TIME TO GO BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE JESUS LAID

August 6, 2008
Mike Blume



  Scripture Text:
 
Romans 6:3-5 KJV  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  (5)  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

2 Kings 4:17-21   And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. (18)  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. (19)  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. (20)  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. (21)  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

2 Kings 4:32-35  And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.  (33)  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.  (34)  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. (35)  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
  Message:

In this story, a child who had been born miraculously to a woman who was barren and could not conceive, represents a born again child of God.
  • Salvation is a miracle and is called NEW BIRTH.
  • You must be born again, Jesus said.

As miraculously as this child was born, it was even more miraculous for God to have human beings born again and made into CHILDREN OF GOD when we used to be children of the devil because we were all born in sin.

And what happened to this child when he was old enough to start helping his father in the fields to reap represents what happens to us when we begin to work with the heavenly Father in His fields and reap.
  • The boy's head was afflicted and he cried MY HEAD, MY HEAD.

The head represents YOUR MIND BEING ATTACKED by the devil.
  • And your mind is based upon THOUGHTS.
  • So when the devil attacks your mind THOUGHTS AND IMAGINATIONS ATTACK YOUR MIND.
  • The bible has a lot to say about the MIND and how you THINK as a Christian .
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV  (4)  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  (5)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Ephesians 6:17 KJV  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Taking a helmet of salvation refers to doing something for YOUR MIND TO PROTECT IT FROM AFFLICTION.
  • And since the devil attacks you with THOUGHTS, you know those thoughts are an onslaught of LIES, because he is the father of all lies.
  • Those LIES are the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:16 KJV  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

The THOUGHTS ATTACK YOUR MIND.
  • It is a helmet of salvation, and helmets protect the head, because KNOWING ABOUT YOUR SALVATION protects your mind.
  • KNOW what salvation is all about.
  • KNOW WHAT YOU WERE SAVED FROM.
  • If you do not know what you were saved from, then you are going to think you have to put up with things you were saved from that you do not have to put up with any more.

Everyone knows they were saved from hell and from sin.
  • But all that is is a bandanna compared to the helmet of knowing you were saved from someone the devil had power over.
  • He no longer has power over you!
  • You were saved from being owned by the devil.
  • You were born in sin and his jurisdiction is all that is sin.
  • So were in his kingdom.
  • You were translated from his kingdom of darkness into the marvelous kingdom of God's son, the LIGHT OF GOD.

Look at what Col says in association with KINGDOMS.
Colossians 1:9-13 KJV  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  (10)  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;  (11)  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;  (12)  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  (13)  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

KNOWLEDGE is associated with the fact we were removed from one kingdom where the devil had power over us to another kingdom!

Death cannot defeat you!
  • Like the Hebrews behind the blood enshrouded doorways in Egypt, death cannot enter and attack you!

You need to claim the blood by understanding that claiming is like having the blood around your door by which death cannot pass and attack you!
  • We let sickness overcome us too much!
  • Attack it back!
  • Claim the blood!
  • Understand the cross gave you power you never had before over sickness.

You were JUSTIFIED when you were saved.
Romans 5:1 KJV  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

JUST-AS-IF-I'D never sinned!

You need to KNOW THAT!
  • That is just the right knowledge you need when the devil attacks you and says you owe God for the sins you committed before you were saved.
  • Say I AM JUSTIFIED, SATAN, you cannot use my past sins against me.
  • God does not remember them any more!
Jeremiah 31:34 KJV  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

PEACE WITH GOD!
Romans 5:1 KJV  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Not war but PEACE.
Romans 5:17 KJV  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Do not work to be good or righteous, but are given the gift of BEING RIGHTEOUS.
2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When you KNOW these facts about salvation, like a helmet, the lies of the devil are deflected away from your mind and they cannot harm you!

The lad was afflicted in his head just like Christians are attacked in their MINDS, and he was taken to his mother.

The mother is like the church.
  • The bride of Christ.
  • And a real church that teaches and preaches all these truths and facts and gives you this knowledge is where you need to be taken,
  • There are a lot of churches, but how many of them teach you this knowledge?

When you KNOW the truth that the devil lies to you about, the devil can hardly do anything to you.

And the child DIED in his mother's lap.
  • She then did something that is powerfully significant and shows us the key to victory.
2 Kings 4(20)  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.  (21)  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

The church teaches you to BE ALONE IN A CERTAIN PLACE with no one else except YOU AND JESUS.
  • The mother left the child alone in the room and on the bed where Elisha SLEPT.

The preacher cannot do this for you.
  • You have to learn to be alone with God.
  • The preacher and the church will teach you how to do this.
  • I am doing it tonight.

