GROWING UP, SPIRITUALLY

Growing Up,

Spiritually
Kenneth E. Hagin

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this volume are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Eleventh Printing !!" #SB$ %&'!()"&*%+&"

#n the U.S. ,rite#n 2anada writeKenneth Hagin .inistries Kenneth Hagin .inistries P./. Bo0 *% (" P./. Bo0 33*, Station 4, 1ulsa, /K )+ *%&% (" Etobico5e 61oronto7, /ntario 2anada, .!8 +93

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1he =aith Shield is a trademar5 of <HE.8 Bible 2hurch, 8K8 Kenneth Hagin .inistries, #nc., registered with the U.S. Patent and 1rademar5 /ffice and therefore ma: not be duplicated.

BOOKS BY KENNETH E. HAGIN * Redeemed From Pover !" Si#$ness and S%iri &a' (ea ) * *)a Fai ) Is * Seven Vi a' S e%s To Re#eiving )e Ho'! S%iri * Rig) and *rong T)in$ing Pra!er Se#re s * A& )ori ! o+ )e Be'iever ,+oreign on'!* Ho. To T&rn Yo&r Fai ) /oose T)e Ke! o S#ri% &ra' Hea'ing Pra!ing To Ge Res&' s T)e Presen 0(a! 1inis r! o+ Jes&s 2)ris T)e Gi+ o+ Pro%)e#! Hea'ing Be'ongs o 3s T)e Rea' Fai ) Ho. Yo& 2an Kno. )e *i'' o+ God T)e T)ree+o'd Na &re o+ 1an T)e H&man S%iri T&rning Ho%e'ess Si &a ions Aro&nd 2as ing Yo&r 2ares 3%on )e /ord Seven S e%s +or J&dging Pro%)e#! * T)e In er#eding 2)ris ian Fai ) Food +or A& &mn * Fai ) Food +or *in er Fai ) Food +or S%ring Fai ) Food +or S&mmer * Ne. T)res)o'ds o+ Fai ) * Prevai'ing Pra!er o Pea#e * 2on#erning S%iri &a' Gi+ s Bi4'e Fai ) S &d! 2o&rse Bi4'e Pra!er S &d! 2o&rse T)e Ho'! S%iri and His Gi+ s * T)e 1inis r! Gi+ s ,S &d! G&ideSeven T)ings Yo& S)o&'d Kno. A4o& (ivine Hea'ing E' S)addai 5oe6 T)e God0Kind o+ /i+e A 2ommonsense G&ide o Fas ing 1&s 2)ris ians S&++er7 T)e *oman 8&es ion T)e Be'iever9s A& )ori ! 1inis ering o Yo&r Fami'! *)a To (o *)en Fai ) Seems *ea$ and Vi# or! /os Gro.ing 3%" S%iri &a''! Bodi'! Hea'ing and )e A onemen ,(r. T.J. 1#2rossanE:#eeding'! Gro.ing Fai ) 3nders anding )e Anoin ing I Be'ieve in Visions 3nders anding Ho. To Fig) )e Good Fig) o+ Fai ) P'ans" P&r%oses" and P&rs&i s Ho. Yo& 2an Be /ed 4! )e S%iri o+ God A Fres) Anoin ing 2'assi# Sermons He Gave Gi+ s 3n o 1en6 A Bi4'i#a' Pers%e# ive o+ A%os 'es" Pro%)e s" and Pas ors T)e Ar o+ Pra!er

Fo''o.ing God9s P'an For Yo&r /i+e T)e Tri&m%)an 2)&r#)6 (ominion Over A'' )e Po.ers o+ (ar$ness Hea'ing S#ri% &res 1o&n ain01oving Fai ) /ove6 T)e *a! o Vi# or! Bi4'i#a' Ke!s o Finan#ia' Pros%eri ! T)e Pri#e Is No Grea er T)an God9s Gra#e ,1rs. Ore )a Hagin1INIBOOKS ,A %ar ia' 'is ing* T)e Ne. Bir ) * *)! Tong&es7 * In Him * God9s 1edi#ine * Yo& 2an Have *)a Yo& Sa! * (on9 B'ame God * *ords P'ead Yo&r 2ase * Ho. To Kee% Yo&r Hea'ing T)e Bi4'e *a! To Re#eive )e Ho'! S%iri I *en o He'' Ho. To *a'$ in /ove T)e Pre#io&s B'ood o+ Jes&s * /ove Never Fai's Ho. God Ta&g) 1e A4o& Pros%eri ! BOOKS BY KENNETH HAGIN JR. * 1an9s Im%ossi4i'i !;God9s Possi4i'i ! Be#a&se o+ Jes&s Ho. To 1a$e )e (ream God Gave Yo& 2ome Tr&e T)e /i+e o+ O4edien#e Forge No < God9s Irresis i4'e *ord Hea'ing6 Forever Se 'ed (on9 8&i < Yo&r Fai ) *i'' See Yo& T)ro&g) T)e 3n a%%ed Po.er in Praise /is en o Yo&r Hear *)a 2omes A+ er Fai )7 S%ea$ o Yo&r 1o&n ain< 2ome O& o+ )e Va''e!< I 9s Yo&r 1ove< God9s Vi# or! P'an Ano )er /oo$ a Fai ) 1INIBOOKS ,A %ar ia' 'is ing* Fai ) *or$e ) 4! /ove * Seven Hindran#es o Hea'ing * T)e Pas Tense o+ God9s *ord Fai ) Ta$es Ba#$ *)a )e (evi'9s S o'en Ho. To Be a S&##ess in /i+e Ge A#=&ain ed *i ) God 3n+orgiveness 1inis ering o )e Bro$en)ear ed >1hese titles are also available in Spanish. #nformation about other foreign translations of several of the above titles 6i.e., =innish, =rench, ?erman, #ndonesian, Polish, <ussian, etc.7 ma: be obtained b: writing to- Kenneth Hagin .inistries, P./. Bo0 *% (", 1ulsa, /5lahoma )+ *%&% (".

Contents
FOREWORD PART I 1 LOCATING YOURSELF................................................................... 11 2 BABYHOOD..................................................................................... 14 Innocence Ignorance Irritability 3 CHILDHOOD..................................................................................... 28 Unsteadiness Curiosity Talkativeness 4 ANHOOD....................................................................................... 42 Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly Deadness to Censure or Praise Ability to Recognize od at !ork PART II ! WAL"ING WITH YOUR FATHER.................................................... !! etting Ac"uainted Through the !ord E#$eriencing Ac"uaintance # WAL"ING IN LO$E.......................................................................... %3 %Loves% Com$ared& Divine'(atural )uman An E#$ose* on Love PART III % RECEI$ING THE "NOWLEDGE......................................................8# The !rong Diet The Place o+ Right Teaching The ,ault o+ Inade"uate Teaching PART I$ 8 WHAT ANNER OF AN ARE YOU&.......................................... 1'% ( THE NATURAL AN......................................................................1'( -no.ledge Contrasted& Revelation'(atural )uman The (atural !alk 1' THE CARNAL AN...................................................................... 11%

!alks as a %/ere /an% ro.ing 0ut o+ Carnality 11 THE SPIRITUAL AN.................................................................. 12( -no.ing the ,ather -no.ing the 1on -no.ing the )oly host PART $ 12 THE RIGHT DIET.......................................................................... 143 ,ruit o+ the )uman 1$irit Rene.ing the /ind 13 A WORD OF ENCOURAGE ENT............................................... 1#'

FOREWORD

?rowing up is a process. #n this boo5 we@ll tal5 about growing upA s%iri &a''!. /ur lessons, which ma: even seem unrelated, will be those that will help :ou to grow. =irst, the: will help :ou sum up :our own case to discern where :ou are spirituall:. 1hen, after :ou@ve located :ourself, the: will help :ou grow out of that stage into another stageAs%iri &a''!.

PART I

Chapter 1

LOCATING YOURSELF

>... *)en )e ,2)ris - as#ended &% on )ig)" )e 'ed #a% ivi ! #a% ive" and gave gi+ s &n o men...And )e gave some" a%os 'es? and some" %ro%)e s? and some" evange'is s? and some" %as ors and ea#)ers? For )e %er+e# ing o+ )e sain s" +or )e .or$ o+ )e minis r!" +or )e edi+!ing o+ )e 4od! o+ 2)ris 6 Ti'' .e a'' #ome in )e &ni ! o+ )e +ai )" and o+ )e $no.'edge o+ )e Son o+ God" &n o a %er+e# man" &n o )e meas&re o+ )e s a &re o+ )e +&'ness o+ 2)ris 6 T)a .e )en#e+or ) 4e no more #)i'dren" ossed o and +ro" and #arried a4o& .i ) ever! .ind o+ do# rine" 4! )e s'eig) o+ men" and #&nning #ra+ iness" .)ere4! )e! 'ie in .ai o de#eive?
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20UR1EL,

B& s%ea$ing )e r& ) in 'ove" ma! gro. &% in o )im in a'' )ings" .)i#) is )e )ead" even 2)ris 6>

AEphesians +-',

& *

Evidentl: Paul didn@t consider the church at Ephesus to be grown up :et. 4id :ou notice he said, BBut spea5ing the truth in love, ma! gro. &%....>7 8nd, B1ill we all come in the unit: of the faith, and of the 5nowledge of the Son of ?od, &n o a %er+e# man....> 1his is the King Cames translation. # thin5 when it sa:s BperfectB our minds tend to run off on a little tangent and we miss what he@s sa:ing to us. .offat@s translation reads, Buntil we reach maturit:.B 1he 8mplified translation sa:s, Bthat we might arrive at reall: mature manhood.B Paul is tal5ing about growing up to be a man, or a mature person, spirituall:. B1hat we henceforth be no more children.B He@s tal5ing about growing up spirituall:, about reaching spiritual maturit:, about becoming a full grown man spirituall:. ?od wants us to grow. 8nd the Bible teaches that there is a stri5ing similarit: between spiritual development and ph:sical development. #t spea5s of at least three stages in spiritual development which correspond to three stages in ph:sical development. 1he: are- bab:hood, childhood, and manhood.

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8s we loo5 at them in Dust that order and notice subdivisions under each one, :ou@ll find that some of the characteristics true of each stage of natural development are also true of the corresponding spiritual stage. 8nd # believe somewhere we can locate ourselves.

