THE PLACE OF SALVATION

DAVID KUM

(living beyond the world)

Chapter one two realms

contents

Chapter two operating from the spirit realm

Chapter three the place of salvation

Chapter three the place of salvation

Chapter five weakness and limitations of the flesh

Chapter six the Spirit that is at work in us

Chapter seven the spirit that is at work in the world

Chapter eight the spiritual perspective

Chapter nine the old and the new covenant

Chapter ten the place of refuge

Chapter eleven spiritual maturity

the place of salvation

(living beyond the world)
Chapter one two realms

contents

Chapter two operating from the spirit realm

Chapter three the place of salvation

Chapter three the place of salvation

Chapter five weakness and limitations of the flesh

Chapter six the Spirit that is at work in us

Chapter seven the spirit that is at work in the world

Chapter eight the spiritual perspective

Chapter nine the old and the new covenant

Chapter ten the place of refuge

Chapter eleven spiritual maturity

the place of salvation

(living beyond the world)
CHAPTER ONE TWO REALMS

Jesus said "heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away" LUKE 21:33. By these words it is very clear that the Lord has condemned the system of the world. The statement made by the Lord was not one of a "maybe" nature it is one of a blessed assurance. This means that everything ever instituted by man is bound to fail, governments are failing, education is failing, the economy is failing, technology is failing, money amongst many human factors are failing... the world is looking for experts everyday to help solve its problems that is why higher educational qualifications are always required. But even these measures are bound to fail and already are. Governments everywhere are helpless in tackling the challenges of the world ranging from poverty to sickness, food shortage to global warming, natural and manmade disasters and terrorism amongst countless others thereby fulfilling the word of the Lord. The bible has given us a clear insight as to the very things that are engulfing the world in these very times. These are not the times to exercise fear but to exercise faith as a matter of fact these are the finest days for the Christian. There was never a hero until the day trouble came.

These are the days of the sons of God whom the creature has been waiting for. The scriptures warned that in the last days, the sun will be darkened and so the moon and the stars. This does not mean that the sun will not rise again nor the moon nor the stars, this simply signifies the failure of the human system... for the whole of creature waiteth for the manifestations of the sons of God. This means that it takes only the sons of God to govern Gods creation correctly so the creature is earnestly waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. The Bible tells us that "as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God" so if nature is failing everyone else it shall answer to us. This was made clear when Joshua commanded the sun to stand still for a whole day, it was also revealed when Isaac was told of God to sow in a land of famine. Moses also demonstrated this in the land of Egypt up till the parting away of the red sea. We are living in days where no human knowledge nor wisdom nor institution can solve the problems of the world mankind has just hit the rocks! God is not depending upon the human system or the system of the world to show Himself strong for His people. 
CHAPTER ONE TWO REALMS

Jesus said "heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away" LUKE 21:33. By these words it is very clear that the Lord has condemned the system of the world. The statement made by the Lord was not one of a "maybe" nature it is one of a blessed assurance. This means that everything ever instituted by man is bound to fail, governments are failing, education is failing, the economy is failing, technology is failing, money amongst many human factors are failing... the world is looking for experts everyday to help solve its problems that is why higher educational qualifications are always required. But even these measures are bound to fail and already are. Governments everywhere are helpless in tackling the challenges of the world ranging from poverty to sickness, food shortage to global warming, natural and manmade disasters and terrorism amongst countless others thereby fulfilling the word of the Lord. The bible has given us a clear insight as to the very things that are engulfing the world in these very times. These are not the times to exercise fear but to exercise faith as a matter of fact these are the finest days for the Christian. There was never a hero until the day trouble came.

These are the days of the sons of God whom the creature has been waiting for. The scriptures warned that in the last days, the sun will be darkened and so the moon and the stars. This does not mean that the sun will not rise again nor the moon nor the stars, this simply signifies the failure of the human system... for the whole of creature waiteth for the manifestations of the sons of God. This means that it takes only the sons of God to govern Gods creation correctly so the creature is earnestly waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. The Bible tells us that "as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God" so if nature is failing everyone else it shall answer to us. This was made clear when Joshua commanded the sun to stand still for a whole day, it was also revealed when Isaac was told of God to sow in a land of famine. Moses also demonstrated this in the land of Egypt up till the parting away of the red sea. We are living in days where no human knowledge nor wisdom nor institution can solve the problems of the world mankind has just hit the rocks! God is not depending upon the human system or the system of the world to show Himself strong for His people. 
When Moses was sent back into Egypt, He had to go by the word of God before he was successful. Moses had earlier on in his life in Egypt tried to help an Israelite by killing an Egyptian which got him into serious trouble that necessitated his exile from Egypt. But that's just the system of the world! Left for Moses then, the only way to have rescued Israel from Egypt would have been to raise an army of some sort, start a rebellion or find some other human means to achieve that purpose... but that is not the way of God! God cannot depend on human effort to bring His word to past. Moses went back into Egypt a more powerful man than he left not because he had an army nor all the money to buy Israel's freedom but he had the word of God in his spirit. That's about all that any Christian ought to have to be successful in this life. Having an understanding of who we are, where we are and what we have will help us to understand how to walk above the systems of this world. It is rather unfortunate that most Christians spend their energies trying to get the worlds system to work for them than take advantage of who God has made them in this world... God said to Moses "see I have made thee a god to pharaoh..." EX 7:1. Pharaoh, the most powerful man in his days in command of the most powerful kingdom whose word is law in Egypt had Moses for a "god".

". Whenever Moses walked in before Pharaoh, all that power bowed to Moses, he continued to match the power of his magicians and the gods of Egypt against Moses to the 4th plague before his men told him... "this is the finger of God..." EX 8:19 in other words, "this is beyond us" God Himself is not in the business of putting a stop to the problems of the world, He is not going to stop Satan's rage and He never has! Throughout Bible history God has never "interfered" with Satan's playing grounds nor his strategies nor his armory, God would always allow the devil to give his best shot then show him that there is another standard beyond his best. "... when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him" ISH 59:19. Christ is already that standard thank God for that. Where we are in Christ is already a standard against where we were in the world, who we are in Christ is a standard against who we were in the world and what we have in Christ is a standard against what we lacked in the world. We must understand then where we operate from, if we don't have this understanding, we will be swept away with the crisis that is rocking the world at these times. When everything else fails, all nations shall see that there can be only one place to find answers to their problems and they shall say one to another "...come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and He will teach us
When Moses was sent back into Egypt, He had to go by the word of God before he was successful. Moses had earlier on in his life in Egypt tried to help an Israelite by killing an Egyptian which got him into serious trouble that necessitated his exile from Egypt. But that's just the system of the world! Left for Moses then, the only way to have rescued Israel from Egypt would have been to raise an army of some sort, start a rebellion or find some other human means to achieve that purpose... but that is not the way of God! God cannot depend on human effort to bring His word to past. Moses went back into Egypt a more powerful man than he left not because he had an army nor all the money to buy Israel's freedom but he had the word of God in his spirit. That's about all that any Christian ought to have to be successful in this life. Having an understanding of who we are, where we are and what we have will help us to understand how to walk above the systems of this world. It is rather unfortunate that most Christians spend their energies trying to get the worlds system to work for them than take advantage of who God has made them in this world... God said to Moses "see I have made thee a god to pharaoh..." EX 7:1. Pharaoh, the most powerful man in his days in command of the most powerful kingdom whose word is law in Egypt had Moses for a "god".

". Whenever Moses walked in before Pharaoh, all that power bowed to Moses, he continued to match the power of his magicians and the gods of Egypt against Moses to the 4th plague before his men told him... "this is the finger of God..." EX 8:19 in other words, "this is beyond us" God Himself is not in the business of putting a stop to the problems of the world, He is not going to stop Satan's rage and He never has! Throughout Bible history God has never "interfered" with Satan's playing grounds nor his strategies nor his armory, God would always allow the devil to give his best shot then show him that there is another standard beyond his best. "... when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him" ISH 59:19. Christ is already that standard thank God for that. Where we are in Christ is already a standard against where we were in the world, who we are in Christ is a standard against who we were in the world and what we have in Christ is a standard against what we lacked in the world. We must understand then where we operate from, if we don't have this understanding, we will be swept away with the crisis that is rocking the world at these times. When everything else fails, all nations shall see that there can be only one place to find answers to their problems and they shall say one to another "...come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob and He will teach us
His ways and we will walk in His paths..." MIC 4:2. This means there is a path that leads to a kind of success that the system of the world can never attain, this is the way that the world has rejected but yet will turn to for guidance. The world's system is limited, human effort is limited! They are dependent upon several factors. That's why man will always do the math before he can make any meaningful move in all his endeavors. But the man of the spirit is never limited. No not by natural nor human circumstances, he operates by the laws of another "country". Moses was not operating by the laws of nature nor of the land of Egypt that is why the magicians could not limit him, pharaoh himself could not limit him neither could the red sea. Was it that God did not know that there was a sea along the path that He asked Moses to take the children of Israel?... God can never be limited nor be surprised so whether it was the sea, could have been a mountain it still would not have made any difference, for God's word no matter the opposition can never be stopped. "for as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven and returns not thither but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" ISH 55:10-11

Whereas the world operates from the five senses, we operate from another dimension that is not sensed by the natural man, we operate by the word. This is why the sea had to give way and stand upright for the people of God to cross over, an action that when attempted by the Egyptians, the forces of nature could not allow. "...it shall accomplish that which I please..." it can only take the word of God to have these mysterious results that no man can have. Many have found themselves in money, education, fame even religion but all is leading to a terrible end of confusion and darkness. For many in the long run cannot be helped by that which has even made them the who and who of the world. They shall eventually turn to those of us who are founded on the word to ask "where do we go from here". The man who must be unlimited is not the one who must have all the monies in the world or have all the education in the world or command the strongest armies in the world, surely even the times we are in are showing us clearly that these things are failing us by the day. Unfortunately, people think that it is by grabbing more of these things that will make them maintain a certain level of "power" so we have people who are never satisfied with money or education or power, they always want more and most times will even go diabolic to have these things. The man who is unlimited is the man who is founded in the word of God 
His ways and we will walk in His paths..." MIC 4:2. This means there is a path that leads to a kind of success that the system of the world can never attain, this is the way that the world has rejected but yet will turn to for guidance. The world's system is limited, human effort is limited! They are dependent upon several factors. That's why man will always do the math before he can make any meaningful move in all his endeavors. But the man of the spirit is never limited. No not by natural nor human circumstances, he operates by the laws of another "country". Moses was not operating by the laws of nature nor of the land of Egypt that is why the magicians could not limit him, pharaoh himself could not limit him neither could the red sea. Was it that God did not know that there was a sea along the path that He asked Moses to take the children of Israel?... God can never be limited nor be surprised so whether it was the sea, could have been a mountain it still would not have made any difference, for God's word no matter the opposition can never be stopped. "for as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven and returns not thither but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" ISH 55:10-11

Whereas the world operates from the five senses, we operate from another dimension that is not sensed by the natural man, we operate by the word. This is why the sea had to give way and stand upright for the people of God to cross over, an action that when attempted by the Egyptians, the forces of nature could not allow. "...it shall accomplish that which I please..." it can only take the word of God to have these mysterious results that no man can have. Many have found themselves in money, education, fame even religion but all is leading to a terrible end of confusion and darkness. For many in the long run cannot be helped by that which has even made them the who and who of the world. They shall eventually turn to those of us who are founded on the word to ask "where do we go from here". The man who must be unlimited is not the one who must have all the monies in the world or have all the education in the world or command the strongest armies in the world, surely even the times we are in are showing us clearly that these things are failing us by the day. Unfortunately, people think that it is by grabbing more of these things that will make them maintain a certain level of "power" so we have people who are never satisfied with money or education or power, they always want more and most times will even go diabolic to have these things. The man who is unlimited is the man who is founded in the word of God 
Jesus said: "therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock: and the rains descended, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock" MATT 7:24-25 the rains and the wind signify trouble times, times in which the going is not so smooth anymore, these are times that the systems of our foundations meet with circumstances that they were not designed to run by. Verse 26-27 of the same MATT 7 tells us of the man who does the opposite, his own house falls when the weather is not fair anymore! Almost all governments in the world are confronted with problems they did not plan for ranging from terrorism to natural disasters, hunger and disease poverty civil unrests, the polity never seems to be satisfied with the leadership... governments are trying to figure out ways of how to handle these problems because these had never been in the plan for them. These are the floods and the winds beating upon the houses they have built. While all these things are happening in the world, there is a place of safety founded in the very word of God, this place is a mystery to the world and anyone functioning from this realm is not limited by the challenges confronting the world even though he is in the world. This is why the master Himself tells us that we are not of the world even though we are living in the world.

Paul had this understanding when he wrote to the Colossian church "wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subjects to ordinances? Touch not, taste not, handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men" COL 2:20-22. We are dead from the rules that govern this world in Christ Jesus we are no longer bound by these rules we are not subjected to this ordinances anymore. Paul had to point this fact to the Colossian church because they were still living a sub-standard life, a life that is constraint and limited by the "ordinances" of this world. Because we died in Christ and yet live again, we must understand the life that is Christ's. It is not a life of flesh and blood anymore but of the spirit of God and that spirit is not subjected to the laws that govern the worlds system. We must then operate from the perspective of the life that Jesus now has not the one we had before salvation- a supernatural life governed by a different set of rules altogether. The life that flows in the worlds system is a limited life, this makes man to have to live by what his world and effort offers him that's why Paul mentioned some of the limitations in the ordinances of the world "... touch not, taste not handle not..." so the system defines our limitations! But the man of the spirit has no limitations. 
Jesus said: "therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock: and the rains descended, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock" MATT 7:24-25 the rains and the wind signify trouble times, times in which the going is not so smooth anymore, these are times that the systems of our foundations meet with circumstances that they were not designed to run by. Verse 26-27 of the same MATT 7 tells us of the man who does the opposite, his own house falls when the weather is not fair anymore! Almost all governments in the world are confronted with problems they did not plan for ranging from terrorism to natural disasters, hunger and disease poverty civil unrests, the polity never seems to be satisfied with the leadership... governments are trying to figure out ways of how to handle these problems because these had never been in the plan for them. These are the floods and the winds beating upon the houses they have built. While all these things are happening in the world, there is a place of safety founded in the very word of God, this place is a mystery to the world and anyone functioning from this realm is not limited by the challenges confronting the world even though he is in the world. This is why the master Himself tells us that we are not of the world even though we are living in the world.

Paul had this understanding when he wrote to the Colossian church "wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subjects to ordinances? Touch not, taste not, handle not which all are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men" COL 2:20-22. We are dead from the rules that govern this world in Christ Jesus we are no longer bound by these rules we are not subjected to this ordinances anymore. Paul had to point this fact to the Colossian church because they were still living a sub-standard life, a life that is constraint and limited by the "ordinances" of this world. Because we died in Christ and yet live again, we must understand the life that is Christ's. It is not a life of flesh and blood anymore but of the spirit of God and that spirit is not subjected to the laws that govern the worlds system. We must then operate from the perspective of the life that Jesus now has not the one we had before salvation- a supernatural life governed by a different set of rules altogether. The life that flows in the worlds system is a limited life, this makes man to have to live by what his world and effort offers him that's why Paul mentioned some of the limitations in the ordinances of the world "... touch not, taste not handle not..." so the system defines our limitations! But the man of the spirit has no limitations. 
Elijah can tell you that when he held back rain for three and half years and when he out-ran the chariot of Ahab to the gates of Jezreel. Joshua can relate to that when he caused a whole day to be missing in history by stopping the sun from completing its natural course, Moses can tell you that when he caused the waters of the red sea to stand and form walls for the people of God to go across ... we have countless examples of the supernatural life in the Bible where men were not limited by the system of the world nor by natural ordinances. When the life of Christ comes into a "dead" situation caused by the ordinances of this world, such a condition must give way to the higher powers. The problem however is that a lot of Christians still live the sub-standard life of flesh and blood, they don't understand what they have in Jesus Christ and who they are. They are limited by what they see and hear never aware of the realm that Christ has brought them into, the realm of the supernatural. Let's learn something from the story of Elisha and his servant when the king sent soldiers to apprehend them. The Syrian king was troubled because all the plans he made to lay ambush and attack the king of Israel was revealed to the king of Israel which was later revealed to him that such information was told the king of Israel by Elisha the prophet who (take

note) was never part of the meeting nor the plot, Talk about the supernatural! As a matter of fact the servant said to him "Elisha... telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed chamber" 2KI 6:12. In other words the king of Syria could not hide anything from Elisha no matter how hard he tried. Elisha was a man of the spirit he could not be limited by doors, secret chambers or security forces. When the king eventually sent soldiers to fetch Elisha, he did not know that Elisha could not be bound by the laws that govern his world, Elisha operated from a higher realm, hearing things that no one else could hear and seeing what no one else could see commanding forces that are not limited by the natural order. And so the servant of the man of God woke up to see an army that had come to arrest them and he cried "...alas my master, how shall we do?" v 15 and the man of God showed us something very important by his reply and prayer. " and he answered: fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them and Elisha prayed and said LORD I pray thee open his eyes that he may see and the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" 2KI 6:16-17 
Elijah can tell you that when he held back rain for three and half years and when he out-ran the chariot of Ahab to the gates of Jezreel. Joshua can relate to that when he caused a whole day to be missing in history by stopping the sun from completing its natural course, Moses can tell you that when he caused the waters of the red sea to stand and form walls for the people of God to go across ... we have countless examples of the supernatural life in the Bible where men were not limited by the system of the world nor by natural ordinances. When the life of Christ comes into a "dead" situation caused by the ordinances of this world, such a condition must give way to the higher powers. The problem however is that a lot of Christians still live the sub-standard life of flesh and blood, they don't understand what they have in Jesus Christ and who they are. They are limited by what they see and hear never aware of the realm that Christ has brought them into, the realm of the supernatural. Let's learn something from the story of Elisha and his servant when the king sent soldiers to apprehend them. The Syrian king was troubled because all the plans he made to lay ambush and attack the king of Israel was revealed to the king of Israel which was later revealed to him that such information was told the king of Israel by Elisha the prophet who (take

note) was never part of the meeting nor the plot, Talk about the supernatural! As a matter of fact the servant said to him "Elisha... telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed chamber" 2KI 6:12. In other words the king of Syria could not hide anything from Elisha no matter how hard he tried. Elisha was a man of the spirit he could not be limited by doors, secret chambers or security forces. When the king eventually sent soldiers to fetch Elisha, he did not know that Elisha could not be bound by the laws that govern his world, Elisha operated from a higher realm, hearing things that no one else could hear and seeing what no one else could see commanding forces that are not limited by the natural order. And so the servant of the man of God woke up to see an army that had come to arrest them and he cried "...alas my master, how shall we do?" v 15 and the man of God showed us something very important by his reply and prayer. " and he answered: fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them and Elisha prayed and said LORD I pray thee open his eyes that he may see and the LORD opened the eyes of the young man and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" 2KI 6:16-17 
Let us gain some quick understanding from the reply of Elisha "... for they that be with us are more than they that be with them..." Elisha was not just referring to a number he was referring to the forces behind each party. There was the party of Elisha and the party of the soldiers, Elisha was operating by the ordinances of a higher realm while the soldiers were operating by laws that govern their land. They were under the orders of the king empowered by their weapons! That was their limitation but nothing could define Elisha's limitations. Now Elisha prayed the Lord to open the eyes of the young man not because that he was blind naturally. This just goes on to show us that there is another realm beyond where we are and that realm cannot be sensed by our natural senses it can only be felt, seen and heard by the man of the Spirit. Just like we have the five senses to help us interact with our world we also have spiritual senses to help us interact with this realm so the man of God prayed for the eyes of the young man. If Elisha had prayed for the ears of the young man, he probably would have heard the sounds of the chariots and the horses but never would have seen them. There are eyes beyond our eyes, ears beyond our ears, there is a realm beyond where we are and the existence of this realm is as real as water is wet. We do not interact with this realm using our natural senses, no! We interact with this realm using the spirit man. Thus it is possible for two people to be at

the same location physically but one will be in a different location in the spirit. 
Let us gain some quick understanding from the reply of Elisha "... for they that be with us are more than they that be with them..." Elisha was not just referring to a number he was referring to the forces behind each party. There was the party of Elisha and the party of the soldiers, Elisha was operating by the ordinances of a higher realm while the soldiers were operating by laws that govern their land. They were under the orders of the king empowered by their weapons! That was their limitation but nothing could define Elisha's limitations. Now Elisha prayed the Lord to open the eyes of the young man not because that he was blind naturally. This just goes on to show us that there is another realm beyond where we are and that realm cannot be sensed by our natural senses it can only be felt, seen and heard by the man of the Spirit. Just like we have the five senses to help us interact with our world we also have spiritual senses to help us interact with this realm so the man of God prayed for the eyes of the young man. If Elisha had prayed for the ears of the young man, he probably would have heard the sounds of the chariots and the horses but never would have seen them. There are eyes beyond our eyes, ears beyond our ears, there is a realm beyond where we are and the existence of this realm is as real as water is wet. We do not interact with this realm using our natural senses, no! We interact with this realm using the spirit man. Thus it is possible for two people to be at

the same location physically but one will be in a different location in the spirit. 
CHAPTER TWO

