“POSITIVE ENEMIES, PERPLEXED PRETENDERS, OR PRINCE OF PEACE “NEW-BIRTHED DISCIPLES” OF CHRIST JESUS”?
BY: J.FARRELL FISHER, August 28-29, 2018
It’s so very, very obvious that there are “positive enemies” of the Living God, hostile to Him and to His Son, the Lord Jesus, and ‘closing the doors of both heart and mind’ to the Holy Spirit, choosing to ‘self-destruct’ in unbelief, rejection of Truth, and ‘content’ in their, yes, warring rejection, continuous assault, and stupid denial of His eternal Presence!
Very, very interesting, eye-opening, and, I hope, shocking is the revelation of the “positive enemies” but also the “perplexed pretenders”, and then, about the “Prince of Peace’s” unveiling, exposing, and convicting truth found in Galatians 3:10-14, 16-22!!
Galatians 3:10-14 first says: “For as many as are of the works of the law are UNDER THE CURSE, for it is written, ‘Cursed is every one that continues not in ALL Things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
And the law is not of faith (redemptive faith!): but ‘The man that does them shall live in them. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made ‘A Curse For Us’; for it is written: Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree; That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Oh, and then Paul wrote in Verses 16-22, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He says not, ‘And to seeds, as of many’; ‘but as of one, and to your seed, which is Christ.
And this I say, that the COVENANT, that was confirmed before of GOD IN CHRIST, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; BUT God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serves the law?
It was ADDED because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a ‘mediator’ of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
BUT the Scripture has concluded ALL UNDER SIN, that the Promise by faith of Jesus Christ (or in The “Finished Work at Calvary”) might be given to them that believe (or ‘trust in, rely upon, adhere to’).”
Aren’t you awed, alerted, and inspired, when you read Hebrews 4:1-2, plus Verses 7-12 and Verses 14-16? The Holy Word declares: Hebrews 4:1-2, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Isn’t that interesting? We don’t have to be concerned today about any “falling short”, do we?). For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: BUT the Word preached did not profit them, NOT BEING MIXED WITH ‘REDEMPTIVE FAITH’ IN THEM THAT HEARD IT.” (Intellectually adherent without inspirational obedience?).
Verses 7-12, “ Again, He limited a certain day, saying in David, ‘Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.’ For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward spoken of another day? There remains, there is, there always has been, ‘a rest to the people of God’. (“COME TO ME, I WILL GIVE YOU REST!” But YOU don’t receive it?).
For he that is entered into His ‘rest’, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor therefore to enter (or accept, receive) that ‘rest’, ceasing from ‘trying to prove a ‘work’ already completed by Christ Himself’, as God did from His! Let us labor (ceasing from “best effort”!) therefore, TO ENTER THAT REST, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. FOR the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Verses 14-16 follows, saying, “Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest (Christ Jesus!), that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of infirmities; but WAS in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let US therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, AND find GRACE TO HELP in time of need.” WHAT AN AWESOME REVELATION!!
BUT, “Positive Enemies” then and now still live in the sad state of unbelief, of denial, of strong release of ‘self-determination’, ignoring God’s Call with ‘clogged ears, cold hearts, and corrupted minds’, powerfully influenced by the ‘lost’ world around them, the demonically-controlled mind in them, and, yes, by Satan himself, who provokes, who ‘lies’, who ‘twists’, and, as Peter said in Acts 5:3, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to ‘pretend’ that you did what He said, when you choose not to!!!!”
Either “Christ in YOU” IS ‘your hope of glory’ OR, rather than a ‘positive enemy’, you live religiously as a “perplexed pretender”!!