Chapter 2

BABYHOOD

>As ne.4orn 4a4es" desire )e sin#ere mi'$ o+ )e .ord" )a !e ma! gro. )ere4!6> A# Peter (-(

Here in Peter the Bible spea5s about 2hristians being Bnewborn babes.B $o one is born a full grown human naturall: and ph:sicall:. 1he: are born babies, and then the: grow up. Similarl: no one is born a full grown 2hristian. Eou are born a spiritual babe, and then :ou grow up. 1here@s a whole sermon in Dust that fact. ,e are going to be held accountable for the spiritual babies born into the famil: of ?od around our altars and in our churches. # pastured nearl: twelve :ears and reall: :ou don@t e0pect too much out of babies because the: can@t do too much for themselves. Someone else though can do something for them.
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1oo man: times someone is saved on Sunda: night and if the: ma5e a mista5e before ,ednesda: night ever:one in the church 5nows it, and is alread: fussing about it. 1he: e0pect him to be living, b: ,ednesda: night or the ne0t Sunda:, Dust as good a 2hristian life as the: do when it too5 them :ears to get where the: are. 8 number of :ears ago # held a two&wee5 meeting for a particular minister. ,e were scheduled to go longer but # cut it off. 2rowds were coming. 1he auditorium would seat '%% and it was comfortabl: full ever: night. People were responding. ,e weren@t reall: having evangelistic servicesA# was doing a lot of teaching and pra:ing for the sic5A:et on Saturda: night when # gave the invitation first for people to be saved, thirt:& three adults came for salvation. 1he: stood across the front as # pra:ed with them and led them in a pra:er. 1hen # sent them bac5 to the pra:er room where others would pra: with them while # went on ministering to the sic5. 1he thing that so impressed me about this service was that of the thirt:&three who came for salvation so man: were :oung married couples who loo5ed to be between the ages of twent:&five to thirt:&two. # learned later not one or the group had ever been a 2hristianF not one was a member of an: church. # as5ed the
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pastor after the service about these :oung people. He said, B$one of the thirt:&three were bac5sliders. 1he: were all sinners who came to be saved.B 1hat was unusual. # as5ed him if he 5new an: of them. He said, B# don@t 5now a one of them. 1he:@ve never been to m: church before.B # as5ed him, B4id :ou get their names and addressesGB He said, B/h brother, # Dust figure if the: got an:thing the:@ll be bac5. Eou don@t have to worr: about them.B # said, B#@m closing the meeting tomorrow night.B People are born babies. 1he: need to be seen about. 1he: had never been to that church before. 1he: had never heard an: =ull ?ospel preaching before. 1he: needed to be followed up and pra:ed with, tal5ed to, and dealt with. 1he: were newborn babies. 8fter a leading healing evangelist held a meeting in a certain cit: a pastor who had cooperated with it said to me, B#@m never going to cooperate with another one of those cit:&wide meetings. $ever another one.B B,h:GB # as5ed. B# didn@t get a person out of it,B he said. B$ot a one. $ot a member. #t didn@t do me a bit of good in the world.B
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B#t didn@tGB B$o.B # as5ed him, B4id :ou get cards on an: of the fol5s who came to the altarGB B/h :es,B he said, Bthe: gave me some cards. But none of them ever showed up.B # was tal5ing to another pastor in the same town about the same meeting and he said, B,e got twent:& nine new members out of that meeting. # wish he would come bac5.B BHow did :ou get themGB # as5ed. BHow did the: happen to come to :our churchGB He said, B/h the: didn@t 5now an:thing about our church. # got the cards on some of them and visited them. # didn@t Dust encourage them to come to our church, but # insisted the: get in some good =ull ?ospel church and go on with ?od. 8nd some of them came to ours.B ,e are responsible for babies. Babies don@t 5now. Babies can@t do for themselves. 8 newborn bab: in the natural can@t do much. He doesn@t wal5 :et. He doesn@t dress himself. #n fact, he doesn@t do an:thing for himself. 8bout all he does is eat. 8nd about all he eats is mil5. Spirituall: there are newborn babes. 8nd if the: get the sincere mil5 of the ,ord, the: will grow thereb:.

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Innocence
1he first thing that attracts :ou to a bab: is its innocence. People sa:, BEou sweet little innocent thing.B $o one thin5s of a bab: as having a past. #t doesn@t have one. 4o :ou 5now somethingG #f :ou are a newborn babe in 2hrist, :ou don@t have an: past. Eou ma: have been as mean as the devil. Eou ma: have been the worst wretch that ever wal5ed. But no matter how :ou ma: have lived, when :ou were born&again :ou became a new man in 2hrist Cesus and :ou don@t have an: past. ?od loo5s at :ou as an innocent babe.
## 2/<#$1H#8$S *- ) ) 1herefore if an: man be in 2hrist, he is a new creature 6creation7- old things are passed awa:F behold, all things are become new.

Even though innocence belongs to the bab:hood stage of 2hristianit:, it is one characteristic we should never outgrow. ,e should maintain this state of innocence for the simple reason that if we don@t, we will fall under the condemnation of the devil and be defeated in spiritual life. 8 new convert is simple, full of faith, read: and willing to learn. ,e should alwa:s maintain that teachable spirit. Eet sometimes when we grow older we sort of come to the place where we have a B5now&
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it&allB attitudeF a BEou&can@t&tell&me&an:thingB attitude. 1hose people no one can help, including ?od Himself. 8 group of men gathered in bac5 of the auditorium after service one night in one of the churches # pastored. 8s # wal5ed up to sha5e hands with them one of the deacons said, BBrother Hagin, what do :ou thin5 about...B and he mentioned a certain Bible subDect. # found out later he did that purposel: to bring me into their discussion. B,ell, # don@t 5now Dust where :our discussion is,B # said, Band whether # could fit in or not.B 1he man the deacon reall: wanted to help spo5e up immediatel:, B,ell, #@ll tell :ou. Eou or an:one else can@t tell me a thing in the world about that Bible subDect. # 5now all there is to be 5nown on it. # 5now all about it.B # said, B#f :ou do, :ou@ve got me beat. 8nd if :ou do, :ou have ever: other preacher beat that #@ve ever seen or 5nown of, or an: other person.B He said, B,ell, # 5now all about it. $o one can tell me a thing about it.B But to tell the truth, that fellow was the biggest bab: in the entire church. He didn@t 5now all about it at all. Keep an open spirit and a teachable spirit, as well as an innocent spirit, toward ?od and man.

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Ignorance
/ur two children are grown now with families of their own. #n observing our babies and grand&babies # 5now thisAa bab: seems to thin5 ever:thing he can get his hands on is intended for his mouth. 8 newborn puts his hands in his mouth. 8s he grows a little older and learns to crawl across the floor if he finds a screw it goes in his mouth, if he finds a spoon it goes in his mouth, if he finds a spider it goes in his mouth. Babies are ignorant concerning these things. 1he: don@t 5now what should go in their mouths and what shouldn@t. 8nd babies have died as a result of not 5nowing that. 1he: have gotten hold of something poisonous and it 5illed them. #n one case # 5now of, a + month old bab:, crawling across the floor, pic5ed up some spoiled food left there perhaps b: an older child. Before the: could get the bab: to a doctor, it died. 8n autops: revealed the poisonous food. 1he parents went bac5 home and found some of the food on the floor of a room which was seldom used. 1hat little one didn@t 5now he shouldn@t eat it. He was ignorant concerning the effect it would have. ,hat am # getting toG 1he same thing is true spirituall: spea5ing. ,e need to be careful what goes
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into our spiritual mouths. ,e need to be as careful about what we read as we are about what we eat ph:sicall:. 2hristians man: times thin5 nothing at all of gulping down some poisonous doctrine which will poison life spirituall:, rob them of their spiritualit:, and ruin their testimon: if the: accept it. 8 number of :ears ago a denominational minister was filled with the Hol: Spirit and had a marvelous e0perience with ?od. #@ll guarantee :ou this much, # 5now of no greater soul winner in an: church than that man. He was outstanding. He would get people saved when no one else could. #t seemed to me :ou could stand up the twelve best preachers in 8merica and let all of them preach and give an altar callAthen he could ta5e the same crowd, preach to them, and ge more souls saved than an: of the others after the:@d had first shot at i . 1hat was his ministr:F an evangelistic t:pe ministr:. But he got to reading after some false stuff, finall: accepted some false doctrine, and got off on it. #f he has won a soul in more than twent: :ears # don@t 5now it and no one else does either. # 5now of some born&again, Spirit&filled people who were soul winners, getting people saved and filled with the Hol: Spirit. But the: got ta5en up with certain doctrines. Some of them told me, B?od is doing a different thing nowada:s.B $o. ?od@s not doing a
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different thing nowada:s. 1he:@re Dust off their roc5ers. He@s still concerned about saving people. 1he: Dust left the fundamental truths of the doctrine of the ,ord of ?od and went off on something that doesn@t amount to a hill of beans. Some things are actuall: poisonous in themselves. 8nd some things it doesn@t ma5e a whole lot of difference how :ou believe on themAthe: are simpl: not essential to salvation and it wouldn@t ma5e an: difference whether :ou believed it, or :ou didn@t believe it. But too man: times 2hristian people will feed on ever:thing in the world e0cept the right thing, and will become poisoned. 1hen the: lead disciples off after themselves. #f the Spirit of ?od is in it, He is concerned about there being unit:. 4id :ou notice Ephesians +- 3 sa:s, B1ill we all come in the &ni ! of the faithBG 1hat which will divide 2hristians is not of the Spirit of ?odAit@s of the devil. 1he Spirit of Hove never divides. # went into a 2hristian home once and saw some boo5s # 5new to be poisonous l:ing on a living room table. 1he: were religious boo5s, but the: were poisonous. 6,e need not onl: be careful about secular boo5s, but we need to be careful about reading religious boo5s.7 # purposel: wor5ed the conversation around to these boo5s. # pic5ed one up and said
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something about it. 1his person was a born&again, Spirit&filled 2hristian but the: said B/h that is the most marvelous boo5.B B#s itGB # said. BEes.B #n the earl: da:s of m: 2hristian e0perience # had happened to ge hold of some of these boo5s and had detected immediatel: the poison in them. So # Dust turned to certain pages and began to read certain things aloud. B,ell now, Brother Hagin, the: give chapter and verse in there. # loo5ed some of them up and those verses are in the Bible.B # said, B2ertainl:. #f the: didn@t give some versesA though the: ma: ta5e them out of their settingAand a little Bible, fol5s wouldn@t read it. #f :ou were going to poison a dog he wouldn@t eat Dust the poison. Eou have to put the poison on a good piece of meat.B 4o :ou see what #@m tal5ing aboutG Eou have to put the poison on a good piece of meat to get a dog to come. 1he devil will use some good scripture to get :ou to eat it, but he@ll put a little poison on it. Be careful no matter who :ou read after. 4on@t read ever:thing :ou can get :our hands on. Unless :ou are a full: mature 2hristian and able to rightl: divide it, it would be best not to read such things.
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Eears ago # held a meeting for a =ull ?ospel minister, a ver: well educated man, a doctor of divinit:. Up to that time # had never seen a larger personal librar: than his. 1here@s no telling how man: hundreds of volumes lined the walls from ceiling to floor. Being a boo5worm m:self # was interested in loo5ing it over. # read some of his boo5s while # was there in three wee5s of meetings. 8s we tal5ed one da: he said, BBrother Hagin, #@ll be perfectl: honest with :ou. 1here are some things #@ve read that # wish #@d never read. 1he: bother me. 1he: hinder me :et, though # don@t read them an:more...B 8nd he mentioned some of these boo5s. 1he: were religious boo5s. But he said, B# Dust wish # had never read them. #t hinders m: faith toda:. #t hinders me in believing ?od toda:.B #t would have been better for him never to have built that into his inner consciousness. But he had. ,hen # start reading something that ta5es faith out of me instead of putting faith in me, # have enough sense to la: it down right then. Be careful what :ou feed upon. 1here is a sa:ing used in the area of man@s natural diet, BEou are what :ou eat.B 1he same thing is true spirituall:, BEou are what :ou read.B

