CHAPTER 10
MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 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 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
What is my purpose in life? What is your purpose in life? God’s purpose for every man, woman, and child is the same. He wants us all to be manifested as the sons of God.
MANIFESTATION: G602, apokalupsis, ap-ok-al'-oop-sis
From G601; disclosure: - appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.
God wants ALL Christians to become mature and maturity is a three step process. First, we accept the gift of salvation and the gift of righteousness as we receive the Holy Spirit into our Holy of Holies (our spirit), second we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit enters into our Holy Place (our soul) manifested by speaking in tongues, and third the Holy Spirit is manifested in us and to the world with signs, wonders, and mighty miracles. God wants our spirit, soul, and body to be congruent, like He is congruent. He wants us to be exactly like Him. He wants us all to become kings and priests forever after the order of Melchisedec. The Sons of God are manifested to the world when Jesus Christ is manifested in them and to the world, spirit, soul, AND body. A mature Christian is a REVELATION of Jesus Christ (GOD) to the World.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
I believe that the manifestation (revelation) of the sons of God will reach its complete fulfillment at the resurrection of the Church. However, I believe the manifestation first began on the Feast of Tabernacles nearly two thousand (2000) years ago when Jesus began his ministry and this manifestation of the sons of God will accelerate exponentially as the Day of the Lord approaches. The manifestation of the sons of God takes place in three stages:
Exo 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
Exo 40:13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
We see that there are three (3) steps that must occur before a person is prepared to be a priest of Jehovah:
1) A Christian must put on the holy garments (the feast of Passover).
2) A Christian must be anointed (the feast of Pentecost).
3) A Christian must be sanctified (the feast of Tabernacles).
Sanctified: H6942, qadash, kaw-dash' - A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): - appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.
PUT ON THE HOLY GARMENTS
(Feast of Passover)
CONFESS THE LORD JESUS = SALVATION + RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Manifestation of Jesus Christ by Righteousness)
First, a Christian must put on the holy garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness.
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Our “manifestation” of Jesus Christ begins by receiving the Holy Ghost in our spirit with our acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as LORD and savior. It is also “manifested” by believing unto righteousness:
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Being “saved” AND receiving the GIFT of “righteousness” is the first step of a Christian’s manifestation of Jesus Christ in their spirit. Salvation AND righteousness go together but they often are not “manifested” for a very long time after confessing the LORD Jesus. Attempting to be righteous under your own will power will delay the manifestation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I can tell you that it took me many years to realize that I could not ACHIEVE righteousness, I had to BELIEVE and RECEIVE both salvation AND righteousness as a “gift” from God. Christians often find it easy to understand that they must receive salvation but receiving the “gift” of righteousness is often a great stumbling block.
After the Passover there is a “Feast of Unleavened Bread” and it represents something very, very important. During the Seven days after the Passover the Jews would search their houses and remove all the leaven they could find. God commanded that they were only to eat unleavened bread during this feast. The Pharisees taught that leaven represents sin but Jesus taught that leaven represents FALSE DOCTRINE … the doctrine of dead works. You need to do some self-examination after you confess Jesus Christ as savior. You need to ask yourself…Am I trying to be righteous OR am I simply believing that I AM the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ by faith?
Mat 16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
Mat 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the DOCTRINE (emphasis added) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
The ancient Pharisees and their modern day brethren will tell you that after you are saved, you need to identify your sins and eliminate them. It is easy to identify our sins but it is IMPOSSIBLE for US to eliminate them. Remember leaven is NOT sin, it is FALSE DOCTRINE. It is the doctrine of believing there is something I can do or not do that can add or subtract from what Jesus Christ has already done.
There is only ONE way to eliminate your sins… YOU MUST DIE! A dead person cannot help God or anybody else. You must acknowledge to yourself that you are dead and Jesus Christ is alive in you!
Here is PURE DOCTRINE … YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD! YOU DIED TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO WHEN JESUS CHRIST DIED! BELIEVE IT AND YOU WILL BE SET FREE!
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Gal 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
I will tell you how I acknowledged, received, and began manifesting the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I began to memorize and meditate on three verses in the Bible. 1) Isaiah 61:10 taught me that God clothed me in salvation and covered me in a robe of righteousness. I had revelation that I could neither save myself nor could I provide my own righteousness. God must “give” me the righteousness of Jesus Christ and I must receive it by faith.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
2) Romans 5:17-19 taught me that Jesus provided me with HIS righteousness. His perfect obedience made me righteous just like Adam’s disobedience made me a sinner.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
I have often heard people quote Romans 10:9 but they always seemed to leave out
3) Romans 10:10, “man believeth unto righteousness”, but like I said, righteousness and salvation go together, they cannot be separated. Romans 10:10 taught me that if I believe in the perfect FINISHED work of Jesus Christ, I must also believe I have received the “gift” of HIS righteousness.
