Tag: spirit

Articles

Knowing No Man After the Flesh

Pete

Knowing No Man After the Flesh

All mankind whether in the faith or not makes many judgments every single day.  We do this every time we respond, think and act to the various stimuli (all things) the Lord is working in our lives.  Decision making is judgment making and the Lord is working all of it, even declaring to us our very thoughts (Amo 4:13) even giving us the words we speak (Pro 16:1).  That is just how powerful our sovereign Lord truly is that the world and all in unbelief know not.

Isa 64:8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. 

 Php 2:13  For it is God [it is NOT YOU] which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

It is only those few given to know these truths, by coming through the fire, which are first learning to trust in the Lord.  Once the Lord starts this work in us, we grow in our understanding that the Lord is working all things and has predestinated our entire lives (Psa 139:16) declaring the end from the very beginning (Isa 46:10).

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

The title of this study comes from this well-known Scripture that tells of the complete paradigm shift those of the household of faith are to exhibit in conducting ourselves in these clay vessels.

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 

What does “know no man or Christ after the flesh” really mean from a spiritual and practical significance?  We hope to explore the answer more thoroughly in this article.

The very next verse helps zero in on what knowing no man after the flesh is all about. Those that “know no man after the flesh” are those in Christ (in the true faith in His Body of true believers) that are striving to be like the Lord and following His example.

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

The precious few given the Spirit of Christ and dragged to His spiritual body (Joh 6:44), the spiritual Jerusalem, are those given the gift, a measure of Christ’s faith, and who are now walking differently as compared to their former selves and the entire carnal world.

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

We don’t even know ourselves anymore in the flesh when we walk as the new man. Faith has us no longer condemning ourselves for the things the Lord has wrought in our life.

The short answer of what it means to “know no man after the flesh” is to walk by faith and not by sight (using our carnal physical senses).

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

2Co 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight [physical/carnal senses]

Simply put, those “being justified “ (saved, delivered, judged, etc) by the process; are doing it BY FAITH.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

With the root of faith established, we thereby grow through the many trials the Lord brings that is continuing to teach us how to see things from God’s eyes.

Col 2:6  As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

Col 2:7  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught [in and by judgment – Isa 26:9], abounding in it with thanksgiving.

God is not a respecter of people

Contrary to the multitudes trapped by the letter and not seeing the Spirit in all Scripture, the Lord is not a respecter of persons.  All men are viewed the same and given the same judgments and the same rewards, there is NO DIFFERENCE except the timing of when we seek Him.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 

The punishments and the reward, the entire process is ONE process that comes alike to all men (Ecc 9:2) in the times appointed.

Col 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 

Col 3:25  But he that doeth wrong [we all do wrong before we are taught and caused to do right] shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. 

Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 

Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God. 

The Lord is no hypocrite.  Our commands are to do what He does and follow His example in how we are to judge all things.  Here is what He does.

Joh 8:15  Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 

Joh 8:16  And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 

How to do we make these judgments every day to the many stimuli in our lives yet follow Christ and judge no man?  We do it by walking by faith according to the Word rather than the wisdom and logic of the carnal world.  Judging by the Spirit is how it can be said we judge no man and even that we “know no man after the flesh”.  The Word of God is what judges every man but even that only in the appointed times, the last days, the end of the carnal age for every man.

Joh 12:47  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 

We judge each other today by the words of fire we speak, share and meditate on.  But we ourselves are judged not by a man but by the living Word that is Jesus Christ in us  and spoken by His Body. This is how the fire (the word) spreads among us and will, in turn, spread to all mankind in the “will be” fulfillment of the Lake of Fire.  This is how we attain the mind of Christ being raised from the spiritually dead [the carnally minded].

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

It is Christ, the living Word within us that is doing the judging.  It is the authority of Christ within us, the Word, which we are to follow in conducting ourselves and judging righteous judgment rather than judging in the flesh.

Joh 7:24  Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.

With regarding to knowing men and how we are to make those judgments; we are to judge the fruit and the Spirit in the man rather than their appearances.

1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

Far too often we are impatient and judge hastily based on appearances, [in the flesh] having respect of persons which is contrary to the commands of the Lord in the Old Testament.  The Lord changes not!