Irritability
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Babies are easil: spoiled. 8nd when the: become spoiled the: become irritable. #t@s might: eas: to spoil them to a light so that :ou have to 5eep a light on. #t@s might: eas: to spoil them to being handled and held. 1he: are babies. But the Bible sa:s something about babies growing up. 4avid said, BSurel: # have behaved and quieted m:self, as a child that is weaned of his mother- m: soul is even as a weaned childB 6Psalm 3 -(7. 1he Bible sa:s concerning #saac, B8nd the child grew, and was weaned- and 8braham made a great feast the same da: that #saac was weanedB 6?enesis ( -'7. 1hat ought to be a great da:Athat da: when 2hristians grow enough to get off the bottle. But :ou 5now, it isn@t. #t ought to be a feast da:F instead it@s a cr: da:. # 5now, # pastored nearl: twelve :ears. #t@s no wonder to me at all that we@re not doing more in some of our churches than we are. #f we do get a newborn babe in we don@t have a bottle for it. Ever: bottle is in use. 8nd the older babies are not going to give up their bottles. Ever: bed in the spiritual nurser: is ta5en. 8nd the older babies don@t want to get up and give up their beds. #n the last church # pastored there were two ladies who lived ne0t door to each other. Bless their hearts. 1he: had been saved # don@t 5now how long, baptiIed with the Hol: Spirit and spea5ing with tongues. But
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that doesn@t ma5e :ou a full grown 2hristian. 1he: were the biggest babies in the world. Eou@d have to run after them, and run after them, and run after them. 1he: wanted :ou to come and pet them. 1he: would miss church Sunda: for :ou to come over on .onda: and pet them. So # Dust quit. ,hen one of the deacons said something to me about it # said, BBrother, if :ou want to go over and visit them, :ou go. But #@m never going over there again. 1he longest da: # live, or the longest da: # pastor this church, # will never set foot inside their houses again. #@m tired of wasting m: time with them. 1he: are babies who want to sta: babies. 1here are other people who can be helped. 1here are new people to be visited. 8nd others are getting saved who can be taught.B Eou couldn@t have taught those old babies an:thing. So # quit visiting them and never set foot inside their houses the eighteen months # continued to pastor that church. But do :ou 5now whatG ,hen the: saw # wasn@t coming again # believe the: were more faithful to church than the:@d ever been. ,e ought to grow enough spirituall: so that instead of someone@s having to come and visit us, and pump us up, and prop us up, and pra: with us, and feed us, we are able to be out helping others ourselves. ,hen
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weaning time comes we ought to than5 ?od for it. 8ctuall:, if a child is weaned properl:, when weaning time comes it will turn its face from the bottle. #f it isn@t, :ou have a cr: on :our hands. #f :ou can Dust 5eep people on the mil5, the: will grow. Peter said, B4esire the sincere mil5 of the word, )a !e ma! gro. )ere4!.> # have actuall: had pastors sa: to me, in tr:ing to tell me # was giving their congregation a little too much, B$ow Brother Hagin, # 5now m: congregation should be better than the: are, but :ou have to be careful. 8ll the: can ta5e is a little mil5. 8ll # ever feed them is a little mil5.B # said, B$o, :ou haven@t even given them mil5. Eou@ve been pastor here thirt: :ears. #f the: had been getting mil5 the: would have grown. Peter said that we would grow thereb:.B 1he: didn@t growF so the: weren@t even getting mil5. 1he: were Dust getting blueDohn. BlueDohn is mil5 with all the cream ta5en out. Babies are easil: frustrated, easil: distracted, easil: hurt. 1he Hord wants to bring us to the place where we@re not so easil: frustrated. He wants to bring us to the place where we@re not so easil: distracted. He wants to bring us to the place where we@re not so easil: hurt.

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Chapter 3

CHILDHOOD

>T)a .e )en#e+or ) 4e no more #)i'dren....> AEphesians +- +

Paul is tal5ing about s%iri &a' children here. He wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus and we 5now the: had at least twelve men in that church. 8cts !-) tells us about twelve men and #@m sure the: had more. ,hen Paul said Bthat we henceforth be no more childrenB he was tal5ing about that the: would be no longer spiritual children but would grow up spirituall:. 2haracteristics of the childhood stage of spiritual development are similar to the ph:sical.

Unsteadiness
,hen m: son was a bo: of thirteen or fourteen, # told him to mow the :ard. 1he wa: he grabbed that lawn mower and lit out :ou@d have thought he would
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have had it mowed in thirt: minutes. Bac5 then we had a push mower, the :ard wasn@t too big, and he could have had it mowed in fort:&five if he@d 5ept at it. # had to go to town to attend to some business. ,hen # came bac5 after about an hour and a half, there sat the mower in the middle of the :ard. He@d made about two strips after #@d left. # began to loo5 for him. # as5ed m: wife where he was. B# don@t 5now,B she said. B4idn@t he go with :ouGB B$o,B # said. 8nd # loo5ed to see if # could find some bo:s pla:ing ball on the corner. # 5new if the: were, that@s where he would be. 1he: were. 8nd he was. He was unstead:. Eou couldn@t depend on him. 8s has been said man: times, :ou can@t put a grown head on a child. Eou can@t. 1he same thing is true spirituall:. 8 mother tells her :oung daughter, B# want :ou to do the dishes and sweep the 5itchen. #@m going ne0t door for a little bit.B 1he daughter starts out all right, but when the mother returns the dishes are unwashed or half done and she can@t find .ar: an:where. She goes outside and begins to call her. 8fter a while she goes to the neighbors on the other side and .ar: is there pla:ing dolls with Susie. 2hildren in the natural are unstead: ...unreliable...impressionable...spasmodic. Spiritual
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children are the same wa:. ,hen a new pastor comes to a church ever:one comes. #@ve gone to pastor a church and people would gather around, pat me on the bac5, sha5e m: hand, and sa:, BBrother Hagin, # want :ou to 5now #@m with :ou. #@m with :ou one hundred percent. #@m behind :ou.B Si0 months went b: and # didn@t see them. $ine months went b: and # didn@t see them. # thought, B,ell now the:@re behind meF the: said the: were.B 1he trouble was the: were so far behind me # never could reach them. 1he: were too far behind to do an: good. 1hen as an evangelist # went from church to church holding meetings for several :ears. 1he first service or two some people would get right in and sha5e m: hand and hug m: nec5 and tell me, BBless ?od, #@m with :ou. # believe this is it. ,e@re going to have a meeting.B 1hen we@d run two or three wee5s without seeing them again. 1he last Sunda: night when the pastor would announce we were closing #@ve had them run up to me, loo5 at the pastor li5e he didn@t 5now what was going on and sa:, BHe@s not going to close this meeting, is heGB 8s far as the: were concerned it had been closed all the time.

Curiosity
2hildren are full of curiosit:. Cust as sure as :ou@d
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come in with a sac5 and set it down on the 5itchen table, our second granddaughter, about eight at the time, would be in that sac5. She was full of curiosit:. She wanted to 5now what was in there. Some of these spiritual children that have never reall: grown up spirituall:Athough the:@ve had time and opportunit:Aas sure as the: can catch a little bit of gossip going want to 5now, B,hoG ,hoGB 1he:@re full of curiosit:. 2uriosit: is the characteristic of a child. #f :ou tell a child not to loo5 in a closet, he is going to get in it as sure as the world. 2urious. Spiritual children are the same wa:. 1he:@re alwa:s po5ing their noses in the other fellow@s business. 1he ,ord of ?od teaches us to tend to our own business. ?od doesn@t want :ou po5ing :our nose into the other fellow@s business. Hearn to be quiet and tend to :our own business. # was pastoring a church when one fellow wanted to 5now what all # was doing with m: mone:. # said, B,hat are :ou doing with :oursGB He said, B1hat isn@t an: of :our business.B # said, B# don@t consider it an: of :our business what #@m doing with mine.B He got the point. Eou 5now, it is no more the church member@s business what the pastor is doing with his mone: than it is the pastor@s business what the church member is doing with his.
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2uriosit: is a characteristic of a child.

