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WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH & BLOOD 

 

By Hal Dekker 

2008.05.26

 

Last page update:  2022.07.24

 

 

Whenever Satan or demonl spirits threaten a child of God, Jesus stands at the right hand of God ready to command messengers to intervene, that the child of God comes to no harm.  God protects his children, as long as his children walk according to his Word and his covenants.

 

Consider a record in 1 Pet.:

 

1 Pet. 3:12 (LIT/UBS4) Because (hoti) [the] eyes (ophthalmoi) of [the] Lord (kuriou) [are] upon (epi) righteous ones (dikaious), and (kai) [the] ears (ōta) of him (autou) [are] into (eis) [a] prayer of need (deēsin) of them (autōn). 

 

But (de) [the] face (prosōpon) of [the] Lord (kuriou) [is] upon (epi) ones doing (poiountas) malicious things (kaka).

 

Whenever a child of God deliberately chooses to walk in sin, to walk against what God says in his Word, then he choses, by his own free will, to walk outside of the boundaries of God's protection, outside of the sheepfold so to speak, and then he has no right to blame God for something he brought upon himself!  Disobedience to God brings consequences, just as obedience to God brings rewards.

 

Back to 1 Sam. 17:49:

 

"that the stone sunk into his forehead" - If the "stone" in these passages is used by God as a type or a metaphor for the coming redeemer and his work, the rock (Mat. 7:24-25; Luke 6:48; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 10:4; 1 Pet. 2:1-9), which I believe it is, then the fact that God mentions that "the stone sunk into his forehead" is a metaphor for a knock-out punch to Satan.  It corresponds to the impact of the redeemer's work in the world, of completely leading spiritual captivity captive (Eph. 4:8) by eliminating the penalty for sin, which is death, and giving gifts unto men, especially the gift of holy Spirit, which is power to defeat the adversary and to obtain eternal life.  Just as certain as little shepherd David conquered over the Philistines through killing Goliath, Christ Jesus conquered over the devil, Satan, and his demon spirits, through killing the penalty for our sin nature and sin, which penalty was death!

 

1 Sam. 17:50  And David was stronger than the Philistine, with the sling and with the stone, and he struck the Philistine, and caused him to die, and [there was, AE] no sword in the hand of David.

 

Okay, here's another test for your spiritual eyes; while reading down through this passage of scriptures did you "see" the spiritual truths portrayed by the physical elements as types?  Now in verse 50 it says, "And David was stronger than the Philistine, with the sling and with the stone," but yet understand that it was not the physical sling and stone which gave David the victory, but Jehovah.  David was a victor only because he was working together with the God.

 

So, what did they as types represent, which caused David to prevail?  Who is typified by the stone or rock?  Not only is Jesus Christ referred to as a "rock", but as the the "Word" which became "flesh" (John 1:14).  God speaks here in a figure of speech again, as he has all down through this record, by referring to those things which are seen with our eyes, as types representing things which we can only see with ours "eyes of understanding" (Heb. 4:13).

 

Typically, without knowing what is the "stone" we can't know what is the "sling."  The "stone" is the coming redeemer Jesus Christ, or the Word of God.  Therefore, the "sling" is the delivery vehicle of that Word, the believer's mouth, speaking forth not mortal-made theological theories, BUT, speaking forth the Word of God, as recorded by his holy prophets!  According to this record in 1 Sam., God's Word, whether written, spoken, or manifested in human flesh, is the rock, and all those who speak it are slings.

 

If you're born from above with God's gift of his paternal holy Spirit in you (1 Pet. 1:23-24), then Jesus has come to you and baptized you in God's holy Spirit, and so God's resurrection power in Christ Jesus, his holy Spirit, is now in you, "Christ in you" (Col. 1:27), "the hope of glory", and in the words you speak (John 6:63-64).  It's the hope for both God's and your glory.  The God desires for you  also to be glorified with him, as you work together with him and his son Christ Jesus.  Those who work together with God, are glorified together with God; when that glorification takes place is the God's prerogative. 

 

"and [there was, AE] no sword in the hand of David" - there was no physical sword in David's hand, but there was a spiritual knife in his mouth!  The "knife of the Spirit" is the Word of God in a believing heart and upon believing lips (Rom. 10:9-10, Eph. 6:17).  No matter what physical arms and weaponry are used, they are not more powerful than the knife of the Spirit.  Therefore they are not as great of a determining factor of the course of the battle, nor of who shall be the victor, as is God's Word.

 

The words David spoke from his believing heart, and the actions he took based upon his belief in the love and faithfulness of the living God, set the battle in array spiritually, and that's how the Philistine was defeated spiritually, and so physically.  Satan was absolutely helpless in using the Philistine against the knife/sword of the Spirit, because "a greater one is the [Spirit of the God, v2, RE] in you than the [spirit of the antichrist, v3, RE] in the cosmos (1 John 4:4)."

 

Consider a record in Matthew:

 

Jesus confronted the Sadducees for their error, which error is overwhelmingly common to all natural man;

 

Mat. 22:29 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) the (ho) Jesus (Iēsous) having been caused to make [a] decision (apokritheis), he enunciated (eipen) to them (autois), “You are caused to wander (planasthe);

 

you neither having seen (mē eidotes) the (tas) writings (gruphas), but (de) nor (mē) the (tēn) inherently powered work (dunamin) of the (tou) God (theou)!

 

In the context of Mat. 22:29, Christ Jesus is epitomizing the Sadducees, a major sect of the Judean's religion, because the continuing cause of their struggles with the devil working in and through other nations against them, is that they are still being "caused to wander".  They kept on "wandering", were adrift spiritually, because they "have neither seen the writings, but nor" have they seen "the inherently powered work of the God."  Jesus accused the Judean religious leaders of being spiritually ignorant and stupid (I say stupid because stupidity is the result of the repeated voluntary desire for the ignorance of truth, which leads to lack of common sense).  They actively desired to stay ignorant of God's Word, especially about their own promised coming redeemer, Christ Jesus, and they were the ones who were supposedly teaching everyone else in Israel!  Maybe their own display of themselves is what caused Jesus to characterize them as being the children of their father the diabolical one, the devil (John 8:44). 

 

I suggest to anyone, if someone is being oppressed with constant trouble in his or her own life, spiritual oppression, which is most likely on account of the usual cause, demon spirit attacks, that Mat. 22:29 is why; on account of his or her own lack of knowledge, not having seen the writings, and thusly not have seen the inherently powered work of the God.  They've allowed something else in their lives in place of the holy writings, and the inherent power of the God, to which they are clinging more than to the actual knowledge of God's writings.

 

Consider a record in 2 Cor.:

 

The Word of God given to apostle Paul by revelation of Jesus Christ, to the Corinthians, nicely sums up how David defeated the Philistine;

 

2 Cor. 6:7 (LIT/UBS4) [standing together, ER] in (en) Word (logō) of Truth (alētheias);

 

[standing together, ER] in (en) inherent power (dunamei) of God (theou);

 

through (dia) the (tōn) armor (hoplōn) of the (tēs) righteousness (dikaiosunēs), of the (tōn) right (dexiōn) and (kai) [of the] left (aristerōn);

 

The Word of truth, power of God, and armor of righteousness, can still work today for you and I because God has not changed (Malachi 3:6)!

 

Back to 1 Sam.

 

1 Sam. 17:51  And David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out its sheath, and caused him to die, and cut off his head with it. 

 

And the Philistines saw their mighty one was dead, and fled.

 

"And David ran," - David was ecstatic over God's deliverance!

 

"and stood over the Philistine" - this signifies the dominion of righteousness over unrighteousness, and that unrighteousness is always under subjection to righteousness; because the God, his spoken Word and inherent power, can suddenly become the biggest "elephant" in the room, even overcoming any sociology / psychology of repression operating on a macro scale, such as the triune godhead model of the God.  The "elephant" in this case is the knowledge of all of the writings in God's Word about Israel's promised coming redeemer, Christ Jesus; which "little details" the triune godhead model of God "Christianity" leads people to ignore.  Please see an outline of those little details in my study An Outline of the Biblical Texts-Based Christology of the Word/Jesus Christ.

 

For a detailed study of what I believe are the spiritual meanings in the biblical text in the story of the "battle" between David and Goliath, please see my study We Wrestle Not Against Flesh And Blood.

 

Consider a record in 1 Cor.:

 

1 Cor. 15:22 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) as (hōsper) all (pantes) in (en) the (tō) Adam (adam) die away (apothnēskousin), thusly (houtōs) all (pantes) in (en) the (tō) Christ (Christō) also (kai) shall be made alive (zōopoiēthēsontai).

 

1 Cor. 15:23 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) each one (hekastos) in (en) the (tō) [Christ, v22, RE] [shall be made alive, v22, RE] [in, RE] his own (idiō) rank (tagmati), [each one, RE] [being] [a] beginning offering (aparchē) of Christ (Christos);

 

thereupon (epeita) the ones (hoi) of the (tou) Christ (Christou) [are] in (en) the (tē) presence (parousia) of him (autou).

