HE IS ALIVE - THE WORD

Will you build some kind of big sanctuary out of bricks and mortar to contain me? Will you build some kind of 'religious' doctrine that can contain Me? How about your denomination; can that contain me? How about all of your 'religious' works - your tithing? Fasting? Prayer? Your clubs and commitees? Do you suppose that I am the least bit attracted to those activities as the place of my rest?...


HE IS ALIVE!


CHAPTER 1- He is Alive
- God is in Absolute Sovereign Control
- The True Vine
- The instruction of wisdom
- Receiving not achieving
- What are you looking at?
- Can you see His Life in you?
- God’s Word cannot be shaken
- Will you become?


CHAPTER 2 - The Word
- A sure foundation
- Believe & rest or don’t believe & die in the wilderness
- Do you really believe Him today?
- The Life in the Word
- Where does God live?
- Break up your fallow ground & prepare the way






HE IS ALIVE!



For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another (Ps. 75:6-7).

Promotion=to rise or to raise; to bring up. To extol; to mount up, set up; tall strength; advancement in rank; forward motion as in being advanced to another level of authority.



GOD IS IN ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN CONTROL

So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy (Rom. 9:16).

It doesn't matter what we say or what we do in our efforts to make change happen; if God doesn't 'cause' us to rise and advance, if He doesn't promote us, if He doesn't give us forward motion causing us to be lifted unto the next level of authority in Him, then we cannot go!

This verse tells us that it is not a matter of our “free will” or a matter of our self effort to attain to something, but a matter of God’s choosing to show mercy. God’s plan and choosing doesn’t happen in the realm of time, but happened before the foundation of the world.

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (Eph. 1:4).

God alone is the Creator and Redeemer of mankind and His purpose and plan for you are perfect. We did not invent ourselves; For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself (Rom. 14:7). And we do not have the power or authority to “become” anything other than what God intends for us to become.





THE TRUE VINE


I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (Jn. 15:5).

We are totally dependent on God, Jesus Christ. This is a hard lesson for most to learn, but one that is vitally necessary for any real usefulness in the Kingdom of God. The reality of the absolute Sovereignty of God strikes at the heart of the human delusion that “we are in control of our destiny”. The reality of the absolute Sovereignty of God strikes at the heart of the delusion of “free will”.

Promotion (forward motion) doesn't necessarily mean a change of position in the sight of men. There is a spiritual promotion which men will only see the fruit of. God is a Spirit! (Jn. 4:24). The promotion of God is the propelling power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ lifting you to another level of authority and annointing in the spirit realm of God's kingdom.

Because it is a Sovereign choosing of God to promote us or not to promote us, the only thing that we can do is to humble ourselves before Him. : for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (1Pet. 5:5b).

This humbling before the presence of God is vital and absolutely necessary. We must come to understand and submit to the SOVERIGNTY of God before we are ever released into the deeper dimensions of his Spirit. This humbling before the Sovereign God of the universe is the beginning of all true wisdom.



THE INSTRUCTION OF WISDOM


The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (Pr. 9:10).

The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility (Pr. 15:33).

Before a farmer plants seed into the ground the first thing that he does is prepare the soil. Meticulous care is taken to break up all of the hardened ground, remove all rocks and weeds and make sure that the ground is fertilized and full of nutrients, creating a “perfect” environment for his crop to grow unto maturity until harvest. To plant seed in the ground that is unprepared, full of weeds, rocks, thorns and thistles would be a waste of the farmer's precious seed because with the ground in this condition the seed will not produce fruit. It would be choked out and lost.

God hears our cry to Him when we are asking Him to speak, to promote us and move us forward into another level in His Spirit, but He will only speak when we are ready to RECEIVE His seed, His Word. God is like a good farmer and will not waste His precious seed on soil that is not prepared to sustain life. Believe me, Jesus Christ is talking today, sharing His Word, and infusing His Life into those that will hear of His preordained plan and purpose, but often we don’t hear Him because our hearts are full of “other things” and the soil isn’t prepared. God's assessment is always upon the soil of our hearts before He sows His seed.

