks, and reproaches .In this spiritual kingdom the flesh is expendable. The flesh will be battered, and offended. Why? Because it is a part of the appointment. Anyone who is born again has an appointment with suffering. God did not promise Israel afflictions. He told Israel as long as they obeyed Him they would be blessed. We, now, in this New Covenant will be afflicted even if we obey. If we walk holy we will still suffer.

The enemy does not want us to hear the truth. If we truly understand we are going to suffer for the kingdom of God, we will find power in our suffering. If we do not know why we are suffering, we will complain, murmur and grumble. There is no power in that. But when we take wrongs brought against us patiently, it develops character in us. We then become most like our Christ.

The devil does not want us to know we are appointed by God to suffer and we are as a lamb led to the slaughter. We will be rebuked, scorned, reproached and many of our enemies will come up against us and prevail. The devil does not want us to know the power we will find in humility. Satan does not want us to know when we are weak in the flesh, we are strong in the Spirit because we will be exceedingly dangerous to his kingdom.

If we know the truth we will take our suffering with patience. God says after suffering a while He will come, settle, establish, anoint and appoint us so we will have power and strength to glorify our God.

Satan has hid this message inside lies, a faith and prosperity message, false promises, false hopes and having the Church believe that their blessings are for now instead of when our Lord comes back. We are not going to get the wealth of this world until He returns. But when the flesh has been brought under obedience to the Word, the greater One who is in us can stand up and walk the earth in power, authority and in the anointing of the Almighty God.

Affliction – 1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress. 2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress. Webster’s Dictionary

Suffering is a part of our inheritance.

I Peter 2:20

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

I Peter 5:10

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

The enemy does not want the Church to know this because we will be strengthened, will stop complaining, murmuring and reaching out for things that are not promised to us. We will be One with our Lord. The church will grow up, stand up and have true fellowship with its Father: wanting what He wants, walking in the Spirit, unified and being one in purpose.

We will start seeking those things that are of the Father. We will set our affections on things above. We will have one mind which will be to glorify the Father. We will have one purpose, which will be to show principalities and powers His manifold wisdom.

God wants us to be a church of purpose and not go back in the graveyard and get our dreams. God told us He was going to give us dreams. He will give dreams to the old and to the young they will see visions. It takes vision to move the Church.

Acts 2:17

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out 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:

It is important for us to know what God has promised, so we will walk ready and will gird ourselves up. We must walk with the whole armor of God and make sure we do not get knocked out with the next affliction. It is time to recognize the devil when he tries to move us off course with a circumstance, situation or a bad relationship. We must strengthen ourselves and let the God in us take us through.

Colossians 3:2

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

POISON IN THE BODY

For many years theologians and scholars have taught the Body of Christ that God does not want the church to suffer. This poison has infiltrated the Body of Christ and has done more damage than anything else the body has received. Our forefathers of the Word only taught us what they knew and thought was right so we cannot blame them. The scripture too, do say that in the latter days knowledge would increase and it is. The fathers received from the Lord, but now the sons have also received a message but with increase . . . a more perfect revelation of the script.

For example, there are many parents with only a high school education who have worked hard to send their children to college. Isn’t it quite obvious that if you only had an elementary education and were able to further educate your child, he would have learned some things that you did not learn? We must look back at the things that we have been taught and find the errors if they are not working for us.

We have been told to name it and we could claim it, to confess and we would possess it, but these things are not happening. The people who are preaching the Faith message are the ones who are prospering. When people are sending you their tithes and offering, it does not take much faith to be wealthy.

We have to see that there is nothing in the New Covenant that points a man to the things of this world or promises us the wealth of this world in this lifetime. One of the foundations of that study is to scripturally prove the differences in these two covenants. As people who will be teaching and ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ, it behooves us to know the truth and understand what the scripture is saying.

We are a generation that is being raised up to bring the church to the reality of the mind of God. We have not walked in the mind of God because we had not understood or known His mind. We have assumed many things were the truth, but we now understand how we misunderstood and God is revealing to us His heart, His mind, His purpose and the truth!

THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT

There is a difference in the covenant that God made with Israel in the former days and the one He made with them in the latter days. It was prophesied by the Prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel that God would send His Son to His own people, they would reject Him and God would bring the Gentiles into His New Covenant.

