“You’re Destiny – God’s Will and Purpose”

Chapter 5 : We Shall Know Freedom

Why it is that iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold? “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold”. (Matt. 24:12). Could it be that the multitudes have not as yet heard nor received the understanding needed concerning that which is necessary to maintain a victorious Christ-like life? The blood of Jesus Christ is such an effective agent who can and does cleanse us from all our sins. But, what is it that keeps the fruit of sin in a producing mode for most people? If our understanding is correct, sin means a missing of the mark. Missing the mark means a not sharing in the prize. Does this not speak to us, that God has purposed a certain mark for man to achieve, in order to receive the pre-ordained prize established beforehand by God? Therefore, sin must not only be forgiven and cleansed, but the very root of sin must also be destroyed. With forgiveness being the first step necessary to move toward the prize, other steps also become a necessity to measure up to that mark.

With this first step of asking for forgiveness being taken, it then becomes very important for God’s people to gain knowledge and get the understanding needed to move out of the vicious cycle of continually needing to be forgiven and the receiving of God’s forgiveness. God’s desire is that we move on to that place of continuous victory. Remember, sins are but fruit, forgiveness picks the fruit, but other fruit (sins) will grow in its place as long as the root remains intact. So many people are testifying to the fact that they are growing weary of warring with this sin factor. Again, we must thank God continually for the blood that washes away our sins, but we must also see the need to awaken to a truth, a light of understanding, that will show that God’s people do not always need to continually circle the mountain of sin. God would have us move on through this wilderness that we might gain access, an entrance into the land of promise, which means for us a victorious life. This speaks of coming into a lifestyle of victory in all things. As we come out of the wilderness, we learn that the steps of a righteous man are truly ordered by the Father. With Jesus we began to declare, “I only do those things which I see my Father do and only say those things which I hear my Father say”. This type of intimacy with the Father is enjoined because the root of sin, the law of iniquity is being destroyed. It is said that sin can not dwell in the light of God’s presence, therefore neither can its root. Coming into the promises of God, His life, the spiritual promise land, means that the hindering force has been destroyed and a people can now move across that river of spiritual death to enter into God.

The river of death, typed by the Jordan River, which was crossed so long ago by the children of Israel, speaks of a people who have conquered this spiritual death and all its fruits. By dying out to spiritual death means a moving into a dwelling place in God, the Father. This is the place that has been prepared for us by our elder brother, the first born son, Christ Jesus. Remember the words spoken by Jesus when He said, “….I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also”. (John 14:2-3). What is it that keeps us from living in this place with Him? What is it that keeps us from knowing the reality of the visible expression of the Kingdom of God in and through us?

Iniquity is a word which, as used in the New Testament, means “illegality, violation of law, wickedness, injustice, wrongfulness (of character, life or act), transgression, lawlessness, unrighteous and wrongdoing”. From this definition we need to pay special attention to these three defining words. (1) “Illegality” from the dictionary means, “prohibited by law; against the law; unlawful, illicit; also not authorized, or sanctioned, as by rules”. (2) The word “injustice” means, “the quality of being unjust or unfair; lack of justice; wrong”. (3) “Lawlessness”, a word which has the meaning of, “without law; not regulated by the authority of law, not in conformity with law, not obeying the law; unruly; disorderly”. From these meanings for “Iniquity” and the definitions of these words, we began to get a picture of a life-style which opposes that which God has established from Himself to promote order. Is it not so, that God is a God of order? Did not God, the creator, in that which He created declare that “it is good”? Meaning that God, when He declared that “it was good” brought into expression the visible creation with all things being in their proper balance. This balance is that which we all need to birth light, life and well being in all its forms. “Good”, the adverb, has the meaning of “beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, favor, fine, glad, graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, loving, merry, pleasant, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet and wealth”. With this word “good” having such a broad definition, we can also see its description expressed in I Cor. chapter 13 with the using of the word “charity”.

