Unity in the Spirit #7 - The Testimony of Jesus

Before I jump into explaining how it is written that Jesus demonstrated the first of the seven spirits of God (i.e. the names of the seven keys of the secrets of heaven) the Spirit of Unity, please allow me to offer this word of very strong warning. The seven spirits of God are very zealous for God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is not wise to approach the use of these seven keys to the secrets of the kingdom of heaven without humility. Wielding such power can destroy you in much the same way as this guy:

God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:11-16

 

In that passage is the idea that the exorcists may have very well been attempting to walk in Paul's footsteps with a sincere, though inaccurate, knowledge of Christ. As Mike Bickle has said, "new levels, new devils." To jump to conclusions and condemn the exorcists based upon the appearance of the word "exorcist" OR to dismiss the demonic attack based upon the assumption that they were just outside of God's relationship, are nothing but an assumptions that are not supported by the text in the Holy Bible. We are, however, commanded by God to not judge by appearances, and we are told that foul opinions or curses should not be coming out of the same mouth that speaks blessings. So if we instead choose to think well of the exorcists as if they were young ignorant believers that were simply referred to as exorcists, we can then know that the Spirit of Unity is directly tied not only to our relationship with Christ (salvation status) but also to our originally ordained identity established by God at the creation of the world.

We know this link between identity and authority over demons exists because Jesus had to undergo a baptism of death before the Holy Spirit that once resided in Christ could be "given up" on the cross and then kindled into a flame, (i.e. fire cast down from heaven). We also know that link exists because Jesus knew:

1. Where He was going (Jesus's identity in God i.e. Holy Spirit baptism which took Him back to HIS Father in heaven), and  
2. Where He came from (Jesus's identity in Adam that took Him back to His father on earth i.e. the tomb).
   

We cannot ignore Adam's side of this equation just because we think we understand what it means.

 

The seven sons of Sceva did not either accept or know their identity and they were torn to shreds by demons as a result of that lack of understanding just like Jesus was torn to shreds just prior to the cross. How much more so when folks who call themselves Christians but don't even know where they came from, John 8:14, are led into temptation and pull a Saul sacrifice or behave without knowledge.  

 

It is important to note here that our beliefs, however accurate or inaccurate, DO NOT alter in any way the reality of God's ordained identity given to us at creation. Humans are not greater than the authority they wield or neglect to wield. It does not matter if a human wields power from Satan or from God. Humans are lower than angels, fallen or otherwise. Hebrews 2:7-.

 

 

What is the Spirit of Unity?

 

With that brief warning in place, let's meet the Holy Spirit of Unity starting with a more common Biblical explanation of unity which I'm sure you are aware of already. Color key: the black text is context, green is relevant to the topic of discussion, and red is Jesus' words.

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.  If they were all one member, where would the body be?  But now there are many members, but one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."  On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;  and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,  whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,  so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (NASB)

 

God bestows greater honor on members of His body that human beings esteem in some way as "less than" using their own human standards. This is arrogance, prejudice, lorded authority, etc. Unity in honor is for the purpose of equalizing every individual to the same degree of honor (green words above) within Christ's body. This should tell all of us what God thinks of human honor towards other humans either in the form of compliments, opinions, speculations, or interpretations. God has no desire for mountains that exalt themselves while ravines are made to carry away their refuse, Luke 3:5. If human beings want honor that originates from other humans, then these folks may want to consider the following as it relates to GOD's definition of honor and real edification or encouraging words.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12 (NASB)

 

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way. Luke 6:26 (NASB)

 

Can the reader see how edification or encouraging words has absolutely nothing to do with speaking well of someone else? In fact when Jesus edified someone, Jesus either directly or indirectly praised His Father in Heaven for doing some work in or through that person, Matthew 11:25, 13:16, 16:17, Luke 10:21, 23, 11:27-28, 12:37-38, 43, 14:14-15, Even other Bible folks followed Jesus' example of praising God for His work in others, some even before Jesus was born, Luke 1:14, 45, 48, 68, 2:28, 19:38, 23:29. Jesus never gave any other human credit for anything. We have even been given a prophecy that follows the same principle, Luke 13:35. By this principle, we know without a doubt that the Luke 13:35 prophecy speaks of Jews who will one day give glory to God for His work in ANOTHER PEOPLE GROUP and not because they are actually seeing Jesus on earth.

