“The Real Mother”!

We are now in the time when we celebrate Mother’s.

Text: Galatians 4:22: For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.  Vs 23: But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the freewoman was by promise.  Vs 24: Which things is an allegory for these are the two covenants:  the one from the Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, which is Agar.  Vs 25: For this Agar is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children.  Vs 26: But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Galatians shows Christ our Liberty [freedom; independence; deliverance; redemption]).

When it comes to something being “real” that means it is legitimate, actual, genuine, authentic, or true.

We are in the time when we celebrate or honor the MOTHER of the family, motherhood, or maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society.  A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, or by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring. 

The US Census report states that over two million grand children are being raised by their grandparents.  So being a mother means more than giving birth to a child.  It’s loving and knowing a soul before you even see it.  It’s carrying and caring for a life that’s completely dependent on you for survival.  So we thank God for the mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, great great grandmothers, or all involved in raising children.

We also have spiritual mothers, those that have not given birth physically, but are spiritually birthing sons of God (male/female), into the Kingdom of God.  Like as Paul said to the Galatian church in relation to himself being a male:  Galatian 4:19: My little children (darlings), of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.

Some of the characteristics of mothers are: they’re patient; respectful; strong; humble; empathetic; authoritative; supportive; loving.  The Bible speaks of many mothers that are described differently.  Just to name a few.

Eve - the mother of all living (Genesis 3:20):  Sarah – the mother of nations (Genesis 17:16): Hannah – the mother who kept her vow to the LORD (1^st Samuel 1:11): Mary – the mother who is blessed among women (Luke 1:28).

There are a lot of descriptions to describe Mother’s, but today I’m going to talk about a Mother that you don’t hear too much about, and that’s the one that’s called “the Mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26).

Webster defines mother as the female parent; the origin or source of something.  Mother in Hebrew is em (ame), meaning the bond [cohesion] of the family. She’s considered the bond, cohesion; glue of the natural relationship of mother and child.

Our text Galatians 4:22 states, “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid (paidis’ke) [slave; servant], the other by a freewoman (eleu’theros) [unrestrained (to go at pleasure), as a citizen, not a slave; exempt (from obligation or liability); free].  Vs 23: But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the freewoman was by promise.  Vs 24: Which things are an allegory (parable; analogy; symbol):  for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage (slavery), which is Agar.   Vs 25: For this Agar is Mount Sinai, in Arabia (arab –ar-awb’) [sense of sterility [inability to produce children or young; not able to produce fruit or seed], and answers to Jerusalem, (yeruwshala’im) [founded peace] which now is, and is in bondage (doueu’o) [to be a slave to; do service] with her children.  Vs 26: But Jerusalem which is above (an’o) [upward or on the top; high] [not beyond the blue] is free, which is the mother of us all.

Matthew 12:46-50, gives us insight to what “true family” is all about in God’s language, as spoken by Jesus Himself:

·         Vs 46: While he yet talked to the people behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.  Vs 47: Then one said unto him, “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee”.  Vs 48: But he answered and said unto him that told him, “Who is my mother and who are my brethren”?  Vs 49: And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold my mother and my brethren”.  Vs 50: For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother!

 On the spiritual side the Mother (the church) is the bond (fellowship; partnership; association; affiliation; alliance; coalition; relationship) that ties the sons of God (male & female) to our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost.  

In Genesis 3:20, Eve (analogy of the church) is called “the mother of all living” and in Galatians 4:26, Jerusalem which is above that is free (the church), is called “the mother of us all”!   

·         Genesis 2:20: And Adam gave names to all cattle and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.  Vs 21: And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept:  and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.  Vs 22: And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman and brought her unto the man.  Vs 23: And Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh:  she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man”.  Vs 24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.

·         Genesis 3:20: And Adam called his wife‘s name Eve (the life-giver) because she was the mother of all living.

She was not the “mother of all breathing”, because there is no way possible for one woman and one man to bring forth all these different races or nationalities of people we see in the world today.  There are many walking around today breathing, but not "living".  But she was the “mother of all living” (chay – khah’ee) [alive; fresh; strong] / chayah’) [to live; revive; nourish up; preserve (alive); quicken; recover; repair; restore (to life); be whole].  She was a type of the church the MOTHER that had reproduced (revived, repaired, restored to life), and brought forth sons of God (male & female), that was ruling and reigning over creation, with dominion, authority, and power, as God’s representatives in the earth for the glory of God, then!

Adam being put into a deep sleep and the woman taken from his side that was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones, was his wife (the church) of whom he became the head, that he called Eve who was “the mother of all living” at that time.  Then when Jesus came, and was put to sleep (died) on the cross, and rose from the dead, He became the Head of His wife (the church) that had now become flesh of His flesh and bone of His bones (Ephesians 5:30), that came forth from His side that He cleansed by the washing of the water, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26), and eternally redeemed with His own blood (Hebrews 9:12).  She is called New Jerusalem, which is above, and is free, who is now “the mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26)!! 

