Our Position in Messiah*

 

The enemy is a great deceiver. He tries to distract and redirect us from our place in Messiah, Jesus Christ. Currently to accomplish this, fear has been released because of the Corona Virus. However, the Word of God reminds us of where we need to be spiritually during this time, and in all times of challenge.

Psalm 23, written by David, restores us back into our place in the hands of Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd:

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

As our Shepherd, the Lord cares for His sheep. They don't have to worry over their next meal, or lack, or because of an enemy.

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

The Lord places us where we are safe, and where we can rest in peace and provision, and not fear.

"He restoreth  my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."

We live in a physical body, we are spiritual beings, and we possess a soul. The soul is our mind, our will, and our emotions. When our soul is in turmoil or fear, the Lord brings us back to our condition of peace.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

In our position in our Messiah, death is but a shadow to us. There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun because of what Jesus has done for us. There is no evil for us to fear in this position with Him. The scriptures say in another place, "O death, where is thy sting; O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55).

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."

All that we have need of, physically and spiritually, has already been prepared for us. God knew us before we were fashioned in our mother's wombs. He knows what we have need of, and when we are in our positions in Him, we are provided for by Him.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

This is our position in the Messiah, dwelling in the house of the LORD forever. At the cross, Jesus restored our position. We need to receive that salvation, and remain in that place from which He supplies everything to us.

Psalm 91 tells us more about our position in the Messiah, and the provision that flows from that place. Here is an excerpt:

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD he is my refuge and my fortress: my God, in him will I trust...He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust..."

Where is this secret place of the most High, in which we must dwell and abide? Psalm 23 told us that is has to do with the house of the LORD. The secret place referred to in Psalm 91 is the Holy of Holies of the temple of God, before the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat, which is sprinkled with the atoning blood of the Messiah. This mercy seat, the Throne of God, is between two seraphim with outstretched wings that cover it. It is the place where God is enthroned. We are the living temple of God, and we have this secret place within us, with its mercy seat covered with His blood.

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome (calamity, wickedness, ruin. Root- to breathe, to blow) pestilence (Root Word: dabar: speak, declare, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing, subdue, teach, appoint, rehearse, pronounce)...his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

In our position in the secret place, the LORD delivers us from pestilence. It is His saving Word of Truth that dwells nigh us, even in our mouths. We proclaim His Word of Truth, not the mind or ways of the world. Our words line up with, are the same as, His Word. His Word became flesh and dwelt among us. His Word, Jesus, made all things which were made.

"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."

"A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee..."

From our position in Messiah, in the secret place, we are not to be afraid for anything.

"Because though hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation (refuge, dwelling, Tabernacle or Temple of God. Root - cohabitation or intimacy of marriage); there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling..."

Again, the LORD emphasizes our position in the Messiah, from which all of these protections and deliverances flow. Our dwelling place is to be in the secret place, in the Temple of God.

"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

God's Salvation is revealed to us from this same secret place. His Salvation is a person who has a name, "Yeshua", meaning salvation of God, or Jesus in the Greek. It is a name we are to know, in order to dwell in this secret place. It is by this Person, of this name, Jesus, that our sickness were healed by the stripes, or scourging, that was inflicted upon His body (Isa. 53:5).

Numerous times in scripture, God commands His people to fear not. From His position as our Shepherd, and from our position in the secret place, He has promised again that we are to fear nothing. Paul reminded his minister, Timothy, and all of us:

"Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Hold fast the form of sound words...that good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." 2 Tim. 1:6-10

Paul emphasized to Timothy above, that the sound Words of God, the testimony of Christ, are kept or preserved in us by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. In these next few weeks, stir up that gift, stir up that power of the Holy Spirit to keep the Word in us. Read Acts, chapters 1 and 2, and renew your acquaintance with the Holy Spirit, who was sent to us by Christ for this purpose.

*The above is based upon the 3/22/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.