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you (Hos. 10:12).

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come (Mrk. 4:22-29).

There is power and Life in the Seed of God, the Word, Jesus Christ. How His Life takes root in us and grows is a mystery, but just as the soil submits and finds it’s purpose by yielding it’s nutrients to the seed planted into it, so too, we submit and yield our life to the Seed that has been planted in us. To the measure that we hold onto and nourish the Seed that’s been planted in us, the Life of the Son of God will grow and multiply in us.



RECEIVING NOT ACHIEVING


Promotion (forward motion – or the bringing forth of the Life of the Son of God in us) in the Kingdom of God is a matter of RECEIVING and not one of achieving!

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:(Jn. 1:12).

As many as receive (actively take and welcome) Him, He gives the power to BECOME, literally “cause to be.” Receiving Jesus Christ, the Seed of God is the first step in bringing us to life to the purpose of God given to us before the foundation of the world. As many as actively take and welcome Jesus Christ, the Word of God into them He gives the power, authority, and right to become sons of God.

This is the power of promotion (forward motion – or the bring in forth the Life of the Son in us). This is the process of changing from one level to a new level of authority in God's Spirit. How? By RECEIVING HIM!

By receiving Jesus Christ we are released form who we are to become the sons of God. We are released from the realm of the seen into the realm of the unseen; released from the realm of death into Life - His Life.












WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?


We become what we “look” at,

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18); and as we receive Him we are released to see Him by the Spirit of God and are actually changed and promoted into the very Life of the Son of God! As we behold Him, as we hold unto His Word, we are changed; we become conformed to His image in us. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29).

He alone gives us the right and authority to become, and to be promoted through revelation of His Life, His Word, by His Spirit.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him (Matt. 11:25-27).

What does it mean to be a babe? A babe is someone that is totally dependent upon their parent for life. One that is not full of preconceived ideas about life, but is constantly learning and adjusting to reality based upon the instruction of the parents. A babe is open to, valesu and cherishes the words that bring direction and maturity leading to adulthood. A babe has his sight fixed on the parent to learn the proper way to live and function. In other words, a babe has a clean fertile soil of the heart in which to receive the life that comes from the words of the parent.
It is pleasurable to the Father to reveal (give sight and insight) to babes (those that are humbly dependent upon Him). God is a good Father, and His Word Jesus Christ sown into our heart will produce sons made in His image.

Jesus was a babe in heart. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise (Jn. 5:19).

Jesus was totally dependent upon the Father. What He saw in the Father, He was able to become.

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:1-4).

Promotion in God's Kingdom comes from seeing and receiving Him, the Word. We cannot receive until we are converted and become as little children before Him, totally dependent. In this world we are taught from a young age to be independent and to 'stand on our own two feet', but in God's kingdom it is just the opposite...we are taught to be dependent upon the Father.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14).

The word led means to'bring forth' or 'carry upon the shoulders of'. Thus, those that are ‘brought forth’ and 'carried upon the shoulders of' the Spirit of God are the ones being conformed into the image of the Son of God. This is the image of the Word sown in our hearts and as many as receive Him He gives the power to become the sons of God!!



CAN YOU SEE HIS LIFE IN YOU?


When we receive the Word of God, Jesus Christ, we have a Life inside of us that is bigger and more powerful than us. We have a Life inside of us that will cause us to become; a Life that will cause us to overcome: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1Jn. 4:4b).

The Life of the Word of God in us will release the faith in us- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17)-that will cause us to overcome and have the victory! For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1Jn. 5:4).

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (Jn. 1:4-5).

The darkness of this world cannot comprehend (overcome, destroy) the Life of the Word of God in our hearts. God, as a good Father works continually to bring us to a place of brokenness and humility where we will receive His Word and the supernatural Life He brings.

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live (Deut. 8:3).

