"EYES BEFORE AND BEHIND"
MF Blume
APRIL 2, 2000 am
Revelation 4:2-6 And immediately
I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one
sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a
sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in
sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne [were] four and
twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting,
clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And
out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and
there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which
are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was a
sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round
about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and
behind.
Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand
of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside,
sealed with seven seals.
Ezekiel 10:8-12 And
there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.
And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by
one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of
the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone. And as for
their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in
the midst of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides;
they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked
they followed it; they turned not as they went. And their whole body, and
their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were
full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.
Ezekiel 2:9-10
And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a
roll of a book was therein; And he spread it before
me; and it was written within and without: ...
A few weeks ago I preached a message entitled EYES
THAT CAN SEE GLORY .
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In that message I made a brief reference to the eyes that covered the cherubims
in the books of Revelation and Ezekiel.
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And I briefly noted the link with the reference to their eyes being "before
and behind" in Revelation 4:6 and the book written "within and on the backside"
in Revelation 5:1.
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I was not fully aware of the implications of that when I preached that
message.
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In fact I left it as just a brief note and reference.
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That thought never left me since then.
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But I believe the Lord has increased our understanding in this area.
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I wish to speak about this revelation today.
God gives understanding "here a little and there a little.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must
be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line;
here a little, and there a little:
So we do not understand everything right away.
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I have changed my mind about many issues as the Lord revealed elements
of light and insight about those issues as time went by.
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I stand on doctrine solidly, according to how to be saved.
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But further revelation concerning Christian living is an issue we need
to show openness towards and be willing to correct some misconceptions
we may presently have.
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I pray we always remain open to be led into all truth by the Spirit of
Truth (John 16:13).
I am going to speak the MYSTERY of God to you today.
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Now, Jesus told Peter that flesh and blood cannot reveal these things to
people.
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Our Father in Heaven reveals these things.
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So you are going to have to be in the attitude that you want the FATHER
to reveal to you the things that I am going to say today.
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If you get a revelation it was not me.
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It was the FATHER USING ME revealing it to you.
The Beasts are the Cherubims.
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Ezekiel called them "Cherubims" and "living creatures," and Revelation
called them "beasts."
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"Beast" in Greek is zoon (dzo'-on) -- a living being.
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Ezekiel is the Old Testament version of the Book of Revelation.
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The two books are identical in message.
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If you look carefully you will find the four horsemen and the same judgements
of God as are found in John's Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Cherubims represent the Church.
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And the bodies and wings of these cherubims/beasts had eyes all over them.
There is one thing that every member of the Body of Christ needs to have
is UNDERSTANDING.
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The body speaks of the Church.
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And the many body parts speak of the members of the Church.
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EYES all over the body speak of all the members having UNDERSTANDING.
Ephesians 1:17-21 speaks of Paul's prayer that all believers SEE the great
power of God that was exerted for us, when He raised Christ from the gave
and set him at HIs right hand over all evil powers that exist!
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And the manner in which Paul said this was that he prayed that the EYES
OF OUR UNDERSTANDING would be enlightened.
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Once are eyes are opened Paul said that we would KNOW this power of God
towards us.
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He said that the power by which God raised up Christ is the degree of power
which is towards us.
Ephesians 1:19-20 And what is
the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according
to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places,
Read that carefully.
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We must see "what is the EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TO USWARD who
believe."
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Then he says, "ACCORDING TO THE working of His mighty power which he wrought
in Christ, when he raised Him from the dead."
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The power that is working for us is ACCORDING TO THE POWER which God used
to raise Christ from the dead.
That means that there is RESURRECTION POWER of God working in our lives.
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Power according to the same power God resurrected Christ from the dead.
That is the reason we read in Chapter 2
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
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In other words, we are resurrected from a life of death.
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A life of trespasses and sins is a life of DEATH.
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LIVING DEATH.
WE NEED TO SEE THIS!!!!
Notice that the beasts of Revelation had eyes BEFORE AND BEHIND THEM.
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The wording of the Bible is very important.
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Don't miss one detail!