“Charity” is a word meaning “affection or benevolence; a love-feast”. With the definitions of “good” and “charity” intertwining in description, we can herein see the explanation and life-style of the law of life which is to be lived in God. But, we can also begin to catch a glimpse of the type of life that would be manifested when this law of life is broken. It is disobedience that caused man to fall. Could it not be said then that in his fall, man ceased in his dwelling and living among the law of life? A dwelling outside the law of life places the vessel in a place of being completely wrapped up and interwoven into the law of iniquity and death. With the scripture declaring that each seed shall bring forth after its own kind, mankind can now, while in his fallen state, only birth death, which is a life that is separated from the life of God. Meanwhile this death, the realm wherein the law of iniquity dwells, continues in the birthing of itself from generation to generation, producing after its own kind. Regardless of how man tries to dress it up or make it act by establishing orders that permit freedom from the law of life, it does not remove mankind from the law of sin and death.

Iniquity is that illegal, unjust, lawless (law) is a law whose existence manifest many types of fruit and expressions. Its complete existence is to war against the law of God. Rom. 8:7 states, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”. “Enmity” means “to be hostile, at opposition”. Hence, iniquity in all its forms war against the law of God. Even though iniquity may take on many forms and release many expressions of life, it will forever remain in a state of opposition against God. Especially when iniquity is revealed to a people, spoken of, pointed out and then ignored. That which man has become because of the fall and now as birthed from his mother’s womb is the results and manifestations of being out of harmony with the law of God. This law of God is that which was released to man at the creating of the man. If this be true, man as we see and know him today is not the man God caused to first stand up in the Garden of Eden. Today’s man is the product of a creation that is out of harmony with the law of the original creation, a law which brought forth the first visible created man in harmony with God. Because man is out of harmony with this law of God, he now exists as an illegal, unjust and lawless man. A being that is out of law with God makes for a life-style which disrupts all that is “good”. Where man had his first existence in love, joy and peace, he now knows hate, sadness, war and broken fellowship, not only with God and the rest of humanity, but also with himself. While man may seek to do or be good by incorporating religious patterns learned through lust, desires and selfish motives, as well as knowledge gained intellectually from much study, man will always fall short.

Carnal man forever goes about establishing for himself religious principles which suit and satisfy his own selfish cravings in trying to fulfill his God created needs, but forever fails. Why does it fail? Because fallen man lives outside the scope of God’s law of life. While seeking and even desiring to do well, there is a law (illegal, unjust, lawless) working in his members that wars against the good. This is a law that wars against God’s law of life. Rom. 7:22-23 declares, “For I delight in the law of God (life) after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin (iniquity) which is in my members”. It is the law of sin (iniquity) which must be overcome, died unto, that we may again stand in God’s presence. Like Adam and Eve before the fall, man is again being invited to walk with God in the cool of the day. Gen. 3:8 says, “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool (spirit) of the day…” This word “cool” is the Hebrew word “ROUCH” and is rendered “spirit, invisible force, is invisible except by its manifestations”. These manifestations can be seen both externally to man, as well as internally within man. As coming from God, it is the invisible origin of life. All apart from this is a realm called death.

The blood needed has been shed. Through this blood we are or may be forgiven of all sins committed. The Holy Spirit, our teacher and comforter, has also been given. He empowers us, teaches us, quickens us and anoints us that we might live in a realm of victorious living. For the most part, this is where the church remains, in the Holy Place, the in-part realm of life which is only a knowing of the things of God as seen through a glass darkly. This in-part realm is that Holy Spirit baptism which anoints us with an anointing and a knowing of that which is only in-part; hence we only prophesy in-part. But when that which is perfect (maturity) is come, then that which is in-part shall be done away. (Read I Cor. 13:9-10). This is that which has been given and where we will remain until we obtain that purchased possession, the fullness of our inheritance. We can not, any longer just be trusting only in the earnest of our inheritance, but a dwelling in the full measure. Eph. 1:13-14 declares, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest (a pledge) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory”. This time of being sealed, at such a time as this, when the “day of the Lord” is upon us, is God actively dividing and separating. He moves among His people to purify all strains of iniquity from them. The time of the earnest of our inheritance only is passing away from this people, that the fullness of their inheritance may come forth. We are not any longer living in-part, but a standing in perfection, a maturity before the Father in becoming one with Him.

