1Sa 17:3-4 KJV And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one
side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a
valley between them. (4) And there went out a champion out
of the
camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six
cubits and a span.
1Sa 17:8-9 KJV And he stood and cried unto
the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set
your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul?
choose you a
man for you, and let him come down to me. (9)
If he be
able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants:
but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our
servants, and serve us.
Rev 5:2-6 KJV And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice,
Who is worthy
to open the book, and to
loose the seals thereof? (3)
And no man in
heaven, nor in earth,
neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to
look
thereon. (4) And I wept much, because no man was found
worthy to open
and to read the book, neither to look thereon. (5) And one
of the
elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion of
the tribe of Juda,
the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose
the
seven seals thereof. (6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the
midst of the
throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a
Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are
the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev
5:9-10 KJV And they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy
to take
the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and
tongue, and
people, and nation; (10) And hast
made us unto
our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
John 14:1-3 KJV Let
not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in
me.
(2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if
I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also.
Upon careful consideration, I
have realized that satan has distorted the true interpretation of
certain scriptures in many minds to alleviate the threat against
himself that is actually implied in those scriptures.
- For instance, if we believe we
are not kings and priests until after the resurrection, despite Rev
1:5-6 which puts these positions in the present tense, then we will not
use the authority we have as kings and priests to wage war against and
conquer satan's territories.
- Similarly, I wish to address
John 14:1-3 and not that the truth of this passage has been distorted
to be speaking about a heavenly mansion after this life is over.
- In actuality, we wish to inform all
true believers that it is speaking about a "place" in the here and now.
- A place that is of utmost threat to
the devil, if we would realize it and act upon it.
- Yes, there is a Heaven for us after
this life, and yes we will actually go there.
- But this is not what John 14 is
speaking about.
The last scripture is the one from which I will begin this message.
Many funerals have been preached using John 14:1-3 with intentions of
encouraging us to believe that the departed child of God has not
perished.
- This chapter has been interpreted as speaking about
mansions in the New Jerusalem where we will be received to be with
Jesus where He will be at that time, when he returns in the rapture to
take us to Himself.
- A problem exists in such an interpretation, because Jesus
did not say He would receive us so that where He WILL BE away from them
all and in Heaven is where they might be also.
- He said, "That where I am, there ye may be also."
And one among several keys to properly understanding this scripture is
found in his words when He said, "I will receive you unto myself."
It reminds me of these words:
John 12:32-33 KJV And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men unto me. (33) This he said, signifying what
death he should die.
He would draw everyone to Himself if He would be lifted up in death on
the cross.
Again, John 14 said He would LEAVE in order to be able to return and
receive the believers to Himself, so that where He is, they would be
also.
The cross has something to do with why He woudl draw all men to Himself.
- Leaving to prepare them a PLACE had something to do with
returning and receiving us all to Himself.
- Some say the cross was the issue in John 12's reference to
drawing all men to Himself, but going away and returning in the rapture
is the reason JOhn 14 said He would go and return and receive us to
Himself.
- I say BOTH ACOCUNTS POINT TO THE CROSS!
John 16:4-7 KJV But these things have I told you, that when the
time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these
things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with
you. (5) But now
I go my way to
him that sent me;
and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? (6) But
because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your
heart. (7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth;
It
is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you.
John 16:16-22 KJV
A little while,
and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see
me, because I go to the Father.
(17) Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is
this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me:
and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to
the Father? (18) They said therefore, What is this that he
saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. (19)
Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them,
Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye
shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
(20) Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and
lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but
your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (21) A woman when she
is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she
is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy
that a man is born into the world. (22) And ye now
therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
Notice the idea of a BABY BEING BORN associated with joy after the
sorrow of His departure.
- There would be many BORN AGAIN people after His departure to the
Father.
HE WOULD COME AGAIN in the Baptism of the Spirit.
John 14:16-18 KJV And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give
you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you. (18)
I will not
leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 16:23-24 KJV And
in that day ye
shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye
shall ask the Father in my name,
he will give it you. (24) Hitherto have ye asked nothing in
my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
John 16:26-28 KJV At that day
ye shall ask in
my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
(27) For
the Father
himself loveth you,
because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from
God. (28) I came forth from the Father, and am come into
the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
He was going to the Father.
- That would allow the Comforter to come.
- That would do something in drawing us all to Himself.
- It would do something in allowing Him to receive us to Himself so
that where He is, there we will be also.
- It would change something so that, whereas they had to ask
Him so that He could ask the Father for them, they would no longer need
to ask Him.
- Something would occur that would allow us to go directly to the
Father, ourselves, IN HIS NAME.
Notice that Jesus said
we would be
able to go to the Father ourselves IN JESUS' NAME.
This is
what He meant by receiving us to Himself, so that where He is, there we
would be also.
Where was
He that day when He spoke, that we were not, although believers in Him
stood there beside Him?
