Friday, May 27, 2011

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death by Dora Van Assen

HAVING OUR PART IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION

"Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath not power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."  Rev. 20:6

Before we discuss this text before us, let me draw your attention to Rev. 1:1:  "The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto "Him!".  (This "Him" is Jesus.)  God was unveiling unto Jesus His coming ministry in the believers as Christ and Lord.  Acts 2:36.  "And He (God) sent and signified it by His (God's) angel unto His servant John."  Rev. 1:1

The word "signified", means to reveal by using symbols.  In other words, this bok is to be discerned in the Spirit.  It cannot be taken literally.  The Book of Revelatin is not unveiling future events in the natural realm, but it is ttelling us about the ministry of Christ in and as us.  That He is the Head of the Body of Christ.  God "gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all."  Eph. 1:23

And gives Him as Head over all, to the ecclesia which is his body, the complement of the One completing the all in all."  Eph. 1:23 LCNT

Complement means:  that which fills up, completes or makes perfect.  Christ is our INNER MAN, being resurrected or awakened to our true identity and relationship to our Father!  We are the Sons of God being manifested to Creation.  Jesus was the first manifested Son of God.  He was manifested to Israel, though He looked like everybody else.

John said:  "I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel."  John 1:31.  Jesus was manifested as the Son of God in a natural flesh body as a man.  We are all so unnatural, (living in a false imaginary world) that what Jesus did naturally seems supernatural to us.

I am so glad that God is awakening us to realize the difference between Jesus and the Christ or The Anointing.  When Jesus died on the Cross, The Anointing of God did not die.  "For God was in Christ (The Anointing) reconciling the world unto Himself."  2 Cor. 5:19.

Now let us turn to our original text found in Revelation 20:6.  What does it mean to have PART in the FIRST RESURRECTION?  The Father is quickening some other scriptures to us as we wait in His Presence for the spiritual understanding to this long misunderstood verse.

THERE IS ONLY ONE RESURRECTION

It can be likened unto the the reaping of one harvest of which Jesus Christ is The Head.  "but now is Christ risen from the dead, and became the FIRST-FRUITS of them that slept...."For as in Adam all die, even so, in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.  Then cometh the end (of the harvest)."  1 Cor. 15:20-24. 

I added (of the harvest) because it is talking about a Firstfruits of a seed.  The FIRSTFRUITS of a field of wheat is the sign or pre-representative of all the wheat growing in the field.

So Jesus is the Representative Son of all mankind.  That is why He called Himself the Son of Man over and over again.  Even as the Sprit of God raised the First Son of man, Jesus, from the dead, even so, He will raise up all mankind in their own order and time.  Jesus is the first man ever raised from the dead. [my comment: the 1st raised from the dead into The New Creation Man, the New Species Man]

"The Firstfruits of them that slept"  1 Cor. 15:20.  "The First born of the dead."  Col. 1:18.  "Christ cannot die anymore."  Rom. 6:9.  DEATH HAS NO MORE DOMINION OVER HIM.   Rom. 6:9.  GOD RAISED HIM UP FROM THE DEAD NOW NO MORE TO RETURN TO CORRUPTION."  Acts 13:34.  "THOU SHAL NOT SUFFER (ALLOW) THINE HOLY ONE TO SEE CORRUPTION."  Acts 13:35. 

Jesus did not see (dissolve into complete corruption) because God rasised Him up on the thrid day.  Lazarus was stinking because he was in the grave four days.  His body had begun to decay.  Though LAZARUS was raised so miraculously by Jesus, he died again.  Can we say he died twice and must therefore be raised twice??  No!  It is appointed unto man once to die; then comes the judging (setting things in order), that a rightous judgement can be made. Heb.9:27

I see only one Resurrection and One Death.  The "clinically dead" will all die again.  For we must all be changed. - Metamorphosed either by way of the grave or by still being alive when that time comes in God's plan of the ages.  God must follow His own blueprint!  1 Cor. 15:51-58

Eternal Life is the Gift of God.  We cannot earn it.  "The wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Rom. 6:23  See John 17:2-3.  As He has power over all flesh, Christ gives Eternal Life to all men.  How?  By living His life in and through and as all mankind.  Christ is our Life!

THE SECOND DEATH

Turn again to Revelation 20:6.  "On such the second death hath no power."

What is this Second Death?  Is it a warning to sinners or backsliders?  Or is it the work of the Christ, The Holy Spirit, as fire purifying the soul and mind from all false ideas and conceptions of God? - the false grandiose personations of ourselves or going to the other extreme presenting a false humility.  Being pitiful and weak and self-denying.  LETTING THE CHRIST MIND, which we already possess, operate in us will bring us into a true balance of knowing ourselves:  Who we are in Christ.  Phil. 2:5

The Second Death is only mentioned four times in the scriptures and it is always found in connection with believers.  And all are found in Revelation.

Rev. 2:11 - "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

Rev. 20:6 - "He that hath part in the first resurrction on such the second death hath no power."

Rev. 20:14 - " Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.

Rev. 21:8 - "And all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which
                   is the second death."

In these verses we will notice that Rev. 2:11, 20:6, are referring directly to believers who overcome.  Christ is THE OVERCOMER.  We overcome ourself or ego in Him, by recognizing our identity I AM in THE CHRIST I AM.  We are awakened by the Spirit in us to this trueself who we really are!  I AM A SON OF GOD.  I AM born of the Spirit out of God.  His very offspring.  I AM A LIVING SPIRIT.  I AM MANIFESTING GOD.  Without BOTH SPIRIT AND MAN there is no MAN-I-FESTATION.  Spirit alone cannot be seen or is not manifest.  MATTER alone cannot express SPIRIT-GOD.  It takes both SPIRIT-GOD AND MATTER INTEGRATED TOGETHER IN A UNION OF ONE.

