Isaiah 11:2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him...the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And shall make Him of quick understanding, and His delight shall be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, neither decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness and justice shall He judge the poor and decide with fairness for the meek, the poor, and the downtrodden of the earth; and He shall smite the earth and the oppressor with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

The above verses in Isaiah are prophetic references to the coming Messiah. Jesus is our Savior. He is also our example. In these last days we are called to walk as Jesus walked. Not in imitation... for that would be fleshly and ineffectual. We are called to press into the same love relationship with God the Father that Jesus knew. That God may empower us to do that which He desires in today's world, the same way Jesus did the Father's will when He walked the earth.

The same Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon those of us who are being called to restore this fallen world back to God. " Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord of hosts."

John 14:12 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

The fulfillment of this verse has only been evidenced in a small measure by individuals and small groups in scattered places around the world. But it will be manifested in this last generation in it's full measure... carried out by Christ's corporate body in the earth. Multiple members (144,000?) worldwide acting under the guidance of the Holy Spirit will accomplish what individuals could not. Take note of what Jesus said in the above verse.

Did He say the Pastor would do greater works?

No.

Did He say the evangelist, the deacon, the elder, the prophet, the teacher or that only those holding Church office would do greater works?

No.

He said...

"whosoever believeth on the Son of God," would do the works that He Himself had done, and even greater works because He went unto the Father... because He is now seated in heavenly places, with all power and authority, doing these works through His body.

I've heard many opinions concerning these 'greater works.' And the sum of these opinions is 'what could be greater than raising the dead?' Our carnal understanding limits us to thinking within the scope of 'acts' or 'physical manifestations.' We can justify our inability to operate in this way by reasoning to ourselves... 'what could be greater than what Jesus did?' and then answering our own question with 'nothing.'

It is because Christ now sits on the throne, far above all principalities and powers, that 'His Body' can and will do greater works. Greater being... scope and magnitude... the entire world will witness the power of God operating through His many-membered body. Christ's ministry was limited to the places He physically walked... the country He lived in... the masses that He ministered to where He was. The manifestation of the Sons of God, for which all creation is groaning, will surpass the things that Jesus did... only in the sense that it will be on a much grander scale. The sons will manifest Christ in the earth again! Every nation will be touched. And Jesus said this would be done by "whosoever believeth." That means that each and every believer has been invited to participate... does it not? The only thing that would exclude anyone would be unbelief.

Many of us have experienced moves of God in the past, that went far beyond our prior experiences in the structured Church. But the world as a whole has never witnessed believers doing the works that Jesus did, let alone greater works. God is even now preparing hearts to receive the greatest move of God that the world has ever seen. As believers, we need to know how to prepare for what is coming. We are well aware of our lack and inabilities. We have hundreds of denominations, doctrines, interpretations, philosophies and beliefs. How do we find the truth?

When we are born again, the rebirth is that of our spirit. Our inner man is brought into right relationship with God the Father. We are born as spiritual babies. We must mature and grow up if we would become full stature sons. As babes, we need milk, 'the milk of the Word.' The biblical teaching and instruction that we receive is interpreted by our carnal reasoning. The deep things of God... the spiritual mysteries of heaven are beyond carnal man's comprehension. We are limited by our own natural reasoning. Limited to the realm in which we live. When we receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we have gained the advantage of spiritual insight not available to carnal man. But we still have to grow in spiritual discernment.

Roman 8:6-9 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot.

So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.

But you are not living the life of the flesh, you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells within you [directs and controls you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God].

We are born into this world carnally minded. All of the social, religious, political and educational organizations in today's world are operating from this realm. It is all that man knows, and the best he can do.

Webster's Dictionary defines religion as: 1. the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2.) commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance 2. a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and practices.

God does not desire that we become religious. He does desire that we KNOW HIM. God desires that we be willing to die to our fleshly appetites and carnal understanding... that we put our 'old man' down and learn to live our life governed by Christ's Spirit within.

