ARM YOUR MIND WITH TRUTH

December  30, 2012
MF Blume

  Scripture Text:


1 Peter 4:1-5 KJV  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  (2)  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  (3)  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:  (4)  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:  (5)  Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.


The Bible speaks multitudes of thoughts regarding NEW BEGINNINGS.
·    We face a new year.
·    Children were born in Israel and the males were circumcised the eighth day.
·    It sort of shows NEW BIRTH.
·    7 is the sacred number of completion and fullness.
·    The first time the number is mentioned is when God created the earth and the six days of Genesis 1.
·    He rested the seventh day having completed the work.

Genesis 2:2 KJV  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

·    Sabbath day came into being as a result.
·    The next day of the new week would be the eighth day of the old.
·    So the circumcision of a child on its 8th day of life depicts a new birth.

Leviticus 12:3 KJV  And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

·    Col 2:11 speaks of circumcision of the HEART that was foreshadowed by the physical circumcision.
·    Baptism is spiritual circumcision and is part of NEW CREATION BIRTH.
·    We put off the body of the sins of the flesh.

Colossians 2:11-12 KJV  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:  (12)  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.

The firstborn of cattle were given to the Lord on the eighth day,

Exodus 22:29-30 KJV  Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.  (30)  Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

It is wonderful to note that THERE ARE 8 INDIVIDUAL RESURRECTIONS in the bible apart from Jesus and the resurrection foretold at the end of time.

3 in the Old Testament
3 in the Gospels
2 in Acts 9 and 20

The three of them in the Old Testament are related to the three in the Gospels that Jesus raised.

·  The son of a widow-
Zarepta (1 Kings 17:17-25)
and Nain (Luke 7:11-18).

·  The child of a rich person-
Son of the woman of Shunem (2 Kings 4:32-37),
The daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:35; Luke 8:49).

·  A full grown man...after burial-
In Elisha's tomb (2 Kings 13:20,21),
Lazarus (John 11).


The first time Jesus announced His resurrection was 8 days, including the day of the announcement, before He was transfigured on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 16, including the day of his transfiguration.

THE MIRACLES OF ELIJAH were eight in number, marking the Divine character of his mission:
1.    The shutting up of heaven, 1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17; Luke 4:25.
2.    Multiplying the widow's meal, 2 Kings 17:14-16.
3.    Raising the widow's son, verses 17-23.
4.    Causing fire to come down from heaven, 1 Kings 18:37, 38.
5.    Causing rain to come down from heaven, verses 41-45.
6.    Causing fire to come down from heaven, 2 Kings 1:10.
7.    The same, verse 12.
8.    Dividing the Jordan, 2 Kings 2:8.


THE MIRACLES OF ELISHA were double in number, viz. Sixteen, for his request was, "Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me," 2 Kings 2:9:
1.    Dividing the Jordan, 2 Kings 2:14.
2.    Healing the waters, verse 21.
3.    Cursing the young men,* verse 24.
4.    Procuring water for the three kings, 2 Kings 3:16-20.
5.    Multiplying the widow's oil, 2 Kings 4:1-7.
6.    Raising the widow's son, 4:37.
7.    Healing the deadly pottage, verse 38.
8.    Feeding the Hundred men, verses 42-44.
9.    The healing of Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1-19.
10.    The smiting of Gehazi, verses 20-27.
11.    Causing the iron to swim, 2 Kings 6:1-7.
12.    Opening the eyes of his servant, verse 17.
13.    Smiting the Syrian army with blindness, verse 18.
14.    Restoring their sight, verse 20.
15.    Arresting the king's messenger, verses 30-33.
16.    A dead man raised by touching his bones, 2 Kings 13:20, 21.

Jesus resurrected the first day of the week, the eighth day from the previous.
Noah was called the EIGHTH PERSON in 2 Peter 2:5.

2 Peter 2:5 KJV  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

·    He was the New Adam in a new beginning of the earth after the flood removed all the wicked.
·    In fact, he was amongst 8 souls who were saved from the sinful world by the flood.
·    8 souls came into a new regenerated world.