"Great is the mystery of GODLINESS:  God manifested in the flesh, JUSTIFIED IN SPIRIT....PREACHED UNTO THE GENTILES."  I Tim. 3:16

When did Jesus preach to the Gentiles?  He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.  It is the Body of Christ IN FLESH today who are preaching to the nations.

THE FRIENDLY FOE

GODLINESS MEANS:  LIKE GOD.  Godliness is being worked in us by the SECOND DEATH.  The Lake of Fire is The Holy Ghost Fire within us, bringing death to our Self-life.  God is Consuming Fire, Heb. 12:29, consuming all our dross into Himself.  He does this as He dwells in us.  Our body is the Temple of God.

He walks and talks in and through us, as He is gradually changing (metamorphosing) us unto GOD-LIKENESS - HIS RIGHT-NESS.  The outer man, (old man) is perishing (dying-changing) as the Inner Man (New Man) is renewed day by day.  A process.  The New Man is Christ in You!  2 cor. 4:16.  Out of the outer man and the Inner Man, God is making One New Man!  Like, out of Jew and Gentile God made One New Man.  OUT OF TWAIN GOD MADE ONE MAN.  Eph. 2:15

Let me give an example:  a husband and wife do not become one flesh just because they are united in wedlock.  Only as they reproduce themselves in their child do they become ONE FLESH.  This took a death!  NO LONGER BEING just husband and wife.  Now they are Mother and Father and Son and family.  Dying to self is really a friendly foe.  In type the Mothers and Son (carrying His Father's seed) go through the channel of death to come forth into Life.  So we died with Jesus, the Christ on the Cross and were raised with Him in Resurrection.

We are having our "part" in the FIRST Resurrection.  Now!  "Christ in you," is proof that we are in His resurrection.  Paul said:  "That I may know Him in the power of His Resurrection."  Phil. 3:10.  We know Him is His suffering and being made conformable to His death.  Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ."  He did not mean on the Literal Cross, but a spiritual Cross in himself. - crossing out every thing unlike God.  Only God to be left.  The New Inner Man needs to be RE-NEWED DAILY.  Like Paul, "to die daily" IS to be "quickened" daily.

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death - Part 2

by Dora Van Assen

WHAT IS DEATH?

Jesus said, "Lazarus sleepeth."  When the disciples said "If he sleeps he shall do well".  Jesus realized they did not understand Him, so He said plainly, "Lazarus is dead."  John 11:4-13. 

In this discussion, I am realizing that Jesus had a different understanding of death than that of His disciples.  He said, "I must go and awaken Lazarus out of sleep".  And all He said to him was "Lazarus come forth."  The SPIRIT had never left.  Where could it go?  It is everywhere at the same time.  There is no time or space or death in Spirit, and we are Spiritual Beings.  In Spirit all is already finished perfectly.  Heb. 4:3.  Jesus said, "Follow Me, let the dead bury their dead."  Matt. 8:22.  To Jesus death was a lack of understanding of who He really was and a lack of understanding of what it was to be His disciple.  A disciple of Jesus is one who has "Come out from among the dead."  Matt. 8: 19-21. 

There is no turning back.  It's impossible!  You are being born of an INCORRUPTABLE SEED.  This Seed cannot die.  1 Pet. 1:23.  It is the Seed of Christ and we are IN that Seed.  The outside shell may be perishing, but THE I AM that I AM inside has no end!  The life I am living in the flesh has no end, for I am living by THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST.  His FAITH shall not fail, for He loves me and gives Himself to me.  Gal. 2:20.  A gracious gift of life, unspeakable and full of glory.

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE - A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING

Now let us examine the scriptures stating that "Death and hell are cast into the lake of fire.  This is the Second Death." Rev.  20:14

To arrive at the true understanding of this verse, we must first find the setting around this scripture or the context.  It is between Revelation 20:11 to Revelation 20: 15.  Here we find that the earth and heaven are fled away from the face of Him sitting on a Great White Throne, "and there was no place for them."  If this is literal, where did they go?  This a spiritual awakening, coming into a new consciousness.  The old has passed away never to return.  DUST returns to dust.  But we see all things new.  Rev. 21:1, 4-5.  SPIRITUALIZED - MATERIALIZED MAN!  "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God."  If this is a literal resurrection of all the dead small and great, who will care for the babies, premature and aborted?  And how will it be done without a heaven and earth on which to stand?

This is a Spiritual awaakening in our spirit-soul-mind realm.  This is not some future event called: the Judgemnet Day.  This is Christ Jesus awakening His Body to a new consciousness in God.  We are THE BOOKS opened up and examined now - living epistles seen and read of all men.  The Seals are being removed from our subconscious mind.  We are beginning to remember our Father, how we were always His delight; there has never been a separation. Prov. 8:30.  "and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."  Rev. 20:12

THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST - Rom. 14:10

This judgement is taking place now in our daily lives.  Christ Jesus is cleansing His Temple by the Holy Ghost and fire separationg the wheat from the chaff.  The chaff is our humanity or fleshly desire.  This fire will not be quenched till the outer worldly life is completely dissolved into the Inner Man.  Matt. 3:11-12.  The Judgement Seat of Christ is a footstool judgement.  It was once held out in the open street where the common people could gather and settle their differences. Now it is called: The People's Court on T.V.  It is a judgement concerning our daily walk among our fellowman.  Read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.  "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: But he himself shall be saved: yet so as by FIRE.