Romans 8:11-13 And if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, [then] He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also restore to life your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

So then, brethren, we are debtors, but not to the flesh [we are not obligated to our carnal nature], to live [a life ruled by the standards set up by the dictates] of the flesh.

For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.

"How do we go about doing this," you ask?

John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name.

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

We must believe... above and beyond our senses... and we must give the Spirit of God control of our lives, and learn by the Holy Spirit's leading what is truth and what is not of God. We will no longer live our lives as natural men, being governed by our senses, environment, desires or circumstances. If we would live by the Spirit, we would of necessity, learn to live in the spiritual realm. To be led by our spiritual inner man is not at all the same as living by our feelings. As children we were governed by our emotions. Happy, sad, fearful, angry, these feelings can change in a moment of time. However, as we mature we must learn to control our feelings. It is not socially acceptable for adults to throw tantrums when they do not get their way. Just as we must grow from child to adult in this world, so we must grow from babes in Christ to full stature sons and daughters spiritually... no longer swayed by every strange doctrine that comes along.

There is no more wonderful feeling than the anointed presence of God. What we need to remember is that God's presence comes to us for a greater purpose than just making us feel good. He woos and draws us unto Himself, that we might willingly choose Him above all others. He draws us unto Himself, that we might grow up in Christ, and be conformed to His image. That we might walk the earth today as Christ walked it 2000 years ago. The process God has chosen to bring about this transformation in us... is through suffering... through our daily dying to the lusts and demands of our natural man... no longer relying on our carnal reasoning and understanding... till we live by the power of God's Spirit within. This is what Paul meant when he said..."till not I live, but Christ liveth in me."

Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Initially, this is our greatest challenge... the overcoming of our 'old man.' Putting down our flesh. The greatest battle we must face is the battle within our own hearts and minds. Who will sit enthroned in our hearts? Who will we honor and fear? The devil, who is already defeated? Or the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! The choice is ours to make. What are we willing to settle for? Look again at the opening verse:

Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

This is what God desires to bestow upon all those who are willing to believe and obey. In ourselves we have none of the above. We will never acquire wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge or the fear of the Lord through intensive study, even if that was all that we pursued. Why? Because they must be spiritually discerned... and can only be acquired as we grow in our relationship with God.

We can no longer afford to do things our way. The world is crying and groaning for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Are you willing to rise to the challenge?

Are you willing to lay down your life, here and now?

To accept whatever role God gives you graciously?

To desire His will above your own?

No one is saying it will be easy. This overcoming will be painful... it will cost you everything. But it will also be more rewarding than we can even imagine. And the more we press in and let go of our own ideas, the easier it will be. Again, compare when you a little kid starting school for the first time. Everything was new and big and scary. You didn't know if you could find your way, but before long you had learned your way, and found your place. God knows exactly where each one of us are in our development. He also knows that which He has purposed for us to accomplish. We are all members of His Body, with our pre-ordained jobs to do. How could anything be better than finding our place in the body of Christ, and fulfilling that which the Spirit is asking of us? The further we go in the walk, the better we come to understand that it is all God. That He is the strength, the knowing, the executor of all that is accomplished. Jesus told us, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

This is a reality that we can walk in while still in these corruptible bodies of clay. Paul learned this... 2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

He knew that God was present in his tribulations. He did not attempt to answer back from his own intellect as he had in the past. He grew in his relationship and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, till he could actually take pleasure in the hard times he faced. Why? He gives the answer in Ephesians 1:18-23:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

We need to grow in our relationship and knowledge of the Lord in just the same way. We too, are facing hard things. We cannot overcome the world in our own strength... but living a spirit controlled life, we can be more, we can be overcomers. We can come to the knowledge of the Lord. We can behold the greater works that Jesus said we would do. He would not tell us... if it were not possible.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Amen

Cathy Morris

01/01/2003

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