So who is the Real (true) Mother?    

Something happened to the “mother of all living” in Genesis chapter 3.  First we must understand what happened in Genesis chapter 2.  The LORD God had taken over the creation and formed man (male &female) the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils (face; countenance) the breath of life and made him a living soul (vs 7).  Then the LORD God planted a garden eastward (denoting the rising of the Sun - the beginning of the dawning of a new day in God) in Eden (place of dominion, authority, and power) and there he put the man, to dress (abad’) [do service] (ruling and reigning over creation / reproducing and bringing forth other sons of God; to worship) and keep it (shamar’) [to hedge about; guard; protect; attend to; watch (man)].  They were watchmen over the creation, ruling and reigning over the creation.  Everything Adam needed was placed at his disposal (available for use whenever, wherever, and however needed). 

EDEN was to them then as HEAVEN is to us now!!

·         Genesis 2:16: The LORD God commanded (gave a charge, order to) the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden thou may freely eat:  vs 17: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shalt surely die”.

As the head of creation, the man Adam already had instructions what not to do, but something happened in Genesis chapter 3:  at this time Adam now had his “help meet”, the Woman that was now his wife.

·         Genesis 3:1: Now the serpent (not a slithering snake ) [but a person being used by the devil; Satan] was more subtil than any beast (cha’y) [raw flesh] (raw, crude, rude, refer to something not in a finished or highly refined state] of the field (sadeh’) [domain] (an area of territory owned or controlled by a ruler or government) which the LORD God had made, and he said unto the woman (the mother of all living), “Yea, hath God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden”?  Vs 2-3: And the woman said unto the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, you shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch (naga')[lay the hand upon for any purpose; come (draw) nigh; join] it, lest you die”.  Vs 4-5: And the serpent (whisperer; devil; liar; deceiver) said unto the woman (mother of all living), you shall not surely die:  for God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”.

This “field” was not wheat, straw, or a place where cattle are driven as such.  In Matthew 13:38, Jesus said that the “field was the world”.  World in the Greek is kos’mos, meaning that which has been orderly arranged, decorated, and adorned by men, whether political (government); social, economical, or ecclesiastical.  Each of these systems is controlled by men some of a beastly (furious) nature.  It’s happening all over the world. The “upper class” living high, standing on the shoulders of the “lower class”.  Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice:  but when the wicked rule, the people mourn (sigh; groan).  But remember this, Proverbs 13:22: A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.  People all over the world are sighing and groaning due to circumstances and situations happening on all levels of their lives, but God’s Word is still true. 

·         2^nd Chronicles 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways:  then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

It has been proven throughout eons of time that God has always brought His people out of bondage to each of those beastly government systems even from the book of Genesis, beginning with Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Greece, Persia, Rome, Papal Authority, and the government system that’s in operation now is no different.  The same God that delivered then is delivering His people now.   For it is the government of God, which is His Kingdom (dominion, authority, and power) that is within us that we must live by and not the one religion teaches that Jesus is going to set up over in the Middle East when He comes back, because He’s already here, ruling and reigning in those that believe!  Luke 17:21: “Neither shall they say, lo here or lo there:  for behold, the kingdom of God is within you”.  Within God’s government or Kingdom is all that we need spiritually and naturally that we might live!!!  But we must believe it, receive it, and walk in it!

Back to Genesis 3 (the fall of mankind):

[What the devil didn’t tell the woman was that they were already gods]!

·         vs 6: And when the woman (the first mother) saw (ra’ah’)[approved; discerned; experienced and enjoyed] (what the religious system of that day offered):  that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,  and a tree to be desired (chamad’) [to delight in; take pleasure in] to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof [this was not an apple; but it was the lie of the enemy], and did eat [devoured; absorbed] (the lie within her mind or consciousness and appropriated it to her own life and purposes, instead of God) , and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  Vs 7: And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

Their nakedness had nothing to do with the woman wearing a dress or the man having on a suit and tie, but they’d been stripped of the covering of God’s righteousness that they’d been clothed with, inclusive of His wisdom, knowledge; counsel; understanding, dominion, authority, power, incorruption and immortality!  They fell from their divinity back into humanity, through the fig leaves and aprons (the religious systems of that day they had joined themselves to and covered themselves with).  They moved from light into darkness; from life into death!  That’s why 1^st Corinthians 15:22 states:  As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be alive!

·         1^st Timothy 1:14: And Adam was not deceived, but the woman (the mother of all living) being deceived was in the transgression (parab’asis) [violation; error; fault; sin].

What you must understand is that even though Eve (the life giver) (the mother of all living) had eaten of the fruit (not an apple) (but the lie of the enemy), the creation still had not yet fallen, but when the head of the creation her husband (the one the LORD God gave the command to), when he partook of the fruit (the lie of the enemy) that’s what brought on the fall.  He did it so to keep fellowship (companionship) with her, his wife (the church).

