The Holiness Pilgrim Fights Back via "Invincible TNT Nuggets" that are nestled in the Holy Scriptures.
Now that you, as a Holiness pilgrim, abide in Christ, the world hates you. Why? Because the world flows on a "natural world," five-dimensional level, while the Holiness pilgrim flows on a seven-dimensional, Spiritual level.
Opposition from the world is an ironclad promise of the Holy Scriptures:
John 15:19-25: Jesus instructed his disciples saying, "If you belonged to the (five-dimensional) world, the world would love you as its own. But as it is, (since you belong to the seven-dimensional world that is the dwelling place of God), you do not belong to the world because I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
Jesus continues, "Remember the words I spoke to you? 'No servant is greater than his master.' They persecuted me, so will they persecute you also. If the people of the world obey my teaching, they will obey yours also. But those of the world who do not know the one who sent me (God the Father), those people will mistreat you because you use my name (Jesus)."
Jesus further explains how the manifestation of miracles (1) proves that God transcends the natural order of things, and (2) that this very proof, by itself, solidifies the opposition of worldly people against God and God's people, ensuring their condemnation. By their very nature, worldly-minded people hate the truth of the transcendent power of God, and therefore, they hate not only God, but all those who are allied with God, i. e., Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, and his brothers and sisters , the Holiness pilgrims who follow in Jesus' wake:
Jesus continues, "If I had not come and had not spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now that I have spoken the truth to them they have no excuse for their sin.
Those of the world who hate me hate my Father as well. If I had not performed the miracles among them (that no one else has ever done), they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen the miracles, and they still hate both me and my Father. This is to fulfill what is written in the Law: 'They have hated me (The Messiah, the Redeemer, the Deliverer) without reason.'"
The above message from Jesus, the Redeemer King of the world, is the bad news. But the good news far outweighs the bad, namely, the news that you can overcome the world through Christ while you earn crown after crown for yourself in the coming recreated world (see "Christianity Graduate School"):
John 16:33: Jesus speaking to his disciples said, "In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
The first requirement for "overcoming the world through Christ" is to walk in Holiness per the principles outlined in such essays as "Christianity Graduate School," "Abstain from Alcohol and Drugs," and "The Holiness Motto: 'I am Nothing. God is Everything.'"
Once the Holiness pilgrim status is attained and God has thus been given access to your spirit, his Joy can and will arise in your spirit. Then the true power and significance of Nehemiah 8:10, "The Joy of the Lord is your strength," comes into play.
So what happens now? Wow! The world will never be able to understand this, but when trouble or tribulation arise, instead of the usual reaction of relying on "self," the "flesh," the "wisdom of this world," and the "law of the jungle" mechanisms for survival, the Holiness pilgrim releases the JOY OF THE LORD in his/her spirit, and yes, the supernatural (i.e., Spiritual) JOY OF THE LORD arises in his/her spirit to defeat whatever the problem or trial happens to be. Isn't that fantastic? You cannot be defeated. The JOY OF THE LORD arises in your spirit to crush any opposition! Demons and devils scatter in all directions when THE JOY OF THE LORD arises to do battle. Like scalded dogs they shriek in pain and run, run, run as fast as they can go.
Good News: The more that you, as a Holiness pilgrim, abide in Christ, the more will the forces of hell array themselves against you. If you have smooth sailing in your life with little or no opposition from the "world," the "flesh" or the "devil," you may rest assured, you are not abiding in Christ because if you were abiding in Christ, ferocious opposition from the "world," the "flesh," and the "devil" would be a certainty. Hatred from unseen forces of hell inevitably arise to bring opposition. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)
But this very opposition for the Holiness pilgrim is a source of pure joy. It is the same joy that David felt when he went up against Goliath. He was filled with joy because he knew the battle was not his but the Lord's. He couldn't loose!