John saw a book sealed up in the hand of God on the throne in Revelation
5:1.
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It was sealed "within and on the backside."
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Don't miss the wording.
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The details.
Now, the Book was sealed and kept in God's hand.
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Paul spoke of the HIDDEN MYSTERY that was hidden for ages, from the foundation
of the world, concerning salvation.
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He said this mystery is the mystery of CHRIST IN YOU.
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That is our hope of glory.
Colossians 1:26-27 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:
Who would have thought that man would be freed from the sin of the Garden
of Eden by being co-crucified with a sinless man who would die on a cross
as us, and INDWELL US as the Holy Ghost, causing us, BY THAT INDWELLING
to have hope of glory????
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It was mystery nobody could have ever guessed.
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And it was hidden from ages.
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Locked in God's hands, and sealed seven times, or perfectly sealed.
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And it was not made known until the lamb, whom we read about in Revelation
5:6, was slain and resurrected to take the book and open it.
So this mystery is simply the great truths of the CROSS of Jesus UNLOCKED.
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And the beasts had eyes BEFORE AND BEHIND because the book was written
WITHIN AND ON THE BACKSIDE.
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They had ability to UNDERSTAND, or see, what the mystery was all about.
Thank God for the Holy Ghost!
1Corinthians 2:9-12 But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them
that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things
of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God
knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God.
Stress the word THINGS as you read this again.
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THE THINGS that eye could not see, since it was SEALED and in God's hand...
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THE THINGS that ear could not hear, because they were SEALED in God's hand....
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THE THINGS that could not enter the heart of man, because they were SEALED
in God's hand...
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...are REVEALED to us.
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That is not seeing with physical eyes to understand.
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That is not hearing with physical ears to understand.
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IT IS REVELATION.
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And God has given us His SPIRIT -- THE HOLY GHOST BAPTISM -- that we might
KNOW -- UNDERSTAND -- THE THINGS that are freely given to us of God.
What were the things that eye and ear could not see nor hear?
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The things God would freely give to us.
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People use this verse 9 to refer to Heaven.
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That is out of context.
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It is talking about the things God prepared for us.
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And my eyes still cannot see it, nor my ears hear it, but GOD REVEALS THEM
BY HIS SPIRIT TO ME!!!
Nobody could know these things until the Spirit came.
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And notice what Jesus said.
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the
truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the
Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you.
Unless Jesus left, the COMFORTER WOULD NOT COME.
John 16:12-14 I have yet many things
to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when
he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The Spirit would come if the Son would go.
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The Son had to leave and Jesus had to come back in SPIRIT FORM to be able
to be INSIDE THEM.
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The Holy Ghost is Jesus in Spirit form.
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We saw the SON go to the FATHER in Revelation 5 when the resurrected lamb
that was slain goes to the one on the throne and takes the book to open
it.
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Revelation 1:1 says that the revelation was to be shown to God's servants.
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This is the same thing Jesus mentioned in John 16.
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HE WILL SHEW YOU THINGS TO COME.
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HE WILL GLORIFY ME.
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THIS IS SPEAKING ABOUT THE CROSS.
Jesus said that He had many things ot say, but they could not bear them.
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"BEAR THEM" bastazo {bas-tad'-zo}
1) to take up with the hands
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They could not GRASP these things.
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To grasp something is to hold it in your hands.
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The people could not GRASP what He had to say.
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That is because EYES CANNOT SEE NOR EARS HEAR when God's truths are SEALED
away from people.
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Of course these people could not see nor perceive because IT WAS PART OF
THE SEALED MYSTERY.
What did Jesus refer to when He said that the Spirit would come and show
them things to come?
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Was it endtime events?
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That's what everyone thinks.
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But JESUS SAID THIS BEFORE THE CROSS.
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AND THE THINGS TO COME were the DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.
Everytime Jesus tried to tell the disciples about that, they misunderstood
it.
Luke 9:44-45 Let these sayings
sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the
hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from
them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Luke 18:31-34 Then he took unto him
the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all
things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall
be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall
be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge
him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from
them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Matthew 16:21-22 From that time forth began
Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began
to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto
thee.