Isaiah prophesied this when he said she who was without a husband bore more children than the one who was married, meaning that the Gentile race would produce more spiritual offspring than the Jews, who were the natural branches and were first married to God as His chosen race.

I do want to emphasize here that both covenants were first made with Israel. This is very important and you will see why as we move inside the teachings on Bible Prophecy. Right here is where theologians part when they teach the covenants that relate to Israel.

They alienated Israel from the church. We cannot alienate Israel from the church. We can say as a nation they rejected their Messiah, Christ, but we must say the foundation of the church began with the nation of Israel. God first covenanted with them . . . not with the Gentiles. The promise was made to Abraham, and Israel was the offspring of Abraham. The foundation of the church began with the nation of Israel.

APPOINTED TO SUFFER

I Thessalonians 3:1-3

1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Paul felt these Thessalonians needed comforting and encouraging as they began to suffer afflictions because of their faith and did not understand why. Some of them were probably like many of us, who felt once we got saved everything was going to be all right.

Paul is saying those who will be partakers of the gospel of Jesus Christ are appointed to be afflicted. The word affliction carries the connotation of suffering. This is not what God said to Israel in the first covenant. God did not promise them afflictions or persecutions. He promised if their enemy came up against them one way He would send them out seven different ways and promised to protect Israel as long as they kept His commandments.

With this latter covenant, the flesh is to be afflicted. In the first covenant the flesh was protected so that the nation could be preserved to bring forth the righteous seed, Jesus Christ. In the latter covenant, the seed, God’s Spirit, was promised inside an earthen vessel. The flesh must now diminish so the seed can be seen and the Spirit can take its rightful place of authority in the earth realm. Paul is saying that we as a church were APPOINTED TO SUFFER AFFLICTION AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE MOVED.

I Thessalonians 3:4

4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Paul said we would suffer tribulation. Tribulation is trial after trial: persecutions, afflictions and reproaches one after another. We must not mix these two covenants. We have to make a distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant--God certainly did. Jesus said that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump so we cannot take a little of the Old Covenant and mix it with a little of the New Covenant.

The scripture says that if the first covenant had been without fault there would have been no need for the New Covenant. The gospel of the New Covenant is designed to arrest flesh and reveal the power of the Spirit. The power of the Spirit cannot be revealed as long as flesh reigns. God gave us a better covenant by actually sending His Spirit, calling it a Comforter, to live inside of these earthen vessels and actually commanding us to give the Spirit dominionship.

Flesh no longer has dominionship. This is why we have to be careful about those doctrines or teachings called Dominionship Now. These doctrines teach that the flesh will have dominionship over the things of this world in this life.

Affliction – 1. A condition of pain, suffering, or distress. 2. A cause of pain, suffering, or distress. Tribulation: is trial after trial. Webster’s Dictionary

Hebrews 8:6-8

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

The gospel of the New Covenant was designed to arrest the flesh and reveal the power of the Spirit.

Arrest – 1. To stop or check the motion, progress, growth, or spread of.

2. To seize and hold under authority of the law. Webster’s Dictionary

Some of us have a problem with this because we believe what we have been taught, but we must open the scriptures for ourselves and not depend on what someone is saying to us. We have to read the Bible and allow the scriptures to interpret themselves.

Hebrews 2:6-7

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands.

Man (Adam) was placed over all the works of God’s hands. God placed Adam in charge of everything He made and gave Adam dominionship. Man was given dominionship over planet Earth, and everything was subjected to him from the Garden of Eden.

Hebrews 2:8

8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Because man sinned, we have not seen in this lifetime all things in subjection under man’s foot. God sent a remedy for sin. That remedy is Jesus Christ. Now we are walking in the first phase of that deliverance and restoration. We have received the Spirit of God in our inner parts, but it does not yet appear what we will be.

The Bible says that the whole earth is moaning and groaning waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God. They are waiting for us to be changed into our new bodies and take our dominionship, but this will not happen until Jesus Christ returns.

Romans 8:19-23

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

All the teachings and doctrines telling people to buy up shopping centers and land believing that when Jesus returns they will still retain ownership are fallacies. The Lord never told us to seek after the things of this world but for us to take no thought. He is not going to teach us to take no thought in one book of the Bible and then tell us to go after all the things of this world in another.

If we were to obtain anything, He said the church, which is the family of God, should have all things in common. We are wealthy in the fact that we belong to a family. If I have, you shall have. None should lack anything, not because we are all wealthy, but because we are one family. This is God’s way for His saints to live now.