Talkativeness
2hildren have never learned the value of silence. 1he: are tal5ative. 8nd :ou will find fol5s in the childhood stage of spiritual growth are nearl: alwa:s tal5ing. 4id :ou 5now the ,ord of ?od has something to sa: along this lineG #t tells us, B#n the multitude of words there wanteth not sin....B 6Proverbs %- !7. 8nd, B...a fool@s voice is 5nown b: multitude of wordsB 6Ecclesiastes *-37. ,e need to learn to be quiet. 8 child doesn@t 5now an: better so he@s alwa:s blabbing. # remember one time when m: bo: was three :ears old. ,e had gotten into bed late one Sunda: night after church. # had preached twice and was tired. ,e all slept in one large room. He was in a bed across the room from us. 1he bab: was in the crib. 1he lights out and it was dar5. B4add:,B he said. # hadn@t gone to sleep but # thought if # pretended to be asleep he would hush and go to sleep. B4add:.B # didn@t sa: an:thing. B4add:.B # didn@t sa: an:thing.
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B4add:.B # didn@t sa: an:thing, and he Dust 5ept getting a little louder. B4add:.B =inall: m: wife nudged me and said quietl:, B,h: don@t :ou answer that childGB # whispered bac5, BKnowing him he@ll get started tal5ing.B He was three :ears old and didn@t 5now an:thing about the value of silence. He@d get started tal5ing and :ou couldn@t get him to shut up. # thought if # didn@t answer him he would thin5 # was asleep and shut up. But he Dust 5ept getting louder. B4add:. 4add:. 4add:.B =inall: # said, B,hat is it, sonGB B,hat@s tomorrowGB # said, B/h, be quiet and go to sleep. #t@s time to go to sleep.B B,ell, what@s tomorrowGB B#t@s .onda:. $ow go to sleep.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB B#t@s 1uesda:.B B#s tomorrow alwa:s .onda:GB B$o, tomorrow is not alwa:s .onda:. ,hen tomorrow gets here then tomorrow will be 1uesda:B B# thought :ou said i was .onda:.B B,ell, it was .onda:, but when .onda: gets here then tomorrow will be 1uesda:.B
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B#f tomorrow is .onda:, how can it be 1uesda:GB B,ell, that@s Dust the wa: it is.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB B#t@s ,ednesda:.B B,ill it ever be tomorrowGB BEes. $ow hush and get to sleep.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB B1hursda:.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB B=rida:.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB BSaturda:.B B,hat@s the ne0t da:GB BSunda:. 1hat@s toda:.B B#s Sunda: alwa:s toda:GB B$o, it@s Dust toda: toda:. ,hen .onda: gets here, it will be toda:.B B# thought :ou said it was tomorrow.B B/h, now :ou have me confused. # want :ou to be quiet, and if :ou don@t be quiet #@m going to get up and give :ou a whipping.B Hi5e natural children, spiritual children have never learned the value of silence. ,e need to be careful about what we sa:. 1here was a fellow called =ather $ash who used to go along ahead of 2harles =inne: and get a few fol5s together to pra: for the revival. Someone once as5ed
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=inne:, B4o :ou 5now a little preacher b: the name of =ather $ashGB =inne: said, BEes sir. He goes along ahead of time and pra:s for the revival. # don@t have him hired. He Dust too5 it upon himself to do i .> B,hat 5ind of a fellow is heGB this person as5ed. B,ell,B =inne: said, Bhe@s Dust li5e an: other fellow who pra:sAhe is a fellow of few words.B =ol5s who are tal5ing all the time are usuall: guilt: of at least three sins. 1he: are often guilt: of evi' s%ea$ingAtal5ing about and discussing the faults and failures of people not present. 1he: are often guilt: of vain s%ea$ing;alwa:s tal5ing about themselves- what #@ve doneF what #@m going to doF where #@ve been. 8nd the: are often guilt: of +oo'is) s%ea$ingADesting, Do5ing, and things that are unprofitable. . Evi' s%ea$ing; a'$ing a4o& and dis#&ssing )e +a&' s and +ai'&res o+ %eo%'e no %resen . 6,e@ll soon get through with this negative side of growing up and get on to the positive side. But this side needs to be dealt with, too.7 # was holding a meeting in /5lahoma when m: son was about twelve. He had a four&da: wee5end holida: so # drove down to 1e0as and brought him bac5 to spend a few da:s with me. # was gone all the time and didn@t get to be with him much. ,e sta:ed in the parsonage with the pastor and his wife.
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/ne da: at the table, the pastor got to tal5ing about some of the church members, airing some of their faults and failures. # noticed m: bo: Dust 5ept loo5ing at him. =inall: # said to him, right at his own table, BBrother, # wish :ou wouldn@t tal5 that wa: in front of m: bo:.B He loo5ed at me rather startled. # said, B# would rather :ou@d curse in front of him. 1hat wouldn@t register on him. He wouldn@t pa: an: attention to that. But for the twelve :ears # pastored, he alwa:s thought ever: member we ever had was an angel.B 1he: weren@tAan: more than all his members were. But Ken thought all of them were sprouting wingsAhe didn@t 5now that was Dust their shoulder blades stic5ing out. He never heard his parents sa: one word about an: deacon, Sunda: School teacher, superintendent, or church member. Eou need to be careful what :ou sa: around children, and other people as well. # remember one dear soul. Bless her heart. Ever: time we too5 pra:er requests she would sa:, BPra: for So&and&so,B and she@d call her husband@s name. He came with her ever: once in a while and even if he was there she@d never stop to thin5 about itF but would get up and call his name.B
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He rather li5ed me and #@d go visit him. ,e@d tal5 about the Bible. 1o tell :ou the real truth about it, he 5new more about the Bible than she did. 8nd in tal5ing to him, # learned some things. # learned where she was missing it. # tried to tal5 to her about it, but it didn@t help. So one ,ednesda: night when there wasn@t an:one there but usF when she said, BPra: for So&and&so,B # said, BSister, we@re not going to do it.B # answered her right bac5 from the pulpit and said, B,e@re not going to do it. 4on@t turn in another pra:er request for him. ,e@ve pra:ed and pra:ed, but :ou undo all our pra:ers. Eou run home from church ever: single time some woman in the church loo5s a little hatefull: at :ouA:ou thin5Aand :ou tell :our husband what an awful person she is. 8nd if the preacher doesn@t Dust preach to suit :ou, :ou run home and tell him what an awful person the preacher is. # 5now. #@ve tal5ed to him. He couldn@t have 5nown it unless :ou told him. He 5nows more about what@s going on down at this church than an:one in the church. Eou run home and tell him ever:thing that is Aand a lot of things that ain@t. Eou rehash ever:bod:@s faults, failures, and shortcomings. 8nd as long as :ou@re going to do that, :ou@re going to undermine the effects of our pra:ers.B # learned to appreciate that dear soul. She had
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enough sense to listen and she straightened up. She became a splendid 2hristian. 8nd he got saved. # dealt what seemed li5e severel: with her, but she too5 it. She wasn@t an ignoramus. People who do have a little something upstairs are able to 5now when :ou are telling them the truth. Some fol5s would never 5now and :ou Dust have to help them the best :ou can. (. Vain s%ea$ing;a'.a!s a'$ing a4o& )emse'ves. Sometimes # almost get sic5ened when # go to church. 8ll the singing is about what # did, what # felt, and what happened. ,e scarcel: worship the Hord. #t@s no wonder to me that ?od doesn@t move an: more than He does in our midst. 1he Bible said in the 3th chapter of 8cts concerning this group down at 8ntioch, >As )e! minis ered o )e /ord" and +as ed" )e Ho'! G)os said"....> 6verse (7. 1he: weren@t ministering to one another. #f we can be humble enough and :ielded enough ?od can use us. # Dust don@t li5e the idea of leaving the impression we are something big and something great. #t@s all right to tal5 about how ?od uses people and reDoice about what ?od is doing. But #@ve been in some meetings where those in charge bragged on each other from the natural standpoint until it was simpl: nauseating.
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1han5 ?od for His blessings. 8nd let@s be careful that we are not ta5en up with vain tal5ing. 3. Foo'is) s%ea$ing. #t@s all right to be friendl:. 8nd it@s all right to tell something funn: sometimesAbut it is possible to spend too much of :our time doing that. 1he Bible even sa:s something about Desting and Do5ing that are not convenient. #t doesn@t sa: the: are a sin necessaril:, but it sa:s the: are not convenient.
EPHES#8$S *-+ + $either filthiness, nor foolish tal5ing, nor Desting, which are not convenient- but rather giving of than5s.

# was holding a meeting one time for a fellow, a fine fellow. # thin5 a lot of him. He@s changed considerabl:. But # never saw a fellow as full of Do5es as he was then. ,e had two services a da:, and ever: time # saw him he@d tell me a new Do5e. # don@t see how in the world he could remember them. He@d tell me at least three a da: which were brand new. .orning service, evening service, and when we@d go out for a bite to eat after church he@d have another one for meF sometimes several. # usuall: quote m: scripture as # preach and once when we were out eating he said, B# wish # could
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remember scriptures li5e :ou do.B # said, BEou could if :ou@d spend as much time on them as :ou do on Do5es. How do :ou remember Do5esG # can@t remember them. # go to tell some of them and get them all messed up.B 1he thing about it was # wasn@t interested in them. $ow don@t go off and sa: # said it was wrong to tell something funn:. # didn@t sa: that at all. # said it is wrong to put that first and Dust blab, blab, blab, blab, and leave ?od out. #@m tal5ing about things that will hinder our spiritual growth. ,e are never going to grow spirituall: and Dust feed and tal5 on those 5inds of things. #@m a preacher and # fellowship with preachers more than an:one else. #t@s a strange thing, but sometimes in tr:ing to fellowship with preachers :ou can@t find too man: :ou can reall: tal5 to about spiritual things. #@ve held meetings in church after churchA=ull ?ospel churchesAand preacher after preacher wants onl: to tal5 about fishing and hunting, or about how man: cattle the: have down on their ranch, or how man: houses the: have, or how much propert: the: have. # thin5 it@s all right to go fishing. #t@s all right to go hunting. #t@s all right to have propert:. #@m glad the: do. But if :ou@d tr: to mention the things of ?od and get in the least bit deep, the:@d loo5 at :ou li5e :ou were a nut.
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#@m glad it@s not that wa: with some fol5s. But it is that wa: with too man:. 8nd we cannot grow spirituall: and spend all our time tal5ing about natural things.

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Chapter 4

ANHOOD

1here are man: scriptural characteristics of the manhood stage of spiritualit:. #n fact, this entire boo5 is aimed at seeing this spiritual man. But three of his characteristics we@ll discuss here are. Esteeming Earthl: 1hings Hightl: (. 4eadness to 2ensure or Praise 3. 8bilit: to <ecogniIe ?od at ,or5

Esteeming Earthly Things Lightly

>B! +ai ) 1oses" .)en )e .as #ome o !ears" re+&sed o 4e #a''ed )e son o+ P)arao)9s da&g) er? 2)oosing ra )er o s&++er a++'i# ion .i ) )e %eo%'e o+ God" )an o en@o! )e %'eas&res o+ sin +or a season? Es eeming )e re%roa#) o+ 2)ris grea er ri#)es )an )e reas&res in Eg!% 6 +or )e )ad res%e# &n o )e
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re#om%en#e o+ )e re.ard.> AHebrews

-(+&("

.oses, when he was come to :earsAthat means when he grew up, when he became a manArefused to be called the son of Pharaoh@s daughter. 1hin5 about what he refused. He saw a difference in the people of ?od and the people of the world. 6Eg:pt is a t:pe of the world.7 #n the world he was the son of Pharaoh@s daughter, in line for the throne. He had honor, wealth, prestige. He had the things the earth and the world had to offer. Eet he esteemed the reproach of 2hrist greater riches than the treasures in Eg:pt. Heir to the treasures of Eg:pt, but he esteemed the reproaches. /ne characteristic of growing up is to esteem earthl: things lightl:. Eou cannot put earthl: things above spiritual things and grow spirituall:. ?od wants to prosper His children. He@s concerned about us. He wants us to have the good things of life. He said in His ,ord, B#f :e be willing and obedient, :e shall eat the good of the landB 6#saiah - !7. But He doesn@t want us to put those things first. Some are more interested in ma5ing the dollar than in serving ?od. Spiritual things must come first if :ou are to be spiritual. Eou must esteem spiritual things more than the dollar, more than earthl: things. $o, it@s not wrong to have mone:. #t@s wrong for
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mone: to have :ou. #t@s wrong for mone: to be :our ruler, :our master. ?od wants :ou to prosper.
### C/H$ ( ( Beloved, # wish above all things that thou ma:est prosper and be in health, even as th: soul prospereth.

1hat@s tal5ing about financial and material prosperit:, ph:sical prosperit:, and spiritual prosperit:. Hoo5 at it again. BBeloved, # wish above all things that thou ma:est prosper 6material prosperit:7 and be in health 6ph:sical prosperit:7, even as th: soul 6spiritual prosperit:7 prospereth.B 1he first Psalm is so beautifulAand ma5es it so clear that ?od wants us to prosper.
PS8H. - &3 Blessed is the man that wal5eth not in the counsel of the ungodl:, nor standeth in the wa: of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ( But his delight is in the law of the HordF and in his law doth he meditate da: and night. 3 8nd he shall be li5e a tree planted b: the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his seasonF his leaf also shall not witherF and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

?od wants us to prosper.