Christ is seated within us judging our talk and walk, not to condemn but to bring us into life and truth and victory over the "death and hell" within our own carnal minds.  Our soulish mind is a grave of old memories, filled with old habits and traditions; useless regrets, imaginary and unforgiven offences, hurts and slights, that bring nothing but self inflicted misery.  These are all "dead man's bones."  Praise God!  The "Bottomless Pit" in us is being opened and our false evil thoughts stored in the Computer of our minds is being reprogrammed by The Christ of of and light and truth.  The Inner Man re-newed day by day.  The law of Christ; the law of love: the law of faith written in our hearts and mind.  Thank God for this judgement unto life!

THE SEA MEANS THE RESTLESS MIND

"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it."  Rev. 20:13

The Sea is a symbol of humanity, running to and fro, always seeking for something better outside of himself.  Never finding the peace and safety of Christ in himself.  Double-minded and unstable in all his ways.  Only when he is awakened to his true self, even the Christ within, will he come into the rest of God.  Only when the sea (the carnal mind, which is death) gives up trying to live for Jesus, and lets the mind of Christ already in him live His life through him will he come into true balance and peace.  Paul said, "For me to be living is Christ, and to be dying is gain.  Phil. 1:21 LCNT

DEATH AND HELL DEFINED

" And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them."  Rev. 20:13

In the margin of my bible, HELL is rendered Hades or grave.  In the LCNT (Concordant Literal translation) we read the UNSEEN.  Actually HELL is not only unseen but imperceptible.  We do not understand it in our natural mind.  It must be revealed to us in the spirit.  This is the work of Christ of the Holy Spirit in us.  He will guide us into all truths not error!  We can trust Him!  The truth is written within our own heart and mind.  Its been covered over by the rubbish of men's beliefs and doctrines.  It is time for the SEALS to be removed and the truth declared to a groaning creation lying in the fear of the unknown.  One thing is sure, God is a God of love and mercy.  He will never torment His own creation, which is an extension of His SPIRIT-SELF in flesh.  His offspring, meaning race or all mankind.  He would be torturing or annihilating part of His own body.  Too long our loving Father has been characterized as a cruel unforgiving monster by Christianity.  This has been done in ignorance, due to mistranslations of the original scriptures and the imagination of our own mind.  This is seen in the drawings and carvings of so-called famous artists and sculptors during the dark ages.  Even in this very day, imaginary false ideas of God are preached over T.V. and over pulpits, in such a way that they form the wrong conception in the minds of those who listen to such ignorance.  People's minds are still being held in bondage by the clever maneuverings of the clergy.  Be thankful for the day of enlightenment.  We can know God for ourself.  God's Spirit is moving anew in the hearts and minds of His creation.  Man is coming to a new realization of God living IN HIMSELF.  Christ in YOU the hope of Glory!

LAKE OF FIRE, IS THE SECOND DEATH

Not only does death and hell give up the dead in it, but DEATH AND HELL are cast into the lake of fire.  This the Second Death.  We have already found out that the Second Death is not our enemy.  Instead it is really our Friendly Foe.  It is God's Purifying Fire.  Burning up our dross, changing it into PURE GOLD, which represents His Divine Nature.  God is Consuming Fire.  Consuming all that is unlike God; only God is left!

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death - Part 3

by Dora Van Assen

GOD THE GREAT TRANSFORMER - Mal. 3:1-3  & Heb. 12:29

Let me give an illustration:  Even natural fire consumes or changes everything.  Whatever we put in the fire, like paper, wood or coal, turns into flames of fire, even iron changes into steel by fire.  And, yes, when steel is held in the fire long enough, it begins to flame red hot.  All these things become fire, then they chnage, returning back into their original elements, especially kerosene, gasoline and oil, etc.  Praise God, He is The Great Consumer, metamorphosing all unto Himself.  Nothing is lost or wasted.  Rom. 11:36.

He makes His ministers flames of fire. God's word spoken in and through them are flames of fire, penetrating into the hardest heart and darkened mind.  He is opening the subconscious causing man to remember his true identity.  Who he is and was and always shall be.  The work of the Holy Spirit bringing all to our remembrance.  Another meaning of mind is grave or place of remembrance.  Too long we have kept our departed loved ones in a grave in the dust.  Tjis is an illusion.  They are not there, beloved!  They fell asleep IN CHIRST, and Christ is not a literal grave, unless you do not know Him in an intimate union of love, pressed together in one (mind, soul, spirit) engulfed IN AND AS one spiritualized form, called the Inner Man, and that you are holding Him in a prison within your own self.  Listen, He is knowing inside of you to let Him out.  Let Him manifest Himself in and through you.  Too long we have not discerned The Lord's Body.  That is why we are weak, sickly, dying, because we have not recognized that we are the Lord's Body.

I thank you Father for my Friendly Foe (The Second Death) which is making me conscious of your inward dealing and workings within my Inner Man.  A daily renewing as my outer man (flesh body) is burned up, becoming ashes.  This is taking place right now in my daily dying and renewing; an ongoing process.  The seen OUTER MAN being swallowed up by the Unseen INNER MAN.  The mortal functions decreasing while the invisible IMMORTAL SPIRITUAL INNER MAN increases.  SPIRIT becomes MATERIALIZED-SPIRIT and material becomes SPIRITUALIZED-MATERIAL.  God used both the Outer and the Inner Man.  Death is destroying death - The carnal mind which IS death.  We are being "delivered from the bondage of the fear of death!"  Fear hath torment.  Hebrews 2:15, compare with 1 John 4:18.