 Lev 19:15  Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 

Pro 24:23  These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 

Also in the Old Testament, Scriptures about balances and weights refer to much more than our just our honesty in handling money [spiritual knowledge is also money or riches].  These OT symbols on measures ultimately speak to our faithfulness to the Lord and how we judge all matters of life (1Co 6:3).

Diversity in our judgment, playing favorites or being partial is using diverse weights and measures. That is what a carnal mind does in justifying things in the flesh.

Pro 20:10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are an abomination to the LORD.

It is the mature man of Christ who has learned to measure all things by the Word of God which is how we can discern good from evil.

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

James calls out the church (you and me) who in our immaturity continue to show respect of persons, knowing men after the flesh.

Jas 2:1  (NKJV) My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality [respect of persons]

Whatever is not of faith is sin and including our having respect of persons and judging according to the flesh.  James continues to give a seeming outward physical example yet remember “my words are spirit” and all of these words are signified.

Jas 2:2  (NKJV) For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 

Jas 2:3  and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 

Jas 2:4  have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges [of men in the flesh] with evil thoughts? …..

Jas 2:8  If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you do well; 

Jas 2:9  but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 

Knowing men after the flesh is judging men in the flesh and is contrary to faith.  This puts us right back under the law for the lawless and in bondage to the carnal mind and its accusing and or excusing thoughts (Rom 2:14-15) about men.

Every Man is Jesus Christ

Knowing no man after the flesh includes us coming to see that EVERY MAN is Jesus Christ who is both the first adam and the last adam in every man.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 

Rev 22:13  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 

With the mind of Christ, we are able to look at every man and see them as Jesus Christ.  It is coming to see and live this truth that defines our maturity.

Mat 25:40  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 

Judging in the flesh has us knowing men in the flesh rather than the Spirit.  We no longer know Christ in the flesh and now we begin to see Him in every man regardless of where anyone may be in the faith or the road to maturity.

Gen 1:27  So God created [is creating] man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 

Knowing that Christ is every man and that men are truly clay in His hands, we will look at some natural behaviors and reactions of our flesh, so we can be on guard within ourselves and within the brethren to help one another.

Favorites:  We need to be aware the Lord will use our preferences for people to try our faith and to teach us righteousness showing us the partiality that lies hidden in our hearts.  Having such preferences itself is not sin, it is only when we apply a different plumbline and let those carnal desires interfere with being Christ UNIFORMLY to all men.

1Ti 5:21  I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 

In the end, all will be in Christ and in Christ we are told ….

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by [the free gift of] faith in Christ Jesus. 

Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

The Body of Christ (All men in the end) comes from all nations, tribes and tongues there being no respect of any person, creed, race or nation by the Lord.

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Deu 10:17  For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 

Preeminence:  The Lord shares His glory with no flesh and we are told often to be on guard the spirit of preeminence.  This is the same as a Nicolaitan spirit which is also a homosexual spirit where one man has dominion over another.  Being like our Lord will have us hating this Spirit any place we see it.

Rev 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 

We all battle this spirit within ourselves and we have seen it in others who seek adulation from men even do many good works and using that for carnal gain.

Mat 23:5  But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 

Mat 23:6  And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 

Mat 23:7  And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

The Lord has established offices in the Body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12) for the edification of the church who bring only what the Lord has given them (1Co 4:7) to bring. Everything is to be done for the Lord’s glory in all things.

Col 1:18  And he [the Lord] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 

Angel Worship:  Carnal minds naturally are drawn to give thanks and praise to those who bring favor to them.  It is right to give thanks and acknowledgment to those the Lord uses to bless us.  Yet we are denying the sovereign Lord when we go to far and bow before men who have done for us what was their reasonable service.  Twice we have the example of John being rebuked for bowing before his fellow servant who revealed the mysteries of Christ.

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 

Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 

Recipients of such worship love their brother or sister and put them right turning the praise and worship back to God.  To Him alone goes all praise and glory and honor.

Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 

Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 

Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 

We are going to be tried over and over again by the Lord to burn all partiality in judgment from our heavens and earth.  We are getting to the place where we only say or do what we see our Lord doing.  That is the mature man in Christ who lives by faith and is obedient to the commandments.

Joh 5:19  Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son [you and me Lord willing] also does in like manner. 

