In the beginning, God made man in His Own Image and Likeness. God gave man dominion over everything on the earth and God gave man the power to reproduce until they filled the earth to full capacity
Genesis 1 vs 27-28
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.
In other words, mankind was created to look like God, talk like God, walk like God and be like God in every way on the earth. Man was essentially God on Earth just as God was God in Heaven. In other words, God’s original plan was to extend His Heavenly Kingdom through man to the Earth. Every creature on earth respected man in the same way that every creature in Heaven respected God. That is why the first man Adam was called the Son of God (Luke 3 vs 38). In essence the plan of God was to reproduce Himself through man and give man an earth to rule.
God never intended for man to die. Neither was it in the original plan of God for man to die and go to Heaven. Man was not supposed to die at all! There was no dying in the beginning.
Mankind was supposed to live forever in a state of innocence, holiness and righteousness, governing the earth as God’s Sons and Daughters. God created the earth to be man’s domain of authority. Just as God was Sovereign King of Heaven so also was man supposed to be sovereign King of the Earth. The kingdom of Earth was the extension of the kingdom of Heaven and man was the ruler on earth. Man was never meant to rule in heaven but man was ordained to create their own Heaven on Earth.
Because God does not get sick so also man was not supposed to get sick, seeing that man was the image of God. God does not die so also man was not supposed to die.
Many people think that man’s population on Earth must be small. However, God’s original plan was for mankind to completely fill the earth until another earth was needed because the first earth was full. That’s why God created the universe with a countless number of suns (stars), planets, moons, solar systems and galaxies. God created many earths for mankind to travel to and colonize. If God did not want man to explore the universe, He would have just created one planet earth with one moon, revolving around one sun. However, we see that the original plan of God is for fruitfulness and multiplication, expansion and extension. God’s plan is for a limitless advancement of His Kingdom.
Genesis 3
Now the serpent or the devil was also there as a creature of God and he had a plan of his own. God had commanded man not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (religion) otherwise man would die in the day he ate it.
Genesis 2:17
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shall surely die
God had however given man the liberty to eat of every other tree in the garden. In essence as long as man obeyed that one commandment he would live forever. The devil knew this and the devil wanted to take away from man what God had freely given man and the only way he could do this was by getting the man to eat of the forbidden fruit.
Genesis 3 vs 4
And the serpent said unto the woman “You shall not surely die.”
The devil, who was under the authority of man, wanted to be the one in authority. The only way the devil could get this power was to deceive the woman so that she would eat and then give her husband to also eat. Now because God had told the man that they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit, the devil had to lie and convince them that they would not die as shown in the above scripture.
It is quite clear that the devil is the father of lies and the first lie caused mankind to die. The devil’s plan has never changed. The devil does not want mankind to live forever. When God says “do not and live” the devil will say “do, you will still live” so that when you choose not to believe God but to believe the devil you will die. When God however says “Believe and you shall live forever” the devil comes in and says, “Do not believe because you cannot live forever.”
The devil is known as the thief, the destroyer, the murderer, and the Father of lies, the deceiver. His plan is to keep you under his bondage through sin and fear of death.
(John 8 vs 44, John 10:10, Hebrews 2 vs 15).
All the evils of the world, i.e. sickness, poverty, war, depression, anxiety, fear, stress, are just weapons of the devil to destroy man so that at the end they die. This is the plan of the devil and mankind’s fall through disobedience to the Word of God allowed the devil to wreak havoc on the earth.
The Tree of Life is the most important tree in the Universe because when one eats of its fruit they will live forever. This is not something like the after-life or life when one goes into Heaven no. it is in fact physical immortality whereby your physical body ceases to die. In other words, the tree of life is that tree which gives a person eternal life. It is that tree which gives a person everlasting life.
Genesis 2 vs 9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden…
Genesis 3 vs 22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat and live forever
Genesis 3 vs 24
So he drove out the man and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life
As you can see if the man had eaten of the tree of life, he would have lived forever in that state of shame.
Just as we have seen the tree of life at the beginning of the Bible, so also, we shall see the tree of life at the end.
Revelations2 vs 7
…to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God
Revelations 22 vs 2
In the midst of the street of it and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life which bare 12 manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations
Revelations 22 vs 14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city
As you can see, the Tree of Life is only for those who overcome and those who do the commandments of God. In other words, eternal life, immortality or everlasting life is for the overcomers. There are commandments to be followed if one is to overcome. We shall talk of the commandments and how to be an overcomer later.
We also see that the Tree of Life is “in the midst of the Paradise of God”. This in essence means that the Tree of Life is the centre of focus. It is the most important part of Paradise. No doubt life is the most important thing in the world. So, eternal life is the most important thing in the visible and invisible universe.
We have seen that the Tree of Life is that tree of which if anyone eats of, they will live forever. It is therefore true that if there is a thing or person that can be “eaten” such that the person who has eaten it will live forever, then that thing or person is the Tree of Life.
Having said thus, we can begin our search for this Tree of Life. What or Who and Where is this Tree of Life? The answer is Jesus Christ.