OPERATING FROM THE SPIRIT REALM

It is something else to know of the existence of this realm and yet another different ball game to operate from this realm. When we operate from the carnal world, we are left to do the math of how that operation will be a success but the man of the spirit needs not all that stress when he understands that all things hear and obey him. That is why the gospel that we preach has become foolishness to the natural man, he cannot do the math, it doesn't just add up, it's not scientific and cannot be explained by any scientific theory this is the realm we have been born into. It is because the natural man cannot access the power in the kingdom of God that made Jesus to say "... verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit" JHN 3:5-6. Jesus here has just told us that though he was flesh and blood among us, He was operating from a realm that was beyond us, the realm of the Spirit. No wonder His birth did not have to take a natural man but the very Spirit of God So He became the first born of the spirit and this is the sonship that we have all been baptized into as Christians. For us to be successful, we must learn to operate

from the spirit. It has to take a conscious effort till it becomes a natural thing to us. When the man of God Elisha prayed for the eyes of the young man to be opened, it was because he himself had seen the horses and the chariots of fire, it was a natural thing for Elisha to operate from this realm. Seeing the heavenly host that was waiting for his defense was natural to him. God has baptized us in Christ to walk the supernatural naturally! But being so unaware of the power we possess in Christ Jesus has crippled a lot of Christians and so fulfilling the scriptures "they know not neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said ye are gods and all of you are children of the most high but ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes" PSLM 82:5-7 Did you notice that the scriptures pointed out the instability in the foundations of the earth? ... all the foundations of the earth are out of course. Not some, not many but all the foundations of the earth! All of them are out of course. This means that trusting in the world's system can only lead to a disaster; it means that every system that seems to be holding the world together now will fail as we have started witnessing in these days. That's by the way; we will look at that closely much later. 
CHAPTER TWO

OPERATING FROM THE SPIRIT REALM

It is something else to know of the existence of this realm and yet another different ball game to operate from this realm. When we operate from the carnal world, we are left to do the math of how that operation will be a success but the man of the spirit needs not all that stress when he understands that all things hear and obey him. That is why the gospel that we preach has become foolishness to the natural man, he cannot do the math, it doesn't just add up, it's not scientific and cannot be explained by any scientific theory this is the realm we have been born into. It is because the natural man cannot access the power in the kingdom of God that made Jesus to say "... verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit" JHN 3:5-6. Jesus here has just told us that though he was flesh and blood among us, He was operating from a realm that was beyond us, the realm of the Spirit. No wonder His birth did not have to take a natural man but the very Spirit of God So He became the first born of the spirit and this is the sonship that we have all been baptized into as Christians. For us to be successful, we must learn to operate

from the spirit. It has to take a conscious effort till it becomes a natural thing to us. When the man of God Elisha prayed for the eyes of the young man to be opened, it was because he himself had seen the horses and the chariots of fire, it was a natural thing for Elisha to operate from this realm. Seeing the heavenly host that was waiting for his defense was natural to him. God has baptized us in Christ to walk the supernatural naturally! But being so unaware of the power we possess in Christ Jesus has crippled a lot of Christians and so fulfilling the scriptures "they know not neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course. I have said ye are gods and all of you are children of the most high but ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes" PSLM 82:5-7 Did you notice that the scriptures pointed out the instability in the foundations of the earth? ... all the foundations of the earth are out of course. Not some, not many but all the foundations of the earth! All of them are out of course. This means that trusting in the world's system can only lead to a disaster; it means that every system that seems to be holding the world together now will fail as we have started witnessing in these days. That's by the way; we will look at that closely much later. 
"They know not neither will they understand" this is why" they walk on in darkness" if only they know that God has made a way beyond the floods of the enemy, if only they know the victory that we have been born into, if only they know the power that we have at the spiritual birth. It is very important that we know what Christ has done for us, who that has made us and where that has placed us, for until we know these truths we walk on in darkness and forge a trust on the unsure foundations of the world. Paul writing to the Corinthian church said "for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" 2COR 10:3. Many people have always thought that what Paul meant in this verse is that we are fighting spiritual forces though we know that we are also battling spiritual forces in high places. What Paul is saying here is that, we don't wage war as humans. The new living translation puts it this way: "we are human but we don't wage war as humans do" NLT. We wage war as spirit beings! We take advantage of the wealth of resources that have been made available for us in the spirit of Christ. This is what constitutes our weapons in the fight of life. Everything we need has been made available in the spirit hallelujah! We cannot out-use the resources that God has made available unto us in the new birth. Moses can tell you this with all confidence when God provided mana for forty years of the stay of Israel in the wilderness. The realm where we have been brought into is not a realm that depends on the

availability of carnal resources for its functionality rather it is a realm where when we operate from, can bring about carnal changes, we subject the world to our will from this realm. The nature of our spiritual resources Paul goes on to show us the nature of the weapons we have in God, he tells us of their capability. "for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" 2COR 10:4-5 Paul said they are not carnal meaning, they are not for the natural senses. This goes on to mean that they cannot be used from the natural perspective they cannot be held like a gun or a spear as they do not respond to the flesh, they respond to the spirit. Therefore the man who must utilize these resources must be one that understands the working of the spirit, one that knows that just because he does not see these things does not mean they do not exist for they are more real than what appears and even the things that we see are made of these invisible forces. The realm of their existence cannot be accessed by the natural senses, if we try to access these resources by our natural senses, we would just be chasing the wind that is why to the natural man, the gospel that we preach has become foolishness and when he cannot explain the miraculous that happens in the lives of the few who have accessed this realm, he says 
"They know not neither will they understand" this is why" they walk on in darkness" if only they know that God has made a way beyond the floods of the enemy, if only they know the victory that we have been born into, if only they know the power that we have at the spiritual birth. It is very important that we know what Christ has done for us, who that has made us and where that has placed us, for until we know these truths we walk on in darkness and forge a trust on the unsure foundations of the world. Paul writing to the Corinthian church said "for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh" 2COR 10:3. Many people have always thought that what Paul meant in this verse is that we are fighting spiritual forces though we know that we are also battling spiritual forces in high places. What Paul is saying here is that, we don't wage war as humans. The new living translation puts it this way: "we are human but we don't wage war as humans do" NLT. We wage war as spirit beings! We take advantage of the wealth of resources that have been made available for us in the spirit of Christ. This is what constitutes our weapons in the fight of life. Everything we need has been made available in the spirit hallelujah! We cannot out-use the resources that God has made available unto us in the new birth. Moses can tell you this with all confidence when God provided mana for forty years of the stay of Israel in the wilderness. The realm where we have been brought into is not a realm that depends on the

availability of carnal resources for its functionality rather it is a realm where when we operate from, can bring about carnal changes, we subject the world to our will from this realm. The nature of our spiritual resources Paul goes on to show us the nature of the weapons we have in God, he tells us of their capability. "for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" 2COR 10:4-5 Paul said they are not carnal meaning, they are not for the natural senses. This goes on to mean that they cannot be used from the natural perspective they cannot be held like a gun or a spear as they do not respond to the flesh, they respond to the spirit. Therefore the man who must utilize these resources must be one that understands the working of the spirit, one that knows that just because he does not see these things does not mean they do not exist for they are more real than what appears and even the things that we see are made of these invisible forces. The realm of their existence cannot be accessed by the natural senses, if we try to access these resources by our natural senses, we would just be chasing the wind that is why to the natural man, the gospel that we preach has become foolishness and when he cannot explain the miraculous that happens in the lives of the few who have accessed this realm, he says 
"It's of the devil". They said Jesus was casting out devils by the prince of devils because Jesus was operating from another realm entirely. But it is wrong for people to always thing that the miraculous belongs to the devil for Jesus' coming was to bring us to this very point, this very realm... the realm that only a few of the prophets and servants of the Lord walked in the old testament! This is meant to be our New Testament experience. In response to the accusation of the Jews when they accused the Lord of casting out devils by the prince of devils He said "...but if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come unto you" MATT 5:28 Christ was telling them where He was operating from and by whom He was casting out the devils. He was operating from the "Kingdom" of God and by the Spirit of God. We must understand how this works; Jesus was not talking about a physical kingdom with a geographical location. We must understand also that Satan was oppressing people from a "kingdom" without any geographical location these are places in the spirit so when the higher and stronger kingdom came, the lesser had to give way! Jesus' illustration in the next verse explains this fact: "... or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house" MATT 5:29. Jesus is saying that the devils could be cast out and all their works undone because they have been subjected under Him.

The work that Jesus accomplished on the cross permanently put the devil at "gun point" his kingdom was subdued and then Christ brought us into the kingdom of God so that we will now walk in the authority that this kingdom exercises of that of the devil. "...mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imagination and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" Paul begins to outline the functions of these weapons. Though Paul was talking in the perspective of warfare, it still gives us great insight as to how spiritual resources function God has made all things available for us in this realm, we don't have to physically handle them before we know they are ours we must however know how to access them. Peter said "according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue" 2PET 1:3. This verse is a continuation of a prayer that peter made for those he was writing to for God's grace and peace to be multiplied unto them. Peter spoke of God's power making all things available that pertain to life and Godliness because he had that knowledge. But the people he was writing to did not know that; so the apostle prayed for them that such grace would come to them by the knowledge of God and of Christ. 
"It's of the devil". They said Jesus was casting out devils by the prince of devils because Jesus was operating from another realm entirely. But it is wrong for people to always thing that the miraculous belongs to the devil for Jesus' coming was to bring us to this very point, this very realm... the realm that only a few of the prophets and servants of the Lord walked in the old testament! This is meant to be our New Testament experience. In response to the accusation of the Jews when they accused the Lord of casting out devils by the prince of devils He said "...but if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come unto you" MATT 5:28 Christ was telling them where He was operating from and by whom He was casting out the devils. He was operating from the "Kingdom" of God and by the Spirit of God. We must understand how this works; Jesus was not talking about a physical kingdom with a geographical location. We must understand also that Satan was oppressing people from a "kingdom" without any geographical location these are places in the spirit so when the higher and stronger kingdom came, the lesser had to give way! Jesus' illustration in the next verse explains this fact: "... or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house" MATT 5:29. Jesus is saying that the devils could be cast out and all their works undone because they have been subjected under Him.

The work that Jesus accomplished on the cross permanently put the devil at "gun point" his kingdom was subdued and then Christ brought us into the kingdom of God so that we will now walk in the authority that this kingdom exercises of that of the devil. "...mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imagination and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" Paul begins to outline the functions of these weapons. Though Paul was talking in the perspective of warfare, it still gives us great insight as to how spiritual resources function God has made all things available for us in this realm, we don't have to physically handle them before we know they are ours we must however know how to access them. Peter said "according as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue" 2PET 1:3. This verse is a continuation of a prayer that peter made for those he was writing to for God's grace and peace to be multiplied unto them. Peter spoke of God's power making all things available that pertain to life and Godliness because he had that knowledge. But the people he was writing to did not know that; so the apostle prayed for them that such grace would come to them by the knowledge of God and of Christ. 
By this prayer, Peter makes us to understand that everything we need in this life has been provided by God's divine power but how much of these do we know? How much of Christ do we know? We are robbed of these things as long as we do not know. Satan capitalizes on the scarcity of our knowledge to perpetrate his works and succeed in the world. Peter also makes us know that the Lord has called us to "...glory and virtue..." peter is saying here that we have obtained a nature of glory and virtue, he was not just referring to a temporary state or some borrowed state of being he is saying that we are now of the nature of glory and excellence, the very nature of God! Look at verse 4 closely "whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" HALLELUJAH! There is a "corruption" in the world. That corruption means a "weakness" that is eating through the world because of desires. The lust (desires) the Bible is talking about here is simply referring to the necessities of life, the things needed to survive this human life and the "weakness" that limits the world comes from these desires. By what Christ did, He has translated us into another realm where everything has been provided for by God because He has given us the very nature of God by which we have access to divine resources not natural resources.

If only we can understand what Christ has done, if only we can understand where that has brought us to and what we can do by reason of that, if only we know that we are not limited in anyway by natural circumstances then we would live beyond the very problems that plague the world. We would not be struggling to make ends meet we would only need to walk into a rest in which everything is provided. God said to Moses "... I have made you a god unto Pharaoh " An unstoppable race In the Old Testament, a few class of people walked in the divine realm. Rulers, priests and prophets functioned in this realm to subdue the limiting forces of nature and of man. We have countless examples as listed in Hebrews 11 of men and women who wrought miracles by faith. The place where Christ has brought us into is a powerful place where nothing can successfully stop whatever we purpose to achieve. It does not mean that there will be no opposing forces but we will always out power them. We see clearly again in the story of Moses how he prospered in the miraculous before the King of Egypt until every force, both human and spiritual gave way to the purpose of his visit in Egypt. When Moses came into Egypt to deliver Israel, God had equipped him with the miraculous so the very first miracle he performed was to lay his rod on the ground and it turned to a snake the magicians of Pharaoh did the same as we see in EX 7:10-11 verse 21 and 22 tells us that Moses and Aaron turned water
By this prayer, Peter makes us to understand that everything we need in this life has been provided by God's divine power but how much of these do we know? How much of Christ do we know? We are robbed of these things as long as we do not know. Satan capitalizes on the scarcity of our knowledge to perpetrate his works and succeed in the world. Peter also makes us know that the Lord has called us to "...glory and virtue..." peter is saying here that we have obtained a nature of glory and virtue, he was not just referring to a temporary state or some borrowed state of being he is saying that we are now of the nature of glory and excellence, the very nature of God! Look at verse 4 closely "whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" HALLELUJAH! There is a "corruption" in the world. That corruption means a "weakness" that is eating through the world because of desires. The lust (desires) the Bible is talking about here is simply referring to the necessities of life, the things needed to survive this human life and the "weakness" that limits the world comes from these desires. By what Christ did, He has translated us into another realm where everything has been provided for by God because He has given us the very nature of God by which we have access to divine resources not natural resources.

If only we can understand what Christ has done, if only we can understand where that has brought us to and what we can do by reason of that, if only we know that we are not limited in anyway by natural circumstances then we would live beyond the very problems that plague the world. We would not be struggling to make ends meet we would only need to walk into a rest in which everything is provided. God said to Moses "... I have made you a god unto Pharaoh " An unstoppable race In the Old Testament, a few class of people walked in the divine realm. Rulers, priests and prophets functioned in this realm to subdue the limiting forces of nature and of man. We have countless examples as listed in Hebrews 11 of men and women who wrought miracles by faith. The place where Christ has brought us into is a powerful place where nothing can successfully stop whatever we purpose to achieve. It does not mean that there will be no opposing forces but we will always out power them. We see clearly again in the story of Moses how he prospered in the miraculous before the King of Egypt until every force, both human and spiritual gave way to the purpose of his visit in Egypt. When Moses came into Egypt to deliver Israel, God had equipped him with the miraculous so the very first miracle he performed was to lay his rod on the ground and it turned to a snake the magicians of Pharaoh did the same as we see in EX 7:10-11 verse 21 and 22 tells us that Moses and Aaron turned water
to blood but the Magicians of Egypt did the same. Verses 6 and 7 of chapter 8 show us the third miracle of Moses where he brought forth frogs into Egypt and pharaohs magicians did the same. Then we come to the fourth miracle where Moses brought forth lice upon the land and the magicians of Egypt attempted to do the same but they failed. Verse 17 and 18 of chapter 8 gives us that account and in verse 19, the magicians told Pharaoh "this is the finger of God..." We can see that Egypt opposed Moses from the very start but as the stakes went higher, the magicians had to acknowledge the "finger" of God. They did not have enough spiritual resources or enchantments to match the power of God. A lot of Christians would give up the moment opposition arises to challenge the word of God in their lives, they think that just because the problems still stir at them in the face at the first application of the word it means that the word is not powerful enough. This is not the case but we must however understand that there are standards in the spirit and must climb through the ladder rungs until we reach the place that is beyond the devil or the problem. God is not in the business of suppressing the devil, God lets the devil play out all his cards and then show him a level of glory that his best can never attain. The magicians of Egypt were not suppressed just because Moses the servant of the Lord was there, they kept on matching the power of God with their enchantments and all the demonic power Egypt had to offer until they got to the fourth plague where they

saw another realm of glory beyond all they had ever known or practiced. This is the concept that Isaiah 55:11 spells out when God said "... it [God's word] shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" The term "prosper" in this context suggests a "cutting" through all oppositions like a knife cutting through vegetable or a chisel cutting through a rock, God's word can never fail no matter the opposing force. There is a level in God that readily brings powers and principalities under the control of the servant of God; this is the level that Moses and a few of the prophets and servants of God walked in the Old Testament. At this level, we are not afraid of the forces of darkness no matter what they do. It is at this level that God has made all our enemies our footstool; it is a place in Christ. The scriptures declared in the prophecy of David in the book of psalm 110:1 "the LORD said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool" that is talking about Christ. And Paul makes us to understand that we are now seated in Christ at the right hand of God. "...and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" EPH 2:6. We will look at this place subsequently as we study Moses' rescue mission in Egypt. So Moses prospered on until he came to a place in the spirit where all the demonic forces of Egypt could not attain. Pharaoh was confident in all his magicians
to blood but the Magicians of Egypt did the same. Verses 6 and 7 of chapter 8 show us the third miracle of Moses where he brought forth frogs into Egypt and pharaohs magicians did the same. Then we come to the fourth miracle where Moses brought forth lice upon the land and the magicians of Egypt attempted to do the same but they failed. Verse 17 and 18 of chapter 8 gives us that account and in verse 19, the magicians told Pharaoh "this is the finger of God..." We can see that Egypt opposed Moses from the very start but as the stakes went higher, the magicians had to acknowledge the "finger" of God. They did not have enough spiritual resources or enchantments to match the power of God. A lot of Christians would give up the moment opposition arises to challenge the word of God in their lives, they think that just because the problems still stir at them in the face at the first application of the word it means that the word is not powerful enough. This is not the case but we must however understand that there are standards in the spirit and must climb through the ladder rungs until we reach the place that is beyond the devil or the problem. God is not in the business of suppressing the devil, God lets the devil play out all his cards and then show him a level of glory that his best can never attain. The magicians of Egypt were not suppressed just because Moses the servant of the Lord was there, they kept on matching the power of God with their enchantments and all the demonic power Egypt had to offer until they got to the fourth plague where they

saw another realm of glory beyond all they had ever known or practiced. This is the concept that Isaiah 55:11 spells out when God said "... it [God's word] shall not return unto me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" The term "prosper" in this context suggests a "cutting" through all oppositions like a knife cutting through vegetable or a chisel cutting through a rock, God's word can never fail no matter the opposing force. There is a level in God that readily brings powers and principalities under the control of the servant of God; this is the level that Moses and a few of the prophets and servants of God walked in the Old Testament. At this level, we are not afraid of the forces of darkness no matter what they do. It is at this level that God has made all our enemies our footstool; it is a place in Christ. The scriptures declared in the prophecy of David in the book of psalm 110:1 "the LORD said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool" that is talking about Christ. And Paul makes us to understand that we are now seated in Christ at the right hand of God. "...and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" EPH 2:6. We will look at this place subsequently as we study Moses' rescue mission in Egypt. So Moses prospered on until he came to a place in the spirit where all the demonic forces of Egypt could not attain. Pharaoh was confident in all his magicians
until the fourth plague, he had every confidence to keep Israel bound as long as his magicians could do the very thing that Moses did. As a matter of fact Pharaoh increased their burdens when Moses demanded their release from Egypt. Every time Moses cried back to God when it seemed like the miracle he had performed before Pharaoh did not work-out the intended purpose, God would direct him yet to the performance of another. These were not just random miracles being performed by Moses; they were spiritual levels that he was climbing through. I said earlier that God is not in the business of suppressing the devils efforts and this is proven through all the scriptures from the way God has dealt with the devil. If God was suppressing the devil, he would have been suppressed to remain under us once and for all. But we must understand that Satan's powers are not stripped from him nor is he forced to stop using them but where he thought was the end of the game for humanity when he stole this power in Eden, God introduced another level of glory that he never imagined in his wildest dreams. By these powers, Satan still afflict many people even Christians making life miserable for them thereby limiting them to a poor spiritual state where they remain powerless or at the most less powerful than he is. A lot of Christians have not come to this knowledge that is why they move by the dictates of their environment, they move with the world.