Sincere questions are always welcome.  You can reach me at peterjwilson56@gmail.com.  Be blessed

Pete

Articles

Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning

Pete

“Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning”

For the first time in my life, I have gotten much experience in buying and burning firewood.  It’s a good lesson and reminder for things we already have been given to know in the Spirit.   The major workings of the Lord are not seen with physical observation (Luk 17:20-21), yet they are revealed in His physical creation.  This is a major revelation once you are in the Truth and have your heavens opened to such a great understanding.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the [physical] things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the [physical] worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Using the physical to ascertain things in the Spirit is a useful and needed tool for us to study the Scripture and grow in the knowledge of the Truth.   Our primary way of learning the deep things of God (assuming we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see) is comparing spiritual to spiritual across the Old and New Testaments (2Ti 3:16, 1Co 10:11, Hos 12:10)

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (the entire Bible) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

One can take anything in the physical and outward world and with the mind of Christ, apply many spiritual truths and principles thus proving the macro truth of Romans 1:20. In this study, we are going to look at physical fire and apply its traits and characteristics in the physical to the truth of how the Lord works in the Spirit.  At a bare minimum, this study should help refute the lie of an eternal hell where God burns his own creation alive forever and without end.

What is Physical Fire? – Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in a chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products (gases, ash, etc.)

This is interesting because it is the positive of spiritual fire that is the Word of God and that fire is making a quick work in making major changes within us that comes with much spiritual heat and light.

God’s Word is fire:  The fire is what is remaking us from a natural firstborn Adam into a son of God via the process of our judgment.

Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Having our old “natural” way of life burned up is not pleasant to our flesh and its desires, yet it is necessary for us to be saved and made partakers of His Holiness.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Men and our flesh are likened unto trees and wood in Scripture.  In the negative meaning (as the word is two edged – Heb 4:11), trees and wood symbolize our physical life and life of being carnally minded.  That is what God’s fire is making combustion within our day of judgment.

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

Joe 1:19  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. 

Eternal hellfire along with the delusion of free will is one of the biggest lies of orthodox Christianity and the “other jesus” billions know and worship.  The Lord’s fire is what is saving us and burning up the wood that represents our flesh and carnality.

Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Psa 89:46  How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Eze 5:4  Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

The question of how long is also answered in Scripture.  It takes as long as God has ordained for every man as our entire lives have been predetermined (Psa 139:16).  But we know the fire of judgment by the Word (Psa 19:9, Rev 1:3, Joh 12:48) will eventually go out when its work is finished and we have learned (been perfected) righteousness.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Sodom and Gomorrah are not still literally burning in an eternal hell.  God’s spiritual fire worked its work and destroyed the sinfulness and the sinful city which is its purpose yet today in saving all men.

Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities …..

What is needed for fire to combust?  Typically, physical fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and a fuel source (i.e. wood).  The presence of these things is not enough, as combustion requires a spark and a heating of the wood to its ignition temperature.  The heat needed to spark a fire can come from lots of different things for instance:  a match, focused light, friction, or even lightning.

The Spirit of God is the oxygen (the air, the wind) that fuels His Word and is sparked to life by the many wonderful works of God to His children.  The Lord who works all things (Eph 1:11) is the one who creates the sparks in our spiritual life and brings the trials that raise the temperature that burns up the wood and impure metals within us.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (spiritual match)

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance (match)

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

1Pe 1:7  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 (spiritual friction)

Burning wood creates smoke:  Smoke is a symptom of a burning fire and contains the trapped gases along with other organic matter.  These are pollutants which are then driven away by the physical or spiritual winds that are God’s judgment by the Word.

Hos 13:3  Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Little pieces of wood burn quicker and faster than big pieces:  A fuel’s size also affects how easily it will catch fire. A larger fuel, such as a thick tree, can absorb a lot of heat, so it takes a lot more energy to raise any particular piece to the ignition temperature. A toothpick catches fire more easily because it heats up very quickly. Chopping us up and burning our carnal mind results in fiery trials which come in all shapes and sizes according to what is needed.  In the same way, the Lord gives us stripes (judgment) according to the size of the log (sin and carnal-mindedness) needing to be devoured.