 

(For a beginning offering see Rom. 8:23, 11:16, 16:5; 1 Cor. 15:20-23, 16:15; James 1:18; Rev. 14:4)

 

1 Cor. 15:24 (LIT/UBS4) Thereafter (eita) [is] the (to) completion (telos), when perhaps (hotan) [Christ,v22, RE] may pass along (paradidō) the (tēn) Kingdom⁹³² (basileian) to the (tō) God (theō) and (kai) Father (patri);

 

when perhaps (hotan) [the God and Father, ER] may idle down²⁶⁷³ (katargēsē) every (pasan) chief one⁷⁴⁶ (archēn), and (kai) every (pasan) authority (exousian) and (kai) inherent power (dunamin).

 

1 Cor. 15:25 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) it is required (dei) of him (auton) to be king (basileuein) until (achri) of which (hou) [time] [the God and Father, v24, ER] may put (thē) all (pantas) the (tous) hateful (echthrous) [chief ones, authorities and inherent powers, v24, RE] under (hupo) the (tous) feet (podas) of him (autou).

 

1 Cor. 15:26 (LIT/UBS4) [The] last (eschatos) hateful thing (echthros) idled down²⁶⁷³ (katargeitai) [is] the (to) death (thanatos).

 

1 Cor. 15:27 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) [the God and Father, v24, ER] put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupetaxen) all things (panta) [to be] under (hupo) the (tous) feet (podas) of him (autou). 

 

But (de) when perhaps (hotan) it may be enunciated (eipē) that (hoti) all things (panta) have been put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupotetaktai) [under the feet of him, RE], [it, AE] [is] obvious (dēlon) that (hoti) [the God and Father, v24, ER] [is] outside (ektos) of the (tou) [enunciation, RE], he having put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupotaxantos) to him (autō) all the things (ta panta).

 

1 Cor. 15:28 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) when perhaps (hotan) [the God and Father, v24, RE] may have put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupotagē) to him (autō) all the things (ta panta), then (tote) the (ho) son (huios) himself (autos) also (kai) shall be put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupotagēsetai) to the (tō) [God and Father, v24, ER] having put in submission⁵²⁹³ (hupotaxanti) to him (autō) all the things (ta panta);

 

in order that²⁴⁴³ (hina) the (ho) God (theos) may be (ē) all the things (ta panta) in (en) all (pasin).

 

The greatness of this truth is that if you are born from above and thereby a part of the one body of Christ, then all things that the Father and Christ Jesus put under Christ's feet, are under your feet also, because you're a part of the one body of Christ (Eph. 1:19-23), a new creature, part of a new creation which has never existed upon earth before the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)!

 

"in order that the God may be all the things (panta) in all (pasin)." - The all things (panta) that the Father wants to be in all (pasin), can be ascertained by rightly dividing the words pasan, pantas, panta, and pasin.  The Father wants to be all things to us to supply our every need.  All of the things which are defined by all of God's old covenant names, are ALL of the things he desires to be for us, in us!

 

Back to 1 Sam. 17:51...

 

"and took his sword" - God is telling us that just because David is now taking the Philistine's sword, doesn't mean that David stopped using his own sword, but arrests our attention to recall "What was David's sword?" Eph. 6:17 tells us:

 

Eph. 6:17 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) cause yourselves to receive (dexasthe) the (tēn) helmet (perikephalaian) of the (tou) wholeness (sōtēriou);

 

and (kai) [cause yourselves to receive, RE] the (tēn) knife (machairan) of the (tou) Spirit (pneumatos), which (ho) is (estin) [a] statement (rhēma) of God (theou).

 

Physically speaking, David used a sling and a small smooth stone, but spiritual power energized David and his use of them because of the Word of God that David believed and spoke.  David wielded the Word of God, which is the knife/sword of the Spirit, which determined Israel's victory.  It's the spoken aloud Word of God on believing lips that brings deliverance to pass.  That's how a believer uses the knife of the Spirit!

 

"and drew it out of its sheath," - First of all, how are you and I ever going to defeat Satan if we don't carry the knife of the Spirit with us in our minds, which means carrying the mind of Christ, full of the accurate Word of God?  Secondly, how are we going to strike a defeating blow upon Satan and his little demon spirits if we don't speak the Word of God, if we don't draw it out of its sheath?  Yes, Christ Jesus has given to us the victory, through his death and resurrection, but we need to believe and accept it, and seriously use the spoken Word as he did.  Use the Word of God, it is the knife of the Spirit!  Draw it out and put it upon your lips.  Get it ready to go.  Getting into the habit of using it is getting into the habit of defeating the devil and demon spirits.  It's a required piece of armor to be used and developed by disciples of Jesus Christ.  Use it!

 

"and cut off his head with it." - Drawing the knife of the Spirit and striking Satan and/or his demon spirits, removes their power.  We can't kill demon spirit beings, yet, but with the Word of God on our lips we can remove their power in any situation.  Satan and all his little demon spirits will see, as soon as you draw the knife of the Spirit, that they have already lost the competition/skirmish/battle.  They must flee from you.

 

"And the Philistines saw their champion was dead, and fled." - At the beginning of this record, God told us in detail, all that the armies of Israel saw with their eyes when they looked at the Philistine, how big he was, how much armor he had, the weight of it all.  But now the God's providence for Israel has changed almost everything, even though the two armies have not yet fought with one another.  God has changed the scene to now cause the Philistines to see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, the news that Goliath has been beheaded, by a little shepherd boy.  I believe that by this time all of the people in both armies are coming to the realization that what they've just witnessed is divine intervention.  The Philistines are now filled with fear and terror for their own lives.  Both sides are now rolling up their sleeping bags; Israel to chase the Philistines, and the Philistines to run for their lives. 

 

The Philistines had heard about how Israel's God had helped them in the past.  Now that the Philistine was dispatched by a little shepherd boy with a stick and a sling, they concluded very quickly, as did the rest of the earth when the news spread, that once again the God Jehovah Elohim is in Israel.

 

So what has actually happened upon the battle field?  All the fear that was in the hearts of the armies of Israel, was suddenly gone, but transferred now into the hearts of the Philistines!  Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).  Out of David's love for God he spoke God's Word, and the result was that the fear in the hearts of the armies of Israel was thrown out, and was now in the hearts of all of the Philistines!  

 

We must move our lips to speak our belief, to shut down Satan's power!  There's power in God's Word, it's the knife of the Spirit!  If you're a son or daughter of God, and because of your love for God you speak his Word in a situation, then God honors your belief and shall manifest himself in and through you; and Satan has to back down because greater is the power of the Spirit of God in you than the power of Satan and his little demon spirits who are in the world (1 John 4:4)!

 

1 Sam. 17:52  And the men of Israel rose up, and of Judah, and they shouted and pursued the Philistines until you enter the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. 

 

And the wounded of the Philistines fell in the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.

 

"And rose up" - if they "rose up" then they must have been sitting and/or lying about.  "Rise up" as used by Jesus Christ in the new covenant writings, means "get moving NOW, make haste!"  The fear shifted into the Philistines, and the armies of Israel and Judah knew it, and they closed upon the Philistines immediately.

 

"the men of Israel and of Judah" - This is an interesting phrase, since at the time of these events, Saul is king, and Israel is supposedly not yet a divided kingdom, where "Israel" would have been under King Jeroboam I, and "Judah" under King Rehoboam.  This is evidence that the family of Judah already had issues with the ruling leadership, and that national division was already underway, but that they had temporarily put away their differences at this time to stand together as a matter of survival, against a greater threat, the Philistines.  The house of Israel was as good as divided.  But it did not fall at this time because of the belief in God of one little shepherd boy, David.  And so, from the posterity of Judah the promised Christ child could still be born.

 

"and shouted" - In this shout is so much; it represents going from despair to joy; rising up from being a slave to being conqueror; passing from death unto life!  Spiritually, its a type of the shout that will be on our lips at the return of Christ Jesus.  From the moment we are born from above with the gift of holy Spirit, and realize the greatness of what God has done in us, until the time we put off the flesh or Christ returns, our life should be one long shout as we pursue after Satan and his demon spirits, because we have already been given the victory (Col. 2:8-15)!  This word for shout in the text is the same word used in the book of Joshua (Joshua 6:16,20), when the people heard the sound of the trumpets, then they shouted and the walls of Jericho fell down!

 

"And the wounded of the Philistines fell in the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron." - A man can't run indefinitely.  Eventually he gets tired and slows down.  And eventually he has to stop completely from exhaustion, to catch his breath and regain his strength, while other more stronger men can run further.  A Philistine wearing a lot of heavy bronze/brass armor may not be able to run too far very fast, before more lightly armored Israelites finally catch up to him to inflict a deadly wound on him in his exhausted state.  So, as the Philistines ran I believe they shed their proud armor, to be able to keep on running; and the armies of Israel and Judah shed their armor in pursuit, with the exception of perhaps their swords and spears.  David showed them that their God was giving them the victory through the knife of the Spirit, not through their own physical armor!

 

1 Sam. 17:53  And the sons of Israel returned from hot pursuit (dalag) after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

 

What God referred to as divided in verse 52, as "the men of Israel" and "Judah,"  are now referred to as united, i.e. "the sons of Israel" in verse 53!  "Israel" means, "God prevails." 