They don't know that there is a spiritual level where they are never limited by the circumstances of the world. " my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." HOS 4:6 
until the fourth plague, he had every confidence to keep Israel bound as long as his magicians could do the very thing that Moses did. As a matter of fact Pharaoh increased their burdens when Moses demanded their release from Egypt. Every time Moses cried back to God when it seemed like the miracle he had performed before Pharaoh did not work-out the intended purpose, God would direct him yet to the performance of another. These were not just random miracles being performed by Moses; they were spiritual levels that he was climbing through. I said earlier that God is not in the business of suppressing the devils efforts and this is proven through all the scriptures from the way God has dealt with the devil. If God was suppressing the devil, he would have been suppressed to remain under us once and for all. But we must understand that Satan's powers are not stripped from him nor is he forced to stop using them but where he thought was the end of the game for humanity when he stole this power in Eden, God introduced another level of glory that he never imagined in his wildest dreams. By these powers, Satan still afflict many people even Christians making life miserable for them thereby limiting them to a poor spiritual state where they remain powerless or at the most less powerful than he is. A lot of Christians have not come to this knowledge that is why they move by the dictates of their environment, they move with the world.

They don't know that there is a spiritual level where they are never limited by the circumstances of the world. " my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." HOS 4:6 
CHAPTER THREE THE PLACE OF SALVATION

What is "salvation"? if we ask an average Christian this question, the reply would not be far from something like "salvation is when one accepts the Lordship of Jesus Christ over his life" or "salvation is when one gives his life to Christ denouncing the devil and his works to receive the forgiveness of God". As true as that sounds, salvation is actually beyond that. By such definitions salvation is limited to some experience or a state of being that our spirits come into upon receiving the Lord Jesus into our hearts. With such limited understanding, Christians have built their lives far from what the fullness of salvation really is. We have written songs, formed doctrines and teachings from a limited understanding of what salvation is, thus, most believers are yet to fully enjoy the benefits of the death of Jesus Christ and most have died without knowing this. Salvation goes beyond just confessing the Lord Jesus as our personal Lord and savior; it is a place in Christ. It is a place of rest, a place of comfort, a place of freedom, a place of victory. In this place, the image and status that we lost in Eden is completely restored and even beyond. If we believe that in salvation, Christ has redeemed us or saved us as the case maybe and yet we go on living defeated lives, then what exactly has He saved us from? There has to be a difference between us and the people of the world.

A spirit of grace and excellence must trail whatever we do; this makes the difference for us. If people in the world find it hard to accomplish something, we must have that grace that accomplishes it because we are not of the world. Whatever plagues the world cannot and should not plague us for we are of a different race. Again Moses' rescue story tells us more of this place... When Jacob first came to Egypt, Pharaoh then, gave him a place in the land called Goshen. It is in this place that generations were born unto Israel, it was while they were here that a King arose in Egypt who knew not Joseph and therefore began to enslave Israel. While they were in slavery in this same place, God sent Moses to deliver them and Moses came with signs and wonders, ten plagues with which Egypt was plagued. The scriptures record however that of all the plagues that came upon Egypt, not even an animal was affected by any of the plagues in Goshen. Geographically, Israel was still in Egypt but they could not be touched by any of these plagues because they were in a different "place" altogether! It is a place in Christ. Paul said God "... hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear son" COL 1:13. The salvation that Jesus brought is the kingdom of God; He preached nothing else but the kingdom... "...repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" all the miraculous things He did were to point us to what the life of the kingdom is all about, a life of no limitations, a life of grace and excellence. 
CHAPTER THREE THE PLACE OF SALVATION

What is "salvation"? if we ask an average Christian this question, the reply would not be far from something like "salvation is when one accepts the Lordship of Jesus Christ over his life" or "salvation is when one gives his life to Christ denouncing the devil and his works to receive the forgiveness of God". As true as that sounds, salvation is actually beyond that. By such definitions salvation is limited to some experience or a state of being that our spirits come into upon receiving the Lord Jesus into our hearts. With such limited understanding, Christians have built their lives far from what the fullness of salvation really is. We have written songs, formed doctrines and teachings from a limited understanding of what salvation is, thus, most believers are yet to fully enjoy the benefits of the death of Jesus Christ and most have died without knowing this. Salvation goes beyond just confessing the Lord Jesus as our personal Lord and savior; it is a place in Christ. It is a place of rest, a place of comfort, a place of freedom, a place of victory. In this place, the image and status that we lost in Eden is completely restored and even beyond. If we believe that in salvation, Christ has redeemed us or saved us as the case maybe and yet we go on living defeated lives, then what exactly has He saved us from? There has to be a difference between us and the people of the world.

A spirit of grace and excellence must trail whatever we do; this makes the difference for us. If people in the world find it hard to accomplish something, we must have that grace that accomplishes it because we are not of the world. Whatever plagues the world cannot and should not plague us for we are of a different race. Again Moses' rescue story tells us more of this place... When Jacob first came to Egypt, Pharaoh then, gave him a place in the land called Goshen. It is in this place that generations were born unto Israel, it was while they were here that a King arose in Egypt who knew not Joseph and therefore began to enslave Israel. While they were in slavery in this same place, God sent Moses to deliver them and Moses came with signs and wonders, ten plagues with which Egypt was plagued. The scriptures record however that of all the plagues that came upon Egypt, not even an animal was affected by any of the plagues in Goshen. Geographically, Israel was still in Egypt but they could not be touched by any of these plagues because they were in a different "place" altogether! It is a place in Christ. Paul said God "... hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear son" COL 1:13. The salvation that Jesus brought is the kingdom of God; He preached nothing else but the kingdom... "...repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" all the miraculous things He did were to point us to what the life of the kingdom is all about, a life of no limitations, a life of grace and excellence. 
The kingdom of heaven that Jesus preached and that we also preach is not a place we go to when we die. So many Christians have that mind-set; they think that it is when we die that we enter the kingdom that Christ preached NO! When He said the kingdom of heaven is at hand; it means we can be in that kingdom here and now. It is a place in the spirit and we come into it by accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ. "Why must we confess Jesus first before we can enter this kingdom?" Someone may ask. You see, Jesus is the king of this kingdom as stated clearly by Paul in col 1:13 so when we confess Jesus as Lord we bring His Lordship over our lives and thus make ourselves citizens of His kingdom. This kingdom is not a natural kingdom with a geographical location therefore cannot be limited by geographical standards that is why anywhere and at anytime any man can confess Jesus and translate himself into this glorious kingdom. Jesus said "... therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the gentiles seek for your heavenly knoweth that ye have need of all these things but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" MATT 6:31-33. Jesus was spelling out the needs of the world, these are the things that dominate the thoughts of the people of the world therefore they spend their time and energy trying to acquire them for their survival.

Unfortunately, by so doing they are not really living! Their efforts and thoughts are always geared toward tomorrow and so they never live in the present moment, these are burdens they bare alone. This lifestyle completely negates what the kingdom preaches, what the kingdom offers. It is these wants that peter referred to as "lust" in 2PET 1:4 that bring about a degenerating corruption or "weakness" in the world. Peter said that in Christ, we have escaped this weakness. Unfortunately, a great number of Christians are so caught up in the rat race of this "weakness" in the world that they are blind to the freedom that the kingdom offers. People don't even take the time to know what salvation has offered them; they prioritize their pursuit of wealth, freedom, security, health, fame and so on at the expense of God's word which has offered all these things free of charge and free of all human efforts. Notice Jesus did not say "... seek ye first the kingdom of God... and then seek these things" He said "... seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added unto you" Jesus is saying that these things come with the kingdom; they are a default program of the kingdom! Hallelujah. The kingdom eliminates any and every effort we might want to employ in seeking the necessary things we need to live this life. Jesus' statement "... for after all these things do the gentiles seek" clearly suggests the fact that there has to be a difference between us and the people of the world. 
The kingdom of heaven that Jesus preached and that we also preach is not a place we go to when we die. So many Christians have that mind-set; they think that it is when we die that we enter the kingdom that Christ preached NO! When He said the kingdom of heaven is at hand; it means we can be in that kingdom here and now. It is a place in the spirit and we come into it by accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ. "Why must we confess Jesus first before we can enter this kingdom?" Someone may ask. You see, Jesus is the king of this kingdom as stated clearly by Paul in col 1:13 so when we confess Jesus as Lord we bring His Lordship over our lives and thus make ourselves citizens of His kingdom. This kingdom is not a natural kingdom with a geographical location therefore cannot be limited by geographical standards that is why anywhere and at anytime any man can confess Jesus and translate himself into this glorious kingdom. Jesus said "... therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be clothed for after all these things do the gentiles seek for your heavenly knoweth that ye have need of all these things but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" MATT 6:31-33. Jesus was spelling out the needs of the world, these are the things that dominate the thoughts of the people of the world therefore they spend their time and energy trying to acquire them for their survival.

Unfortunately, by so doing they are not really living! Their efforts and thoughts are always geared toward tomorrow and so they never live in the present moment, these are burdens they bare alone. This lifestyle completely negates what the kingdom preaches, what the kingdom offers. It is these wants that peter referred to as "lust" in 2PET 1:4 that bring about a degenerating corruption or "weakness" in the world. Peter said that in Christ, we have escaped this weakness. Unfortunately, a great number of Christians are so caught up in the rat race of this "weakness" in the world that they are blind to the freedom that the kingdom offers. People don't even take the time to know what salvation has offered them; they prioritize their pursuit of wealth, freedom, security, health, fame and so on at the expense of God's word which has offered all these things free of charge and free of all human efforts. Notice Jesus did not say "... seek ye first the kingdom of God... and then seek these things" He said "... seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added unto you" Jesus is saying that these things come with the kingdom; they are a default program of the kingdom! Hallelujah. The kingdom eliminates any and every effort we might want to employ in seeking the necessary things we need to live this life. Jesus' statement "... for after all these things do the gentiles seek" clearly suggests the fact that there has to be a difference between us and the people of the world. 
Throughout Bible history, God has always made this difference clear between his people and the people of other nations or the people of the world. From when God brought His people out of the land of Egypt, He consecrated them for a "higher" life and would always warn them to abstain from the practices of other kingdoms else they would become weak and ordinary like them. If they practiced the lifestyle of other kingdoms like false gods and doctrines or a general way of life, calamities begin to happen to them, the weaknesses that befall other nations begin to befall them until they make it back into the consecration of God. When the final plague was to come upon Egypt, Moses told Pharaoh "... that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel" EX 11:7. That night, all the first born children in Egypt both of man and beasts died but not even a dog died in the camp of Israel. Pharaoh was broken and was forced to let Israel go an action shortly after which he was hardened again to pursue Israel and this time, to destroy them in the wilderness. During this process God followed them as a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night and where ever they made camp, the pillar was light unto Israel but was darkness unto the Egyptians. Eventually, Israel came to the red sea and seemed to be trapped between the sea and the Egyptians. The Egyptians must have thought "now we got them where we want them!" O but they were so

wrong! They walked with their natural senses but Moses was operating from a different realm altogether, he had mastery over the sea. Most of the times when we read this account of the red sea encounter, the reader thinks that it was God who divided the sea. But look at it very closely... "and the LORD said unto Moses wherefore criest thou to me... but thou lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it..." EX 14:15-16 the LORD's answer to Moses suggests something very profound He said "why do you cry to me Moses?" telling Moses that he was in a position to do whatever he wanted. Notice God did not say "...stretch out thine hand over the sea and I will divide" He said "...stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide" he (Moses) should divide the sea. It is clear here what this means, God was telling Moses that he (Moses) was unlimited! The sea could not be a barrier unto him. This is the life that the kingdom of Christ offers, a life that sets us apart, a life that consecrates us to be different from the people of the world. When eventually the red sea was divided, the people of God crossed over on dry land between two walls of standing waters to the other side of the sea. When the Egyptians saw this, they attempted to do the same but the walls of the waters collapsed over them. God makes a difference between those that are His' and those that are not. This is the kingdom life, Such that we succeed where others would not. The man of the kingdom is not limited by any natural circumstances, the ease
Throughout Bible history, God has always made this difference clear between his people and the people of other nations or the people of the world. From when God brought His people out of the land of Egypt, He consecrated them for a "higher" life and would always warn them to abstain from the practices of other kingdoms else they would become weak and ordinary like them. If they practiced the lifestyle of other kingdoms like false gods and doctrines or a general way of life, calamities begin to happen to them, the weaknesses that befall other nations begin to befall them until they make it back into the consecration of God. When the final plague was to come upon Egypt, Moses told Pharaoh "... that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel" EX 11:7. That night, all the first born children in Egypt both of man and beasts died but not even a dog died in the camp of Israel. Pharaoh was broken and was forced to let Israel go an action shortly after which he was hardened again to pursue Israel and this time, to destroy them in the wilderness. During this process God followed them as a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night and where ever they made camp, the pillar was light unto Israel but was darkness unto the Egyptians. Eventually, Israel came to the red sea and seemed to be trapped between the sea and the Egyptians. The Egyptians must have thought "now we got them where we want them!" O but they were so

wrong! They walked with their natural senses but Moses was operating from a different realm altogether, he had mastery over the sea. Most of the times when we read this account of the red sea encounter, the reader thinks that it was God who divided the sea. But look at it very closely... "and the LORD said unto Moses wherefore criest thou to me... but thou lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it..." EX 14:15-16 the LORD's answer to Moses suggests something very profound He said "why do you cry to me Moses?" telling Moses that he was in a position to do whatever he wanted. Notice God did not say "...stretch out thine hand over the sea and I will divide" He said "...stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide" he (Moses) should divide the sea. It is clear here what this means, God was telling Moses that he (Moses) was unlimited! The sea could not be a barrier unto him. This is the life that the kingdom of Christ offers, a life that sets us apart, a life that consecrates us to be different from the people of the world. When eventually the red sea was divided, the people of God crossed over on dry land between two walls of standing waters to the other side of the sea. When the Egyptians saw this, they attempted to do the same but the walls of the waters collapsed over them. God makes a difference between those that are His' and those that are not. This is the kingdom life, Such that we succeed where others would not. The man of the kingdom is not limited by any natural circumstances, the ease
with which he succeeds makes the difference, the grace that accompanies his life makes the difference, and the wisdom with which he speaks makes the difference. He can sow crops in the times of famine and reap a hundred fold, he can withhold rain for a time being, he can stop the sun in the middle of the day at his command, he can stop the raging seas and say "peace be still" and the seas will obey to the intend that other people will say "what manner of man is this that even the winds obey him?". The divinity in us gives us a higher life from the weakness that cripples the world. This is the difference between us and the people of the world, they live by the world but we live beyond the world.

CHAPTER FOUR THE MIRACULOUS

Jesus said "... the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do..." JHN 14:12. A lot of people have the mindset that Jesus performed all the miracles He performed because He was the "son of God". As much as we cannot deny His son-ship, or the fact that He is God, we must understand that the Lord did not function from that perspective. If He had function as the "son of God" a lot of things would not have happened to him, natural circumstances would not have happened upon Him. For example the Lord felt hungry upon the earth. There was a time that they didn't have money to pay taxes, but what we see in all the natural circumstances that happened to Him is that He overcame them. None of those things would have dared to happen upon Him if he had operated as God. His God state was concealed in His humanity that's why when demons saw Him, they cried "... have you come to destroy us before the time?" they could see beyond His human appearance. But that was not His mission at that time His mission was to point the sons of men to the kingdom, to show them the reality of the higher life. Christ showed us that we can live in this flesh, feel all its desires that bring a weakness and yet overcome them by the greater life that the kingdom offers. The miraculous was not something Jesus did because He was God; it was a status that came with the citizenship of the kingdom of heaven;
with which he succeeds makes the difference, the grace that accompanies his life makes the difference, and the wisdom with which he speaks makes the difference. He can sow crops in the times of famine and reap a hundred fold, he can withhold rain for a time being, he can stop the sun in the middle of the day at his command, he can stop the raging seas and say "peace be still" and the seas will obey to the intend that other people will say "what manner of man is this that even the winds obey him?". The divinity in us gives us a higher life from the weakness that cripples the world. This is the difference between us and the people of the world, they live by the world but we live beyond the world.

CHAPTER FOUR THE MIRACULOUS

Jesus said "... the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do..." JHN 14:12. A lot of people have the mindset that Jesus performed all the miracles He performed because He was the "son of God". As much as we cannot deny His son-ship, or the fact that He is God, we must understand that the Lord did not function from that perspective. If He had function as the "son of God" a lot of things would not have happened to him, natural circumstances would not have happened upon Him. For example the Lord felt hungry upon the earth. There was a time that they didn't have money to pay taxes, but what we see in all the natural circumstances that happened to Him is that He overcame them. None of those things would have dared to happen upon Him if he had operated as God. His God state was concealed in His humanity that's why when demons saw Him, they cried "... have you come to destroy us before the time?" they could see beyond His human appearance. But that was not His mission at that time His mission was to point the sons of men to the kingdom, to show them the reality of the higher life. Christ showed us that we can live in this flesh, feel all its desires that bring a weakness and yet overcome them by the greater life that the kingdom offers. The miraculous was not something Jesus did because He was God; it was a status that came with the citizenship of the kingdom of heaven;
Jesus did not exercise His kingship on earth He expressed the citizenship of the kingdom. This is the life we have been called into in Jesus Christ, a life of the "supernatural". A lot of people said "if Jesus had come down from heaven people would have ran away from Him and not related with Him, this would have been difficult for Him to minister unto them". I don't know if that would have been the case but I know also that people would have believed Him and all the miracles that He performed, it would have also been easier for them to believe the fact that He was the son of God. This is not why Jesus came down in flesh! We live in the flesh and if there is any life beyond the one we see in the flesh, it was going to take someone in the flesh to show us that life. Paul writing to the Corinthian church says "for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich" 2COR 8:9. A lot of people read this scripture with a wrong interpretation in mind. They imagine Jesus in a state of poverty. They think that Jesus abandoned His riches so that we can possess them and be rich leaving Him in total poverty. They have this pitiful image of Christ and have "respect" for the sacrifice he made for them. But this is not what Paul is saying at all. Paul is saying here "He became like you so that you will know how to become like Him". He lived in the flesh yet lived beyond the weakness of the flesh as a pointer to the life that the kingdom offers,

this is the miraculous that we have come into as citizens of that kingdom and as heirs of salvation. A life of the miraculous is not something we must work for, it is a life that the kingdom of Christ qualifies us for by default. That becomes our nature. It is natural for a human being to walk on two legs, it is natural for a lion to hunt and eat raw meat whether or not he is surrounded by what makes for the food of other animals, that is as much as it is natural for us to live the supernatural live. It is a status that comes with the kingdom. Let us learn an important lesson from the experience of peter and John at the gate called beautiful. The scriptures identified a certain lame man who was brought to the gates of the temple to beg alms. Here was Peter and John on a certain day about to go in for prayers and the man asked alms of them. Peter said to him "... silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk... and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength and he leaping up stood and walked..." ACTS 3:6-8. Did you notice the possessive tone in peter's speech? "... but such as I have..." That is incredible! Peter knew what he had, he didn't have that before but when he became a citizen of the kingdom, he became a possessor of kingdom resources. What this realm offers us are not worldly goods, not silver and gold which are the currencies of this world, this realm offers us eternal currencies that have no limit to what they can purchase. Silver and gold may 
Jesus did not exercise His kingship on earth He expressed the citizenship of the kingdom. This is the life we have been called into in Jesus Christ, a life of the "supernatural". A lot of people said "if Jesus had come down from heaven people would have ran away from Him and not related with Him, this would have been difficult for Him to minister unto them". I don't know if that would have been the case but I know also that people would have believed Him and all the miracles that He performed, it would have also been easier for them to believe the fact that He was the son of God. This is not why Jesus came down in flesh! We live in the flesh and if there is any life beyond the one we see in the flesh, it was going to take someone in the flesh to show us that life. Paul writing to the Corinthian church says "for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet for your sakes He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich" 2COR 8:9. A lot of people read this scripture with a wrong interpretation in mind. They imagine Jesus in a state of poverty. They think that Jesus abandoned His riches so that we can possess them and be rich leaving Him in total poverty. They have this pitiful image of Christ and have "respect" for the sacrifice he made for them. But this is not what Paul is saying at all. Paul is saying here "He became like you so that you will know how to become like Him". He lived in the flesh yet lived beyond the weakness of the flesh as a pointer to the life that the kingdom offers,

this is the miraculous that we have come into as citizens of that kingdom and as heirs of salvation. A life of the miraculous is not something we must work for, it is a life that the kingdom of Christ qualifies us for by default. That becomes our nature. It is natural for a human being to walk on two legs, it is natural for a lion to hunt and eat raw meat whether or not he is surrounded by what makes for the food of other animals, that is as much as it is natural for us to live the supernatural live. It is a status that comes with the kingdom. Let us learn an important lesson from the experience of peter and John at the gate called beautiful. The scriptures identified a certain lame man who was brought to the gates of the temple to beg alms. Here was Peter and John on a certain day about to go in for prayers and the man asked alms of them. Peter said to him "... silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk... and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength and he leaping up stood and walked..." ACTS 3:6-8. Did you notice the possessive tone in peter's speech? "... but such as I have..." That is incredible! Peter knew what he had, he didn't have that before but when he became a citizen of the kingdom, he became a possessor of kingdom resources. What this realm offers us are not worldly goods, not silver and gold which are the currencies of this world, this realm offers us eternal currencies that have no limit to what they can purchase. Silver and gold may 
as well stand for worldly goods which are obtained as a result of man's effort. That means it is the struggle of man that will give him worldly possessions but the kingdom resources do not depend on any mans effort, they are a free gift for the citizens of this realm for the working of the miraculous. Jesus said "freely ye have received..." MATT 10:8 We read of the promises that the scriptures make, especially the promises that Christ has made unto us but a lot of Christians barely attain the reality of God's word. It seems too far for them, they just sound like fairy tales in the ears of even the believers. The modern Christian feels he has to do some extra work, go an extra mile to walk in the reality of these promises, he feels that his effort must count at some point before he can enter into the rest that Christ has given. But this is a wrong ideology, just the same way Christ died to redeem us freely of our destruction, this is the same way he offers the reality of the promises. Paul puts it this way: "He that spared not His own son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with him also freely give us all things" ROM 8:32. The kingdom of darkness and the world of the occult appear powerful because a lot of Christians do not know this fact. They begin to attribute even the works that are performed by the leading of the Holy Ghost to the devil. When a man appears to have understanding of these truths and begins to walk in them, they say he is of the occult just like the Pharisees said of Christ.

