TIME TO GO BACK WHERE JESUS LAID
April 4, 2010 am
MF Blume
Romans
6:3-5 KJV Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus
Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are
buried with
him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life. (5) For if we have been planted together in the
likeness of
his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
The need for KNOWING the truth about the dead of Jesus Christ and how
it applies to us is so absolutely vital to the Christian who truly
wants to live a powerful Kingdom life for God.
Paul challenged the Roman readers if they REALLY KNEW what their
baptism was about.
- Baptism is
connected to the DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST.
- In fact, Paul
teaches that we connect to Jesus and begin our salvation at the point
of His life where He was crucified and died.
- The first
notions of coming together with Jesus and entering into a UNION with
Him is found in HIS DEATH.
And there are important things to KNOW about that death.
It is a LACK OF KNOWLEDGE that causes people to be destroyed.
- You need to KNOW
the truth for the truth to make you free.
The entire problem with believers that causes them to struggle and
become weak in their walks is their lack of KNOWLEDGE.
YOUR MIND will be ATTACKED by the devil and even weakened by your own
fleshly thoughts.
- Your mind is
based upon THOUGHTS.
- So when the
devil attacks your mind, THOUGHTS AND IMAGINATIONS ATTACK YOUR MIND.
- The bible has a
lot to say about the MIND and how you THINK as a Christian .
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV (4) (For the weapons of our
warfare are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong
holds;)
(5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
Ephesians 6:17 KJV And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Taking a helmet of salvation refers to doing something for YOUR MIND TO
PROTECT IT FROM AFFLICTION.
- And since the
devil attacks you with THOUGHTS, you know those thoughts are an
onslaught of LIES, because he is the father of all lies.
- Those LIES are
the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:16 KJV Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye
shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The THOUGHTS ATTACK YOUR MIND.
- It is a helmet
of salvation, and helmets protect the head, because KNOWING ABOUT YOUR
SALVATION protects your mind.
- KNOW what
salvation is all about.
- KNOW WHAT YOU
WERE SAVED FROM.
- If you do not
know what you were saved from, then you are going to think you have to
put up with things you were saved from that you do not have to put up
with any more.
Everyone knows they were saved from hell and from sin.
- But all that is
is a bandanna compared to the helmet of knowing you were saved from
someone the devil had power over.
- He no longer has
power over you!
- You were saved
from being owned by the devil.
- You were born in
sin and his jurisdiction is all that is sin.
- So were in his
kingdom.
- You were
translated from his kingdom of darkness into the marvelous kingdom of
God's son, the LIGHT OF GOD.
Look at what Col says in association with KINGDOMS.
Colossians 1:9-13 KJV For this cause we also, since the day we
heard
it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; (10) That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all
pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God; (11) Strengthened with all might,
according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with
joyfulness;
(12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (13)
Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son:
KNOWLEDGE is associated with the fact we were removed from one kingdom
where the devil had power over us to another kingdom!
- Knowledge
actually strengthens us.
Death cannot defeat you!
- Like the Hebrews
behind the blood enshrouded doorways in Egypt, death cannot enter and
attack you!
- We need the
blood applied to our minds.
- Our MINDS are
the doorways into which death can invade and destroy.
You need to claim the blood by understanding that claiming is like
having the blood around your door by which death cannot pass and attack
you!
- We let sickness
overcome us too much!
- Attack it back!
- Claim the blood!
- Understand the
cross gave you power you never had before over sickness.
You were JUSTIFIED when you were saved.
Romans 5:1 KJV Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
JUST-AS-IF-I'D never sinned!
You need to KNOW THAT!
- That is just the
right knowledge you need when the devil attacks you and says you owe
God for the sins you committed before you were saved.
- Say I AM
JUSTIFIED, SATAN, you cannot use my past sins against me.
- God does not
remember them any more!
Jeremiah 31:34 KJV And they shall teach no more every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they
shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,
saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember
their sin no more.
PEACE WITH GOD!
Romans 5:1 KJV Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Not war but PEACE.
Romans 5:17 KJV For if by one man's offence death reigned by one;
much
more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Do not work to be good or righteous, but are given the gift of BEING
RIGHTEOUS.
2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV For he hath made him to be sin for us, who
knew
no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
When you KNOW these facts about salvation, like a helmet, the lies of
the devil are deflected away from your mind and they cannot harm you!