 

I believe this can be taken as evidence that after Israel and Judah fought side by side to defeat the Philistines this time, that for a short time thereafter they remained together as one nation. They came back from chasing the Philistines as one unified army, unified by belief, and experiencing the power of their God, Jehovah, to deliver them.  This belief is what unifies believers today.  When believers share with one another how they have been delivered through their belief in God, it unites them as one body (James 5:16).  Back in v. 45 David referred to whom the Philistine had cursed, as the "armies" (plural) of Israel, which has now become an "army" (singular), the children of Israel, of God.

 

"hot pursuit (dalag)" - i.e. to burn, inflame, kindle.  At a point in the chase the Philistines could feel the "heat"!  After running for a short time, heat and exhaustion began to affect the fleeing Philistines who were running for their lives.  They began to slow down and tire as the pursuit went on and became "hot".  In verse 52 the Hebrew word for "pursued (radaph)", means simply to follow after.  But here in verse 53 dalag implies that the sons of Israel caught up to, and were overtaking the Philistine soldiers at the end of the pursuit, because the pursuit was hot.  This change in word usage implies that during the chase, the Israel soldiers completely closed the distance between them and the fleeing Philistines. 

 

Verse 52 tells us that Israel was hot after them "until you enter the valley, and to the gates of Ekron."  Ekron is about 25 miles due West of Jerusalem.  This is where the main body of the Philistine armies was overtaken and killed by the sons of Israel.  The children of Israel pursued them all the way back to the point of their origin, to kill them, to make sure it would be a long, long time before they could start a fight with them again. 

 

This is how we are to disable demon spirits so they can't come back upon us tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, etc., through commanding them to go to the deepest part of the oceans and commanding them to remain their until the appointed time for their judgments.  This is how I personally pray, and to where I send them, so they can do no harm to anyone else on the face of the planet. 

 

"and they spoiled (plundered) their tents" - When the pursuit began "the Philistines" had to get up immediately and run for their lives.  They had little time to go back to their tents to retrieve their valuables.  This is how Satan and his little devil spirits must flee when you resist (to put it mildly!) them.

 

1 Sam. 17:54  And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

 

"The Philistine" Goliath, is named six times in scripture (6 is the number relative to mortals and to the anti-Christ).  He is named twice in this record, once at the beginning, and again when David comes on the scene.  Throughout this record God refers to Goliath as "the Philistine."  Goliath was a hero and celebrity among his own people.  He was famous throughout all of Israel for his size and bravado, and for his ego and boldness also.  David's possession of the head of "the Philistine" was a more intense display of superiority than the placing of the foot upon the neck, which was both physical and metaphorical custom.  Possessing the head symbolized the utter destruction and humiliation of the enemy.  Any fame that was attached to Goliath, now became attached to David and the God of Israel, Jehovah Elohim, the possessors of Goliath's head.

 

"but he put his armor in his tent." - In David's own tent he put the armor of "the Philistine."  The armor would always be a reminder to both David and others, that any appearance of physical power and strength is only a mirage compared to the spiritual power of God's holy Spirit within a believer, when God's Word is spoken upon that believer's lips.  I can't help but wonder where has Goliath's armor gone?  Who has it now in there own private collection somewhere?  If we could only see the helmet, or the coat of scales, we could do a few measurements on them now just to reconfirm how huge a man would need to be to use them, to carry them onto the battlefield.  How many Philistines soldiers, ones still alive, vowed never to fight with an Israeli shepherd boy?

 

In the chronological order of events here in 1 Sam. 17, v. 54 appears to be out of place when reading v. 55.  This apparent intentional insertion beside, between, or among other verses that flow with the timing of events, is a figure of speech called Parembole.  A figure of speech is used by God in his Word to single out and identify a point or points which are of paramount importance in guiding the reader into the intended understanding of the passage.  Figures of speech help to make the point or points of the whole narrative.  

 

The two major points that v. 54 make are:

 

1) What is the overwhelming power and authority of holy Spirit available to believers, to overrule circumstances in the physical realm,

 

2) and that believers should never forget God's ability and willingness to deliver the enemy and his spoils into the believer's hands, as typified by David putting in his tent the armor of "the Philistine."  See Eph. 1:19 - 2:1. 

 

Rom. 8:2-15 is a long Parembole that shows the relation between flesh and Spirit, i.e., the Old man and the New man, the Old nature and the New divine spiritual nature, about which new nature we have we are to renew our minds.

 

1 Sam. 17:55  And when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the armies, "The son of whom (is) this youth, Abner?" And Abner said, "(As) lives your soul, O king, I do not know."

 

Verses 55-56 are a Parembole also, focusing on DAVID'S IDENTITY; which draws our thoughts to JESUS CHRIST'S IDENTITY of which David here is a wonderful type; and then ultimately to draw our attention to OUR OWN IDENTITY in Christ Jesus, as sons of God, and parts of the one body of Christ, of which David is a type to US also!  Do you have enough belief in your heart for that?

 

"(As) lives your soul, O king, I do not know." - Up until this time David had no popular fame or renown, even among his own people.  Barely anyone outside of his immediate family knew him, about his beliefs, his heart toward Jehovah, and his walk with Jehovah.  But, Jehovah knew him very well!

 

1 Sam. 17:56  And the king said, "Enquire you whose son (is) this hidden one (elem)."

 

"hidden one (elem)" - something kept out of sight.  From Heb. 'alam, to veil, conceal from sight.  King Saul speaks as though Jesse may have been the one who has kept David a secret from the King.  But I believe it was Jehovah Elohim who has kept David a secret from the devil, Satan, for this very moment, and for more coming moments like it.

 

If you renew your mind to the in-depth knowledge of the Father's Word, and build your believing in his power, then the Father could call you out at anytime to work with him.  The father could call you out from being "hidden" so to speak, or, "off the bench" and into a situation in which he needs the ability of your particular part of the body of Christ (Eph. 6:11-12).  David was called "off the bench", as being hidden from the adversary, from out in the sheep fields, right to the physical and spiritual front lines of the battle.  The Father knew David was ready for the spiritual battle.  Our heavenly Father will not call you into a situation if you are not ready.

 

One thing Satan can never forget is that Jehovah Elohim always has more power and authority in any situation, and is a lot smarter.  Satan gambles each and every time he attempts to steal, kill, or destroy people (John 10:9-10), not knowing if Jehovah Elohim will intervene on their behalf.  Once a believer discovers Jesus Christ's voice within him or her, then that believer has control of the knife/sword of the Spirit, a very powerful piece of the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-24).  If the devil and/or demon spirits "hear" believers speaking God's Word, then they know that if they may attack that believer the God could come to his or her rescue, and that is often enough to usually dissuade the devil and/or demon spirits from attacking.  Most often demon spirits try to keep themselves hidden from your detection, especially if their goal is not a blatant frontal attack, as was the devil's attack in this record, using Goliath and the Philistines against Israel.  Most often demon spirits like to keep themselves hidden from detection, as they orchestrate various activities to harass believers.  Demon spirits like to work through people to harass believers.  The devil and his demon spirits have spent their entire existences on inventing ways to get people to hate one another, enough to kill one another. 

 

The devil wants to get people to hate and kill one another, to make his life's mission much easier, as the mortal-killer (John 8:44).  When you see people hating one another, then you know that the devil has already had his way with them, because they have become full of hate, the opposite of love.  And if he can come up with enough convincing lies he might even be able to get people to hate others enough to kill and murder one another, his ultimate goal.  When you see people around you who are full of hate, then you should know that the devil and demon spirits are nearby getting ready to attack someone or something, using those people filled with hate.

 

The knowledge and belief of people toward God and his son Jesus Christ, determine whether they are eligible to receive God's intervention.  What determines Satan's victory or defeat when he attacks believers, is the same criteria; it is how well the Father's believers are prepared in their minds with the knife of the Spirit, which is the the knowledge and understanding (Hosea 4:6) of Jehovah's Word, and belief (Heb. 11:1) in him!  The difference between believers and unbelievers, in any attack, is that believers already have the in-born spiritual ability of Christ in them (Col. 1:27), the Father's spore (1 Pet. 1:23), the spiritual ability/power to defend themselves, and the authority to use that power!  Unbelievers become devoured by the devil (1 Pet. 5:8).

 

Take heed.  God has already given believers all things which pertain unto life and Godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).  Life and Godliness comes through getting the knowledge of him, of Jehovah, who called US into his knowledge and virtue. Let's answer him. 

 

We must renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) with his knowledge.

 

We must put on the new man (Col. 3:10, Eph. 4:24).

 

We must choose to grow and walk spiritually by our own free will (Mat. 4:4;Luke 4:4; 2 Cor. 5:7). 

 

We must do our reciprocal part of his new covenant with us (Mal. 3:10). 

 

If we decide that it's more valuable to us to master our 8 to 5 jobs more than to master Jehovah's Word form cover to cover, that's our decision to not love the Father first among all other things in our lives; and our decision not to go after learning all of the things pertaining unto life and Godliness, which knowledge he has given to us.  When Jesus Christ called his disciples, some of them dropped their nets.