In the book of acts chapter 8, the people of Samaria had received the word of God so the apostles sent unto them Peter and John. When they got to Samaria, peter laid hands on the people and they began to receive the Holy Ghost. Simon a sorcerer was one of those that had received the word of God but when he saw what happened at the laying on of the apostles' hands on the people, he offered them money to "buy" the same power and Peter replied: "... thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money" ACTS 8:20. This short experience between the apostles and the sorcerer tells us a great deal of difference between the gift (power) which God offers and that which the devil offers. Whereas God's gift is free, Satan's gift comes with a price. At least for Simon to have offered money to obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost, it shows that he must have offered "something" to have obtained the powers of his sorcery. Oh but if only Simon had known that the gift of God was free! Unfortunately a lot of Christians like Simon have not come to the realization that God's gift is free, they still want to "pay" a price for it. But it is because we cannot pay the price in the first place that God had to send Jesus Christ so why should someone feel that they are obligated to pay a price now before they can walk in the freedom and power that God offers? What Christ did was like saving a drowning man. We couldn't help ourselves, we were drowning and Jesus jumped into the water and pulled us to safety. Our
as well stand for worldly goods which are obtained as a result of man's effort. That means it is the struggle of man that will give him worldly possessions but the kingdom resources do not depend on any mans effort, they are a free gift for the citizens of this realm for the working of the miraculous. Jesus said "freely ye have received..." MATT 10:8 We read of the promises that the scriptures make, especially the promises that Christ has made unto us but a lot of Christians barely attain the reality of God's word. It seems too far for them, they just sound like fairy tales in the ears of even the believers. The modern Christian feels he has to do some extra work, go an extra mile to walk in the reality of these promises, he feels that his effort must count at some point before he can enter into the rest that Christ has given. But this is a wrong ideology, just the same way Christ died to redeem us freely of our destruction, this is the same way he offers the reality of the promises. Paul puts it this way: "He that spared not His own son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with him also freely give us all things" ROM 8:32. The kingdom of darkness and the world of the occult appear powerful because a lot of Christians do not know this fact. They begin to attribute even the works that are performed by the leading of the Holy Ghost to the devil. When a man appears to have understanding of these truths and begins to walk in them, they say he is of the occult just like the Pharisees said of Christ.

In the book of acts chapter 8, the people of Samaria had received the word of God so the apostles sent unto them Peter and John. When they got to Samaria, peter laid hands on the people and they began to receive the Holy Ghost. Simon a sorcerer was one of those that had received the word of God but when he saw what happened at the laying on of the apostles' hands on the people, he offered them money to "buy" the same power and Peter replied: "... thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money" ACTS 8:20. This short experience between the apostles and the sorcerer tells us a great deal of difference between the gift (power) which God offers and that which the devil offers. Whereas God's gift is free, Satan's gift comes with a price. At least for Simon to have offered money to obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost, it shows that he must have offered "something" to have obtained the powers of his sorcery. Oh but if only Simon had known that the gift of God was free! Unfortunately a lot of Christians like Simon have not come to the realization that God's gift is free, they still want to "pay" a price for it. But it is because we cannot pay the price in the first place that God had to send Jesus Christ so why should someone feel that they are obligated to pay a price now before they can walk in the freedom and power that God offers? What Christ did was like saving a drowning man. We couldn't help ourselves, we were drowning and Jesus jumped into the water and pulled us to safety. Our
own effort could never have saved us. A drowning man no matter how he struggles and beats upon the water cannot save himself, he will hold on to the tiniest twick floating in the river with the hope of floating along with it. You can imagine if this man was now pulled to safety and he is still struggling as if he were still drowning, this would not make any sense at all. This is how we appear when we try to pay some price for the free gift of God. People want to pay a "price" because that is how we have been programmed by the environment right from Adam's fall. God told Adam that he must sweat before he can eat, so man began to struggle from that point until the coming of Christ. But a lot of people have not realized that Christ has made a way as the second Adam, the limitations of the first Adam have been done away with in the second Adam. Anyone who was born in the first Adam is bound by the weaknesses and limitations of the first Adam but those of us who have been born into the second Adam. We have been born into a life of limitless possibilities. This is the whole born again experience, whereas we were born into the first Adam by flesh, we have been born into the second Adam by the spirit.

CHAPTER FIVE WEAKNESS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE FLESH

Jesus lived and walked in the flesh, He didn't have a celestial body. He lived in a terrestrial body and had all the weaknesses of the terrestrial body but He was never limited by them. We do not deny the needs of the flesh by preaching the spiritual kingdom of God in Christ, what we preach is the reality of the wonderful and powerful realm that has been opened for us by Jesus Christ, a realm in which when we walk, we can subdue all the weaknesses and the limitations of the flesh. There are countless examples of people in the Bible who subdued the flesh whether in weakness or limitations. Weaknesses of the flesh: when man fell in the Garden of Eden, God's word had already said "... for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" GEN 2:17 talking about the tree of knowledge that God had told Adam not to eat of. From this day, man became a weak being so that the things that constitute his environment began to plague him. Sicknesses and diseases, pain and suffering of old age and so on. We were made to be a super race, a race that knows no weakness. Time was not meant to tell on us our strength was never meant to be abated the nature that God gave us at creation was not the one of weakness. This is the nature that Isaiah prophesied of when he said "they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings 
own effort could never have saved us. A drowning man no matter how he struggles and beats upon the water cannot save himself, he will hold on to the tiniest twick floating in the river with the hope of floating along with it. You can imagine if this man was now pulled to safety and he is still struggling as if he were still drowning, this would not make any sense at all. This is how we appear when we try to pay some price for the free gift of God. People want to pay a "price" because that is how we have been programmed by the environment right from Adam's fall. God told Adam that he must sweat before he can eat, so man began to struggle from that point until the coming of Christ. But a lot of people have not realized that Christ has made a way as the second Adam, the limitations of the first Adam have been done away with in the second Adam. Anyone who was born in the first Adam is bound by the weaknesses and limitations of the first Adam but those of us who have been born into the second Adam. We have been born into a life of limitless possibilities. This is the whole born again experience, whereas we were born into the first Adam by flesh, we have been born into the second Adam by the spirit.

CHAPTER FIVE WEAKNESS AND LIMITATIONS OF THE FLESH

Jesus lived and walked in the flesh, He didn't have a celestial body. He lived in a terrestrial body and had all the weaknesses of the terrestrial body but He was never limited by them. We do not deny the needs of the flesh by preaching the spiritual kingdom of God in Christ, what we preach is the reality of the wonderful and powerful realm that has been opened for us by Jesus Christ, a realm in which when we walk, we can subdue all the weaknesses and the limitations of the flesh. There are countless examples of people in the Bible who subdued the flesh whether in weakness or limitations. Weaknesses of the flesh: when man fell in the Garden of Eden, God's word had already said "... for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" GEN 2:17 talking about the tree of knowledge that God had told Adam not to eat of. From this day, man became a weak being so that the things that constitute his environment began to plague him. Sicknesses and diseases, pain and suffering of old age and so on. We were made to be a super race, a race that knows no weakness. Time was not meant to tell on us our strength was never meant to be abated the nature that God gave us at creation was not the one of weakness. This is the nature that Isaiah prophesied of when he said "they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings 
as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint" ISH 40:31 "faint" and "weary" speak of the weaknesses of the flesh and this is where the Adamic nature brought us to. A lot of people think that Adam was just created to sit and walk in the Garden of Eden, just eat and lazy around no! Adam was taking care of the Garden; he was maintaining it by labor. The scriptures tell us that "the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" GEN 2:15 so it was not the fall that made Adam a farmer or a gardener he had been a gardener from the very beginning. What made the difference between Adam's works before and after the fall was that the former was without any form of weakness but the later came with weakness. Look at what God told Adam after the fall... "in the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread" GEN 3:19 the work now comes with weakness and grace is no more. Back then maybe Adam could dress the garden and not get tired at all but now he'd feel back pain and get tired with everyday's work until he could feel a headache, stomach pain, dim eyesight, weak bones that could no longer lift heavy things and eventually probably didn't have enough strength to lift himself out of his bed. Adam could withstand any change in the weather he was not feeling any cold at night nor any heat. He was naked and didn't even know; he had no need for anything man-made.

We invent things to help our weaknesses and limitations but from the very beginning, God did not create us with these weaknesses and limitations. Scriptures, talking about Moses said "and Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated" DEUT 34:7. From the time Moses encountered God, he began to walk in the supernatural, he began to function from the very realm that Christ has brought us into. From this realm, Moses' weakness and limitations had to give way. At one hundred and twenty years of age, Moses could still see perfectly and his natural strength was not abated. In other words, there was no weakness in Moses. As a matter of fact Moses was still so strong when he died, he did not die of any sickness or any natural cause he was beyond that realm, God had to tell him to go up to a mountain and die. Satan takes advantage of the weakness that is in the flesh to introduce sin because the weaknesses of the flesh makes it to feel that it cannot do without certain "needs" and the devil takes advantage of such weakness to introduce sin into our lives. This was his aim when he deceived man from the very beginning. The fall brought about a weakness and he capitalized on that weakness to bring about sin into the life of man. Satan capitalized on the fact that Jesus was hungry to tempt Him into tempting God. Most of what Satan tempted Jesus with, were things that are intended to satisfy some form weakness in the flesh.
as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint" ISH 40:31 "faint" and "weary" speak of the weaknesses of the flesh and this is where the Adamic nature brought us to. A lot of people think that Adam was just created to sit and walk in the Garden of Eden, just eat and lazy around no! Adam was taking care of the Garden; he was maintaining it by labor. The scriptures tell us that "the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" GEN 2:15 so it was not the fall that made Adam a farmer or a gardener he had been a gardener from the very beginning. What made the difference between Adam's works before and after the fall was that the former was without any form of weakness but the later came with weakness. Look at what God told Adam after the fall... "in the sweat of thy face shall thou eat bread" GEN 3:19 the work now comes with weakness and grace is no more. Back then maybe Adam could dress the garden and not get tired at all but now he'd feel back pain and get tired with everyday's work until he could feel a headache, stomach pain, dim eyesight, weak bones that could no longer lift heavy things and eventually probably didn't have enough strength to lift himself out of his bed. Adam could withstand any change in the weather he was not feeling any cold at night nor any heat. He was naked and didn't even know; he had no need for anything man-made.

We invent things to help our weaknesses and limitations but from the very beginning, God did not create us with these weaknesses and limitations. Scriptures, talking about Moses said "and Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated" DEUT 34:7. From the time Moses encountered God, he began to walk in the supernatural, he began to function from the very realm that Christ has brought us into. From this realm, Moses' weakness and limitations had to give way. At one hundred and twenty years of age, Moses could still see perfectly and his natural strength was not abated. In other words, there was no weakness in Moses. As a matter of fact Moses was still so strong when he died, he did not die of any sickness or any natural cause he was beyond that realm, God had to tell him to go up to a mountain and die. Satan takes advantage of the weakness that is in the flesh to introduce sin because the weaknesses of the flesh makes it to feel that it cannot do without certain "needs" and the devil takes advantage of such weakness to introduce sin into our lives. This was his aim when he deceived man from the very beginning. The fall brought about a weakness and he capitalized on that weakness to bring about sin into the life of man. Satan capitalized on the fact that Jesus was hungry to tempt Him into tempting God. Most of what Satan tempted Jesus with, were things that are intended to satisfy some form weakness in the flesh.
If our flesh didn't have this weaknesses we would not be tempted in things such as lusts, envy, jealousy, pride, etc. Limitations of the flesh: there are natural laws that bind man and create boundaries to cage him, limit his abilities and limit his influence. But the "man" that God created was a man that had no limits to what he can do. Man was the only creature that God gave dominion over the birds of the air, the cattle of the earth and every creeping thing that creeps and over the fish of the sea. So man's dominion was over all the spheres of God's creation. That talks about a limitless life, a life where human influence is felt everywhere intended without any necessary inventions. This was the life, the power that Adam had before the fall. Jesus showed us that such a life was possible in the kingdom. The life that Jesus led left His disciples and followers in awe. The life we live on the earth is a life that constrains us to plan how to fit into natural events as they unfold themselves but the life of the kingdom gives us the power to make natural events to unfold the way we want. Joshua makes a perfect example when he commanded the sun to stand still for a whole day, Moses also bore witness to this when he divided the red sea, he caused night fall in Egypt when the sun should have been shining. Elijah held back rain for three and a half years by his word. The same Elijah sat down again and called back the rain in prayer and then without any means of transportation outran the

chariot of Ahab to the gates of Jezreel. Elisha turned the economy of Israel in one day. The man of the spirit is without limit! He is not constraint by the events of the world rather he determines what the outcome should be. Let's look at Jesus' example: "and straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side while He sent the multitudes away, and when He had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea tossed with waves for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them walking on the sea" MATT 14:22-25. I'm sure the disciples most have wondered how Jesus was going to get off that island when he told them to enter the boat and go ahead of Him but no one wanted to ask. The action that Jesus took for Him to have that "alone" moment was one that was going to keep Him on that island even when He was done praying. The night alone would have limited Him from leaving that place even if He had a foot path He could follow. But even if the day had broken, He would have been grounded there by the sea until a boat came along. These were natural and harmless laws that any man would obey but not the man of the spirit! Jesus could not be limited by the night or the sea and this is the life that the kingdom offers, this is the spirit-led life. It can never be limited by the changes 
If our flesh didn't have this weaknesses we would not be tempted in things such as lusts, envy, jealousy, pride, etc. Limitations of the flesh: there are natural laws that bind man and create boundaries to cage him, limit his abilities and limit his influence. But the "man" that God created was a man that had no limits to what he can do. Man was the only creature that God gave dominion over the birds of the air, the cattle of the earth and every creeping thing that creeps and over the fish of the sea. So man's dominion was over all the spheres of God's creation. That talks about a limitless life, a life where human influence is felt everywhere intended without any necessary inventions. This was the life, the power that Adam had before the fall. Jesus showed us that such a life was possible in the kingdom. The life that Jesus led left His disciples and followers in awe. The life we live on the earth is a life that constrains us to plan how to fit into natural events as they unfold themselves but the life of the kingdom gives us the power to make natural events to unfold the way we want. Joshua makes a perfect example when he commanded the sun to stand still for a whole day, Moses also bore witness to this when he divided the red sea, he caused night fall in Egypt when the sun should have been shining. Elijah held back rain for three and a half years by his word. The same Elijah sat down again and called back the rain in prayer and then without any means of transportation outran the

chariot of Ahab to the gates of Jezreel. Elisha turned the economy of Israel in one day. The man of the spirit is without limit! He is not constraint by the events of the world rather he determines what the outcome should be. Let's look at Jesus' example: "and straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side while He sent the multitudes away, and when He had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea tossed with waves for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them walking on the sea" MATT 14:22-25. I'm sure the disciples most have wondered how Jesus was going to get off that island when he told them to enter the boat and go ahead of Him but no one wanted to ask. The action that Jesus took for Him to have that "alone" moment was one that was going to keep Him on that island even when He was done praying. The night alone would have limited Him from leaving that place even if He had a foot path He could follow. But even if the day had broken, He would have been grounded there by the sea until a boat came along. These were natural and harmless laws that any man would obey but not the man of the spirit! Jesus could not be limited by the night or the sea and this is the life that the kingdom offers, this is the spirit-led life. It can never be limited by the changes 
that occur in the land. It makes the difference between the man who is led by the Spirit of God and the one who is not because the Spirit of God cannot be limited. One time there was a famine in the land of the Philistines where Isaac was, and the LORD told Isaac not to go down into Egypt but to dwell in the land that He tells him to dwell. Isaac dwelt in Gerar by the commandment of God. As events unfolded themselves Isaac sowed in the land, the same land of famine and that same year, he had a hundred fold for harvest. "Then Isaac sowed in that land and in the same year received an hundred fold and the LORD blessed him" GEN 26:12. Isaac was unstoppable because God was with him, famine could not limit his productivity. studying further, you will understand that even the philistines among whom he dwelt ganged up against him, they stopped all the wells that Abraham his father had dug but the scriptures record: "and the man waxed great and went forward and grew until he became very great" GEN 13:26. A time of famine is no time to sow crop, this is when people observe the season and reason based on what they see, but the man of the spirit is never limited by any condition whether human or natural. He is always above all situation and all things must work in his favor. We in the human bodies are limited by the five senses and by the things that we have experienced, everything must make "sense" one plus one must

equal two. So it becomes hard for the man of the flesh to understand the things of the spirit that's why Paul said "for the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" 1COR 1:22-24. Of course the Jews overtime have been "taught" by signs and prophecies which formed the scriptures that they believed and the Greeks have learned through wise observations and studies of their environments so they both learned to relate to their world by what they were used to. If it is not the way they had known it to be, no one else can tell them otherwise so the Jews missed the fulfillment of the very scriptures they had studied for so long and the Greeks missed the wisdom that is beyond any wisdom they had ever known. It is rather unfortunate that there are a lot of people in the world today who have heard this gospel and still would not believe in the power and freedom that it offers. Jesus said "the spirit of the LORD is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel (good news) to the poor he had sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight o the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" LUKE 4:18 notice that the gospel (good news) is all about "preaching" or "proclaiming" as it is said in the Isaiah. In other words Jesus was giving an 
that occur in the land. It makes the difference between the man who is led by the Spirit of God and the one who is not because the Spirit of God cannot be limited. One time there was a famine in the land of the Philistines where Isaac was, and the LORD told Isaac not to go down into Egypt but to dwell in the land that He tells him to dwell. Isaac dwelt in Gerar by the commandment of God. As events unfolded themselves Isaac sowed in the land, the same land of famine and that same year, he had a hundred fold for harvest. "Then Isaac sowed in that land and in the same year received an hundred fold and the LORD blessed him" GEN 26:12. Isaac was unstoppable because God was with him, famine could not limit his productivity. studying further, you will understand that even the philistines among whom he dwelt ganged up against him, they stopped all the wells that Abraham his father had dug but the scriptures record: "and the man waxed great and went forward and grew until he became very great" GEN 13:26. A time of famine is no time to sow crop, this is when people observe the season and reason based on what they see, but the man of the spirit is never limited by any condition whether human or natural. He is always above all situation and all things must work in his favor. We in the human bodies are limited by the five senses and by the things that we have experienced, everything must make "sense" one plus one must

equal two. So it becomes hard for the man of the flesh to understand the things of the spirit that's why Paul said "for the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" 1COR 1:22-24. Of course the Jews overtime have been "taught" by signs and prophecies which formed the scriptures that they believed and the Greeks have learned through wise observations and studies of their environments so they both learned to relate to their world by what they were used to. If it is not the way they had known it to be, no one else can tell them otherwise so the Jews missed the fulfillment of the very scriptures they had studied for so long and the Greeks missed the wisdom that is beyond any wisdom they had ever known. It is rather unfortunate that there are a lot of people in the world today who have heard this gospel and still would not believe in the power and freedom that it offers. Jesus said "the spirit of the LORD is upon me because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel (good news) to the poor he had sent me to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight o the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" LUKE 4:18 notice that the gospel (good news) is all about "preaching" or "proclaiming" as it is said in the Isaiah. In other words Jesus was giving an 
announcement; He was declaring an already existing good news to those He had been sent to. That is what it means to "proclaim". Christ was telling the poor "you don't have to be poor anymore there is wealth for you" He was telling the captives that there is freedom for them, He was telling the sinner that the year of liberty had come and all this is encapsulated in a place in the spirit higher than anything they had ever known; that's why Jesus said to the disciples "... the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life but there are some of you that believe not..." JOHN 6:63-64. True to the words of the master there are some who do not believe. Many rely on their natural abilities and limited knowledge to make any meaningful move in life rejecting what the gospel preaches and some even call it "foolishness" some say we are blind. That is why the master declared "and this is the condemnation, that light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" JOHN 3:19. They don't even know that these limited knowledge and abilities are in themselves a condemnation. It is like the sun that has risen in the sky to give light to the whole world but someone holds on to his candle light refusing the sun to shine through his window. He believes that there is no light greater than that of his candle and on top of that, he says those who are walking by this greater light are walking in foolishness.