2 Kings 4:17-21 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at
that
season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
(18) And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went
out
to his father to the reapers. (19) And he said unto his father,
My
head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
(20) And
when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her
knees till noon, and then died. (21) And she went up, and laid
him on
the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
Elisha prophesied to a woman that she would have a son, calling on God
to provide her with one.
At an age when the child could work with his father, he was afflicted
in his head just like Christians are attacked in their MINDS, and he
was taken to his mother.
The mother is like the church.
- The bride of
Christ.
- And a real
church that teaches and preaches all these truths and facts and gives
you this knowledge is where you need to be taken,
- There are a lot
of churches, but how many of them teach you this knowledge?
When you KNOW the truth that the devil lies to you about, the devil can
hardly do anything to you.
And the child DIED in his mother's lap.
- She then did
something that is powerfully significant and shows us the key to
victory.
2 Kings 4(20) And when he had taken him, and brought him to his
mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. (21)
And she
went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door
upon him, and went out.
The church teaches you to BE ALONE IN A CERTAIN PLACE with no one else
except YOU AND JESUS.
- The mother left
the child alone in the room and on the bed where Elisha SLEPT.
The preacher cannot do this for you.
- You have to
learn to be alone with God.
- The preacher and
the church will teach you how to do this.
- I am doing it
now.
THE BED OF ELISHA is the PLACE WHERE ELISHA SLEPT.
- SLEEPING in the
bible represents DEATH.
- Remember when
Jesus said the girl only slept, when she had died?
- Paul spoke of
saints who already died as sleeping.
- Elisha
represents JESUS CHRIST.
- The place where
ELISHA SLEPT represents the TOMB WHERE JESUS LAID IN DEATH.
- This BURIAL OF
JESUS is tremendously significant in the story of our salvation.
Romans 6:3-4 KJV Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we
are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.
Just like being baptized into Jesus death so we are buried with Him for
the purpose of walking in newness of life like Jesus resurrected, the
mother laid the lad in the place where Elisha slept.
The entire process of salvation BEGINS with BURIAL INTO JESUS' DEATH.
- The place where
Jesus laid.
- FROM THAT POINT
ONWARD, everything Jesus experienced BECOMES our experience.
- This is where
salvation begins because salvation is accomplished when we IDENTIFY
WITH JESUS' death, burial and resurrection.
- JESUS' DEATH
BECOMES OUR DEATHS WHEN WE ARE SAVED.
God counts the death of Jesus as OUR DEATHS.
2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV For the love of Christ constraineth us;
because
we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2 Corinthians 5:14 GNB We are ruled by the love of Christ, now
that we
recognize that one man died for everyone, which means that they all
share in his death.
His death CAUSED US TO BE ABLE TO SAY WE DIED.
- It's like saying
if a wealthy man went and paid all of our electric bills for us, then
we owe no money to the electric company.
As soon as you believe, YOU DIE WITH JESUS.
Hebrews 9:27-28 KJV And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but
after this the judgment: (28) So Christ was once offered to
bear the
sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the
second time without sin unto salvation.
Why did verse 28 say Jesus died once?
- The answer is in
verse 27.
- Because man
sinned, IT IS APPOINTED TO MAN TO DIE ONCE.
- After that death
is the JUDGMENT.
- And Hebrews
teaches that this is the reason Jesus WAS OFFERED ONCE.
- Think about it.
- Why would our
need to die once be the reason Jesus was offered in death once?
- It is because IT
SOLVES OUR PROBLEM.
- It answers the
need for us to die due to sin.
2 Cor 5:14 is saying the same thing as these two verses in Heb 9.
- His death COUNTS
AS OUR DEATHS.
- We had a problem
that we had to die once.
- Therefore,
Christ died once.
- His death
counted as our deaths so that we are SAVED FROM THIS DOOM!
Romans 6:6 KJV Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with
him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin.
This entire manner of thinking is called IDENTIFYING WITH CHRIST.
- When you learn
the concept that His death became your death and everything that he
benefited from by dying can be claimed as belonging to us as well
because WE DIED WITH HIM, then you are identifying with Christ.
- Not enough
believers identify with Jesus.
- So they are
forever defeated by something.
THIS IS WHAT WE MUST KNOW IN ORDER TO LIVE AN OVERCOMING LIFE AND
REPAIR THE DAMAGES DONE IN OUR MINDS that make us falter.