 

If not, then we have no right to blame God for our own decision to stay ignorant, and thereby stupid, so that when Satan attacks we don't see it coming, nor know what to do!

 

David came into this position "off the bench" to work with God to defeat "the Philistine" because David had previously set his heart's desire on Jehovah Elohim, to know his Word and thereby come to know and believe in him intimately and personally.  David had made this his number one desire in his life.  David valued the knowledge of Jehovah Elohim's Word above all else.  Jehovah Elohim honored David's belief in him and his Word, because Jehovah gave to David the desire (Psalm 10:17, 145:14-21; Prov. 10:24) of his heart; and this is what transformed David into having a powerful spiritual walk with Jehovah. 

 

The little shepherd boy David, a mortal person just like you and me, a flesh and blood mortal being, developed a spiritual walk powerful enough to defeat "the Philistine", which in this record is a type to the devil himself, Satan.  David took off his head.  To what level of spiritual power do you believe to rise up to, on this earth, before Christ's return, to defeat the devil and demon spirits coming to threaten you and your family, because you believe upon the name of Christ Jesus?

 

1 Sam. 17:57  And when David returned from striking the Philistine, then Abner took him and brought him before Saul, and the head of the Philistine (was) in his hand.

 

"striking the Philistine" - David "struck" the Philistine hard, taking his life.  This is how serious our heavenly Father is in protecting us, his children.  The God, our heavenly Father, plays hard ball, and so should we, without hesitating to speak God's Word, the knife of the Spirit (Isa. 29:5; 2 Tim. 4:2).  If we are not willing to "strike" Satan with God's Word,  then we are never going to defeat him in anything in this present life.  If you, as a supposed believer in the precious name of Jesus Christ, a disciple of Jesus Christ, can't find God's words in your mouth to use against the devil and his demon spirits in all of life's situations, then you are doomed to a life here in perpetual victimhood.  If you have a wife and kids, then they shall enjoy your victimhood along with you, as victims also.  Sadly, since these Truths in God's Word are seldom preached or taught in church sermons or in Sunday school, this is the normal sad state of affairs for most all "Christians" in so-called "Christianity", perpetual victimhood.  Here's to bottom line: You either strike the devil and demon spirits with God's Word, or they strike you.  This is your determination to make.  What's your decision?

 

 "the head of the Philistine (was) in his hand" - in the scriptures the "hand" is often used metaphorically to represent one's ability to do something. To this day we use this figure of speech Metonymy, exchange of noun.  For example: "it's out of our hands," or, "it's in God's hands now."  This phrase metaphorically represents the literal fact that the power and authority to defeat "the Philistine" who was a type to Satan, was within David's power and authority, within his ability, and he exercised it.  This power and authority that was in David's "hand", in now in the "hands" of believers, because of the spiritual new birth from above, and the new covenant we live within with God himself. 

 

Saul saw the power and authority given to David by God, when David came before him, with "the Philistine's" head in his "hand."  God has put it in our "hands" to strike and defeat Satan in life's competitions because it's the resurrected "Christ in you (Col. 1:27)."  All of life's situations are now in our "hands", and "under our feet" too (1 Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:22), because we are the one body of Christ, the new tent/temple of the living God (Heb. 8:1-2, 9:1-15; Exod. 15:17; Acts 17:24; Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 7:47-50; Exod. 25:22)!

 

1 Sam. 17:58  And Saul said to him, "Whose son (are) you, young man?" And David answered, "The son of your servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite."

 

The question for believers is, whose son or daughter are you, spiritually speaking?  If you have been born from above with God's paternal spore (1 Pet. 1:23), his paternal Spirit, then whose son or daughter are you?  Jesus first words in the biblical scriptures are in response to his earthly mother and father who were searching for him.

 

Luke 2:49 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) he enunciated (eipen) to (pros) them (autous), “What (ti), that (hoti) you were searching (ezēteite) for me (me)!?

 

Had you absolutely not seen (ouk ēdeite) that (hoti) it is required (dei) for me (me) to be (einai) in (en) to the things (tois) of the (tou) Father (patros) of me (mou)!?”

 

This record in 1 Samuel has taught us about the mind of Jesus Christ which was in David, a man after God's own heart, which mind should be in us.  We should all be in one accord and in one mind with the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:1-13).  The walk of a more than abundant life, which Christ Jesus promised to us (John 10:9-10), can't happen for us and our wives and children if we can't get into the habit of speaking God's Word with our own lips.  According to this record about the spiritual battle between the Philistines and the sons of Israel, the little shepherd boy, David, knew enough to speak God's Word to the Philistine, Goliath.  How did David learn to speak God's Word?  He learned it through shepherding sheep.  When animals would attack the sheep, did David speak God's Word?  I'm certain David spoke it to himself in his own mind, but did he speak it to coyotes, lions and bears?  I believe he did.  God's Word says:

 

Rom. 10:6 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) the (hē) righteousness (dikaiosunē) out (ek) of belief (pisteōs) says (legei) thusly (houtōs):

 

“Do not enunciate (mē eipēs) in (en) to the (tē) heart (kardia) of you (sou), ‘Who (tis) shall cause himself to step up (anabēsetai) into (eis) the (ton) heaven (ouranon) [for us, AE]’, this (tout’) is (estin) to lead down (katagagein) Christ (Christon),

 

Rom. 10:7 (LIT/UBS4) or (ē), ‘Who (tis) shall cause himself to step down (katabēsetai) into (eis) the (tēn) abyss (abbsson) [for us, AE]’, this (tout’) is (estin) to lead up (anagagein) Christ (Christon) out (ek) of dead ones (nekrōn)?”

 

Rom. 10:8 (LIT/UBS4) BUT (alla), what (ti) <does> [the Moses, v5, RE] say (legei), “The (to) statement (rhēma) is (estin) near (eggus) you (sou), in (en) the (tō) mouth (stomati) of you (sou) and (kai) in (en) the (tē) heart (kardia) of you (sou).”

 

This (tout’) is (estin) the (to) statement (rhēma) of the (tēs) belief (pisteōs) which (ho) we preach (kērussomen);

 

Rom. 10:9 (LIT/UBS4) that (hoti), if perhaps (ean) you may confess alike (homologēsēs) in (en) the (tō) mouth (stomati) of you (sou), ‘Lord (kurion) Jesus (Iēsoun)’, and (kai) you may believe (pisteusēs) in (en) the (tē) heart (kardia) of you (sou) that (hoti) the (ho) God (theos) awoke (ēgeiren) him (auton) out (ek) of dead ones (nekrōn), you shall be made whole (sōthēsē)!

 

Rom. 10:10 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar), [a] heart (kardia) is caused to believe (pisteuetai) into (eis) righteousness (dikaiosunēn).

 

But (de) [a] mouth (stomati) is caused to confess alike (homologeitai), into (eis) wholeness (sōtērian)!

 

According to multiple biblical contexts in which sozo, the Greek root word for wholeness, wholeness isn't simply salvation, our reception of God's holy Spirit into us, but wholeness is health and life without the restrictions of illnesses and diseases.  Wholeness, defined scripturally is spiritual, mental and physical wholeness, including life without illnesses and diseases, although it is appointed unto mortals to die once (Heb. 9:24-28).  My grandmother, at age 93, simply dropped dead one day, when I had her out to Wendy's for a burger and fries.  She never spent a day in a hospital fighting off any illnesses or diseases.  Isn't this what God promises to us in Isa. 53?  Wasn't Christ Jesus sent so that we could enjoy these promises in our lives now, before we die?

 

Rom. 10:11 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) the (hē) writing (graphē) says (legei), “Everyone (pas), the one (ho) believing (pisteuōn) upon (ep’) him (autō), he shall absolutely not be put down to shame (ou kataischunthēsetai)!”

 

(See also Deut. 30)

 

So how do we walk spiritually, not just like David, but like Jesus Christ?

 

Believers, disciples of Christ Jesus, can learn to walk by the Spirit of God, and not strictly by our limited five senses.  Learning to walk by the holy Spirit of our heavenly Father, with the head of our one body, Christ Jesus, leading and steering us, is discipleship.  What we see and hear with our physical senses must be filtered through the knowledge of God's Word, in our renewed minds. 

 

Jehovah Elohim promises to teach us what we need to know to become and remain victors over the devil and demon spirit attacks here, now, upon earth, through energizing his Spirit in and through us to accomplish his will.  The promise is that all of God's children shall be taught by God himself (John 6:45).  Is the God, Jehovah, teaching us?  How do we know?  Anyone, especially believers, are taught through God's gift of his Spirit within believers, working in their minds to cause them to understand, to put it together, to connect the dots of Truth.  It's a simple task, but somewhat time-consuming, but joyful, to search through God's Word to discover all of the ways the Word, before it became flesh, taught men and women on God's behalf. 

