October 2004

“HAVING BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT”

“Not by MIGHT, nor by power, but
by My Spirit, says the Lord!”(Zec 4:6)

Part 12

            In recent ages, Christendom has implied that heaven and hell are somewhere out in space; when actually both are the spiritual realms from where God dispenses His rewards and retributions for men’s acts! The natural realm of earth is God’s crucible that prepares them for either or both. Scripture reveals that heaven and hell are *multi-leveled, indicating that God’s compensations and vengeance are progressive and equitable to human activity! We see heaven as a perpetual paradise; yet Jesus says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, although My Words shall not pass away!” (Mt 24:35) If heaven “passes away”, where shall God reside? And where shall be His Kingdom? The only way Jesus’ Words make sense is if the passing heaven is man’s unholy spirit- (without Christ); and if the passing earth is man’s unsanctified flesh (without Christ)!

*In Ps 85:12-13, King David (who was “the apple of God’s eye”)

not only mentions a “lowest hell”- but says he occupied it! Then
he stated, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart!
I will glorify Your name forever! For Your Mercy toward me is
so great that You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell!”

Let all who say none escape “eternal hell” hear this!

GOD DELIVERED DAVID’S SOUL FROM THE LOWEST HELL!!

*In 2 Co 12:2, Paul says, “I now speak of visions and revelations

of the Lord. I knew a Man in Christ 14 years ago (God knows
whether I was in the body or out of the body, but I cannot state)
and he was caught up to the third heaven!”

Of these places called heaven and hell, David said this in Ps 139:7-8.
“Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Where shall I flee Your Presence?

FOR IF I ASCEND INTO HEAVEN, YOU ARE THERE: BUT ALSO
IF I MAKE MY BED IN HELL, BEHOLD, YOU ARE THERE!”

            This brings us to the geographic locale of heaven and hell! If Scripture locates heaven, then hell must be seen too. Jesus told the apostles, “THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU!” (Lu 17:21) And in His parable He said, “The Kingdom of heaven is likened to a MAN Who sowed good seed in His field!” (Mt 13:24) He interprets this in vv. 37-38 saying, “The field is the world; and the Good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom!” Also, “The Seed is the Word of God!” (Lk 8:11) If the Kingdom of heaven is a Man, it must be Jesus Christ, whom 1 Co 15:46 calls the “Lord from heaven!” The Good Seed He sows is Himself - for He is the Living Word of God! Where does He sow His Seed? “In good ground- which is they who have good and honest hearts who hear God’s Word, and keep it, and bring forth Fruit (of His Spirit) with patience!” (Lk 8:15) These are called children of the Kingdom! And if this Kingdom of the Man- the Word of God, is “within us”...where do you think hell is? 1 Jn 4:4 says, “Greater is HE THAT IS IN YOU, than HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD!” If God’s Word is ruling “in us”, then the “rulers of darkness of this world” (Eph 6:12) are dead words of the carnal mind ruling “in the world”! As we sow the “seeds” of flesh words in the soil of this world’s outer darkness, we become subject to the hellish consequences of their“fruits of death!” (Ro 7:5) But from where do these “dead seeds” originate? Jn 12:24 says, “Unless a (good) Seed of wheat falls in the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it yields much fruit!” This is God’s law of sowing and reaping! First, His Word dies in us, then it is resurrected in us that we might become vessels of His Life- i.e., children of His Kingdom!

[TO BE CONTINUED]