A BRAND NEW YOU!! (Part 1)

 

Text: 2 Corinthians 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: Vs 17: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Vs 18: And all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

Paul, Apostle of Jesus Christ is the author of First & Second Corinthians and wrote four letters addressing the struggling life styles of the Corinthians. Many of them had converted to Christianity and struggling with their environment because of persecution, sexual immoralities, you name it. They were surrounded by corruption and every conceivable sin and feeling the pressure to adapt.

Paul encourages all Christians to be careful not to blend in with the world. Don’t be like a Chameleon that will blend in with their surrounding for survival. They will turn green on a bed of grass and on the earth, it becomes brown. The animal changes to match its environment. Many creatures blend into nature with God-given camouflage suits to aid their survival. It’s natural to fit in and adapt to the environment.

But followers of Christ are new creations, born from above and changed from within. Our scripture describes what it means when God makes a man brand new. True believers don’t blend in well, because you’re made to be different - not the same as the other, unlike in nature, form, or quality unrelated, unconnected, an unassociated, individual.

Note, scripture states, “IF” meaning there are stipulations, conditions that must be met before things happen. So, before you can become brand new, you must be in Christ (out of self, the world, no more in the flesh). This is a promise of what God will do in your life if you will receive Him as your Savior.

Who better to tell the story than expert witness Apostle Paul? A true witness of God, one who was on the scene, suffered much persecution, one that experienced supernatural transformation from his old self to a brand-new creation.

Before Paul’s conversion, then Saul, a living, breathing threat to the Christians, was journeying near Damascus, the most promising young Rabbi in Jerusalem was supervising the persecution and execution of Christians. This is the one circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, parents both native Jews, called himself a Hebrew of Hebrews; of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, a persecutor, and blameless according to the ceremonial law. He was educated and studied divinity and Jewish Law, tutored by Gamaliel, a Jewish Law Teacher, a high-ranking Pharisee. Your rank or status means nothing to God.  He looks at the heart of man.

Time was when his only canon of evaluation was whether or not someone met the strict Pharisaical standards of Mosaic ceremonialism. If he did, he was a brother. If he didn’t, he was a dog. And NOW, he’s singing a new song, “There is neither Jew nor Greek.” What happened? Let me be the first to tell you, “REGENERATION HAPPENED”. 

As Saul, he had no problem persecuting the Apostles of God as he was on the road to Damascus.

Scripture said, “Suddenly a light (Risen Savior) shone around him from heaven” (Acts 9).  He fell to the ground and the rest is history, “old things passed away and behold, all things became new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I’m sure Saul turned every way he could, only to find himself surrounded with nothing but light. Its design was not only to startle him, but to awaken his attention, so he could hear when he was made to see, and to enlighten his understanding with the knowledge of Christ.

The devil comes to the soul in darkness so he can possess and keep possession of it. But Christ comes to the soul in light, for He is Himself, “the Light of the World”. Understand, the first thing in the new creation is light/illumination, Genesis, 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light”. If God is light, then all Christians are children of the light and of the day” Ephesians 5:8/1Thessalonians 5:5.

In II Corinthians, we are going to discover a unique gem of truth describing an entirely new breed of man, the kind which this world has never seen before. From Paul’s life and scripture, you can clearly see a difference between the old man vs the new man.

 Paul is talking about two conditions that are necessary (unavoidable; needful; not optional) for our entrance into the Kingdom of God, and living in Christ, both of which are consequences of Christ dying for us and both are a requirement: “regeneration” and the “new birth”!

FIRST – REGENERATION:

In “REGENERATION” (paliggenesi’a), this rebirthing is a spiritual renovation (renewing; restoring, repairing, refreshing, purifying) or translation from the “old man” (flesh; carnal nature), into the “new man” (spiritual nature).

