The apostle Paul expressed his desire to the Colossian believers that they would increase in knowledge and prayed for them:
"…we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God …” Colossians 1:9-10 NASB
Paul also wrote of enjoying Christ:
"…but according to His mercy, He saves us, through the bath of renascence (spiritual regeneration) and renewal of holy spirit, which He pours out on us richly through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, that, being justified in that One's grace, we may be becoming enjoyers, in expectation, of the allotment of life eonian." Titus 3:5-7 concordant
Paul taught which part of us was accomplishing this enjoyment:
"...we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16 NASB
The “inner man” of which the apostle writes is our awakened spirit now touched by the Spirit by God. Our inner man increases in recognition of God’s will in wisdom and spiritual understanding. God has fathered our spirit to bear the inner characteristics of His divine nature. Our inner man is “renewed in knowledge.” The obvious method of Christian growth is to first be awakened spiritually in our inner man. Our quickened spirit is then taught by disciplines of His truth planted in our heart.
The spirit of truth thus grants guidance to our inner spiritual man for a fuller realization of God. Being endued with increasing inner power, we pull down every false concept, false imaginations, and the false pride in our own selfish and religious ways of thinking. Bringing every thought into captivity, our minds are exercised to be released from death by a renewal in knowing God as our Father. Our Father has provided the spirit of truth for the RENEWING OF OUR MINDS so that we may be TRANSFORMED from darkness to light:
"I am entreating you, then, brethren, by the pities of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, well pleasing to God, your logical divine service, and nor to be configured to this eon, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind," Romans 12:2 concordant
Therefore, what is more important to each of us than being made complete in divine realization? Knowledge of God brings newness to our life. We partake of His new strength in our inner man daily. This is holy communion with Christ, not with crackers and wine but with spiritual substance that RENEWS OUR MINDS TO RECOGNIZE OUR FATHER. Spiritual knowledge prepares us for reaching into HIS PERFECT plan for each of us.
Maintaining inner communion with Christ will effectively renew our mindsets, attitudes and opinions. By seeing with the spirit of truth, we understand what is given to us of God. We may not “feel” like anything is taking place, yet surely God is working to influence our mind and our inner attitudes as we allow Christ to guide us from within. Christians are growing in realization of a process that is completing them to a spiritual maturity. This process seals them into enthroned places as the people He considers "living creatures."
The prophet Ezekiel described this great company of “living creatures” as “wheels within wheels:” whirling wheels with four main characteristics (faces) that were “full of eyes roundabout.”
"I looked, and behold, four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like the gleam of a Tarshish stone. As for their appearance, all four of them had the same likeness, as if one wheel were within another wheel. When they moved, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went; but they followed in the direction which they faced, without turning as they went.
Their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings and the wheels were full of eyes all around, the wheels belonging to all four of them. The wheels were called in my hearing, ‘the whirling wheels’. And each one had four faces. The first face was the face of a cherub, the second face was the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. " Ezekiel 10: 9-14 NASB
John expressly wrote of a similar vision:
"Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.....and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; " Revelation 4: 2,5-8 NAS
This is a vision of mature Christians, a people fully increased with the knowledge of God. The “eyes” are of course symbolic, representing their superior vision. A greater perspective is beheld in the minds of those making up this rank of people in the throne realm. Yes, these “living creatures” are a vast company of esteemed brethren who are redeemed, never to stop giving glory to God.
These find honor in applying the vision given to them by spiritual understanding. Spiritual eyes have transformed them. With spiritual perspectives, they see the hidden wisdom of God, the hidden plans, having escaped the natural minded teachings of so many literal minded Christians in candlestick church heavens. God’s Spirit communicates a knowledge beyond Pentecostal understandings to them. Kingdom anointing enables living creatures to comprehend things that others cannot, with superior vision, through eyes of understanding.