The quicker we let go and accept the processing of God, dying to all these outer natural things; even to our own visible body which is temporal, the quicker our own pain and suffering will cease by the discovery ofour real life within.  Joy unspeakable and full of glory!  "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Blessed are the dead which die IN THE LORD from henceforth."  Rev. 14:13  This only takes place when Christ Jesus is Lord of my life; in full control of both Inner and Outer Man, preserving Spirit, Soul and Body.  1Thess. 5:23.  "Unto the coming (entering in and arising) of the Lord."  "Arise, shine: for thy light IS come, and the glory of the Lord IS risen upon thee. Isa. 60:1.  Like an artesian well springing up, overflowing you.

THE OPENING OF THE BOOKS

Now let us consider Revelation 15:14, where we read:  "And whosoever was not found written in The Bood of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire."

We see in verse 12, "the Books were opened: and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life."  There is a distinction made between The Books and The Book of Life.  God has given Christ to be the HEAD over all things to the church, which IS HIS BODY.  Eph. 1:23.  So we see Christ as our Head, as we are the Body of Christ.  Christ, The Head - The Book of Life, did not need to be opened.  he was oopened and JUDGED before all creation; heaven, earth, and under the earth.  All His natural ministry was an open book, nothing hid, nothing of self.  He always pointed towards His Father and directed the attention of all people towards His Father, not unto Himself.  "Of myself I can do nothing.  I can only do what I see my Father do, and say what I hear my Father say.  These works are not my works, they are the works of my Father."  He lived a life of self denial.  He died daily, tasting death for every man.

He died completely to Himself in the Garden as He prayed, "Father let this cup (lot) pass from me, nevertheless not my will but thine be done!  He was not praying for God to lighten the burden of the whole world resting on Him or to keep Himself from going to the cross.  He said, "For this cause came I unto the world."  He cried out, "NEVER-THE-LESS."  No matter what I have to go through, please don't give me anything less because I am human.  "I want your will to be done!, even if I die here.  GOD heard His cry!  An angel appeared unto Him to help Him!!  He was under such pressure, He became sore amazed and to be very heavy.  He said unto His disciples, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death."  Mark 14:34-35.  He began to pray in such agony that His sweat became drops of blood.  Luke 22:43-44. 

There is a record of two soldiersin World War 2 who were under fire so long that their hearts broke due to the fatigue and pressure.  When they were found, they were sweating blood.  They both died of a ruptured hearat.  Jesus swear blood when His heart broke with the load of sorrow for all men.  He did not die!  An angel appeared to strengthen Him.  Christ, The Lamb of God, was ordained before time began to be the Saviour of the World.  He was destined to die on a tree to redeem us from the Curse of the law.  "Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree."  God's will was done!

Jesus did not take "the less" to save Himself from pain and sorrow.  He attained unto the "greater" to become the FIRST-FRUITS of The New Creation Man.  CHRIST, Head of the Body of Christ.  CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD: manifested in and through all creation.

WHOSOEVER OR WHATSOEVER

Now back again to Revelations 20:15.  Let us consider the word, 'whosoever'.  In searching for the true meaning of this scripture, I found that the words 'whosoever' and 'whatsoever' aare used interchangeably.  They both are used for the words, WHO, WHICH, WHAT, THAT, ONE, MASCULINE, FEMININE, NEUTER and IT.  The subject in the sentence clarifies it.  The subject in Revelations 20:15 is speaking of DEATH and HELL - not the people in it.  For death and hell gave up the "dead" that were in it.  THEY ARE THE GREAT AND SMALL STANDING BEFORE THE WHITE THRONE.  THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN JUDGED.  Only the things that caused "Death and Hell" are left to be cast into the lake of fire.  Such things as disease, germs, bacteria, worms and whatsoever destroys the body.  Also all negative thougths, such as fears, regrets, remorse, (the worm that dieth not)  and whatsoever other things that casue pain and sorrow.  These are the things that cause pain and sorrow.  These are the things cast into the lake of fire, which is God's consuming process; purifying and changing all back into Himself through Christ.  Rom. 11:36, Eph. 1:10, Col. 2:8, 11, 15.  Jesus put off - STRIPPED HIMSELF, or SHOOK THE CORRUPTIBLE DUST OFF His body when He AROSE FROM THE GRAVE.

Now we are coming to our last reference on the purpose of The Second Death.  Rev. 21:7-8.  "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son.  But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers, and sorcerers and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.  This is the Second Death."

These scriptures must be taken together.  They are connected with the conjunction - BUT.  It is written to the same company of people.  Those who overcome and those who do not overcome.  The overcomer shall be a SON, who inherits all things.  The non-overcomer will continue to have judement or correction until he also overcomes: that is, he is delivered by the purifying fire of Christ.  The Holy Spirit of God, DWELLING WITHIN, from all inward lying sorceries that worketh abominations before God.  These all stem forth from fear and UNBELIEF.  "As a man thinks in his heart so is he."  Oh, we cry out, "No! that's not me!  I would never do such horrible things!  This is speaking of unbelievers and ungodly men who know not God!"  That is right!  We are ungodly unbelievers until we come to ourself, like the ProdigaL Son in the pig pen of his own carnal mind.  When he came to himself, immediately he RECOGNIZED his Father, who He was, and his own relationship to Him as His Son.  Immediately all fear and doubt was taken away; DISAPPEARED as darkness before the NOON DAY SUN.  He knew there was no separation.  He was his Father's Son all the time he was living it up in his mistaken identity.  When we know God, then our ungodliness turns into GODLINESS.

This is a White Throne Judgement dealing with our inner thought and motives, not our outward appearances or expressions.  This White Throne speaks of purity of SPIRIT IN mind, soul, and body.

