God's Two Greatest Mysteries

Part 2

In our lesson text, the blind ruler was an adversary of Jesus because he was walking after the flesh.  Jesus, on the other hand, was walking after the Spirit and understood the true meaning of the Sabbath Day.

You say, "Well, what does all this have to do with the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, the Mark of The Beast?"  Everything!!  There is a Christ nature in you, but there is also a beast nature in you.  The two greatest mysteries of God are:

1. The Mystery of Christ in You, the hope of glory.

2. The Mystery of Iniquity, the Man of Sin, the Son of   Perdition.

What does the carnal mind have to do with the Mystery of Iniquity?  The carnal mind will do just what Adam and Eve did; give the credit to the devil.  I want to declare to you that the carnal mind is the Mystery of Iniquity and I will endeavor to show you from the scriptures why I believe this.  However, I must warn you that your stubborn, carnal mind will exalt itself and be a direct adversary to what the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you.

II Thessalonians 2:3-4 says,

"Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, and even sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."

The key to understanding this scripture is to find out what temple he is talking about.  It has been assumed by bible scholars for years that he is talking about the temple that they believe the Jews will build in Jerusalem before Jesus returns.  The Greek word used here for temple is the word `naos' and means a living temple and not a literal temple.  As you study the New Testament scriptures you will see that there is only one temple that God ever did care about and that temple is a building not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Paul said in I Cor. 3:16, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's TEMPLE and that God's Spirit lives in you?"  And again in I Cor. 6:19, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God

Peter said in I Peter 2:4-5,

"As you come to Him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him-you also, like living stones, ARE BEING BUILT into a SPIRITUAL HOUSE to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. "

As you can see from these scriptures, we are a living temple being constructed by the Holy Spirit of God to become the dwelling place for the fullness of the God head. [ Eph. 4:11-16 ]  But Paul says that there is a problem in the temple.  There is, right now, in this spiritual temple that God is building, a spirit that says, "I am God!"

A spirit that says, "Bless God, I don't care what anyone says, my Grandma did it this way and I am going to do it this way."  A spirit that says, "Bless God, I don't care what anyone says, we do not need all this teaching.  What we need is some good Pentecostal preaching and some testifying so we can shout the walls down."  A spirit that says, Bless the Lord, We have always done it this way, and we are going to continue to do it this way."

A spirit that says, I don't care if the bible does say all authority is invested in Jesus and that when He ascended into heaven He divided that authority and placed it in the five-fold ministry."  A spirit that says, "I don't want to be in submission to anyone but Jesus."  A spirit that says, "I don't care if Jesus did say for us to be perfect even as He is perfect; I can not do that and neither can you!!"  A spirit that says, I don't care if Jesus did tell me to stop worrying, I can not help worrying; after all, I am only human!"

Within the Church right now there is a spirit of antichrist; there is a spirit of rebellion; a spirit of unteachableness. Antichrist means anything that takes the place of Christ.  He sets himself up as god in the temple and says, "Bless God, I will rule today and I will do my thing and I will have my way and I don't care what you say, this is the way it is going to be."

It really shocks Christians who do these things when a man of God comes along and says, "No you won't do that here!"  Their reaction is usually, "Well, if that is the case, I just will not pay my tithes!" Or, "Well, I will just take my family and leave."  When this happens, the whole town doesn't know what to think.  People will say, "Well, who does he think he is?  He can't do that!  We will turn the people against him and we will show him a thing or two!"  No, they have just met a man who cannot be bought.

There is a spirit in this valley that refuses to be taught by any of the God given ministries He has placed here.  Instead, they choose to follow some national ministry of their own choosing who does not even know them.  They do this because they are in rebellion to God's authority and they are self-deceived.  Until these people become teachable, they will continue to be tossed to and fro.  People who act this way are not discernible until they are challenged by one having Spiritual authority and the moment they are confronted with the truth by God's anointed, these spirits will begin to manifest themselves because these people have done their own thing all of their lives without any restraint.  When you take away the traditional concepts a lot of people have in their minds on any subject, you observe the same reaction.  There is a spirit in their temple that will raise up as God and oppose any truth that would cause change in their lives.  This spirit is a spirit of antichrist which literally means in the place of Christ.