Every test and trial that we face is to bring us to know that without God's Word, God's voice to us we cannot live. This is humility. This is the true conversion to enter the Kingdom of God as a child.







GOD’S WORD CANNOT BE SHAKEN


See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:25-29).

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matt. 24:35).

Everything thing that can be shaken in this temporal world system will be shaken and removed. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18).

The only thing that cannot be shaken is the eternal Kingdom of God. His kingdom is where the Word of the King dwells. Again the Living Word promotes us and propels us from grasping to the carnal, natural, temporal realm to become the very expression of the Life of the Son of God in the earth. As we receive Him through His Word we have His Life.

WILL YOU BECOME?

Have you received His Word? I mean really received the Life of the Son of God that overcomes the world?

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed (1Pet. 2:1-8).

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Matt. 21:42-44).

Jesus was rejected by men, but that didn't matter; He was accepted and promoted by God the Father. Again, promotion from God doesn't necessarily mean promotion or exaltation in the eyes of men. In fact it is usually just the opposite and takes place in brokenness, humility, childlikeness and total dependence upon God's Sovereignty. Whosoever falls on the Rock of this Word will be broken!

Have you been broken since you first believed? Have you come to a place where you realize that without Him you can do nothing? Have you come to a place where you realize the value of, and treasure the Word which He speaks to you, knowing that If He doesn’t reveal Himself to you then you are lost and cannot enter into true Life?

Prepare your heart to receive His Word and He will speak to you and give you new Life. Prepare your heart to receive by letting go of all 'religious' tradition that you might have been taught, looking to Him as your Heavenly Father that will teach you, guide you and bring you to life through His Word. Prepare your heart to receive Him, His Word.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13).





HE IS ALIVE!
Part 2 - THE WORD


In part one we saw that it is God alone who can promote us, raise us, and give us 'forward motion' in His Kingdom regardless of our ability or inability; that the power doesn't come from us, but comes from receiving the Life of the Son of God, the Word. And that the foundation of his Life in us is the only thing that will overcome this world and endure through the tests and fires of judgment in this age and last eternally.



A SURE FOUNDATION


Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste (Isa. 28:16).

God has laid a sure foundation for His Kingdom. That foundation is the finished work of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. The Rock and stability of God’s Kingdom is based upon His Word that is, was and will be; based on His Word that never has nor ever will change. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Heb 13:8).

Tell me, do you really believe? Do you believe When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (Jn. 19:30)?

Do you believe that everything is already finished in the mind of God; that He has already accomplished all things in Jesus Christ, the Word? Do you really believe that you are acceptable to God not because of what you do, but based on what He has done already in Jesus Christ?

: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world (Gk.=kosmos). For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works (Heb.4:3b-4).

In fact, God finished and accomplished everything before the foundation of the world (cosmos). Even Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (cosmos) (Rev.13:8). God accomplished everything and entered into His rest on the seventh day.

The Rest of God is in knowing the fact that His Will and Plan are Sovereign and must come to pass exactly as He ordains it to because He is the Author of it. All that God has ordained will come to pass in the realm of time and He calls and chooses a people to enter into His Rest and receive a Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world.

Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34b).


BELIEVE AND REST OR DON’T BELIEVE AND DIE
IN THE WILDERNESS


In the old Covenant, God had a called out people. He called the Hebrews out of Egypt and into a land of promise, a land of rest, where their needs would met; into a land of plenty where He would provide for them and conquer their enemies. And this call into His Rest was to typify the call of the New Covenant out of sin and into the promises of God.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, (Rom. 15:4a). But there was a problem with God's chosen people in the old Covenant.

For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief (Heb. 3:16-19).

God already had a place of provision for them; a land of Rest that "flowed with milk and honey", but they couldn't enter it because they had unbelief in their hearts. They didn’t trust in the Sovereignty of God. They didn’t live in the light of the fact that the One True and Living God had a plan for them and that His plan was destined to come to pass. They didn’t understand God’s covenant in His Word, which can never change, but will accomplish all that He sends it to do.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isa. 55:11).