 

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Sean Stevenson

 



The Midnight Cry

!967: Israeli Army Enters Jerusalem

 

Recently, there has been an increase in both anti-Israel and anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence throughout the nations. We have just witnessed the worst act of violence against Jews in this nation's history with the mass murder of 11 Sabbath worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These evil events should immediately bring to mind the prophetic words of scripture, especially pertaining to these last days.

There was an unshakeable, unbreakable covenant promise given to Israel by the LORD which we have seen fulfilled in our generation. God repeatedly promised through His prophets that Israel, despite seemingly impossible circumstances, would one day be restored as a nation, and the people would live in the land once again. Not only would the LORD physically restore the land of Israel and its people, but He would also spiritually restore the people of Israel, and their relationship with Him. The Church has often embraced the false teaching that it has replaced Israel, and has become this spiritual Israel, but the scriptures are very clear that God has never abandoned His promises for the nation and people of Israel:

"Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captives of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it....Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger...and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. And they shall be my people, and I shall be their God...And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them...Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul."   Jer. 30:2-3, 32:37-38, 40-41

The LORD swore this promise even though the nations and heathen people had taken Israel as a prey, and had made it desolate (Ez. 36:1-5). Not only did God promise to restore the nation of Israel, but to make it multiply and prosper like never before:

"And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD."   Ez. 36:11

This has been an ongoing, eternal, living promise to Israel, which the LORD has kept repeatedly despite numerous historical destructions of Israel and the Jewish people by enemy nations and heathens. Men and nations would be wise to keep this promise in mind, because God also promised to pour His wrath upon all who would come against His land and people. Those who think that they do God a favor by persecuting His land, or the Jewish people, are deceived and in danger of judgment. Though God has carried out this judgment wrath against these persecutors throughout history, He specifically promises this for the latter days:

"Behold, the whirlwind (hurricane, storm, rage, to be violently shaken) of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing (to catch, chew, and chew again) whirlwind : it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it."   Jer. 30:23-24

Along with the physical restoration of Israel, comes the prophetic promise of a spiritual restoration and revival:

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah...I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people...I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more."   Jer. 31:31-34 (excerpt)

The above is a promise that can never end. It is assured for as long as the sun, moon, stars, seas and waves exist (v. 35). This promise is directly connected to the promise regarding the land:

"For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean...A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh...And I will put my spirit within you...And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I shall be your God."

                                                                                                Ez. 36:24-28 (excerpt)

God has indeed brought Jews out of all the nations of the earth, and returned them to a miraculously restored nation of Israel in our time. He will also initiate a new covenant with its spiritual revival in them. He promises the kingship of the Messiah, like the kingship of David, upon His restored nation (Jer. 30:9, Ez. 37:24-25), and His tabernacle in their midst forever (Ez. 37:26). The Messianic kingship promise is joined with the restoration of the land. As we have seen Israel restored as a nation, this is a sign that we will see the return of our Messiah, Jesus, soon.
The LORD also promises Israel the resurrection from the dead in connection with His promise concerning the restoration of the land (Ez. 37:12-14), and the miraculous joining of two separate sticks, or branches of faith, together into a single stick (stalk, tree, branch, carpenter, root meaning: to shut, firm) in the hand of the prophet. One stick represents the Gentiles of faith, and the other represents the Jewish branch of faith (v. 15-20). Those days are indeed ahead in the near future.

The LORD has also prophesied the terrible persecution that His people and nation will see in the future. He calls it "the time of Jacob's trouble". After the restoration of the land, it will be a time so terrible, that nothing like it has ever existed before - a time of terror and fear. However, God promises that they shall be saved out of it (Jer. 30:3-8):

"...again there shall be heard in this place....The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good, and his mercy endureth for ever...Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah...In those days...will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days, shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness."  

                                                                                          Jer. 33:10-11, 14-16 (excerpt)

As we see the prophesied restoration of the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem being fulfilled, the midnight hour has come when the friend of the bridegroom must be crying out, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.