We are so lacking in love and trust, we have little confidence in God or in our neighbor, we lock everthing up around us.  We live in prison houses of our own making, afraid to come out into the sunlight of His loving faithfulness, afraid to enter into that secret room hidden deep in our heart that nobody knows but God.  So we won't let anyone in - not even Christ.  Praise God!  Christ is already in us, opening that locked door, awakening our consciousness so we may be aware of these ungodly thoughts so that they can come to the Light to be judged unto Life and Righteousness - IN HIM.  "He will not crush a bruised reed or quench smoking flax until He has brought judgement into truth."  Matt. 12:20, Isa. 42:3-4.  He won't stop or leave until, we stand righteous in Him before God.

This Second Death judgement is laying the ax to the root of the tree.  The root is not only hidden, but is the very seed and substance of The Tree of Good and Evil.  This double minded state where we cannot come to any decision due to lack of confidence in ourself, brings worry and anxiety.  It causes sleepless nights, tossing to and fro - no rest for mind or body.  No matter where we go we cannot hide from ourself.  Our own heart is the greatest deceiver.  All lying is sorcery, stubborness is I-dolatry.  These lying vanities and false pretenses we put on before the public in reality only reveal our inner nakedness before God..  Try as we will, we cannot hide our shame until we allow Christ to open up our inner being showing us our true self.  So every imagination of our heart must be exposed to HIS LIGHT, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against God, and bringing every thought into the obedience of Christ.  Allow Christ to do this!  Cooperate by accepting His chastisement.  "When we judge ourselves we shall not be judged."  1 Cor. 11:31.  But if we do not judge ourselves, then He will judge us.  This is taking our "Part" in the lake of fire, which is the Second Death, a death TO our SELF-LIFE.  Christ is in my heart and in your heart right now, sitting as a refiner and PURIFIER of silver and gold.  He will not be satisfied until He sees His own face reflected in our face.  Only then can we offer a sacrifice of praise unto our Lord.  Mal. 31-3, Heb. 13:15.

Now I want to turn your attention to the phrase:  "and all liars shall have "THEIR PART" in the lake which burneth with fire and brinmstone."  BRIMSTONE IS SULPHUR - USED AS A PURIFIER AND PRESERVING AGENT.  In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #3313, I found this word, "part" defined in Greek as: To get a section or allotment; division, share.  Literally, it can mean coast, course, piece, portion, some sort or who what sort.  Bro. William Branham, in his book The Seven Church Ages, translated this word; "Time".  All liars shall have their TIME in the Lake - not forever.  Surely the word, 'part' or 'portion' also suggest this to our understanding.  It's only a piece - not the whole pie!

When we are judged according to our works, we will all need different kinds of correction - some will have many stripes and some will only have a few stripes.  It is in accordance to how long it takes for us to let go our own will, coming willingly into harmony with the will of God.  We ourself decide to lay down our soul-life.  If we try to keep our soul we will lose it.  If we lose our soul we will find it in Him.

"He who is fond of his soul is destroying it, and he who is hating his soul in this world, shall be guarding it for life eonian.  John 12:25 LCNT

I am learning, the quicker I settle down, resolving in my own mind to accept any adjustment or align my will to His perfect will, all the hurt is gone.  Hurt changed to gladness, sorrow into joy, loss into gain, death into life.  My own resistance caused all the pain and turmoil in my heart.  The instant I let go, I am free.

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death - Part 4

by Dora Van Assen

"BLESSED AND HOLY IS HE THAT HATH "PART" IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION"
Rev. 20:6

As the body of Christ we are experiencing our PART in the Resurrection now, this very day.  Every time we are quickened- made alive, in the life of Christ within we are being raised in Him.  God gave Christ to be the Head of the Body to live His life in and through us.  Eph. 1:23.  As our Head, He is in our mind, leading and directing our thoughts and words, spoken in His Faith through our lips of clay.  "What saith it?"  We do not need to bring Christ down out of heaven, neither do we dig Him up out of hell; but the word (annointed Christ), is nigh thee even in thy mouth, the Word of Faith that you speak.  Rom. 10:6-8.  We are His visible expression in the earth.

IN partaking of His Resurrection, we are also partaking of the Second Death, at the same time-simultaneously: dying and rising daily.  Life swallows up death.  Mortal puts on immortal.  This is done from within - not from without.  Jesus brought life and immortality to Light iin our understanding.  2 Tim. 1:10.

God is giving me a new understanding of immortality.  Mortal means the VISIBLE dying body.  Immortal means the Invisible, Un-dying Body.  This is the invisible, incorruptible Seed of Christ by which we are BEING BORN AGAIN, by the Word of God.  1 Pet. 1:22-23.  Incorruptible is the same word as immortality in the Greek language.  See Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #861 and #110.

Jesus Christ already has immortality.  In fact, "He is the only one who has immortality, dwelling in a LIGHT that no one has seen nor can see."  1 Tim. 6:16.  He is invisible to the human eye.  "He is the King Eternal, Invisible, Immortal, the only wise God;" (1 Tim. 1:17) in that He is both fully God and fully  man.  The Head of the New Creation Man.  Jesus is the first finished man.  He was received up into Glory, made both Lord and Christ.  Now He is planting His incorruptible Seed of Life in every man.  "the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world," by His resurrected Life.  The power of His Resurrection will continue to work in humanity until all shall know Him from the least to the greatest.  They shall not say:  "Know the Lord!", for all shall KNOW HIM and to know HIM IS LIFE ETERNAL.