The mature Christian sees things of past church history behind them. They are seeing things to come in God's plans, being “full of eyes within” granting insight and understanding of what is now going on within their own inner man. Our Father grants eyes like the Firstborn that are like fire to pierce into the mind of every man. These eyes have full potential to see and understand every man, thereby understanding things far beyond the in-part understanding granted the church age:
"Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man." John 2:23-25 NAS
If God’s judgment has been granted us, as sons, we too possess the mind that has insight to what is in other people. Christ makes us fully alive in our inner man. We’re part of creation that is now alive, destined to join the ranks of living creatures who know what enthronement of God is within man. Yes, all Christians are called to mature stature but now a firstfruit company has been given “wings” to get above every problem and spiritual knowledge, to be “full of eyes roundabout.”
John was in spirit in the Lord's Day when he saw:
"And I perceived, in the center of the throne and of the four animals, and in the center of the elders, a Lambkin standing, as though slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God, commissioned for the entire earth." Revelation 5:6-7 concordant
A more complete knowledge of God is coming from the throne of Jesus for the entire earth, with “horns of authority” and “eyes” to see like eagles. These saints, filled with the seven Spirits from the Lambkin’s throne, are granted a COMPLETE knowledge of God. KNOWING GOD AS BEING OUR FATHER IS WHAT JESUS EXTENDS TO US.
There is an awesome and wonderful thing being wrought in our inner man in this hour, something which is seldom recognized by others, even by church leaders. How that darkness in worldly people gets worse and worse, and their thinking about spiritual matters becomes denser, darker, and more troubled! At the same time, those who are walking in the light are spiritually awakened people, becoming brighter in enjoying the hope set before them. The prophet declared:
“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” Isaiah 60:2
It is spoken wisely of an enlightened people:
“...the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more [brighter and brighter] unto the perfect day.” Proverb 4:18
So Christian people live on earth in patterns that are comfortable but have intensified conditions contrary to Christ working within their being. This is happening without knowing what is light and what is darkness, not knowing what is in the mind of Christ and what is from the ignorance of men. But the mind of Christ unlocks the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, exposing the ignorance within the KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, the common knowledge held by human beings. We Christians are being renewed to shine more and more out of a more perfect knowledge of God.
Our English word “science” comes from the Latin word ‘scientia’ meaning “knowledge.” Science is defined as “knowledge of facts and laws based upon careful observations and logic verified by means of experiment and additional observation.” Thus, the science of man is simply that broad field of educating humans in further knowledge. The pursuit of knowledge in educational institutions is everywhere in this world and, today, that form of education and knowledge has vocation. It was declared to the prophet Daniel:
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4
Increase of knowledge has certainly been fulfilled in this hour like none other. Human knowledge is increased in the sciences of this world. That knowledge has increased until it staggers the imagination to try and comprehend the scope of what scientific research is uncovering. What marvels are computers, communications, medical advances, and space and ocean exploration in which mankind has been so speedily propelled!
Yet the world today is also filled with lack of scientific knowledge to treat disease as well as lack of knowing God’s peace . Meanwhile, nations deal with weapons designed for mass destruction and pursue bigger, smarter bombs and delivery systems. So now in the midst of fantastic increases in HUMAN KNOWLEDGE, there are dark clouds of incomprehensible darkness covering the spiritual part of most people.
Most people on earth do not know what is actually taking place within their own inner being. They do not understand themselves. They are destroyed for lack of knowledge, not developed in understanding spiritual things that are standing enthroned in God. Most men are ignorant of God’s pruning work within their own heart. Corruption has ruled the earth, causing great distress and perplexity in the minds of most people on the planet. People are under a complex system of death that rules each person.