There is a limit to what your normal candle light can show you as there is a limit to what natural wisdom and knowledge can teach you. There is a limit to what experience can teach you so it will be foolishness to hold on to the things that we see and know by our natural abilities. God has shown us more than where we are and what we know by our natural senses by the coming of Jesus Christ. 
announcement; He was declaring an already existing good news to those He had been sent to. That is what it means to "proclaim". Christ was telling the poor "you don't have to be poor anymore there is wealth for you" He was telling the captives that there is freedom for them, He was telling the sinner that the year of liberty had come and all this is encapsulated in a place in the spirit higher than anything they had ever known; that's why Jesus said to the disciples "... the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life but there are some of you that believe not..." JOHN 6:63-64. True to the words of the master there are some who do not believe. Many rely on their natural abilities and limited knowledge to make any meaningful move in life rejecting what the gospel preaches and some even call it "foolishness" some say we are blind. That is why the master declared "and this is the condemnation, that light came into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" JOHN 3:19. They don't even know that these limited knowledge and abilities are in themselves a condemnation. It is like the sun that has risen in the sky to give light to the whole world but someone holds on to his candle light refusing the sun to shine through his window. He believes that there is no light greater than that of his candle and on top of that, he says those who are walking by this greater light are walking in foolishness.

There is a limit to what your normal candle light can show you as there is a limit to what natural wisdom and knowledge can teach you. There is a limit to what experience can teach you so it will be foolishness to hold on to the things that we see and know by our natural abilities. God has shown us more than where we are and what we know by our natural senses by the coming of Jesus Christ. 
CHAPTER SIX THE SPIRIT THAT IS AT WORK IN US

" But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1COR 2:9-14 Verse 9 there begins to explain why it is difficult for the natural man to understand what God has prepared for us. It has not been seen, it has not been heard, it can never be conceived by a man's mind it can never be invented and it has no scientific or natural explanations. Human effort has nothing to do with the reality of these things, they may not be felt by human senses but they are as real as water is wet. Paul goes on to let us know that God is the one who reveals these things unto us by His Spirit. The spirit

that we have in Christ is the Spirit of revelation, opening up to us who we are in Christ and what has been made available for us in Christ. The Spirit of the world cannot show us such things because that realm belongs only to the Spirit of God that's why Paul said it is the spirit of a man that is in him that knows the things that are in that man, so also the things of God are not known of any other spirit except that of God. When you have a house; no one who has never entered your house will ever know how it looks like on the inside until you let him in. The things of God are exclusive to the Spirit of God and no man can ever know them unless the Spirit reveals them to him. It is just like saying that an engineer should work as a physician in the hospital if we try to know the things of God by the spirit of the world. That is an impossible situation because that is not his field, he cannot possibly know what to do and that may become the most difficult situation he ever finds himself. Even so, the things which are of God can only be known and revealed by the spirit of God. The spirit of the world is the spirit of reasoning, but the spirit of God is the spirit of revelation so man cannot reason what God is revealing... we can only believe. Now we must understand that the things revealed unto us by the Holy Spirit are real and already in existence. They are no longer a promise but a present hour reality. These are the promises that have been fulfilled already in Christ Jesus, we are no longer waiting for them we have them NOW! For all the 
CHAPTER SIX THE SPIRIT THAT IS AT WORK IN US

" But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1COR 2:9-14 Verse 9 there begins to explain why it is difficult for the natural man to understand what God has prepared for us. It has not been seen, it has not been heard, it can never be conceived by a man's mind it can never be invented and it has no scientific or natural explanations. Human effort has nothing to do with the reality of these things, they may not be felt by human senses but they are as real as water is wet. Paul goes on to let us know that God is the one who reveals these things unto us by His Spirit. The spirit

that we have in Christ is the Spirit of revelation, opening up to us who we are in Christ and what has been made available for us in Christ. The Spirit of the world cannot show us such things because that realm belongs only to the Spirit of God that's why Paul said it is the spirit of a man that is in him that knows the things that are in that man, so also the things of God are not known of any other spirit except that of God. When you have a house; no one who has never entered your house will ever know how it looks like on the inside until you let him in. The things of God are exclusive to the Spirit of God and no man can ever know them unless the Spirit reveals them to him. It is just like saying that an engineer should work as a physician in the hospital if we try to know the things of God by the spirit of the world. That is an impossible situation because that is not his field, he cannot possibly know what to do and that may become the most difficult situation he ever finds himself. Even so, the things which are of God can only be known and revealed by the spirit of God. The spirit of the world is the spirit of reasoning, but the spirit of God is the spirit of revelation so man cannot reason what God is revealing... we can only believe. Now we must understand that the things revealed unto us by the Holy Spirit are real and already in existence. They are no longer a promise but a present hour reality. These are the promises that have been fulfilled already in Christ Jesus, we are no longer waiting for them we have them NOW! For all the 
promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 COR 1:20. In Christ Jesus, we are no longer looking forward to the fulfillment of the promises of God but we are at the reality of those promises. But a lot of Christians don't know this fact that is why we need the Holy Ghost. It is because on our own we cannot know these hidden truths that the Master said "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:12-13 What is the truth that the Spirit is guiding us into or has guided us into? If only "we" know these things so that we can stop living the lower lives. The spirit guides us into the truth of what Jesus did for us, the truth of who we have become in Christ Jesus and the truth of what we now possess in Christ Jesus. If a Christian gets hold of these things, he can never be defeated again. These are the very truths that give us an edge over the devil. This is what the prophet Isaiah prophesied when he said "...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isa 59:19 this is why I said the days we are living in are the finest hours for the Christian. These are the days in which God is showcasing us to the world; we must rise to the occasion by reason of what we know by revelation not reasoning.

Paul said "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." Rom 8:19. Creation is not just waiting for another generation of people to walk through the world no! We are the ones to deliver the world and creation from the present corruption eating through it. But who are the sons of God? "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom 8:14 The concept of our authority: when a man has been authorized to act in a certain capacity, there is always some form of symbol that shows those he is acting toward that this man has the authority to act the way he is acting. A policeman has his uniform and badge symbols by which he is authorized to arrest and prosecute those who break the law of the land. He has been authorized by the government to act that way regardless of his physical stature. We must understand however that a policeman in Nigeria is not a policeman in the United States. He can make no arrest in that land because the government of that land has not given him such authority. Even if he wears his uniform and carries his badge in the U.S. he still has no authority to act in the capacity of a policeman. This kind of authority applies in the spiritual realm. We will learn something about territorial spirits in the book of Daniel. Daniel had been praying for twenty one days seeking the face of the Lord and an angel was sent to him from the very first day to make him understand the happenings of the last days. When this angel entered the kingdom of Persia, the 
promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 2 COR 1:20. In Christ Jesus, we are no longer looking forward to the fulfillment of the promises of God but we are at the reality of those promises. But a lot of Christians don't know this fact that is why we need the Holy Ghost. It is because on our own we cannot know these hidden truths that the Master said "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:12-13 What is the truth that the Spirit is guiding us into or has guided us into? If only "we" know these things so that we can stop living the lower lives. The spirit guides us into the truth of what Jesus did for us, the truth of who we have become in Christ Jesus and the truth of what we now possess in Christ Jesus. If a Christian gets hold of these things, he can never be defeated again. These are the very truths that give us an edge over the devil. This is what the prophet Isaiah prophesied when he said "...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Isa 59:19 this is why I said the days we are living in are the finest hours for the Christian. These are the days in which God is showcasing us to the world; we must rise to the occasion by reason of what we know by revelation not reasoning.

Paul said "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God." Rom 8:19. Creation is not just waiting for another generation of people to walk through the world no! We are the ones to deliver the world and creation from the present corruption eating through it. But who are the sons of God? "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom 8:14 The concept of our authority: when a man has been authorized to act in a certain capacity, there is always some form of symbol that shows those he is acting toward that this man has the authority to act the way he is acting. A policeman has his uniform and badge symbols by which he is authorized to arrest and prosecute those who break the law of the land. He has been authorized by the government to act that way regardless of his physical stature. We must understand however that a policeman in Nigeria is not a policeman in the United States. He can make no arrest in that land because the government of that land has not given him such authority. Even if he wears his uniform and carries his badge in the U.S. he still has no authority to act in the capacity of a policeman. This kind of authority applies in the spiritual realm. We will learn something about territorial spirits in the book of Daniel. Daniel had been praying for twenty one days seeking the face of the Lord and an angel was sent to him from the very first day to make him understand the happenings of the last days. When this angel entered the kingdom of Persia, the 
territorial spiritual powers over Persia started to fight him for twenty one days until Michael came to help him. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Dan 10:13. These territorial spirits continue to exert their powers over their territories and the only way to stop them would be by a higher spiritual authority which is why Michael had to step in because obviously, he was of a higher authority than the forces over Persia. Jesus gives us a better understanding when the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by the prince of devils He said "...Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" Matt 12:25-26. He goes on to say in verse 28 and 29 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house." Jesus acknowledged the fact that before He came, Satan operated as he pleased but verse 29 shows us a picture of what He did to the devil (strong man). A greater authority will always bind the existing authority to its will. It is like when a man has a gun pointing to his enemy, that enemy at that point is subjected to the will of that man. This is the life that

the kingdom has brought us into; we are in a place of permanent victory! Jesus showed them the fact that He was casting out devils by the spirit of God and the kingdom of God which is a more superior kingdom has come. The Holy Ghost is the symbol of authority by which we undo Satan's works. It is the Holy Ghost that identifies us as the sons of God and Citizens of the kingdom of Christ. Without Him, we have no authority at all to bring about any change or undo the works of the enemy in fact without Him we are vulnerable to the devil. Paul was someone who had an understanding of who he was in Christ Jesus and we can learn a great deal from his understanding. In the book of Acts, Paul had been healing and casting out devils from people in the name of Jesus. Handkerchiefs and aprons coming out from Paul's body were healing people and casting out these demons. Certain Jews saw this and wanted to copy... you can never copy the results of one who is the son of the kingdom such results come from a source that is like no other, it can never be duplicated. They'd say "...We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." Acts19:13. Seven sons of a priest took it upon themselves to cast out devils just like Paul was doing; so they got a man who was possessed by an evil spirit and wanted to cast out the demon from the man. But the demon inside the man answered "...Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" Acts 19:15 
territorial spiritual powers over Persia started to fight him for twenty one days until Michael came to help him. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Dan 10:13. These territorial spirits continue to exert their powers over their territories and the only way to stop them would be by a higher spiritual authority which is why Michael had to step in because obviously, he was of a higher authority than the forces over Persia. Jesus gives us a better understanding when the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by the prince of devils He said "...Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" Matt 12:25-26. He goes on to say in verse 28 and 29 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house." Jesus acknowledged the fact that before He came, Satan operated as he pleased but verse 29 shows us a picture of what He did to the devil (strong man). A greater authority will always bind the existing authority to its will. It is like when a man has a gun pointing to his enemy, that enemy at that point is subjected to the will of that man. This is the life that

the kingdom has brought us into; we are in a place of permanent victory! Jesus showed them the fact that He was casting out devils by the spirit of God and the kingdom of God which is a more superior kingdom has come. The Holy Ghost is the symbol of authority by which we undo Satan's works. It is the Holy Ghost that identifies us as the sons of God and Citizens of the kingdom of Christ. Without Him, we have no authority at all to bring about any change or undo the works of the enemy in fact without Him we are vulnerable to the devil. Paul was someone who had an understanding of who he was in Christ Jesus and we can learn a great deal from his understanding. In the book of Acts, Paul had been healing and casting out devils from people in the name of Jesus. Handkerchiefs and aprons coming out from Paul's body were healing people and casting out these demons. Certain Jews saw this and wanted to copy... you can never copy the results of one who is the son of the kingdom such results come from a source that is like no other, it can never be duplicated. They'd say "...We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." Acts19:13. Seven sons of a priest took it upon themselves to cast out devils just like Paul was doing; so they got a man who was possessed by an evil spirit and wanted to cast out the demon from the man. But the demon inside the man answered "...Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" Acts 19:15 
When the demon questioned "but who are ye?" he was not asking them for their names or for some form of introduction, he was questioning their authority, he was questioning their spiritual authority. They were in no place to cast out the devil authoritatively. The previous verses introduced some of them as "vagabond Jews" who were casting out devils by exorcising them out of people. Exorcism is not a way of casting out devils by authority because here, certain rituals are performed to create a very uncomfortable atmosphere for the demon forcing it out of the person but not by authority. It is just like spraying pesticides in a particular environment to keep pest from coming into that environment. There is a difference between spraying your environment to keep rats away and introducing a cat into that environment. Rats will stay away not because that environment is uncomfortable but because a greater authority (the cat) has come. Certain theories have come up saying that Jesus could exorcise demons out of people and that that is what the Bible refers to as "casting out devils". That is a lie! Jesus was not performing any ritual to that effect, the Master operated by authority and not rituals. Matt 8:16 tells us "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:" he cast out the devils with His word. That talks about authority. It is easy for the people of the world to think that the Lord was casting out devils by exorcist because they

are limited in understanding spiritual authority. The mindset they have is that of Satan's superiority over them so they can only believe in the ritualistic "hard work" to cast out devils negating the authority that has been given to us by the Lord. The demon knew the authority of Paul and Jesus but the sons of Sceva had no authority to cast him out. The spirit that we have received of God is the Spirit of authority and not the spirit of rituals. By the person of the Holy Spirit, we live the higher life. We live a life that is beyond this world, a life of authority the overcoming life. Jesus said "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:19-20 We do not negotiate with the devil no! People in authority do not negotiate, they command. God did not negotiate with the chaotic mass when He said "... let there be..." Jesus did not negotiate with the storms when he said "... peace be still..." Moses did not negotiate with the powers of Egypt when he went to bring Israel out of the land even though Pharaoh tried to negotiate. I gave those few examples to point out the fact that the authority we have is not just in the casting out of devils but it cuts across every aspect of our existence. That is why Paul said the whole of creation is waiting for our manifestation, we are the original masters 
When the demon questioned "but who are ye?" he was not asking them for their names or for some form of introduction, he was questioning their authority, he was questioning their spiritual authority. They were in no place to cast out the devil authoritatively. The previous verses introduced some of them as "vagabond Jews" who were casting out devils by exorcising them out of people. Exorcism is not a way of casting out devils by authority because here, certain rituals are performed to create a very uncomfortable atmosphere for the demon forcing it out of the person but not by authority. It is just like spraying pesticides in a particular environment to keep pest from coming into that environment. There is a difference between spraying your environment to keep rats away and introducing a cat into that environment. Rats will stay away not because that environment is uncomfortable but because a greater authority (the cat) has come. Certain theories have come up saying that Jesus could exorcise demons out of people and that that is what the Bible refers to as "casting out devils". That is a lie! Jesus was not performing any ritual to that effect, the Master operated by authority and not rituals. Matt 8:16 tells us "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:" he cast out the devils with His word. That talks about authority. It is easy for the people of the world to think that the Lord was casting out devils by exorcist because they

are limited in understanding spiritual authority. The mindset they have is that of Satan's superiority over them so they can only believe in the ritualistic "hard work" to cast out devils negating the authority that has been given to us by the Lord. The demon knew the authority of Paul and Jesus but the sons of Sceva had no authority to cast him out. The spirit that we have received of God is the Spirit of authority and not the spirit of rituals. By the person of the Holy Spirit, we live the higher life. We live a life that is beyond this world, a life of authority the overcoming life. Jesus said "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:19-20 We do not negotiate with the devil no! People in authority do not negotiate, they command. God did not negotiate with the chaotic mass when He said "... let there be..." Jesus did not negotiate with the storms when he said "... peace be still..." Moses did not negotiate with the powers of Egypt when he went to bring Israel out of the land even though Pharaoh tried to negotiate. I gave those few examples to point out the fact that the authority we have is not just in the casting out of devils but it cuts across every aspect of our existence. That is why Paul said the whole of creation is waiting for our manifestation, we are the original masters 
over creation, it was unto us that God gave the dominion over all of His creation but when that dominion was lost in the garden, creation became subjected to vanity. Now in Christ Jesus, we have regained the place of that dominion. You never read in the Scriptures where Jesus negotiated with anyone or anything. One time He came to a tree expecting to find fruits but He found nothing so He spoke to the tree "...No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever." Mark 11:14. The next morning on their way back, the disciples notice that the tree had dried up to the roots. The master ceased purpose from that tree and the tree died by a word of authority.

CHAPTER SEVEN THE SPIRIT THAT IS AT WORK IN THE WORLD

From the story of Daniel and the angel that was sent to him to make him understand after he had fasted for 21 days, it becomes clear to us that there are spiritual forces that govern territories. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Dan 10:13. The angel of course was referring to the spiritual forces over the kingdom of Persia. Again Paul said: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph 6:12 Unfortunately, a lot of Christians are fighting after the flesh. This is why so many Christians are living defeated lives whether as individuals or as groups. They are losing balance today because the problems confronting them are of a spiritual origin but they are employing the strategies of the flesh to confront them. You must learn to see beyond the man that is confronting you to the spirit that is influencing that man. That's why it was so easy for Jesus to forgive those who crucified Him. He said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". He saw the spirit behind their actions. 
over creation, it was unto us that God gave the dominion over all of His creation but when that dominion was lost in the garden, creation became subjected to vanity. Now in Christ Jesus, we have regained the place of that dominion. You never read in the Scriptures where Jesus negotiated with anyone or anything. One time He came to a tree expecting to find fruits but He found nothing so He spoke to the tree "...No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever." Mark 11:14. The next morning on their way back, the disciples notice that the tree had dried up to the roots. The master ceased purpose from that tree and the tree died by a word of authority.

CHAPTER SEVEN THE SPIRIT THAT IS AT WORK IN THE WORLD

From the story of Daniel and the angel that was sent to him to make him understand after he had fasted for 21 days, it becomes clear to us that there are spiritual forces that govern territories. "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." Dan 10:13. The angel of course was referring to the spiritual forces over the kingdom of Persia. Again Paul said: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph 6:12 Unfortunately, a lot of Christians are fighting after the flesh. This is why so many Christians are living defeated lives whether as individuals or as groups. They are losing balance today because the problems confronting them are of a spiritual origin but they are employing the strategies of the flesh to confront them. You must learn to see beyond the man that is confronting you to the spirit that is influencing that man. That's why it was so easy for Jesus to forgive those who crucified Him. He said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". He saw the spirit behind their actions. 
At one time peter who had confirmed the master as the Christ and the son of the living God, began to rebuke the Lord again saying that none of the things he had spoken about His death was going to happen to Him and the Lord immediately knew that Peter was in the atmosphere of another spirit other than that of the Lord. The master replied "...Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Matt 16:23 Peter was not possessed of the devil but he was under the atmosphere of a contrary spirit. Now Jesus accused the rebuked spirit saying "...for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men". Meaning that he "consumes" those things that pertained to man. The contrary spirit took advantage of the thoughts and the emotions of Peter to create that atmosphere. Peter and the rest of the apostles themselves could not make out the difference because they had not been introduced to the person of the Holy Ghost. They had not come under the influence of the Spirit of God though they had witnessed His power through the acts of Jesus. If you understand what transpired within this period you will know that the contrary spirit capitalized on Peter's fear when he took Jesus by the side and began to rebuke Him. But that was before Peter received the Holy Ghost. Peter became a different person after the Holy Ghost came upon him.

