CHANGING OUR WALKS FROM "AFTER THE FLESH"
TO "AFTER THE SPIRIT"


August 19, 2012
MF Blume

  Scripture Text:



Genesis 8:7-11 KJV  And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.  (8)  Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;  (9)  But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.  (10)  And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;  (11)  And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.

Joshua 6:6-10 KJV  And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.  (7)  And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.  (8)  And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.  (9)  And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.  (10)  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

Both Noah and Israel were at the precipice of the entrance into a NEW DESTINATION chosen by God for them.
·    This point is a crisis point.
·    It represents what Hebrews 4 called entrance into the REST.
·    In fact, Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 compare entrance into Canaan in the Exodus with entrance into this rest.

Both Noah’s story and Joshua’s story involve passing through water and dealing with walls.
·    Noah’s flood waters were crossed as Israel crossed the Jordan river that formed a barrier to the promised land.
·    Last week we showed that Song of Solomon 2 showed the Spirit of God like a dove calling through the window to His lady, representing the church, to arise and come away because the rain is over now and flowers appeared on earth.
·    We read that the beloved was behind the WALL, through which the lady must pas to be with Him.

Song of Solomon 2:9-10 KJV  (9)  My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.  (10)  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Numbers 13:28 KJV  Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

·    The significant thing that Israel both FEARED AS FIRST and then saw FALL at Jericho were WALLS.

Noah’s story shows Noah following the direction indicated by the dove instead of the raven.

Joshua’s story shows Israel following THE ARK of the covenant.

So we even have ARKS in both stories!

The Ark of the Covenant and the Dove both indicate that which we must FOLLOW.
·    The dove was the form in which the Holy Spirit fell upon Jesus when He was baptized IN JORDAN.
·    So the baptism of Jesus connects two elements from the Story of Noah and the Story of Exodus by showing us the DOVE that Noah followed in the form of the SPIRIT and the Jordan river through which Israel passed in order to take down Jericho and claim the promised land.

As Noah depended upon the evidence of the Dove, we must WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT.
·    As Israel walked behind the Ark of the Covenant when they encompassed Jericho, we must WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT.

Picture the thronelike mercyseat on the Ark of the Covenant a KINGDOM leading by the Spirit.
·    It’s like marching behind the THRONE OF GOD going before us, as we proceed in KINGDOM POWER of the leading of the Spirit.

Romans 8:11-15 KJV  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  (12)  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  (13)  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  (14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  (15)  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

The quickening of our mortal bodies by the Spirit causes the deeds of these bodies to be mortified.
·    Let that thought sink into your spirit.
·    It says that such quickening causes you to not live after the flesh.
·    It says it is mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit.
·    And that leading of the Spirit to mortify the deeds and quicken the mortal body is what makes us mature HUIOS sons of God.
·    We’re not given the Spirit of bondage as though we can never mortify these deeds successfully, but ever remain bound to committing them.

Just as the ten doubting spies spread the disease of doubt amongst the entire nation of Israel saying they were not able to go and take the country because of the walls, people today look at the deeds of their bodies like the stronghold of Jericho and think they cannot take it down, so they give up.
·    Jesus said this is impossible with men, but all things are possible with the Lord.
·    Joshua reminded them, GOD IS WITH US!

This is what the ark of the covenant stands for.
·    GOD WITH US.

Numbers 14:9 KJV  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

The ark of the covenant was the focal point in the ATONEMENT ritual for Israel every year.
·    ATONEMENT is rooted in the words AT ONE.
·    We become AT ONE with God by the sacrifice of blood.
·    Jesus is that atonement sacrifice.
·    THE “AT ONE” WITH GOD SACRIFICE.
·    The sacrifice that makes us ONE WITH GOD so that we are not His enemies any more.
·    Atonement sacrifice was made for SINS that separated us from God.
·    So when our sins that separated us are removed, we are no longer separated but AT ONE WITH GOD!
·    And because we are AT ONE WITH GOD, we are not left with our frail and natural human power to overcome supernatural forces like sin and the devil.
·    GOD IS WITH US.

