“And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23
The human body is that part of our being which we seem to know the best. Our physical, natural, earthly tabernacle is made up of feet, legs, arms, eyes, blood and bone, with inner organs such as heart, kidneys, and lungs. But we have other important parts of our being besides these:
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make… after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.” Jeremiah 31:33
The “inward parts” in which God places His law are not the kidneys, liver or gallbladder. They are, rather, the inward parts of a spirit that understands our mind, observes our mindsets, and knows our thought patterns. The New Testament states this scripture in this way:
“I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” Hebrews 8:10
Here we see a slight, but important, variation. Jeremiah says “put His law into their inward parts” but Hebrews renders it “into their mind.” This comparison shows that the “inward parts” are not the liver, gallbladder, or the heart of the physical body because our mind is of our soul. Our brain is a body part but our mind is a part of our soul. A corpse has a brain – but no mind. Living people with all vital body functions stable can be mentally unsound, not having rational thoughts. The mind, therefore, exists only through our soulish essence:
“And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7
The result of uniting the body of Adam with the divine breath of life was that man became living in his soul. Let us now note carefully the process by which this human soul was brought into being, as this will help us to understand more clearly just what our life really is. The living soul is here shown to be the result, or product, of the divine breath of life (spirit) and the physical body. Simply, God’s spirit breathed on man’s spirit, man became alive in his soul, becoming a living soul. Yet, a soul can die even as a body can die.
“Behold, all souls are mine… the soul that sins, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4
Thus seen, the living soul is really what results from the union of our spirit with the life-giving qualities of God's breath of life. The living soul in man is the expressed personality of our quickened spirit, expressed into our mind, will, and emotional desires. Our soul can be darkened and dead or it can be enlightened and alive.
Our personality and expression is being produced within the inward parts of a wonderfully made, intricately designed mechanism capable of receiving expression from our inner spirit. Everyone who follows Jesus Christ is taught to connect with the spirit of Christ in the hidden inward parts of our spirit so that our soul can be alive in expressing the divine. Christians are given a quickening of spirit by God's spirit that truly enlightens them to see and express His personality through our “inward parts:”
“For you did not get slavery's spirit to fear again, but you got the spirit of sonship, in which we are crying, Abba Father! The spirit itself is testifying together with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:15-16 concordant
“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Ecclesiastes 12:7
God's Spirit is bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit within us. Yet, men have been more disposed to the spirit of disobedience in head knowledge of good and evil, producing the fruit of unrighteousness. This keeps us dead in the soul. We Christians who are enlightened are exposed to both of these two dispositions. To be disposed with a carnal mind is death, yet the disposition that God’s spirit gives is life and peace to our spirit and soul.
Every man is known by the fruit his life bears. We are alert to how cunningly the serpent appealed to Eve’s inward parts — those hidden parts of her soul, the vanity of her own mind, her emotional desire to be like God. The serpent’s words commenced to draw out hidden, unknown aspects of her SELF that were hidden within her soul, to awaken them. Suddenly she was confronted with new conscious thoughts, attitudes, motives, and emotional desires that she never expressed or knew existed, as described thus:
"For God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:5"
"And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this you have done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." Genesis 3:13
"…but I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity [singleness] that is in Christ." II Corinthians 11:3
Eve was deceived, enticed into thinking the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil would make her be admired as "a god.” Her own SELFISH SOUL loved expressing her opinion as important, smart and sufficiently desirable. ALL of these developments were a result of a spoken INFLUENCE, INSTIGATED by a lying spirit. The carnal, earthly mind of men and women has been proven to be corruptible when exposed to the lies of this serpent spirit:
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [the lust of the flesh], and that it was pleasant to the eyes [the lust of the eyes], and a tree to be desired to make one wise [the pride of life], she took of the fruit thereof [the works of the flesh], and did eat.” Genesis 3:6
Today it is normal to be doing our own thing. Men are captive in this accepted norm that keeps all mankind locked up in sorrow, suffering, and death. Men and women HAVE BECOME ADDICTED to eating the fruit grown of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Men and women who are knowing good and evil LIVE IN AWARENESS OF SELF. They are dead souls who know only natural facts, as a soul fallen and now deposed to death.