OUR HOUSE IN OUR HEAVENS ( Spiritual Mind)

his Seed now impregnated in us "IS OUR HOUSE, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS" -Spirit-Mind Realm. 2 Cor. 5:1 and 2 Cor. 4:7.  This Seed is the mind of Christ.  "Christ in you our hope of glory."  This Christ-Mind in our SPIRIT-SOUL-MIND is being continually clothed anew as we are changed from glory to glory into His very same image.  2 Cor. 3:18.  "BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND."  Rom. 12:2.  "BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF YOUR MIND."  ePH. 4:22.  "LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS." Phil. 2:5.

Let the Christ-Mind work in and through you.  Let Him think His thoughts through your thoughts; becoming One Thought, spoken through your lips - The Word of Life, not death.  The power of death is in the tongue.  Therefore align your mind with the mind of God.  When we realize  we are pregnant in the natural realm, we immediately accept it and begin to work in harmony with it; even so when we awake to the Christ-Mind, impregnated within OUR MIND as an incorruptible Seed.  We must accept it, yield our mind to His Mind.  Our will and emotions are in our mind.  We surrender them to His working in us.  This INNER surrendering completely unto Him is harder than all the outward works we ever did for Jesus.  It means dying to the old selfish-mind and putting on our Self-less mind of Christ. "Not I but Christ!"  These are the good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.  Compare Gal. 2:20 with Eph. 2:10.

WE ARE BEING TRANSFORMED DAILY

Our Inner Man is continually changing clothes so "we shall not be found naked."  If our earthly house, covering our Inner Tabernace, is dissolved, we still have a building of God, a house eternal in the heavens.  2 Cor. 5:1.  This house is the Incorruptible Seed of Christ - it cannot be dissolved or go back to dust.  THE EARTHEN VESSEL that contains the TREASURE always remains.  "It is the excellency of the power of God."  2 Cor. 4:6,7.  "All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in the "Christ"-mind."  Col 2:3.

Like the young boy, Samuel, we ned a new inner coat each year to cover our developing and awakening Christ-mind or consciousness.  His mother made him a new couat as he grew in wisdom and stature.  Stature does not mean only bodily height, but it also means a quality or status gaianed by growth, development or achievement.  As his mother saw only his gowth in height, Eli, the High Priest, saw his spiritual gowth in wisdom and stature, accepting The Word of God coming out of his mouth.

Our Mother, The Comforter, is knitting us a new garment to cover and fit our ever increasing and changing Inner Man, in (spirit-soul-mind realm) as our outer man is also changing and decreasing in appearance, shrinking in size - becoming more feeble in mind and body.  The natural man in all his achievement and worldy gain sooon fades away in the annals of time, and his place "under the sun" is remembered no more.  But the GARMENT covering the Spiritual man is RE-newed daily, till it springs up like an artesian well, over-flowing and covering the outer man completely.  Integrating and absorbing each other, forming One New Man.  The New Creation Man - The Very Image of God, a corporate expression of God's love reaching out to all creation.  This corporate expresion of God, are the Sons of God's love.  They love not only the church, Head and Body, but they love all creation with the pure love of God.  Only when we truly love ourself can we truly love all men as God does.  All creation is crying out for this true love.  Heaven and Earth and under the Earth is waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God.

THE MAN-I-FESTATION OR UNVEILING
Romans 8:19-23

In this scripture we read that the whole creation is waiting in EXPECTATION for the Manifestation of the Sons of God.  The Literal Concordant Translation renders this word, 'expectation' as PREMONITION: which means an anticipation of an event without conscious reason.  It's like a woman who begins to clean her house and prepare an extra large dinner, she does not really know why, until unexpected company arrives just at dinner time!  All creation has this "sense" in the depth of his being.  He may not know why, but all men have a hope or expectation for something better to happen.  This is a God-given urge to improve himself and his surroundings.  Only he is looking in the wrong place.  He cannot be satisfied with outward things.  Only God, already in us can fill that need.

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death - Part 5

by Dora Van Assen

THE TRAVAILING CREATION

When God lowered creation into vanity (uselessness), He did it in hope.  He gave man a hope.  Without hope we would go crazy- even God!  God has a hope or expectation for creation.  It is His plan to bring creation through this subjecting experience until all is pure even as He is pure.  All is of God, all is going through God's filter; like coffee in a Mr. Coffe maker, until nothing is left but God!  God has faith in His own creation.!!

It is this hope that is causing all creation to travail together in birth pangs for deliverance.  "For we are aware that the entire creation is groaning and travailing together until now."  Rom. 8:22 LCNT.  It is now that we are realizing that all creation is one unit, so closely knit and entertwined it cannot be divided.  We are all part of each other - The Great Body of God, "all live and move and have their being in God."  Acts 17:28

Dear Ones, "We ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit, are groaning in ourselves, awaiting our SONSHIP, the deliverance of our body."  Rom. 8:23 LCNT  The King James Version uses the word "adoption", which means in the Greek, the placing of a Son in a place of authority in the household and the business of his father.  He was always a son but now he becomes a manifestation his his father in the community.  He represents his father as a grown-up person.  We are "groaning inwardly as we wait for the redemption of our bodies (from sensuality and the grave), which will reveal our adoption (our manifestation as God's sons)"  Rom. 8:23 AMP  This is what all creation is waiting for, that they too may be delivered.  "For to expectation were we saved."  Rom. 8:24 LCNT  "For in (this) hope were we saved. Rom 8: 24 AMP

In this scripture, in its true translation, Christ is awakening in my heart and mind that God Himself placed this EXPECTATION and desire in me to be a SON, MANIFESTED to all creation.  That He is groaning in and through me, and we are all groaning together.  "I do not know what I should pray for as I ought, but the SPIRIT itself maketh intercession for me in groaning that cannot be uttered.  Rom. 8:26-27.  It is becoming a burning desire not only to save myself, but to save all who hear and SEE ME.  To see Him is to be like Him.  When others hear and see Christ in me, they too will desire Him.  This is not my words or my work, it is the work of Christ in me.  "Look well to youself (to your own personality) and to your teaching: presevere in these things - hold to them. for by so dong you will save yourself and those who hear you.  1 Tim. 4:16  We are called to be saviors!

