The Potter's Hands

16/04/2022

*THE DEFEAT OF SATAN, SIN, DEATH AND HADES*
The above mentioned are the major enemies of mankind that were to be dealt with so that mankind could receive salvation. Satan is the first enemy because through deception, sin entered into the world and man became a sinner. Sin gripped man to his inner core so that the inclinatuons of his heart was always evil.

Death is the enemy which was powered by sin for its written, "the sting of death is sin." Death would then take its victims into the dark chambers of hades where the souls of men were tormented night and day. It was important for these to be taken care of before man could be allowed to partake of the tree of life or receive eternal life. It would be a mixture of life and man would live miserable for eternity. This would deviate from the original mind of God of the kind of the man He wanted; in His IMAGE and after His LIKENESS.

In His patience everything put in place and at the appointed time, the Son of God (God in flesh) came. Don't lose the plot. The Word of God is God Himself. God prepared a fleshly dwelling of His Word and so the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Satan had a glimpse of Him coming and crushing his head (destroying his authority) when he came. That is why he frantically tried by all means to destroy the king that was born but to no avail. He was afraid his authority will be taken away and his three aids too disabled when the son of God came.

He did not prevail even in tempting Him to break character and display his creative powers, display some pride and also coveting what he had made and given to the man he had made who lost it to the proud Satan to rule over him. Satan and is cohorts watched in horror as their work in men was daily deconstructed; sicknesses, diseases, leprosy and even death. This man needed to be stopped by diverting Him from His mission or try and destroy Him if it were possible. Satan knew he was running out of time because often Jesus spoke of his death. Was there a way of making his death permanent? The crafty fellow must have run out of options. However, he thought of making it feel an impossible feat to suffer and die. Remember Jesus had a human body with raw and functional nerves, a soul and Spirit and so was clothed with humanity perfectly. Satan normally attack our minds to dissuade us to divert from the plan of God. But Jesus SUBMITTED Himself to the Will of the Father all this time, "Father, I KNOW that ALL THINGS are possible with you. If it is possible, take this cup away from me, BUT not as I will but YOURS BE DONE." Thats how we overcome. Laying down fleshly will to the Will of God in every tempting situation.

Finally, the chosen vessel of satan betrayed Jesus to the hands of sinful men; the jealous clergy who could not find a sin (a blemish) on Him. He is the Lamb without blemish ready to be sacrificed.

He then began to take them one by one. First, he carried our sorrows and took upon Himself our infirmities. Then He took the punishment that was to deliver us peace. He then was wounded for our healing. Things were happening faster than satan and his cohorts thought would. Each of their schemes executed was like a bomb detonating in their territory. Nothing they did would make Jesus bow enough to abort the mission.

Eventually they hanged Him on a tree (cross) but then, they realised that by hanging Him there, He was accursed and so our curse was upon Him and there He delivered the blessing! No more curses over mankind! At noon, all hades broke open and darkness filled the earth. This darkness was literally the presence of powers of darkness in their last battle with Jesus Christ ON THE CROSS. The struggle lasted three un disrupted hours but then the darkness was defeated and light resumed the reign at the nineth hour from sixth hour.
_Colossians 2:13-15 ...... He forgave us *all our sins,* having *canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us;* he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. *And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.*_
The Lord was very exhausted after defeating satan and cohorts that he said, "I am thirsty". They gave him wine vinegar, bitter as gall and would not take it.

For sin to be defeated, He had to die. Being sinless, he had to carry the Sin of the whole world. He carried it so that he took the form of sinful man and became sin. Have a look; 2 _Corinthians 5:21 *God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,* so that in him we might become the righteousness of God._ This was very important. Sin had to be completely destroyed. So it was put on Jesus so that when He died, Sin would die with Him; meaning, it lost authority over man anymore. Sin has not power over them who are in Christ Jesus. They can always defeat sin. Sin is eternally dealt with.

Death was waiting to receive Him in its belly and carry Him into the hades as was used to do to its victims. Am not even sure he (death) was confident enough to swallow him alive since his other partners stood defeated but had to try it out MAY BE.

The Son of God made a declaration of defeat of Satan and sin by saying, TETELESTAI (IT IS FINISHED). He then made a prayer to His faithful Father, "into your hands I commit my spirit." He surrendered into the mouth of death which led to its stomach, hades! He bowed His head and so died. His death came as a surprise to many. A man so powerful in Word and deed died. It crushed the hope of the disciples for they thought Jesus would crush the oppressive Romans regime.