Man’s dead soul now sits in the temple (his body) as his OWN GOD. This is the man of sin and his desires and urges are the important factor, for the natural man is not controlled by the deposition of God’s SPIRIT. The sin of man, then, is in DEPARTING FROM the dominating influence of God's breath, HIS SPIRIT. It is being independent of God’s thinking, walking independent of God, doing our own thing, thus losing the spiritual connection to God’s enlightening life that can make us a living soul like Adam was originally.
Now, thank God, through the blood of Jesus, God has bought us back and made available to us again the influence of God’s spiritual breath that quickens our spirit. It lifts us from what man fell into, was driven to — only this time there is a change, an improvement! As long as a Christian soul is under the influence of God's SPIRIT, he can walk in union with God, at peace, enjoying love. Then he is released from the dark influence of every LYING SPIRIT.
Because of Jesus Christ, we are able to have a greater awareness of the divine in knowing God's Life, making our spirit and soul incorruptible, as a living soul in fellowship and assembled with Him. God came and fellowshipped with Adam IN THE GARDEN in the cool of the day. But now, Christ Jesus has come forth a QUICKENING Spirit to birth a life in our inner spirit to rule over our dead selfish soul from within.
Jesus Christ has a battle to fight within each of us in the matter of taking control of all our inward parts. He does not force or compel obedience from without! Christians are to now possess connection with the holy spirit within our being. We are destined to be an earthly body with a soul expressing His dominating spirit within our inward hidden parts. Mature Christians are washed by His word to be raised up within our spirit. We are to know the celestial homeland of God's throne while walking this globe called earth. When Jesus was here, He said:
“That which is born of the Spirit is spirit…” John 3:6
There has been a writing process within the inward parts of mature Christians that brings a realization of the spiritual part of our being that knows God as a FATHER. The real part of our inward being that can be quickened is our spirit, which now lives in our mortal body and which should dominate our soul. Our spiritual being is fathered by God. Thus, it can be formed of the same substance and nature of the glorious firstborn from the dead, Jesus, the Son in whom God is well pleased:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. ” Galatians 2:20
Our spirit is quickened as CHRIST comes to live within it. Then Christ is formed to dwell within, constantly bringing forth an individual expression that is uniquely alive in each one of us. So, “I” live, and yet it is not “I”, but CHRIST (the anointing). This great mystery is only revealed as the spirit of Jesus, the Christ, makes us alive to the spirit of God, our Father.
Now our spirit is being made ONE with the Lord, a hope for true glory!
“He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” I Corinthians 6:17
"I am entreating you, then, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit with the tie of peace: one body and one spirit, according as you were called also with one expectation of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, Who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:1-5 concordant
Christ is working within us to give us a quickened spirit, alive to renewing our mind. We are to know the potential to also bring our mortal body UNDER God's quickening inward influence, so that HIS SPIRIT MIGHT REIGN over every part of our being. This is truly allowing Him to be our Lord, as He keeps us blameless in His presence. Yes, He is coming swiftly to those crying to be made right as Jesus is right, whole, and perfect. Jesus is perfect, of whom it was testified:
“Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” Luke 23:46
“Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Psalms 16:10
“But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe unto the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39
“The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.” Psalms 34:22
The redemption of Jesus Christ is also to work in our mortal body:
“Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23
We understand the scriptures do not speak of saving a spirit — only souls can be saved. Redemption is for the soul and body. Our spirit only needs a quickening, an awakening, to be made alive. As His Spirit touches our spirit, an enlightenment comes from God, a birth, a born-again experience that then grows to form Christ within our inner spiritual parts. This part is the spiritual offspring of God:
"Remember now thy Creator…for evil days come…they shall be afraid...Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it... much study is a weariness of the flesh." Ecclesiastes 12:1,5,7,12
Our mortal body and selfish soul is the image of the man Adam who became controlled by a selfish dying soul, and therefore MUST BE REDEEMED, to be brought into the image of the Christ of God. We are being changed by learning how to live disposed to the Spirit of God, to have divine life abiding within us as never before.
