Friday, July 3, 2009

Biblical facts on the Anti-Christ, resurrection of the body, and the Judgment Seat of Christ (pt.1)

Daniels 70 Week prophecy reveals and establishes a picture of the seven year Tribulation period taught in the book of Revelation. The first 483 years of the prophecy dealt with Daniels prediction of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem (as Israel’s King and Prince) where He prophetically rode upon an ass’s colt. (Zechariah 9:9) Within that 483 year time frame…there were threescore two weeks (434 years) that transpired from the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, including the wall in Nehemiah to the cutting off of the Messiah, (46 years) to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem, (3 years) of Christ’s earthly ministry until He was crucified. There is a total of 483 Years or (69 weeks) accounted for; 7 years or (1 week) unaccounted for.

· Dan 9:24-27... Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolation's are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate

· The seventy weeks that were determined were literally defined in the Hebrew text as "seventy seven's". Has reference to years...490 years to be exact. 483 years are accounted for in Daniel’s Seventy Week prophecy.

shabuwa` (shaw-boo'-ah); or shabua` (shaw-boo'-ah); also (feminine) shebu` ah (sheb-oo-aw'); properly, passive participle of OT:7650 as a denominative of OT:7651; literal, sevened, i.e. a week (specifically, of years):KJV - seven, week.

The Anti-Christ predicted in the following verse is a miniature picture of the last week or (7 years) of Daniels 70 week prophecy.

· Dan 9:27…And he* shall confirm the covenant with many for one week**: and in the midst of the week*** he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate


*He is the Anti-Christ that will rise out of the Beast Kingdom (One World Government that opposes Israel) during the Great Tribulation which follows the Rapture of the Church. The Beast Kingdom and Anti-Christ will set the stage for the Battle of Armageddon.

**One week spoken of here relates to seven years which is the length of the Great Tribulation. 69 weeks or 483 years are accounted for in Daniel’s Seventy Week prophecy. "Seventy weeks" prophesied by Daniel. Note the following...7 weeks (49 years) + 62 weeks (434 years) +1 week (7 years) = 70 weeks (490 years) When the Holy Spirit steps aside and Christ removes the Church in the Rapture, the Anti Christ spoken of in Revelation will confirm that Covenant.

***The Abomination of desolation will take place as spoken by Christ in Matthew 24. The Abomination of Desolation was a Gentile aggression against Israel during the great Tribulation and is a type similar to the Babylonian aggression during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes a Syrian king spoken of in Daniel 9:27. A Gentile hatred toward the Jew outlawed the Sabbath, the Torah, circumcision, temple worship, etc. Epiphanes also erected a statue in the likeness of himself and sacrificed a pig on the alter in the Temple. This was an abomination to Levitical Priesthood.

As Daniel predicted that the covenant would be confirmed (renewed) for 1 week (or seven year period) this deals with the Great Tribulation and the reign of the Anti-Christ. The book of Revelation confirms the Tribulation period will be broken into two 3 ½ year periods.

· First 3 ½ year period…Rev 11:2…But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

· Second 3 ½ year period... Rev 11: 3…And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. Rev 13:4-5…And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

The Anti-Christ will rise out of the Beast which the Bible states, the dragon gives all power to. The Beast (A Gentile Kingdom and one world Government that hates Israel) relates to past Jewish captivities spoken of in the book of Revelation. These are the Babylonian captivity (Leopard), Medo-Persian captivity (Bear), Grecian captivity (Lion), and the Roman captivity (the forth beast) prophesied by John in Revelation chapter 13.

· Rev 13:1…And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

When the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation…there had been five previous Roman dictators. History will verify such. Domitian was the present Roman King that exiled John to the Isle of Patmos. The seventh king will be the Beast Kingdom (or Gentile One World Government) of which the Anti-Christ the eighth king will form out of (foreseen by Daniel). Note how the seventh and eighth kings are one in the same according to John’s Revelation. The following verse shows the dominion of Satan’s Kingdom and those under his dominion and the Gentile aggression against Israel as the Anti-Christ leads humanity into perdition.

· Rev 17:10-11…And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition… (Antichrist)

Daniel and Johns future predictions both point to the fact that the mercy of God is taken out of the world after the Rapture of the Church. John calls this the, hereafter (Revelation 4:1). Hereafter being simply, “After the Rapture takes place”. The Rapture being the Churches final Judgment shows how Christ will remove the members of His body from sudden destruction and the terror of the Anti-Christ (1 Thess. 5:3). (The Bible indicates the man of sin, the son of perdition, and the Anti-Christ are one in the same.) According to the Apostle Paul the man of sin will come after the working of Satan who will thus have “all power” during that period of time.

· 2 Thess 2:9-10…Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Renewal takes place "after" Sanctification

To be renewed is to have a sanctified heart. A sanctified heart is where the Indwelling Spirit totally possesses the heart, life, and body of a believer in Christ. Sanctification is full salvation...without the struggle of the Old Nature or the inner conflict caused from the Old life. Not all Christians are "renewed" but all Christians "can be renewed"!

The work of the Holy Spirit is not to be limited or confined to the new birth or regeneration only! Renewal is the product of final work of the Holy Spirit..received in this life! Its not the process of being sanctified gradually...its the result of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire...that rids the believer in Christ from the conflicting Adamic nature. Christ has the power to "rule" and give members of His body "victory over the control of the flesh". Glory!

