THE MIND OF MAN

The MIND of MAN

Is so degraded in the world today, that most who hear the truth of God's word are incapable of accepting it when they hear it.

EXAMPLE: Of the degraded mind! Say you're not a committed Christian, you're a carnal Christian, a limited in knowledge Christian i.e. you're a worldly individual and your mind is bent towards yourself 24/7. Someone approaches you with a business proposition that you know is "wrong" yet you don't make a rash decision at the time to accept the proposition, you want to sleep on it. The more you consider the proposition as a profitable outcome for yourself, the more your mind is convinced. Then you consider the proposition again and you weigh the pros and the cons of a successful or unsuccessful outcome.

THE PROPOSITION: To assassinate another human being for a specific agreed-upon price. The more you think about it the more the (dollar signs $$$) outweigh your rationality and your mind is already under the control of demonic influence at this point. You have lost the battle already!

When the truth comes to you from either a servant of God or from your study of His word, it requires even a greater contemplation outside of the "fallen mind" as exhibited in the above example. For most people, they cannot separate the physical rational mind from the "spiritual mind" and when they hear the real truth and they need to use their (spiritual mind) to understand, they choose to use their rational (physical mind) instead to see and therefore they are already blinded to seeing the truth God has for them. What's the difference between the (physical and the spiritual mind?) The rational mind which relies on (reason) to process what is heard or seen with the eyes, the spiritual mind is open to learning what God has to give them outside and apart from that of the human rational mind.

EXAMPLE: Someone comes to you because God in their spirit has sent them to you personally to reveal something to them that they think they already know but really don't understand. This happened to Apollos! Act 18:24,25 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

Here was a man of God, spiritually trained by the Spirit of God and gifted by the Spirit with boldness to preach the truth of the Lord. Yet, he lacked a clear understanding of what he proclaimed. This is the state of the man who thinks him/herself a minister but doesn't know the complete truth that God has for them. This doesn't make them a false prophet i.e. preacher, just not a fully informed minister even though they like Apollos proclaim both the scriptures, are fervent in spirit, speak's and teach's the things of the Lord. The revelation of the spiritual condition of the "Jew" Apollos is a lesson for all who claim to be servants of God to keep them "humble" their spirit. Apollos knew nothing of the (New Birth) experience which is what the phrase "knowing only the baptism of John" means. When Aquila and Priscilla who had been with Paul heard him speak they immediately knew he needed further training In the things of God, even though he was trained by the Spirit of God already, but he didn't know fully the God he proclaimed. The scripture states: Act 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Consider Apollos for a minute had he a self-righteous mind that he thought he knew enough already to preach and teach the things of God and had no need to hear from the duo (Aquila and Priscilla), he would have closed his mind to learning what God had to teach him. However, Apollos didn't have that kind of spirit, nor should any servant of God manifest that kind of spirit, one that thinks itself (sufficient) and has no need of learning (new truth), but the American Protestant servants of God think of themselves as having (no need) to hear anything new that God might have for them. They close their (spiritual minds) and choose to use their rational physical minds over their spiritual mind in which God is trying to get through to them. These are the ones in which God calls (carnal) Christians. Rom 8:7-9 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

QUESTION: Did Apollos have the (Spirit of God?) Act 18:25(a&b) This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit. The scripture states that he did so, Apollos was of Jesus Christ yet he was NOT yet born of the Spirit of God, he did not know the Baptism of the Spirit of God, he Apollos was only aware of the watery baptism of John the Baptist. Was he then a man of God? The scripture clearly states that he was both a preacher and a teacher of the things of the Lord. Act 18:25(c) he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

This truth then reveals the lie of the Charismatic churches [Assembly of God, Pentecost, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness etc.] teachings that one must have and possess the (Spirit of God) i.e the fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit before one can belong to Jesus Christ. The error of the Charismatic movement as young as A.D. 1900 is a church movement that fulfills (PART OF) this prophecy in their teachings. Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. Their teachings are deceptive teaching that perverts the spirit of a man/woman who falls into their trap. There is an end-time just before Jesus comes again where there will be a literal physical manifestation of the Mt. Carmel Elijah event for the (purposes) of deception. Just as Elijah stood for God against the paganism of Baal worship on top of Carmel, Satan will attempt to duplicate the Carmel event working through wicked men (the opposite of Elijah) to convince mankind that the last day teachings of the apostate churches are (REAL) when in fact it's a lie.

Rev 13:14,15 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

What happened to the prophets of Baal who failed in the Mt. Carmel event? If you know the story 850 (false prophets of Baal) were slain because of their paganism and Baal worship at the hands of Elijah. Before Jesus returns demonic activity will be so prevalent in the (sight of man) that they will attempt to use the ancient event of Mt. Carmel when Elijah proved that God was the ONLY true God and true worship, but they will attempt to use (a similar like event) to convince the world of false worship. Where Elijah was with God's help proving true worship, Satan and his demons will duplicate (Fire from the Sky i.e. heavens) to convince mankind that the "beast church" is the real thing.

Mankind who thinks that their knowledge of God is sufficient to (get them through) are those who don't (really) know anything at all or know very little. Had Apollos been like today's so-called Christians, he would have told (Aquila and Priscilla) to take a hike and he would more than likely eventually lost his relationship with God as did Demas.

God can't teach a closed-minded person! And if your reading what He has spoken through and caused them to write down what His spirit moved them to say, and you read it with the rational physical mind instead of allowing God to train you through your spiritual mind, then you have lost the battle before you ever enter the fray.

The WATCHMAN !!!