 

Paul is another witness who states that unity requires that we speak the same things Jesus spoke, 1 Corinthians 1:10. That means that two people who agree to disagree are two people who are content to let DISUNITY exist within the body of Christ. Paul concurred with Jesus who originally said these things:

So Jesus said, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. John 8:28 (NASB)

I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.  John 8:37-38 (NASB)

If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." John 12:47-50 (NASB)

Jesus *said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. John 14:9-10 (NASB)

 

Paul reiterated this definition of unity when Corinthians were saying stuff like "I'm of Paul," I'm of..." (notice the use of the 1st person singular pronoun). Christ is not divided from His Father in Heaven because Jesus says the same things that His father on earth and His Father in Heaven have said or given Him to say. Thus, Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1:10 are a RESTATEMENT of what Jesus already said many times. This is just like Jesus restating His Father's words without variance, interpretation, speculation, feelings, opinions, etc. Jesus did not expound. Hence, we are commanded to speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16. We are commanded to NOT EXPOUND.

The Holy Spirit of Unity, the first of the Seven Spirits of God and thus the first of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven on earth, is content to simply repeat what God our Father in heaven has already said.

 

 

So where did Jesus get the words that Jesus spoke?

 

Ridiculously simple question, I know, but profound. Did some mystical being speak to Jesus? Or, was it from a more practical source so mere mortals could actually follow in His footsteps? Yes, both. The Holy Spirit spoke to Jesus from OUTSIDE Jesus' physical body prior to His baptism at 30 years of age. In much the same way, demons speak to us human beings from outside our bodies. The Holy Spirit also spoke to Jesus from INSIDE His physical being after His baptism just like demons can do the same to human flesh through demon possession. Angels, demons, and yes the Holy Spirit too, are all spirits.

 

During that first 30 years of Jesus' life on earth, Jesus searched the written scriptures to gain a SECOND witness of what was spoken to Him into His ears by the Holy Spirit. In so doing, Jesus put every word into subjection to His Father's will, AND Jesus also learned obedience from the things He suffered, Hebrews 5:8. By the time Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness at 30 years of age, Jesus was VERY ABLE to recognize EVEN GOD's OWN WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN CONTRARY TO GOD'S WILL. Even that prophet in the OT that was torn to shreds by the lion simply because he disobeyed God's will and justified his disobedience using God's words.

Is it no wonder Paul wrote:

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! Galatians 1:6-9 (NASB)

 

It is for this very reason that Jesus gave us this truth:  

Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. 6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. 10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. The New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, 1982, p. Mt 18:3–11.

 

Is it also no wonder Peter wrote:

For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,  promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.  For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 2 Peter 2:18-20 (NASB)

 

It is literally the act of speaking arrogant words that entices weak people to be tempted to sin against God just like what Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 4:1-4. For example, I have personally witnessed on multiple occasions L.D.S. missionaries tell me that they "believe" that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. They do not stand upon what God dictated to humans as recorded in either the Torah or the Holy Bible. They stand upon their belief and then preach what is contrary to what is written in those two a Holy books. The L.D.S. religion is one of the fastest-growing faiths in the world. Even well-meaning famous Christian preachers say things like "I believe..." and thus they stand upon their beliefs and do the same thing as the L.D.S. missionaries. 

 

This is not good especially when Jesus asked this question, "Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" in order to introduce the concept of being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, Matthew 5:47-48. Jesus asked that question within the context of doing what is right above what is acceptable in society, above what feels good from the pulpit, and yes, even above what humans quote from God's words. If the L.D.S. stand upon their beliefs, should not the Christian stand upon what is written and not what is believed to be written or what we feel is good?

 

It is therefore a requirement that if we are to be set apart as Holy to the Lord, then we must be unified with Him in the same way that Jesus is unified with His Father. We don't just get to believe or boast that we are unified with Him. We don't get to just name it and claim it as the seven sons of Sceva did. Every part of our being must be aligned with Him, our will, our words, our actions, and yes even our emotions. And since not even medically diagnosed slowness of mind can take away a person's free will, the doing of the word of God is what is justified by faith. Thus, those who do what Abraham did are sons of Abraham. Those who do what Jesus said and did are, therefore, mothers, brothers, and sisters to Jesus.