Regeneration is more than shedding tears because of temporary remorse over sin. It is more than changing your course of life, or leaving off bad habits and substituting good ones. It is something new and different. It involves a transition from the old life of sin to a new life of love and obedience to Jesus Christ. God takes hold of one who is spiritually dead and quickens (make alive) him/her into newness of life. He takes up one who was shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin and conforms him to the image of His Son. God comes to one who is full of enmity against Him and gives him a new heart that’s full of love for Him.

Paul here is speaking from experience because before his conversion, he knew Christ only after the flesh (merely another man). To know Christ by the flesh is to know HIM only as a human being, by human standard, but he came to know Him by the Spirit!

REGENERATION - it’s a process, it’s a miracle, resulting from a supernatural operation of God, it’s radical, it’s revolutionary, and it’s lasting. Our entrance into the Kingdom is based on the following two things and the first one is:

1.    2 Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore, henceforth, know we no man after the flesh: yea though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth (from now on), know we him no more.  

He was known from the human perspective which is a knowing only after the flesh. How did they know Jesus? They knew HIM as the firstborn of Joseph, the carpenter and his wife Mary. They knew His hometown. They knew how He talked and smiled growing up as a little boy. This is what is called fleshly knowledge, or the outward human knowledge. Jesus was known naturally without knowledge of His spiritual worth. As Jesus began to walk in His earthly ministry their knowledge of Him changed. They moved from knowing Him in the flesh to knowing Him in the spirit, meaning seeing who He really was spiritually.

We have to learn to see people from the perspective of the spirit. The real man/inner man is on the inside. You may know someone’s hometown, family background. You may know their social interest, including their sins and disgusting past life. This is because you were schoolmates, or worked on the same job, lived in the same community.  But, when anyone is in Christ, they are a brand-new creature or creation. Then, you happen to attend an event, and they‘re the speaker of the hour. You then, began to see them in a different light or new view. We have to see people not based on the flesh, but from the perspective of the spirit.

This reaches even to the level of family. Matthew 28:48, someone lets Jesus know His mother and brothers were waiting to speak with Him. His response is just stunning: Jesus answered - “Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Stretching His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold my mother and my brothers”! Jesus was regarding no man or woman after the flesh, not even His own family. What mattered is whether or not they believed in Him. Nationalism means nothing, ethnicity is nothing, and Jesus has a thicker bond with the children of God than He does even with His own mother!

When God sent the Prophet Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint a king, He said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for they look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7). If we fail to see people from the perspective of the spirit, we will not receive what God can do in our lives through them. Jesus was sent by God to the Jews first, but He was rejected because He didn’t look like the Messiah, John 10-22-41. They wanted to stone Him for calling Himself, “the Son of God”. They missed their blessing.

 As unbelievers, we all once regarded Christ from a fleshly point of view, according to worldly standards, focusing on the way things look outwardly rather than internally/spiritually. But the regenerate (spiritually rebirthed; spiritually renovated), regard Him in this way no longer.

John 20, take a look at Mary at the empty tomb, she’s weeping about the loss of her Savior when she should have been rejoicing. She was looking for HIS body. Jesus was right at her side, but unknowing to her, in a different form (spirit). Mary stoops to look into the grave (vs 11), that’s what uncontrolled grief will do. It will cause you to have no hope when you should be walking by faith and not by sight. When we are moved by the flesh and not by the spirit, we stoop down occupied by things below.

 The attitude of the believer should be that of Psalm 123:1 “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwells in the heavens”. With all that’s going on around us, hatred, turmoil, Pandemic, wars, rumors of wars, men’s hearts are failing them for fear and the things that’s going on in the earth.

The more we are occupied by the evil that’s around us, the more our hearts will fail, but Luke 21:18, But there shall not a hair of your head perish. Luke 21:28 When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws nigh.

So instead of looking down like Mary, say Psalm 121:1: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help? Vs 2: MY help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and the earth.

Note, John 20:11-13 two angels questioned Mary as to why she was weeping and she responded, “They have taken my Lord and I don’t know where”. In verse 14 she turns and sees Jesus, but He stood as a common person and Mary saw Him as such, the Gardener. His resurrection body was very different from that known of His body before the crucifixion.