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/ur need, however, is to evaluate things as the: should be evaluatedAto esteem earthl: things lightl: Ato put first things first. ,e all thin5 the preacher ought to be that wa:. #f a pastor ta5es a better church where he ma5es more mone:, people thin5, BHe Dust too5 that so he@d be better paid.B But the: wouldn@t thin5 a thing in the world of ta5ing a better Dob, and perhaps moving off and leaving a good spiritual church and getting in one where the:@d all bac5slide. # was tal5ing to a fellow a number of :ears ago. # was over in his town on business and ran into him on the street. 1his was bac5 in depression da:s. He had a good Dob, ma5ing good mone:, but he@d been offered a Dob ma5ing J*% more a month. 1hat doesn@t sound li5e much toda:, but in those low depression da:s it was a lot of mone:. # 5new lots of men with families who didn@t even ma5e J*% a month. He alread: made a good salar:, but was offered this Dob in another town, ma5ing J*% more than he was ma5ing. He said, B4id :ou 5now # was moving to So&and& soGB He was a member of a =ull ?ospel church and # happened to 5now that in the town where he was moving the: didn@t have a =ull ?ospel church. So # said, B,hat 5ind of church do :ou have in that townGB
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He said, B,hat do :ou meanGB # said, B#s there a =ull ?ospel church thereGB He said, B# don@t 5nowF # never thought about that.B # said, B$o, :ou were Dust interested in the J*% more a month. But wait a minute, # 5new :ou before :ou came into Pentecost. # happen to 5now :ou@d spent all :our mone:. 4octors thought :our wife had cancer of the stomach. But when she got the baptism of the Hol: ?host, without an:bod: pra:ing for her, she got healed and can eat an:thing she wants. # happen to 5now :ou@d spent thousands of dollars on one of :our bo:s ph:sicall:, but since :ou@ve come in where divine healing is taught, that bo: has been in good health.B He said, BEes, that@s right.B # said, B# happen to 5now that there isn@t a =ull ?ospel church in that town.B 6#t would have been different if he was thin5ing about going there to start one, but he wasn@t capable.7 He said, BEou 5now, # never thought of that.B # said, B$o, :ou@d ta5e :our famil: out of a good church where the ?ospel is preached, where :ou@ve been blessed immeasurabl:, ph:sicall: as well as spirituall:, for J*% more a month. #@ll not tell :ou to go or not to go, but # will tell :ou :ou@d better pra: about it.B 1he ne0t time # saw him, he said, B#@m not going. # don@t believe it@s worth it.B
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8 man and his wife came to a meeting # was holding in 4allas. 1he woman@s mother, who had gone to be with the Hord, was a member of a church #@d pastored some :ears before. She was a wonderful 2hristian and a great blessing to m: wife and me as :oung people with babies. # 5new that this lad: hadn@t alwa:s been a 2hristian. She used to visit her mother and her mother said she wasn@t saved. But then she had gotten saved, received the Hol: Spirit, and attended an independent =ull ?ospel churchF a fine church. 8nd she was going on for ?od. So # as5ed, B,here do :ou go to church nowGB She said, B/h, # don@t go an:where.B B,hat do :ou meanG # thought :ou were a member of...B 8nd # mentioned a certain church. B/h, the: don@t even have a church there an:more. #t was closed down for awhile. 1hen someone too5 it over. /ur pastor bac5slid and quit preaching. ,e don@t go an:whereF Dust here and there. ,hile :ou@re here we@re coming over here.B # said, B,here do :ou pa: :our tithesGB B/h, we quit. ,e used to pa: tithes, but we don@t an:more. ,e used to pa: tithes to our pastor, but he bac5slid.B # said, B1here@s no use in :our bac5sliding Dust because he did.B # don@t 5now whether the:
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appreciated it or not, but # said, BEou need to get in somewhere and wor5 for ?od, and worship the Hord. 8 rolling stone never gathers an: moss, as we sa:.B ,e need each other. ,e need the fellowship of one another. Someone said, B/h Brother Hagin, # can sta: at home and be as good a 2hristian as an:bod:.B Eou can@t do it. 1he Bible sa:s, B$ot forsa5ing the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some isF but e0horting one another- and so much the more, as :e see the da: approachingB 6Hebrews %-(*7. ,e see that da: approachingAthe coming of the Hord. ,e need one another. ,e need to grow up. ,e need to esteem earthl: things lightl:. ,e need to put ?od first. ,e don@t go to church because we@re in love with the pastor or the wife of the pastor, or the Sunda: School teacher. ,e should go because we love ?od and want to worship Him. People sometimes lose their children because the: don@t put first things first. 1he children grow up ph:sicall: and get awa: from ?od, because the wrong e0ample was set for them. ,e were visiting m: wife@s fol5s in Sherman, 1e0as one 2hristmas when m: daughter was onl: si0 :ears old. 2hristmas was on Saturda:. 1he ne0t da:
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was Sunda:. # was to preach about fift:&seven miles awa:. #t was raining and disagreeable. ,hen :ou@d get out it would seem to go right through :ou. Sunda: morning m: mother&in&law said, B#@ll 5eep Pat. Cust leave her here. She has a hac5ing cough and it feels li5e she ma: have a little bit of fever.B # said, B$o, we@re not going to leave her. ,e pra:ed and believed ?od. 8nd besides that when we came over here :esterda: she had that same little hac5ing cough. 8ctuall: she@s much better toda:. #f we don@t ta5e her to Sunda: School and church this morning, then we@ll leave the impression on a little si0 :ear old that it@s more important to eat 2hristmas dinner with ?randma than to go to church on Sunda: morning. 8nd that@s not what # believe.B 4o :ou see where people lose their childrenG 8nd wh: the: grow up and become unfaithful in churchG Eou can@t Dust tell them. 1he Bible sa:s, B1rain up a child in the wa: he should go- and when he is old, he will not depart from itB 6Proverbs ((-"7. =.=. Bosworth said, BSome people wonder wh: the: can@t have faith for healing. 1he: feed their bod: three hot meals a da:, and their spirit one cold snac5 a wee5.B 4etermine in :our heart to put spiritual things first. =irst things first. Esteem earthl: things lightl:, even if it@s :our own relatives. Put ?od before them. Put ?od
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before :our own self&life. Eou will be blessed spirituall:, and better off ph:sicall:Aboth :ou and :our famil: as well.

eadness to Censure or !raise

>B& .i ) me i is a ver! sma'' )ing )a I s)o&'d 4e @&dged o+ !o&" or o+ man9s @&dgmen 6 !ea" I @&dge no mine o.n se'+. For I $no. no )ing 4! m!se'+? !e am I no )ere4! @&s i+ied6 4& )e )a @&dge ) me is )e /ord.> A# 2orinthians +-3&+

Paul had grown in grace to such an e0tent that he sought onl: to commend himself to ?od. He was not influenced or affected b: what others thought of him. He did not get in bondage to an:bod:. #t was not a carnal independenceAbut a saintl: dignit:. 1he law of love governed him. He was not easil: puffed up, nor was he touch: or resentful. His spiritA where the love of ?od was shed abroadAdominated him. #mmature 2hristians will feel slighted or puffed up. #f the: are criticiIedAor even imagine that the: areA the: are restless, uneas:, and full of self&pit:. /n the other hand, if the: are noticed and appreciated the: feel lifted up and full of self&importance. Bab: 2hristians are se'+0#ons#io&s. 8nd ever&
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conscious of what others are thin5ing about them. 1herefore the: are Btossed to and froB childishl: tr:ing to be popular. 1he mature believer is ?od&conscious. 8nd ever& conscious of what ?od@s ,ord sa:s about him and to him. Because he is able to testif: with Paul, B#t is a ver! sma'' )ing that # should be Dudged of :ou or man@s Dudgment,B he is free to wal5 in and voice his convictions. He fits the description given in the 8mplified translation of # 2orinthians 3-*. He is not conceitedA arrogant and inflated with pride. He is not touch: or fretful or resentful. He ta5es no account of the evil done to himApa:s no attention to a suffered wrong.

"bility to #ecogni$e %od at &ork

/ne of the best spiritual e0amples of this characteristic is Coseph. Eou remember how he saw certain things happening in a dream and his brothers became Dealous of him. 1he: were going to 5ill him, but finall: Dust sold him into slaver:. He was ta5en into Eg:pt, where eventuall: he stood and refused to bow to the wishes of his master@s wife and was thrown into prison. He sta:ed in prison seven :ears. .ost people would have become bitter and said,
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B?od has forsa5en me after these seven :ears.B He interpreted a dream for a fellow prisonerA Pharaoh@s butlerAthat in three da:s the butler would be lifted up and restored. Coseph as5ed the butler to ma5e mention of him to Pharaoh when he was delivered. 1he butler was released as Coseph said, but he forgot Coseph. #t was two :ears more before Coseph got out. #n those two :ears most fol5s would have grown bitter sa:ing, B1hat@s the wa: it is. Eou tr: to help fol5s and the: won@t help :ou.B But the time came when Coseph was brought out of prison. 8nd eventuall: he was made prime minister of Eg:pt. 8 famine bac5 in his home countr: caused his father to send his brothers to Eg:pt in search of food. 1he: had to be brought before him because he was prime minister. 1he: didn@t 5now him. But he recogniIed themF the ver: ones who had sold him into slaver:. He didn@t tell them who he was but as5ed, B#s :our father well, the old man of whom :e spa5eGB 1he: answered that he was in good health. BenDamin hadn@t come with them. So Coseph said to them, BHereb: :e shall be proved- B: the life of Pharaoh :e shall not go forth hence, e0cept :our :oungest brother come hither.B
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1he: went bac5 and told their father, B1he man did solemnl: protest unto us, sa:ing, Ee shall not see m: face, e0cept :our brother be with :ou.B Poor old Cacob didn@t 5now that it was ?od. Coseph was gone. 8nd now the: were ta5ing BenDamin. He thought all things were against him. But the: weren@t. 1he: were all for him. He Dust didn@t 5now it. ,hen :ou@re hungr:, :ou@ll do about an:thing, so BenDamin went with them. ,hen the: got there, Coseph made a feast for them. 8nd he announced, B# am Coseph.B 4o :ou 5now what happenedG 8ll those fellows hit the floor. 1hat@s what Coseph had seen in his dreamAhis brothers bowing before him. Here would have been a fine opportunit: for most people, who weren@t spirituall: mature and still babies, to have reall: shown off. Here would have been a perfect opportunit: for Coseph to have stuc5 his thumbs in his galluses and said, B,ell bo:s, loo5 me over. <emember those dreams # hadG 1he: came to pass.B But Coseph had magnanimit: of soul. He said in effect, B4on@t worr: about it, ?od did it.B He said, BBe not grieved, nor angr: with :ourselves, that :e sold me hither- for ?od did send me before :ou to preserve :ou a posterit: in the earth, and to save :our lives b: a
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great deliveranceB 6?enesis +*-*, )7. ,hen :ou can see ?od at wor5 in things, :ou can reDoice whatever is going onK

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PART II

Chapter '