 

 

How Does the Holy Spirit  of Unity Operate?

 

To answer this question, one must first understand God's process, which are the four cornerstones of the world. God's will (heart's desire, thoughts) came first before He spoke the words that brought creation into being. We know this because we know that He has lots of thoughts and because He planned the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:8-11. His words came second and were spoken out of His heart (i.e. His will), Proverbs 15:28, Matthew 12:34, 15:18. Thus, His words are sent forth out of His mouth (from His Heart) to accomplish His will, Isaiah 55:11. THIRD are His own actions of obedience because His actions establish His words as firm and full of form. Therefore, His actions are the limit to all perfection as the Psalmist called it, Psalms 119:89-96. 

 

Guess what's last. Yep, the sent-forth God (who art in Heaven, Holy is His name) has emotions that rejoiced always in THE "One of Us" that already knew darkness, Genesis 3:22.  Thus, the Father in Heaven (Holy is His Name) always has His delight in mankind who was taken from the dust of the earth. That same dust, dry ground, was taken from the waters that were spewed out of His mouth (never spoken into being). This happened on day one when that 1st work (firstfruits) gave out a loud cry in order to give up His Spirit, God's very own circumcision. Thus, Jesus, the first and the last, did the same thing on the cross and said "it is finished." Who the hell would ever dare to say that our Heavenly Father would take delight in sons that were created out of nothing and thus be sons of nothing. Let them be eternally cursed for kneading such lies into the dough of man's hearts.

Here's what the Bible actually says about our identity that was planned in God's will, spoken into being, made firm through obedience, and then rejoiced in.

When He (father of flesh, John 3:6) established the heavens (Father of Spirit, John 3:6), I was there (Jesus), When He (high father, illustrated by the name Abram) inscribed a circle (circumcision, Job 26:10) on the face of the deep (came out of God's womb, Job 38:8). When He (Father of Spirit) made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,  When He (Father of Spirit) set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He (Father of Spirit) marked out the foundations of the earth (father of flesh);  Then I (Jesus) was beside Him, as a master workman; And I (Jesus) was daily His (father of flesh) delight, Rejoicing always before Him (Father of Spirit), Rejoicing in the world (father of flesh), His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men (sons of the father of flesh who became the "father of many nations" pictured by the name Abraham and thus, i.e. sons of God, Luke 3:38). Proverbs 8:27-31 (NASB)

 

Our Heavenly Father delights does not delight in us because we go our own way and sin against Him. He delights in us because "God loves god," as Mike Bickle has declared many times. That is to say that the same God that was in existence before the fall, was cursed at the fall, and will one day be restored back to the Father in Heaven after the culmination of time, that is the God who rejoices in and delights in each other. Mankind is not that God and mankind fell away from that son-ship at the fall. The Holy Spirit of Unity operates by engaging in that kind of dance, God with God in different members just as the Holy Spirit has been given to multiple people/members.  

 

Now we know emotions come last because we were made in His image. God was not made in man's image i.e. with arms and legs. Rather man was made in God's image as a reflection of His entire will, words, works, and warmth in the face i.e emotions. We also know that emotions come last because God said this about the human countenance:

Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?  "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:6-7 (NASB)

 

Yep! God is the one who casts down our emotions/countenance when we do evil, hence Numbers 6:22-27. He is also the one who raises up our countenance when we do righteousness i.e. "humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up."Unity with God's countenance is engaging in God's dance of joy.

These four cornerstones are the very pillars upon which all creation was formed, Job 38:6, they are the foundations of all the world and they loop round and round and round to mark out time. Remove just one of these cornerstones (will, words, works, and warmth in the face) and the world will physically crumble, hence the physical signs on earth and in heaven at the last days before Jesus returns. They each have a cause and effect that did not exist prior to the first boundary line which was cut on the surface of the deep, (circumcision, belt of Venus). Thus, they are the very source and definition of time itself. And because of Jesus' walk on earth, death, and resurrection, we can walk in these cornerstones, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, Colossians 1:9-12:

1. Seek First the Kingdom of Heaven - loving God's WILL more than our lives (desires, understanding, and  positions, etc. )
2. Avoid Temptation - speak the truth in love using psalms, hymns & spiritual songs, and never any complements (implied verbal bribes as opposed to monetary bribes)
3. When Tempted - do the "way out" that God shows us that we would be set apart for His plans and purposes as Holy as our Father in Heaven is Holy.
4. Rejoice in the Lord Always - Choose to replace temptation with rejoicing in God and with gratitude that resists the devil. Doing this will strengthen our resolve to do the "way out" that we would not be overcome by our deserved afflictions (i.e. God's justice on this side of death for those whom we have sinned against). Repentance was never about gaining access into heaven, Matthew 3:6-10, Mark 1:4-5., and always about willingly and with remorse giving justice to the ones we have sinned against SO THAT THEY can see our Messiah. When we take the logs out of our eyes, we will see clearly our Messiah, John 1:32, Mark 4:22, John 12:38. When we bring forth the fruit of repentance, we break off the strongholds we empowered against them (explained shortly).
5. Repeat
   

 

 

A Practical Example of Jesus Obtaining Words/UNITY From His Father

 

The Backstory: 

In Matthew 13, we are given the parable of the sower who sows seeds. Some fall along the road where birds came and ate the seed. Jesus gives us the key of birds in the earthly whelm that are the demons in the spiritual whelm, John 3:12, which snatch God's words away from our hearts. There is a link, Matthew 16:19, 18:18, Hebrews 9:23, between the earthly and the heavenly more than just Matthew 6:10.

 

That link is a DIRECT result of the existence of our Father in Heaven (Holy is His Name) and the father of flesh (lower case god). That link is the very fact that God's own circumcision resulted in HIM being cut into two parts (the left hand and the right hand of God) creating an address change separated by the first boundary line i.e. that cut or God's own circumcision. Both are God and Both were God and Both will be God when all things are returned back to the God from which they came, Romans 11:36, 1Co 15:28. This is why the fish Jesus ate in the upper room (returned to the God from which it originally came) went through the closed door with Jesus when Jesus walked through that door. Because of this link and because we know that God never changes, we also know that when Jesus spoke parables, HIS definition of "figures of speech," He never mixed His metaphors.

 

So take a look at the interpretation of the baker's dream that Joseph gave in Genesis 40. The bread which is made from seeds (words) of grain is eaten by birds (demons) and Joseph says this is equal to the baker's death. We know that seeds in the earthly kingdom are God's words in the heavenly kingdom because of Luke 8:11. God speaks words of life (seeds) and birds of death (demons) devour them to prevent them from taking root and producing fruit (the reason for being cut from the vine and burned in the fire), thus the baker's death via lack of favor with Pharoah.

Now look at what Jesus said about birds and leaven:

He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES." He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened." Matthew 13:31-33

 

The purpose of that mustard tree is in Matthew 13:32. That mustard tree parable is teaching the concept that God intentionally gave the birds of the air (i.e. demons) a NEST in the branches or on the head of Christ. The very purpose of planting Jesus on earth was to allow the demons to lift their heals up against God's head i.e. to exalt themselves over the Son of God i.e. to exalt themselves above God. This is the very reason why Paul wrote: 

 

For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 1 Corinthians 4:9

 

It is also why Paul wrote:

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.  This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, Ephesians 3:8-11.

 

Jesus, the word/seed of God, was planted, buried in the soil to die (i.e. return to the tomb, the father of flesh) and produce fruit (draw all men unto Himself), to make His son a huge spectacle for the whole world to watch Satan and his demons exalting themselves over God just as that black dragon actually declared in:

How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!  But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north.  'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Isaiah 14:12-14

 

God, our Father in Heaven, literally evened up the playing field to give that black dragon a chance to accomplish his own hideous will in much the same way that Jesus gave demons their will when they entered the pigs. The mustard seed parable is Jesus' own public agreement with God's plans to become that exhibition Paul described. But, Jesus knew what Isaiah recorded in  Isaiah 14:15, and was, therefore, willing to scorn the shame for a little while. We are not supposed to be naming and claiming the shame away. We are suppose to be enduring and scorning it like Jesus did which means going through it and responding with warmth in the face according to the will of God, i.e. forgiveness because they do not know what they do.