God was patient for forty years revealing His trustworthiness in miracle after miracle, but because of their unbelief allowed a whole generation to die off in the wilderness. Because they didn’t believe (receive) God’s Word they could not become. They could not be promoted; they had no propelling forward motion to bring them into the fullness of God’s plan for them. They rejected the Life in His Word.


Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God (Heb.3:7-12).






DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE HIM TODAY?


What does unbelief mean? Is it possible to do 'religious' works and still have unbelief? Is it possible to depart from the Living God while still professing to know Him?

Unbelief = to not trust in God's Sovereignty, that He has Absolute power and authority to bring His will to pass in the earth regardless of the present circumstances.

Unbelief = to think that we must do something to make the plan of God complete by exercising our "free will".

Unbelief = to continue to do “religious” works thinking that they somehow make us more right or acceptable to God.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent (Jn.6:28-29).

Jesus taught that the work that was acceptable to God was to BELIEVE on Him. He is the Word. To believe on Him is to receive the fact that He alone has accomplished the Will of the Father and "it is finished"!

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his (Heb. 4:9-10).

The knowledge of the Sovereignty of God brings His Rest. The knowledge that everything that God has spoken will come to pass and doesn't depend upon us achieving, but only receiving and believing the Word which has already accomplished all things, brings a glorious liberty and thankfulness for the Grace of God.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (Heb. 4:11).

The Greek word for labor = diligent. So we must be diligent, we must take careful heed to the things that we hear and hide the Word of God in our heart. I ask again...do you really believe?

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, (Heb. 4:1-3a).

We enter into the Rest of God when we believe and receive His Word and allow it (Him) to accomplish his will through us. Again it is not a matter of achieving, but is a matter of receiving.





THE LIFE IN THE WORD


For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12).

The Word, the finished work of God based on His Sovereignty in manifesting Jesus Christ and accomplishing all things in Him, separates us from the soulish and carnal realm and promotes us into the Kingdom. The carnal nature of man is constantly trying to “do” and trying to accomplish something, while the spiritual man rejoices that all things are already done, accomplished once and for all in Jesus Christ! Halleluiah!! This is the realm of true worship of the Sovereign Father in Spirit and Truth (Jn. 4:23-24).

This is a Sure Foundation. We receive the Word and the Word accomplishes the will of the Father through us. This is the manifestation of the Life of the Son of God. Not by our works of righteousness, but we manifest His finished work. This is the foundation of the Kingdom of God, the Life of the Word Living through us.
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2Pet. 1:4).

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you (1Pet. 1:23-25).

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:(Col. 1:26-27).

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2Cor. 4:6).
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Ps. 107:20).





STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD

Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring,
Glory in the highest I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God!

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the Living Word of God I shall prevail, standing on the promises of God!

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit's Sword, standing on the promises of God!

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all, standing on the promises of God!
R. Carter 1849-1928 (punctuation updated)




WHERE DOES GOD LIVE?


Where is the place of God's Rest? Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word (Isa. 66:1-2).

God is an Almighty Sovereign Ruler! He poses a question to us - where is the place of My rest? Where is the place that I can dwell and manifest My finished work accomplished and fulfilled in Jesus Christ?

Will you build some kind of big sanctuary out of bricks and mortar to contain me? Will you build some kind of 'religious' doctrine that can contain Me? How about your denomination; can that contain me? How about all of your 'religious' works - your tithing? Fasting? Prayer? Your clubs and commitees? Do you suppose that I am the least bit attracted to those activities as the place of my rest? No! No! No!

God is not the least bit impressed with all the strivings of the flesh. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:3).

It is deception to think that God needs anything from man to complete His plan. I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him (Eccl. 3:14).

“But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my Word.”