Each day we can eat of His heavenly bread to experience more life substance given by God, our FATHER. Our soul is then raised up, SAVED into experiencing the leading of His indwelling spirit. This makes our soul ALIVE WITH CHRIST. God is presenting the reality of being a source of indwelling spiritual life to us:
“Now if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell [co-habit] in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His spirit that dwells in you.” Romans 8:11
Our mortal bodies are quickened by His Spirit if He tabernacles within to be enthroned. This is the KEY to the salvation of the soul and the redemption of our body. Thus God’s people begin a redemptive process by being enlightened by His Spirit as GOD’S WORD touches us to etch truth upon our heart! It awakens us from man’s long sleep of soulish death, to the true spiritual promise:
“And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:27
Once we have received spiritual quickening by being born again, we are ready to proceed to steps of spiritual growth in order to have the Lord dominate our own soulish ways. Only by growth in our spiritual inner man in following the leading of God's Spirit are we enabled to reach the salvation of our souls.
The LORD is taking DOMINION over our own thoughts, desires and impulses, bringing all of our selfish appetites under subjection. If not, we do not belong to Christ. When the spirit of our quickened inner man is formed into proper stature, it utilizes the facilities of our soul to express the will and nature of God's Spirit. Our expression is Him, rather than expressions from prideful men who selfishly boast arrogantly of worldly matters seen with worldly viewpoints.
Now the faithful dealings of God have come, bringing these very things to pass within, through inner purgings that strip off old attitudes like garments to be removed. Our PROBLEMS COME AS REFINING FIRES that teach our spirit continually. These very days are filled with the development of God's nature and character within our spirit. He is bringing clear revelation, edification, strengthening, and understanding of His ways.
All of this is being given to people who are receiving the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Those keeping the spiritual Feast of Tabernacles are servants being prepared for the Lord’s marriage of DWELLING WITH all the Lord’s people. He shall finally usher all Christian people into the FULLNESS OF THEIR REDEMPTION, including bringing His people out from the church orders until all of the Lord’s people are come to the kingdom order of the New Jerusalem.
God has created in Jesus Christ a mighty army, free from the curse, having passed through our battle of Armageddon, our valley of decision, to welcome the fullness of Christ’s victory and triumph. The word “Armageddon” found in Revelation 16 is interpreted by Strong’s concordance as “to hold in astonishment.” It is a gathering for a battle for which an invitation comes from the throne to SHARE HIS VICTORY and not be spiritually naked. It is a gathering to a battle to which all the “firstfruit company” has committed because they are following the Lamb all the way up to the top of spiritual Mount Zion, where He reigns.
Jesus stands upon those who ascend that holy hill. He mercifully redeems us from earthly mindedness, enabling us to speak with no guile coming from our mouths. We can do so now because we have had the Father’s mind and nature written into our hearts and minds by the Christ. We sing songs which men cannot understand with learning! Such are the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb:
“I perceived, and 'lo'! the Lambkin standing on mount Zion, and with It a hundred forty-four thousand, having Its name and lts Father's name written on their foreheads.” Revelation 14:1 concordant
“These are bought from mankind, a firstfruit to God and the Lambkin. And in their mouth falsehood was not found, for they are flawless.” Revelation 14:4 concordant
These “firstfruits” are the many brethren of the FIRSTBORN SON who fully appropriate and put to practice the victory of HIS DIVINE LIFE. His glorious victory shall eventually be ministered to all Christian people who now abide in their many various heavenly mansions. Then it will go out to all nations and to every family of the earth, until finally the spirit of all who have ever lived will hear the voice of God’s Son to come forth from death.
Life and death are enemies and the Lord of life is involved in a battle all the way thru to the saints today. We are not gaining the victory of His Life without facing involvement in this battle. The magnitude of the victory to be gained is determined by the magnitude of each person’s participation in this battle. We are not alarmed when our personal battles become more intense, even fierce, for our greatest obstacles are destined to give way to be our greatest victories in THE DAY OF THE LORD! The battle of the great day of God Almighty is now working spiritually within us, as described:
“Now the day of the Lord will be arriving as a thief, in which the heavens shall be passing by with a booming noise, yet the elements shall be dissolved by combustion, and the earth and the works in it shall be found. At these all, then, dissolving, to what manner of men must you belong in holy behavior and devoutness, hoping for and hurrying the presence of God's day, because of which the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the elements decompose by combustion! Yet we, according to His promises, are hoping for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness is dwelling.” II Peter 3:10-13 concordant
Armageddon simply means the final battle that destroys all the KINGS (ruling forces) that are not of God: the kings of this world, the fleshly kings, the selfish kings, the lying kings, and all the murderous devils. The victory of Christ Jesus is promised to reign OVER IT ALL within us! Praise God, trumpets are blowing in Zion and an alarm is still sounding in God’s holy mountain. All the inhabitants of the land should tremble as the Day of the Lord comes, for it is nigh at hand.