So which “breast” are you feeding from, “the mother of all living” from (Genesis 3), or “the mother of us all, that is free” in (Galatians 4:26).

 So God is now asking “Who is your Mother”?

Genesis 3:8-13, there’s a conversation going on between Adam, his wife, and the LORD God:

Genesis 3:8: And they heard the voice (qowl) [calling aloud; sound; thundering] of the LORD God walking (halak’) [continually; be conversant; as they went to and fro on the pathway (of the behaviors) of their lives] in the garden (within themselves) in the cool of the day:  And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD amongst the trees of the garden.

These “trees” they hid themselves among were not oaks, or pines, but they were people.  (Please read at your convenience): (Isaiah 61:3) God's people are referred to as "trees of righteousness".  [Briefly] (Ezekiel 28) God said to the king of Tyrus, "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God":  (Ezekiel 31) Pharaoh, king of Egypt in this chapter – God is referring to him as a “tree in the garden of God”.  So, if Adam and Eve were the only two in the “garden of Eden” in Genesis, as have been preached to us religiously for years, how did the king of Tyrus and Pharaoh king of Egypt, get in there?  That’s because the Garden of Eden was not a physical garden of flowers and trees, but a place of dominion, authority, and power!  

Genesis 3:8:  The “cool” of the day:  Cool being the ru’wach, which is the wind; breath; to smell (ability to discern); to perceive; make of quick understanding.  The LORD God calling unto Adam was Adam hearing the LORD God speaking within himself because of where he (Adam) was at that time!  He’d become bound by the Woman (the church) [that was the mother of all living] that now has become the adulteress that had committed apostasy (desertion of one’s professed faith or party), but he still wanted to keep fellowship with his wife (the church).  Adam had moved from the “heat of the day” (the place of eternal life; divine health; dominion; power) into the “cool of the day” (the EVE-ning), along with his wife.  Evening is the Hebrew root word e’reb, meaning, dusk; evening; night; the going down of the sun.  The light of God that was in them (the Adam race) had been darkened by the lies and deceit of the enemy!!  Eve, the “life-giver” (the mother of all living) had now become a death sentence to him.

·         Vs 9: And the LORD God called unto Adam and said unto him, “Where art thou”?  Vs 10: And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.  Vs 11: And he said, “Who told thee that thou were naked”?  Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou should not eat”?  Vs 12: And the man said, “The woman (the mother of all living) whom thou gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat”.  Vs 13: And the LORD God said unto the woman, “What is this that thou hast done”?  And the woman said, “The serpent beguiled (nasha’) [to lead astray; (mentally) to delude, or (morally) seduce; deceive] me, and I did eat”.

Genesis 3:14-21, the LORD God pronounces judgment upon the woman and the serpent (not a snake but the devil), and Adam because he hearkened unto the voice of his wife (Eve, the mother of all living) and ate of the tree of which the LORD God commanded him not to eat of:  and the ground was cursed because of Adam’s disobedience. 

·         Vs 14: And the LORD God said unto the serpent (devil; Satan), “Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust (this is not dirt the serpent ate– but flesh) shalt thou eat all the days of thy life”.  Vs 15: And I will put enmity (hostility) between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

This is the prophecy of the victory that Jesus would give back to the creation!!  So God in His infinite love, grace and mercy, had a plan to restore the creation back unto Himself through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

·         1^st Corinthians 15:22: In Adam all die, but even so in Christ shall all be made alive!

·         2^nd Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know), that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.

That’s why we see in our theme scripture:

·         Galatians 4:23: But he who was of the bondwoman (paidis’ke) [a slave or servant] was born after the flesh:  but he of the freewoman (leu’theros) [unrestrained (to go at pleasure), (as a citizen); not a slave; exempt (from obligation or liability); free; at liberty]  was by promise:   Vs 24: Which things are an allegory:  for these are the two covenants, the one from the Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, which is Agar.  Vs 25: For this Agar is Mount Sinai, in Arabia and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Why Arabia, because Arabia connotes sterility, which is the quality or condition of being sterile [not able to produce children or young; fruit or seed].  The religious system is not able to bring forth "sons of God" that walk in the freedom of the Spirit, but those that are bound by flesh or carnality.

Why is that?  Because “religion” is still trying to present to us the same “woman” that was called the mother of all living in Genesis 3, that is yet a “bondwoman”, instead of the “freewoman,” that’s called “Jerusalem which is above, that is free, who is the mother of us all” (Galatians 4:26).

In the New Testament this “bondwoman” is called the “MOTHER OF HARLOTS” spoken of in Revelation 17:5:

·         And upon her forehead (frontal lobe) [that deals with personality; higher intellectual processes; concentration; planning; decision making; verbal communication] was a name written, MYSTERY BABYLON (confusion) THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS (bdel’ugma) detestations [idolatry] OF THE EARTH!  