He entered into death and hades to destroy this thing from within it. After tearing it apart from within, He won the victory over death and hades and on the third day, the job was so finely done that the Father was pleased and raised Him from the dead. Have a look at this. _Revelation 1:18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! *And I hold the keys of death and Hades.*_

Resurrection is the seal of the victory of the three enemies of the mankind. Faith in Christ is what makes one partake of this victory. We have a victory over Satan, Sin, Death and Hades. Believe the good news and live VICTORIOUS. Shalom

*The Raw Word Publication 2022*
*Jared*

05/04/2021

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*THE RESURRECTION*
Resurrection is coming back to life from the dead. In the Old Testament, we see miracles of resurrection. Elijah (a type of Christ) raised the son of the widow of Zarephath. Elisha (a type of Church) raised the son of the rich shunamite woman. We also see some men throwing a dead man in Elisha's tomb and on contacting Elisha's bones, he resurrected and ran with those who previously carried him. They were running away from an enemy.

Resurrection miracles are in every way spectacular to watch and behold. Some preachers wanting to have fame have stage managed resurrection but others who wanted to glorify Jesus have indeed raised the dead. I personally believe it is possible by the power of the Holy Spirit to raise the dead. But I do also believe that He must lead me into it a
although there are circumstances that can force you to attempt raising the dead. We will see this miracle in a greater measure in these last days than seen in any other era in our short history.

Jesus Christ when he walked the earth, raised several notable peoppe from the dead; widow's son of the town of nain, Jairus daughter and Lazarus. Jesus said that those who would believe in Him would do greater things than what He did. He healed the sick, open eyes of blind, made dumb speak, multiplied food, defied laws of nature among many others. We can do what we did and even more if we will dare to believe that these things are ours.

All the resurrection cases mentioned above were another chance to live but then they all eventually died again. Nevertheless, they all point into one thing, that God is able to raise the dead and he does. There is a remarkable resurrection that has mesmerised me over time. This one happened when Jesus died. The first batch of the saints rose from the dead.

_Matthew:27.50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 _*The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.*_

That is was an experience in itself! Who were these holy men that rose from the dead? Do you remember the story of rich man and Lazarus? How the rich man went to a very horrendous place called hades and Lazarus had all the comfort at the bossom of father Abraham? Abraham was not there alone. Many other saints of Old who were waiting for the salvation of Israel by the seed of Abraham even Christ were there. It was a temporary paradise or a waiting lounge for a real heavenly flight. Paul tells us that, when Christ rose from the dead (ascended), He took captives in His train. The Roman Catholics call this place Purgatory and believe people who die in partial righteousness go there. Well, thats not true. The paradise is empty but the hades is still receiving non believers at an alarming rate. We need to preach the gospel. Faith in Jesus is what will save men from that place. It doesnt make sense you live a good life on the earth and then you miss the heavens gate. The gate is Jesus Christ.

Let's see what scriptures had to say about these wonderful saints. The writer of Hebrews devoted a whole chapter 11 to them. They are the heroes of Faith. Imagine that they were preserved to be saved (raised from the dead) for believing God's testimony about a messiah to come. This resurrection is special because these saints never died again. See why they were preserved? The messiah had not yet come but their hope of salvation was in this messiah that would come. See how chapter 11 concludes:
_Hebrews:11.38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 39 *These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.* 40 God had planned something better for us so that *only together with us would they be made perfect.*_

They were clothed with immortality and they form what the writer of Hebrews call a cloud of witnesses in chapter 12. These heroes of Faith are our great encouragement to prevail by faith in every circumstance. You can identify with one or the other. Though weak naturally, they were made strong by Faith.

*The Resurrection of Jesus*
After having shed his blood and having defeated the principalities and powers and disarming them, He rose from the dead with great majesty. Having paid in full the penalty of the death of Adam, God the Father raised Him from the dead. His body was drained of all blood and then was glorified. No longer of flesh which decays but now a spiritual body but still tangible. He could be touched but never needed doors to go in or come out. Wonderful body. Isn't it? This is the same body these cloud of witnesses we mentioned were given. They are now immortals. Soon, we too shall join them. Do you believe this? We will not need technology anymore, we will be the embodiment of divine technology itself.

When He rose from the dead, He had to present His blood in the heavenly tabernacle so as to seal a new covenant with the Father. The work of redemption as finished on the Cross as He did reveal when the full price of redemption was given. This undid all the wisdom of the enemy. He hates the price paid to get you out of his gates! The blood of Jesus haunts the devil and the demons to date but they demanded it and thought God was too weak to give it to them. He did and the result was not good for them. His blood was lethal to their operations and survival as a thriving kingdom. You don't dare God nor His Son. I believe the demons inspired the priests and the people to say "Crucify Him, Crucify Him..."