Why? Because He was to be known no more after the flesh, but as the Head of the New Creation, He was Spirit, The Christ. The role of Jesus’ flesh body on the cross was ended, His earthly ministry was ended. He would no longer walk with them in the flesh, in the same physical status as formerly known, but in another form, Spirit form, in the many-membered body spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12:12. Confirming Luke 17:20: The Kingdom of God does not come with observation/ocular vision. Vs 21: “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you”. That’s why Mary didn’t recognize HIM, because she was looking for His physical body. As the risen Christ He would dwell in the heart of the believer!

After the resurrection, Christ was to be known in a new way, and no longer after the flesh, but in spirit, on High, being within His people!

John 20:16, when Jesus called her name “Mary” she recognized her Savior, and said, “Rabboni”, meaning “My Great Master”.  She wanted to express her joy and pleasure by embracing Him. He said to her, in verse 17 “Touch ME not, for I have not yet ascended unto my Father”, meaning, she was detached from Him by all earthly contact, it had to be by spirit now. In Matthew 28:9 He allowed women to take hold of His feet and worship Him. He didn’t want Mary to become familiar with Him as she formerly knew Him and His bodily presence.

Instead, commune with Him by faith and in spirit on High. John 4:24 God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

iHim==kkdkjjj   John portrays Christ as the Son of God, connected with the sons as Head of the new creation, the members of which know Him and “not after the flesh” (II Corinthian 5:16). The resurrection of Christ linked us with Himself as the Son of God in the Father’s House!

Before Paul’s conversion, he knew Christ only after the flesh (merely another man). To know Christ by the flesh is to know HIM only as a human being, human standard, and not as Savior or Lord. After he knew the significance of Christ’s death, he no longer looked upon HIM the same. Paul’s, inner man had undergone a complete transformation, he was a new creature. When Christ take hold of your life, you are no longer the same, not only was Saul not the same, but God even gave him a new name, as Paul meaning, restrained, constrained, representing the word of the Spirit of Truth, as Saul meaning (desired, little), representing human will, was now brought under subjection to the Spirit of God!

After Paul’s conversion, this proud Pharisee, who once scorned the Gentiles and Jews outside his group, John 7:49: But this people who know not the law are cursed, now looks beyond the mere outward appearance of men, showing us when Christ comes into our life, He changes the way we evaluate people. Human standards are no longer adequate for judging them. God changes everything about us. All of Paul’s prejudice and hatred gave way to love for all.

Let us move into the Peter class with the ability to see more than Jesus but see Christ!  Matthew 16:13-19 (Peter’s confession):  vs 16: Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!  Vs 17: And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:  for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”  Vs 19: And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:  and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:  and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The “new man” walks in the power of the Holy Ghost: 

·       Mark 16:17-18: These signs shall follow them that believe.  In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

·       Luke 10:19: I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you!

·       Acts 1:8: You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

All these things happen because the “new man” has a “new mind”:

·       1 Corinthians 2:16b: But we have (present tense) the mind of Christ!

·       Philippians 2:5: Let this mind be in you (we have it now) which was also in Christ Jesus.  Vs 6: Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God!

·       1 John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world.

So let the “brand new man” rule and reign in the name of Jesus the Christ!!

Evangelist Brenda Hansley

Inheritance (Pt.2)

 

Text:  Ephesians 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  vs 11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will:  vs 13: In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:  in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise;  vs 14: which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Topic:  “Possess Your Inheritance”!!!  (Part 2)

I left off in part one of "possessing our inheritance" stating that, because our testator (Jesus the Christ) has died and rose from the dead, that gives us rights to our inheritance NOW!!

When we "possess" something that means we have it, we own it and have control over it.  Possession denotes ownership, dominion, authority, occupancy, having acquired or to be blessed with.  God’s Word tells us that we are already blessed with “our inheritance”! 

What is our possessed inheritance?

Salvation: (Romans 10:9): If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Saved is from so’zo, meaning to be delivered; protected; forgiven; to make whole (healthy); not diseased or injured; not broken; undamaged; intact; in a single unit; complete.