Paul makes us to understand in the book of 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." But the spirit of the world is contrary. Our natural senses have conditioned us to always approach life by the flesh. It is always about what we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. This concept has limited us greatly and shielded us from the "sixth" sense of the spirit. Unfortunately, it is to the advantage of the kingdom of darkness. When we develop the sixth sense of the spirit and become conscious of the Spirit of God, it will be difficult to be under the atmosphere of another spirit and it will be easy for us to discern all spirits. Jesus said "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27. A lot of people have asked "how can I know the voice of the Spirit of God?" well, how do you know that it is your sister that is calling you behind the door? How were you able to differentiate between your sister's voice and your mother's voice? It is simple really. It is because you have developed a relationship with these people that's why it is easy to know when they are the ones talking to you behind the door. If we develop a relationship with the spirit of God, we will know when we hear from Him. We will be able to discern His atmosphere from others as a matter of fact we should always be in His atmosphere. There are systems that govern the world, but these are systems that have been invented by man because 
At one time peter who had confirmed the master as the Christ and the son of the living God, began to rebuke the Lord again saying that none of the things he had spoken about His death was going to happen to Him and the Lord immediately knew that Peter was in the atmosphere of another spirit other than that of the Lord. The master replied "...Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Matt 16:23 Peter was not possessed of the devil but he was under the atmosphere of a contrary spirit. Now Jesus accused the rebuked spirit saying "...for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men". Meaning that he "consumes" those things that pertained to man. The contrary spirit took advantage of the thoughts and the emotions of Peter to create that atmosphere. Peter and the rest of the apostles themselves could not make out the difference because they had not been introduced to the person of the Holy Ghost. They had not come under the influence of the Spirit of God though they had witnessed His power through the acts of Jesus. If you understand what transpired within this period you will know that the contrary spirit capitalized on Peter's fear when he took Jesus by the side and began to rebuke Him. But that was before Peter received the Holy Ghost. Peter became a different person after the Holy Ghost came upon him.

Paul makes us to understand in the book of 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." But the spirit of the world is contrary. Our natural senses have conditioned us to always approach life by the flesh. It is always about what we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. This concept has limited us greatly and shielded us from the "sixth" sense of the spirit. Unfortunately, it is to the advantage of the kingdom of darkness. When we develop the sixth sense of the spirit and become conscious of the Spirit of God, it will be difficult to be under the atmosphere of another spirit and it will be easy for us to discern all spirits. Jesus said "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" John 10:27. A lot of people have asked "how can I know the voice of the Spirit of God?" well, how do you know that it is your sister that is calling you behind the door? How were you able to differentiate between your sister's voice and your mother's voice? It is simple really. It is because you have developed a relationship with these people that's why it is easy to know when they are the ones talking to you behind the door. If we develop a relationship with the spirit of God, we will know when we hear from Him. We will be able to discern His atmosphere from others as a matter of fact we should always be in His atmosphere. There are systems that govern the world, but these are systems that have been invented by man because 
of the fall. God created man to be guided divinely. The Bible tells us "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen 2:16-17 We can see that from the very beginning, God was instructing man on how to relate with his environment The instructions or the commandment given to Adam by God tells us that God gave him a direction. Man was to be divinely governed. Scriptures tell us that God would come to fellowship with Adam in the garden. Part of this fellowship was to provide Adam with divine guidance. That is why God would bring all the animals to him to name them. God observed Adam at the naming of the animals and noticed that Adam could not really find companionship in any of them so He decided to make woman out of him. It was the woman that Adam named in relation to himself. "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Gen 2:23 Adam didn't request for a wife; God saw the need for a wife by the way Adam related with other creatures before He created one for Adam. If Adam was self governed, God would have had no need creating a wife for him. Man lost the divine government and guidance of God at the fall. He was left alone and had

to invent his own ways of survival. Events kept unfolding themselves from Adam down the line into a more complex society as we have today. The more complex the world gets, the harder it is to fit in, so we are constantly looking for ways we can fit into our society, ways how we can survive. The world on a daily basis presents challenges that man has to find ways of dealing with. More knowledge is always required, more energy, more time more resources... there is always more required of us so we are always learning. Unfortunately, the more we learn the more we see that there is yet more to what we face. That is why Paul said "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Tim 3:7 Jesus came to restore us to a divine system that can never go wrong. In the kingdom of God, we are in a divine system, not prone to any failure. Being guided by the system of the world, the system beats man to conform to it but being guided by the system of the kingdom, we beat the world to conform to what we want. That is why Jesus said "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13. This therefore implies that there is a system of truth that we do not know of in the world. But someone might say "are we living a lie then?" yes! A lie is not necessarily the opposite of the truth but a pervasion of the truth. 
of the fall. God created man to be guided divinely. The Bible tells us "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen 2:16-17 We can see that from the very beginning, God was instructing man on how to relate with his environment The instructions or the commandment given to Adam by God tells us that God gave him a direction. Man was to be divinely governed. Scriptures tell us that God would come to fellowship with Adam in the garden. Part of this fellowship was to provide Adam with divine guidance. That is why God would bring all the animals to him to name them. God observed Adam at the naming of the animals and noticed that Adam could not really find companionship in any of them so He decided to make woman out of him. It was the woman that Adam named in relation to himself. "And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Gen 2:23 Adam didn't request for a wife; God saw the need for a wife by the way Adam related with other creatures before He created one for Adam. If Adam was self governed, God would have had no need creating a wife for him. Man lost the divine government and guidance of God at the fall. He was left alone and had

to invent his own ways of survival. Events kept unfolding themselves from Adam down the line into a more complex society as we have today. The more complex the world gets, the harder it is to fit in, so we are constantly looking for ways we can fit into our society, ways how we can survive. The world on a daily basis presents challenges that man has to find ways of dealing with. More knowledge is always required, more energy, more time more resources... there is always more required of us so we are always learning. Unfortunately, the more we learn the more we see that there is yet more to what we face. That is why Paul said "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Tim 3:7 Jesus came to restore us to a divine system that can never go wrong. In the kingdom of God, we are in a divine system, not prone to any failure. Being guided by the system of the world, the system beats man to conform to it but being guided by the system of the kingdom, we beat the world to conform to what we want. That is why Jesus said "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." John 16:13. This therefore implies that there is a system of truth that we do not know of in the world. But someone might say "are we living a lie then?" yes! A lie is not necessarily the opposite of the truth but a pervasion of the truth. 
It is by the guidance of the Holy Ghost, that we are able to escape the system of the world. This system produces a weakness in man and brings about frustration as we can witness all over the world today. It is a system that is constantly demanding the limited strength of man. Unfortunately, the confidence of several people rests in the system of the world. This was what Jesus saw before He said "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:31-33. People work hard to make it in the system of the world because they believe in the system of the world. Jesus said "... for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things" God has made it all available. Everything that we ever need is available in the kingdom. So Jesus tells us to go for the kingdom first, because all our needs are encapsulated in the kingdom. The Kingdom carries everything needed by man just as the beginning of creation was; God created everything that man needed before creating man He didn't create the sun and the moon or the rivers and trees for Himself, they were created for man. It is not that God is going to make them available when we come into the kingdom, no! They are in

existence now even as you study this book. Jesus has taken us from the level where these things were a promise to the level where they are a reality: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us". 2 Cor 1:20 so stop looking for the promises of God, there are no promises anymore, they have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The master said, these are the things that the gentiles seek. They seek that because they don't know any better. They are lost and without direction. Gentiles in this context refers to the people of the world, they believe and say to themselves "if I could just do this or do that" "if I could just accomplish this or that" "just a little more qualification, just a little more money..." and so on and so forth constantly always beating themselves up to meet up with the advancements and complexity of the world. But there is a place where all these things that the gentiles are running after are already provided for; it is a place in the Spirit. God is a master planner. He has carefully planned everything before introducing the Kingdom. When God began creation and called all things into existence, He was not calling them for Himself or for the angels, the aim of all the things that God created from the beginning was for the comfort of man. Scripture tells us that after God made everything, He saw that it was all good. Do you think that it was good for God? No! God didn't need anything to be good for Him, He is complete. It was all good for the man He 
It is by the guidance of the Holy Ghost, that we are able to escape the system of the world. This system produces a weakness in man and brings about frustration as we can witness all over the world today. It is a system that is constantly demanding the limited strength of man. Unfortunately, the confidence of several people rests in the system of the world. This was what Jesus saw before He said "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:31-33. People work hard to make it in the system of the world because they believe in the system of the world. Jesus said "... for your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things" God has made it all available. Everything that we ever need is available in the kingdom. So Jesus tells us to go for the kingdom first, because all our needs are encapsulated in the kingdom. The Kingdom carries everything needed by man just as the beginning of creation was; God created everything that man needed before creating man He didn't create the sun and the moon or the rivers and trees for Himself, they were created for man. It is not that God is going to make them available when we come into the kingdom, no! They are in

existence now even as you study this book. Jesus has taken us from the level where these things were a promise to the level where they are a reality: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us". 2 Cor 1:20 so stop looking for the promises of God, there are no promises anymore, they have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The master said, these are the things that the gentiles seek. They seek that because they don't know any better. They are lost and without direction. Gentiles in this context refers to the people of the world, they believe and say to themselves "if I could just do this or do that" "if I could just accomplish this or that" "just a little more qualification, just a little more money..." and so on and so forth constantly always beating themselves up to meet up with the advancements and complexity of the world. But there is a place where all these things that the gentiles are running after are already provided for; it is a place in the Spirit. God is a master planner. He has carefully planned everything before introducing the Kingdom. When God began creation and called all things into existence, He was not calling them for Himself or for the angels, the aim of all the things that God created from the beginning was for the comfort of man. Scripture tells us that after God made everything, He saw that it was all good. Do you think that it was good for God? No! God didn't need anything to be good for Him, He is complete. It was all good for the man He 
was aiming at creating. God didn't have a need for creation, creation is for man. But He did not create man until He made the place ready for man first before He created him. Just as God did in creation to make the world ready before creating us, so has He done in the kingdom of His Son. The kingdom has everything made ready for our comfort and dominion. Jesus came to call us to this life.

CHAPTER EIGHT THE SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

Before the coming of the Holy Ghost, we'd notice that the disciples of Jesus had no understanding of some of the things He was telling them about the kingdom of God. They'd occasionally come to Him alone for better explanations. It was impossible for Jesus to tell them much about the kingdom because they were not ready. Their minds were still of the world, they were still reasoning like the people of the world. For example: the rich young ruler had come to Christ to inquire how he could make eternal life. Jesus told Him to obey the commandments and he told the Lord that he had been doing that from his youth up till that point. Jesus then said to him to sell his properties, share the money to the poor and come and follow Him. But the man went home sad because he had many possessions. After the rich young ruler left, the Lord made a statement "...And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matt 19:24 this statement, the Bible says astonished the disciples. They questioned "...who then can be saved?" v 25. The disciples reasoned from a man's point of view. First of all they thought that the kingdom was far away, some long distant future they were going to experience. They didn't know that the kingdom was 
was aiming at creating. God didn't have a need for creation, creation is for man. But He did not create man until He made the place ready for man first before He created him. Just as God did in creation to make the world ready before creating us, so has He done in the kingdom of His Son. The kingdom has everything made ready for our comfort and dominion. Jesus came to call us to this life.

CHAPTER EIGHT THE SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

Before the coming of the Holy Ghost, we'd notice that the disciples of Jesus had no understanding of some of the things He was telling them about the kingdom of God. They'd occasionally come to Him alone for better explanations. It was impossible for Jesus to tell them much about the kingdom because they were not ready. Their minds were still of the world, they were still reasoning like the people of the world. For example: the rich young ruler had come to Christ to inquire how he could make eternal life. Jesus told Him to obey the commandments and he told the Lord that he had been doing that from his youth up till that point. Jesus then said to him to sell his properties, share the money to the poor and come and follow Him. But the man went home sad because he had many possessions. After the rich young ruler left, the Lord made a statement "...And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matt 19:24 this statement, the Bible says astonished the disciples. They questioned "...who then can be saved?" v 25. The disciples reasoned from a man's point of view. First of all they thought that the kingdom was far away, some long distant future they were going to experience. They didn't know that the kingdom was 
was close to them. Secondly, they felt being rich would stop anyone from entering the kingdom of God. This wasn't what the master meant. The rich young ruler had acquired wealth by his natural abilities. Letting go of such wealth was not possible because he had not come to the knowledge of what the kingdom holds. He didn't know that in the kingdom of God, He can have such and even more, his natural abilities never being a factor. That's why the Lord said it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When we depend on our natural abilities, it becomes impossible for us to experience the divine nature of the kingdom of God. After the disciples questioned Jesus' statement, the master replied: "...With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:26 implying therefore that we can have it all with God. It is all in the kingdom no human effort required. We cannot approach the system of the world from the view point of the flesh and expect to succeed. It is often said "if you can't beat them, you join them" a lot of people who should be enjoying the higher life are living in the lower life because they are operating from the perspective of the flesh. Paul understands these truths when he said our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. If we face the natural world from a natural fleshly point of view, we will fail. If we face a spiritual world from a fleshly

point of view we will fail. The only path to success is to walk by the Spirit of the Lord. When we know these things it becomes impossible to fail in life. These truths that the Holy Ghost guides us into give us an edge over the system of the world. We will even know things before they happen for He is also the Spirit of revelation. When Jesus said "... seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..." a lot of people have interpreted that statement to mean the born again experience. And the righteousness that is mostly preached from this statement is mostly self righteousness and not the righteousness of God. People are left to "struggle" to be righteous even as it was under the law. By seeking the kingdom of God, Jesus was saying that we should "know" the kingdom. And what are we to know about the kingdom? First of all we must know that the kingdom exists and that we are citizens of that kingdom by the spirit. We are not waiting for the kingdom to come we are in the kingdom right now. It is a place in the spirit Jesus said to Nicodemus "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5-6 "Except a man be born again" not except a man travels to so and so place. So being born again brings us to the reality of this realm regardless of geographical location. We must understand that it's a 
was close to them. Secondly, they felt being rich would stop anyone from entering the kingdom of God. This wasn't what the master meant. The rich young ruler had acquired wealth by his natural abilities. Letting go of such wealth was not possible because he had not come to the knowledge of what the kingdom holds. He didn't know that in the kingdom of God, He can have such and even more, his natural abilities never being a factor. That's why the Lord said it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When we depend on our natural abilities, it becomes impossible for us to experience the divine nature of the kingdom of God. After the disciples questioned Jesus' statement, the master replied: "...With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:26 implying therefore that we can have it all with God. It is all in the kingdom no human effort required. We cannot approach the system of the world from the view point of the flesh and expect to succeed. It is often said "if you can't beat them, you join them" a lot of people who should be enjoying the higher life are living in the lower life because they are operating from the perspective of the flesh. Paul understands these truths when he said our weapons are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. If we face the natural world from a natural fleshly point of view, we will fail. If we face a spiritual world from a fleshly

point of view we will fail. The only path to success is to walk by the Spirit of the Lord. When we know these things it becomes impossible to fail in life. These truths that the Holy Ghost guides us into give us an edge over the system of the world. We will even know things before they happen for He is also the Spirit of revelation. When Jesus said "... seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..." a lot of people have interpreted that statement to mean the born again experience. And the righteousness that is mostly preached from this statement is mostly self righteousness and not the righteousness of God. People are left to "struggle" to be righteous even as it was under the law. By seeking the kingdom of God, Jesus was saying that we should "know" the kingdom. And what are we to know about the kingdom? First of all we must know that the kingdom exists and that we are citizens of that kingdom by the spirit. We are not waiting for the kingdom to come we are in the kingdom right now. It is a place in the spirit Jesus said to Nicodemus "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5-6 "Except a man be born again" not except a man travels to so and so place. So being born again brings us to the reality of this realm regardless of geographical location. We must understand that it's a 
spiritual place not subjected to any physical location. Therefore we do not approach it by the flesh. The Jews had a flesh approach toward God by reason of the law that's why they had very little understanding of Jesus' teachings. The Jews believed for example that one must travel wherever he was to worship God in Jerusalem for that to be an acceptable worship before God. But Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman teaches us that God is not to be approached from the view point of the flesh. The Samaritans had been worshiping God on the mountains, but the Jews said it was wrong. But see the master's reply to the Samaritan woman: "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:21-24" The Lord is saying here that whether on the mountain or in Jerusalem is immaterial. It has to be by the spirit. Approaching the kingdom by the flesh does not limit God in anyway. He is God no matter what. We are the ones who are limited by this approach. We don't get to enjoy the fullness of salvation because we try to obtain by flesh what is of the spirit. Secondly we must know who we are by reason of

being in the kingdom. We can understand who we are as citizens by understanding who Christ is. The kingdom gives us two personalities: first we are citizens. Being citizens is and identity that gives us an edge over the system of the world and the kingdom of darkness. This brings all demonic powers to the obedience of Christ. But there is a greater part of our identity by being in this kingdom. We have become "sons"! Hallelujah! "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Rom 8:16-17 We will understand the difference between being just a citizen and being a son by understanding how the human kingdom works. In Jesus' days, the Hebrew nation was under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Romans had some level of authority over the Jews by just being Roman citizens. The Jews had more respect and regards for the roman citizens and to an extent, are subjected to them. The Roman citizen exercises some level of authority. But imagine that in this time, the son of Caesar meets a roman citizen and a Jew. Both of them at that time are subject to the son of Caesar! This is the difference between the son and the ordinary citizen. Being ordinary citizens give us authority over world system and the devil. But being sons gives us authority even over the angels. 
spiritual place not subjected to any physical location. Therefore we do not approach it by the flesh. The Jews had a flesh approach toward God by reason of the law that's why they had very little understanding of Jesus' teachings. The Jews believed for example that one must travel wherever he was to worship God in Jerusalem for that to be an acceptable worship before God. But Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman teaches us that God is not to be approached from the view point of the flesh. The Samaritans had been worshiping God on the mountains, but the Jews said it was wrong. But see the master's reply to the Samaritan woman: "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:21-24" The Lord is saying here that whether on the mountain or in Jerusalem is immaterial. It has to be by the spirit. Approaching the kingdom by the flesh does not limit God in anyway. He is God no matter what. We are the ones who are limited by this approach. We don't get to enjoy the fullness of salvation because we try to obtain by flesh what is of the spirit. Secondly we must know who we are by reason of

being in the kingdom. We can understand who we are as citizens by understanding who Christ is. The kingdom gives us two personalities: first we are citizens. Being citizens is and identity that gives us an edge over the system of the world and the kingdom of darkness. This brings all demonic powers to the obedience of Christ. But there is a greater part of our identity by being in this kingdom. We have become "sons"! Hallelujah! "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Rom 8:16-17 We will understand the difference between being just a citizen and being a son by understanding how the human kingdom works. In Jesus' days, the Hebrew nation was under the rule of the Roman Empire. The Romans had some level of authority over the Jews by just being Roman citizens. The Jews had more respect and regards for the roman citizens and to an extent, are subjected to them. The Roman citizen exercises some level of authority. But imagine that in this time, the son of Caesar meets a roman citizen and a Jew. Both of them at that time are subject to the son of Caesar! This is the difference between the son and the ordinary citizen. Being ordinary citizens give us authority over world system and the devil. But being sons gives us authority even over the angels. 
We must also understand what we have in the kingdom. This is knowledge that can only be revealed unto us by the Spirit of the Lord. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor 2:9-16 Understanding this point can never be over emphasized. Verse 9 begins to tell us that the natural man is in no place to know these things which have been prepared for us. The natural man cannot know because he does not have the Spirit of the Lord, for it is the Holy Ghost that reveals them unto us.

What the Spirit reveals to us are things that have been given freely to us of God. We don't need to work for them. We don't need to pay any price they are ours. These are the things that are contained in the will of God, which is the New Testament that we have in Christ. The world will always have a price for whatever it is giving you. That is why the people of the world cannot understand these free gifts. The spirit of the world cannot reveal this unto us. The Holy Ghost knows the content of the "will" of God! It's just like a wealthy man who dies, but before his death he writes a will and entrusts it to his lawyer. Now, members of his family cannot know what he has willed to them individually unless the lawyer sits them down and tells them what has been willed to each and every one of them. Those things belong to them not the lawyer, but they don't know neither can they possess such because they don't know yet until the lawyer tells them. Oh! The things that some people suffer because they do not know. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hos 4:6 That is why the Holy Ghost is not to guide us into a geographical location of the kingdom but into the truth. When we know the reality of the kingdom, understand who we are and know the things that have been freely given to us of God, a different mindset is created in us. It is no longer a mindset of defeat but of victory. We don't walk in fear anymore we walk as sons. We now walk in the reality of the 
We must also understand what we have in the kingdom. This is knowledge that can only be revealed unto us by the Spirit of the Lord. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor 2:9-16 Understanding this point can never be over emphasized. Verse 9 begins to tell us that the natural man is in no place to know these things which have been prepared for us. The natural man cannot know because he does not have the Spirit of the Lord, for it is the Holy Ghost that reveals them unto us.