My life is hid with Christ in God, and when Christ, who is my true life appears, I shall appear with Him in glory; One New Man, having all His power and attributes, radiating out to all humanity.  This is taking place now.  It's written: We are groaning for its release.

THIS IS THE ORDER (1Cor. 15:20-24)

1.  "Christ the First Fruits" - The Head

2.  Then "those who are Christ's at His coming" not from heaven above, but from within; awakening our mind to His presence, making us One New Mind - The Mind of Christ- in every living stone making up HIS BODY.  Head and Body complete, One Corporate Man ready to be manifest to creation.

3.  "Then Cometh the End."  Not the end of the world, but the End of the Harvest, which is the result of the Seed of Christ planted in the heart of every man.  The First Fruit is not the whole harvest.  They are the Seed that appears (ripen first) as a sign that all the rest of the harvest will be ripened and reaped, each in their own order and time.

Christ, the first fruit, and those who are Christ's at His coming, are one body, The Head and Body of Christ.  They are manifested together as one complete body.  No body is complete without a head, and no head is complete in itself.  It needs a body.  Even so Christ is completed in His Body of Christ in the earth or visible realm.  Though Jesus was made both Lord and Christ, He needs a body to reveal Himself.  We cannot see Him for He is : "the King Eternal, invisible, immortal, the only wise God." 1Tim. 1:17.  "Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who no man hath seen nor can see."  1 Tim. 6:16.  Jesus, THE MAN, is invisible - though He is immortal, He is waiting for His body to be completed.  "When He appears we also appear with Him, and are glorified together with Him.  Col 3:4.  "If we are children, then we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with Him, (die to self -The Second Death) that we may be also glorified together.  The suffering is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."  Rom. 8:17-18.

This is why Jesus is still waiting on us.  "Whom the heavens must receive (retain -hold in same place) until the times of restoration of all things."  Acts 3:21.  First the head and body of Christ are restored together as one whole man, then all creation is released and restored in and through the Manifestation of The Sons of God ministry.  They stand in Christ stead, unveiled as Christ, before all creation, saying unto all, "Come and drink of the water of life freely!"  "BE YE RECONCILED TO GOD!"  This will bring to pass the saying: "O Death where is thy sting?  O grave where is thy victory?  The whole creation delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God."  Rom. 8:21, 1 Cor. 15:55.  The Grand Plan of God's Redemption fulfilled in all the Universe.

But you ask, "When do we reign with Christ a thousand years?"  We are reigning with Him now in this age of flesh.  The King is in His Kingdom within us.  The Body of Christ is The Kingdom of God in the earth - "the treasure hid in a field (world); and the leaven hid in three measures of meal, till the whole lump is leavened."  The lump is the universe; heaven, earth and under the earth.  Matt. 13:33, 44-45.  "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and His Christ, and He shall reign for the ages of the ages. Rev. 11:15.  We do not know how long this period will be, but it will end.  "For He must reign till all enemies are put under His feet. The feet of His Body (till denotes ending or ceasing).  "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." [there is only one way to destroy death - that is by making all alive!] There is only one way to destroy darkness, by turning on the light!  The work of Christ in and through His Body - The Manifested Sons, will go on until the whole universe has the Light and Life of Christ. 1 Cor. 15:24-28.

So we do not destroy the Kingdoms of this world, but we save them.  We woo creation as a Bridegroom woos his Bride.  These Kingdoms become or (are converted) and become a very part of Himself.  As The Bride of Christ, they also enter The Kingdom of The Son of His Love.

The Friendly Foe or The Second Death - Part 6

by Dora Van Assen

IN ADAM ALL ARE DYING

Oh, but you say, "I believe all this but I am dying!"  Yes, we are all dying in The First Adam, but in Christ, The Last Adam, all are being made alive (vivified)  never to die again.  The ALL that are dying in The First Adam is the same ALL being made alive in Christ.  There is no other all.  ALL is ALL, an equation - ALL EQUALS ALL.  1 Cor. 15:22.

It is ordained of God that all die in the First Adam - whether AWAKE OR ASLEEP.  "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleeep, (be put to repose), but we shall all be changed!....and the dead shall be raised INCORRUPTIBLE and we shall be changed."  1 Cor. 15:51-52.  Changed means to be made different, into another form or realm.  The awake and sleeping both are changed.  "Now we all with uncovered face, mirroring THE LORD'S GLORY, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit."  1 Cor. 3:18.  This work is being done as we steadily behold the face of the Lord, as our own face.  This is seeing, FACE TO FACE.

"Our conversation (conduct-behavior) is in heaven (our spiritual-mental realm) from whence we also look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change (transfigure) our vile (humilated) body," or (CONFORM it to the body of HIS GLORY)  Phil.3:20-21 KJV & LCNT.  Conform means to correspond in form and character, this coming of Christ, awakening our minds, is changing our character; which is changing our behavior, and will also change our body - bringing it into conformity with His Glorious Body.  This old house will dissolve into the very structure of the New House.  It is ordained of God that the Old must be swallowed up BY THE NEW into the Life of God.  "Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also has given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 2 Cor. 5:4-5.  We have the First Fruit of the Spirit as an earnest (down payment or guarantee) of God's promise that His Word, The Living Incorruptible, deathless SEED of Christ, in us cannot fail.  It will swallow up death and change us into His Immortal Life.  He only has immortality, therefore He only can give it to us; and in fact, He has already given us the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT as a free gift.  If this can die - part of God can die.  This is impossible.  Therefore our inheritance as co-heirs in Christ is sure.  Rom. 8:17.  "Christ in you our hope of Glory!"