The knowledge of God, however, leads us to love and peace, enjoying the cornerstones of faith REGARDLESS OF OUTER CIRCUMSTANCES. God is enlightening some people to LOVE THE TRUTH He has spoken to them. For us, the time has come to KNOW GOD as HE KNOWS US:
"…for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isaiah 11:9
“…for at present we are observing by means of a mirror, in an enigma, yet then, face to face. At present I know out of an installment, yet then I shall recognize according as I am recognized also.” I Corinthians 13:12-13 concordant
A more complete knowledge of God flows in spiritual Mt. Zion, where in these last days, Jesus Christ has come to rest heavily within the spirits of just men being made perfect who see “eye to eye in Zion”. The only true God teaches us to be true in oneness with the spirit of truth:
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” John 17:3
The Amplified Bible gives a wonderfully expressive rendering of this:
“And this is eternal life: it means to know, to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with and understand You, the only true and real God, and to know Him, Jesus Christ…whom you have sent.” John 17:3
It is most striking that eternal life consists in KNOWLEDGE. As we pursued the knowledge of God, we found the Greek word used in this text is the present tense verb “ginosko,” “to know” marking a “continuance, a progressive recognition and perception”. Examine more closely this thought of an eternal life which comes by a progressively expanding inward knowledge, the ongoing coming of spiritual knowledge from God.
The degree to which our spirit has absorbed the knowledge of God determines how much we will experience His perfect will in our life. Thus, our development into Christian growth is fully related to our heavenly rewards, current inheritance, and placement.
The scripture teaches us that when LOVE lays hold on our inner being, it will manifest a power superior to all the emotional changeability of man's frail thoughts and feelings. God’s love brings a vitality and freshness that is divine and does not wither for a moment. What is the full measure and quality of unpolluted God Life? God’s Life does not end. God is unchangeably alive, being WHAT GOD IS at all times and under all circumstances.
God's life cannot be altered, diminished, frustrated or overcome. When we commence regeneration with God, we become people who are of the same spirit leading to His same qualities, even following Him outside the camps ruled by well meaning men. Our spirit is being filled with a more complete understanding of the revelation of Jesus Christ, and our eyes are fixed!
God develops maturity within us as we become constant in patient love, without fluctuation, unvarying, regardless of external frustrating circumstances or pressures. The maturity and fullness of God’s life is tested by any persecution or hardship to prove that we are indeed LIKE HIM! The full measure of our inheritance allows us to partake of God's UNCHANGING LIFE.
Life is precisely the promise given to us, Life that does not end for the age. EONIAN, age-lasting LIFE is within our inner spiritual man! Our spiritual body does not die with our physical body. Our inner spiritual man will live throughout the ages. God will prove it to be true.
Some animals express themselves to others of their kind through a simple posture, or a change of color, or by giving off a particular scent. Some, such as porpoises, are highly intelligent communicators that lead extremely complex social lives. But what bird can understand the language of a porpoise? What duck would comprehend the intentions of a cichlid fish when it sets its fins in a certain position and changes its color pattern to say that it is protecting its territory?
What animal living in the wilderness can comprehend the intentions, desires, and aspirations of a man? So, what man, made “lower than the angels,” can perceive the height, depth, and breadth of divine things pertaining to the celestial realms of our heavenly Father’s throne? I have cited all these illustrations to point out unmistakably the truth that every form of life in the entire universe has only knowledge of those others that share in the same NATURE as their own form.
God has made each person in three parts — a spirit, with a soul and a body. God is Spirit, so we men have a spirit in order to know by our own spirit what is really of HIM. God fathers our spirit with the truth of His Word. His Spirit reaches to touch our spirit and awaken it from sleep. When our spirit is originally quickened, we Christians refer to it as being "born again" — being born with a capability to follow on to know the Lord.
This “knowing by the spirit within” must be exercised, tested and tried. God gradually increases our capacity as He develops our mature form. Christ rules us through various disciplines, making our fruit a sweet firstfruits. A full feast is within our inner spiritual man! God plows up our earthly ideas, prunes our busy works, grows patience deep within our spirit to better know of Him.
The more we wait, the more we experience Him in our life, the more we love and understand His ways, and, the more we pray to act according to His nature with the best of our God-given ability. Knowing God as our Father allows us to see Him with clear eyes in our inner spiritual man. Knowledge of God should not be limited to man's literal (intellectual) understandings of scripture.