Mark 9:9-10 And as they came down from the
mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they
had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that
saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from
the dead should mean.
They could not GRASP it.
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He kept telling them about it and they kept dropping it.
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It slipped through their fingers like slippery pearls.
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BECAUSE IT WAS THE MYSTERY SEALED and NOT OPENED UNTIL AFTER HE RESURRECTED.
Luke 24:45-46 Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it
is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the
dead the third day:
People who are still BLINDED cannot see the revelation.
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They are still VEILED away and need an UNVEILING, or REVELATION of Jesus.
Why do people say that we have no need to obey Peter in Acts 2:38 when
he said Repent, Be baptized in Jesus' name for remission of sins, and receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost?
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It is because it is still veiled to them.
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Sealed from them.
It was sealed from the disciples also, until Jesus opened it up to them.
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After He resurrected, He did this:
Luke 24:45-49 Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it
is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the
dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye
are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father
upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with
power from on high.
There it is in JESUS' OWN WORDS.
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All three things Peter mentioned.
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REPENTANCE
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REMISSION OF SINS IN HIS NAME (baptism in Jesus name for remission of sins)
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PROMISE OF THE FATHER (Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you...
Acts 2:38-39).
Jesus personally opened their understanding, and when they received the
Holy Ghost, Jesus in Spirit form, that REVEALER was inside them.
The eyes of our understanding must be OPENED.. enlightened.
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And these BEASTS had eyes before and behind because the sealed book was
written within and on the backside.
The reason the eyes were before and behind is because there are two aspects
of the MYSTERY that need to be understood.
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There is the BACKSIDE aspect and the WITHIN aspect.
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The eyes BEHIND correspond to the revelation of the BACKSIDE aspect of
the mystery.
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The eyes BEFORE correspond to the revelation of the WITHIN aspect of the
mystery.
The revelation that the SPIRIT would reveal to us when He came was THE
THINGS FREELY GIVEN TO US OF GOD.
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Jesus said in John 16:13-14 that they were...
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John 16:12-14 I have yet many things to say
unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the
Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
He would show them things TO COME.
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Things that GLORIFY JESUS.
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THE THINGS OF THE CROSS.
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They glorify Jesus because the mystery hidden is CHRIST IN YOU THE
HOPE OF GLORY.
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CHRIST in you.
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CHRIST.
Ezekiel said the book was written this way:
Ezekiel 2:9-10 And when I looked,
behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was
therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within
and without: and there was written therein lamentations,
and mourning, and woe.
WITHIN AND WITHOUT. - Ezekiel
WITHIN AND ON THE BACKSIDE - John.
THE WITHOUT things, or the BACKSIDE things are the things about the
cross that speak of what we can see from the perspective of EYES BEHIND.
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The eyes behind correspond to the things written WITHOUT -- BACKSIDE.
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They are the truths concerning what is WITHOUT (OUTSIDE) our Christian
lives today.
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They are things that SPEAK OF WHAT WE SEE "BEHIND" US.
The things that are behind me are the things of my life in sin.
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What I used to be.
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To get a real revelation of the MYSTERY, you need to understand that YOUR
LIVES BEFORE YOU CAME TO THE LORD are no longer a part of you.
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They are WITHOUT.
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They are OUTSIDE issues now.
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They are not WITHIN.
The WITHIN things are the things that are now part of you.
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The within things are the things that are now BEFORE US.
Notice after Paul speaks of the EYES being opened, we read about the BEHIND
things and the BEFORE things.
Ephesians 2:1-5 And you hath
he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein
in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had
our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were
by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in
mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were
dead in sins, ...
Someone said we ARE sinners saved by grace.
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WRONG
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life.
We WERE sinners.
We WERE enemies of God.
Adam made us sinners.
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous.
And JESUS MADE US sinners, too?????
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Sinners is in the PAST TENSE.
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Adam made us sinners.
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Christ made us what we can now call ourselves.
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MADE RIGHTEOUS.
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The opposite of WERE SINNERS is MADE RIGHTEOUS.