After I memorized these three scripture verses and meditated on them for a while and PRAYED IN TONGUES, my besetting sins began to fall away like dead leaves in the Fall. I had the “revelation” from the Holy Spirit that I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. I tried for years to obey the law, to do good and to not do bad, to be a “good person”, and it did not work. I would make New Year’s resolutions, I would make promises to myself and to God but I would fail over and over again. Today I can truthfully say that sin does not have dominion over me. After meditating on these righteousness verses for a while it finally clicked … the light came on. I received REVELATION from the Holy Spirit. The only righteousness I needed was Jesus’ righteousness and it was mine by faith alone! All I had to do was BELIEVE I AM the righteousness of God by the finished work of Jesus Christ!
Trying to grit your teeth and not do certain things or making a New Year’s resolution every January 1st will NOT work! Simply meditating on the Word of God, praying in tongues and receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit (believing God’s Word by faith), fellowshipping with God, WILL work!
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
When temptation comes along, or even if we sin and feel condemned afterwards, we need to SPEAK the following, “I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST”! See 2 Cor 5:21. Eventually, as you meditate on the Word of God and pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit will give you revelation concerning the GIFT of righteousness you have received from Jesus Christ and the temptations you could never resist before will not hold any appeal for you because you will realize that you ARE the righteousness of God and sin will not have dominion over you. Satan tried to tempt Jesus by questioning whether he was the Son of God. Satan will also try and tempt you by trying to convince you that you are not the son (righteousness) of God, DON’T LET HIM!
You must have the revelation of who you are in Jesus Christ (IF YOU ARE SAVED THEN YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN JESUS CHRIST!). Jesus is in you and you are in Jesus…You are one with Jesus Christ! You must have revelation that you have received God’s righteousness as a gift and THEN you will experience a noticeable difference in your life. The fruits of the spirit will begin to manifest in your life, Jesus Christ will begin to manifest in your life with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! The awful burden and condemnation of sin is removed. We do not become righteous, we ARE righteous! The more we fellowship with God, the more HIS righteousness will “manifest” in our lives. ONLY through fellowship with Jesus will His righteousness be manifest in your life!
It reminds me of one especially bad winter when I had to wear heavy boots all the time because the snow did not seem like it was ever going to end. Then one night a warm wind came and the snow melted overnight. I put on my tennis shoes for the first time in months and it felt like I was walking on air. Not feeling condemned is a wonderful feeling and possessing the righteousness of Jesus Christ is a beautiful GIFT from God. If you have a problem with some besetting sin, I encourage you to increase your time of fellowship with Jesus and your guilt, condemnation, AND sin will disappear.
RECEIVE GOD’S ANOINTING
(Feast of Pentecost)
COMMUNION = SPEAKING IN TONGUES + REVELATION
(Manifestation of Jesus Christ by Speaking in Tongues)
I have heard some things concerning the baptism in the Holy Ghost that I know are not true:
In the Holy Place there were three objects: 1) The table of shew bread that held unleavened bread and wine, 2) the menorah or lampstand, and 3) the altar of incense. The Holy Place represents our soul and the purpose of our soul. Our soul includes our feelings and our emotional life. We communicate with God from our soul to our spirit. We “commune” with God with our spirit via our soul.
We take “communion” by eating unleavened bread and drinking wine. Unleavened bread represents PURE DOCTRINE (the Truth about our position IN Jesus Christ…WE DIED IN HIM AND ARE RESURRECTED IN HIM). We MUST meditate on God’s Word and pray in tongues to receive pure doctrine. Jesus is everything! Leavened bread represents FALSE DOCTRINE. Leaven DOES NOT REPRESENT SIN! Sin is only the fruit of false doctrine.
FALSE DOCTRINE = YOU MUST “OBEY THE LAW” TO BE SAVED!
PURE DOCTRINE = I HAVE DIED and JESUS CHRIST LIVES IN ME!
When we take communion we “remember” or contemplate what Jesus did when He died on the cross (WE DIED TO SIN AND WE WERE RECONCILED BACK TO GOD!). The death of Jesus Christ on the cross illustrates the sacrifice of the unblemished lamb on the altar of burnt offerings in the Old Testament. He became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in him. He died so that we could have eternal life. He was separated from the Father so that we could be reconciled with the Father forever.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
The menorah represents the “light” of REVELATION from the Holy Spirit when we are meditating on the Word of God AND praying in tongues.
Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
People can read the Bible and they can study the Bible all their life but unless they receive revelation from the Holy Spirit, the Word of God will have very little impact on their life. I have been reading the Bible fairly consistently since I was thirteen (13) years old but it wasn’t until I began receiving “revelation” of who I am in Christ that I began to notice a change.