With our spiritual eyes being open, we can begin to see, to know and understand God’s true attitude, His frame of mind concerning this law of iniquity. With heaven (God’s dwelling place) being a place of complete love, joy, peace and happiness, it is of a certainty that all which is illegal, unjust and lawless will not dwell there. Do you remember the man who entered into the wedding feast without the proper wedding garment? Was he not bound and cast from the wedding into darkness? Matt. 7:21-23 declares, “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will (the desire) of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name cast out devils? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (illegality, unjust, unlawfulness)”. In the sense of this context, God’s getting to know a person is in connection with a doing of God’s will and not by works. “Knew” in this context is the Greek verb “GENOSKO”, rendered as “to know (by experience, or effort); to acquire knowledge, become acquainted with”.

Herein God’s getting to know, by experience, each chosen vessel, is that which comes only as we do the Father’s will. God is not served through habitual habits. God is not a habit forming law but a God of order. He is an order of life which flows continually, while never ceasing, in the revealing of Him to each hungry vessel unto perfection. Heb. 6:1-2 reveals, “Therefore leaving (having left) the principles of the doctrine of Christ (of the beginning), let us go (be borne along) on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works (iniquity), and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment”. Perfection is that place of maturity which has fulfilled these above mentioned principles of the doctrines of Christ. The sons of God are those who are continually being led by God’s Spirit. To cease from being led, to loose sight of the Spirit is likened unto a dog that return to his vomit.

God has been pleased, until now, to allow the wheat and tares to grow up together. Is it not time for this world (present age-time) to end? (Read Matt. 13:36-43). God’s messengers are even now gathering out of His kingdom all things that offend, that which causes vessels to stumble and them which do iniquity. Matt. 13:41 declares, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels (messengers), and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity”. God declares that outward appearances only are not to His liking. They which do such things are deceived and deceive a people that they might not know the truth. Notice in Matt. 23:27-28, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity”. Here God identifies outward religious righteousness with the law of hypocrisy and iniquity. As we consider this truth, we began to see the working of a law that has the appearance of “good”, while within, the fallen, illegal, unjust, lawlessness law continues to operate. This reveals for us that which the in-part realm or anointing can never do. But by having the anointing of a full measure, it shall be achieved. Perfection of the law of life shall come forth to manifest the glory of God, the nature of that sinless life.

There is a law which produces lawlessness. It is that law which causes the fallen man to continue to speak and go his own ways. It never remains silent, but is declaring its own at all times. This law is unteachable. It seeks its own while, instead of loving, it uses others for its own gain. This is that law of iniquity which works within man to seek its own reward. While the “day of the Lord” is upon us, there is movement going on among God’s people. This movement is the results of God releasing from Himself, to man, another anointing which shall usher in the presence of God among mankind. From within a chosen people, the anointing of that full measure ministry shall consume that law of iniquity, to release the fullness of life in God unto all who would receive. “Iniquity” is from an old Angle-Saxon phrase, meaning “lack of inner quiet”. Herein, a people are called to learn how to keep the old man silent before God. To cease, from allowing all the many voices of the world and self to lord it over them. God invites us to “Be still and know that I am God”. In the silence of this flesh man God can speak, He instructs, gives guidance and reveals His will too and for us. Again it should be said that we shall be known by the fruits of the Spirit, not the gifts. Therefore, consider your place in Him, stand still until God speaks and go forth to do that which He speaks. Then, we shall come into and know the anointing of a full measure. Habakkuk 2:20 states, “But the Lord is in His holy temple (the body of Christ); Let all the earth (old carnal fleshly man and all his ways) keep silence (be still) before Him”.

“Sing and rejoice, O Daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My People: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of Host hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation”. (Zech. 2:10-13). God, today, is rising up in His temple, which we are. Therein He shall be seen through His people. The old man is dead, has grown silent and the Christ is coming forth. Come forth quickly O God, come forth.