 

So consider, Jesus is the word of God made flesh and how many times in the Bible the word "seed" is used to refer to sons. That makes Jesus the mustard seed in His own parable. This is also because Jesus is the least in the kingdom of heaven AND HE grows into be the largest and strongest tree (Oak of Righteousness in the earthly kingdom) in the garden of God (kingdom of God on earth). Demons were cast out of the Kingdom of Heaven to dwell in arid places existing between the Kingdoms of Heaven and Earth. Thus, birds or demons nest in the branches of the mustard tree that is Jesus.

 

Every explicit link made in the Holy Bible between that which is of the earthly kingdom and that which is of the heavenly kingdom is just as consistent and interchangeable as "birds" are interchangeable with "demons" and "Seeds" with "words." For example "Stars" are interchangeable with "Angels." "Throne" and "garden" are interchangeable. God's name and God's words are interchangeable. These interchangeable links are the keys that Jesus was talking about when He spoke Matthew 13:11 to His disciples. 

 

However, these links are only interchangeable within the context of Jesus' figures of speech and not within the context of eyewitness testimony.  This is how Jesus was able to say:

The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"  He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' Matthew 13:10-15 (NIV)

 

This one passage spoken by Jesus is enough to scare my heart still. Without the keys to the secrets of the kingdom of Heaven, we have no word by which to "overcome by the word of our testimony and by the blood of the lamb." Without knowing where we come from and where we are going, we can have no loving warmth in our faces to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. Without following Jesus, we cannot pour out our lifeblood as a drink offering for Jesus to drink anew in His father's house (earthly kingdom when He returns). In other words, JESUS WON'T COME BACK TO EARTH AND THE CIRCUMCISION WON'T BE MENDED.

Because of these dying duplicate links, Hebrews 9:23-24, the kingdom of heaven spoken of in Matthew 13:31-33 is not the Kingdom of Heaven on High where God sits enthroned. We know this because demons are not allowed to dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven on High. They were cast into arid places because of their rebellion. Therefore, Jesus is actually speaking of the kingdom of heaven on earth in the mustard seed and leaven parables. The kingdom of heaven ON EARTH is where those who remain in Christ have the authority to cast out demons just like God did from on high. More on the authority of man later. Let's stick with the leaven in the lump of dough parable for now. Pun intended.

 

Jesus' parable about the lump of dough that follows hard on the heels of the mustard seed parable explains how those demons got access to the Mustard Tree's branches. Remember, Jesus defined leaven as the hypocritical teachings of the religious teachers, Luke 12:1. With this in mind, picture Eve in the garden of Eden, adding to and subtracting from God's words while she is talking with the serpent. She spoke wrongly and thus according to Peter was lured into the fall. She literally caused the entire kingdom of earth to be filled with the leaven of arrogance that usurps God's words. This lead to mankind's fading glory that also began the pretense that there is no God. Thus, people make themselves wise which is nothing but hypocrisy i.e. leaven.

 

Eve did what Moses said don't do in Deuteronomy 4:2. She nullified God's words by adding her own interpretation and the result is a puffed-up lump of dough called the kingdom of earth, or flesh giving birth to flesh as Jesus called it. God's words are nullified because man massages his own evil thoughts, Genesis 6:5, thus a woman kneads the entire lump of dough. This is humanity's dimness and dullness growing and growing and growing the further away from the fall we get. As the direct result of puffed-up arrogance, we have the propensity to judge based upon appearances, the propensity to jump to conclusions, AND the propensity to use human interpretations simply because God has not provided the Biblical explanation according to our own timing. This is the same propensity that lead Saul's offer the sacrifice himself and thus become demon possessed. Do you see why Jesus got His words from His Father ONLY?

 

 

 

One More Bird Example

 

If the examples above are not sufficient to believe that human words are the authority demons use to tempt, deceive, and accuse other humans, then check out what the wisest man, other than Jesus, wrote.

Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. Ecclesiastes 10:20

There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.  Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you--  for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others. Ecclesiastes 7:20-22 (NIV)

However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die. 2 Samuel 12:14-15 (NASB)

Since flesh and blood are not our enemies and demons are, we are not to give an occasion for them to blaspheme God. So why on earth would we want to allow demons to use our words and our God given identity/authority against other humans via temptations, accusations, and deceptions?

