The Way Of Man
Proverbs 16:25 instructs us in an important fact of wisdom; There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. As humans we have a tendency to exalt our own soulish and carnal minds, and seek our own ways and paths. The word way in this passage of scripture is the Hebrew word derek. (See Strong’s concordance reference H: 1869). The actual meaning of this word, derek can be defined as; a road or course, a course of life or a mode of action, a journey taken because of customs, or habits. We have seen time and time again that mankind repeats the same habits and behavior; as a result we fall into sin. When we fall into sin we fall out of relationship, communion, and the blessings of Jehovah, God Almighty.
Yes, there is a way that seems right to the carnal minds of men that always leads to sin and eventually death. Even in the church we have fallen into our own devices and what was begun in the spirit we have sought to finish in the flesh or our own strength, carnal minds, and manmade agenda’s. The Lord has for a very long time continued to bless agendas and programs in the church that were birthed out of the ways, or the derek, of men. However, we are entering into a time when the Lord will no longer bless what He did not initiate. The Apostle Paul spoke of this to the church in Galatians 3: 1-3; O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the (works of the) flesh? (Italics mine).
Many in the church today are under the spell of our own delusions and carnal minds. We are walking down a road that is of our own design, and manufacture. We are practicing a form of godliness or religion but denying the God of our religion. Yes, some are bewitched today, because we are deluded into believing that our plans are the works of the Spirit of God. Many of our works, plans, and doctrines are the works of our flesh. No longer will a Holy God allow us to finish in the flesh what was begun by the Lord in the Spirit.
We must seek the exact blueprint that God Almighty has ordained for our lives and His Church. The Spirit of God will begin to shake the very foundations of Christianity and only those things that have been built on the solid Rock, on the foundation of Christ Jesus will stand in the coming days. God gave Moses a heavenly pattern to follow and to build the temple by. We are the temple of God at this hour. We must also build our temple with the Father’s divine blueprints. Look at Hebrews 8:5 to see this principle; Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” The details in the construction of His temple are extremely important to the Lord. Just as important to God at this hour are the details or the blueprints that we are to build our lives and bodily temples upon. We must seek the perfect will and plans of God for our lives. It is critical at this hour that we live in extreme and radical obedience to the Lord as our very existence may well depend upon this. (See Exodus 25:40, 26:30, 27:8, Numbers 8:4, Acts 7:44 and also Hebrews 9:23).
God’s Way
We have the wonderful prophetic word of the Highway of Holiness the Lord spoke through His servant the prophet Isaiah. Look at the Lords promise in Isaiah 35: 8; A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. Intimacy and friendship with the Lord are the on ramp, or access point to this Highway of Holiness. Once we begin to walk in intimacy and friendship with the Lord we will be able to traverse the Highway of Holiness guided by God’s provision, power and presence. In biblical times there were certain roads that only sanctified priests could walk upon. These dereks led from temple to temple. The Highway of Holiness is of this design.
God is today calling His people to walk along the Highway of Holiness. We are being called to be royal priests and prophets after the order of Melchizedek. We are being called to travel from temple to temple. We are being called to travel from the temple of our earthly bodies to the heavenly temple of the Lord’s New Jerusalem. Like Moses we must also appropriate the plans for our temple upon the mountain of God. We must ascend into the very presence of God to be instructed and receive our blueprints. The Highway of Holiness is not a carnal or manmade tarmac, or road. This Highway of Holiness is a spiritual Highway that is paved with Christ’s precious blood. We can freely enter onto it by faith in the Son of God. Through Christ’s atoning blood we can move across the Highway of Holiness and enter into the realms of heaven and appropriate our heavenly inheritance in this current lifetime.
We are the temple of God. Our earthly bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 makes this remarkable statement; Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? We have been given free access to the very presence and current dwelling place of Christ Jesus in the heavenly realms. We can ascend to the hill of the Lord. (See Zechariah 3:7).
The Cross Of Calvary The Key To The Door Of The Supernatural
Jesus prepared a place for us when He died upon the Cross of Calvary. Christ Jesus also prepared a Highway for us to travel from temple to temple. Jesus gave us an opportunity to traverse His supernatural highway. Look at this remarkable promise Jesus gave to you and I in John 14:2, 3 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. 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 to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also”. When Christ died the veil was rent in the temple and a way, an entry point was made for you and me to enter into the realms of heaven. Jesus made a way for us to enter into His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven in this lifetime. We do not have to wait to die to experience the treasures of heaven; through the finished work of Calvary we have a Way at this moment.
We can access the glory realms at this hour. You can have this function of the Kingdom in your life.