·         1 Thessalonians 5:23: AND THE VERY GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY:  

Wholly (holoteles’), meaning to be (absolutely perfect [complete; thorough; sheer; fixed; positive; unrestricted; unbounded; full; certain]).  It goes to another root word, hol’os, meaning complete in every area of your life [heart, soul, mind, body]!    Paul goes on to say:                                             

·         And I pray God your WHOLE:  [(hol’okleros) [complete in every part; perfectly sound; entire]:

·         SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved BLAMELESS (faultlessly)

·         UNTO:  (meaning the point reached or entered of us becoming the perfect man, in the stature of the fullness of Christ, in the earth now) according to (Ephesians 4:13)]:

·         THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

It didn’t say “until” but “unto” {the point reached or entered of purpose] "His coming”.  His “coming” is not on a cloud out in the sky, but it’s the parousi’a, which is the total of the appearing or manifestation of His Presence “IN” the clouds of His people that are walking around on two feet in the earth now.  We are those clouds!!

·         Matthew 24:30: “And then shall appear the sign (not the Son of Man but the “sign” (semi’on) (an indication) [a mark or symbol having a specific meaning] of the Son of man coming (manifested; appearing)  in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”. 

·         Matthew 26:64: Jesus said unto him (the high priest):  “Thou hast said:  nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven”.

·         Mark 13:26: “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory”.  

·         Mark 14:62: (Jesus questioned by the high priest if He was the Christ):  And Jesus said, “I am:  and you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven”. 

As you read Hebrews chapter eleven it speaks of what’s called the “heroes of faith”.  Then it goes right into Hebrews chapter twelve and makes this statement:

·         Hebrews 12:1: We are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.

(The witnesses are those spoken of in Hebrews chapter eleven and others in that unseen realm, reaching all the way back to the Book of Genesis to now)!  These are the "cloud of witnesses we are compassed (surrounded; encircled) about right now in that unseen world that we can't see with the naked eye, but they are present!

·         Jude:10-13 (speaks of those in a state of apostasy): vs 12: “Clouds they are without water”. 

The clouds “without water” are those that don’t have the “water of life” in them, those bound by religious teachings that are not preaching and teaching the truth of God’s Word in its fullness in us now.

·         Revelation 1:7: “Behold he cometh with clouds”.

The “clouds with the water of life” are those that will come to you ministering God’s Word in its fullness of truth saying:

"You don’t have to die to go up beyond the blue (via the grave) to be with God, because He Emmanuel (God with us) is come to you by His Spirit and has taken up residence within you":  (John 10:10): I am come (present tense) that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

"You don’t have to wait for some great getting up morning to stand before God and be judged":  because you’re “already being judged” by what you say and what you do, now. 

·         Matthew 12:36-37: But I say unto you, “That every idle (empty; unproductive; inactive; useless) word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (judged).  [That’s going on in people’s lives right now.  It's not a coming event].

·         St. John 3:17-18: God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believes on him is not condemned:  but he that believes not is condemned (judged) already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He that believes on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of “LIVING WATER” (John 7:38).  “Living water” comes out of the mouth of the “clouds” with the “water of life” in them!

Back to Matthew 26:64, Mark 13:26 and Mark 14:62, when Jesus said to the high priest, “You shall see, and they shall see” the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power”, they saw it happen “at Pentecost”!

·         Acts 2:1-4: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

·         Vs 5: And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven, (including “the high priest” and “they that pierced him”): 

·         Revelation 1:7: Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him:  and all kindred of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen!

 Jesus told the high priest in Matthew 26:64, that he would see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven, and He saw it at Pentecost “and they that pierced him saw it as well”! The “rain clouds" had arrived with the water of life in them that came out of the upper room. Peter was the preacher and thousands were saved!  At that point many thought they were drunk.  But Peter let them know that that was the fulfillment of the Prophet Joel chapter 2 verses 28-32.

We today are God's clouds and when we appear He appears also because we are his flesh and bones in the earth (Ephesians 5:30). 