THE BED OF ELISHA is the PLACE WHERE ELISHA SLEPT.
  • SLEEPING in the bible represents DEATH.
  • Remember when Jesus said the girl only slept, when she had died?
  • Paul spoke of saints who already died as sleeping.
Elisha represents JESUS CHRIST.
  • The place where ELISHA SLEPT represents the TOMB WHERE JESUS LAID IN DEATH.
  • This BURIAL OF JESUS is tremendously significant in the story of our salvation.
Romans 6:3-4 KJV  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Just like being baptized into Jesus death so we are buried with Him for the purpose of walking in newness of life like Jesus resurrected, the mother laid the lad in the place where Elisha slept.

The entire process of salvation BEGINS with BURIAL INTO JESUS' DEATH.
  • The place where Jesus laid.
  • FROM THAT POINT ONWARD, everything Jesus experienced BECOMES our experience.
  • This is where salvation begins because salvation is accomplished when we IDENTIFY WITH JESUS' death, burial and resurrection.
  • JESUS' DEATH BECOMES OUR DEATHS WHEN WE ARE SAVED.

God counts the death of Jesus as OUR DEATHS.
2 Corinthians 5:14 KJV  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

If Jesus died for all, then ALL WERE DEAD.

As soon as you believe, YOU DIE WITH JESUS.
Hebrews 9:27-28 KJV  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  (28)  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Because man sinned, IT IS APPOINTED TO MAN TO DIE ONCE.
  • After that death is the JUDGMENT.
  • And Hebrews teaches that this is the reason Jesus WAS OFFERED ONCE.
  • Think about it.
  • Why would our need to die once be the reason Jesus was offered in death once?
  • It is because IT SOLVES OUR PROBLEM.
  • It answers the need for us to die due to sin.
  • 2 Cor 5:14 is saying the same thing as these two verses in Heb 9.
  • His death COUNTS AS OUR DEATHS.
  • We had a problem that we had to die once.
  • Therefore, Christ died once.
  • His death counted as our deaths so that we are SAVED FROM THIS DOOM!
Romans 6:6 KJV  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

This is called IDENTIFYING WITH CHRIST.
  • When you learn the concept that His death became your death and everything that he benefited from by dying can be claimed as belonging to us as well because WE DIED WITH HIM, then you are identifying with Christ.
  • Not enough believers identify with Jesus.
  • So they are forever defeated by something.
Romans 6:4 KJV  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Colossians 2:12 KJV  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Ephesians 2:5-6 KJV  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

All of the above is saying WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT BENEFITS JESUS RECEIVED AFTER HE DIED ARE OUR BENEFITS simply because we came into UNION WITH JESUS when we were saved.

When you identify with His death you need to realize that the benefits of Jesus' death became YOUR BENEFITS.
Romans 6:7-11 KJV  For he that is dead is freed from sin.  (8)  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:  (9)  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  (10)  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  (11)  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All that is true of Jesus is true of us now!

This same TRUTH is represented by something Joseph of Arimathea did.
Matthew 27:59-60 KJV  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  (60)  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Just like Joseph laid Jesus in HIS TOMB, in your mind you need to realize that Jesus laid IN YOUR TOMB YOU WERE MEANT TO LAY IN IN DEATH.
  • He took the penalty you were supposed to take.
  • Your place of death is where Jesus was laid.
  • The place where you were supposed to be buried in death was where Jesus was laid.
  • YOU NEED TO THINK THIS WAY IN YOUR MIND.
  • In your mind, YOU NEED TO LAY JESUS IN YOUR GRAVE.
  • In other words, understand his death counted as your death.

"Were you there when they crucified the Lord?"
  • Are you kidding?
  • I PARTICIPATED IN HIS DEATH!
  • He took the death I was supposed to take.
  • So I can say I ALREADY DIED when Jesus died... I DIED THROUGH HIM!

We identified with EVERY DETAIL OF JESUS' experiences after He died.

His power is your power.
  • His righteousness is your's.
  • His seating in heavenly places is your's.
  • His NAME is your's!
  • His Spirit is in you!
  • You RULE AND REIGN WITH HIM!
  • This is KINGDOM REVELATION!

What he has power over is what you have power over... JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT SAVED and you UNITED WITH HIM in your salvation.

When you truly believe and understand that, you can overcome anything the devil tries to put in your mind.

This is perfectly pictured by the story of the dead lad.
2 Kings 4:32-35   And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.   (33)  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. (34)  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. (35)  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

First, the lad was laid where Elisha laid.
  • The church will carry you in its teaching to cause you to be alone with Jesus and begin thinking of this truth a ll by yourself.
  • When you are attacked in your mind, the first thing to do is remember the tomb where Jesus laid is YOUR TOMB.
Elisha identified with the boy until his eyes were on the boys' eyes.
  • His mouth was his mouth.
  • His hands were his hands.
  • This shows every detail of Elisha was matched with the boy.
  • This represents how every detail of Christ's experiences are identified with us.
  • His victory is ours.
  • His goodness is ours.
  • Like all those physical parts were matched by Elisha with the boy, all the spiritual elements of Jesus death were matched TO US!
  • As much as Elisha laid eye to eye, mouth to mouth and hand to hand, we identified status to status with Jesus.
  • We matched with Jesus'; victory.
  • His victory became ours.
  • We matched his seating in heavenly places.
  • We matched his righteousness.
  • He gave us his righteousness.
1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

When we read God made Christ righteousness, sanctification and wisdom unto us, it means that we had to become righteous so God made Jesus righteous.
  • Why would it say God made Jesus righteous because we had to become righteous?
  • It is because everything we needed is what God made Christ into, and when we unite to Christ we have all these things we need!