 

The first and most obvious way God teaches us is through his written Word.  Discipleship to Christ Jesus assumes mastery of the knowledge of God's Word, from cover to cover.  Christ Jesus caused his disciples to become masters of the knowledge and understanding of God's Word, of the old testament, and of the new testament/covenant as well, revelations of future events which were not yet written down.  When Jesus walked his ministry, he taught his disciples using copies of the old covenant books of the Bible, the knowledge of the Law, of the Prophets, and of the Psalms.  The men who wrote those old testament books were taught primarily through written texts as well, and likely some of which we may not have heard.  Secondly God taught those who believed upon his Word, through dreams during nights and visions during days.  All of these ways, through God's written Word, and through dreams and visions, and even some other ways, are the ways the God teaches his children, even now, because the God doesn't change.  He doesn't need to.  Everyone and everything changes, except the God.

 

All believers can read and study God's written Word.  Even unbelievers can read and study God's written Word.  But in order to receive dreams and visions a disciple must go active into his or her own personal ministry, a personal ministry working together alongside of the God Jehovah and his son Christ Jesus, toward the goal of helping to complete the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:13-20).  One of the many things Jesus Christ came to do was to both "fish" for men, i.e., find those people who are willing to believe God's Word and receive wholeness, and to teach his disciples how to become "fishermen" for mortals as well (Mat. 4:19). 

 

2 Cor. 5:13 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) whether (eite) we were ecstatic (exestēmen) for God (theō), [or, AE] whether (eite) we are whole-thoughted (sōphronoumen) for you (humin),

 

2 Cor. 5:14 (LIT/UBS4) [it, AE] [is] because (gar) the (hē) love (agapē) of Christ (Christou) holds us together (sunechei hēmas);

 

we having determined (krinantas) this (touto):

 

that (hoti) one (heis) died away (apethanen) over (huper) [the sake, AE] of all (pantōn), so (ara) all (pantes) the ones (hoi) died away (apethanon)!

 

2 Cor. 5:15 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) he died away (apethanen) over (huper) [the sake, AE] of all (pantōn), in order that (hina) the ones (hoi) living (zōntes) may no longer yet live (mēketi zōsin) for themselves (heautois), BUT (alla), for the one (tō) having died away (apothanonti) and (kai) having been awoken (egerthenti) over (huper) [the sake, AE] of them (autōn)!

 

2 Cor. 5:16 (LIT/UBS4) And so (hōste), from (apo) the (tou) [time, AE] now (nun), we (hēmeis) have seen (oidamen) absolutely not one (oudena) down on account (kata) [of the] flesh (sarka)!  

 

And (kai) if (ei) we have known (egnōkamen) Christ (Christon) down on account (kata) [of the] flesh (sarka), BUT (alla), now (nun) we absolutely no longer yet know (ouketi ginōskomen) [Christ down on account of the flesh, RE]!

 

2 Cor. 5:17 (LIT/UBS4) And so (hōste) if (ei) anyone (tis) [is] in (en) Christ (Christō) [he, AE] [is] [a] new (kainē) creation (ktisis)!

 

He passed aside (parēlthen) the (ta) first things (archaia)!  

 

Behold (idou), he has become (gegonen) [a] new (kaina) [creation, RE]!

 

2 Cor. 5:18 (LIT/UBS4) But (de) all (panta) of the (ta) [ministries, RE] [are] out (ek) of the (tou) God (theou), of the (tou) [God, RE] having reconciled (katallaxantos) us (hēmas) to himself (heautō) through (dia) Christ (Christou), and (kai) [of the God, RE] having given (dontos) to us (hēmin) the (tēn) Ministry (diakonian) of the (tēs) Reconciliation (katallagēs). 

 

2 Cor. 5:19 (LIT/UBS4) Because (hoti), as (hōs) God (theos) was being (ēn) in (en) Christ (Christos) reconciling (katallassōn) [the] cosmos (kosmon) to himself (heautō), not (mē) causing himself to count³⁰⁴⁹ (logizomenos) to them (autois) the (ta) side-falls³⁹⁰⁰ (paraptōmata) of them (autōn), and (kai) [God, RE] having caused himself to put (themenos) in (en) to us (hēmin) the (ton) Word (logon) of Reconciliation (katallagēs),  

 

2 Cor. 5:20 (LIT/UBS4) therefore (oun), as (hōs) we are elders (presbeuomen) over (huper) [the sake, AE] of Christ (Christos), the (tou) God (theou) is accosting (parakalountos) [you, AE] through (di’) us (hēmōn)!

 

We cause ourselves to beg (deometha) [you, AE] over (huper) [the sake, AE] of Christ (Christou), be reconciled (katallagēte) to the (tō) God (theō)!

 

"causing himself to count" - Under the old Mosaic covenant people were taught by God through his Spirit being "upon" people, conditionally.  When people believed God's Word in their hearts that condition compelled the God to move, to give them temporary deliverance from the affects of sin in their lives, based upon a count, a measurement, the God took (Gk., logizomai, root) of the amount of belief toward God in their hearts.  Then, based upon that measurement, measurements for both individuals and Israel as a corporate nation, the God would impart his blessings as he has promised to do.  Of course, that was all predicated upon keeping the works of the law, the Mosaic law.

 

There's a very important parallel described in the biblical texts, announcing and comparing how the God, dwelling within Christ Jesus, worked in and through his firstborn son to fish for people among mortalkind, to reconcile them to the God.  The parallel is, since God was, and still is, dwelling in his firstborn son, Christ Jesus, God's plan is to now dwell in Christ Jesus' one body, the God is now dwelling within Christ's one body, to work in and through them also, to reconcile mortalkind back to the God who created them.

 

In the Greek texts, as opposed to what Christianity teaches nowadays, Jesus Christ stated, several times, that he could do absolutely not one thing (using the emphatic particle of negation, ou, in ouden) if it was not for the Spirit, the God, in him, working in and through him (John 14:28, 8:28, 14:10-11).  The Greek texts say that the Spirit-based being, the God, was dwelling in the soul-based being, Jesus Christ, one being living inside of another being, and it was the God doing all of the things Jesus said and did.  Please read closely in the LIT the wording of the Greek texts for (Col. 2:8-10, "...the fullness of the godliness [of God, AE] bodily."). 

 

John 8:28 (LIT/UBS4) Therefore (oun), the (ho) Jesus (Iēsous) enunciated (eipen) to them (autois), “When perhaps (hotan) you may set above⁵³¹² (hupsōsēte) the (ho) Son (huion) of the (tou) Mortal (anthrōpou), then (tote) you shall cause yourselves to know (gnōsesthe) that (hoti) I (egō) am (eimi) [sent, v26, RE], and (kai) from (ap’) of myself (emautou) I do (poiō) absolutely not one (ouden) [work, v39, RE]!  

 

BUT (alla), down according to as (kathōs) the (ho) Father (patēr) taught (edidaxen) me (me), these things (tauta) I speak (lalō)!

 

John 8:29 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) the (ho) [Father, v28, RE] having sent (pempsas) me (me) is (estin) with (met') me (emou). 

 

The (ho) Father (patēr) has absolutely not let go (ouk aphēken) of me (me) [to be] alone (monon), because (hoti) I (egō) always (pantote) do (poiō) the things (ta) agreeable (aresta) to him (autō)!" 

 

John 14:10 (LIT/UBS4) Do you absolutely not believe (ou pisteueis) that (hoti) I (egō) [am] in (en) the (tō) Father (patri), and (kai) the (ho) Father (patēr) is (estin) in (en) me (emoi)!?  

 

The (ta) statements (rhēmata) which (ha) I (egō) speak (legō) to you (humin) I speak (legō) absolutely not (ou) from (ap’) myself (emautou), but (de) [from, RE] the (ho) Father (patēr) staying (menōn) in (en) me (emoi)!

 

He does (poiei) the (ta) works (erga) of him (autou)! 

 

John 14:11 (LIT/UBS4) Do you believe (pisteuete) me (moi) that (hoti) I (egō) [am] in (en) the (tō) Father (patri), and (kai) the (ho) Father (patēr) [is] in (en) me (emoi)?  

 

(For God making Jesus Christ his domicile, and God subsequently working in and through Jesus Christ as his mortal agent in this cosmos, see *Mat. 9:8; Mark 6:5; Luke 5:17, 7:16; John 3:2, 5:19-20, 8:16, *29, 9:33, *10:38, *14:10-11, *16-20, 28, 16:32b; *Acts 2:22, 10:38; *2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 3:16-19, 4:6; *Col. 1:19-20, 2:9; 1 John 5:20)

 

But (de) if (ei) not (mē), believe (pisteuete) through (dia) the (ta) works (erga) themselves (auta)!

 

John 14:12 (LIT/UBS4) Truly (amēn), truly (amēn) I say (legō) to you (humin), the one (ho) believing (pisteuōn) into (eis) me (eme), the (ta) works (erga) which (ha) I (egō) do (poiō), that one also (kakeinos) shall do (poiēsei) [the works which I do, RE], and (kai) he shall do (poiēsei) greater (meizona) [works, RE] [than, AE] these (toutōn);

 

because (hoti) I (egō) cause myself to go (poreuomai) to (pros) the (ton) Father (patera)!

 

John 14:28 (LIT/UBS4) You heard (ēkousate) that (hoti) I (egō) enunciated (eipon) to you (humin), ‘I get underway (hupagō), and (kai) I cause myself to come (erchomai) to (pros) you (humas).’