·         1 John 3:2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This is happening now, because when we have a need God sends someone to meet that need, and that is Him appearing in that person.  So when I look at my sisters and brothers in Christ, I am looking at Him!  That’s us “seeing Him as He is” right now because we must come to know Him by the Spirit!  This is “AN INHERITANCE”!

What else is our possessed inheritance?  

Forgiveness of sins:

Forgiveness in Hebrew is celiychah (seleekhaw'), meaning pardon.  Also from calach (sawlakh') meaning to spare. 

Forgiveness in Greek is aph’esis, meaning freedom; pardon: deliverance; liberty; remission.  [Aph’esis means a release from bondage, imprisonment, liberation from captivity and remission of debt].

·         Psalm 130:4: But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared (reverenced).

·         1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse (purify) us from all unrighteousness.  

       1 John 3:9: He that is born: (genna’o, meaning to regenerate) [reformed; converted; made over; revivified; restored] of God doth not commit sin:  (hamarti’a, meaning an offense; as in missing the mark);  because his seed (sper’ma) [something sown, (God’s procreative; reproducing Word)] remains in him and he cannot sin (hamartan’o) (to miss the mark [and so not share in the prize] (to err; trespass; offend; your faults), because he is born of God.

I’ve heard people say, “As long as you’re in a flesh body you will sin or make a mistake”.   But if we’re walking according to the leadership of God’s Spirit, how can we sin or make a mistake?  Not possible!

1 John 2:10: He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.

 Stumbling is from the root word skan’dalon (our English word scandal), meaning a trap-stick, a snare (cause of displeasure or sin): offence; stumbling block; occasion to fall.

·         Jude 24: Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

If we’re delivered from “sin” (and we are), then “death” is defeated, because sin brought on death, and Jesus conquered and defeated both “sin and death” for us!!!

·         John 10:10: I am come that you might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly!

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

Wherever “life” is used in scripture in relation to man, Jesus used the word “eternal” or “everlasting” along with it!

Eternal and Everlasting are from the same root word aio’nios, meaning, perpetual; everlasting; forever.  [Eternal pertains to quality of life: Everlasting pertains to length as unending].

·         John 3:14-16: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

·         John 17:2-3: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

Another inheritance:

 Redemption: from the root word lu’trosis, which is a ransoming or releasing of something on receipt of ransom; atonement.

Redemption by the blood: Leviticus 17:11: The life of the flesh is in the blood.

There are different kinds of connective tissues in the human body (bone; muscle) and different organs in the body (liver; heart; kidneys, etc), each in their own position handling their assignment.  Blood is the “fluid connective tissue” circulating through the cardiovascular system to transport substances (oxygen; food) throughout the body.  Concepts of Human Anatomy and Physiology:  (Kent M. Van De Graaff & Stuart Ira Fox).  If that’s what the physical blood do and it does, what about the “precious blood of Jesus the Christ”!!!  Still talking about “possessing our inheritance”!

·         Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands that is to say, not of this building.  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

·         Vs 15: And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption [ransom in full, riddance (of sin, death, the grave), salvation, deliverance],

·         Of the transgressions (violation; breaking of covenant) that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal (perpetual; everlasting; forever) inheritance.                                                

Isaiah 58:1: Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 

1Timothy 2:14: And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression (violation; covenant breaking).   

 Adam was given a “help meet” not a “help mate”!

MATE defined in Webster is a companion or fellow worker; one of matched pair; husband and wife; male and female.

MEET in Webster means to come upon; encounter; to experience; to satisfy (as a demand, etc); to come together; to come in contact; to be introduced; to assemble.

MEET in Hebrew is e’zer, meaning an aid; help.  It goes to another root word azar’, meaning to surround, meaning to protect, aid, holpen, succour, or assist. 

·         Genesis 3:20: And Adam called his wife’s name EVE; because she was the mother of all living.