Scriptural doctrines handed down from former generations of church leaders have created dark systems of deception and how great is that darkness! How great has darkness gotten to be in the fallen ranks of Babylonish churches! The spirit of truth, however, continues to guide us to the promise of Christ Jesus. Christ has been formed within the inner spiritual man to give us fresh understanding of absolute truth, as these statements declare:
“And this is life eonian, that they might know Thee, the only true God…” John 17:3 concordant
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts… and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.” Hebrews 8:10-11
God’s NEW COVENANT through Jesus Christ provides for God writing on our inner parts as true Israelites so we may know God for ourselves, no church hierarchy needed. Crafty “systematizing of deception” dispenses educational head knowledge about God that hold brethren to passing heavens, knowing only surface things about the acts and the ways of God.
Religious men, in their vast desire to be teachers of the law, lay hold of Christian brethren to keep them remaining in realms of knowing their good things ABOUT God. Knowing about God's acts and ways in systematic church teachings does not make one’s spirit a fellow citizen with the saints. It is not the same as KNOWING GOD as a FATHER!
The churches have been packed with thousands of Christians observing time-honored traditions, listening to endless ‘ought to’ sermons teaching doctrines about God. But, many have stopped short of the transcendent power of CHRIST TEACHING EACH ONE FROM WITHIN. God works to CONFORM OVERCOMERS INTO THE IMAGE OF HIS FIRSTBORN SON. He brings forth the fruit of the Kingdom, changing the inner character of His followers. Those who know Him are indeed made living creatures who are supplied spiritual wings and spiritual eyes by God Himself.
Living creatures have eyes to see what is coming, what is history, and are full of eyes to see within their own being to know what to do. How we thank God for His mighty acts and rejoice in each and every one of His ways! God’s people should go on to perfection by understanding more than the first steps and rudimentary doctrines about God. These are not the ultimate, but, indeed, quite shallow:
“Now whenever maturity may be coming, that which is out of an installment [in part] shall be discarded.” I Corinthians 13:10 concordant
When Abraham pleaded for Sodom, he recognized that God is righteous and just, and that He does not act contrary to His own righteousness. Therefore, Abraham spoke to God according to his knowledge of God’s nature in asking for mercy. Abraham understood the principles of God’s nature, the way God thinks and judges matters:
"Far be it from You; the Judge of the entire earth, would He not execute right judgment? Yahweh replied: ‘If I should find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then I will bear with the entire place for their sake.’ Abraham answered and said: ‘Behold, now, I have ventured to speak to Yahweh though I am soil and ashes. Perhaps the fifty righteous lack five. Will You ruin the entire city because of five?’” Genesis 18:25-27 concordant
We know the principle nature of God is to be understood and developed by a knowing that is beyond mere head knowledge about scriptural facts. Knowledge of God has greatly increased our faith and prayer to enable us to prevail in many areas of our life. We attend to the words that He ministers to us. His ministry shall not return void but shall accomplish what He pleases:
"For just as the downpour descends and the snow from the heavens, Yet it does not return there, But rather it soaks the earth and causes it to bear and sprout, and it gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that shall go forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, but rather it does what I desire and prospers in that for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11 concordant
Upon the platform of our spiritual oneness with the truth, we step out by faith to perform the will of God when all the external circumstances declare that it is foolish or that it cannot be done. This connection to knowing the Father is demonstrated in all the mighty sons and daughters of faith who dare to obey Him in simple, childlike trust. We become oriented toward the things of the Spirit as we understand more completely that:
“…he who is sowing for the Spirit, from the Spirit shall be reaping life eonian.” Galatians 6:8 concordant
Our lives are transformed, lived out in peace according to the knowledge given of God. One can only know another person through a person’s nature, his “person-ality”. Personality is the individual qualities that make a person what they are. We are each quite different and distinct in inner qualities from any other person.