When He presented His blood in the heavenly tabernacle as the great High Priest of the new covenant, men now would receive mercy and forgiveness of sin on account of the blood of Jesus. Believe in the good news and be saved. Thats all you need to do. No amount of works to appease His Majesty the King would measure up. The Father recognises the clean job done by His Son Jesus. This faith is what saves us and guarantees us to participate in the next resurrection. Who will resurrect next?

*Resurrection of the Saints*
_blessed from now on are those who die (sleep) in the Lord for they rest from their labour_

When Jesus paid the price of redemption it was for the salvation of ALL men. However, to receive this salvation, one has to believe in the Lord Jesus who died for him and rose from the dead for his justification. This faith in the heart and confession brings salvation into the heart of the one who believes. When you do this, God seals you as his own with His Spirit. Remember, he who does not have His Spirit, is none of His.

Again, _precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints_. How now? Because when you die in Christ, you only get out of the body and be at home with the Lord. To absent in the body, is to be present with the Lord. This knowledge should eliminate the fear of death in every believer. I know our fear is to leave our loved ones with no one to take care of them. The fear of destination is eliminated in Christ. It is dangerous to exit this realm without being IN CHRIST for its not Him not our deeds able to land us into the celestial shores.

Christ physically ascended into the heavens after He had ministered for 40 days as He prepared His disciples for His departure. A promise was given that in the same way they saw Him go, so shall He return and every eye will see Him including those who pierced Him. To some, it will a glorious time while to others, a time of fear and dread.

When he returns, Paul makes the following note:
_1 Thessalonians:4.15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and *the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.* And so we will be with the Lord forever._

Now you understand, they were only asleep and shall be awakenend to receive a celestial body that cannot die or decay. Somewhere Paul says that _within a twinkling of an eye, our bodies shall be changed_ we shall possess a body like that of the Lord. A body not limited to physical obstacles and barriers. At this point, those who were mere mortals will become immortals and can never die anymore. However, the judgment of the world at this point is not yet. Its just and end of an era and onset of another. Those who rejected the Lord and embraced antichrist system, a system which God is not recognised but self efforts, will have a rough time with God. He will pour out his wrath on them for taking the sacrifice of His Son Jesus with contempt. Jesus bought ALL except none. He bought them from being slaves of satan and they now legally belong to God.
_Revelation:5.9 And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation._

Be reminded that Jesus is the saviour of ALL mankind. The trouble is, not all will believe to be saved. Being a rebellious servant warrant a worthy punishment from the master. That is the tragedy that shall befall the unbelievers.

They set their hearts against God as their enemy and so they shall receive the fate of satan and share in his punishment. Hell, Jesus revealed, was made for Satan and his angels (messagers). If you become a messager of satan and even help him in his agenda, do you expect mercy on the day of judgment? NO.

After the saints resurrect, the other who died without believing will continue in death till the second resurrection unto judgment. After the era of the Church (body of Christ), there still shall be a people on earth still multiplying and some believing and others not believing in Jesus. Those who then shall die believing will be previlaged to have their names in the book of life. Those will resurrect unto life but the rest will keep the one they served company and so partake of his punishment.

The Church, saved by grace through faith has passed over judgment. These will rule and reign with Christ over the nations of the earth in the day of the Lord (1000yrs). In the judgment day, the body of Christ will seat with Him judging even the angels as Paul reveals to the corinthian church.

Having recieved Christ, a believer ought not to walk guided/powered by the flesh but by the Spirit whom the Lord caused to dwell in him. The mind which is powered by the Spirit is Life and peace while the mind powered by the flesh is death. Choose to put on a mind which the Spirit shall power/drive; THE MIND OF CHRIST. This will keep you in assurance that when you sleep (if the Lord tarry), you will wake up in a glorified body just like those saints (the cloud of witnesses) rose when Jesus died.

*Shalom*
*The Raw Word Publication 2021*
*Jared*

15/01/2021

*THE SPIRIT WHOM WE HAVE RECEIVED*
*Introduction*
There are many spirits. Some spirits are holy while others are vile. The vile spirits are the fallen celestial beings. Angels are spirit beings and are holy. They are God's messagers. Fallen spirits (evil/vile) seek to express themselves and influence the earth by lodging themselves in or on people's physical bodies and at times, the souls of the unsuspecting humans. They greatly influence peoples actions and reactions. Never let these vile spirits seat of you. Every spirit expresses or manifests through its victim for what it is. There is nothing to be scared about these. Jesus Christ has defeated them all and so it is ours to walk in this victory in His Name. It is our heritage to be free from their oppression and influence. For is is for freedom's sake Christ suffered, died and rose from the dead.