God is looking for a place of rest. He is looking for a place to manifest Himself in power and authority, His complete and finished work in Jesus Christ. God looks to the one who trembles at His Word! What does it mean to tremble at God's Word? Tremble = to hear or listen with the ready intent to obey; a readiness to receive and manifest the Life released from the Seed of the Word of God once it is sown into our heart. This is where God's rest is. This is where he completes and consummates His entire purpose, in our heart.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him (2Chr. 16:9).
This is the one that gets God's attention. God’s attention for a place of rest is on one that is broken in recognition of their total dependence upon Him to bring to pass His will in the earth; and acknowledges that they are totally and utterly lost without the finished work of God being manifest in them and they open their heart to receive the Life of the Word of God.

The power to become lays in receiving the Life of the Word of God. This is the Rest of God. This is the place of covenant and exchange, where we exchange our life for the Life of the Son, the Word, Jesus Christ.

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 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. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (Jn. 14:19-23).

God's Word has power within itself to accomplish and bring forth life.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isa. 55:10-11).

The only power that we have to accomplish the will of God is by the power of His Word living through us. Jesus Christ, the Word of God, living through us completely fulfills the will of the Father.


As we prepare our heart to receive the Word of God, having a readiness to allow His Life to live through us, we are set free into His will and have the ability in covenant with Him to prosper in the things whereto He sends us. We have the power to become, to be propelled forward and be promoted into the preordained purpose of God, to manifest His Son Jesus Christ. When we receive the Word, faith is released in us and we will not be void (unprofitable), but will bring forth fruit. There is Life in the word of God!

Thus, the most important issue is to make sure that we receive the Word on good ground. Just as the rain causes the Earth to bring forth and bud, giving new life, so is the Word of God to us when we receive it.

Receiving the Word of God is the only way to become; the only way to accomplish, the only way to prosper, and the only way of deliverance from one level of authority to another - to be delivered from the natural seen realm into the unseen (although very real) realm of God's Spirit.

Jesus saith unto him, I (the Word) am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (Jn. 14:6). Jesus, the Word, is the Way to the Father, the Truth about the Father revealing His character and nature, and the Life of the Father manifest.



BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND AND PREPARE THE WAY


break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you (Hos. 10:12b).

Fallow ground is that ground that has been left barren and hasn't produced a crop harvest. Over time the surface of the ground condenses and hardens making it unable to receive seed.

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen (Mrk. 16:4).

A heart that has been hardened cannot receive or believe the Word of God, just as the fallow ground cannot receive seed and become productive. The only usefulness of the earth is to incubate seed and allow its’ life to take root. So too, our only usefulness is to receive and incubate the Truth of God's Word.

Have we become hardened to the Word of God? Have we heard the same truths over and over in preaching message after preaching message until we no longer listen and receive with our spirit, but reduce the truths of God to a “religious” formula?

We need to break up our fallow ground! We need to be broken! We need the fallow, unproductive, hardened surface our heart broken before God will cast His Seed into our heart.

God does not waste his words; He does not waste His seed. He will wait until we are ready to receive before He speaks! The ax must be laid at the root of our unbelief! We need to be honest with ourselves and with God. Do we really believe? Is Jesus Christ, the Word really living his Life through us?

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever (Isa. 40:3+6-9).

This prophecy given declares from the wilderness and the desert, where it is arid, hot, and nothing grows to make a straight path for the Word of God. All flesh, all plans, intentions and worldly plans of man will fail, but the Word will stand forever! In the desert and wilderness of our lives Jesus, the Word, seeks to enter. In the dry, unproductive and vain futility of our human condition He offers His Life, His Word, to cause us to bring forth fruit unto eternal life.

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (Matt. 3:1-3+8+10-11).

Before we can have the Life of the Word revealed to us repentance is necessary. Repentance starts with an honest assessment with your true spiritual condition in the light of the Word of God. Repentance starts with telling yourself and God the truth. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom (Ps. 51:6).

The ax must be laid to the root of the flesh. We must be brought to a place that we realize that all of our human efforts to please God are vain! And acknowledge that only one thing really pleases God, the Life of his Son. Jesus, the Word, is the only one that can immerse us with God's Spirit. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us (2Cor. 1:20).