 Mother is from the root word ‘em (ame), meaning the bond (anything that binds, fastens, or unites) of the family.  So Eve was the “mother” or “the bond" of the “Adam family” that the LORD God formed.  She was not the mother of all the different races of people on the earth.  First of all there is no way that all the different races of people could come from one man and one woman.  It is physically impossible!  Let me remind you, “the female” was already here before “Eve” arrived.  The “female” was already classified as or qualified also to be “Adam” and was ruling and reigning along with the “male” Adam.  Adam called her "Eve" not just because she was a “female”, but she was the “help meet” the LORD God gave Adam so as to reproduce and bring forth sons and daughters of God for the glory of God.

·         Genesis 5:1-2: “In the day God created man, in the likeness of God made he him:  male and female created he them, and blessed them and called their name Adam”! 

So there were already females in the same class with the male “ADAM”! 

·         Genesis 1:26: Let us make man in our image after our likeness:  and let them have dominion.  Vs 27: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

This word man in Hebrew is aw-dawm’, meaning ruddy, the species mankind; people / also from aw-dam’, meaning to show blood (in the face).

So Eve is a body of people that the LORD God brings forth out of the Adam (awdawm’) race which also had God’s blood and His mind within them with the understanding of what it would be like being God's ambassadors or representatives in the earth!  She (Eve) was a type of the church.  God's true church is yet now in existence today reproducing and bringing forth sons of God!

So Adam was not just one man as we were taught over the years but a group of people composed of both “male & female”:

·         Genesis 5:1-2: This is the book of the generations of Adam, in the day that God created man in the likeness of God made he him:  male and female created he them:  and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

The deep sleep that came upon Adam and the woman (the church) called “Eve” that was taken out of his side was a picture of when Jesus died on the cross and that which came from His side was the woman (the church) which He sanctified and cleansed by the water (the Word) (Ephesians 5:26), and redeemed with His own blood (Hebrews 9:22).  The bride His wife is yet reproducing and bringing forth other sons of God today and will continue forever.   This is the “New Jerusalem”, the “holy city” John saw in Revelation 21:2, coming down from God out of heaven; the “mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26). Then they were called ADAM, now we are called CHRIST!

·         1 Corinthians 12:12: As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body:  so also is CHRIST!!

This is a possessed inheritance, being “CHRIST”!

Revelation 19:7-8: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him:  for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  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. 

We're still talking about "possessing our inheritance"!

[Back to Adam]:  In Genesis chapter three comes the “fall of the creation”:

·         1 Timothy 2:14: And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression [(parab’asos) violation; covenant breaking].   

 The prefixes of this word “trans-GRESSION”, is what defines what you do or where you are:  Aggression (readiness to attack or confront; hostile):  Digression (going in different directions); Progression (going forward); Regression (going backward); Transgression (staying in the same place]

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years:  the church today is still wandering in the wilderness (digressing; regressing; transgressing), waiting for Jesus to come back and get them and take them up to heaven to be with God; rather than "progressing" in God by accepting the truth that we are already with God in “heaven” in Christ Jesus! Some become a tad bit "aggressive" when you tell them the truth, because they don't want to let go of "their heaven (beyond the blue)"!

·         Ephesians 2:6: And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

·         Acts 7:37-38: This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall you hear.  This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers:  who received the lively oracles to give unto us.

But because God loved us so much He put in place the way for us to regain our inheritance:

·         Ephesians 1:10-11: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:  in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will.  

·        Ephesians 3:15-16: Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

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

·      Another possessed inheritance:

Priesthood authority:

·         Revelation 1:5-6: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.  (Rev.5:10).

The “priest” tells man to God; he or she takes the needs of the people to God.  The “prophet” tells God to man.  The “prophet” tell the people what God demands and what He’s saying.  The “king” rules in and over his domain or territory!

·         Luke 10:19: I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

·         Acts 1:8: You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

God has given us “kingship and priesthood authority”:

·         1 Peter 2:5: You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

·         Vs 9: You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

·         Revelation 1:6: And he hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen. 

·         Revelation 5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:  and we shall reign on (over) the earth.