It’s called Mystery Babylon “THE GREAT” because of the enormity (extreme scale; seriousness; extent) of the work of the enemy in these different systems of the world that has become methods of bondage (oppression) to many from all walks of life.  Systems being sets or arrangements of things working together as parts of a whole or an interconnecting network; a set of facts, rules, principles or procedures working a certain way; an organized plan or method or established order; a prevailing political or social order, especially when regarded as oppressive and intransigent [unwilling to change one’s views or to agree about something].  As defined by Webster and other sources.

Why is this?  Babylon in Greek is a type of tyranny.  Tyranny defined in Webster is the authority, government, etc, of a tyrant (an oppressive ruler; master); cruel and unjust use of power.  In Hebrew its Babel, meaning confusion (disorder; perplexity; chaos; confound).  That’s what happened in Genesis 11:1-9, when the people journeyed from the east [the place of light], into Shinar (ancient name of Babylon) and began to build them a city and a tower (pulpit; rostrum) whose top may reach unto heaven (high places of elevation) deviating from doing it God’s way, and He confounded (overflowed; mixed) their language and scattered them abroad upon the face of the earth.  This means that they began to disagree not just religiously, but governmentally or politically, economically, and socially, about different matters as pertaining to life, as it is happening in our society or the world today.

Today, many are speaking different languages, especially ecclesiastically, across towers (pulpits; rostrums) all over the world, in relation to repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment, instead of going on unto perfection (Hebrews 6:1-2). But the majority of Christendom don’t even believe that we can be perfect and that’s because “the Mother”, (Jezebel, the false teacher), spoken of in Revelation 2:20, has seduced (plana’o) [caused to roam (from safety, truth, virtue); go astray; deceived] the harlots (her children; daughters) (the different denominations) telling them in order to overcome they have to wait until Jesus come back and get them and take them to where God is, or go up yonder where God is via a dirt grave.  Truth is, we can overcome right here and right now because Jesus IS COME already, that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). God doesn’t want us to just survive, but He wants His people to “thrive” (grow; develop) till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature (maturity) of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13), because “As he is, so are we, in this world” (1^st John 4:17).  We must do the works that He did, because He said we could (John 14:12), if we believe.  But it's going to take the "Body of Christ" as a whole to do this.

What is a “harlot”? It’s the Greek word por’ne, meaning, an idolater (idol worshipper); to sell.  No one can pay me enough money to preach what they want me to preach, I must preach what God gives me.  This is one of the scriptures GOD gave to me:  Ephesians 6:19: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. So I have no choice but to obey this mandate from God, not man, to do what I do!

Someone may say, “I don’t worship idols”.  An idol is an image of a person or thing excessively reverenced or devotion to.  For those that can’t start their day without the horoscope, worship the stars.  For those that wear crosses with Jesus still on it, are still holding on to the Man Jesus, when He's not on the cross, He’s risen, therefore we must worship God in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Those waiting for the Man Jesus to come back and get them, are worshipping His flesh that has become an idol to them, when He’s already here by the Spirit.  His flesh is no more (2^nd Corinthians 5:16) “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:  yea, though we have known (past tense) Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth (from hereon) know we him no more”:  Except in you (Ephesians 5:30) “We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones”.  The only way He can and will be seen now is in His people!

Back to Galatians 4:25, this Agar, is the bondwoman, MYSTERY BABYLON, THE GREAT the “Mother of harlots”, that house and train those that preach and teach, “One of these days Jesus is coming back and set His Kingdom up in Jerusalem”.  When Jesus Himself said:

·         Luke 17:20: The kingdom of God comes not with observation.  Vs 21: Neither shall they say, lo here or lo there! For the kingdom of God is within you!  1st Corinthians 4:20: The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.  Romans 14:17: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but joy, peace, and righteousness in the Holy Ghost.

You don’t have to die to go to the kingdom because the kingdom of God is come to you and is within you!!

·         Galatians 4:26: But Jerusalem which is above (an’o) [upward; on the top; in a higher place (which is in Christ)]  is free (leu’theros) [unrestrained (to go at pleasure),  (as a citizen); not a slave; exempt (from obligation or liability); free; at liberty], which is the MOTHER of us all. 

This is the REAL (true) MOTHER, the city that John saw coming down from God out of heaven.  Revelation 21:2: I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem (not the one in the Middle East), coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

We the Church are that city!  Even Isaiah prophesied it. 

·         Isaiah 1:26: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning:  afterward, thou shalt be called, the city of righteousness, the faithful city. 

·         Isaiah 60:14: The sons of them that afflicted thee (those that fight the true message of the Kingdom) shall come bending unto thee:  and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet:  and they shall call thee, “the city of the LORD”, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel [God’s Israel is now all over the world, not just in the Middle East].

·          Isaiah 62:12: And they shall call them, the holy people the redeemed of the LORD:  and thou shalt be called, “sought out, a city not forsaken”. 