 

If (ei) you were loving (ēgapate) me (me) perhaps (an) you would have been caused to rejoice (echarēte), because (hoti) I cause myself to go (poreuomai) to (pros) the (ton) Father (patera);

 

because (hoti) the (ho) Father (patēr) is (estin) [a] greater one than (meizōn) me (mou). 

 

Jesus' words plainly indicate that the God, who is greater than Jesus (John 14:28), came and dwelled in Jesus (Mat. 3:16-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; 2 Pet. 1:16-18) throughout his earthly ministry, working in and through him.

 

Let's look once again at these statements of Jesus Christ, in apostle John's record, to compare their meanings for equivalency to elements of the triune godhead theory invented in the 4th century.

 

"I (egō) am (eimi) [sent, v26, RE]," - John 8:28a - Jesus states that another being other than himself has sent him.  This implies two separate and distinct beings working together, one in authority and the other in subordination to that authority; one giving the orders and the other taking the orders; one staying put and the other being sent.

 

"and (kai) from (ap’) of myself (emautou)" - John 8:28b - Jesus speaks of two distinct self-autonomies, his own, "from of myself", and that of the one having sent him, the God's, his heavenly Father's self-autonomy.  Although Jesus speaks of having his own self-autonomy, since he is a mortal man, he always defers his own will to do his Father's will (John 5:30).  This is the example which all of his disciples are to follow (Mat. 7:21), to defer their own will to do the heavenly Father's will. 

 

In Mat. 10:19-20, Jesus teaches his disciples that if they are accosted by the local authorities and put under arrest, that they are not to try to speak for themselves, but to wait and to allow God's holy Spirit, which shall be within them, to speak on both God's and the disciple's behalf.  Jesus Christ is describing how and when God's Spirit within a believer/disciple will energize to work in and through a believer/disciple.  Is this what Jesus practiced, since he is instructing his disciples to do this?

 

In Mat. 12:50 Jesus Christ instructs everyone not to do their own will, but to do the will of his Father in the heavens.  Isn't that part of the root of the problems here upon earth, everyone trying to shove their own personal will ahead of everyone else's?  Jesus explains that as he sets aside his own free will, his disciples/believers should do the same, in order for Jesus, or any mortal, to have spiritually-based brothers, sisters and mothers who are in agreement and one accord with he and his heavenly Father.  Jesus wasn't talking about earthly brothers, sisters and a mother, who apparently had abandoned him at this time, early in Jesus earthly ministry. 

 

"I do (poiō) absolutely not one thing (ouden)!" - John 8:28c - Jesus stated that "from of myself I do absolutely not one thing".  Jesus did not one thing based upon he desiring to do his own will.  If that is true, else Jesus is a liar, then why did Jesus do the things he did, like signs, miracle and wonders?  But Jesus says he didn't do them!  Then who did the signs, miracles and wonders which Jesus appeared to be doing?  Jesus states that it was his heavenly Father in him telling him what to do, and who's power was working through him.

 

John 5:30 (LIT/UBS4) I (egō) can absolutely not inherently power myself (ou dunamai) to do (poiein) absolutely not one (ouden) [good work, v29, RE] from (ap’) of myself (emautou)!  

 

If Jesus Christ was the one true God almighty then why does he emphatically state, using ou twice, the Greek emphatic particle of negation, to belabor his statement that he in fact could do absolutely not one thing?  What Jesus Christ said sounds kind of like what a mortal man would say, doesn't it?  Can you do any signs, miracles or wonders without God's Spirit working in and through you?

 

Down according to as (kathōs) I hear (akouō), I judge (krinō).

 

And (kai) the (hē) judgment (krisis), the one (hē) of me (emē), is (estin) [a] righteous one (dikaia);

 

because (hoti) I absolutely do not search (ou zētō) for the (to) desire (thelēma), the one (to) of me (emon), BUT (alla), for the (to) desire (thelēma) of the one (tou) having sent (pempsantos) me (me)!

 

The mortal man, Jesus Christ, states that he could do absolutely not one thing that to others he appeared to be doing.  Why did he say that?  Because a mortal man has no inherent power to do anything, if not having God's Spirit within him energizing him to both to will and to do (Phil. 2:13) the God's "good expectation".  Jesus states that he searches for what is the desire of his heavenly Father, and then that desire, the one of his heavenly Father, that's the desire he does, not his own.  Apostle Paul's wording in Phil. 2:13 hints to us that both the things Jesus appeared to be doing and the words he was speaking was expected from him by his heavenly Father, the God.  Since Jesus was sent by his heavenly Father, it seems only reasonable that Jesus would say and do only those things his heavenly Father sent him to say and do.

 

BUT , down according to as the Father taught me, these things I speak! - John 8:28d - About the things which Jesus spoke, he didn't make them up from out of his own imagination, like many other mortals do, but God's holy Spirit within him taught him what to say, and likewise what to do.  The teachings which Jesus gave were not his teachings, but they were taught to him by his heavenly Father.  What Jesus preached and taught was his Father's orthodoxy (John 7:16).  Is it any wonder that the people noticed that when Jesus preached and taught that he sounded to them like he was speaking with authority? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the [Father, v28, RE] having sent me is with me - John 8:29 - Jesus stated that the Father was with him.  How?  Aren't we supposed to figure that out from reading the texts?  So how was the God, Jesus' heavenly Father, with Jesus?  Was he on the left side of Jesus, the right side, in front of or in back of, on top of or underneath of, where?  How about within Jesus, inside of him, permanently dwelling within Jesus physical body as his new temple made without mortal's hands, but with God's own hand (Exod. 15:17, 25:22; Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 7:47-50, 17:24; Heb. 8:2, 9:1-15)!?

 

"I [am] in the Father, and the Father is in me!?" - John 14:10a - Jesus plainly states that the relationship he, the mortal man, the son of man, Jesus Christ, has with the one Spirit (John 4:24; 2 Cor. 3:17), the God, Jesus' heavenly Father, is a symbiotic relationship, one of obvious mutual benefit for both participants.  The design of the God's covenants with mortalkind were all mutually beneficial, reciprical.

 

"The statements which I speak to you I speak absolutely not from myself " - John 14:10b - Jesus states it again, that the statements he makes are not from himself, they are not his own, but they are the words and statements of the God, his heavenly Father, speaking from his new temple, Jesus Christ's one body.  The holy Spirit-based being, the God almighty, ultimately came to permanently dwell within, and cohabitate within, a soul-based being, the mortal man Jesus Christ, his creation, as his prophetically desired true "tent", "the fallen down tent of David (Amos 9:1-11; Acts 15:13-19; 2 Cor. 6:16-18; 2 Sam. 77:11c-16)".  Please see my study, "God's Desired true 'Tent', 'His Domed-roof House'.  According to biblical prophesies in both the old and new testament books, the God's plan for mortalkind, since the beginning of this present genesis/origination, was for them to be his permanent dwelling place, his own personal temple, in which he would live in and through, symbiotically.  This is what the devil came to destroy, and this remains the bull's-eye of Spiritual truth which the devil continues to try to destroy.

 

It's biblical verses like these, which I've been showing you, which delineate the unique but historically ambiguized identities between the God, the source of his own plan and power, and Jesus the Christ, his agent, whom he sent into the cosmos to carry it out and do it.  It was only the God's powerful presence dwelling within the mortal man Jesus, bodily, which gave Jesus the strength (Mat. 26:40-41) to establish and to begin to carry out the Ministry of Reconciliation, and to know, understand and preach the God's orthodoxy.  When the devil convinced Adam and Eve that the lie he was speaking to them was true, then the devil was able to disable their flesh from having any power or strength, which disability was cause for the need of mortalkind's salvation/wholeness.  The devil, through introducing to them to sin through their physical bodies, caused the God to postpone his plan to make his mortalkind his own personal temple, until after the day of Pentecost, upon which day God's alternate plan came into manifestation, the plan for the salvation/wholeness of mortalkind, release from the penalty for their sin, so mortalkind could become righteous enough once again for the God to dwell within them permanently, as his prophesied true "tent".

 

Col. 2:8 (LIT/UBS4) Look (blepete), not (mē) any (tis) of you (humas) shall cause himself to be (estai) the (ho) one led to being stripped⁴⁸¹³ (sulagōgōn), through (dia) the (tēs) philosophy (philosophias) and (kai) empty (kenēs) deceitfulness (apatēs) down according to (kata) the (tēn) tradition (paradosin) of the (tōn) mortals (anthrōpōn), down according to (kata) the (ta) elements (stoicheia) of the (tou) cosmos (kosmou), and (kai) absolutely not (ou) down according to (kata) Christ (Christon)! 

 

Col. 2:9 (LIT/UBS4) Because (hoti) in (en) him (autō) homes-down (katoikei) all (pan) the (to) fullness (plērōma) of the (tēs) godliness (theotētos) [of God, AE] bodily (sōmatikōs)! 