Romans 6:4 KJV Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into
death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12 KJV Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye
are
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath
raised him from the dead.
OPERATION IDENTIFICATION
Ephesians 2:5-6 KJV Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath
raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus:
All of the above is saying WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT BENEFITS JESUS
RECEIVED AFTER HE DIED ARE OUR BENEFITS simply because we came into
UNION WITH JESUS when we were saved.
When you identify with His death you need to realize that the benefits
of Jesus' death became YOUR BENEFITS.
What is so good about identify with His death until we really believe
His death counted as our deaths?
Paul answers us:
Romans 6:7-11 KJV For he that is dead is freed from sin.
(8) Now if
we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
How can we believe that our deaths with Christ leads to LIFE AFTER
DEATH with Christ?
- (KEEP IN MIND
THAT death with Christ means FREEDOM FROM SIN (verse 7)... so live
after this death means LIFE AFTER FREEDOM FROM SIN)
Paul answers how we can believe we shall live with Him:
(9) Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more;
death hath no more dominion over him. (10) For in that he
died, he
died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
(11)
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All that is true of Jesus is true of us now!
- This is how you
must think.
This same TRUTH is represented by something Joseph of Arimathea did.
Matthew 27:59-60 KJV And when Joseph had taken the body, he
wrapped it
in a clean linen cloth, (60) And laid it in his own new
tomb, which
he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of
the sepulchre, and departed.
Just like Joseph laid Jesus in HIS TOMB, in your mind you need to look
at it as though Jesus laid IN YOUR TOMB IN WHICH YOU WERE MEANT TO LAY
IN DEATH.
- He took the
penalty you were supposed to take.
- Your place of
death is where Jesus was laid.
- The place where
you were supposed to be buried in death was where Jesus was laid.
- YOU NEED TO
THINK THIS WAY IN YOUR MIND.
- In your mind,
YOU NEED TO LAY JESUS IN YOUR GRAVE.
- In other words,
understand his death counted as your death.
We identified with EVERY DETAIL OF JESUS' experiences after He died.
His power is your power.
- His
righteousness is yours.
- His seating in
heavenly places is yours.
- His NAME is
yours!
- His Spirit is in
you!
- You RULE AND
REIGN WITH HIM!
- This is KINGDOM
REVELATION!
What he has power over is what you have power over... JUST BECAUSE YOU
GOT SAVED and you UNITED WITH HIM in your salvation.
When you truly believe and understand that, you can overcome anything
the devil tries to put in your mind.
This is perfectly pictured by the story of the dead lad.
2 Kings 4:32-35 And when Elisha was come into the house,
behold, the
child was dead, and laid upon his bed. (33) He went
in therefore,
and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. (34)
And
he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth,
and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he
stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed
warm. (35) Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro;
and
went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven
times, and the child opened his eyes.
First, the lad was laid where Elisha laid.
- The church will
carry you in its teaching to cause you to be alone with Jesus and begin
thinking of this truth all by yourself.
- When you are
attacked in your mind, the first thing to do is remember the tomb where
Jesus laid is YOUR TOMB.
- Elisha
identified with the boy until his eyes were on the boys' eyes.
- His mouth was
his mouth.
- His hands were
his hands.
- This shows every
detail of Elisha was matched with the boy.
- This represents
how every detail of Christ's experiences are identified with us.
- His victory is
ours.
- His goodness is
ours.
- Like all those
physical parts were matched by Elisha with the boy, all the spiritual
elements of Jesus death were matched TO US!
- As much as
Elisha laid eye to eye, mouth to mouth and hand to hand, we identified
status to status with Jesus.
- We matched with
Jesus'; victory.
- His victory
became ours.
- We matched his
seating in heavenly places.
- We matched his
righteousness.
- He gave us his
righteousness.
And when you know these things, you can defeat every lie from the devil!
When you are attacked in your mind, it is time to go the place Jesus
laid.
- This means it is
time line up your thinking so that you identify with Jesus all over
again.
- Remind
yourself...
- You died with
Him.
- You were buried
with Him.
- You were raised
with Him.
- You are made
righteous by being IN CHRIST.
- It is time to go
to this place of understanding in your mind.
- It is time to
align your thoughts until you realize all over again that his
righteousness is your's.