When Christians look at things in their lives that are unpleasing to God and cannot see how they can stop these things, they are FORGETTING THEY ARE AT ONE WITH GOD.
·    And they are WALKING AFTER THE FLESH.
·    But when we realize GOD IS WITH US, and we look to His power and depend upon his strengthening to deal with what we know we cannot overcome in our fleshly power, WE WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT!
·    THAT IS WHAT WALKING BEHIND THE ARK OF THE COVENANT represents.

That ark went before them, having been sprinkled with the blood of atonement sacrifice for years already, depicting God’s Kingdom throne in front of them, representing the fact that they were at one with God because of that sacrifice.
·    Putting THAT ARK in front of them as they marched, symbolized walking after the Spirit to mortify the deeds of the body that scared the life out of us previously.
·    It represents understanding that YOU CANNOT overcome in your fleshly power, but YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DEPEND ON HIS KINGDOM POWER, YOU WILL SEE THOSE DEEDS OF THE BODY MORTIFIED.

They had to walk around the city ONCE for six days.
·    They had to be SILENT during that walk in those 6 days.

Joshua 6:10 KJV  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

The problem 39 years earlier was that the ten spies DOUBTED AND SPOKE THEIR DOUBTS TO THE REST OF THE NATION.
·    So this time NO WORD FROM THEIR MOUTHS!
·    You need to learn to STOP SPEAKING DOUBT if you want to walk after the Spirit.

They were not totally silent.
·    THE PRIEST BLEW TRUMPETS!

Joshua 6:11-14 KJV  So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.  (12)  And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.  (13)  And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.  (14)  And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

The WORD OF GOD is likened to a TRUMPET in the Bible.

Revelation 1:10-11 KJV  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,  (11)  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: …

Isaiah 58:1 KJV  Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

Exodus 19:16 KJV  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.


LIKE THEE OLIVE LEAF IN THE MOUTH OF THE DOVE, the Voice of the TRUMPET stands for the VOICE OF THE SPIRIT.
·    The PEOPLE make their voices silent, but the VOICE OF THE TRUMPET alone sounds forth.
·    Walking after the Spirit is HEARING THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT as Noah knew the leaf int eh dove’s mouth informed him of WHEN TO MOVE.

Joshua 6:5 KJV  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

The seventh day had not only SEVEN WALKS around the city, instead of one like the previous days, BUT A SOUND OF THE TRUMPET THE OTHER DAYS DID NOT HAVE.
·    A LONG BLAST.
·    When they heard that long blast they had to SHOUT FOR VICTORY BEFORE ONE STONE WAS SEEN TO FALL FROM THE WALLS!
·    The other days saw trumpets sound SHORT blasts.
·    This was a different trumpet sound!

This shows not only do they NOT SPEAK in doubt like the ten spies did 39 years earlier, but when they DO SPEAK they SHOUT when they hear the trumpet, NOT WHEN THEY SEE THE WALLS START TO CRUMBLE.
·    That means when they DO SPEAK, it is SPEAKING IN FAITH and NOT BY SIGHT!
·    NOT SPEAKING BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SEE!
·    They spoke about what they saw years before and DOUBTED!
·    But now they are learning to SPEAK by what they DO NOT SEE!

The number 7 implies COMPLETION AND PERFECTION!
·    Seven days brought the day of rest.
·    Think of it.
·    For 6 DAYS THEY CANNOT SPEAK.
·    Six days are for work and the seventh is for rest.
·    So they cannot supply one ounce of human work to solve the problem so much as by even SPEAKING!
·    When it comes to this stronghold HUAMN WORK IS NOT ALLOWED!
·    And on the seventh day when they DID shout, that was the day of REST.
·    So the emphasis is upon time when they can work they are not allowed to so much as SPEAK, but when they should rest and not work, THEY SHOUT THEN before they even see reason to do so, all emphasizing it is not THEIR WORK BUT THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT!

This shows how we mortify the deeds of the body BY THE SPIRIT!

The SPIRIT’S KINGDOM POWER!