 

Col. 2:10 (LIT/UBS4) And (kai) you are (este) [brothers, v1:2, ER] having been filled (peplērōmenoi) in (en) him (autō), [Christ, v8, RE], who (hos) is (estin) the (hē) head (kephalē) of every (pasēs) chief one⁷⁴⁶ (archēs), and (kai) [of every, RE] authority (exousias);

 

Do you believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father [is] in me? - John 14:11 - It was very important to Jesus Christ to know if the ones to whom he was preaching and teaching believed what he was saying.  The phrases, "God was Jesus Christ" and "the God was in Jesus Christ", have two very different and distinct meanings.  Which phrase do you believe is the Truth?  If Jesus Christ was here today preaching upon a street corner, and there was someone else standing a few hundred feet away teaching that "God was Jesus Christ", which person would you believe?

 

Truly, truly I say to you, the one believing into me, the works which I do, that one also shall do [the works which I do, RE], and he shall do greater [works, RE] [than, AE] these; - John 14:12 - If you're a believer, a disciple of Jesus Christ, do you ever see yourself doing good works like the ones Jesus Christ did?  Jesus said, "the one believing into me... shall do [the works which I do, RE]".  Jesus Christ deliberately chose to use the verb "shall do".  This verb is very important to note if anyone desires to understand this verse.  That verb is in the indicative mood, future tense, active voice, 3rd person, singular, inflected form.  At some time in the future of each believer's/disciple's spiritual walk, he or she "shall do" the works Jesus did, and even greater works.  Jesus Christ is still very interested in anyone who claims to be a believer/disciples of him, actually believing his words.  A future tense doesn't strictly mean simply a future date when the action will occur, but it can, and often does, indicate the definiteness of the prophetic act.  In other words, it is bound and determined to happen. 

 

Apparently, one of the obvious reasons, if what Jesus said is true, why a believer/disciple of Jesus Christ wouldn't do works like the ones Jesus did, is if Jesus Christ was a liar, or that individual believer/disciple of Jesus was actually not a real believer/disciple of Jesus, but only a person who refers to him or herself that way, for outward appearances and showbiz reasons.  I'm old now, and so I've lived long enough to both see and know that there are Christians all over the place who claim to be believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, but who can do nothing for Jesus and his heavenly Father.  This means that they are either spiritually powerless, or they have received God's Spirit, but they haven't been taught about how to manifest it in real life practical situations, as apostle Paul teaches about in 1 Cor. 12.  If the God almighty is dwelling within a believer/disciple of Jesus Christ, but that believer/disciple does nothing to help the God or his son Christ Jesus to complete the Ministry of Reconciliation, has the God changed, has the God become powerless and mute?  Or is it more likely that the God is not within that believer/disciple, but he or she only thinks and/or claims he is?  Around believers it's fashionable for people to claim to be believers, and around unbelievers it's fashionable for people to claim not to be believers.

 

because the Father is [a] greater one than me - John 14:28c - It's quite difficult to try to explain why this phrase doesn't mean exactly what it says, that Jesus believed, and preached and taught, that his heavenly Father, the Jehovah Elohim, was a greater being than himself.  If Jesus Christ believed he was equal to his heavenly Father, or if it was true, or if Jesus believed he was the God almighty, would Jesus have stated this?  If Jesus Christ was the God himself, then why did he need to always pray to someone else who he stated was his heavenly Father and God.  Why would Jesus Christ, or the God, state over and over that he was not the God, but that the God has sent him, if Jesus was that God?

 

Jesus Christ, speaking to his disciples, states in these statements that God's plan is to work in and through Jesus' one body as well, like his heavenly Father worked in and through him, both to say and to do those things like Jesus said and did.  This is God's plan and purpose for not only Christ Jesus, but for all those in Jesus' one body as well! 

 

Both Jesus Christ, in these and many other passages, and apostle Paul state that Jesus' heavenly Father, the God, and Jesus Christ, God's firstborn son, are two separate and distinct beings from one another.

 

1 Cor. 8:5 (LIT/UBS4) Because (gar) if so be it (eiper) there are (eisin) ones being said (legomenoi) [to be] gods (theoi), and (kai) if whether (eite) in (en) heaven (ouranō), if whether (eite) upon (epi) land (gēs), as (hōsper) [said, RE] there are (eisin) many (polloi) gods (theoi), and (kai) many (polloi) lords (kurioi),

 

1 Cor. 8:6 (LIT/UBS4) BUT (all’), to us (hēmin) [there is, v5, RE] one (heis) God (theos), the (ho) Father (patēr), out (ex) of whom (hou) [are] all things (panta)!

 

And (kai) we (hēmeis) [are] in (eis) him (auton). 

 

And (kai) [there is, v5, RE] one (heis) lord (kurios), Jesus (Iēsous) Christ (Christos), through (di’) [the sake, AE] of whom (hou) [are] all the things (ta panta);

 

and (kai) we (hēmeis) [are] [in God, RE] through (di’) [the sake, AE] of him (autou).

 

I believe the biblical expressions, "we are in God" and "God is in us" are synonymous in meaning for those who have received a new birth from above in God's gift of his holy Spirit (John 3; Acts 2).

 

1 Cor. 8:7a (LIT/UBS4) BUT (all’), the (hē) knowledge (gnōsis) [of this, AE] [is] absolutely not (ouk) in (en) all (pasin)!

 

God was in Jesus Christ, reconciling mortalkind back to himself, and now, since the day of Pentecost, the God is in all of the parts of Jesus Christ's one body, reconciling mortalkind back to himself (2 Cor. 5:17-19).  Obviously God's plan for the Ministry of Reconciliation for all mortalkind is not yet completed, else Jesus' one body would not yet still be here upon earth.  When the Ministry of Reconciliation is complete, then Christ's one body will be snatched away to meet Jesus in the air.  Jesus stated that parts of his one body shall do greater works than Jesus himself has done (John 14:12)!  Disciples of Jesus Christ believe that statement.  People who are not disciples of Jesus Christ do not believe that statement.  Obviously, according to the biblical texts, the cosmos only needed one savior, who was Christ Jesus.  But the God almighty still desires to work in and through each one in the one body of Christ, doing all of the other Ministry of Reconciliation things which still need to be done, such as preaching and teaching it, until everyone in this world, even the new people being born into this cosmos, have had a chance to hear the Ministry of Reconciliation.  I believe the devil created the triune godhead theory in the 4th century to compete against the Truth of God's Word about Jesus' mortality, to specifically compete against the Ministry of Reconciliation as I've somewhat outlined in these passages, so the preaching of it would never come to a completion, and thereby postponing judgment for the devil and his demon spirits. 

 

That's the parallel in the biblical texts I wanted to show and explain to you, which triune godhead Christianity claims is a lie.  Jesus Christ and his one body were deliberately created to be God's new permanent dwelling place, his new temple made without human hands, but made by God himself with his own "hand" (Heb. 8:2, 9:1-15; Exod. 15:17; Acts 17:24; Isa. 66:1-2; Acts 7:47-50; Exod. 25:22; Amos 9:11-12; Acts 15:13-19; *2 Cor. 6:16-18;  Sam. 7:11c-16). And, that as the God has worked through the mortal man Jesus, the God desires to work in and through all mortals (with the exception of any further need for a redeemer), who believe upon the precious name of Jesus.

 

From these biblical passages, and many more, I conclude that the God - Jehovah Elohim, and Jesus Christ, and the believers in Jesus Christ's one body, are all distinctly unique, individual, self-autonomous beings.  The biblical fact that the God almighty entered into Christ Jesus, his firstborn son, to give him the ability to do the Ministry of Reconciliation, and then subsequently the God entered into other individual believers who believed in the name of Jesus, God's second, third, fourth, and so on born sons (since the day of Pentecost), the one body of Christ, to give them the ability to do the Ministry of Reconciliation also, indicates that the God's plan, through mortalkind's salvation/wholeness, is to permanently dwell and live in them as his new holy temple made without human hands (1 Cor. 6:19-20)!  What this means is that the God created his creation, especially mortalkind, to live in them, absolutely not in temples made of wood and stone!  That's the bull's eye of God's plan and purpose of the ages.  The record in Genesis of Adam and Eve's fall from their righteous position in God's eyes to becoming unrighteous sinners, was the devil's attempt to stop the God from living in his creation, because the devil desired to live in it in place of the God almighty.  And this is how the devil, living in his own mortal offspring, "the son of the lost one", shall show himself to the world in the last days (2 Thes. 2:3-12).

 

A Symbiotic Union?  These words aren't used in mortal-made "Christianity", but within the biblical texts its the greatest prophesied Truth and subject matter throughout all of the God's revealed Word!

 

The biblical descriptions of the God coming to live within mortal men, first in Christ Jesus, God's firstborn, and then in all those in the one body of Christ, those born from above in God's holy Spirit subsequent to Jesus Christ's new birth above (Mat. 3:16; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:28-34), I refer to as a symbiotic union.  If according to the triune godhead invention in the late third to early fourth century, if Jesus Christ was already God, in any or all ways, then why did God's gift of holy Spirit need to come down into the mortal man Jesus of Nazareth?  It wasn't because Jesus needed salvation from the penalty of his own sin, but so that a mortal man, specifically Jesus, could become empowered by the God to carry out the Ministry of Reconciliation.  The God sent the Word into the cosmos as a mortal man because God needed a redeemer for his mortalkind creation, and so that those mortals can ...