GOD IS NOT GOING TO EXALT THIS FLESH THAT HAS BEEN CONDEMNED TO THE DUST. This is the season for the Spirit of God. This is the time of the Holy Ghost, a time for saving souls and not a time for physical prosperity. This does not mean that God has a problem with us prospering, but it does mean that God will prosper us as necessary, as our soul prospers. He will give us the necessities to sustain us so that we may do His will. Since God said it is hard for a rich man to get into the kingdom, He is not going to give us all the wealth of this world and then turn around and make a statement like this.

We do not see dominionship now. We see Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of glory waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. If Jesus Christ does not have complete dominionship now, then neither do we. We have power over all the power of the enemy in our spiritual walk, and the forces of evil if we live holy so that the Spirit of God can operate through us.

God did not give us the Spirit of Grace to obtain the things of this world. Israel did not need the Holy Ghost to have wealth. If God wants us to have wealth, He will be the One who provides. He promised us the riches of His glory, and if we are to reign with Christ we will also suffer with Him. Many saints do not believe this is God’s desire for us. Do not be misled.

St. Matthew 6:24-32

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Israel did not need the Holy Ghost to have wealth.

A GOSPEL OF AFFLICTIONS

II Timothy 1:8

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

This is a gospel of affliction and suffering. If we are going to be a partaker of the gospel, we will be afflicted.

People are confused because of these erroneous teachings. They think that they are supposed to get the wealth of the world and when they do not, they do not understand why. All these teachings about God will make them the head and not the tail is wrong. If we are suffering persecutions, reproaches and infirmities from our enemies, we cannot say God did not mean for that to happen. If He did not mean for these things to happen He would not allow it, and we cannot say that everyone who is suffering is in sin.

Sin was the explanation, especially if someone was suffering financially, and this has brought a competitive spirit in the church. If we do not have a brand new car, a nice home and new clothes to wear every week, something must be wrong. If sin could not be seen, then secret sin got the blame. This placed people in a position to think that something went wrong with their relationship with God. Even people who were living holy kept looking at themselves wondering what they were doing wrong.

We have to be honest. We cannot say that everyone going through afflictions is in sin. We have to give a righteous explanation for what is happening in the Body of Christ. Paul said to Timothy that this is a gospel of affliction.

GOD IS NOT TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE WE SUFFER

Romans 8:14-16

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

We must be willing partakers of Christ's sufferings. We are joint heirs with Christ. This means that whatever Christ receives from the Father He will share with us. He is the first partaker; He is the elder Son, first born, first begotten. Whatever rewards Christ receives from God, He is to share with us. However, up to now, the only thing He has promised us is affliction. In this life, the only thing that we will share is affliction.

Romans 8:17-18

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God has no problem with us suffering. The suffering of this present time is this day that we are living in right now. This is not the time for the church to be glorified. No matter what we have been taught, we have to cut loose the poison. God has given us an antidote for the poison we have taken: the TRUTH. This is the time of the Spirit, it is not the time for the flesh to be glorified.

We have to minister the truth at any cost. We cannot worry about who receives it and who does not. Some of us will plant, some will water, but it is God who will give the increase. So, we cannot move from the truth because it does not sound good. The Word is the standard by which we are to live, and in the suffering message we now know we have a reason to suffer. This is our season for procuring more sons.

Romans 8:19

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

St. John 17:17

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. This world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God who know that this is not their time to be glorified but to do the will of the Father: to procure more sons and bring God inside of every circumstance, situation and relationship so this dying world will see Christ and have hope.

It is our time to bring spiritual things to this world, letting our light so shine forth pointing others to Christ. We cannot bring light into the darkness if we become as the darkness. Jesus said if the light in us be dark, how great is that darkness. If the truth we have received is mixed with any unrighteousness or man’s doctrines, our light becomes dim and the Word then has no delivering power.

When we walk in dark places and the light is very dim, we cannot always see everything that is in the way. This is what saints have been doing. They have been stumbling through dark forests, running into trees and branches because their light has dimmed. When the truth comes, it lights our path so that we can see the trees, branches, obstacles, cliffs and everything the devil has placed in our way as a stumbling block.