Then it’s confirmed in the New Testament: 

·         Hebrews 12:22: But you are come (present tense) unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.  Vs 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven (not out in the sky – but in Christ), and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect:  vs 24: And to Jesus the mediator (mesi’tes) [go-between; reconciler (intercessor] of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel. 

Our Heavenly Father has made us, the Church, “the Real (true) Mother” of His creation now, through Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost, to reproduce and bring forth sons of God (male/female) in the earth, to rule and reign as the Adam race did in Genesis before the fall.  Hallelujah to Jesus!!

So who is the Real (true) Mother?  

Let me tell you when the “Real (true) Mother” stood up!!

Matthew 27 (after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection):

·         Vs 50: Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  Vs 51: And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; vs 52: And the graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, vs 53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

How many know that it was the cross that differentiated between Jesus and Christ?  It was the body of the Man Jesus that God chose to suffer and die in that hung on that cross, but the body God chose to be glorified in after the resurrection was a many-membered body called Christ! 

·         Romans 12:5: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one, members one of another.

·         1^st Corinthians 12:12: For 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.  Vs 13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

When Jesus rose on the third day, when He “the Head” got up, He got the Body (the church) up with Him, which is His wife (the mother of us all)!

·         Colossians 1:18: And he is the head of the body, the church (a living organism, not an organization):  who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence (superiority).

That’s why Jesus said what He said in Matthew 8:20: “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests:  but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head”. 

That was because He hadn’t died yet, but as I explained earlier when He got up out of the grave He got the body up with Him. This could only happen after His resurrection, and it was at Pentecost, when He attached (married; joined; united) THE Head (Himself) to His Body the Church!  That’s the place He has laid (placed) His Head!!  Colossians 2:9: For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

Bodily is the root word somatikos’, meaning corporeal (of a physical, material nature; tangible).  Ephesians 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones!

·         Hebrews 12:22: But you are come (present tense) unto mount Sion (the church triumphant) and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [not the one over in the Middle East], and to an innumerable company of angels. Vs 23: To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect:  vs 24: And to Jesus the mediator (arbitrator; conciliator; intervener; peacemaker; adjudicator) of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

SO WHO IS THE REAL (true) MOTHER?  That would be all of us, male and female, that are members of Christ’s body.

·         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.

John said:   Revelation 21:1: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.  For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea (conglomeration [number of different things grouped together]).

But we are “one blood” (Acts 17:26): And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.   We are “one bread” (1^st Corinthians 10:17): For we being many are one bread and one body:  for we are all partakers of that one bread.  We are “one body” (1^st Corinthians 12:12): For 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. 

·         Vs 2: And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Those of us that are in Christ, are already in the “new heaven”, and that old heaven that we use to think was up beyond the blue, that lie has passed away from us!  For he hath raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).  We are already enjoying the marriage supper with the Lamb, our Husband, right now!!

·         Revelation 19: 7: Let us be gland and rejoice, and give honor to him:  for the marriage of the Lamb is come (present tense), and his wife [the real (true) mother of His sons (male/female)], hath (already) made herself ready.  Vs 8: And to her was granted that she be arrayed (dressed) in fine linen, clean and white [the light of God]:  for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

We are God’s righteousness!  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.  Vs 3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:  vs 4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  2^nd 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.

You want to know why you and I are now the “REAL (true) MOTHER”?  Let me break the word “MOTHER” down:  We are:

·         M: (MEMBERS):  Ephesians 5:30: You are MEMBERS (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones! 

·         O:  (ORDAINED):  John 15:16: You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ORDAINED (tith’emi) [to place (in a posture); appointed] you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

·         T:  (TRANSLATED):  Colossians 1:12: Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (worthy) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.  Vs 13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath TRANSLATED (methis’temi) [transferred] us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

·         H:  (HEIRS):  Romans 8:16: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children (teknon)[sons] of God.  Vs 17: And if children (sons), then HEIRS, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

·         E:  (ENLIGHTENED):  Ephesians 1:17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge (full discernment; acknowledgement) of him:  vs 18: The eyes of your understanding being ENLIGHTENED (informed; aware; educated; illuminated) that you may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

·         R:  (REDEEMED):  Hebrews 9:11: But Christ being come an 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.  Vs 12:  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 (deliverance from sin, death, hell, and the grave) for us.  Vs 22: Without shedding of blood is no remission.

Let the redeemed "Real (true) Mother" (male & female) say so!!  I am redeemed by the blood of the crucified Lamb!!

So will THE REAL MOTHER OF US ALL, (the true body of Christ) please stand up and glorify the FATHER!!!

Pastor Gracie Perry

The Authority of the Believer! (Pt.1)

 Text:  Mark 1:21-27: And they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at his doctrine:  for he taught them as one that had authority (exousi’a) and not as the scribes:  And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out, saying, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth”?  Art thou come to destroy us?  I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace and come out of him”!  And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.  And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying “What thing is this”?  “What new doctrine is this”?  “For with authority (exousi’a) commands he, even the unclean spirits and they do obey him”.