Look at these amazing and miraculous events that happened at the very instant Jesus died upon the tree of Calvary. Matthew 27; 50-53 illuminate these marvelous facts; And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. We too can arise from the dead works of our lives because of the finished work of Christ Jesus upon the Cross of Calvary.
The veil was ripped open from the top to the bottom. This prophetically symbolizes that the heavens were opened and that we now have an ongoing invitation to enter into the heavenly realms where Christ is now seated at the right hand of the Father. Jesus has made a way, (or derek), for all of mankind who will believe. Remember that Jesus told us in John 14:6; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”. Incidentally the word that Jesus used for way in this passage is the Greek word hodos (See Strong’s Greek Reference 3598), and it is translated as a “road or highway”. It is through intimacy and friendship with Christ Jesus that we can have access to the Highway of Holiness and free access into the realms of heaven and emulate the supernatural nature of our Triune God.
Remember how Jesus warned us in Matthew 7: 13, 14; “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way, (This is the same word; hodos Greek Reference 3598), that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way, (This is the same word; hodos Greek Reference 3598), which leads to life, and there are few who find it”. We must seek the Lord’s way. This way is not an easy path, but we have a wonderful promise about the Highway of Holiness; that even a fool can find it, and traverse it if he seeks to walk in holiness. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray.
One last prophetic word about Christ Jesus providing a way for you and I to access the realms of the heavenlies. The father of John the Baptist prophesied that his nephew Jesus Christ would be the means for God to establish a road, or highway to heaven. Look at Luke 1:68-80, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, ( or unction of the Holy Spirit ), and prophesied, saying; “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. (Italics mine).
What a wonderful prophetic promise the Holy Spirit spoke to you and I through John. Christ Jesus, the Dayspring, would; give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace. It is interesting to note that the word quoted, or translated as way in this passage is the Greek word hodos. (Hodos; Greek Reference 3598). This is a very clear biblical example of Christ’s role in creating a way, a route, highway, or means to approch Him via the Highway of Holiness. This prophesy also indicated that the Highway of holiness would be accessed in holiness, and righteousness. We must seek to become pure and holy.
Purity And Holiness Are Keys To The Realms of Heaven
Remember what we discussed about purity in our hearts? Hebrews 12:14 illustrates this very important fact; Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Without holiness no man will see God. It is certain that most of us have not realized the importance of this essential scripture. We must seek to go to a high and holy place in and with God. God tells us an important spiritual truth in Isaiah 57: 15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones”. The Lord is calling His bride to accompany Him into a high and holy place. This is a place of heavenly glory and design. God is calling us to a high and holy place of ministry or intimacy and communion.
It is absolutely critical that we get this revelation and purpose in our spirits to make this the desire of our hearts. We must seek the Lord in holiness with all of our hearts. We need to seek the Lord for His holiness and purity, not for the power, gifting and anointing that He can give or bless us with. When we seek the Lord for the simple purpose of His intimacy we will come into a place of holiness. When we obtain a place of holiness and friendship with the Lord all of the other “things” we think we must have will flow from the presence and intimacy with His Spirit. Remember without holiness we shall not see the Kingdom of Heaven. (See Matthew 6:32,33).
In John 3: 3 Jesus instructed us that; “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” It is absolutely necessary to be reborn in the spirit to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was speaking about a rebirth of our hearts, minds, and spirits in this passage, or a spiritual rebirth. He was talking about a grace gift of purity and holiness that can be obtained through the appropiation and acceptance of His precious cleansing blood, and the atonement of Calvary. Jesus was speaking of total salvation or what some call sozo salvation. (See Strong’s Greek reference 4982).
Psalm 24
Often it is the children who enter into the spirit and experience the supernatural. The reason for that is that the children have a pure and undefiled hearts. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:8; “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God”. And again we are encouraged and given this supernatural advice in Psalm 24; 3-6 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah This passage speaks of purity of heart, soul and mind. We must strive and earnestly seek to walk in purity and holiness if we are to access the Highway of Holiness.
For a much more detailed teaching on the Psalm 24 dynamic please read the book “Unlocking the Hidden Mysteries of the Seer Anointing II; And the Blessings of Psalm 24”.
Proverbs 17:3 instructs us that; The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests the hearts. The people of God are in a season of being wooed by the Spirit of God. The Bridegroom has His Hand upon the latch of the doors of our hearts. (See Song of Solomon 5:4). Jesus is seeking to romance each one of us, and to bring us into a place of intimacy and purity. The Lord is refining our spirits and opening to us the treasures available to each one of us in His Kingdom. God is seeking those individuals who are willing to submit to His refining fire and allow Him to purify our hearts.