Jesus Christ is a PERSON who possesses a divine PERSONALITY given by our common Father. The person of Jesus can be known in our spirit in order to recognize and fellowship His spiritual presence. We learn about His state of being, becoming more and more aware as we come to know God. The fast track to knowing God Himself is to know the perfect Person of Jesus Christ.
In fellowship with His body, the Lord’s presence and teachings touch our spirit to regeneration by the Holy Spirit. With great appearings from time to time, He comes by the spirit to express His Personality. Like a husband and wife who spend life being with each other, we now are focused on being joined in oneness of spirit, knowing God from within! This is a comfortable and right relationship with God as our Father. As He tabernacles within, we more fully know Him.
Christians need to fully develop their inner spiritual connection to realize His will for them. The will of God is proven in observations, scripture, and life’s dealings. Have boldness to enter into the Holiest of all by the blood of Jesus, knowing that God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts so we too cry, “Abba, God is my Father”. Now the most important and glorious thing is that GOD HIMSELF is fathering things within our spirit, becoming one spirit, AS THE RULING FACTOR OF OUR LIFE.
This describes the path the enabling faith in Jesus has to give us for knowing God Himself. I pray we’ll be found pressing on to the realms promised of God, as He tabernacles within people in full measure in those who are “sowing to the Spirit”. These are born and led of spirit, answering the call until chosen to see and know what God Himself gives SONS and DAUGHTERS OF THE MOST HIGH.
We can gain head knowledge by listening to sermons, reading articles, hearing tapes, studying the Bible, attending meetings, fellowshipping the saints, ministering to people’s needs, and by joining with a multitude of other good works that occupy our time and energy. But, beloved, we do NOT come to KNOW GOD HIMSELF by busily doing any of these activities.
Mature sons learn to embrace the suffering of crucifixion as God writes on our hearts in words that cut and circumcise us from fleshly ways of worshipping God. Spiritual knowledge enables us to live as He lives, to know as He knows, to now know God as our Father dwelling within:
"Faithful is the saying: For if we died together, we shall be living together also; if we are enduring, we shall be reigning together also; if we are disowning, He also will be disowning us; if we are disbelieving, He is remaining faithful. He cannot disown himself." 2 Timothy 2:11-13 concordant
Earthly mindedness has swamped the systemized churches. Man has been very active with an abundance of words, constantly desiring attention in meetings. Much clatter is spent entreating for this thing or that. Christian church leaders today have become carnal with the religious zeal for building earthly kingdoms to satisfy earthly ambitions. It’s time for those heavens to pass away, to be brought to silence before the coming of the King.
All men will fall as dead before Him as they see who He is. Who will be able to stand before Him? Or stand with Him? Who will let Him stand up within them? Who is placed in the full light of the Father’s countenance? We are temples, tabernacles boldly entering holy silence with adoration of His presence.
Here we wait upon God. We wait until he speaks the blessings that reveal Himself. Living creatures learn to be lovingly patient before Him, listening UNTIL HE SPEAKS. In order to learn what He has to say, their babbling inventions are quieted. The unction of loving assurance that He is Fathering us is something new within, and we are well pleased just to be subject to His domain.
Can we qualify to live like this now and be pioneers going further than our forefathers have ever experienced with God? Something new is coming, to yet repair what the man of sin has dissipated. Dangerous yokes of religious human-driven good works that influence the visible and temporal works of carnal, religious, and fleshly minded church leaders have captured our devotion in the past. But now nothing will atone for our personal loss of the secret and direct fellowship with God as our heavenly Father.
While we greatly appreciate the blessed fellowship with other believers of like mind and spirit, it is THE QUICKENING OF GOD’S SEVENFOLD SPIRIT WITHIN OUR SPIRIT that we love foremost. May we be loosed from the hindrances of former days, be loosed from generations of spiritual wickedness in high places, to be free, breaking living bread with the hungry, bringing the homeless home, covering the naked and not hiding ourselves from our own flesh; yes, our light and health shall spring forth speedily!