WAL"ING WITH YOUR FATHER

>T)ere+ore I sa! &n o !o&" Ta$e no )o&g) +or !o&r 'i+e" .)a !e s)a'' ea " or .)a !e s)a'' drin$? nor !e +or !o&r 4od!" .)a !e s)a'' %& on. Is no )e 'i+e more )an mea " and )e 4od! )an raimen 7 Be)o'd )e +o.'s o+ )e air6 +or )e! so. no " nei )er do )e! rea%" nor ga )er in o 4arns? !e !o&r )eaven'! Fa )er +eede ) )em. Are !e no m&#) 4e er )an )e!7 *)i#) o+ !o& 4! a$ing )o&g) #an add one #&4i &n o )is s a &re7 And .)! a$e !e )o&g) +or raimen 7 2onsider )e 'i'ies o+ )e +ie'd" )o. )e! gro.? )e! oi' no " nei )er do )e! s%in6
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And !e I sa! &n o !o&" T)a even So'omon in a'' )is g'or! .as no arra!ed 'i$e one o+ )ese. *)ere+ore" i+ God so #'o )e )e grass o+ )e +ie'd" .)i#) oda! is" and omorro. is #as in o )e oven" s)a'' )e no m&#) more #'o )e !o&" A !e o+ 'i 'e +ai )7 T)ere+ore a$e no )o&g) " sa!ing" *)a s)a'' .e ea 7 or" *)a s)a'' .e drin$7 or" *)ere.i )a' s)a'' .e 4e #'o )ed7 ,For a+ er a'' )ese )ings do )e Gen i'es see$6- +or !o&r )eaven'! Fa )er $no.e ) )a !e )ave need o+ a'' )ese )ings. B& see$ !e +irs )e $ingdom o+ God" and )is rig) eo&sness? and a'' )ese )ings s)a'' 4e added &n o !o&. Ta$e )ere+ore no )o&g) +or )e morro.6 +or )e morro. s)a'' a$e )o&g) +or )e )ings o+ i se'+. S&++i#ien &n o )e da! is )e evi' )ereo+.> A.atthew "-(*&3+

1his is a marvelous section of scripture. But for the time being there are Dust two portions of it # want :ou to notice. #n the 3(nd verse, >+or !o&r )eaven'! Fa )er $no.e ) )a !e )ave need o+ a'' )ese )ings.> 8nd in the ("th verse, >!o&r )eaven'! Fa )er +eede ) )em.> 1his isn@t tal5ing about sinners 6unbelievers7 here, because He is not the heavenl: =ather of sinners. 1o listen to some people tal5 we are all children of ?odF ?od is the =ather of all of us, and we@re all brothers
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and sisters. But no, we are not. 1he devil is the father of some people. Cesus said to some of the most religious people of that da:, BEe are of :our father the devilB 6Cohn '-++7. He didn@t sa: our heavenl: =ather was their father. He said the devil was their father. Eet even though we have been born&again, and have become children of ?od, # thin5 so man: times we have never reall: become acquainted with our =ather. /ur theme is growingAgrowing up spirituall:. ,e need to grow b: becoming acquainted with our heavenl: =ather. ,hen # was teaching down in East 1e0as on this subDect a woman said to me, BBrother Hagin, #@ve been saved for eleven :ears. 8nd ever since #@ve been saved #@ve loved Cesus. But somehow # Dust didn@t become acquainted with the =ather li5e # should. Since :ou@ve been teaching along this line though, # have become acquainted with m: Heavenl: =ather. 8nd #@m Dust about to love Him to death.B 1hat was her e0pression. T)ere is no r& ) in a'' )e Bi4'e as +ar rea#)ing as )e 4'essed +a# )a i+ .e )ave 4een 4orn0again and #ome in o )e +ami'! o+ God" God )e Fa )er is o&r Fa )er" and He #ares +or &s. He is interested in us. # mean in each one of us individuall:F not Dust as a group, or a bod:, or a
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church. He is interested in each of His children and He loves ever: single one of us with the same love. Cesus was actuall: preaching here in .atthew to the Cews. Eet one reason the: didn@t understand Him was, He tal5ed about ?od as being His =ather. He endeavored to introduce to them a 5ind, loving, Heavenl: =ather. 1he: couldn@t understand that 5ind of a ?od. His message was, B=or ?od so loved the world that He gave....B 1he: couldn@t comprehend it. 1he /ld 2ovenant was the covenant of the law of sin and death. #t was the law of an e:e for an e:e and a tooth for a tooth. Eou 5noc5 m: e:e out and #@ll 5noc5 :our e:e out. #t was the law where ?od demanded, in awful Dudgment, love and so forth. 1he: were not able to do it because their natures had not been changed. So He set up the Hevitical priesthood whereb: the blood of animals could be shed to cover their sins so the: could be counted righteous in His sight and He could bless them. 1he sins of the people could be confessed over the head of the scapegoat. 1he goat let go in the wilderness. 8nd Dudgment fell out there instead of on them. 1he: had come up in this hard, harsh atmosphere of Dustice. ,hen ?od gave .oses the tables of stone of the law, fire and vapor of smo5e overshadowed the mountain. #f even an animal touched it he was thrust
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through with a sword. #n the /ld 1estament after the: built the tabernacle first and the temple secondl:, the: didn@t 5now Him as =ather ?od. 1he: 5new Him as Elohim, or Cehovah. 1he: did not 5now Him personall:. 1he: had no personal acquaintance with Him. His Presence was 5ept shut up in the Hol: of Holies. #t was necessar: that ever: male throughout #srael, at least once a :ear, go up to Cerusalem to the temple to present himself before ?od. 1hat@s where He was. 8nd even then the: didn@t dare enter into His Presence. $o one entered His Presence save the high priest. 8nd he onl: under great precaution. =or if :ou intruded into that place in the wrong wa:, and some did, :ou fell down dead instantl:. 1his high priest, after offering sacrifice b: the blood of animals for his own sins and the sins of the people, could enter into the Hol: of Holies and receive atonement for their sins Apushing them off, so to spea5, into the future. 1hat was the hard, harsh atmosphere the: had come up in. #t is no wonder that when Cesus came along to introduce them to a loving, 5ind, Heavenl: =ather, the: couldn@t understand it. But #@m afraid that is not onl: true concerning those CewsA#@m afraid it is true concerning the sons and daughters of 8lmight: ?od toda:. 1he: have never reall: become acquainted with Him as being their
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=ather. Here are some of the things Cesus said about the =ather. >And in )a da! !e s)a'' as$ me no )ing. Veri'!" veri'!" I sa! &n o !o&" *)a soever !e s)a'' as$ )e Fa )er in m! name" )e .i'' give i !o&> 6Cohn "-(37. >For )e Fa )er )imse'+ 'ove ) !o&....> 6Cohn "-()7. >...+or !o&r Fa )er $no.e ) .)a )ings !e )ave need o+" 4e+ore !e as$ )im. A+ er )is manner )ere+ore %ra! !e6 O&r Fa )er....> 6.atthew "-'&!7. $otice the utter tenderness of it, B/ur =ather....B # li5e something Paul said when he pra:ed for the church at Ephesus. He began his pra:er li5e this, B=or this cause # bow m: 5nees unto the =ather of our Hord Cesus 2hrist, of whom the whole famil: in heaven and earth is namedB 6Ephesians 3- +& *7. /h, # li5e to do that. # li5e to get on m: 5nees and repeat those words of Paul, B# bow m: 5nees unto the =ather of our Hord Cesus 2hrist, of whom the whole famil: in heaven and earth is named.B 1hat ma5es it so real. #t ta5es it out of a hard, harsh religious atmosphere. 1his isn@t religion. #t hasn@t a thing in the world to do with religion. Some fol5s sa:, B4o :ou have religionGB 1han5 ?od, # don@t have a bit of it. # don@t want an:. ,hen it@s religion, it@s B?odBAbut when it@s
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famil:, it@s B=ather.B He ma: be B?odB to the sinner, but He@s B=atherB to me. B# bow m: 5nees unto the =ather of our Hord Cesus 2hrist, of whom the whole famil:....B #t becomes the =ather and His famil:K ,e are in the famil: of ?od. I 9s no im%or an .)a #)&r#) !o& are in; )e )ing )a 9s im%or an is .)a +ami'! !o& are in.

%etting "c(uainted Through the &ord

#@m glad #@m in His famil:. # want to become better acquainted with m: =ather, don@t :ouG # want to 5now Him better, don@t :ouG 1han5 ?od, we can. HowG How can we 5now more about HimG How can we become better acquainted with our =atherG # li5e something Smith ,igglesworth said, B# can@t understand ?od b: feelings. # understand ?od the =ather b: what the ,ord sa:s about Him. He is ever:thing the ,ord sa:s He is. ?et acquainted with the =ather through the ,ord.B #t is in the ,ord that we find out about Him, about His love, about His nature, about how He cares for us, about how He loves us. Cesus himself said, B.an shall not live b: bread aloneA6How shall he liveG7Abut b: ever: word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ?od.B
.811HE, "-("
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(" Behold the fowls of the air- for the: sow not, neither do the: reap, nor gather into barnsF :et :our heavenl: =ather feedeth them. 8re :e not much better than the:G

1he fol5s Cesus was preaching to never grasped it. #t was new to them. #t@s almost new to us. ,e@ve never grasped it, because most of us have been taught to fear and shrin5 from a ?od of Dustice. ,e have never seen the love side of ?od that Cesus came to bring us.
.811HE, "-3%&3 3% ,herefore, if ?od so clothe the grass of the field, which toda: is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe :ou, / :e of little faithG 3 1herefore ta5e no thought, sa:ing, ,hat shall we eatG or, ,hat shall we drin5G or, ,herewithal shall we be clothedG

/ne translation sa:s, BBe therefore not faithless sa:ing, ,hat shall we eatG or, ,hat shall we drin5G....B ,hen :ou tal5 that wa: :ou are without faith.
.811HE, "-3(&33 3( 6=or after all these things do the ?entiles see5F7 for :our heavenl: =ather 5noweth that :e have need of all these things. 33 But see5 :e first the 5ingdom of ?od, and his righteousnessF and all these things shall be
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added unto :ou.

1he: won@t be ta5en from :ouAthe:@ll be added to :ouK 1his proves the =ather cares for His own.
.811HE, "-3+ 3+ 1a5e therefore no thought for the morrowfor the morrow shall ta5e thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the da: is the evil thereof.

# li5e the translation that reads, BBe not an0ious for the morrow.B Sometimes :ou do have to thin5 about tomorrow to ma5e an appointment or plan something. <eall: the thought He@s tr:ing to get over is, B4on@t worr: about tomorrow.B ?od doesn@t want His children full of worr:. He doesn@t want us full of fretting. ,h:G Because He loves us. Yo&r Heaven'! Fa )er $no.e ) that :ou have need of these things. So have no worr:, no fret, no an0iet:. #f He is :our =ather, :ou can be assured He will ta5e a father@s place and will perform a father@s part. Eou ma: be certain that if He is :our =ather, He loves :ou, and He will care for :ou.
C/H$ +-( &(3 ( He that hath m: commandments, and 5eepeth them, he it is that loveth me- and he that loveth me shall be loved of m: =ather, and # will love him, and will manifest m:self to
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him. (( Cudas saith unto him, not #scariot, Hord, how is it that thou wilt manifest th:self unto us, and not unto the worldG (3 Cesus answered and said unto him, #f a man love me, he will 5eep m: words- and m: =ather will love him, and we will come unto him, and ma5e our abode with him.