What the Spirit reveals to us are things that have been given freely to us of God. We don't need to work for them. We don't need to pay any price they are ours. These are the things that are contained in the will of God, which is the New Testament that we have in Christ. The world will always have a price for whatever it is giving you. That is why the people of the world cannot understand these free gifts. The spirit of the world cannot reveal this unto us. The Holy Ghost knows the content of the "will" of God! It's just like a wealthy man who dies, but before his death he writes a will and entrusts it to his lawyer. Now, members of his family cannot know what he has willed to them individually unless the lawyer sits them down and tells them what has been willed to each and every one of them. Those things belong to them not the lawyer, but they don't know neither can they possess such because they don't know yet until the lawyer tells them. Oh! The things that some people suffer because they do not know. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hos 4:6 That is why the Holy Ghost is not to guide us into a geographical location of the kingdom but into the truth. When we know the reality of the kingdom, understand who we are and know the things that have been freely given to us of God, a different mindset is created in us. It is no longer a mindset of defeat but of victory. We don't walk in fear anymore we walk as sons. We now walk in the reality of the 
word of God. It is very possible that you study this book and get excited about the revelation that has come to you from it but yet, in a few days time you lose that excitement and slip back into the mindset of the system of the world, the mindset of the lower life. Paul writing to the Roman church said: " And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom 12:2. We act in the direction of our knowledge. You don't hold fire because you know that fire burns you. You plant crops in the field when you know that it is raining season. So we react and respond to our environment by the knowledge we have. If we have the knowledge of the Spiritual realities in Christ Jesus; we will act based on that consciousness. The world has filled you with a certain "class" of knowledge. You have laws in nature and traditions that govern the way you react and respond to your world. But by now you must have understood that there is another realm, the realm of the "... good and acceptable and perfect will of God." As long as you are of the mindset of the world, you can never prove this perfect will of God. This means that one must begin to have a different kind of knowledge. This is what Paul meant by "... the renewing of your mind..." Where is this knowledge that Paul is referring to? It is the WORD of God! James calls it "... the perfect law of liberty"

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:25 Notice James talks about continuing in the word, not forgetting the word and working the word. You begin looking into the word first then you continue in the word. By not forgetting it means storing the word in your mind not to study today and then by tomorrow's study you must have forgotten today's study no! Then he said to be a doer of the work. The stage of "doing the work" is the stage where the word has become your consciousness rather than the world. The word must wash the world away from your mind. You can never experience the kingdom of God with the mind of the world. When you get to the point where you are conscious of the kingdom, your mind becomes sanctified, your thinking and reasoning changes. Your language also changes. You begin to walk with a consciousness of who you are, where you are and what you have in the Spirit of Christ. This will teach you the acceptance of the higher life and nothing less than that. The word brings us to the place of perfection. It is often said in the world that you can never find a perfect human being, but that is not what the word of God is teaching us. This statement derives its origin from the mindset of the world, from the mindset of defeat by the system of the world and of the law. The word of God washes imperfection away and introduces perfection in the process. 
word of God. It is very possible that you study this book and get excited about the revelation that has come to you from it but yet, in a few days time you lose that excitement and slip back into the mindset of the system of the world, the mindset of the lower life. Paul writing to the Roman church said: " And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom 12:2. We act in the direction of our knowledge. You don't hold fire because you know that fire burns you. You plant crops in the field when you know that it is raining season. So we react and respond to our environment by the knowledge we have. If we have the knowledge of the Spiritual realities in Christ Jesus; we will act based on that consciousness. The world has filled you with a certain "class" of knowledge. You have laws in nature and traditions that govern the way you react and respond to your world. But by now you must have understood that there is another realm, the realm of the "... good and acceptable and perfect will of God." As long as you are of the mindset of the world, you can never prove this perfect will of God. This means that one must begin to have a different kind of knowledge. This is what Paul meant by "... the renewing of your mind..." Where is this knowledge that Paul is referring to? It is the WORD of God! James calls it "... the perfect law of liberty"

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James 1:25 Notice James talks about continuing in the word, not forgetting the word and working the word. You begin looking into the word first then you continue in the word. By not forgetting it means storing the word in your mind not to study today and then by tomorrow's study you must have forgotten today's study no! Then he said to be a doer of the work. The stage of "doing the work" is the stage where the word has become your consciousness rather than the world. The word must wash the world away from your mind. You can never experience the kingdom of God with the mind of the world. When you get to the point where you are conscious of the kingdom, your mind becomes sanctified, your thinking and reasoning changes. Your language also changes. You begin to walk with a consciousness of who you are, where you are and what you have in the Spirit of Christ. This will teach you the acceptance of the higher life and nothing less than that. The word brings us to the place of perfection. It is often said in the world that you can never find a perfect human being, but that is not what the word of God is teaching us. This statement derives its origin from the mindset of the world, from the mindset of defeat by the system of the world and of the law. The word of God washes imperfection away and introduces perfection in the process. 
Paul, talking about Jesus and the church said: "...That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Eph 5:26-27 The "glorious church" that Paul is referring to here is beyond a church that has no sin. It goes beyond being sinless. It is a glory that reflects perfection in every sphere of life. A church that is not wanting in anything regardless of the changes that happen in the world. This is the kind of glory that makes the people of the world say "...Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Isa 2:3 The world will never turn to the church except it sees a greater glory than what it knows. A lot of Christians live the defeated life because they are more conscious of the world than of the kingdom. They see the lack, the defeat, the pain, the sickness and all the negativities of the world rather than see the victory and all the possibility that Christ has brought us into. Being conscious of the kingdom is being conscious of who you are and what you have in the New Testament. This is very important or else you could be sitting by the river of life and yet dying of thirst. God had a covenant of circumcision with the people of the Old Testament, from Abraham right down to

David. Now Israel was at war with the philistines being led by Saul. The philistines were on one side of the valley and Israel was on the other side. Everyday Israel was being challenged by a champion of the philistines, Goliath of Gath. Now seeing the size of the philistine champion, no man in the camp of Israel dared to step out and fight with him. Then David came along just checking up on his brothers being sent by his father to see the philistine challenging the armies of Israel. David said something very profound: "...What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" 1 Sam 17:26 David had an understanding that the rest of the armies of Israel didn't have. He knew that they were of the greater advantage because they were a people of the covenant. David was more focused on who they were as a nation in God. The confidence that he had was not in strength but in the covenant. The covenant had brought Israel to another realm that does not function by human reasoning. That's why God told Joshua that one shall put a thousand to flight and two shall put ten thousand to flight. That is beyond any human calculation. The normal thing would have been that the advantage is with the one who has more army. The system of the world has an appearance that will always tend to intimidate us. Situations that tell you "you are not qualified". That is exactly what was said 
Paul, talking about Jesus and the church said: "...That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Eph 5:26-27 The "glorious church" that Paul is referring to here is beyond a church that has no sin. It goes beyond being sinless. It is a glory that reflects perfection in every sphere of life. A church that is not wanting in anything regardless of the changes that happen in the world. This is the kind of glory that makes the people of the world say "...Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Isa 2:3 The world will never turn to the church except it sees a greater glory than what it knows. A lot of Christians live the defeated life because they are more conscious of the world than of the kingdom. They see the lack, the defeat, the pain, the sickness and all the negativities of the world rather than see the victory and all the possibility that Christ has brought us into. Being conscious of the kingdom is being conscious of who you are and what you have in the New Testament. This is very important or else you could be sitting by the river of life and yet dying of thirst. God had a covenant of circumcision with the people of the Old Testament, from Abraham right down to

David. Now Israel was at war with the philistines being led by Saul. The philistines were on one side of the valley and Israel was on the other side. Everyday Israel was being challenged by a champion of the philistines, Goliath of Gath. Now seeing the size of the philistine champion, no man in the camp of Israel dared to step out and fight with him. Then David came along just checking up on his brothers being sent by his father to see the philistine challenging the armies of Israel. David said something very profound: "...What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" 1 Sam 17:26 David had an understanding that the rest of the armies of Israel didn't have. He knew that they were of the greater advantage because they were a people of the covenant. David was more focused on who they were as a nation in God. The confidence that he had was not in strength but in the covenant. The covenant had brought Israel to another realm that does not function by human reasoning. That's why God told Joshua that one shall put a thousand to flight and two shall put ten thousand to flight. That is beyond any human calculation. The normal thing would have been that the advantage is with the one who has more army. The system of the world has an appearance that will always tend to intimidate us. Situations that tell you "you are not qualified". That is exactly what was said 
to David. Saul told him he couldn't face Goliath because Goliath had been a man of war from his youth. They even gave him an amour that was too heavy for him. But David didn't need any of that; he knew who he was and where he was. He had brought the covenant into play; he was already in a different realm. The way you appear to the world does not matter. What matters is who you are in the spirit and where you operate from. Saul and all the armies of Israel were of the same covenant as David so in the spirit, they were of the same status but they didn't know that. They probably are aware of the covenant but they operated in the flesh, they worked with the eyes of the flesh they walked as men of the world not as men of the spirit. It is possible to know who you are and not live by that knowledge. It's like a prince who walks out of the palace without his crown. The town folks might not know him (even though he knows who he is) and treat him as they please because he is not carrying the palace with him. But if he was wearing the crown, the crown would automatically identify him and where he is from so that when he speaks, authority backs it up.

CHAPTER NINE THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANT

The Old Testament was powerful. As we study the lives of those who lived by this covenant we can see the power they showed and lived by. People like Moses who divided the red sea in two, Joshua who stopped the sun from going for a whole day, Daniel, over whom lions had no power, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego who could not be burnt by the kings fiery furnace, David defeating the philistine giant Goliath, Samuel whose word never fell to the ground, Elijah holding back rain for three and half years, Elisha raising the dead son of the shunamite woman back to life and a host of others were people that lived by the old covenant. These are people that up till this day when we read of them in the scriptures, we are always left in a state of "unbelief", a state of awe. As powerful as these people were, they were first of all "ordinary" men. James talking about Elijah said "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are..." James 5:17. They had no societal status. They were just ordinary everyday people doing everyday ordinary jobs like everyone else. Moses was just tending his father in-law's sheep when God called him. Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were just slaves carried off into Babylon. Samuel was a temple servant etc. This teaches us an important truth about the covenant and the kingdom of God. The covenant 
to David. Saul told him he couldn't face Goliath because Goliath had been a man of war from his youth. They even gave him an amour that was too heavy for him. But David didn't need any of that; he knew who he was and where he was. He had brought the covenant into play; he was already in a different realm. The way you appear to the world does not matter. What matters is who you are in the spirit and where you operate from. Saul and all the armies of Israel were of the same covenant as David so in the spirit, they were of the same status but they didn't know that. They probably are aware of the covenant but they operated in the flesh, they worked with the eyes of the flesh they walked as men of the world not as men of the spirit. It is possible to know who you are and not live by that knowledge. It's like a prince who walks out of the palace without his crown. The town folks might not know him (even though he knows who he is) and treat him as they please because he is not carrying the palace with him. But if he was wearing the crown, the crown would automatically identify him and where he is from so that when he speaks, authority backs it up.

CHAPTER NINE THE OLD AND THE NEW COVENANT

The Old Testament was powerful. As we study the lives of those who lived by this covenant we can see the power they showed and lived by. People like Moses who divided the red sea in two, Joshua who stopped the sun from going for a whole day, Daniel, over whom lions had no power, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego who could not be burnt by the kings fiery furnace, David defeating the philistine giant Goliath, Samuel whose word never fell to the ground, Elijah holding back rain for three and half years, Elisha raising the dead son of the shunamite woman back to life and a host of others were people that lived by the old covenant. These are people that up till this day when we read of them in the scriptures, we are always left in a state of "unbelief", a state of awe. As powerful as these people were, they were first of all "ordinary" men. James talking about Elijah said "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are..." James 5:17. They had no societal status. They were just ordinary everyday people doing everyday ordinary jobs like everyone else. Moses was just tending his father in-law's sheep when God called him. Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were just slaves carried off into Babylon. Samuel was a temple servant etc. This teaches us an important truth about the covenant and the kingdom of God. The covenant 
does not recognize any worldly status! Rather, the covenant causes us to be recognized by the world. It always begins with God picking you up from the "ordinary" to the "extraordinary". As powerful and as true as all these "miracles" were, they were of the Old Testament and are not in comparison to the new covenant that Christ has brought us into. Righteousness: the old covenant required Israel to have a form of righteousness. They had to make themselves righteous by their acts and the way they lived. They had to meet certain standards to be able to activate the power of the covenant. God was dealing with them on the basis of "this will happen if you do this" cause and effect. Wherever Israel broke their own requirement of the covenant, they faced certain consequences even as far as death. Aaron's son was slain when he offered strange fire before God. We read in the book of Judges of all the times that Israel fell out of line with God and God would allow certain cruel kings of other nations to deal with them until they return back and cry unto the Lord. If the requirements of a covenant are broken in the Old Testament, they were always unable to activate the power of that covenant. An example was shown when Achan a man of Israel and of the tribe of Judah took some of the accursed things which God had commanded Israel to destroy and not touch of them in the destruction of Jericho. "But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for

Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water." Josh 7:1-5 Joshua had finished destroying Jericho and it was time to move on. Joshua's confidence was in the Lord. God had already told Joshua "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Josh 1:5. But what unfolded after the destruction of Jericho seemed to negate God's word to Joshua because the covenant was broken by one man in the camp of Israel. So as long as they remained "righteous", they could activate the power of the covenant. Another example we can see in the Bible was Samson. Samson was a child of covenant right from 
does not recognize any worldly status! Rather, the covenant causes us to be recognized by the world. It always begins with God picking you up from the "ordinary" to the "extraordinary". As powerful and as true as all these "miracles" were, they were of the Old Testament and are not in comparison to the new covenant that Christ has brought us into. Righteousness: the old covenant required Israel to have a form of righteousness. They had to make themselves righteous by their acts and the way they lived. They had to meet certain standards to be able to activate the power of the covenant. God was dealing with them on the basis of "this will happen if you do this" cause and effect. Wherever Israel broke their own requirement of the covenant, they faced certain consequences even as far as death. Aaron's son was slain when he offered strange fire before God. We read in the book of Judges of all the times that Israel fell out of line with God and God would allow certain cruel kings of other nations to deal with them until they return back and cry unto the Lord. If the requirements of a covenant are broken in the Old Testament, they were always unable to activate the power of that covenant. An example was shown when Achan a man of Israel and of the tribe of Judah took some of the accursed things which God had commanded Israel to destroy and not touch of them in the destruction of Jericho. "But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for

Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water." Josh 7:1-5 Joshua had finished destroying Jericho and it was time to move on. Joshua's confidence was in the Lord. God had already told Joshua "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Josh 1:5. But what unfolded after the destruction of Jericho seemed to negate God's word to Joshua because the covenant was broken by one man in the camp of Israel. So as long as they remained "righteous", they could activate the power of the covenant. Another example we can see in the Bible was Samson. Samson was a child of covenant right from 
his mother's womb. The angel instructed her of a type of "righteousness" that must be maintained upon the boy's life. He said to her "Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." Judg 13:4-5. After he was born he was to maintain also a type of righteousness that kept the power of the covenant on him. His head was not to be shaven. Unfortunately, Samson broke the covenant of the Nazarite in the laps of Delilah and the Spirit of God left him. He became like any other man and was captured of the Philitines. But in the New Testament, our righteousness is not required to enter the kingdom or to walk in the power of the kingdom of God. We have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the law for us. Jesus teaching about the kingdom told the people: "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:20. But how could the righteousness of these people who were not so learned in the scriptures be more than that of the scribes and of the Pharisees? The scribes and the Pharisees were the religious heads that the people looked up to and Jesus is saying that their

righteousness is not enough to make a man enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was not trying to create a struggle in the people. All He wanted to show them was their inability to meet up with the required righteousness. The righteousness required by the kingdom is humanly impossible that's why Isaiah said: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isa 64:6 The righteousness of the law is self righteousness not the righteousness of God. That's why the scribes and the Pharisees had the pride of being righteous. Self righteousness makes you to be quick in judging others. It brings a feeling of "I'm better than him because I have not sinned as he has". It is a righteousness of works where you struggle to keep up with the requirements of the law. This is the kind of righteousness that births "religion". It brings about a ritual rather than true worship. Jesus gave an example sighting two men who went up to pray in the temple to show the righteousness of works: "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, 
his mother's womb. The angel instructed her of a type of "righteousness" that must be maintained upon the boy's life. He said to her "Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines." Judg 13:4-5. After he was born he was to maintain also a type of righteousness that kept the power of the covenant on him. His head was not to be shaven. Unfortunately, Samson broke the covenant of the Nazarite in the laps of Delilah and the Spirit of God left him. He became like any other man and was captured of the Philitines. But in the New Testament, our righteousness is not required to enter the kingdom or to walk in the power of the kingdom of God. We have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Christ has fulfilled the requirements of the law for us. Jesus teaching about the kingdom told the people: "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:20. But how could the righteousness of these people who were not so learned in the scriptures be more than that of the scribes and of the Pharisees? The scribes and the Pharisees were the religious heads that the people looked up to and Jesus is saying that their

righteousness is not enough to make a man enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was not trying to create a struggle in the people. All He wanted to show them was their inability to meet up with the required righteousness. The righteousness required by the kingdom is humanly impossible that's why Isaiah said: "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isa 64:6 The righteousness of the law is self righteousness not the righteousness of God. That's why the scribes and the Pharisees had the pride of being righteous. Self righteousness makes you to be quick in judging others. It brings a feeling of "I'm better than him because I have not sinned as he has". It is a righteousness of works where you struggle to keep up with the requirements of the law. This is the kind of righteousness that births "religion". It brings about a ritual rather than true worship. Jesus gave an example sighting two men who went up to pray in the temple to show the righteousness of works: "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, 
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18:10-14 All the Pharisee could see was his own righteousness, yet this is the kind that Jesus said cannot see the kingdom of heaven. He felt that he had earned a place in God by the works he had done but this is what appears to God as filthy rags. Religion is based on self righteousness. It is religion that teaches "do not eat this or that" "do not wear this or that" etc. but Jesus came to teach grace not religion. Christianity then is meant to be a lifestyle not a religious ritual. But does it mean that it is ok to just sin and live recklessly? NO! In Christ Jesus, we have been taken from the point where we keep away from sin because we "fear" God and the consequences of such actions to the point where we keep from sin out of love for God. Jesus said "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 so obeying God now is born out of love rather than religion. Being born out of love, it becomes a lifestyle rather than a ritual. But that you stay away from sin is not what makes you righteous for our righteousness is no longer of works but of God. Isaiah puts it this way: "...and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isa 54:17

CHAPTER TEN THE PLACE OF REFUGE

While in Egypt, all the plagues that befell the land could not harm the people that were in Goshen, because they were found in God. They were all shielded from the plagues regardless of where they were in the physical. It wasn't Goshen as a geographical location that kept them from harm. It was the place where the covenant had brought them into with God. The Lord said to Moses, "... when I see the blood, I will pass over you and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses" so Israel was preserved not because they locked themselves in their houses but by reason of the blood. That night when the angel came all of Israel was saved. The scriptures said that not even an animal in all the camp of Israel was killed talk more of any of their child. The place we are talking about is not a physical place it is a spiritual place in God that gives us a cover even if we are walking in the physical realms. When Israel was about to take down Jericho; Joshua sent spies into the land. The king of Jericho was informed of their presence which necessitated them to hide in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Rahab had heard about what Israel had done in their previous battles and she knew the God of Israel was a powerful God. As a matter of fact, all Jericho was in fear of the Israelites. The gates of the city were shut such that no man came in or went out of the city. 
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18:10-14 All the Pharisee could see was his own righteousness, yet this is the kind that Jesus said cannot see the kingdom of heaven. He felt that he had earned a place in God by the works he had done but this is what appears to God as filthy rags. Religion is based on self righteousness. It is religion that teaches "do not eat this or that" "do not wear this or that" etc. but Jesus came to teach grace not religion. Christianity then is meant to be a lifestyle not a religious ritual. But does it mean that it is ok to just sin and live recklessly? NO! In Christ Jesus, we have been taken from the point where we keep away from sin because we "fear" God and the consequences of such actions to the point where we keep from sin out of love for God. Jesus said "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 so obeying God now is born out of love rather than religion. Being born out of love, it becomes a lifestyle rather than a ritual. But that you stay away from sin is not what makes you righteous for our righteousness is no longer of works but of God. Isaiah puts it this way: "...and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isa 54:17