·          Revelation 19:16: And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS!

We are of the Melchisedec priesthood authority: Hebrews 7:11: If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?  

In Hebrew Malkiy-Tse’deq means, “King of right”.  We know this is Jesus Christ Himself!!

·         Jeremiah 23:5: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

·         Jeremiah 33:15: In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.         

·         Hebrews 7:3: Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.

·         2 Corinthians 3:6: Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit:  for the letter killeth, but the spirit gives life.

·         2 Corinthians 5:21: 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.

·         1 John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world.

Other iuheritances:

Health:  throughout the Old Testament, ”health” is from different root words, but overall they basically speak of salvation, deliverance, prosperity, repair, restoration, being sound or made whole.  But the definition in 3 John 2: stands out:  “I wish above all things that thou may prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers”. 

That word “health” in this verse is from the root word hugian’ino, meaning to have sound health, be well (in body); to be uncorrupt (true in doctrine); sound; whole; wholesome; safe and sound.  Jesus said Himself in John 8:32: You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!  This freedom is freedom from sin, sickness, old age, torment, death, hell, and the grave!!!

God doesn’t want us to just have “healing” alone because that would mean there will always be something that needs to be healed, but when we have “health” all areas, heart, soul, mind and body are made whole!  This means that we can walk in "divine health"!

·         Isaiah 53:5: He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities:  the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

·         Jeremiah 8:22: Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?  Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

·         1 Peter 2:24: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:  by whose stripes ye were healed.

Eternal Life:

·         St. John 3:15-16: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life:  (quality) [grade A].   For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life: (length) [unending].          

Kingdom living:

·         Exodus 19:6: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.

·         Luke 12:32: Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Kingdom is from basilei’a, meaning royalty, rule, a realm, and also from basileus’, which is a foundation of power!

·         Mark 11: 9-10: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.  Blessed be the kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Jesus was the “Kingdom” riding on that colt making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

·         Luke 17:20: The “kingdom of God” cometh not with observation:  vs 21: Neither shall they say, lo, here: or, lo there:  for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

·         Romans 14:17: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

·         1 Corinthians 4:20: The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (dunamis).  

T  The"Kingdom" is the Man Jesus the Christ, that dwells within us, not a place up in the sky out beyond the stars somewhere.

·   Revelation 5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:  and we shall reign on (over) the earth.

Perfect peace:

·         Isaiah 26:3: Thou will keep him in perfect (complete; whole) peace (safe in mind, body, and estate), whose mind is stayed on thee:  because he trusts in thee.

What puts us in the position to get our inheritance?  

It is “SONSHIP”:  The “son” carries the seed, and in Christ “females are sons” to!

·         Galatians 3:27-28: As many of you as have been baptized into Christ (not in water) have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither “male nor female”:  for you are all one in Christ Jesus!

As we grow through different “seasons” it moves us into the positions we need to be in as God elevates us into higher levels and wider dimensions in Him so that we can possess our inheritances!

FATHERS TUrn THEIR BUSINESSES OVER TO THEIR “SONS” AND NOT THEIR SERVANTS NOR THEIR FRIENDS!

·         St. John 1:11-12: And he came to his own and his own received him not.  But as many as received him to them gave he power to become “the sons” of God, even to them that believe on his name.

·         St. John 15:15: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does:  but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

·         Galatian 4:6-7: And because you are “sons”, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a “son”; and if a son, then an HEIR of God through Christ.

This word “SON” stresses the quality and essence of one so resembling another that distinctions between the two are indiscernible!   [1 John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world]!

·         Revelation 1:6: Revelation 5:10: And hast made us kings and priests:  and we shall reign on (over) the earth.

 In God-ship authority, we are not just “kings and priests” but we are “gods”!

·         St. John 10:34: Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, I said, you are gods”?

SO POSSESS YOUR INHERITANCE AND WALK IN YOUR GODSHIP AUTHORITY!!!

·         Luke 10:19: I give unto you power (a possessed inheritance) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Pastor Gracie Perry