In the midst of man’s darkness and gloom, from out of the swirling shadows of clouds and thick darkness, A PEOPLE ARE ARISING LIKE THE MORNING SPREAD UPON THE MOUNTAINS! A great people. A strong people doing exploits. A people who know God. There has not been ever the like, neither shall there be any more after them, even to many generations. The Lord shall utter His voice before an army who is prepared for this battle. His camp is very great, for they are strong to execute His word. They do not fear but are glad and rejoice, for the Lord is doing great things!
Armageddon is a gathering to the battle that overthrows the dark dead spirit that has ruled over man. Our personal Armageddon will overthrow our sorrow and death. It is taking place right now within the workings of His spirit in our lives. Nations will crumble before Him, as redeemed individuals burst forth from the unseen realms of God’s Kingdom right before their eyes.
A battle is taking place on the level of our spirit WITHIN US. We who are now being joined to the Lord’s spirit are first of all to experience deliverance within. It is within God's heavenly people that the flesh of worldly ideas must not come. It is within the church of the firstborn that the battle for righteousness and power over death is being experienced. Our sin is being forgiven, the curse removed, and rebellion subdued because our spiritual life is breaking forth into fullness within our inward parts.
Now an everlasting gospel must have something to minister to men in such a sin-weary world, in such a dark hour of despair and hopelessness. God possesses within each of us THE ANSWER that can lift us up out of every yoke of bondage, out of death’s darkness in body, soul, and spirit once and for all time. Church history has never produced a people who did this, but the Day of the Lord will reveal God’s firstfruit army who shall gain this exact victory!
Travail endured by a woman who is bringing a child to birth comes in spasms. It is severe at times. This is the present experience of anguish which comes to all who seek to bring forth CHRIST in our lives. Paul knew the pain and struggle involved in seeing believing people come into this internal perfect form. Paul travailed to bring forth the church at Galatia, but it was imperfect, immature believers. They had, like children, turned from the glory of God unto the weak and beggarly elements of keeping laws, holidays, rituals, rules, regulations, worldly ordinances etc which were familiar to them.
In writing to them of these things, Paul cried out:
“My little children, for whom I am again suffering the birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you!” Galatians 4:19, Amplified
Paul was in travail like birth pangs — AGAIN. Not to bring forth babes in Christ, but to now SEE CHRIST COMPLETELY AND PERMANENTLY FORMED within this body of believing people! It took real travail for him to see Christ birthed into a beloved believing people. How many of the Lord’s precious people have understood that sort of TRAVAILING? This is the ongoing travail which is to climax with bringing forth companies of believers COMPLETELY AND PERMANENTLY FORMED with Christ within them!
Those who face the battle of it now will serve the Lord by reaping other men into the same stature of its perfection. This is not maturity in church membership but a maturity into SONSHIP. The travail to see Christ formed within is the battle of the kingdom IN and AMONG HIS PEOPLE until Christ is completely and perfectly formed within all people everywhere. That earth out there is groaning, the social orders of men are failing, this present evil world is crying out also, unknowingly, in travail of anguish.
This travail and anguish is to see that the old system of things may pass, making way for the establishment of a divine order that is right. There are members of Christ's body on the earth who are divinely ordained to gain the glory and honor of Christ’s perfection. They too are crying out in travail, in birth pains, in the battle within to come forth conquering death in God’s glory and power.
We are battling within for God to be reigning over ALL our earthly members, yes, to rule over all our carnal reasoning, all our mental judgments, all our religious aspirations, so that Christ may take great power in His rightful place within our spirit, making our spirit whole. Hallelujah!