MARK shows [Jesus Christ is God’s Servant].  It’s a gospel of deeds and works.  “For even the Son of man, came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (diakone’o) [to be an attendant; wait upon; teacher; serve], and to give his life (soul) a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

[Vs 1-20] you see the ministry of John the Baptist in Judea preaching repentance and he baptizes Jesus, which was a part of His preparation for His ministry.  But then John is imprisoned and Jesus goes into Galilee preaching the kingdom (basilei’a) [rule; reign; power] of God is at hand (near; nigh; present).

Jesus in actuality was preaching (kerus’so) [to herald (as a public crier), especially divine truth (the gospel); proclaiming] that the kingdom, which is power, dominion, and the authority , that the first Adam had and lost, is now restored and is present again and the presence of this power was within Him (Jesus Christ), who was the Kingdom of God walking on two feet, and that same kingdom power would also be within the born again believers.

·         1^st Corinthians 15:45: The first (pro’tos) [foremost (in time, place, order, or importance); before; beginning; chief (est); former] man Adam, was made a living (za’o) [to live; life; (a) live (ly); quick]:  soul:  the last (es’chatos) (in the sense of contiguous), [farthest; final (of place or time); latter end; uttermost]; Adam was made a quickening (make alive) spirit.

Contiguous means to touch, meet, or join, close together, or to connect, as a whole.  What Jesus did on that cross and His resurrection was not temporal by any means, but eternal (everlasting; never ending)!!   

• Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come an 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  (acquired; secured) eternal redemption for us.

·         Was made a quickening (poopoie’o) [to (re) vitalize; make alive; life giving]/(poie’o) [abiding; continuing; fulfilling] spirit!  

This “quickening spirit” expresses action as completed and continued!!   What did Jesus say?

·         John 10:10: The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.

This is not just za’o life, as plant and animals have.  Plants have life, but not conscious life! Animals have life and conscious life, but not spiritual life!  Man has life, conscious life, and he has spiritual (eternal; everlasting) life.  This is life as God Himself has, which is eternal and everlasting life.  This is the life man was alienated (estranged), not annihilated (obliterated) from but has now been restored back too!!

·         John 5:26: For as the Father has life (zo’e) in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life (zo’e) in himself.

This is the “life” (Zo’e) that Jesus has restored back to mankind, life that is “eternal” and “everlasting”!

·         John 3:15: Whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal (quality) life (zo’e).  Vs 16: God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting (unending) life (zo’e).

·         John 17:2: As thou hast given him power (exousi’a) [ability; liberty; mastery] over all flesh, that he should give eternal life (zo’e) to as many as thou hast given him.  Vs 3: This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

This is the work of the “last Adam”!!  Jesus said: 

·         Revelation 1:8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending (completion of all things), saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty:  vs 17: “Fear not, I am the first and the last” (es’chatos).

Do you believe it?  The first part of “authority” is “author”!  Hebrews 12:2: Looking unto Jesus the author (archegos’) [chief leader; prince; captain] and finisher (teleiotes’) [completer; consummater] of our faith.

Remember in 1^st Corinthians 15:45, it states that “the last Adam was a quickening spirit”, and part of the definition of “quickening” is to “revitalize”!

Anytime you see the prefix “re”, it means “to do again”!!  Revitalize means to make alive again continuously!!  The word “vitality” as a noun is the state of being strong and active; energy.  It's the power giving continuance of life!!!  This is the importance of us fulfilling 1^st Corinthians 15:53-54:

·         For this corruptible (phthartos’) [decayed; perishable] must (necessary; essential; not optional) put on incorruption, and this mortal (thnetos’) [liable to die (but doesn’t have to)] must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption (aphtharsi’a) [unending existence; genuineness; sincerity], and this mortal shall have put on immortality (athanasi’a) [deathlessness], then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory (triumph; success).

2^nd Corinthians 4:11: For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life (zo’e) also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal (that which is liable to die, but doesn’t have to) flesh.

 Still talking about the “authority of the believer":  Mark 1:21-28:

Jesus makes Capernaum His headquarters which was a city on the North end of Galilee.  Capernaum is of Hebrew (kaphar’) [a village (as protected by walls)];  to cover (spec. with bitumen); to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel; atonement; purge; reconciliation; forgive; pacify; merciful; cleansed; disannulled; put off; pardon; pitch] / (nachuwm’) [comfortable / (nacham’) to sigh ie breathe strongly; to be sorry, ie (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):  comfort; repent; ease.

Capernaum’ here in Mark has the same definition as the word pitch in Genesis 6:1, when God told Noah:  “Make thee an Ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch”. 

Pitch is the root word kopher’, meaning, a cover, ie a village (as covered in); (spec) bitumen (as used for coating),  (fig) a redemption-price:  ransom; satisfaction; sum of money.  Then it goes to kaphar’ (above).