- It has to
do with us praying to the Father ourselves in His name now, since He
went away.
- He was in a place of FAVOUR WITH GOD, as God's Son, worthy to
enter His presence where no other was worthy to be.
- He could speak directly to the Father, when no one else could.
- But by going to the Father AND MAKING AN ATONEMENT
SACRIFICE of Himself for us, WE CAN NOW GO DIRECTLY TO THE FATHER AND
HAVE FAVOUR WITH GOD, OURSELVES!
- And we can go IN HIS NAME.
When we go
in His name, WE ARE REGARDED BY GOD AS JESUS CHRIST.
- When a law officer tells you to open your door in the name
of the Law, you are to regard that officer as the entire law system of
your land.
Rom 5:1-2 KJV Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2)
By whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:9-11 KJV Much more then, being
now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
(10) For if, when we were enemies,
we were
reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (11) And not
only so, but
we also joy in
God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by
whom we have now received the atonement.
Rom 5:18 KJV Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation; even so
by the
righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification
of life.
And Revelation 5 shows the High Priest, Jesus Christ, entering the
HOLIEST OF HOLIES for us.
Going to the Father for us.
Folks,
God
regards us as Jesus Christ when we go in the name of Jesus.
When we think Jesus was referring to His return for the church in the
rapture to ever have His where He WILL BE, we miss the entire thought
that He said this before the cross, and the concept of ATONEMENT which
this entire scripture revolves around.
Atonement is when a sacrifice is offered so that people can be accepted
to God again.
Isa 59:2 KJV But your iniquities have separated between you and
your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear.
That is why Jesus had to ask the Father for us.
Atonement is seen in the idea of David and Goliath.
Goliath asked for one man to come and battle him.
- If one man could fight and kill Goliath, then all Goliath's
people would be the servants of all the people of Israel.
- David was the one BOY of the Lion tribe Judah, who came and
conquered Goliath.
- According to Goliath's words, all the people of Philistia
became servants to all the people of Israel because of the act of ONE
BOY.
But when we read Revelation 5, we do read about one who prevailed, or
won a battle, and is called the LION OF JUDAH, similar to David who was
the champion over GOLIATH.
- But after we read of a lion who prevailed, John sees a LAMB
STANDING WHO HAD BEEN SLAIN.
- Goliath said the one who fights and kills the other will
indicate who's people would dominate the other's people.
- And Jesus DIED.
But in reality, This battle would not end by who died or not.
- THIS BATTLE was AGAINST DEATH, ITSELF.
Bro Wm Bustard wrote in his book how Jesus was tempted of the devil in
all points in the wilderness, and though He allowed the devil to tempt
Him, after the devil threw everything it could at Him, Jesus remained
standing.
Similarly, Jesus allowed death to slay Him and put Him in a grave, but
after death did everything it could against a man, Jesus Christ stood
again in resurrection power!
Like a boy facing impossible odds against a giant of a man, it was a
LAMB as though led dumb to the slaughter who rose again overcoming
death, itself.
Heb 2:14-15 KJV Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of
death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
THAT was when He went away from the disciples to the Father.
- He would go away to THIS EVENT so that greater the things He did
and greater things would WE DO.
- He would leave them and go to this event to PREPARE A PLACE
FOR THEM so that He would return and WHERE HE WAS, THEY WOULD BE ALSO.
- This ATONEMENT where Jesus' death and resurrection stood
for ALL OF US, allowed us from that time forth to GO DIRECTLY TO THE
FATHER IN HIS NAME.
- He would not have to ask for us, but we ourselves would ask the
Father.
No man was worthy to enter before.
Rev 5:1-2 KJV And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the
throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven
seals. (2) And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud
voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals
thereof? Rev 5:3 KJV And no man in heaven, nor in earth,
neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look
thereon.
But then John was worthy to come.
Rev 6:1-2 KJV And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals,
and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts
saying, Come and see. (2) And I saw, ...
Note that we were drawn to Jesus and were received to Himself so that
where He was, we were also, AT THE POINT WHEN HE HAD JUST CONQUERED
DEVILS, SIN, DISEASE, THE GRAVE and DEATH ITSELF.
- And true to Goliath's own words, all of hell and disease and
death and demons and sins are NOW OUR SERVANTS AND SLAVES.
- WE CAN COMMAND THEM.
- They're beneath our feet.
Jesus conquered all those things, and not only does God regard us as
Him when we come to Him in His name, but all those things regard us as
Jesus as well when we come to THEM in Jesus' name!
Forget about any incompetence you might have.
- It is Jesus' competence that is what God regards when He sees you.
- When He sees you, He sees the blood of the Lamb.
- He sees the resurrection of Jesus.
- He sees the authority of the Lord.
- The place where Jesus prepared for you IS IN HIS NAME.
- In His body
A wife has her husband's name, and is one flesh and body with him, and
can use his authority associated with his name.
- The church is the bride of Christ.
.