That is how God planned it for us to be able to go to Heaven!

And when you know these things, you can defeat every lie from the devil!

When you are attacked in your mind, it is time to go the place Jesus laid.
  • This means it is time line up your thinking so that you identify with Jesus all over again.
  • 'Remind yourself...
  • You died with Him.
  • You were buried with Him.
  • You were raised with Him.
  • You are made righteous by being IN CHRIST.
  • It is time to go to this place of understanding in your mind.
  • It is time to align your thoughts until you realize all over again that his righteousness is your's.
  • His goodness is your's.
  • His power over the devil is your own!

If you have never learned this before, you are actually renewing your mind the more you believe what I am saying.
  • It is easy to forget these things if you ever did learn them.
  • So time and time again you need to go back IN YOUR MIND to the place where Jesus laid.
  • You go there because you remind yourself IF HE DIED FOR YOU, then that means YOU DIED.
  • It counts as you!
  • So you add it all up in your mind.
  • "If I died with Him, then I am buried with Him, and I resurrected with Him.  And that means I am seated with him over all the devil as well!  That means I have power WITH HIM over the devil.  I have HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.  HIS POWER.  HIS VICTORY!"

You snap out of your defeatism, and overcome those lies as soon as you remind yourself of your identification with Jesus!
  • So, when you remind yourself of these truths, in your understanding you go to the place where Jesus laid.

When you feel you are no good, go to the place where Jesus laid.
  • REMEMBER the bible teaches His righteousness is your righteousness, just like Elisha laid eye to eye and mouth to mouth with the dead lad.
  • Identify with every part of Jesus spiritually.

You always are in the position Jesus has, but if you forget this, or never even knew it, you will not have confidence.
  • You will run when you do not have to run.
  • You will let the devil hurt you when you do not have to.
  • You will stand there and let the devil take your family, your joy and even your faith, when you do not have to because you have the same power over him that Jesus has since you UNITED TO JESUS when you were saved.

When you UNDERSTAND this truth, you get confidence and realize that if you have the power Jesus has over the devil, then who does the devil think he is when he tries to defeat you!

Discouraged?  It is time to lay where Jesus laid.

Defeated?  Time to go to the place Jesus laid.

Understand that his righteousness became mine!
  • His holiness became mine!
  • His power became mine!

This is what the bible means when it says you are transformed by the renewing of your mind!

Identifying yourself with Jesus is a NEW WAY OF THINKING.
  • You renew your mind to what the bible says about you when you think this way.

Becoming spiritual is simply THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF AS THE BIBLE SAYS YOU ARE.
  • You need to find out all these things from the bible that are true about you simply because you were saved, that were never true about you before.
  • It does not matter if you feel different, the fact is the bible says you are, and you must believe the bible and not your feelings!
Psalm 77:2-12   In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. (3)  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. (4)  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. (5)  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. (6)  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. (7)  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? (8)  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? (9)  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. (10)  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. (11)  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. (12)  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Think of the power of God.

NOT YOUR WORK.
  • You do not have holiness because of anything YOU DID.
  • It was GOD'S WORK!
  • He did it to you the moment you were saved.
The right hand of God was Jesus Christ who died for our sins!
  • Recall what God did for you through Jesus Christ.
  • Recall the works of God through the cross!

You lose out when your mind is messed up in being overwhelmed.

Gird up the loins of your mind and think.

Go over the works of God through the cross.
  • Meditate once again about the death of the cross that freed you from sin to live a life for God!
Rom 6:10-11   For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11)  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2 Kings 4:34-35   And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. (35)  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Adam Clarke said, "When the nervous influence began to act on the muscular system, before the circulation could be in every part restored, particular muscles, if not the whole body, would be thrown into strong contractions and shiverings, and sternutation or sneezing would be a natural consequence; particularly as obstructions must have taken place in the head and its vessels, because of the disorder of which the child died. Most people, as well as philosophers and physicians, have remarked how beneficial sneezings are to the removal of obstructions in the head."

Obstructions in the head....

Those lies that the devil put into your head to confuse and confound you, that killed your spirituality, ARE OBSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE TOTALLY -- (SEVEN TIMES infers totality) -- removed from your mind.