- His goodness is
your's.
- His power over
the devil is your own!
If you have never learned this before, you are actually renewing your
mind the more you believe what I am saying.
- It is easy to
forget these things even if you did learn them.
- So time and time
again you need to go back IN YOUR MIND to the place where Jesus laid.
- You go there
because you remind yourself IF HE DIED FOR YOU, then that means YOU
DIED.
- It counts as you!
- So you add it
all up in your mind.
- "If I died with
Him, then I am buried with Him, and I resurrected with Him. And
that
means I am seated with him over all the devil as well! That means
I
have power WITH HIM over the devil. I have HIS
RIGHTEOUSNESS. HIS
POWER. HIS VICTORY!"
Elisha specifically identified with the lad's EYES, MOUTH AND HANDS.
- THIS AFFECTS
YOUR EYES, MOUTH AND HANDS.
- The way YOU SEE
THINGS.
- WHAT YOU SAY!
- WHAT YOU DO!
MOUTH FIRST.
EYES SECOND
HANDS LAST.
You SPEAK THIS and confess it.
- Then you SEE
(understand) THINGS THIS WAY.
- THEN YOU ACT
UPON WHAT YOU SEE AND USE YOUR HANDS TO WORK FOR GOD!
You snap out of your defeatism, and overcome those lies as soon as you
remind yourself of your identification with Jesus!
- So, when you
remind yourself of these truths, in your understanding you go to the
place where Jesus laid.
When you feel you are no good, go to the place where Jesus laid.
- REMEMBER the
bible teaches His righteousness is your righteousness, just like Elisha
laid eye to eye and mouth to mouth with the dead lad.
- Identify with
every part of Jesus spiritually.
You always are in the position Jesus has, but if you forget this, or
never even knew it, you will not have confidence.
- You will run
when you do not have to run.
- You will let the
devil hurt you when you do not have to.
- You will stand
there and let the devil take your family, your joy and even your faith,
when you do not have to because you have the same power over him that
Jesus has since you UNITED TO JESUS when you were saved.
When you UNDERSTAND this truth, you get confidence and realize that if
you have the power Jesus has over the devil, then who does the devil
think he is when he tries to defeat you!
This is what the bible means when it says you are transformed by the
renewing of your mind!
Identifying yourself with Jesus is a NEW WAY OF THINKING.
- You renew your
mind to what the bible says about you when you think this way.
Becoming spiritual is simply THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF AS THE BIBLE SAYS
YOU ARE.
- You need to find
out all these things from the bible that are true about you simply
because you were saved, that were never true about you before.
- It does not
matter if you feel different, the fact is the bible says you are, and
you must believe the bible and not your feelings!
Psalm 77:2-12 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord:
my sore ran
in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
(3) I
remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was
overwhelmed. Selah. (4) Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so
troubled that I cannot speak. (5) I have considered the days of
old,
the years of ancient times. (6) I call to remembrance my song in
the
night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent
search. (7) Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be
favourable
no more? (8) Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise
fail
for evermore? (9) Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in
anger
shut up his tender mercies? Selah. (10) And I said, This is my
infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most
High. (11) I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will
remember thy wonders of old. (12) I will meditate also of all thy
work, and talk of thy doings.
Think of the power of God.
2 Kings 4(35) Then he returned, and walked in the house to and
fro;
and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed
seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
Adam Clarke said, "When the nervous influence began to act on the
muscular system, before the circulation could be in every part
restored, particular muscles, if not the whole body, would be thrown
into strong contractions and shiverings, and sternutation or sneezing
would be a natural consequence; particularly as obstructions must have
taken place in the head and its vessels, because of the disorder of
which the child died. Most people, as well as philosophers and
physicians, have remarked how beneficial sneezings are to the removal
of obstructions in the head."
Obstructions in the head....
Those lies that the devil put into your head to confuse and confound
you, that killed your spirituality, ARE OBSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE TOTALLY
-- (SEVEN TIMES infers totality) -- removed from your mind.
- All the low
thoughts of yourself.
- All the
defeatist ideas and imaginations.
- THEY ARE THROWN
OUT!
- GONE!
SNEEZED THEN OPENED EYES.
- CLEAR OUT YOUR
MIND AND THEN OPEN EYES AND SEE/UNDERSTAND correctly AGAIN!