July 28, 2024
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Last week we studied 1st Corinthians 15:35-58, and we learned about the imperishable bodies that we will receive at the Rapture. Those of us who die before the Rapture will be resurrected and given a reconstituted, or glorified, body built to last for eternity. But we also saw in the scripture that those of us who are alive at the time of the Rapture, will also be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, as Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15:51-53.
1st Corinthians 15:
51 ¶ Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(NASB)
So, we will need imperishable bodies to last all of eternity. These perishable bodies won’t do.
But as I recorded last week’s word for the audio version, the anointing of the Lord came upon 1st Corinthians 15:45 which describes Jesus as the last Adam who became a life-giving Spirit. Paul was distinguishing between our perishable bodies and the imperishable bodies we all receive at the Rapture. Here is the context:
1st Corinthians 15:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable [body], it is raised an imperishable [body];
43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;
44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body.]
45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.
As I read verse 45 for the audio, the Lord spoke into my spirit that some of us are walking in the spirit of death, not life. The challenges in our lives have caused a spirit of death, darkness, sadness, poor health, and fear to hang over us in the flesh. But Jesus is a life-giving Spirit. He brings life into our spirits, not death. He resurrects our spirits from a spirit of death to a spirit of life.
Have you ever noticed when the Spirit of the Lord moves, and His presence is felt during worship, that there is a lifting of your emotions? Maybe you entered His presence with worry and fear over the troubles of life, but His presence transforms your emotions into peace and joy, which are fruit of the Spirit. That is the work of His life-giving Spirit. His life-giving Spirit comes into our spirit and transforms it, and our spirit rules our soul (our mind, our will, and our emotions). As a result, we come out of his presence with a spirit of peace, joy, and life.
Romans 8 explains why this happens.
Romans 8:
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so];
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Verses 6 and 7 are critical. Where is your mind set? The mind set on the flesh is death. The flesh is all about: “What about me?” The flesh is our selfish nature. If we use my health issue as an example, if I set my mind on my leaky heart valve, my mind is set on the flesh, and therefore I have a mind set on death. A leaky heart valve leads to death because the heart must work harder to pump the blood and eventually the heart will fail. When my mind is set on the flesh, I think about possible open-heart surgery again and what might result if something goes wrong. Of course, I might die in that event. Verses 6 and 7 say the mind set on the flesh is death and is hostile toward God because it does not subject itself to the law of God. The law of God is eternal life through the life-giving Spirit of Jesus. Death, and the fear of death should have no hold on me. 1st Corinthians 15:55 says: “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”
So, you might be thinking it is natural to fear the risk of surgery, but verse 7 says the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God because it does not subject itself to the law of God. In fact, verse 7 adds: the mind set on the flesh is not even able to subject itself to God. I might not intend to, but if my mind is focused on my heart value and the fear of death, I am being hostile toward God. When I do that, I am rebelling against the law of God, which is eternal life through the life-giving Spirit of Jesus.
Paul goes on in Romans 8 to invoke the Spirit of life through Christ.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
10 ¶ And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
Get verse 10. Jesus’ righteousness is the key. Our fleshly body is death because of sin, but our spirits are alive because of His righteousness. This refers to the life-giving Spirit of Jesus. Jesus is righteousness. He is the only Righteous One. When we ask Jesus into our heart, His righteousness has a life-giving effect on our spirit. Now we are able to subject our minds to the law of God, that is, eternal life through Jesus.
Now, you must understand the chain reaction that is in play here. Jesus brings righteousness and life into our spirit, and our spirit has rule over our soul, that is, over our mind, our will, and our emotions. Therefore, when my mind thinks about a leaky valve, and my will does not want surgery, and my emotions are fearful because of what might go wrong, that leads to the spirit of death. But if the Spirit of Jesus dwells in me, then my spirit has life and my spirit rules over my mind, my will, and my emotions. In the presence of the indwelling Spirit of Jesus, my spirit is alive because of His righteousness. The Spirit of Jesus causes my spirit to rule my soul and, therefore, I begin to pray for His healing with the Spirit of faith. My mind no longer worries because I have eternal life, my will is aligned with the Father’s will, just as Jesus was in the garden, and my emotions no longer fear the possible results. It is a total transformation from the spirit of death and darkness to the Spirit of life in Jesus.
Notice also verse 11: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
Notice the reference to our mortal bodies. The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us and gives life to our mortal bodies through His Spirit. This is different than, and in addition to, the imperishable bodies that Paul says we will receive at the Rapture. This is a life-giving Spirit that we have for everyday use as we await the Rapture. This is a life-giving spirit that will rule not only our mind, will, and emotions, but also our mortal bodies. This means we can have healing in our bodies if the Spirit of Christ dwells in us.
Nancy and I had some family visiting last weekend and we prayed for healing of my heart valve. My brother-in-law, Ken Davis, emphasized praying with the authority that is in us by the grace of Jesus. That authority comes from righteousness. Not that we are righteous, but the righteousness of Jesus dwells in us, giving us authority over disease. Remember what Paul wrote in Romans 8:10.
Romans 8:
10 ¶ And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Closing
So, in closing, understand that Jesus is a life-giving Spirit who dwells in us. Therefore, we have life in our spirits because of His righteousness. Allow His Spirit into your spirit to control and touch your soul. Allow His Spirit to change your mind about your infirmity. Let Him change your will about going through it. Allow His Spirit to heal your emotions and ban fear from your life.
Life comes out of your spirit and touches your soul and body.
The Spirit is life because of righteousness. Feel His righteousness in your mind and emotions. His life-giving Spirit can flood your emotions and heal your sadness, grief, and depression. Allow His life-giving Spirit to permeate your soul.
Confess this Spirit of Righteousness until you can feel it. Feel the sense of authority. Feel the sense of newness where there is no fear of the future.
Allow the Spirit of Sonship to visit you. Sonship is knowing you have a Father who loves you and will never forsake you. He will protect you.
Repeat this: “I have the righteousness of God through Christ. I am healed physically, emotionally, and mentally. The life-giving Spirit of the last Adam is in me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Let us pray with authority, for my heart valve and for any other infirmity in me or in you in Jesus’ name.
Father God, thank You for the life-giving Spirit of the last Adam. Thank You that my spirit has life because of righteousness, His righteousness. Lord, I pray for healing of my heart valve and any other infirmity in my body, and for any illness or disease in the bodies of those who read this or listen to the audio of these words. Help us by the Holy Spirit to crucify our flesh and to set our minds on the Spirit of life. And allow our renewed spirit to rule our souls and our bodies, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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