COMMENDING
OUR SPIRITS TO GOD
MF Blume
Sunday,
February 22, 1998 PM
2Chr 16:1-9 In the six and thirtieth
year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and
built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa
king of Judah. Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of
the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king
of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, [There is] a league between me
and thee, as [there was] between my father and thy father: behold, I have
sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel,
that he may depart from me. And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent
the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon,
and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. And it came to
pass, when Baasha heard [it], that he left off building of Ramah, and let
his work cease. Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the
stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and
he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. And at that time Hanani the seer came
to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the
king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of
the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the
Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou
didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of
the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them]
whose heart [is] perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore
from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
Luke 23:44-46 And it was about the
sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when
Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands
I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the
ghost.
Reve 11:15-19
And the
seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ;
and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which
sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and
art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead,
that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy
servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small
and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God
was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings,
and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
All three of these biblical references
stress one point. GOD REVEALING HIMSELF.
- When God finds one whose
heart is turned towards him, HE REVEALS HIMSELF AS STRONG on that one's behalf.
- When Jesus commended His
Spirit into the Father's hands, the veil was rent, and the HOLIEST (representing
God's presence) was EXPOSED and REVEALED.
- When the seventh trumpet
sounds, and all is over, the ark is REVEALED in the Holiest, evidently because
THE VEIL HAS BEEN REMOVED.
- And in each case the STRENGTH
of God is the issue.
- HIS POWER.
ASA
- King Asa was leader of the
southern Kingdom of JUDAH during the time after separation of the ten northern
tribes and the southern two tribes. Baasha led the Northern Kingdom of ISRAEL.
- In efforts to squash Israel's
efforts to come against Judah, Asa resorted to man and fleshly help rather
than going to God for help. He went to Syria's King, Benhadad.
- God sent a prophet, Hanani,
to rebuke Asa for relying upon flesh instead of God.
- Asa knew how to receive
help from God.
- Previously, when threatened
by great and powerful Ethiopia, Asa cried to God.
- God came through and defeated
the Ethiopians.
- The prophet then encouraged
Asa that that was the type of blessing one gets when one leans upon God.
- But Asa lost his faith
and was rebuked by the prophet.
- Asa received warning that
he would have wars during his kingdom, and he later received a disease in
his feet, and died.
CAN YOU STAND BY FAITH?
- A disease in Asa's feet
symbolizes the lack of confidence in the Word of God we can stand upon.
- We stand by faith and walk
by faith.
- the state of a soul that
cannot trust in God is that similar to Asa's kingdom. NEVER AT REST. WARS
ALL AROUND
- But God can REVEAL HIS
STRENGTH for those who rely upon Him and not flesh.
There is always a struggle for those who do not learn to rely upon God by
faith.
- By faith, we enter
a rest.
Previously...
2Chr 14:11 And Asa cried unto the
LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with
many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest
on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art]
our God; let not man prevail against thee.
2Chr 15:15 And all Judah rejoiced
at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with
their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest
round about.
THE VEIL AND THE ARK
- The veil formed a wall between
the common person and the Holiest of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant
was placed.
- The Ark represented God's
presence and POWER.
- The Ark was there when Jericho's
walls fell down.
- The Ark was there when
Jordan was divided and Israel crossed over on dry land.
- Blood was sprinkled on
the Ark in Atonement sacrifice and God's POWER removed Israel's sins.
- When the veil was removed
at Christ's death, the Holiest of Holies, the place of God's power, was revealed
to man.
In the Book of Revelation, we
read that the Kingdoms of this world will become those of Christ.
- No more wars.
- Rest
- This is when the ARK OF
GOD IS REVEALED IN THE TEMPLE.
- The veil is removed.
The prophet warned Asa back in
his days of faith...
2Chr 15:1-2 And the Spirit of God
came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto
him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD [is]
with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you;
but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
With this in mind, recall the
words given to Asa in his days of unbelief.
2Chr 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD
run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf
of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore
from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
- Turn your
heart PERFECTLY towards God and He will show His strength on your behalf.