 

1. receive salvation/wholeness from the penalty of their sins and become sons of the God,

 

2. become sharing partners (koinōnoi) (2 Pet. 1:4) with Jesus Christ, 

 

3. become workers together with God (3 John 1:8; ), in the ministry of Reconciliation.

 

The God's gift of his holy Spirit is inherent power out of high up (Luke 24:49), giving all those who receive it sonship with the God almighty, and the ability/power to partake in the Ministry of Reconciliation.

 

My Apple laptop dictionary defines symbiosis as:

 

" - interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both.

 

" - a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups"

 

Origin:

 

" - late 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek sumbiōsis 'a living together,' from sumbioun 'live together,' from sumbios 'companion.'"

 

In 1 Cor. 12 apostle Paul wrote a list of nine manifestations of the power of God's gift of his paternal Spirit, which God placed within Jesus Christ about the time of his water baptism by John the Baptist.  And thereby subsequently, Christ Jesus has placed a portion of that same Spirit of God within each one of Jesus' one body (Mat. 3:11).  These manifestations of the Spirit are the nine common ways in which the God manifests himself in and through believers to empower them to properly carry out the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:13-20) to all mortalkind.  It is God's holy Spirit within believers which does these manifestations, similar to how the God worked in and through Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:18-19) in his earthly ministry. 

 

Summary

 

As the God worked in and through David, the "little" shepherd boy, to energize him, as he has worked in and through all of his prophets, symbiotically, the God has placed himself fully in his firstborn son, Christ Jesus, to work in and through him.  And now, since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), God places himself into all of the believers also in Jesus' one body (John 15:5), to help them to become workers together with himself, the God almighty, our heavenly Father.

 

If anyone has received the God's gift of his holy Spirit, the God promises to teach them how to use it (John 6:45).  Who can force themselves to stop doing everything he or she can to earn money, to give God's Spirit within them time enough to teach them how to use it?  If all God has left of you to work with is after you are tired out from working 7 AM to 6 PM every day, day after day, week, month and year, then maybe it's your job you love with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and not the God and your discipleship to Christ Jesus.  This realization came to me one day when I realized that the thing to which I devote the most time may be the very same thing which I love the most!  Do I love it too much to stop doing it?  Did Jesus twelve disciples keep on working 8 to 5 jobs, or did they "drop their nets" and follow Jesus when he called them to be disciples of him?  Yep, that was truly a wake-up call.

 

God 's knowledge and wisdom in us , or if we need a word of knowledge, and/or a word of wisdom, and/or discerning of spirits, we can ask, and our heavenly Father promises to reveal to us the truth that we need in order to be victors.  He shall teach us what is the identity and cause of what's behind what we see and hear, if it is devilish and/or demonic.  Then, our knee-jerk action should not be in response to what we physically see and hear, but to what our heavenly Father reveals to us about the situation. 

 

But the responsibility is upon us to first know the knowledge of God's written Word.  Why should God give us additional knowledge and wisdom if we're not willing to first know his written word?  Our heavenly Father is willing to hold our hand to some extent, but not to the exclusion of our loving God and his Word first, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength; that's the first commandment. 

 

Our actions should always be based upon what the Father's Word says for us to do in any given situation.  This is why studying Jesus actions in the gospel writings, as well as the actions of his types throughout God's Word, is so vitally important in learning how the God may determine to work with us also.  We are commanded to (2 Tim. 2:15); "study", which is in the imperative mood in the text.  To study is a command.

 

Our spiritual walk should include constant prayer for the needs of those around us, and for our own needs.  The first important content of our prayer is to continually have praises and thanksgiving to the Father as the fruit of our lips (Heb. 13:15).  Praising's and thanksgivings are highly acceptable "sacrifices" to the Father, and keeps our bond with him warm and close, and helps keep us pleasing in his sight. 

 

We should not hesitate to use the knife/sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17).  If we are ashamed to speak the things of God at our job, in public, around our family, etc., then Satan and his little demon spirits already know where they can attack us, where we won't speak out, confess with our mouth the specific God's Word necessary to defeat them.  

 

If there is any circumstance in which we are hesitant to speak God's Word, then in these circumstances the devil already has an advantage over us.  He needs to feel the knife of the Spirit, right away.  This is why the devil works through other mortals in the world to pressure believers not to speak God's Word.  If the things of God are not popular in the locations where we live and work, then we can see how the devil already has strong influence over those people and circumstances around us, over those who are ashamed of God and his Word, because they are not his children, and do not have God's Spirit in them. 

 

Many people do not respect the name of Jesus Christ, and they are ashamed of him who shed his blood for them; and Jesus Christ is an embarrassment to them.  Many people use Christianity to help them maintain an outward appearance of social integrity, since many of the things they want in life are in the control of believers/disciples of Jesus Christ.  They want the wealth from them through causing them to erroneously believe that they also are brothers and sisters in Christ.  You speaking God's Word causes them to feel shame and embarrassment on account of their own unbelief, and they want to change the subject because they don't want to be discovered as phonies.  This explains to me why so many other Christians don't want to talk about it.  And they will not like it when you try to engage them.  This too is part of the spiritual battle, understanding really who are the people around you.

 

Most of the time, social customs and cultural habits will act as hurdles against us who are acting upon the Father's Word.  We don't want to be offensive or harm anyone, but when it comes down to either hurting some one's sacred feelings, or getting the job done spiritually, we shall be defeated by not giving the Father's Word preeminence in our hearts and on our lips.  We must keep the commandments of him and his son Jesus Christ, and man-made customs and culture must be temporarily set aside if necessary, to speak and carry out the Father's Word in our covenant responsibilities.  If so-called fellow parts of the one body of Christ wish to stay hidden from others, not excited enough to talk about their own beliefs so others can determine what are their beliefs, motives and intentions, then I believe their refusal to fellowship is indicative of their true identity, and contempt for God's Word.

 

When we're called "off the bench" by God our heavenly Father, and/or his son Jesus Christ, the first thing that those with unbelief hurl at us is their own doubt and worry about victory over darkness, similar to how Goliath accosted the children of Israel and David, to try to weaken their belief in the God of Israel.  This comes from unbelievers who have been taken by the adversary, who as a roaring lion goes about taking unbelievers at his will, not theirs.  They don't know they're being manipulated by demon spirits.  They literally are temporarily out of their minds.  They don't know they're being used.  They'll wake up later and wonder what happened to them.  They are victims also.  They are victims of the devil trying to make us victims of the devil.  They need as much prayer for them as believers need prayers, if they will ever have a chance for spiritual survival.

 

We must stay focused upon the Father's Word, and we must remember that we are not dealing with blood and flesh, but with the spiritual forces behind, or causing calamities in the world.  And we must deal with those opposing spiritual forces with appropriate spiritual force based upon the Father's Word.  We must know our armor, the detailed and specific knowledge of God's Word, and how to use it, speaking it on our lips, especially in prayer.  

 

In God's Word, Goliath is an exaggerated example of how people in the world accost us every day, with their confusion, and even sometimes with an evil intent from demonic possession.  Believers with God's Spirit within them can learn, using it, to recognize opposition from the devil and demon spirits, through our experience in spiritual battles.  When there's a spiritual battle thrust upon us from the devil, and then we pray and act according to God's Word, speaking with our mouth God's Word, then when it's defeated, bingo, then we know God has worked in and through us to defeat the enemy.  This is how we work together with our heavenly Father, the God.

 

As we have received God's holy Spirit in us, the devil can place his spirit also in others at any time, in those who have not received God's gift of his holy Spirit. (1 Pet. 5:8; Mark 4:15; Luke 13:16; Luke 22:3; John 13:27; Acts 5:3; Acts 26:18.  Of demon spirit possession: Luke 4:33; Luke 9:39; Luke 13:11; Acts 16:16).  

 

Our level of knowledge of the Father's Word is directly proportional to our belief (Rom. 10:17), and spiritual agility.  Our belief and spiritual agility grow as our mind becomes renewed with the knowledge of God's Word.

 

We must learn about, and remember and respect our spiritual identity.  If we have received God's Spirit in us, then we are sons of God, with Christ in us (Col. 1:27), along with God's knowledge, wisdom, and power. 

 

Because of this we have been raised up already with Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:4; Rom. 8:11), because we have been given an earnest/down payment of God's Spirit now, now while we are yet still alive on this earth before Christ's return, and before our physical resurrection; which makes us now, even before our physical resurrection, a "new creation in him" (Col. 1:27).  We have our Father's spore in us, the Spirit-based nature of Jehovah himself. 

 

We must learn to use it by giving less importance to walking by our five senses, and more importance to the spiritual ability in us, to walk by the Spirit of God in us, using our knowledge of the examples in God's Word which teach us how to walk Spiritually, as Jesus Christ did!

 

Eph. 6:10 (LIT/UBS4) Of the (tou) remainder (loipou) [of you], be inherently empowered (endunamousthe) in (en) [the] Lord (kuriō), and (kai) in (en) the (tō) power (kratei) of the (tēs) strength (ischuos) of him (autou).

 

 

Brother Hal Dekker