The following paragraphs are probably the most important that will be imparted to you in this series of essays because I don't know of any other lesson that so clearly points out the mechanics of how to use the liberating power of Titus 1:15. Titus 1:15 states "to the pure (to the holy) all things are pure (all things are holy), but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure (nothing is holy.)"
Titus 1:15 is the secret triggering mechanism for releasing the JOY OF THE LORD that overcomes the world and its problems alluded to earlier in this essay and in the essay titled "The Holiness Walk, a Fourfold Awareness." This triggering mechanism is one of the greatest secrets that can be discovered by the Holiness pilgrim.
Here is how it works:
There are two ways of looking at the world and its problems: The one most commonly applied is the "natural way" in which first, a problem arises and then one employs his/her natural talents, abilities, intelligence and strength to overcome the problem, be it the "struggle for survival," or "overcoming mental, physical and/or emotional conflicts," or whatever. The "natural way" works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't.
Then there is the rarest of all approaches: It is the supreme, the crème de la crème mechanism for living one's life, namely, putting the battle in God's hands because God the Father cannot be defeated.
"That's great! But how do we do that? How do we put the battle in God's hands?" I am glad you asked that question.
Here's how: You, as a Holiness pilgrim, experience with every fiber and sinew of your being "the mind that was in Christ Jesus," therefore, "you are in the world but you are not of the world," and "Bingo!" Titus 1:15 kicks in within your spirit. You don't just "walk" any more, you "walk reverently" because you are now in a Holy Sanctuary, and everything becomes Holy and Sacred for you. A Holy Aura surrounds you and everything around you because you are walking in the Holy Presence of your Holy God. You are actually in a different world, a Holy world. You are no longer an alien and a stranger to God but a child of his Kingdom. And, as a child of his Kingdom you cry "abba," "father," and God lovingly takes control of the reigns of your life and you situation, whatever it may be, and his voice protectively echoes forth out of the Holy Scriptures commanding the "world," the "flesh," and the "devil," to "Touch not my anointed! Do my prophets no harm!" "Better for you that a millstone be hung about your neck and you be drowned in the depths of the sea then you should offend one of these little ones," (Matthew 18:6) "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong on behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (II Chronicles 16:9)
Having a sense of (and experiencing on an ongoing basis) "The Holy Sanctuary of God" is the "narrow way" Jesus spoke of when he said "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14)
It is the "secret place of the most High" spoken of in Psalm 91: Your place of protection:
Psalm 91:1-8:
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress: My God, in him will I trust.'
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked."
No wonder Holiness pilgrims are "The World's Happiest People" as Demos Shakarian's book title declares. Holiness pilgrims, releasing the JOY OF THE LORD in their spirits, can't be defeated by either the "flesh," the "world," or the "devil."
Deuteronomy 28:7: "The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: They shall come out againt thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways."
Moses said in Numbers 10:35, "Rise up Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee."
The apostle Paul sounded the war cry in Ephesians 6:10-18:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."
Yes! If you are a Holiness pilgrim, walking steadfastly in Christ, YOU CANNOT BE DEFEATED because by an act of your sovereign will you have allowed God into your spirit through Christ. Therefore, any time the battle is engaged on any front, you simply release THE JOY OF THE LORD in you spirit, and YOU WIN!
Postscript: Scriptures that tie it all together:
Ephesians 5:8-11:
"For you were at one time darkness. But now you are Light in the Lord. Therefore, walk as children of Light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
Galatians 5:22-25:
"For the fruit of the Spirit is 'love,' 'joy,' 'peace,' 'longsuffering,' 'gentleness,' 'goodness,' 'faith,' 'meekness,' and 'temperance:' against such there is no law. For they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with its affectations and lusts.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
This is all so simple the world will never understand it, but the wise will understand, and all of heaven will cheer. Amen.
William A. Gabel, Jr., P. O. Box 184, Wabash, IN 46992
E Mail Address: WilliamGabel@Comcast.net
Website: CyclesResearch.org