I am going to say something's that are going to really sound off the wall to most who have never received this revelation before but please hear what I have to say and I will present to you the scriptures that reveal this.  My prayer for you is that God will illuminate your mind, your heart, and your understanding so that you will come to a full understanding of the Two Greatest Mysteries of God.

There is something in you that is in opposition to and is a direct adversary to the Spirit of God in you.  Who is this spirit that opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped and even sets himself up in God's temple proclaiming himself to be God?  Why do we say that Christ cannot come at any minute but that He is held in the heavens until?  Who is the antichrist and what about the mark of the beast?  These and other such questions I want to give you a biblical answer.

I encourage you to have the same spirit that the Bereans had in Acts 17:11 and receive what I am saying to you and study the scriptures every day to see if what I am saying is true. My prayer for you is that God will illuminate your mind, your heart, and your understanding so that you will come to a full understanding of the Two Greatest Mysteries of God.

There is something in you that is in opposition to and a direct adversary to the Spirit of God in you.  Paul said in Romans 8:6-7:

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can be."

The Greek word for enmity is 'echthra' which is the feminine of the Greek word 'echthros' which means hostility, hatred, or an adversary. Paul is here saying that the carnal mind is a direct adversary to the Spirit of God in you.  Your carnal mind, or your mind set upon the things of the flesh and the things of the world will oppose any word that comes to you from God that it does not agree with.  Especially, when a man of God brings to you a fresh revelation of the word of God which does away with the traditional concepts you have been told was the will of God.

Many times when this happens, there will be a spirit which will raise up as God in you and oppose that truth which would cause change in your life.  That spirit is a spirit of antichrist which literally means, in the place of Christ.  This spirit, or this attitude of your carnal mind opposes and exalts itself above everything that is called God, or that is worshipped.  II Thess. 2:4

There is either a Christ nature in you or a beast nature in you. Not only has the Christ nature in you been a mystery, but also the beast nature in you has been a mystery.  Paul said in Col. 1:27,

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

He also said in II Thess. 2:7,

  "For the mystery of iniquity is already at work...."

There is within us a nature that would rather say, "The devil made me do it."  This is what Eve said when asked by God why she had done it? Man has been saying that every since.  The truth is, you did it because you wanted to do it, and because the beast in you wanted to do it.

The first Adam became the nature of the beast.  The second Adam became the nature of the Christ.  And in every man, woman or child there is either the Christ nature in you, which is the hope of glory, or the beast nature in you which is destined to perdition.

We must, if we are to purify ourselves from this antichrist spirit, understand how to recognize this spirit when it manifests.  First of all, let us look at what John had to say about this in I John 2:18, and notice how he had to address the Church:

"Dear Children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come."

How many of you can read this?  There are many antichrists, not just one.  Notice what John says in verse 22:

"Who is the liar? Is it the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Such a man is the antichrist. He denies the Father and the Son." [NIV]

Notice first of all, the antichrist is a liar.  A lie is anything that is not true.  Anything contrary to the Word of God, then, is a lie. Then what is every man-made tradition?  There are many antichrists, because there are many man-made traditions.  And there are many who preach these traditions.

Look now at I Jn. 4:1:

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming in the world and even now is already in the world."

Even in the time of the apostles, this antichrist spirit was being manifest.  Many believe that the antichrist spirit will be manifested in one man called the man of sin.  I agree with this belief with one exception.  I believe that just as the corporate Son of God will be manifested, so will the corporate son of sin, the antichrist.  There is one thing for sure: There is an antichrist spirit already being manifested in epidemic proportions, today, throughout the world.

In II John 7 John says, (KJV):

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ IS COME in the flesh.  This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

The Greek word for `is' is (ESTEE #2076) and means;  Third person singular present indicative of #1510 He (she or it) is.  (#1510 I-MEE) Eimi is the first person singular present indicative and means, I exist, I am.  In other words, it is the spirit that denies that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh.  Not has come or will come.

Most of the church world, and many sinners, will acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.  Most of them will also acknowledge that Jesus Christ will come again. But how many of them will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.  He is in all of those who are God's children?