The eyes of the Lord are roaming throughout the earth seeking friends in whom He can pour out His baptism of Fire. Once baptized by God’s refining fire we can begin to comprehend and earnestly seek to walk in the purposes of God and in a truly pure way. Once we receive this heavenly cleansing we will begin to reign as priests and prophets. We will not seek our own agendas. We will not seek to satisfy the lust of our flesh, the lust of our eyes, or the pride of life. We will seek to pour out our lives as a drink offering to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. We will gladly give up our man made agendas for Christ Jesus’ perfect plan for each of our lives. We will seek to be holy and pure because our Savior is holy and pure.
Walking in purity and holiness can only be accomplished as we seek to live a lifestyle of continuous intimacy and communion with the Lord. We must be in constant communication with the Lord and be quick to obey even the slightest leadings and whispers of the Holy Spirit. In other words when we earnestly seek to become a close intimate friend of God we can be made pure by the wonderful transforming power of the precious Holy Spirit. When we submit to the Lord’s process of refining we can be transformed in to the very image of Jesus.
Emphanizo
The Lord gave us a wonderful promise of intimacy, and clear instructions on how we can achieve intimacy and communion with Him in John 14. In verse 14 Jesus promises that He will answer our prayers on the condition that we keep or obey His commandments. Look at this amazing passage of scripture; “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”If you love Me, keep My commandments”. This is a fabulous blessing in itself, however the Lord goes on to give us a second heavenly promise in this passage. Jesus also encourages us that He will pray for you and me, look at verse 16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you”. What a great blessing we have been given from our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit will indwell in each of our hearts and spirits.
In verses 18 through 21 Jesus gives us the greatest promise of all in this passage “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Jesus promises us that He will visit us. Sometimes I think that we gloss over the importance to the Lords words in this passage. On the condition that we keep His commandments, and love the Lord with all of our hearts, all or our minds, and all of our souls Jesus promises to Love us unconditionally, and come to tea.
Let’s examine this powerful supernatural promise given to you and I John 14: 21. When Jesus declares that He will Love us, He also promises that He will; “manifest Myself to him.” What will it look like when Jesus manifests Himself? The word that Jesus used in this passage of scripture is the Greek word emphanizo. In Strong’s the translation for this Greek word, (emphanizo; reference 1718), is to exhibit in person, (like one would display a valuable work of art or renaissance masterpiece), to disclose by appearance, to appear plainly or to manifest.
When we press into the Kingdom of God and ask the precious Holy Spirit to help us as we seek to keep the Lord’s commandments walking in righteousness, holiness and purity we will discover emphanizo. We will grow to have ginsko with Christ Jesus, (See Strong’s Greek reference 1097), or a supernatural revelation of Christ and His divinity. We have been given a great promise of having a personal encounter with the Son of God. When Christ promised to manifest Himself this speaks of a visitation, and personal appearance of the Son of God in your life. In other words Jesus promised to give you and me intimacy and a very close and personal relationship with the Lord of lords. We can become Christ Jesus’ friends.
Holy Fire
We must seek to be translated into the very image and character of Christ in this lifetime. 2 Corinthians 3:18 deals with this spiritual principle; But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, (the image of Jesus), from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. We also see this spiritual principle outlined in Romans 12:2; And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We must seek to be transformed and renewed in our minds and daily lives. We must be born again to walk in God’s perfect will.
The Apostle Peter encourages us that we will be transformed after we have endured testing by fire. Once refined like gold we can obtain our spiritual inheritance from the realms of heaven. Look at 1 Peter 1:3-9; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls.
Peter uses an analogy similar to Malachi, and compares our refining and purification to that of gold in the hands of a master goldsmith.
A goldsmith forges all impurities out of the metal by a hot and refining fire. Everything in the metal that is not gold floats to the surface as dross or waste. When gold had been forged and heated by fire numerous times all of the impurities are purged and removed. This is a prolonged process, and so is our sanctification and transformation into holiness and purity. The goldsmith knows that the gold is 100% refined when he can see his perfect reflection in the molten gold. The same is true for the Spirit of God. When the Lord can see the perfect image of Jesus in us He is ready to pour us out and fashion a new creation from our lives.
The prophet Malachi describes this process beautifully in 3:3; He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. For many in the body of Christ we have entered into a season of purging and cleansing. The result of this forging process will be our ability and desire to walk in purity, holiness, and to manifest works of righteousness.