Here we have the revelation of the =ather@s attitude toward His own children. 1wo things are emphasiIed. T)a !o& $ee% m! #ommandmen s. ,hat are Cesus@ commandmentsG He said, B8 new commandment # give unto :ou, 1hat :e love one anotherF as # have loved :ou....B 6Cohn 3-3+7. 1hat sums it up. 1here@s no use worr:ing about an: other commandments for B...love is the fulfilling of the lawB 6<omans 3- %7. #f :ou 5eep Cesus@ commandments, :ou will have fulfilled all the rest of the commandments. (. Yo& s)a'' 4e 'oved o+ m! +a )er. #f :ou wal5 in love, :ou wal5 in ?od@s realm, for ?od is Hove. 6,e@ll go into the love&wal5 further in chapter si0.7 1he great =ather ?od is a love ?od. His ver: natureAbecause He is HoveAcompels Him to care for us, protect us, and shield us.
.811HE, )#f :e then, being evil, 5now how to give
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good gifts unto :our children, how much more shall :our =ather which is in heaven give good things to them that as5 himG Ho. m&#) more' 1hat sends a thrill through m: spirit. How much moreK 8re :ou a parentG ,ould :ou have it as :our plan, purpose and will that :our children go through life povert:&stric5en, nose&to&the& grindstone, sic5, afflicted, downtrodden, downcast, down&and&outG $oK Parents will sacrifice because the: love their children. 1he:@ll wor5 and sacrifice to help their children gain an education so the: can have things better in life than the: had. 1he: want to shield them, because the: love them, from some of the bumps and 5noc5s and hard times the: had. Cust natural fol5s are that wa:. 1hat@s what Cesus said. B#f :e then, being evil 6or natural7....B /ur relationship as sons and daughters is a challenge to His love. *e )o'd )e same re'a ions)i% o )e Fa )er )a Jes&s did .)en He .a'$ed on ear ).
C/H$ )-(3 (3 # in them, and thou in me, that the: ma: be

made perfect in oneF and that the world ma: 5now that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 1he =ather loves us Dust as He loved CesusK 8nd if He loves me as He loves Cesus, #@m not afraid to face
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life@s problems. =or He is with me as He was with the .aster.

C/H$ "-3( 3( Behold, the hour cometh, :ea, is now come, that :e shall be scattered, ever: man to his own, and shall leave me alone- and :et # am not alone, because the =ather is with me.

Eou and # can sa:, B# am not alone, because the =ather is with me.B =or if He loves me as He loved Cesus, then He@s with me as He was with Cesus. # am not alone.
C/H$ "-() () =or the =ather himself loveth :ou, because :e have loved me, and have believed that # came out from ?od.

$othing can be stronger or more comforting than this fact- T)e Fa )er Himse'+ $no.s !o&" and He 'oves !o&" and He 'ongs o 4'ess !o&. 8gainst the bac5ground of all these statements Cesus made relative to the =ather, other scriptures ta5e on new lightF the: become immediatel: more real to us.
# PE1E< *-) ) 2asting all :our care upon himF for he careth

for :ou.

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1his is a message from the ver: heart of the =ather ?od to me, to :ou. He wants us to end worr:Ato end fear and doubt. Eou might sa:, B2an # do itGB 2ertainl:. BHowGB B: casting all :our care upon Him. He wants :ou to abandon :ourself to His love and His care so He said, B2asting all :our care upon Him, for He careth for :ou.B /r, as the 8mplified translation reads, and # love this, B2asting the whole of :our care Aall :our an0ieties, all :our worries, all :our concerns, once and for allAon HimF for He cares for :ou affectionatel:, and cares about :ou watchfull:.B
PH#H#PP#8$S +-" " Be careful for nothingF but in ever: thing b: pra:er and supplication with than5sgiving let :our requests be made 5nown unto ?od.

8gain, the 8mplified translation sa:s, B4o not fret or have an: an0iet: about an:thing,....B 1hat@s our =ather spea5ing to us. /ur Heavenl: =ather wants to wal5 with us Dust as He wal5ed with Cesus when He was here on the earth.
PH#H#PP#8$S +- 3 3 # can do all things through 2hrist which

strengtheneth me. Some have said, BEes, but Paul said that and he was an 8postle.B Paul didn@t sa: he could do all things because he was an 8postle. He said he could do all
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things through 2hrist. Paul wasn@t in 2hrist an: more than # am in 2hrist, or an: more than :ou are in 2hrist. #t was 2hrist who strengthened him. 8nd the =ather is Dust as realAif we let Him beAto us as He was to Paul, or even to Cesus. 8nd He@s sending a message from His heart of Hove to :ou and me. He@s telling usEou can do an:thing. Eou can rise to the place where :ou@re unafraid in the most unpleasant circumstances because :ou 5now that :our =ather is on :our side. B#f ?od be for us, who can be against usGB 6<omans '-3 7. 1he =ather@s loveAand remember He is HoveA compels Him to care for us. ,hen :ou come to 5now His love and to swing free in that love, then all doubts and fears will be destro:ed.
PS8H. ()1he Hord is m: light and m: salvationF whom shall # fearG the Hord is the strength of m: lifeF of whom shall # be afraidG

,hen :ou remember it is this wonderful Heavenl: =ather who loves us even as He loved Cesus, then :ou can understand that we need not be afraid, even as Cesus was not afraid. He is :our Hight. He is :our 4eliverance. 6Salvation in this verse means deliverance.7 He is the Strength of :our life. HightK 4eliveranceK StrengthK 1hen there@s nothing to fear. ,hat can man do to the man whom ?od loves and
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protectsG
HEB<E,S 3-*&" * ...for he hath said, # will never leave thee, nor forsa5e thee. " So that we ma: boldl: sa:, 1he Hord is m: helper, and # will not fear what man shall do unto me.

He@s :our HelperK 8nd He will meet :our needsK

PH#H#PP#8$S +- ! ! But m: ?od shall suppl: all :our need according to his riches in glor: b: 2hrist Cesus.

1his is not religion. #t@s not preaching. #t@s a living truth from the heart of our wonderful, lovel:, =ather ?od to us. He wants us to 5now that He will suppl: all our needs according to His ri#)es in glor: b: 2hrist Cesus.

E)periencing "c(uaintance
PS8H. (3- &" 1he Hord is m: shepherdF # shall not want. ( He ma5eth me to lie down in green pastureshe leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth m: soul- he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name@s sa5e. + Eea, though # wal5 through the valle: of the
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shadow of death, # will fear no evil- for thou art with meF th: rod and th: staff the: comfort me. * 1hou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies- thou anointest m: head with oilF m: cup runneth over. " Surel: goodness and merc: shall follow me all the da:s of m: life- and # will dwell in the house of the Hord for ever.

1o me, no passage describes the love&attitude of the =ather and Cesus toward us more beautifull: than the (3rd Psalm. .an: Psalms are prophetic. 1he ((nd Psalm is a picture of Cesus d:ing. #n the (3rd Psalm He is the ?ood Shepherd. 1he (+th Psalm shows Him as the coming King of 5ings and Hord of lords upon this earth. ,e are living in the (3rd Psalm right now. B1he Hord is m: shepherd.B ,hen Cesus came He said, B# am 6present tense7 the good shepherd.B <omans %-! sa:s, B1hat if thou shalt confess with th: mouth the Hord Cesus, 6or, Cesus as Hord7....B 1he Hord is m: shepherd. $ow. ,e live in the (3rd Psalm. 1his is m: interpretation of the (3rd Psalm, # alwa:s sa: it this wa:- B1he Hord is m: shepherd, # do not want.B # do not want. Perfect satisfaction. 1he ultimate of living. Lerse ( is where the luscious clover and tender
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grass carpet the ground. $o effort on m: part is required to have or to get enough. He leads me beside the water, waters of stillness. ,ater and food are the requisites that sustain life. 1han5 ?od, He leads me, He leadeth me, He supplies ever: need. He ma5es me lie down and rest in safet: and quietness in the pastures of plent:. $ear me is a babbling broo5. #ts Hiving ,aters answer the cr: of m: heart. # have water. # have food. # have protection. # have shelter. # have His care. 1his is m: =ather. ,hen # am frightened and filled with fear, when m: whole being is convulged with agon:, He restoreth m: soul. He 5eeps me quiet. He ma5es me normal again. He brushes awa: m: fears and an0ieties, holds me to His breast, and breathes into me courage and faith. .: heart laughs at m: enemies, for He guideth me down the paths of grace through the realm of righteousness where # stand in His Presence as though sin had never beenF and romp and pla: in the throne room of grace with never a thought, nor a fear, nor a dread. .: =ather, :ou see, is the /ne who is on the throne. He ma: be Cudge to the world, and ?od to the sinner, but He@s =ather to me. 8nd sometimes # come in, most of the time in fact
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to visit with Him and # hear Him sa:, BSon, is there an:thing :ou wantG ,hat can # do for :ouGB 8nd # sa:, B=ather, # don@t want a thing. Eou@re so wonderful, and so lovel:, and so good :ou@ve alread: provided for me all #@ll ever need. 8nd :ou wrote me a letter and told me about it. So # don@t have a care. # don@t have a need. # don@t have a want that hasn@t been met. $o, # didn@t come for something. #@ll tell :ou, =ather, # Dust came in to visit with :ou for awhile. # Dust wanted to hang around the throne. # li5e to be near :ou, =ather.B .: =ather said to me 6/h, # could hear His voice so plainl: as He spo5e to me7, BSon, :ou don@t 5now how that delights m: heart. $o earthl: father ever desired the companionship and the fellowship of his children an: more than #, the Heavenl: =ather, desire the fellowship and companionship of m: children. BEou 5now,B He said to me, B# made man so #@d have someone to fellowship with. # made man for m: companion. #n fact, #@ll put it this wa: 6and He said it in Dust these words7, # made man so #@d have someone to pal with. # put 8dam on the earth in the garden, and in the cool of the da:, #@d go down and wal5 and tal5 with him.B #t is so blessed and so beautiful and so wonderful to be able to wal5 with ?od.