CHAPTER TEN THE PLACE OF REFUGE

While in Egypt, all the plagues that befell the land could not harm the people that were in Goshen, because they were found in God. They were all shielded from the plagues regardless of where they were in the physical. It wasn't Goshen as a geographical location that kept them from harm. It was the place where the covenant had brought them into with God. The Lord said to Moses, "... when I see the blood, I will pass over you and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses" so Israel was preserved not because they locked themselves in their houses but by reason of the blood. That night when the angel came all of Israel was saved. The scriptures said that not even an animal in all the camp of Israel was killed talk more of any of their child. The place we are talking about is not a physical place it is a spiritual place in God that gives us a cover even if we are walking in the physical realms. When Israel was about to take down Jericho; Joshua sent spies into the land. The king of Jericho was informed of their presence which necessitated them to hide in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Rahab had heard about what Israel had done in their previous battles and she knew the God of Israel was a powerful God. As a matter of fact, all Jericho was in fear of the Israelites. The gates of the city were shut such that no man came in or went out of the city. 
The king had been informed of the spies that they had gone to Rahab's house, when he sent messengers to her, she would not give them up. But the woman had another plan at heart. She aimed to save her family so at the instructions of the spies she brought her family and loved ones into the house where she tied the red scarf as she had been told by the spies. The proceeding events unfolded to the day that the children of Israel gave the final shout which brought down the walls of Jericho into the earth. Rahab's house was spared regardless of the fact that her house was on the walls of the city. By the covenant that Rahab made with the spies, she brought herself into a place of divine covering. The shout brought down the walls of the entire city. These were events that had no human factor to them but she was spared. She entered into a place of refuge that was not of physical means but of spiritual means. So it didn't matter that the next house to her own had just gown down with the rest of the walls, her own house was spared. This is what David meant when he said: "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Ps 91:7-11 This is the place that the entire psalm 91 is talking

about. There is a place in God that shields us from the troubles of the world. Jesus said "I will never leave you nor forsake you" if these are the promises of God, why do Christians so often fall prey to the devices of the devil and to the changes that occur in the physical world? There is safety in the Lord. We must be people of the spirit to walk in this place. Paul talks about those who walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh and those who walk after the spirit minding the things of the spirit. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Rom 8:5-6 Many people read this portion of the scriptures without fully understanding what Paul is talking about. Some feel that Paul is talking about spiritual exercises. That is, one should engage in spiritual exercise so as not to fall into sin and the traps of the world. The term "mind" is talking about a consciousness, an awareness of the realm in which one operates. If we mind (are conscious of) the things of the Spirit, we will be able to invoke the covering of the spiritual refuge. But if we mind the things of the flesh, we become limited to the world of the flesh. We can better understand this when we study the story of Elisha and his servant when the king of Syria sent an army to capture the man of God. A series of events had unfolded to this point. 
The king had been informed of the spies that they had gone to Rahab's house, when he sent messengers to her, she would not give them up. But the woman had another plan at heart. She aimed to save her family so at the instructions of the spies she brought her family and loved ones into the house where she tied the red scarf as she had been told by the spies. The proceeding events unfolded to the day that the children of Israel gave the final shout which brought down the walls of Jericho into the earth. Rahab's house was spared regardless of the fact that her house was on the walls of the city. By the covenant that Rahab made with the spies, she brought herself into a place of divine covering. The shout brought down the walls of the entire city. These were events that had no human factor to them but she was spared. She entered into a place of refuge that was not of physical means but of spiritual means. So it didn't matter that the next house to her own had just gown down with the rest of the walls, her own house was spared. This is what David meant when he said: "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." Ps 91:7-11 This is the place that the entire psalm 91 is talking

about. There is a place in God that shields us from the troubles of the world. Jesus said "I will never leave you nor forsake you" if these are the promises of God, why do Christians so often fall prey to the devices of the devil and to the changes that occur in the physical world? There is safety in the Lord. We must be people of the spirit to walk in this place. Paul talks about those who walk after the flesh minding the things of the flesh and those who walk after the spirit minding the things of the spirit. "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Rom 8:5-6 Many people read this portion of the scriptures without fully understanding what Paul is talking about. Some feel that Paul is talking about spiritual exercises. That is, one should engage in spiritual exercise so as not to fall into sin and the traps of the world. The term "mind" is talking about a consciousness, an awareness of the realm in which one operates. If we mind (are conscious of) the things of the Spirit, we will be able to invoke the covering of the spiritual refuge. But if we mind the things of the flesh, we become limited to the world of the flesh. We can better understand this when we study the story of Elisha and his servant when the king of Syria sent an army to capture the man of God. A series of events had unfolded to this point. 
"...when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." 2 Kings 6:15-18 The two categories of people Paul talked about are clearly represented in the characters of Elisha and his servant. Elisha was a man that was mindful of the things of the spirit that's why he was not moved by the sight of the soldiers. It's all about spiritual maturity Elisha's servant on the other hand was limited to the natural world. As far as he could see, their end had come and there was no way out. Jesus said the man of the spirit is like the wind whose ways are not known, you can't trap such a man. Just when you think you've caged him in, he takes another angle that is totally unknown and unexpected to you. If the king of Syria had sent his men to capture just any other man, the operation would have been a success because they all would have been of earthly origin. But his mistake was that he sent to capture a

citizen of the kingdom of God- heaven had to respond. The kingdom will always cover its own. Now notice something, the heavenly hosts just stood on the mountain top doing nothing. They did not attack the soldiers they just stood there until Elijah prayed and asked the Lord to smite the soldiers with blindness and he smote them with blindness. He invoked the operations of the host by his prayer; this is how the Christian walks under the influence of the spiritual atmosphere of the kingdom of God. Elisha was simply a servant of God. He had not come into the son-ship that we have come into in Christ Jesus so his prayer was directed toward God as a servant. But as sons of the kingdom, we have come to the command of the host of heaven. Another incredible example of the spiritual refuge that we talk about can be seen in the story of the three Hebrew children found in the book of Daniel. It had been reported to the king that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow before his image. In his rage he ordered that the three boys be brought to him. The king's statement when they came before him was one that had concluded the story: "...and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Dan 3:15). But he was greatly mistaken to think that Gods power can be limited by physical or natural means. He limited the power of God to his natural senses. Even before the king they stood their grounds not to bow regardless of the outcome. Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the three Hebrew boys 
"...when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha." 2 Kings 6:15-18 The two categories of people Paul talked about are clearly represented in the characters of Elisha and his servant. Elisha was a man that was mindful of the things of the spirit that's why he was not moved by the sight of the soldiers. It's all about spiritual maturity Elisha's servant on the other hand was limited to the natural world. As far as he could see, their end had come and there was no way out. Jesus said the man of the spirit is like the wind whose ways are not known, you can't trap such a man. Just when you think you've caged him in, he takes another angle that is totally unknown and unexpected to you. If the king of Syria had sent his men to capture just any other man, the operation would have been a success because they all would have been of earthly origin. But his mistake was that he sent to capture a

citizen of the kingdom of God- heaven had to respond. The kingdom will always cover its own. Now notice something, the heavenly hosts just stood on the mountain top doing nothing. They did not attack the soldiers they just stood there until Elijah prayed and asked the Lord to smite the soldiers with blindness and he smote them with blindness. He invoked the operations of the host by his prayer; this is how the Christian walks under the influence of the spiritual atmosphere of the kingdom of God. Elisha was simply a servant of God. He had not come into the son-ship that we have come into in Christ Jesus so his prayer was directed toward God as a servant. But as sons of the kingdom, we have come to the command of the host of heaven. Another incredible example of the spiritual refuge that we talk about can be seen in the story of the three Hebrew children found in the book of Daniel. It had been reported to the king that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow before his image. In his rage he ordered that the three boys be brought to him. The king's statement when they came before him was one that had concluded the story: "...and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" (Dan 3:15). But he was greatly mistaken to think that Gods power can be limited by physical or natural means. He limited the power of God to his natural senses. Even before the king they stood their grounds not to bow regardless of the outcome. Nebuchadnezzar ordered that the three Hebrew boys 
be thrown into the burning fiery furnace which had been heated seven times more. They were thrown in the furnace but after a while, the king himself noticed that the fire had no power over the men and they walked freely in the company of a fourth man in the midst of the fire. The refuge they had in God was not of natural origin and did not depend on their natural location. So whether it was in the fire or water sphere at all, it didn't matter to God. The refuge still covered them You could be walking on the streets and still be under the covering of God. You could be flying in the air and yet be under that refuge it doesn't matter where you are the kingdom will always cover you. It is a place carried by your spirit regardless of your geographical location. For every trouble that hits the world, God has provided a refuge for His children. As a matter of fact, heaven responds before you can even realize there is a problem. You need to let your spirit respond and walk in this atmosphere.

CHAPTER ELEVEN SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal 4:1-6 A lot of Christians are still at the "child" level so they relate with God as "children". The maturity of a child is dependent upon how much of his environment he knows and how well he relates with that. These are the factors that let us know if the child can take responsibilities or not. It is not the age of the child it is his ability to take responsibility that makes him mature. When the child has come of age, he will no longer be under any supervision as he can take responsibility for his actions and relate with his environment. He knows all that is available for him to put it to advantageous use. God wants you to come of age in the spirit by understanding spiritual things. When you have this understanding, your prayer language will change. The way you relate with the devil will change. The way you 
be thrown into the burning fiery furnace which had been heated seven times more. They were thrown in the furnace but after a while, the king himself noticed that the fire had no power over the men and they walked freely in the company of a fourth man in the midst of the fire. The refuge they had in God was not of natural origin and did not depend on their natural location. So whether it was in the fire or water sphere at all, it didn't matter to God. The refuge still covered them You could be walking on the streets and still be under the covering of God. You could be flying in the air and yet be under that refuge it doesn't matter where you are the kingdom will always cover you. It is a place carried by your spirit regardless of your geographical location. For every trouble that hits the world, God has provided a refuge for His children. As a matter of fact, heaven responds before you can even realize there is a problem. You need to let your spirit respond and walk in this atmosphere.

CHAPTER ELEVEN SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Gal 4:1-6 A lot of Christians are still at the "child" level so they relate with God as "children". The maturity of a child is dependent upon how much of his environment he knows and how well he relates with that. These are the factors that let us know if the child can take responsibilities or not. It is not the age of the child it is his ability to take responsibility that makes him mature. When the child has come of age, he will no longer be under any supervision as he can take responsibility for his actions and relate with his environment. He knows all that is available for him to put it to advantageous use. God wants you to come of age in the spirit by understanding spiritual things. When you have this understanding, your prayer language will change. The way you relate with the devil will change. The way you 
respond to life's situations will change because this knowledge tells you who you are, where you are and what you have. Whenever Jesus was teaching, the people noticed a difference in His teaching as compared to the teachings of the scribes and the Pharisees. The Bible tells us: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Matt 7:28-29 The authority that the scriptures refer to is the assurance with which He taught them. He taught them as one who knew what He was saying; He taught them as someone with the experience of the things He was talking about, it was a blessed assurance. By His teachings he carried them from a realm of religion to a realm of the reality of what they had made a religion out of for so long. The people had been taught in a manner that projected the prophecies and all the promises of God to be some mysterious future experience they might probably never have. But the teachings of Jesus brought the word of God closer to them that is why He would open the scriptures, read the prophecy concerning Him close the scroll and tell them "...This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" Luke 4:21 Before Jesus came, no one dared to say that. But the realm where Jesus came from and from where He operated, He had the authority to say that. He was the master of the kingdom. It is just like when you have a broken vehicle, you

don't take it to the doctor or the tailor. You take it to the mechanic's workshop because that is the person who is qualified to fix that vehicle. He is the only one that has enough knowledge on that. This knowledge gives the kind of authority that the scriptures refer to in Matt 7 in the case of Jesus. Being spiritually mature as the sons of God puts the resources of the kingdom of God at our disposal. That's why I said, when you have this understanding, your prayer language will change. Jesus never prayed the "asking" prayer as most Christians do. When He took the five loafs and fishes the Bible said "He gave thanks" and began to break them and fed the people with them. You don't ask for what you already have. You just thank the Father for them When the master came to the tomb of Lazarus, the Bible records "...And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John 11:41-44 Again we notice Jesus giving thanks with an understanding of who He is in the kingdom. He didn't pray and say "God please raise my friend Lazarus" but as the son who is of maturity in the kingdom of His 
respond to life's situations will change because this knowledge tells you who you are, where you are and what you have. Whenever Jesus was teaching, the people noticed a difference in His teaching as compared to the teachings of the scribes and the Pharisees. The Bible tells us: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Matt 7:28-29 The authority that the scriptures refer to is the assurance with which He taught them. He taught them as one who knew what He was saying; He taught them as someone with the experience of the things He was talking about, it was a blessed assurance. By His teachings he carried them from a realm of religion to a realm of the reality of what they had made a religion out of for so long. The people had been taught in a manner that projected the prophecies and all the promises of God to be some mysterious future experience they might probably never have. But the teachings of Jesus brought the word of God closer to them that is why He would open the scriptures, read the prophecy concerning Him close the scroll and tell them "...This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" Luke 4:21 Before Jesus came, no one dared to say that. But the realm where Jesus came from and from where He operated, He had the authority to say that. He was the master of the kingdom. It is just like when you have a broken vehicle, you

don't take it to the doctor or the tailor. You take it to the mechanic's workshop because that is the person who is qualified to fix that vehicle. He is the only one that has enough knowledge on that. This knowledge gives the kind of authority that the scriptures refer to in Matt 7 in the case of Jesus. Being spiritually mature as the sons of God puts the resources of the kingdom of God at our disposal. That's why I said, when you have this understanding, your prayer language will change. Jesus never prayed the "asking" prayer as most Christians do. When He took the five loafs and fishes the Bible said "He gave thanks" and began to break them and fed the people with them. You don't ask for what you already have. You just thank the Father for them When the master came to the tomb of Lazarus, the Bible records "...And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." John 11:41-44 Again we notice Jesus giving thanks with an understanding of who He is in the kingdom. He didn't pray and say "God please raise my friend Lazarus" but as the son who is of maturity in the kingdom of His 
he exercised that authority. In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus gave us a clear example of how we who are of the kingdom and in the kingdom should relate with the father and the kingdom. The prodigal son had squandered all of his Father's wealth and had returned to the father to beg him to be one of his workers just so he could feed himself but the father threw a party for his return and honored him with a purple robe. The elder brother to the boy returned home from the field and noticed all the music and celebrations taking place. He called one of the servants and asked what was going on? The servant told him of his brother's return. The Bible said: "And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." Luke 15:28-31 Isn't this incredible? "...all that I have is thine." But he didn't know! The father was saying to the elder brother "you didn't have to wait for me, everything I have is yours" If he had wanted to make merry with his friends, the resources were at his disposal. This is how a lot of Christians relate with God. They

relate with God as this hard task master who must be begged to release His kingdom resources to our aid. These are things we already have in Christ Jesus. We just thank the Father for them and use them or invoke them. Notice peter's response to the lame man at the gate of the temple called beautiful. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Acts 3:6 Peter said "such as I have". Peter understood that he was in charge of all that power. He didn't say he was going to ask God to heal the man; No! He possessed the power to heal him there and then. It wasn't about a worldly possession for peter, he had no worldly possessions but that could not limit him because he had spiritual possessions hallelujah! Now that is the kind of maturity that gives us the responsibility to handle the possessions of heaven. The kingdom of God does not consist in worldly possessions or pleasure as Paul teaches in the book of Romans 14:17. The power we possess in the kingdom is one that brings about change regardless of any natural circumstances. The son of the kingdom is not the one who possesses gold or silver because truly, there is a limit to what gold and silver can do and these are resources that lose value with time. But the kingdom resources never lose value because their value is of a transforming power. 
he exercised that authority. In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus gave us a clear example of how we who are of the kingdom and in the kingdom should relate with the father and the kingdom. The prodigal son had squandered all of his Father's wealth and had returned to the father to beg him to be one of his workers just so he could feed himself but the father threw a party for his return and honored him with a purple robe. The elder brother to the boy returned home from the field and noticed all the music and celebrations taking place. He called one of the servants and asked what was going on? The servant told him of his brother's return. The Bible said: "And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." Luke 15:28-31 Isn't this incredible? "...all that I have is thine." But he didn't know! The father was saying to the elder brother "you didn't have to wait for me, everything I have is yours" If he had wanted to make merry with his friends, the resources were at his disposal. This is how a lot of Christians relate with God. They

relate with God as this hard task master who must be begged to release His kingdom resources to our aid. These are things we already have in Christ Jesus. We just thank the Father for them and use them or invoke them. Notice peter's response to the lame man at the gate of the temple called beautiful. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Acts 3:6 Peter said "such as I have". Peter understood that he was in charge of all that power. He didn't say he was going to ask God to heal the man; No! He possessed the power to heal him there and then. It wasn't about a worldly possession for peter, he had no worldly possessions but that could not limit him because he had spiritual possessions hallelujah! Now that is the kind of maturity that gives us the responsibility to handle the possessions of heaven. The kingdom of God does not consist in worldly possessions or pleasure as Paul teaches in the book of Romans 14:17. The power we possess in the kingdom is one that brings about change regardless of any natural circumstances. The son of the kingdom is not the one who possesses gold or silver because truly, there is a limit to what gold and silver can do and these are resources that lose value with time. But the kingdom resources never lose value because their value is of a transforming power. 
Now the thing about walking in the power of the Holy Ghost is that the very things we struggle to accomplish with worldly possessions can be accomplished by the power of the Holy Ghost and even more. Looking at the man at the temple gate, no amount of money given to him could make him walk showing us that God's power goes beyond our limitations. Peter had been the disciple of Christ for so long but never had the understanding that he had of the things of the spirit until Jesus left and the Holy Ghost came. At some point they attempted to cast out devils and they could not, they asked the Master why they couldn't do it. Surely they didn't know how the kingdom operated. But at this point peter had "come of age". This is where the Holy Ghost will bring you if you let Him. The Bible says in John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" then Paul further teaches in Rom 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "...power to become the sons of God" what is the "power" that the scripture is talking about? What makes it a thing of power to become a son of God? Do you now move into a mansion with servants attending to your every need? Do you now have some political domination over people? Being a son of God upgrades you beyond the world. What the scripture is talking about is the Holy Ghost. It is the leading of the Spirit of God that makes us the

sons of God. This is the most powerful experience a Christian can ever have and it can be a life-time experience. 
Now the thing about walking in the power of the Holy Ghost is that the very things we struggle to accomplish with worldly possessions can be accomplished by the power of the Holy Ghost and even more. Looking at the man at the temple gate, no amount of money given to him could make him walk showing us that God's power goes beyond our limitations. Peter had been the disciple of Christ for so long but never had the understanding that he had of the things of the spirit until Jesus left and the Holy Ghost came. At some point they attempted to cast out devils and they could not, they asked the Master why they couldn't do it. Surely they didn't know how the kingdom operated. But at this point peter had "come of age". This is where the Holy Ghost will bring you if you let Him. The Bible says in John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" then Paul further teaches in Rom 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "...power to become the sons of God" what is the "power" that the scripture is talking about? What makes it a thing of power to become a son of God? Do you now move into a mansion with servants attending to your every need? Do you now have some political domination over people? Being a son of God upgrades you beyond the world. What the scripture is talking about is the Holy Ghost. It is the leading of the Spirit of God that makes us the

sons of God. This is the most powerful experience a Christian can ever have and it can be a life-time experience. 
From the author

Hi there, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading this book. Jesus said "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 Beyond just a book, its quality and arrangements; it is my earnest prayer that the words you have just read were a ministration of the Spirit and life of the word of God unto you. I also pray that by these words; you have learned something new or have gotten a confirmation of the revelation of God's word in your spirit. If this little book has been a blessing to you; I would love to hear from you. may God bless you always from glory to glory. Tel: +2348035399187 email: kumdavid7@gmail.com 
From the author

Hi there, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for reading this book. Jesus said "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63 Beyond just a book, its quality and arrangements; it is my earnest prayer that the words you have just read were a ministration of the Spirit and life of the word of God unto you. I also pray that by these words; you have learned something new or have gotten a confirmation of the revelation of God's word in your spirit. If this little book has been a blessing to you; I would love to hear from you. may God bless you always from glory to glory. Tel: +2348035399187 email: kumdavid7@gmail.com 
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