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So never say you ARE a sinner saved by grace.
We need to get the BEHIND things straight in our hearts.
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The problem is that these false doctrines saying we ARE sinners are mixing
people up and condemning them.
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They are robbing people of the joy of knowing what great salvation God
accomplished.
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SINNER is a BEHIND term as far as it comes to my life.
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SINNERS is a WITHOUT and OUTSIDE term as far as what is part of me now
goes.
I want to say that something is a BEHIND issue that many think is a PRESENT
or FUTURE ISSUE.
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CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS THINK THEY NEED TO CHANGE SO THEY CAN LIVE MORE
VICTORIOUS LIVES.
There is a change that needs to occur.
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But not the CHANGE you might think.
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Really God changed you already at the moment you were saved.
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You just need to be made AWARE OF THE CHANGE YOU ALREADY EXPERIENCED.
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BECOME AWARE OF A PAST CHANGE.
Becoming aware of a PAST change will actually help you MANIFEST that change
in your behaviour.
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OUR BEHAVIOUR NEEDS TO CHANGE, but we are already more than conquerors.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Notice this.
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We ARE more than conquerors.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR AND NEVER CONQUER ANYTHING?
How can that be?
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YOU HAVE NOT GRASPED IT YET.
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It slipped through your hands.
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YOU ARE NOT BEARING IT.
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You are not able to HOLD IT IN YOUR HANDS.
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It has not HIT you yet as to what God did to you.
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Your eyes are still opening like an infant trying to see for the first
time.
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You need to understand in your MIND what is true in your SPIRIT.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to
this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of
God.
You need your MIND RENEWED.
You need your UNDERSTANDING ENLIGHTENED.
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These two phrases mean the same thing.
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You need to SEE WITH EYES THAT ARE BEHIND so you can understand the THINGS
THAT ARE WITHOUT AND BACKSIDE.
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Things that are OUTSIDE OF YOU NOW.
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They are no longer a part of you.
Until you get a revelation, have your BEHIND eyes opened, you will not
enjoy the freedom God gave to you.
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You cannot even UNDERSTAND IT yet!
Paul said in EPHESIANS 2:1-5 -- WE WERE SINNERS.
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WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS.
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in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world,
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we all had our conversation in
times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind;
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and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others.
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Even when we were dead in sins, ...
But Paul also speaks about our BEFORE eyes.
Ephesians 2:5-14 Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye
being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh
made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants
of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now
in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are
made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who
hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between
us;
The things BEFORE us are:
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ARE SAVED.
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ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP.
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NOW MADE NIGH BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
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HE IS OUR PEACE.
Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye are
no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with
the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed
together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are
builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
We....
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ARE FELLOWCITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS.
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ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF GOD.
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ARE BUILT UPON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, JESUS THE CHIEF
CORNERSTONE.
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ARE BUILDED TOGETHER FOR A HABITATION OF GOD!!!!
When you have your BEHIND eyes and your BEFORE eyes opened, you will see
BOTH these aspects.
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Many believers think they ARE afar off.
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They still think they ARE enemies of God and aliens.
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They think they ARE strangers to God.
Well, they are one thing... spiritually dull of SEEING.
Revelation shows believers who can SEE what the Bible is trying to say.
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They can see what true preachers of God are trying to help people see every
week.
Condemning preachers are blind themselves!
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Blind leading the blind.
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They cannot SEE that which is WITHOUT and OUTSIDE, and neither can they
see that which is BEFORE.
Paul said he wanted to KNOW HIM.
Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless,
and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found
in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God
by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
How many want to KNOW HIM?
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To have a DEEP relationship with Him?
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If so , you need to SEE BEHIND AND BEFORE.
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And handle the BEHIND issues as Paul did and the BEFORE issues as he did.
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NOTICE CAREFULLY.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count
not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The things that are BEHIND you need ot be revealed to you.
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You need your BEHIND EYES OPENED.
You need to see the things BEFORE you.
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The things God has for you now that you are saved, that you never had before
you were saved.
Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold,
I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut
it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not
denied my name.