Whether a ‘positive enemy’, or a ‘perplexed pretender’, both CAN BE described as ‘heinous and heartless and, yes, mind-corrupted’, willfully, ignorantly, consistently, living a heinous, heartless, cold, iced, corrupt, Satan-inspired and deceived- birthing, but ‘trying to live a religious life overshadowed by a willfully chosen, a worldwide common acceptance of the fallen nature’, able to live acceptably in the ‘flesh-nature’ a sinful, religious life that IS devoted to ‘best effort’, even though falling short of what God offers, never fearing awakening to Hell’s unveiling of your Christ-rejecting, self-accepting sin nature that produced “death’ and ‘separation from God’, and, as one now sees himself as a true ‘self-pretender’, and then one says, after learning of their ‘pretense’, though unveiled by the convicting Holy Spirit, “God should be ashamed” as He turns from their ‘closed door of the heart and mind’, thankful, not for “pretense”, but thankful for the gift of repentance, relaxed, ‘resting’, rejoicing, released, and NOW bearing witness of, yes, eternal joy in and through Christ alone, so thankful, so appreciative, so rejoicing, that He’s able to exceedingly accomplish above all we think, consider, or try to instill ourselves, but a consistent heart-cry and mind-set: “Jesus, BE Jesus in me, no longer me but Thee, Resurrection Power, fill ME this hour, JESUS, BE JESUS IN ME!!” The question of the hour?
Are You a ‘positive enemy’, a perplexed pretender, or, yes, truly, a “Prince of Peace Disciple, follower, witness, royal ambassador, who understands “redeemed container”, where in and through, King Jesus reigns!”
Positive enemies, perplexed pretenders are, as Spurgeon used to say, “Sorry arguments in one’s pretense – ‘to be damned in a crowd is no more comfortable than to be damned alone.” And, yes, ‘positive enemies, perplexed pretenders’, are both under the eternal condemnation of King Jesus! That’s Galatians 3:10! In his book of “Spurgeon’s Sermons”, (Volume Four, p.229), Spurgeon said: “But,” says another, “there are many things I have not done, but still I have been very virtuous”, Spurgeon continuing, “Poor excuse that is, also. Suppose you have been virtuous; suppose you have avoided many vices: TURN TO MY TEXT. It is not my word, but God’s – turn to it – “all things.” It does not say “some things.” – “Cursed is every one that continues not in ALL Things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Now,
Have you performed all virtues? Have you shunned all vices? Do you stand up and plead, “I never was a drunkard?” – Yet you shall be damned if you’ve been a fornicator. Do you reply, “I never was unclean?” Yet you HAVE broken the Sabbath. Do you plead guiltless of that charge? Do you declare that you have never broken the Sabbath? You HAVE taken God’s name in vain, have you not? Somewhere or other God’s law can smite you. IT IS CERTAIN (let your conscience now speak and assert what I assert) – it is certain you HAVE NOT CONTINUED “in all things which are written in the book of the law.” No, more, I do not believe you have continued in any one commandment of God to the full, for the commandment is exceeding broad.” (Does James 2:10 tell us: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all”?). Spurgeon continued:
It is not the overt act, merely, that will damn a man; it IS THE THOUGHT, the imagination, the conception of sin, that is sufficient to RUIN A SOUL. Remember, my dear hearers, I am speaking now God’s own word, not a harsh doctrine of my own. If you had never committed one single act of sin, yet the thought of sin, the imagination of it would be enough to sweep your soul into Hell for ever.
If you had been born in a cell, and had never been able to come out into the world, either to commit acts of lasciviousness, murder, or robbery, yet the thought of evil in that lone cell might be enough to cast your soul forever from the face of God. Oh! There is no man here that can hope to escape. We must every one of us bow our heads before God, and cry, “Guilty, Lord, guilty – every one of us is guilty – ‘cursed is “every one” that continues not in “all things” which are written in the book of the law to do them’.” AGAIN, James 2:10! “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.” Hear me! Merciful God warns you!
IF YOU ARE NOT COVERED IN THE BLOOD OF THE HOLY LAMB OF GOD, SATURATED IN IT FROM THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD TO THE TIP OF YOUR TOES, 99.9% covered, but a tenth uncovered, you’ll never enter the “Glory- land”! James 2:10! “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one little point, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.”
For you and me? There’s no hope but to, yes, be crucified with Christ, the old man and his/her sin nature, crucified with Christ, no more enamored in sinful pleasure like a ‘hair’, but, yes, daily taking the sentence of death unto your old sin-nature that the Resurrection of the Indwelling Christ finds His home in the crucified life, but “new-born” into the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!
Are YOU not even aware of impenitent and, yes, unbelieving hearts and minds? But, if convicted by the Holy Spirit, convinced to ‘rest alone’ in Him, “washed in the blood of the Lamb, one is raised up , by grace and mercy, to be the tabernacle, the temple of Christ’s abiding Presence!” It’s why Paul said, “I DIE DAILY”, so the Resurrection Life of Christ may be manifested IN my mortal flesh!”