Noah “pitching” the Ark within and without typified “the atonement” that Jesus would make for us as our Ark of safety, dying on the Cross, but He didn’t just make atonement (cover our sins and deliver us from sin), but He also reconciled (brought us back; restored) us back to the Father!!

Jesus starting His ministry in Capernaum was showing how He was now ready to save God's people, expiate, cancel, and purge us of our sins, but also forgive us and be merciful toward God’s people, and cleanse our sins by disannulling and cancelling our debt by dying on the cross and not only make atonement for us but also to reconcile (bring back) us and restore the creation back to God the Father!!

·         2^nd Corinthians 5:19: To wit (know) that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing, their trespasses unto them.

·         Hebrews 9:11-12: But Christ being come an 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.

·         Hebrews 10:4: For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.  Vs 12: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God (a place of power). 

So Capernaum connotes that Jesus disannulled, cancelled and deprived the devil of his power against those that were ready to receive Him!  Remember what Jesus said in Luke 4:18:

·         The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Isn’t it the “anointing” that destroys yokes?  Isaiah 10:27: And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

This is the kind of “authority” Jesus had, and has given that same “authority” to us that believe!

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

·         John 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.

WHAT IS AUTHORITY?

Authority defined by Webster is a group or person with power; lawful power or the right to enforce obedience.

OF is a preposition placed in front of a noun or pronoun to show a connection with or to something or someone; to proceed from; composed of; related to. 

Let’s first deal with “proceeding from”:  We proceeded (began) and came out from this Authority (The Father): 

·         St. John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God:  vs 2: And the same (us) was in the beginning with God:  vs 14: And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.  Yes that was Jesus, but we were there also and is made flesh!

Secondly, composed of:  We are also composed (created; made up; framed; originated; designed; put together), not just by this Authority, but also of this Authority: 

·         Ephesian 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Thirdly, related to the Authority:  (When Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray): 

·         Matthew 6:9: Therefore pray you:  “Our Father”. 

He didn’t say “My Father”, but “Our Father”!!  Just saying “My Father” would have sounded a little selfish, and we know that there was not a selfish bone in Jesus’ body, but He said “Our Father”, denoting “oneness” (union)!!  So that makes us “sons” (male/female) of the Father also. 

·         Galatians 4:6: And because you are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts (will; mind; middle of you; thoughts; understanding), crying, Abba Father!

Our connection is made with the Father, through Jesus the Christ the Son, by the power of the Holy Ghost!  This power (authority) is now proceeding out of a body composed of believers called Christ (the anointed ones with God’s anointing)!!  We (the believers) are the ones to carry on or continue this authoritative (attested; certified) action or process as Jesus Himself did!   

·         Luke 10:19: I give unto you power (exousi’a) [ability] (privilege; strength; force; capability; capacity; right; liberty; freedom; superhuman; potentate; mastery; jurisdiction) to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

This tells us that we as “believers” proceeded from “authority”, we are composed of “authority”, and we are related to “The Authority”, who is God Himself!

Here in this Gospel of Mark Jesus comes preaching that the Kingdom of God is at hand (present), and many are healed by Him.  He was able to do these things because He knew who and whose He was, and walked in His dominion (treading down all that was not like God), authority (ability to use the power) and power (the spiritual dynamite to destroy the works of the devil)!

In this passage of scripture, Mark 1:22, authority in the Greek is defined as exousi’a, in the sense of ability (possessing the qualities necessary).  The synonyms for authority are power; privilege; skill; competency; capacity; capability; aptitude; liberty; force; strength; mastery; freedom; superhuman; know how; having what it takes. 

Those who have the Holy Ghost have these “abilities” or necessary qualities:

·         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. 

Those definitions of “authority” in Greek are:

Privilege (we have a special advantage):  

·         St. John 1:12: To as many as received him, to them gave he power (exousi’a) (ability; privilege) to become the sons of God. 

·         1^st 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.

He has already appeared (become visible; manifested) and is appearing (evident; obvious; come into view) in His people, now!  Because the only appearing He will make is “in His people”!!  So we are now “seeing Him as He is” in one another!!

·         2^nd Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh:  yea, though we have known (past tense) Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth (from here on) know we him no more!

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

Not up beyond the blue, but right here and right now!!  We see Him as He is, because when we see one another we’re seeing Him, we are looking at him! 

·         Ephesians 5:30: We are members (limbs; parts) of his body, of his flesh and of his bones! 

FORCE AND STRENGTH:  (the capability to exert strength to produce an intended effect): 

·         John 14:12: He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.  

•      Mark 16:17: And these signs shall follow them that believe:  in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues:  vs 18: 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.
•      James 5:14: Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:  vs 15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

·         Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

CAPACITY: (power to act):

•      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.

·         Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore and teach (matheteu’o) [to become a pupil; instruct (direct; tell; call on; charge)] all nations, baptizing them (baptizing in water is fine but He said) in the name (on’oma) [authority; character]/(ginos’ko) [knowledge; complete understanding; awareness] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Vs 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. 