In this discourse, I will not discuss the other celestial spirit beings such as the seraphim, cherubim, angels, arch angels, the living creatures and their God given functions. I want us to study Him who we have been given for believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.

*Moses Desire*
Moses once challenged Joshua son of Nun for reporting some two men who were to be part of the assembly of the Lord but never appeared but when the time to share the Spirit who was upon Moses came, even though the two men stayed in the camp, the Spirit came upon them and they started to prophesy. Joshua sought the permission that these two men be SILENCED but the reply of Moses is very intriguing for he said, _*"are you jealous for my sake? I wish ALL God's people were prophets."*_ What a desire!

*Joel's Prophecy*
God through Joel spoke of a time that would come when He would pour out His spirit on ALL flesh whose effect shall be visions by young men and dreams for the old men. Servants of God both male and female would prophesy in that time. The prophets desired to see the fulfilment of these glories. Good news is, they are already here.

The precedence of the dispensation of the sons of God was demonstrated by none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He was born by a virgin as a man and lived an ordinary life until that day when He was baptised in Jordan by John and the heavens opened and the Spirit descended on Him and rested. John testifies, _"I would not have recognised Him except that the One who sent me told me said, 'it is He who the Spirit shall come upon and REMAIN.' "_ From that day hence forth, the manifestation of who He was, was evident; a son of God.

*Isaiah's Prophecy*
_Isaiah:11.1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 *The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD-- 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.* He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;.._

All sons of God exhibit these things in a messure as they grow in the knowledge of the Lord. I am convinced that the time is at hand where we will witness the sons of God walking on this planet reigning as the lords that they are, speaking uncommon wisdom and expressing a great understanding of many mysteries, possessing the most unique and undeniable counsel and walking in power and great authority, speaking knowledge that has not been written in books nor taught in classroom for it shall be revealed to them and walking in the fear of the Lord. To fear the Lord is to shun evil. You haven't feared the Lord yet if you entertain what is evil and people are comfortable doing their evil in front of you.

*Fulfilment*
Moses' desire, Joel's and Isaiah's Prophesies are fulfilled. All God's children are prophets on the account of receiving the Holy Spirit. Have you received the Holy Spirit after you believed in the Lord Jesus? If in doubts, please be sure. How? Ask the Father to fill you and He wont delay in this matter. _"If you even though are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who art in heaven GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO ASK HIM?"_ You see? Its all yours for the asking. Ask and it shall be given unto you. Asking and receiving is a divine principle. Go ahead, ASK anything in His Name and He promised to do it.

In Christ Jesus, we are made NEW CREATION. The new creation is made in true RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS just as the Son of God Jesus is. The new creation is made in likeness to the man from heaven. And these children of God have received the same Spirit the first born of God received after baptism. It means that they can live and manifest the supernatural life that Jesus lived and manifested on the earth. What a privilege! What an honour! What a dispensation!

The New creation man is one with the Lord. He is made in the exact likeness of the Son of God Jesus Christ. Its not a wonder the whole company of sons of God is called THE BODY OF CHRIST with Jesus being the HEAD OF THE BODY. The same Spirit which flows in the head is the same which flows in the whole body. Sons of God need to fully awaken to their new identity and reality and exploit it fully.

The reason why the sons of God are the solution to the suffering/frustrated creation is because they have received the Spirit of sonship by whom they call out to the Father God. The Scriptures say that _"as He (Jesus) is, so are we in this world."_ This is deep. And also it says that, _"those who have believed in the Lord are ONE WITH HIM in Spirit."_ It is in the light of this unique oneness that we shall be able to walk in the seven dimensions the Lord walked in as revealed by the prophet Isaiah. This is the Spirit whom we have received. We have not received Him in vain, have we? Selah.
Shalom.

*The Raw Word 2021*
*Jared*

07/11/2020

*DOORS/GATES*
*Introduction*
Doors are legal entrances into facilities and entities such as Cities, Homesteads, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Companies, Houses, Rooms, to mention just but a few. Doors therefore give us access. Use of other entrances in facilities with doors amounts to illegality and its considered malicious and criminal.

*Spiritual Doors*
Just as there are physical doors/gates, there are also spiritual doors. Just as physical doors open and closes, so also do spiritual doors as well.

*Ancient Times*
The people in ancient times never built cities without fortified walls and posted guards on their gates. All those of good will used the gates but the trouble makers broke through the walls. With a wall and gates shut, that city was considered safe.