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The Lord starts us out dealing with the small stuff before He moves on to the big stuff needing to be burned up.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The hardened parts of our wicked heart will take a hotter fire than the small sins.  The Lord truly knows how to deliver the new man (the godly) out of those temptations.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

The harder the wood or the more of it, the hotter the fire:  Fire burns hotter when the wood is hard or there are lots of it.  Here in South Africa, the best wood for braii is arguably Namibia hardwood.  The Lord knows how to dial-up the heat in our lives accomplish His work in us by fiery grace.  Our hardened rebellious hearts take a hot fire to burn the “I, me and my” out of us.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Eze 24:9  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Eze 24:10  Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

Softer wood burns easy and quickly and there are some issues the Lord works that require much less heat and anguish than others to purify our heavens and our earth.

Dry wood burns best and green wood is difficult to burn:  The Lord prepares us to be burned in His fire by drying us up of good works and draining us of confidence in our flesh.  The Lord promised there would always be seasons on the earth (Gen 8:22) that are used to prepare the wood for further chastening.  The best wood is seasoned wood that has been prepared and dried out waiting it’s time to be burned in a fireplace or a stove.

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

 Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jud 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Truly wet wood will not burn:  Two different perspectives I will mention on this criteria as there are always two sides to the Word, it being a double-edged sword.  In the negative sense, water or wetness is associated with the flesh and our walking by that mindset.  When we are still wet with that mindset, we have not been prepared for judgment and the Word of God is not yet burning up our old man and we remain carnal beasts.

On the other hand, when we are full of the Spirit, drenched in God’s rain which is His doctrines the fire does not harm us.  Those raised in the first harvest of men (the second harvest of the three) will be the completed new man and have the fullness of the Spirit and hence there is nothing left to be hurt by the Lake of Fire has already been through that in this age.

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

The new man who stands on faith abides in the fire and is never hurt.

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Fire generates heat which warms us physically and also warms us up spiritually and helps get us through the non-fruit producing seasons of life.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Fire generates light in times of darkness to show us the path and bring others that need help to us.

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Mat 5:14  Ye (My disciples, the Body of Christ) are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Heb 1:7  And of the angels (messengers) he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Flame color indicates relative temperature: Generally speaking blue and white flames are the hottest which ties wonderfully to the symbolism of colors in Scripture.   Blue symbolizes the things of God and the goal of our going through the fiery process now and in turn becoming a fire to save others.

Isa 10:17  And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day(the day of the Lord)

When the fire is truly intense there will be blue flames present.  In the same vein, the goals of achieving the righteousness of Christ (white linen) is only found in the fire of judgment with white also being an indicator of a very hot flame.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

More air equals a faster burning and hotter fire:  A poorly burning fire is usually solved quickly by giving it more air (oxygen).  Our measure of faith (Rom 12:3) and infilling with the Spirit of God is all of the Lord’s determination. Only the Lord had the fullness of the Spirit in a clay body (Joh 3:34).  Yet we can look forward to growing in our anointing as we mature abiding in the Holy City (The Body of Christ) waiting for the fullness to come (Rom 8:23).

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We should welcome the fire and seek it knowing it is what hastens the coming of the Lord within us more each day Lord willing (2Pe 3:11-13).

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

To keep our fires burning and grow in the power of God, we need spiritual air to tap into the power the Lord has given to His Christ (Joh 20:21)

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

A fire goes out when the wood is consumed:  The fire of God is used for good to remake us into sons of God.  Our God and Heavenly Father is inseparable from His Word which is consuming our wood (carnal mindedness) more each and every day

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

The wood won’t be gone fully until the clay vessels are gone. Hence we persevere.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

The priests of God in the making (Rev 5:10); we are the bearers of the Lord’s fire and work to keep that fire burning always in the temple of God which temple each we are.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is the Lord’s temple that the altar resides and where His fire will be forever burning.  It has nothing to do with the lie of eternal hell.

Lev 6:12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

Lev 6:13  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

The residue of a wood fire is ash: Ash is a very fine dust particle that has many good uses.  Physical ash is an unburnable mineral that is very useful in fertilizing gardens, trees and promoting new life.  Interesting that ash is also used in making soaps that clean and purify us, controlling foul odors (landfills), and even deter and kill insects.  All of this has great spiritual significance when we apply Romans 1:20 to what the Lord is doing with us in this age where judgment is now fallen (1Pe 4:17).

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (losing your life), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

I have even learned the hard way that ash retains its heat for a long time which in the Spirit is very positive in our ability to minister and help others when we are humble and our selfish lives have been burned up.

It is after our life is sacrificed, the wood has been burned that we are given new garment that is white as the ashes of wood burned in the fire.

Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Fire is made up of many burning pieces of wood:  It is difficult to light and keep burning a single piece of wood.  But if one puts multiple pieces in building his fire, the fire will burn much longer and more consistently.  This brings to mind the truth that the Body of Christ is being made into a spiritual fire right now in this age as the first to be judged.

Zec 12:6  In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

The cloud of many witnesses (Heb 12:1) and the infolding fire are one in the same description and vision of the Elect (Body of Christ) who are being made into saviours.

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Oba 1:18  And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

As we come thru the fire, we become saviours who in turn will help save others including all mankind in the lake of fire.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

It is the Body of Christ who will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

We saw just some of the attributes of physical fire and how that reveals how the Lord is working things in the Spirit. One could take virtually anything in the physical world and deduce much about the ways of the Spirit.  But they are going to need to be prepared of the Lord, we cannot give the gift.

Pro 20:12  The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

I hope this study stirs your memory and recollection of these spiritual truths.  As winter comes to those in the northern hemisphere, making a fire and watching the wood burn can become a time of reflection and examination of ourselves and all the good works the Lord is doing to the children of men.

Isa 66:15  For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Comments and questions are welcome. You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

Articles

Faith Comes By Hearing

Pete

When we are given the gift of faith,  then and only then do our heavens and earth begin to hear the words of the Lord.  What a blessing.

Jer 22:29  O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD

Deu 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

To follow Christ we must be able to “hear” His words and obey His commandments.  Christ Himself must give us these ears as chosen by God.  Eventually, we all will be taught of God as we are given these ears to hear.

Joh 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

Yet God’s ways are not our ways.  The way to coming into the truth first leads through strong delusion.  This fact itself is a great deception that has ensnared many of God’s called people that are chosen but have not yet been given their spiritual ears. This deception which like all deception and of course ALL THINGS are ordained of God. We all will drink of strong delusion before we ever come to know the true Christ. THIS IS THE PREREQUISITE.

Deu 29:6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.

Before we will know Him, we will first get drunk which is the bible speak to living under a strong delusion. When we first are drawn to Christ, all of us will initially fall backward and be ensnared in deception. To come out of Babylon, we all must first go into Babylon and we all do.

Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

One cannot simply pick up a Bible and give themselves ears to hear. That is what the church teaches but that is far from the truth. Still handing out Bibles and encouraging others to read it is a necessary path we all must take. We must first be drawn to Christ and learn about Him and this is often done with Bibles and the Babylon churches. They serve God’s purposes quite well.

Many of my former YouTube and Facebook friends have been greatly influenced by this deception or downright ensnared totally by it. That delusion is that hearing the voice of Christ is hearing a literal voice in your head. I am certainly not going to say God cannot literally speak an audible word to any man, as indeed He did in some of the Scripture events recorded for our admonition.

But when Christ spoke about hearing HIS WORD, He is speaking about being given the spiritual understanding. This takes God-given ears to hear.

Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And lest you think we choose to hear, we do no such thing.  We are the clay and we are the works of His hands and even our ability to hear is all caused by the Lord.  That is why one can show Scripture such as this and the people in Babylon still don’t hear the word.

Jer 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

The Lord not only makes us hear, HE CAUSES US TO SEE.

Pro 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

Amazing how blind we are when we believe the lie that man has free will and it is up to us to save ourselves.  The Scriptures declare a completely different reality.  Here it is again.

Pro 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

There is NO you do anything to make this happen.  It is all I WILL says the Lord.  

Christ made the following statement which is an amazing powerful truth if one is given the depth of the understanding. The flesh profits it nothing, His words are SPIRIT and we must stop thinking about them with the limits of our natural carnal mind. Hearing things spiritually has little to do with the flesh and what is audible.

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Christ Himself spoke audibly to many people that it says even believed on HIM (John 8:31). These heard literal and audible words spoken by Christ as many did in all the parables. Yet they did not hear Christ, they heard nothing that He said and understood not anything. Christ told them plainly they were not of God and could not hear His word and were still of their father the devil

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning.

Remember this was spoken to those that claimed His name and believed on Him! But they were not of God as Christ made clear.

Joh 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

So believing on Christ and claiming His name and even audibly hearing His words does NOT mean someone has true ears to hear. That is only given to a man in the day and hour appointed by the Father. The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are indeed hidden wisdom that is purposefully hid from the carnal ears and minds of the many called of God. It is only revealed unto Babes in the times appointed.