"According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death.  For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."  Phil 1:20-21.  I believe Paul came into a perfect stata of full surrender unto the will and purpose of God.  He came into a rest and quietness in the center of his own being.  This is the prayer of silence.  Whatever happens is O.K.  He wrote to Tiimothy, his son in the Gospel, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give to me at THAT DAY; and not for me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. 2 Tim 4:17.  The appearing of Christ in His saints is in a certain period of time, ehich Paul calls, 'THAT DAY'.  Paul expected to be there, sharing in the glory of this long awaited event; together, even with those who were remaining in their natureal visible body. They would all, visible and invisible, meet together in the Spirit of The Lord, and be changed together in the Spirit of The Lord, and be changed together.  1 Cor. 15:51-52, 1 Thess. 4:9-11.  Paul expected Christ to appear in him, that is in his body; and that he would receive a crown of rightiousness togethr with all others of all ages who love His appearing.

Paul did not expect to lose out in any way by falling asleep in Christ.  As it was written in his script, and laid out in his course.  He ran a good race and finished his course.  What more can anyone do?  Praise God!  No one can add one step to his life journey in this earthen body.  Luke 12:25.  A cubit is a measure - the length of a forearm from shoulder to tip of the fingers, about 21 inches.  Who wants to be 21 inches taller?  This is speaking of our life span here on earth in the flesh.

For anyone IN CHRIST, the passing of this outer body is not the loss of their life.  Hear the words of Jesus, "I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who is believing in Me, even if he should be dying, shall be living!  And everyone who is living and believing in Me, should by no means be dying for the EON.  This is, he shall be raised and be alive here on earth, in a REDEEMED VISIBLE BODY to reign with Jesus Christ in His Kingdom, for the eon!  Compare John 11:25-26 with Luke 20:34-38.  In Luke, Jesus calls "for the eon,"  that world or that age.  Those who attain unto "that world" are called, the Sons of the Resurrection.  Even though Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus knew he would die again.  But He promised Martha that they would be raised in 'THAT DAY' of His appearing.  2 Tim. 1:12-14, 4:8.  Jesus asked, "Do you believe this?  I do!  I expect to be in that appearing with all the saints in the Body of Christ.  I know I have passed from death into the Life of Christ, regardless of what happens to this physical body.  Christ is my Life.  Christ lives in me - we are One!  Christ has his being and nature IN ME, AND I IN HIM.  His Life is ever on going, ever becoming.  He is the Ever Becoming One - THE I AM.

Christ has given us His Life, He is now giving us His Life, and will continue to give us His life, whether in or out of the body.  Christ overcame death while the body of The Man Jesus was lying in the tomb.  Christ preached to the SPIRITS of those who died in the flood in the days of Noah.  1 Pet. 3:18-20.  He opened the prison house of death.  He took away the key.  Hear His own words of victory:  "I AM HE THAT LIVETH, AND WAS DEAD: AND BEHOLD, I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, AMEN: AND HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH."  Rev. 1:18

FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINETH US, BECAUSE WE THUS JUDGE THAT IF ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEN WERE ALL DEAD; AND THAT HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THEY WHICH LIVE SHOULD NOT HENCEFORTH LIVE UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO HIM WHICH DIED FOR THEM AND ROSE AGAIN.

A wonderful truth is revealed in this scripture.  That when that one man died, He died for all - not only all mankind, but for all creation.  All Visible and Invisible Things.  When He died, then all these things were also dead.  But Praise God, when He arose all creation also arose with and in Him!  Now we who are awakened or enlightened to this truth are no longer to live unto ourself, but unto Him who died and rose again in our behalf.  He did this for our sake so He could give His Life not only for us, but TO US and IN US.  There is no more death.  Death has been destroyed by giving all life, whether they know it or not.  'FOR ALL LIVE UNTO HIM'.  Luke 20:38.  We may even deny Him, but He cannot deny HIMSELF.  He came to bring life and that more abundantly.

COMFORT YOURSELF IN THIS TRUTH

"TAKE NOTICE!  I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God).  We shall not all fall asleep (in death), but we shall all be changed (transformed).

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the (sound of the) last trumpet call.  For a trumpet will sound, and the dead (in Christ) will be raised iimperishable (free and immune form decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).

For this perishable (part of us) must put on the imperishable (nature), and this mortal (part of us, this nature that is capable of dying) must put on immortality (freedom from death)

And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the scripute that says, death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished forever) in and unto victory."

O Death, where is your victory?  O Death, Where is you sting?

Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercised its power (upon the soul) through (the abuse of ) of the Law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (making us conquerors) through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethern, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord), knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile (it is never wasted or to no purpose)."

1 Cor. 15:51-58 Amplified

May God Bless You With Love,
Dora Van Assen

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The Angels Sing

I just found, on You-tube,  a recording of a tape that I have had in my possession for a number of years. 


It is supposed to be a small group of seven people practicing their music for choir.  But when they played back their recording there is this magnanimous sound of the heavenly hosts singing with them on the tape.


The words to the song are:


Hallelujah! Greetings all across the land.
Everybody's singing at the Lord's command
All the saints and the angels up in glory
Wait to hear the news
Of Jesus and his children as they're coming through.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usXUFzh6YKQ&feature=related