Many have been offended because they could not see the offenses the enemy would bring. The truth will set the light on the offense, but as long as it is dark, dim and we do not know the truth, the enemy causes us to be offended by our suffering. Many times we are offended because the Word has mandated that we walk through certain things. The Word has told us to love our enemies and the fleshy mind [or the old man] was not accustomed to this. But now, we have the mind of Christ and the power and perspective of the Holy Ghost, so we don’t have to stumble in dark places.

In the Old Covenant God told Israel He would make their enemies their footstool. In the New Covenant, however, He said if our enemy is hungry, feed him, do good to those who despitefully use us. Is not this contrary? To allow others to despitefully use us is not something the flesh would willingly allow . . . this can only be lived by spiritual beings.

St. Luke 6:27-28

27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

I. MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERING

Hebrews 2:10

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

We are going to be made perfect through suffering. This is important because some people may think they do not have to be perfect, they just have to be saved. If you have not reached perfection you are sinning. Many times we want to say that there is no sin in our lives because we are not drinking, smoking or in the clubs. But, if we have not reached the mark of perfection there is some iniquity somewhere inside us all. Something has definitely separated us from the Father.

If we walk in pride, will not humble ourselves and have unforgiveness in our hearts all these things point out our sins, our refusal to obey God’s Word and how far we are from being made perfect. Jesus was made perfect through suffering, and we are going to be made perfect through suffering.

Hebrews 2:11

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren, because we will suffer as He suffered.

I Peter 1:5-7

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

This will bring us to a place where we see the need for suffering in the Body of Christ. In order for God to appoint us to suffer, there must be need. If necessary, God will allow manifold temptations in our life. Temptations are trials. God will do us like He did Job. The only reason the story of Job is in the Bible is because it is a type of the church. We may agree that this is a type of the church, but we will not agree that God will allow saints to suffer.

Notice God says if need be, in other words, if it is necessary there will be manifold temptations. If there are some imperfections in our lives or we have not reached the mark of perfection, they have to be revealed. The suffering and the trials reveal our spiritual location. If we do not understand that afflictions, trials and tribulations are necessary, then we will always be offended by them. The Apostle Paul said to the Hebrew church that Christ, as well as the church, will be made perfect through suffering. Suffering and trials reveal our spiritual location.

II. SUFFERING DIMINISHES THE FLESH

Suffering is the plan of God. Suffering diminishes the flesh. IT PUTS THE FLESH IN A HELPLESS SITUATION SO THE SPIRIT CAN TAKE AUTHORITY. The trying of our faith will be precious to us, because when our faith is tried we begin to see the power of our Christ. We do not know what power is within us until there is a negative situation wherein we have to stand on the Word of God and are forced to trust God.

God will allow situations where our back is up against the wall and where the flesh cannot maneuver its way out. Otherwise, when would we see the power of God? We will not know what we have in us until suffering forces us to allow the Holy Spirit to take dominionship over the situation.

We need to look for dominionship in our negative situations, relationships, circumstances, offenses, hurts, heartaches and disappointments. Let us give the dominionship to the Holy Ghost so we will know the power of our Christ. Until the circumstance has been allowed and God lets the hedge down and bursts the bubble that protects us, we will never know the power of our God. God will allow flesh to be battered so that the Spirit of God can come forth.

II Corinthians 12:6-7

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

We have taught this particular scripture as pertaining uniquely to Paul. He was speaking not only for himself, but for the church. Yes, he was giving a personal testimony, but the principal is true and pertains to us as well.

God revealed so much to Paul and he was very enlightened. Who gave Paul a thorn in the flesh? Who was concerned that Paul was not exalted above measure? Is the devil concerned about us not walking in pride? The devil wants us to walk in pride, so it has to be God that is concerned with us remaining humble.

God turned Satan loose on Paul, a man who had a greater testimony, did more work and had a deeper revelation than the other disciples. Paul walked with God. He had a tremendous revelation of Jesus Christ given to him by God, but the same God who informed him of Christ also sent the messenger of Satan to buffet him.

If God would take a man like Paul who worked all his life for Him and gave up all things that he might win the anointing, what do we think He will do for us? God ordered a messenger (angel) of Satan to follow Paul and buffet him. This angel stirred up the Jews against Paul, and always kept him running for his life. He had been shipwrecked and stayed in the deep three times, beaten with rods and was left for dead. Paul said that he bore the marks of Christ in his body and suffered for the gospel. He knew that God was responsible for all his afflictions and persecutions.