And Christ Jesus PROMISED: Don’t miss this! Luke 13:1-9, but also Verses 23-30!! FIRST, Luke 13:1-9, There were present at that season some that told Him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, “Suppose you, that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, No; but except YOU REPENT, you shall ALL likewise perish.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, think you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise PERISH.” He spoke also this parable, Verses 6-9, “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit from the tree, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none; CUT IT DOWN; why comber the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig it, and dung it. And if it bear fruit, well; if not, then after (the test!!!) you shall cut it down.”
OH!! And then Verses 23-30!!! And again Jesus said, “Whereunto shall I liken (or enlighten, inform, or unveil) THE KINGDOM-RULE OF GOD? It is like ‘leaven’, which a woman took and hid it in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto Him, ‘Lord, are there few that be saved?’ And Jesus said unto them (ALL!!), “Strive to enter in at the ‘strait gate’ (OR “The DOOR”!): for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able…
When once the master of the house is risen up, and has SHUT THE DOOR, and you begin to ‘stand outside’, and to knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open unto us’; and he shall answer and say unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT…; Then shall you begin to say, ‘We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets.” But he shall say,
“I tell you, I know not from whence you came; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and you yourselves shut out!
And they shall come from the east and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down IN the KINGDOM OF GOD. And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.”
“Positive Enemies, Perplexed Pretenders, OR Prince of Peace “New-Birthed Disciples of Christ Jesus”?
Again, “Choose YOU this day whom YOU will serve, but as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!” Servant or ‘pretender’? A son/daughter of Holy God or a ‘slave’ of Satan? A “citizen of God’s eternal Kingdom under the reign of Christ or a ‘captive’ of the ‘dark kingdom’ of Satanic rule”?
GET READY!! Romans 7: 4-18, 20-25, followed by Romans 8:1-18, 24-30, and Verses 35-39, plus, Romans 9:6-8, and Verses 32-10:4, followed by Verses 8-13!!
CONFRONTED BY CHRIST AND HIS SPIRIT AND HOLY WORD, CONVICTED, CONVINCED, CONFESSED, CONVERTED, AND CROWNED WITH HIS “ABIDING PRESENCE” WITH HIM SAYING, “FOLLOW ME, AND I’LL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN, MY FAITHFUL WITNESS, FOLLOW ME, AND I’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU, FOLLOW ME, AND I, KING JESUS, WILL “BLESS YOU”! Psalm 103:1-12, and Verses 17-22 says:
Psalm 103:1-12, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, BLESS His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your disease; Who redeems the life from destruction; AND BEHOLD, crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.
The Lord IS merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Verses 17-22, But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens; and His Kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels (or His messengers!), that excel in strength, do His commandments, hearkens unto the voice of His Word. Bless YOU the Lord, all your hosts; you ministers of His, that do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion: BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL.” IS THAT YOUR TESTIMONY?
Do YOU “TESTIFY” that loving, merciful, gracious, caring God, CLAIMED YOU, EVEN AS HE “KNOCKED ON THE DOOR< AND INVITED HIM IN?”
Having “claimed me”, birthed me in His Spirit, then, DOES HE TELL US TO “TRY YOUR BEST”, OR “BE LED BY THE WORD, BY THE SPIRIT, AND BY HIS PROMISE: “I’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU”?, and knowing His “blessed assurance”, how could any ‘child of faith’ walk away from the “LOVER OF HIS SOUL?” How could a “born-again disciple of Christ” entertain a “tempting, untruthful, treacherous Satan or His demons”? Or, How could, yes, a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ “fall away” as a ‘victim’ of, yes, ‘worldly deceptions’?
It’s time to “Rise Up, O Men of God, Be Done With ‘lesser things’, Give heart and mind and soul and strength (and time!) To serve the King of kings!
Lift high the cross of Christ! Tread where His feet trod; As brothers of the Son of man, Rise up, O men of God!” AMEN?
Don’t we sing sometimes, at least we used to,: “Glory, glory, Hallelujah, glory, glory, Hallelujah, glory, glory, Hallelujah, HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON!!” And it never dies! But do you die, turning deaf ears and cold hearts to God?