The spirit of burning and the spirit of judgment are touching the lives of many at this hour. Everything in each of us that is not of God must be purged by fire. We must seek to love the Lord with all of our hearts, all of our souls, and all or our minds. God will not be satisfied with anything less. Those who are willing to submit to this season of purification and sanctification will be rewarded by the Lord. They shall have free access to the Highway of Holiness, and their supernatural inheritance.
The prophet Isaiah foretold of this approaching season of purging and cleansing fire in Isaiah 4:4, 5; When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, then the LORD will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. (This speaks of the presence of God, and communion with God). For over all the glory there will be a covering.
It is possible that these passages speak of angelic ministry, and the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit. It is possible the spirits of judgment and by the spirit of burning are aspects of angelic ministry. The word for spirit in this passage is roo-akh, and can be defined as; by resemblance a spirit. (See Strong’s Hebrew Concordance reference 7306). The scriptures are not clear on this point, but some teachers’ believer that spirits of judgment and of burning are in fact some of God’s angelic beings. I am not stating that here, rather I am only suggesting this theory for your consideration and further study and prayer. (Italics mine).
Gold Refined in the Fire
There is a sovereign cleansing and purifying work that God is implementing. This is a season for this cleansing and purifying process to manifest upon the people of God. The goal of this purging and cleansing will be to establish God’s children in a place of intimacy and purity. This is the place from which the church will begin to traverse the Highway of Holiness, and grow into the very image of the Son of God. Jesus Himself gave the church a strong and direct council to seek to have our hearts, and minds refined and by holy fire. Look at Revelation 3:18; “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see”. The Lord gave this advice in the same fashion as an attorney would give counsel to an inmate that was on trial for his very life. We must submit our lives and agendas to the Lord’s refining process and embrace the burning and cleansing fire of God’s Spirit. Jesus has given us legal counsel to buy heavenly treasure from Him. It is amazing that our simple faith in the Son of God is a heavenly currency. With the currency of Christ, (faith), we can purchase several important and vital items from Christ Jesus.
Jesus counseled us to purchase from Him; Gold refined in the fire. Gold speaks of our faith, sancitification and purity that have been purged and tried by the holy fire of God. These are an exceedingly valuable commodity in the realms of heaven which will give us true heavenly riches. Jesus also counseled us to purchase from Him; white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed. This speaks of the free gift of remission and forgiveness of sin that we can appropriate by applying the shed blood of the Son of God to our lives. Finally Jesus counseled us to purchase from Him; eye salve that you may see. This speaks of our spiritual eyes or the eyes of our understanding or hearts. The Lord desperately desires for us to have the ability to see, hear, and enter into the realms of heaven. (I call this the seer anointing). Jesus deeply desires for us to have intimacy and communion with Him now. This flows from a place of purity and submission to the Son of God. Intimacy and communion also enable us to manifest the gift and ability to see hear experience and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Once we have died to our agendas and allowed the fire of God to have its way in our hearts, souls, and minds then we will be ready to enter into a precious season of intimacy with Jesus. When we enter into this intimacy we will begin to be sovereignly healed, cleansed, and sanctified. We will be made whole and pure. At that point we will be ready to access the Highway of Holiness and receive the supernatural inheritance Jesus has laid up for each of us in the realms of heaven. We are transformed into mature sons and daughters of the Most High God who have the liberty to traverse the Highway of Holiness.
There is no other way to achieve purity and intimacy with Jesus Christ. We must embrace His wooing and allow the Holy Spirit to purge us from our sinful mindsets and past baggage. Once we have accepted this work of the Spirit of God and begin to wait upon the Lord He will supernaturally purge us with His heavenly fire. Christ Jesus’ cleansing fire and blood will surely make us clean as a fresh winter’s snow. This speaks of a God ordained and God given purity of spirit, soul and body.
Our sinful state and filth will not be remembered nor recognized by the Father. Isaiah states this amazing supernatural principle eloquently. Look at Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Let us begin to call out to the Lord for His sovereign help and mercy. Let us ask for Jesus to cover us in His wonderful cleansing blood, and embrace the forge of the Holy Sprit’s cleansing fire.
Psalm 103:12 illustrates God’s earnest desire to cleanse us from iniquity and sin; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Isaiah 43: 25 also illustrates this point clearly; “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins”. Let us earnestly pursue purity. Because it is only from a heart and place of purity that we can see God and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, and the realms of the supernatural. Intimacy and friendship are the only way to access the Highway of Holiness.
This article was written by Kevin Basconi, for King of Glory Ministries International
212 W Ironwood Drive, Coeur D Alene, ID 83814
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