Jericho was a fortified city. Its sight and its locked gates were intimidating to anyone who thought of conquering it. However, the natural does not have a formula of stopping the divine and so God gave formula of how to break Jericho. Jerusalem was fortified city too complete with gates which were guarded. Samaria too was a city with gates. Gaza, where they locked in Samson when Philistines learned of his presence visiting with a pr******te was a gated City. Unfortunately, there catch was too strong to shut gates over. He pulled the gate from its foundation and escaped away wiitsit on his shoulder only to abandon it up an hill. These are just but examples of gates mentioned in the Old Testament.

There is one gate that is mentioned and is quite special in the Old Testament. Jacob was on his way to uncle Laban's place when night caught up with him. He slept at a place he later named Bethel for the experience. In his dream he saw a ladder (a stairway) that opened into the heavens and Angels descending and ascending on it. What a vision!

When Jesus was challenged by Nathaniel and told him that before Phillip called him he was sitting under a sycamore fig tree, he exclaimed that indeed Jesus was the promised one to which Jesus replied, "you have not seen anything yet. You will see the angels of God descending and ascending on the Son of man." Remarkable! Jesus is interpreting Jacob's dream saying, "I am the Way." Later Jesus will make another bold declaration that, "He was the gate!" He is the Way to heaven and the DOOR/GATE in which anyone who wish to enter uses to reach God. He is the narrow door and the narrow path that lands you into abundant Life. Narrow because, He is the ONLY WAY, the only option anyone can take to make it to heaven. There is no other open way and door to heaven but Jesus Christ. One day, this way and door will be shut to many's loss.

Doors do not just open. If you see an open door, someone opened it. Its up to you to decide if its wise to walk through it or not. Yes, wisdom is vital utilising open doors. Some doors lead into trouble. Others lead into deep entanglement and irreparable messes. Some doors are just enemies trap. Great discernment is needed when you find open doors. Good news is, even God throws doors open for us.

The two unique trees in the garden of Eden were doors that opened into the described realms. One real was of good and evil. If man chose to eat of this, it would make him KNOW (IN*******SE) with both good and evil but if he chose the tree of Life, it would open him into the realm of Living forever. Sadly, he chose the former and was denied the chance of eating the latter. Nevertheless, all was not lost. The tree of Life has been reintroduced to us in the person of Jesus Christ. This door of Life eternal is wide open. Walk in through it into untold joys. Believe you me when I tell you, Jesus is the tree of Life. He oozes with Life. He said, _"I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly._" You see? Be wise, eat of the tree of Life now its available.

There are doors that are closed but can be opened through knocking. _"Knock knock and the door shall be opened to you."_ Knocking is simply earning the attention of the gate keeper. If the door keeper is pleased with you and finds you worthy to let you in, you will be let in. There are other doors which are closed but you can open them at will without knocking. These are doors in which you are the gate/doorkeeper.

Your heart (the inner room of man) has a door. This door, you are the keeper. Not even the Lord forces Himself into it. He too knocks. The gentle Lord violates no one's will. He enters the hearts of those who answered the knock on the door. Have you answered His knock yet? Be wise! He wills to come in and dime with you in the inner chambers.

To His own, Jesus says, _"the door I open, no one can close."_ When He gives access, no one can stop you from accessing what the Lord has allowed you into. Not relatives, not bad eyes and evil tongues, not the leaders or the religious elites, no one. The gifts of God are irrevocable; they are without repentance! When the Lord swings the door open, walk right in through it without fear or dreaded with what ifs.

Jesus also tells His own, _"and the door which I close, no one can open."_ The Lord loves His own more than His own can ever love Him. There are doors He slams shut on our faves because because He know that one step through them is destructive. He knows if we enter or access the inside of those rooms, our goose is cooked. He cannot stand it losing you and so slams shut the door/gate to destruction. Can you relate? Some of all those lost opportunities you whine about could have destroyed you but the Lord is all knowing and so helped you but denying you access.

Finally, Jesus said, _"upon this rock I will build my church upon which the gates of hades shall not prevail"_ He had a plan to take the control of those gates. When He rose from the dead he had the keys of those gates. He testifies in Rev 1:8 "I am the living one, I was dead but now live forever more and with me are the KEYS of death and HADES." He who has the keys to a door has authority to open and close a door at will. Christ will not open the gates of hell against His Church. Live not in fear of devils and demons. The Lord got the key and see, He cares for His body so much. You are His body, the Church. He remains open into the heaven. He wants you to access heaven and not hell more. Shalom.

*The Raw Word November 2020.*
*Jared*