- "Perfect"
means "complete" in the Bible
- So the
text tells us that if we completely turn our hearts to God, IN FAITH, we
will be blessed with His help.
- Paul said
that a veil is removed when we turn our hearts to Jesus Christ.
2Cor 3:14-16
But their
minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away
in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this
day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to
the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
- When the
heart is turned to the Lord, the veil is removed from the Heart.
- WE MUST
TURN OUR HEARTS TOTALLY TOWARDS HIM IN FAITH
- WITH THE
HEART MAN BELIEVES.
- We have
been enjoying the revelation of late that the blowing of SEVEN TRUMPETS indicates
the PREACHING of the POWER of the BLOOD oF JESUS, because the seven trumpets
were made from RAM'S HORNS when Israel prepared to march around Jericho and
blow seven trumpets on the seventh day. And Jesus is seen as a LAMB with
SEVEN HORNS in Revelation preceding a vision in which John saw SEVEN TRUMPETS
blown. Since Jesus was seen with seven horns WHILE HE REDEEMED MAN BY HIS
BLOOD, and since a HORN represents POWER in the Bible, and since blowing a
trumpet represents preaching the word, there can be no other thought besides
that of the blowing of seven trumpets being the preaching of the power of
the Blood of the Lamb.
- So, after
we read the seventh trumpet is blown, we read the Kingdoms becoming Christ's
and the Ark being revealed, and NO MORE WARS.
- When we
fully BELIEVE, and TURN OUR HEARTS TO JESUS, and receive ALL (7) the preaching
of the power of the blood of Jesus, we will have no more wars and we will
rest.
- GOD'S KINGDOM
WILL BE SEEN.
- GOD'S POWER
IS REVEALED
JESUS
DIED
- Jesus commended
His Spirit into the Father's hands, and died as the veil in the temple was
rent.
- He said,
"IT IS FINISHED" in John 19:30.
- Put the
two references to his last words in Luke 23:44-46 with John 19:30 and we realize
that IT IS FINISHED means, "Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit"
- The greatest
work Jesus ever did, the greatest display of God's POWER, occurred after Jesus
commended His Spirit into the Father's hands.
- Hell had
a different visitor that day!
- Jesus marched
into the corridors of Hell, and stole the keys of death and hell from the
devil!
- And His
blood redeemed millions of souls that day.
Reve 1:18 I am he that liveth,
and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys
of hell and of death
Like Jesus, DO
ALL THE WAY
- Commend
your very spirit into God's hands.
- COMMEND
means to "commit with confidence."
- FAITH
- be compete.
- FINISH
- Give God
everything!
- Let God
reveal His power for you!
- When the
veil ripped in the temple, the message was clearly saying, "NOW HERE IS MY
POWER SHINING FORTH IN ITS GREATEST GLORY, because my Son commended all to
me."
- Only when
we are totally committed will God show forth such glorious power for us.
- Beforehand,
Jesus opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears and raised the dead. he even
cast out demons. But NOTHING compared to the power of redemption!!
- The greatest
work was done AFTER He commended His spirit into God's hands.
GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT
- God's Power
is shown in operation of the gifts of the Spirit.
- Perfect
your ministry in the gifts.
- Dedicate
yourself fully to God.
- get a backbone
and upset the devil's kingdom!
Luke 22:28-29
Ye are
they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you
a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
The disciples
continued through the hard times as well as the good.
- Jesus said
they would sit on thrones.
- KEEP ON
KEEPING ON!!
- Except
you suffer trials with Him, you cannot reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12)
- You have
to trust God to suffer trials.
- COMMEND
your spirit to God.
The veil represents
the FLESH
Hebr 10:20 By a new and living
way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say,
his flesh;
YOU CAN DO IT!
- Jesus is
there for you to come and commend all
- He is there
telling you that you can make it!!
- HE HAD TO DO IT FOR YOU!!!!
- You're
a temple of the Holy Ghost -- LET YOUR VEIL OF FLESH REND and not hinder
you any more!!