In John 1:1 John says:

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."

And in John 1:14 He says:

"And the Word become flesh, and dwelt among us."

Jesus was the incarnate Word of God.

In I Peter 1:23 Peter says:

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God."

In other words, we are also the incarnate Word of God, just as Jesus is. Paul said in I Cor. 12:13,

"For we were all baptized into one body by one Spirit and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

In verse 27 says:

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

The body of Christ is a Spiritual body!  Yes, but it is also a flesh and blood body.  Our flesh and our blood!  Jesus said in John 6:53-58,

"I tell you the truth, unless you eat (partake of, participate in) the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.  Just as the living

Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.  This is the bread that come down from heaven. Our forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

And also in verse 63,

"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life."

When we received the good news of Jesus into our hearts, we were begotten by the living Word of God and as we continue to feed upon His word; His Word, which is Spirit and life, is manifested through our flesh which has become His body, His flesh, the incarnate Word of God. Paul says in Eph. 5:30,

"For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones."

When Jesus said this people stood up and walked out saying, "He is crazy."  Even right now when you tell men that Jesus instructed us to become mature or perfect like Him and to follow His example just as He has followed His Fathers example, they will get up and walk out and tell everybody else that you are crazy and are a false teacher and you think you are God!  Do you know why? Because if they accept this as truth it will convict them that they do not measure up and that they have a long way to go before they get there.  Even the great apostle Paul realized this truth when he said in Phil. 3:12,

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."

Truth is demanding.  Before Jesus ever comes in the air He is going to come in us as a witness, as a standard and every eye shall behold Him in us. You may be saying in your heart right now, "Pastor Johnson, I just do not believe that."  If this is so, then what you are really saying is that you deny that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh.

Do you want to release the Christ nature that is within you?  Then what you are really saying is, "Lord, let this word that is within me become flesh and live in my body."  Paul said in I Cor. 6:19,

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you Have Received from God?"

Jesus Christ is right now coming in the flesh.  The more you learn of Him and the more you allow His life to be expressed in you is the degree that You allow Him to come in your flesh.  Notice who is the one controlling His coming in your flesh. Your carnal mind.  This is why Paul said in Romans 12:1-2,

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

Yes, He will come in the air, but even now He is coming in the flesh to live and dwell in you so that the world may know that God has sent Jesus.  (Jn. 17:23)  The Word is being made flesh right now in apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors and teachers.  There are those that deny this and sit in their temples as God and are rebellious.  However, This does not alter the fact that there is a people on the face of the earth that are saying,  "Yes, Lord, I believe!

So many charismatic are hung up on the authority/submission teaching that has been prevalent for the past few years, but even this is a part of the curse.  The whole concept of authority and submission is under the curse and only when we come into maturity will this curse be lifted. In Gen.  3:16 God said to Eve,

"I will greatly increase your pains in child bearing; with pain you will give birth to children.  Your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you."

Before the fall Eve was not under Adam's authority.  God called their name Adam.  They were one!  There is something greater than obedience. Obedience is better than sacrifice, but there is a greater dimension than obedience. To have a need for obedience, there must first be two wills involved.  When Jesus became a man He descended into the realm of obedience and submission. And He did it as a pattern.  When He ascended, He again became one with God.  He also gave gifts to the church of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the maturing of the church until we all come into the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will all become one with each other and one with Jesus and there will be one will and that will be the will of God.

What does all this have to do with the mark of the beast?  Everything! Because any spirit that denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is an antichrist.  Or against Christ.  Jesus said, "I am truth!"  Anytime you stand in opposition to the TRUTH, you are antichrist.  A spirit that denies the existence of the Lord's five-fold ministry is an antichrist.  The spirit of antichrist takes the place of Christ as God and says in a spirit of rebellion,  "I don't believe it." I Sam. 15:23 says,

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry"

If I am rebellious, I am practicing witchcraft.  Also if I am stubborn, I am worshipping idols.  Worshipping those thoughts and ideas in my mind that will not submit to His will.

I will look more into this next week. Have a great week!

Love

Dave