John 3 vs16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
This verse shows us that Jesus the Son of God is connected to everlasting Life. Believing in Jesus means that one is closer to eternal life. But how close?
John 6 vs 51
I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he’ll live forever.
John 6 vs 58
This is the bread that came down from heaven, not the kind that your ancestors ate. They died, but the one who eats this bread will live forever.
Here Jesus is explicitly declaring that he Jesus is the Tree of Life because if anyone eats him, they will live forever, just like when one eats the Tree of Life. The key words are “live forever”. Remember in Genesis 3 if man had eaten the Tree of Life they would “live forever”.
Do not be fooled by the devil to think that this everlasting life is life after death no. it is that life which makes you to not die at all! This is shown by the following scriptures:
John 6 vs 50
This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that a person may eat it and not die.
John 11 vs 26
Indeed, everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe that?
John 6 vs 35
And Jesus said unto them, “I am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
John 6 vs 47-51
47Verily verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48I am that bread of life
49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead
50 this is the bread which cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world
From the above scriptures, we can see that Jesus is the bread of life. When he mentions his ‘flesh’ he is talking about the crucifixion on the cross where he was crucified and died. Jesus died so that the world, that is everyone may live. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for the world’s sins. Because of sin, man was condemned to death. However, Jesus Christ became the substitute for mankind.
Because of what happened on the cross, sickness, death, poverty, demons, pain, sorrow lost their right to afflict mankind.
The bread of life, Jesus, is for mankind to enjoy. When one believes in the bread of life, every day, they become more and more energised and they grow in strength and power. Bread is for every day. That is why we must pray saying
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6 vs 11)
It’s not just the physical bread we eat every day, it is the Bread of life, Jesus, our daily bread of life. It is an awesome thought that when you continuously eat the Bread of life, you will live forever. Jesus is no ordinary bread, he is the Bread of Life.
So far, we have simply spoken about the bread of life and the Tree of Life. But what does this really mean. What do we mean when we say eat the bread of life or eat the tree of life? The truth is that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. The Word of God is the Word of Life. So, Jesus is the Word of life.
John 1 vs 1
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God
John 1 vs 3-4
3 All things were made by Him and without him was not anything made that was made
4 in Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men
John 6 vs 63
It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh accomplishes nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.
1 John 1 vs 1-2
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life
2 for the life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us.
Matthew 4 vs 4
But he answered and said “It is written man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that departs out of the mouth of God.
As you can see, it is clear that what gives eternal life is the Word of God which is the Word of Life which is Jesus. When you hear that Word of God you are hearing the Word of Life. By believing and mixing the Word with faith then and only then will eternal life start to operate in your life. You see the Word of Life is meant to be read, heard, believed, spoken and done. Every Word of God must be done because the Word is one. The Words of Jesus are Spirit and are Life. So, eating the Bread of Life or the Tree of Life means eating the word, i.e. reading, memorising, hearing, believing, speaking and doing. What the Word says you must and can do, do; who He says you are, declare and what he says you have, possess.
John 1 vs 3-4
In Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men
John 1 vs 9
That was the true light, which lights every man that comes into the world
John 8 vs 12
Then spoke Jesus unto them saying. “I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.
What attracts man to God is the Life that Christ gives. When the sick get healed, the blind see, the deaf hear, the dumb speak in Jesus’ name, and it is because of the life of Christ that would have been imparted to them. When people see the life, they see the light.
Genesis 1 vs 3
And God said “Let there be Light”, and there was Light
Light is the key to life. The first thing that God created by His Word was Light. This is because without Light, there is no life. Plants need Light to photosynthesise and produce the food and oxygen that allow for all the other forms of life to exist. No light no life!
However, Jesus is the true Light. The true light gives eternal life. The true light is found in the Word of God Jesus. As we see in the verse below:
Psalm 119 vs 105
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Psalm 119 vs 130
The entrance of thy words gives light; it gives understanding unto the simple
2 Corinthians 4 vs 6
For God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ
Psalm 119 vs 130 gives us an understanding that the Light of Life gives understanding. In 2 Corinthians, we see that light is knowledge.
In essence the light of life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. We see this in the scripture below
John 17 vs 3
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent.
When a person comes to know God and Jesus Christ intimately, that is when they have eternal life.
There is no way of knowing someone intimately without the following
In essence knowing God intimately means
Following Jesus means that you will have the light of life that is in Jesus the Word of God.
You will
The above simply defines wisdom.
God’s revelation comes through the Light of Life. Every true revelation of God must add life to your spirit soul and body. It must energise and empower.
Now lack of knowledge of the Word means lack of life. The Word says in Hosea 4 vs 6:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4 vs 6)
When Jesus’ friend Lazarus died, Martha, Lazarus’ sister said what she thought about Jesus. She thought that Jesus was not able to raise Lazarus from the dead at that time but she thought that Lazarus would rise form the dead in a distant future.