 

We literally reap what we sow because God cannot be mocked. Two or three witnesses in a gossip or slander session can establish as firm the negative words they speak whether true or not. Demons hear human gossip and slander and off they go to use those negative words against the objects of the gossip and slander. Literally, man's authority, originally given to man by God, is exploited by demons to speak harmful thoughts into the minds of other weak vessels. This is the source of strongholds. As long as we who have spoken negative words do not repent and renounce our own words, our curses give demons permission to bring despair, disease, and hopelessness to other people. Thus, there is the power of life and death in the human tongue. Slander and gossip are used by demons to cause shame and disgrace. Demons use missed placed complements to pump up arrogance and tempt into sin. Any perceived privacy to gossip or slander afforded by distance, walls, text messages, social media, or even language itself does not exist because demons can hear it.

 

Conversely, two or three folks in a prayer session can establish a positive reality that contradicts human understanding and actual events. People who confess, renounce, and repent of their evil words, are heard by God and their words are established by God. Even Eliphaz, Job's friend who was wrong to accuse Job, understood this principle of delighting in God (i.e. words) with its connection to man's words being established firm in this kingdom, Job 22:22-28.

 

WE HAVE NO EXCUSE, Romans 2:1. Jesus said that everyone will be held accountable for every careless word ever spoken, Matthew 12:36. This is why we are commanded to "Lean not on your own understanding..." and "do not judge by appearances." Out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Out of our will, our mouths speak. As rulers of this world, Genesis 1:26, our words have both life and death in them.

 

Jesus said that He got His authority from God's words. When we change God's words with our traditions, interpretations, beliefs, and feelings, or when we stand upon the traditions of scholars who speculate and then agree with each other, we actually end up falling into a curse!

 

AND the worst of it is this.

 

That beloved one who begot us, whose face we walk, who was cursed to death when Adam sinned, THAT BELOVED ONE CRUMBLES, DYING MORE AND MORE, because we use His words as a platform to teach what we think is right INSTEAD OF simply repeating what HE said. Our words stop His words from continuing to sound through the air as they go forth beyond our ability to hear them. That means that spiritual birds are repeating what we say instead of being silenced by what God has said. Anything we do down to the least in God's kingdom, we do unto Jesus. That dust we walk upon is part of that kingdom. When that dust dies, the restrainer of evil stops restraining evil and the time begins when God will not be found including the "One of Us" who is in heaven.

 

The vocalizations of such human interpretations and perceptions have granted demons the authority to spread Christian hearsay all around the world, 2 Peter 2:1-3. It is so bad that people cannot even recognize a real prophet from a false one. It is so bad that people who say that Jesus is their lord are actually deceiving many all because they want to be teachers of God's words and they are not ready, James 3:1. Is it any wonder that secular scientists think they know better than the Bible? When we preach our own interpretations, we are doing the same thing secular scientists do.

 

If humans will not take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, then humans will not control their tongues, James 1:26. James 3 is all about the sequential process of controlling our behavior by way of controlling our thoughts. Our thoughts are expressed through the tongue which unleashes our authority to both bless and curse. This is done in exactly the same manner as when God speaks from heaven to either create the heavens and earth OR to send forth His son into a virgin's womb. If Christians want Jesus to return, then Christians need to do what they see Jesus do on earth as it is in heaven. This is the exact opposite of saying that we want a human king, the contention of the Jews with Samuel.

 

All authority was given to Jesus from God, Matthew 28:18. All authority on earth was given to mankind, Genesis 1:26, 28. God's words cannot be broken, John 10:35. Every word will be fulfilled down to the least stroke of the pen, Matthew 5:18, including our negative words unless we renounce them and allow this world to be washed free of them by the washing of God's words and only God's words. We cannot argue with what is written, but Christian denominations argue all the time about interpretations. 

 

The Spirit of Unity speaks the words that God speaks, does the things God does, and rejoices in the Father, but it all starts with God's will, that which is in God's heart which has also been written for our instruction. People who do not have the ears to hear are folks that have not removed the logs that cause them to not see clearly. These folks are not capable of discerning the truth. When people say that the old wine is better, they are really saying they don't like the wine that has not been fermented with leaven into alcohol. They will be the ones who execute the end times persecutions against the true worshipers in Spirit (words) and Truth (God's will).

 

Copyright (c) 2022 by Diane Pebley All rights reserved, no use granted without the express written permission of the author, Diane Pebley