We read from 1 Peter 4 about armour for our minds.
It’s all about NEW BEGINNINGS.

1 Peter 4:1-3 KJV  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  (2)  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.  (3)  For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

The past part of our lives were lived for lusts.
·    Our futures need to be to the will of God.

We are told to ARM OUR MINDS.
·    This implies a battle is before us.
·    To understand this fully we have to read what was discussed at the end of the previous chapter.

1 Peter 3:14-17 KJV  But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;  (15)  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  (16)  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.  (17)  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

We read about suffering in this world at the hands of wicked people for the good deeds we do.
·    Persevere.

Then he referred to Jesus Christ’s suffering.

1 Peter 3:18 KJV  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

The Spirit of God sees your suffering and will give you blessing of Life from God.
·    The Spirit of God quickened or resurrected Jesus Christ after He suffered.
·    The point is that God will bless you with the same Spiritual Life.
·    Then Peter referred to NOAH’S DAY.

1 Peter 3:19-21 KJV  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;  (20)  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.  (21)  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:


Why did he speak about Noah’s day and the flood?
·    The context was suffering and persevering through it.
·    The key was that 8 souls were saved.
·    SO FEW.
·    The SPIRIT OF CHRIST ministered through Noah to preach to those who wholly rejected God’s word in disobedience.
·    It was God’s LONGSUFFERING during the time the ark was being prepared.


Genesis 6:3 KJV  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

This was not speaking about how old man can live, but how many years God allowed before bringing the destruction of the flood.
·    120 years.
·    After all that preaching  and appealing to the people, ONLY Noah’s family were saved in the end.
·    8 SOULS.
·    The implication is that Noah endured rejection and the suffering of mockery, etc.
·    But he wound up saved.

Peter stops to say baptism saves us today.
·    Water baptism has an important part to play in our salvation.
·    IT PUTS US INTO CHRIST’S DEATH.

Romans 6:3 KJV  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

But it’s not the water, but the GOOD CONSCIENCE that is the vital part.
·    It’s burying OUR OLD MAN as we are CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS.

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 more than being saved from hell.

1 Peter 3:21-22 KJV  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:  (22)  Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Jesus was resurrected and taken into Heaven to the right hand position of the throne.
·    He entered Kingdom dominion.

1 Peter 4:1 KJV  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

Have the same mind that Jesus had.
·    Be willing to suffer persecution if necessary, even to the death should it come to that.

Here is where it becomes powerful.

Jesus died and resurrected to enthronement.
·    Peter mentioned ceasing from sin as Paul did.

After Paul spoke of being crucified with Jesus to finish the old and enter new beginnings, he said…

Romans 6:7 KJV  For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Christ’s death was SHARED BY US so that we might be freed from sin.
·    Not just sins we’re forgiven for but the power of sin in daily living.
·    We suffer in the flesh and cease from sin.
·    Sin loses its power over us when we die.
·    ARM YOURSELVES WITH THIS MIND.
·    THINK DEATH WITH CHRIST.
·    THINK FREEDOM FROM SIN.

Here is why:

1 Peter 4:2 KJV  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Do not allow the remainder of your lives to be lived for the lusts of men.
·    A battle is ahead of us all.
·    Sin pulls at our flesh.
·    But HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.
·    RENEW YOUR MIND.

Romans 8:11-13 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.


Romans 12:2 KJV  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.

It transforms you.

Imagine facing your future and all its battles with an armed mind that knows YOU DIED WITH JESUS SO YOU ARE FREED FROM THE POWER OF SIN.
·    Therefore, you have the influence of Spirit upon you to cease from sin.
·    The same Spirit that raised Christ and enthroned Him on high is upon you.
·    Kingdom power.

NEW BEGINNINGS.

HAVE AN ARMED MIND.
·    You know you died to sin due to your union with Jesus.
·    And that means you are also empowered by the Spirit as He is.
·    Ephesians 1:18-20 KJV  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  (20)  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,


The power that raised Jesus is TOWARDS US NOW.

Face life with that awareness.

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