John 11 vs 23 – 26
23Jesus said unto her, ‘Your brother shall live again”
24 Martha said unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day
25 Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live
26 And whosoever lives and believe in me shall never die, do you believe this?
As we can see here, Jesus was making a statement to say that you do not need to wait for a distant resurrection when you have Christ. Christ is the Resurrection, which means that if someone dies, they can be resurrected in the name of Jesus before their burial Just as Jesus went on to raise Lazarus from the dead who was now four days in the tomb (grave).
To make it more interesting Jesus says that he is the Life. In other words, when you have Jesus and you truly believe, you will never die! Never is a strong word. It simply means that whoever believes that Jesus is the life that will make them live forever, will live forever and not die at all.
John 14 vs 6
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth and the Life, no one cometh unto the Father but by me.
We see again in the above scripture that Jesus is the Life. Religion is the tool of the devil which keeps man from obtaining eternal life by saying that eternal life is life in Heaven after you die. The truth however is that when you truly believe in Jesus, eternal life is life on earth, which is lived according to the pattern of Heaven. In Ephesians, we see that when you are in Christ Jesus you are in Heavenly places
Ephesians 2 vs 6
And (God) has raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Do not be tricked by the Devil, Create your Heaven on earth by the Word of God.
John 7 vs 37-39
37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and shouted, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!
38 the one who believes in me, as the scripture has said, will have rivers of living water flowing from his heart.
39 (but this he spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 4 vs 10, 14
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Please give me a drink,’ you would have been the one to ask him, and he would have given you living water
14 but whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never become thirsty again. The water which I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life
Romans 8 vs 2
For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death
2 Corinthians 3 vs 6
But the Spirit gives life
Revelations 11 vs 11
And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet….
Revelations 22 vs 1, vs 17
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb
17 And the Spirit and the Bride say come, and let him that heareth say Come, and let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely
It is evident from the above scriptures that there is a river of water of life or river of living water which gives life. What is this River? It is the Spirit of life or the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit). In John Jesus says this water springs up into everlasting Life.
Galatians 6 vs 8
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting
As we can see eternal life is of the Spirit. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit work together. You cannot have eternal life without both. It is like eating bread without drinking water (or drink). You cannot live without water as much as you cannot live without food. This is the Truth.
When the Holy Ghost was given in Acts 2, the disciples began to speak in tongues. When the Holy Ghost was given to the Gentiles in Acts 10, they also began to speak in tongues. In other Words, speaking in tongues is the evidence of receiving the Holy Ghost.
He that speaks in an unknown tongue builds himself up, he that prophesies builds up the Church (2 Corinthians 14:3)
The Spirit of life is the Spirit of Prophecy because He builds up the Church. Where there is life there is growth, fruitfulness, increase and expansion. No life no growth.
The foundation of the Church is on the Apostles and Prophets
Ephesians 2 vs 20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
Apostles and Prophets establish the Word and the Holy Ghost. Not to say that pastors, teachers and evangelists do not, but Apostles and Prophets operate in a higher office.
The current of the river of life flows in paths of least resistance. In other words, one needs to humble themselves and thirst for the Spirit to flow. Whatever the Spirit Says is what the person does. One must be willing to follow and be led by the Spirit. That is how the Spirit of life operates in one’s life. If you are obedient to the voice of the Spirit who speaks through the Word, then the Spirit of life will operate.
Remember there is no river that flows upwards. Rivers flow downwards. This means that the river of life flows down from the Head Jesus, to the Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists down to the Church. This book is an Apostolic book because it carries an Apostolic message. It reveals Jesus’ Apostolic assignment which is shown in John 10 vs 10 which is to give life and to give it in abundance.
John 10 vs 10
The thief comes not but to steal, kill, and destroy, but I’ve come that they may have life and have it abundantly.
What is faith?
Hebrews 11 vs 1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It is necessary to know what you hope for. What you hope for from God must be what God promised to give you, otherwise you have no basis to hope for what God has not promised. So, what is the believer’s hope or what has God promised so that we can be firm on our faith.
Titus 1 vs 2
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began
Titus 3 vs 7
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life
It is clear here that God promised eternal life and that is our hope. Our faith stands therefore on this promise of eternal life. To have faith is to believe. As we have already seen, God gave us his only begotten Son Jesus so that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3 vs 16). We have also seen that whoever believes in Christ, rivers of life giving water will flow from his belly (heart). Faith is the key to everlasting life.
1 Timothy 6 vs 12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed a good profession before many witnesses.
As you can see, we are called to eternal life. This life (Zoe) is able to heal the sick, to open blind eyes, and make the deaf and dumb hear and speak. It is able to make a person whole again. This life is able to raise the dead.
John 6 vs 40
And this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which see the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day
John 6 vs 47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
If you have faith in Christ, you have everlasting life!
Revelations 22 vs 14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city
John 12 vs 50
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting…
Here we see that God’s commandment is life everlasting. In other words, his commandment carries everlasting life. Whatever God tells you to do, it is so that you may have life.
So, what is this commandment?
John 15 vs 12
This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you
As you can see, the commandment is very simple; it is love.
1 John 3 vs 14 vs 22-23
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.
22 and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight
23 And this is his command