·         Mark 16:15: Go ye into all the world and preach (kerus’so) [to herald (as a public crier), especially divine truth; proclaim] the gospel to every creature.  

·         Acts 1:8: You shall receive power (dunamis) [miracle working] 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.

COMPETENCY: (adequately fit with the “whole armor” of God): 

·         Ephesian 6:10-18: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power (krat’os)[vigor; might; energy; efficacy; activity; vitality; health; stamina; spirit; fire; enthusiasm; dominion] of his might.  Put on the “whole armor” of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil:  loins gird about with truth:  the breast plate of righteousness:  feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace:  the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked:  the helmet of salvation:  the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

But now, with these six pieces of armor (panopli’a) [full armor; all] on, that’s listed in Ephesians 6, they will not work properly without the other two pieces of armor (hop’lon) [an implement; utensil or tool; offensive for war; weapon], which are, the armor of light and the armor of righteousness.

The first piece of armor (hop’lon) is the “armor of light”:

·         Romans 13:12: The night is far spent, the day is at hand:  let us therefore cast off the works of darkness (skot'os) [shadiness; obscurity; error], and let us put on the armor of light (God's mind).   

The armor of light is us having (the knowledge of God or having His mind).  This word “light” is the Greek word phos, meaning to shine or make manifest by rays; fire; light; illumination.

 Illuminate is to light up; help to clarify (make clear; make plain) or explain; to make known one’s thoughts; it’s light as reaching the mind.  We must (not optional) have the mind of Christ:

·         1^st Corinthians 2:16: For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him?  But we have the mind (nous) [will; feeling; thought; understanding] of Christ.

·         Philippians 2:5: Let (allow) this mind (phrone’o) [exercise so as to set a partition, to silence or shut out the enemy’s torments], be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Can I take it a little farther?  We are the same light that God Himself is.

·         1^st John 1:5: This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God is light (phos) and in him is no darkness (sko'tia) [dimness; obscurity] at all.

·         1^st Thessalonians 5:5: You are all children (sons) of light (phos) and the children of the day:  we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 

      The night is the covering, the gloom of the darkness (absence of light; misery; ignorance; obscurity; error), that Paul speaks of in Colossians 2:8: Beware (cautious), lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Both words “light” in both scriptures, 1st Thessalonians 5:5, and 1st John 1:5, come from the same Greek root word, “phos”.

The other piece of armor we need is the “armor of righteousness”:

·         2^nd Corinthians 6:1-18 (speaking of the apostle’s fidelity and love):  vs 7: By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.

The armor of righteousness is the manifestation of the very nature and character of God in us His people!  It is out of the “righteousness” of God that these other characteristics proceed from.  These characteristics are mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 (the same Spirit that rested upon Jesus Christ):

·         The spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear (reverence) of the LORD.  Vs 4: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. 

Jesus was and is the Righteousness of God:

·         Jeremiah 23:6: In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely:  and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

·         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.

And so are we God’s righteousness in Him:

·         Isaiah 61:1-3: The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

·         2^nd 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.

·         Revelation 19:7-8 (speaking of the Lamb’s wife):  vs 7: Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him:  for the marriage of the Lamb is come (present tense) and his wife [we the church] hath (present tense) made herself ready.  Vs 8: And to her was granted that she should be arrayed (dressed) in fine linen, clean and white (light):  for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

These two pieces of “armor”, “light and righteousness” will cause the other pieces of armor to fit and operate properly against the devil!!  

All the parts of the “armor” mentioned in Ephesians 6 are “defensive” [protect; guard; ward off; shield; preserve; resist; fortify].  The “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”, is the only piece of the armor that is both “defensive” [protects; guards; wards off; shields; preserves; resists; fortifies] and “offensive” [assaults; affronts; is aggressive; attacks]. 

·         Hebrews 4:12: For the Word of God is quick (alive), and powerful (energes’) [active; operative; effectual], and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Word in this verse is the word “rhema” which means “utterance”.  It will arise (emerge; stand up) to whatever the occasion calls for and put the enemy in his place and even destroy if and when necessary!!

·         Exodus 14:13-14: And Moses said unto the people, “Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today:  for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more forever. The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. 

·         2^nd Chronicles 20:17: [Moab and Ammon are defeated] [God said to Jehoshaphat/Judah/Jerusalem]:  You shall not need to fight in this battle:  set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem:  fear not, nor be dismayed:  tomorrow go out against them:  for the LORD will be with you.

·         Matthew 10:19-20: When they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak:  for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak.  For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you.

·         2^nd Corinthians 10:4-6: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. 

When we believe and stand on the Word of God and not take things into our own hands, trying to fight the battles ourselves, when the dust settles, we’re still standing with the victory!! 

Our authority is “working the Word, so that we can work the works”!! 

People of God, as a believer, “take your authority” today!!

Pastor Gracie Perry