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

Mat 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

The mystery of how Christ is formed in us, the few there be that shall find it in this life, is called a mystery for good reason. It can only be revealed by faith given to us and thru the discernment of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual ears that come with it. This is why the truths of this gospel, even simple things like salvation for all and God working all things are rejected as heresy and foolishness by these carnal babes in Christ. There is no surprise to any of us that have been blessed with ears to hear.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

This is done on purpose as God’s plan is to save the many thru the few. The Christ of Christ will be the saviors that will judge the world in righteousness in the future in the lake of fire. So to accomplish His plan, God purposefully blinds and makes deaf those that claim they see and say they hear but do not.

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Only the chosen disciples are given the revelation in their appointed time. To them it is given to hear and to see. To everyone else it is not given. These are not Pete’s words, they are the words of Christ.

Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

This sounds very arrogant to those outside of the covenant. But it is just a simple fact and nobody that does hear His WORD will boast in anything except to say they know the Lord, which is the definition of eternal life. In the face of great opposition to the true gospel, Christ has put His words in the mouths of HIS CHRIST which is HIS BODY. He has put these words of fire in our mouths and commands us to go speak them to the lost house of Israel. This lost house is the very ones that believe on Christ and think they already hear, just like those jews described in John 8.

Eze 2:7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

CHRIST speaks His words thru HIS CHRIST. Whether they hear or not we do not know. Yet we speak them anyway.

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

This is what doing the works of Christ is all about.   The Christ of Christ speaks His words and ears prepared to hear them hear them in the day and hour appointed by the Father. This is what Christ wanted kindled on this earth and in our earths. HIS FIERY WORD THRU HIS BODY.

Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

The stories of the prophets, of which the Elect are His prophets, are to go speak this word to the lost house of Israel. As His Father sent Christ, He also sends us (John 20:21).

Eze 3:4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
Eze 3:5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Eze 3:6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
Eze 3:7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.

So my motive in speaking these words and these truths is to obey God who has commanded that we speak them. We will do it even though we are told very few will hear and the rest will reject us and eventually learn to hate us and speak all manner of evil about us.

2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

How much more Christ told, us we would be accused of being from Beelzebub given our Lord was accused of the same!

The Christ of Christ, the Elect will go speak these words of fire. And this is why we do it and how Jesus builds His church thru His Christ. Paul made this clear that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But nobody will hear if THE CHRIST is not sent to speak these words. But we are sent thankfully and those appointed to hear will hear.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

So hearing the words of Christ is not related to hearing a voice in your head. That is a great delusion that sadly has many horribly bound in deception. Some of this group even call the Bible the Mark of the Beast. They will even deny the Scriptures as not being the WORD OF GOD and only say the red letter in the gospels are the WORD of GOD. Such utter nonsense of the carnal mind.

The way of salvation is thru much judgment and great wrath. That day of judgment will not begin until we can first hear the word of God spiritually. It is the WORD that Jesus said will judge us in the last day of our carnal age. But until we are given ears to hear, our judgment cannot begin since we are spiritually dumb. I do not know who will be given ears to hear today, but I am hoping it will be some, maybe even some that read this message. If so, we give praises to the Lord who will have begun the process of bringing back to the fold one of His lost sheep.

There is a day coming Christ said, and is now for a few, when the dead shall hear and they shall rise to eternal life. Far greater blessing to have that day of judgment begin here and to be an active part of the Body of Christ.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

All of us, you and me will be SPIRITUALLY DEAD until the day we can hear the Spiritual words of Christ. Until HE gives us ears to hear. It is only those that have an ear to hear that will be the overcomers in this life as told to each of the 7 angels of the churches of revelation, which are all ONE CHURCH that is within us.  Being given ears to hear is required to overcome and receive the blessings that are promised to overcomers.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

The Elect of God will continue to give food and drink to our enemies and those who oppose this gospel of good news for all. It is that food and drink that shall nourish the least of the brethren when they are given the blessing to hear this word.

If any man hears these words and believes them not, then they are not now being judged. But we all will be judged on the day we do begin to hear and how wonderful are the judgments of God, sweeter than honey and more desirable than gold.

Joh 12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

I pray there are some earth’s within some folks that are beginning to hear these words.

Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction 

Can your heaven and your earth hear these words?

Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.