The more “revelation” you receive from the Holy Spirit the more you will be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Jesus will be “revealed” in and by you. You MUST 1) meditate on God’s Word AND you MUST 2) pray in tongues in order to receive revelation from the Holy Ghost. Every time you receive revelation from the Holy Spirit, you will be “transformed” a little more into the image of Jesus Christ from glory to glory. The fruit of the spirit will begin to manifest in your life. Revelation is different from simply knowledge, you can memorize the whole bible and not have revelation. Revelation is the Word of God actually transforming you into the image of Jesus Christ.
Rom 12:2 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.
Transformed: metamorphoo¯, met-am-or-fo'-o, From G3326 and G3445; to transform (literally or figuratively “metamorphose”): - change, transfigure, transform.
“Metamorphoo” is the same word used when Jesus is “transfigured” when he met with Moses and Elijah.
Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was TRANSFIGURED (metamorphoo) before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Therefore, the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we can be transfigured (metamorphoo) by the renewing of our mind! This scripture is very exciting if you contemplate it, we are being transformed into the very image of Jesus Christ by renewing our mind, by meditating on God’s Word, by speaking in tongues, and by receiving revelation from the Holy Spirit of our new identity in Christ Jesus, by fellowshipping with Jesus!
Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ…the express image of God.
Some people say that you are not saved if you have not received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I believe you can be saved and not be baptized in the Holy Ghost, but I strongly believe you cannot become a mature son of God without being baptized in the Holy Ghost. Being saved and being baptized in the Holy Ghost are two totally different experiences.
When you are saved, the Holy Ghost takes up residence in your spirit. Actually, the Holy Spirit and your spirit become ONE. When you are baptized in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost takes up residence in your soul and becomes your teacher and he is then able to transform your mind. You receive the mind of Christ. This is illustrated by the following verses:
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
After Jesus was resurrected from the dead, he appeared to the disciples and breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Ghost. However, in the Book of Acts Jesus tells his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they receive the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. Therefore, receiving the Holy Ghost and being Baptized in the Holy Ghost are two different occurrences.
Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
We see that the disciples received the Holy Ghost from Jesus in the inner room but the Baptism with the Holy Ghost occurred on Pentecost, ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus Christ always manifests himself from our spirit outwards to our soul and then finally towards the world. When we receive the Holy Ghost in our spirit he is manifested by our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and by the manifestation of HIS righteousness in our life. Therefore, it should be no surprise that when the Holy Ghost takes up residence in our soul there will be a new manifestation. Baptism with the Holy Ghost is manifested by SPEAKING IN TONGUES!
The Jewish Temple was an allegory of a mature son of God. Let me illustrate with a diagram of the Temple:
So what is so important about speaking in tongues?
Speaking in tongues is the manifestation of the Holy Ghost in our soul. Speaking in tongues is the Holy Spirit praying to the Father for us:
1Co 14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
There is an interesting story in the Old Testament concerning Aaron the High Priest and his sons.
Lev 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
Lev 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
God specifically wanted coals from the altar of burnt offering to be used to burn the incense:
Lev 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
Obviously Nadab and Abihu used a fire from some other source and God killed them both instantly with fire. People may think this is a harsh judgment but God was illustrating there is only one appropriate entrance into his presence and that is through the sacrifice of HIS Lamb:
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Anyone who claims there is another way or several ways to approach God other than through Jesus Christ is committing a blasphemy similar to Nadab and Abihu. I am sure God hears every prayer but only one kind of prayer is acceptable and is certain to be answered:
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
The altar of incense represents the prayers of the Saints and more specifically the intercessory prayers of Jesus Christ or SPEAKING IN TONGUES.
Psa 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Jesus Christ/The Holy Ghost is making intercessory prayers when we pray in tongues.
Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
God showed his acceptance of the ONLY proper sacrifice by sending down fire from heaven to devour the sacrifice. This fire was never allowed to go out and the coals from the fire were taken into the Holy Place to burn the sacred incense continually offered to God.
Lev 9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
The fire from the altar, located in the outer court, was then used to light the incense in the Holy Place.
Exo 30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
Exo 30:8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
God wants us to be continually praying. It would appear to be impossible to pray continually, and in the flesh it would be, but if we pray in tongues we can pray perfectly day and night. You can pray in tongues when you are working or playing. I believe fire specifically represents praying in tongues because fire appeared upon the heads of the people in the upper room during the Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit baptized them with evidence of speaking in tongues:
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
John the Baptist prophesied that the Messiah would baptize us in the Holy Ghost and with FIRE.
Luk 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Holy Ghost fire consumes the chaff in our life, we cannot defeat sin but Jesus Christ has already defeated sin and death and He wants to apply His victory to our life via speaking in tongues.
Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The more we fellowship with Jesus Christ by meditating on His Word, praying in tongues, and receiving revelation, the more the chaff in our lives will be burnt up by His presence.