God was beating his flesh under and seeing that he not be exalted above measure. He knew that God cared so much for him and sent a rod of humility so he would not lose his reward. Paul said he went to God three times to move the angel. He knew that God had sent him and that the messenger of Satan could not get to him unless God allowed him.

BUFFET: 1. kolaphizo NT: 2852 signifies "to strike with clenched hands, to buffet with the fist" (kolaphos, "a fist"), Matt 26:67; Mark 14:65; 1 Cor 4:11; 2 Cor 12:7; 1 Peter 2:20. 2. hupopiazo NT:5299, lit., "to strike under the eye" (from hupopion, "the part of the face below the eye"; hupo, "under," ops, "an eye"), hence, to beat the face black and blue (to give a black eye), is used metaphorically, and translated "buffet" in 1 Cor 9:27 (KJV, "keep under"), of Paul's suppressive treatment of his body, in order to keep himself spiritually fit (RV marg., "bruise"); so RV marg. in Luke 18:5, of the persistent widow, text, "wear out" (KJV, "weary"). See KEEP, WEAR, WEARY. (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

III. TAKE PLEASURE IN INFIRMITIES

Paul was accustomed to figuring things out, was highly educated and a man with contacts; but God wanted to make sure that flesh got no credit for Paul’s work in His kingdom. God said His grace, the power of the Holy Ghost, was sufficient enough for Paul to go through every trial, situation, relationship, and all of the flight of afflictions he had received. God said His grace would take Paul through, and that His strength is made perfect in weakness.

The only way to be perfected is to let the flesh get to a place where it can do nothing, and where its only hope is in the God in us. God wants us where we cannot do anything but depend on the One who is within. It is in this that we will see the perfect power of God.

II Corinthians 12:8-10

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

God will not allow any more to be placed on us than we can bear. We can go through everything that happens to us. If we continue to let God live, not get exalted, not depend on flesh or trust in our ingenuity, connections or abilities, we will make it. God’s grace is sufficient, because His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Paul said he most gladly would glory in his infirmities so the power of Christ may rest upon him.

We have to glory in our weakness and infirmities. We have to make a decision not to try to dodge or try to cheat suffering but embrace whatever God has ordained for us to suffer day by day. All we need is our daily bread, which is enough grace to go through. God will never give flesh credit for the work He does in His Kingdom. Our confidence must be in God to take us through every trial, circumstance and situation we face.

Sufficient – 1. That is enough: Adequate: 2. Competent: Qualified. Webster’s Dictionary

We have to learn how to take pleasure in our infirmities and reproaches and not in lip service. Do not say the right thing because it is religious, but take spiritual pleasure. If we can arrest our flesh when it is being reproached, then the power of God is shinning through and someone will see Him.

We have to be as Paul described, and take pleasure in suffering necessities. Yes, God will allow our lights to get turned off, lose our car, get evicted and other situations, but we must remember, too, that God is in control. He will let our friends turn their back on us and allow people to falsely accuse and lie on us, but He says to take pleasure even in this. If we can arrest the flesh in the midst of the offenses, then the power of God would be made perfect through us. Then, men will see God and not us.

We are to take pleasure in persecutions. Men may try to kill our reputation, but God does not want us to worry about that. If we are going to get a reputation, we must allow God to give us one. God wants our testimony to be His. He wants men to be able to see, not what flesh has accomplished, but what the Spirit has accomplished through us.

If our back is up against the wall and we do not know which way to turn, we should rejoice; because then we are to depend on the guiding light that comes from heaven. We have to depend on God to lead us through the path. It is a distressful situation for the flesh, but we can find comfort in the Spirit. The Spirit says to not be moved or let our heart be troubled as He has everything in control. Find comfort in knowing that if we lose everything the world has to offer, WE WILL WITH A PURE HEART WIN CHRIST.

We need the spirit of Christ to move in and through us because someone out there is dying, someone does not believe the gospel, and someone is hooked on the world's system, on hatred, alcohol, crack and on their way to hell. We need the Spirit of Christ resting upon us so when we speak demons will flee, healing will take place and the Father will back us.

Every time we see God allowing the enemy to touch our flesh we have to say to ourselves, “Lord, you want to be glorified.” We must allow the flesh to die in that situation and seek what the Word says for us to do so that God can be glorified. We must embrace whatever God has ordained for us to suffer.

The sufferings of the Apostle Paul:

II Corinthians 11:22-30

22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.