Renewal is a blessing of God's Grace...that keeps the Indwelling Spirit in full possession of the believer's heart, soul, and body. Renewal is not a gradual process...its the finished product! A renewed man has "put on the new man" and is controlled by the new man.

Col 3:10...And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Here's the scriptural characteristics of a renewed man...

Col 3:12-15...Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

When renewal is experienced...the new man is put on....contentment is found. Contentment is real Christian living! Contentment is caused from victory! Victory brings Glory to Christ! Blessed be His holy name forever!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sanctification through the Spirit:

Sanctification through the Spirit:
(The believer and unbeliever)

1. The initial work of the Holy Spirit is; conviction of a sinner: (Acts 2: 37) (John 16: 8)

2. The new birth; regeneration, the Holy Spirit ministering holiness and righteousness to the heart of a believer by making Christ known.

3. The Holy Spirit leads a believer to crucifixion of the self life (Galatians 5: 24)

4. The final act of the Holy Spirit (in this life) is the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire reflecting an inner work which takes place, “after a believer dies to the old life”.
(a.) The heart is purified by faith (Acts 15:8)
(b.) Purity reflects deliverance from a carnal heart (Romans 8)
(c.) Enduement of power makes men witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8)
(d.) Instantaneous like the new birth. (at one stroke)


· Conviction deals with the sinful side of man. Guilt is revealed. It brings man to accountability, leaving him without excuse; helps him to realize a right standard of life. Conviction leads men to repentance as sin is exposed by the presence of Christ.

· Regeneration, (the new birth; being born of the Spirit) is a union made between the heart of man and the heart of God (after repentance). At regeneration a believer receives forgiveness for all sins committed and guilt is taken away. As a result of Gods Grace the presence of Christ is made known to the heart through regeneration. A believer realizes he’s a new creature, old things have passed away. Holiness of heart begins.

· Crucifixion of self is the path to Entire sanctification. The Holy Spirit leads a believer to crucifixion because the self will and will of God conflicts. This conflict began at the new birth. After trusting in Christ, when all sins were forgiven, the self-desire, self-affection, self-interest and self-position still remained. The carnal nature conflicts with the divine (Galatians 5: 17) ...The flesh lusteth against the Spirit… (James 1: 8)… A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 4: 8)…purify your hearts you double minded. Crucifixion is revealed by the presence of God to end the conflicting battle between self and Spirit. Crucifixion of the old man allows the body of sin to be destroyed by the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire (Romans 6: 6)…knowing this that our Old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed. When a believer “crucifies” or “puts off the old man” he’s dead! The old habits, old attitudes, and old ways of life are a thing of the past.

· The final act of the Sanctification is the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire. This blessing of Divine Grace is a Spiritual operation which purges the heart of a believer from its carnal root. When the old man is crucified, the Holy Spirit purifies, and fills. Self is emptied and the Holy Spirit takes possession of (the mind, will, and intellect). Indwelling sin is purged, and indwelling Spirit takes its place. The Holy Spirit now has full sway, preserving the “spirit, soul, and body,” totally… (1 Thessalonians 5: 23, 24) … and very God of peace sanctify you wholly (entirely), and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ... faithful is he that calls you who will also do it. No longer is man controlled by indwelling sin nor does temptation affect him the same as in the past. The Indwelling Spirit has (Romans 8:2) … “made him free” from the law of sin and death. This “fullness of the Spirit” makes him a witness for Christ. (Acts 1:8) A strong testimony, faithfulness, and godly lifestyle prove’s he is “filled”, “renewed”; or has “the fullness of God. Sanctification strengthens the inner man enabling him to have victory over sin. He becomes an over comer of the world and the wicked one. Peace, happiness and contentment are products of his blessed experience.

The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, leads to crucifixion, and renews the heart … but sanctification from a carnal heart only comes through the “baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.” Why sanctification? Man can’t confess or be forgiven from a carnal heart. It’s a result of the Original sin instilled into humanity, (Romans 5: 19)… “For by one man's disobedience many were made sinner's” How does man receive deliverance? Only the sanctifying power of the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire can (Acts 15: 8) (James 4: 8)…purify the heart (Romans 6: 6)…by destroying the body of sin. Then renewing takes place.

There is no time factor between the new birth and the baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire, but death to the old man must take place, before a man can be sanctified entire. (Colossians 3: 3) … you are “dead” and your life is hid with Christ in God. A dead man doesn’t show the old life anymore. A believer doesn't grow into this new life. (He grows in it) The purifying work of the Holy Spirit is not a progressive but instantaneous work (at one stroke) when the body of sin is destroyed.

A believer must put off the old man; bury the old life and the old ways, to be “entirely sanctified” (Colossians 2: 12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God. (Colossians 3: 9, 10) Seeing that you have “put off” the old man with his deeds; and have “put on” the new man which is “renewed” in knowledge after the image of him that created him, (Ephesians 4:21,22,23,24) As the truth is in Jesus that you “put off” concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; and be “renewed” in the Spirit of your mind; and that you “put on” the new man which after God is created into righteousness and true holiness (“Renewing” takes place “ after sanctification”) To be renewed is a “result of sanctification”.