Chapter *

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WAL"ING IN LO$E

>... )e 'ove o+ God is s)ed a4road in o&r )ear s 4! )e Ho'! G)os ....> A<omans *-*

1o fellowship with ?od, to wal5 with ?od, to wal5 in ?od@s realm, we must wal5 in love. 4ivine Hove. =or ?od is Hove. ,hen # was born&again, He became m: =ather. He is a Hove ?od. # am a Hove child of a Hove ?od. #@m born of ?od, and ?od is Hove, so # am born of Hove. 1he nature of ?od is in me. 8nd the nature of ?od is Hove. ,e can@t sa: we don@t have this 4ivine Hove. Ever:one in the famil: has it, or else the:@re not in the famil:. 1he: ma: not be e0ercising it. 1he: ma: be li5e the one&talent gu: that wrapped his talent in a nap5in and buried it. But the Bible sa:s that the Hove of ?od has been shed abroad in our hearts b: the Hol:
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?host. 1hat means the God0$ind o+ )ove has been shed abroad in our hearts, our spirits. 1his is a Hove famil:. Cesus said, BB: this shall all men 5now that :e are m: disciplesA6How are the: going to 5now itG7Aif :e have love one to anotherB 6Cohn 3-3*7. 1hat@s the wa: the:@re going to 5now us. 1his 5ind of Hove is not selfish. B?od so loved the world that he gave....B 1he love law of the famil: of ?od is. B1hat :e love one anotherF as # have loved :ou,B 6Cohn 3-3+7. How did He love usG Because we deserved itG $oK He loved us while we were :et unlovel:. He loved us while we were :et sinners. 1he Bible sa:s so. 68nd thin5 about this. #f ?od loved us with so great love when we were sinners, when we were unlovel:, when we were His enemies, do :ou thin5 He loves His children an: lessG $o, a thousand times no.7

+Loves+ Compared, ivine-.atural /uman

1his Hove we@re tal5ing about is 4ivine Hove, not natural human love. ,e hear a lot toda: about natural human love, but there is simpl: no love in this old world li5e the Hove of ?od. $atural human love is selfish. #@ve heard people sa:, B8 mother@s love is a5in to the love of ?od.B # thought that at one time. But it isn@t so. 8s a usual thing a mother@s love is a natural
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human love. 8nd as a usual thing, it@s selfish. B1hat@s m! bab:.B B/h, # love m: children, # love them,B a woman came cr:ing to me sa:ing, B# want :ou to pra: for them. #@ve brought them up right here in this church, and # don@t understand it. $ot a one of them will come e0cept m: girl.B /ne of her daughters pla:ed the piano and she was the onl: one who came. #n fact, one of the bo:s had Dust run awa: from home. She said, B1here isn@t an:one in this church that loved their children an: more than # did.B # said, BSister, there has to be a reason. #@m a stranger here, Dust an evangelist, but # can see this poor girl here on the piano bench. Eou@ve smothered her with :our @love.@ 8nd #@ll guarantee the reason the rest of them ran off is because :ou wouldn@t let them out from under :our coattail. Eou wanted to run their lives entirel:. 6#@d loo5 at this girl at the piano and she@d duc5 her head. She didn@t 5now how to act.7 # dare sa: :our daughter has never had a bo: friend in her life, or a girl friend either.B B,ell no,B she said, B# Dust alwa:s 5ept her at home. # thought # could raise her up better.B # said, B$o, :ou couldn@t. Her personalit: is twisted.B $atural human mother loveF but it was selfish. She
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didn@t have her children@s interests at heart. She had her interests at heart. She wanted to 5eep them with her. Have :ou ever noticed that mothers&in&law rarel: have trouble with sons&in&lawG #t@s usuall: with daughters&in&law. .an: times that mother Dust feels there is no girl an:where good enough for Bm: bo:.B /h :es, she ma: be saved, filled with the Hol: ?host, and tal5ing in tongues ever: night, but instead of letting the Hove of ?od in her heart dominate her, she is letting the natural human love in her flesh dominate her. 2onstantl: pic5ing. 2onstantl: sa:ing things. 1he reason mother&in&law and daughter&in&law have troubleAif the: don@t wal5 in HoveAis that for :ears that mother was the main one in the life of this bo:. She wants to 5eep on telling him what to do. 8nd now the wife wants to tell him what to do. 1he: can@t both tell him what to do. 8nd he@s in a dilemma. 1he Hove of ?od is in our hearts, but it ma: be li5e the talent that was wrapped in a nap5in and hidden in the earth. ,e ma: not use it, but that Hove of ?od is in our hearts. #f we would use it, and learn to let that love dominate us, it would ma5e a difference in our lives. #t would cure the ills in our homes. 1his 5ind of Hove has never been to a divorce court, and will never go. #t was natural human love that went there. $atural human love can turn to hatred when it doesn@t get its
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wa:. #t will fight and fuss, claw and 5noc5, cuss and be mean. 4ivine Hove, when it is reviled, revileth not again. # didn@t sa: 2hristians haven@t been to a divorce courtF the: have. But the: weren@t letting the Hove of ?od dominate them. ?od wants us to grow. 8nd than5 ?od, we can grow in Hove. 1he Bible spea5s of being made perfect, or mature, in Hove. $o, we haven@t been made perfect in Hove :et, but we can be and some of us are on our wa:. 1he ?od&5ind of Hove is not interested in what # can getAbut in what # can give. 4o :ou see how that can solve all the problems in :our homeG 1oo man: are selfish. 8nd even though the: are 2hristians, the: let the natural dominate them. B,hat can # get.B B#@m not going to ta5e this.B B#@m not going to ta5e that.B B#@m not going to put up with this.B B#.B B#.B B#.B B#.B #t@s true in churches. #n the second church # pastored # was twent: and single so # rented a room from a couple in the church. 1he man 5new the Bible and had a marvelous e0perience with ?od. But he was the t:pe that said, B#@ve got m: sa:&so, and #@m going to have it. #@m a member of that church Dust as much as an:one else and #@ve got m: sa:&so.B He had his sa:& so, and so did some others, until ever:thing was wrec5ed.
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# onl: sta:ed si0 months. ?od told me to tell them that unless the: repented the time would come when the: wouldn@t have a church. 1hrough the first prophetic utterance # ever had He said, B#@ll remove their candlestic5. #f the: don@t repent, the doors of this church will be closed within one :ear. 1he: will remain closed two :ears, and then the: will open up again. #@ll give them one more chance. #f the: don@t ma5e it then, this church building will be moved off this church lot.B 1he: got mad. 1he: were about read: to do to me the same thing those fol5s were read: to do to Cesus in His hometown of $aIareth. 1he: were read: to throw Him off the brow of the hill. 1he: reported what #@d said to some of the elders of the movement, and the: wanted to boot me out, but were a little afraid to. However, at the end of the :ear, Dust as He said, the doors of that church closed for two :ears. 8 padloc5 was on it. 1hen a fellow opened it up again. 8nd ?od gave them a certain amount of time. But the: didn@t wal5 in the light and it shut down. #t came to pass Dust as ?od said. # could ta5e :ou there and show :ou a lot with no church toda:, and it still belongs to that particular movement. 1hrough the :ears there were enough of them to have a church. But the: couldn@t. Because the: couldn@t get along among themselves. 1he: never got
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above the bab:hood stage of 2hristianit:. 1he: remained babies. 1he: didn@t grow. 8s children of ?od the nature of ?od is in us. 8nd ?od@s nature is Hove. So it is natural for us, spirituall:, to Hove. But if # let m: outward man and m: mind dominate me, that Hove nature in m: heart is 5ept prisoner. Het@s release the Hove of ?od that@s within us.

"n E)pose0 on Love

,hat about this ?od&5ind of HoveG ,hat are its characteristicsG 1he:@re given to us in # 2orinthians 3. #t is to be regretted that the King Cames translates the ?ree5 word for divine love, aga%e" as charit:. .: favorite translation of this BE0pose@ on HoveB is the 8mplified. Het@s loo5 into it in the 8mplified beginning with verse +>/ove end&res 'ong and is %a ien and $ind?> 8

lot of people endure longAbut the: aren@t patient and 5ind while the: do it. 1he: Dust suffer long because the: have to. B#@ve suffered all #@m going to. #@m not going to have it this wa: an: more.B
>/ove never is envio&s nor 4oi's over .i ) @ea'o&s!?> #t@s natural human love that is Dealous. 1his 5ind
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of love doesn@t boil over with Dealous:. >/ove is no 4oas +&' or vaing'orio&s" does no dis%'a! i se'+ )a&g) i'!. I is no #on#ei ed; arrogan and in+'a ed .i ) %ride? i is no r&de ,&nmanner'!-" and does no a# &n4e#oming'!.> >/ove ,God9s 'ove in &s- does no insis on i s o.n rig) s or i s o.n .a!" +or i is no se'+0 see$ing?> # wish :ou would ta5e time to let that soa5 in. B,ell, # 5now what@s mine though. #@ve got m: sa:&so and #@m going to have it. #@ve got m: rights and #@m going to have them.B $o matter how much the: ma: hurt someone else. 1his sa:s Hove doesn@t insist on its own rights. ,e@ll never ma5e it until we start believing in ?od, and believing in Hove. #t@s the best wa:K 8nd it@s :our wa:K >,/ove- is no o&#)! or +re +&' or resen +&'? i a$es no a##o&n o+ )e evi' done o i ;%a!s no a en ion o a s&++ered .rong.> Here is the Hove thermometer. Here is the Hove gauge. #t@s ver: eas: to find out whether or not :ou@re wal5ing in Hove. ,hen :ou begin to ta5e account of the evil done to :ou, :ou@re not wal5ing in Hove. 8s long as :ou wal5 in ?od and sta: full of the Spirit, :ou won@t ta5e account of the evil done to :ou. 1hrough the :ears things have happened to me,
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Dust as the: have to :ou. 8nd #@ve had ministers, and even relatives tell me, B# wouldn@t ta5e that. # wouldn@t put up with that. $ot me.B But # Dust 5ept m: mouth shut and never said a word, smiled and sta:ed happ:. ,h:G # wouldn@t ta5e time to den: it if the: told on me # 5illed m: grandma. #@d Dust 5eep shouting, BHalleluDahK Praise ?odK ?lor: to ?odKB Cust go on. Eou@ll come out on top in the long run. Even ministers have told me, B1here must be a wea5ness in :our character. Eou never ta5e up for :ourself.B $o, it@s a strength. Because Hove never fails. .an: have failedF and have even died prematurel: because the: lived so in the natural the: couldn@t ta5e advantage of the privileges and rights of a child of ?od which belonged to them. 1he: were alwa:s fussing and fighting until it had an effect on their bodies. >,/ove- a$es no a##o&n o+ )e evi' done o i .> 1hat has to be the ?od&5ind of Hove because we were enemies of ?od, and ?od didn@t ta5e account of the evil we had done to Him. He sent Cesus to redeem us. He loved us while we were :et sinners. >,/ove- %a!s no a en ion o a s&++ered .rong.>

8s an old bo: down in ?eorgia said, BEou might as well come up to the lic5log and
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admit it@s so,B there aren@t too man: people wal5ing in HoveAin ?od@s Hove, in 2hrist@s HoveAeven though the: have it. 1he:@re wal5ing in natural human love. 8nd the: sure pa: attention to a suffered wrong. 1he: ge all puffed. 8 husband and wife, both 2hristians, will get mad and won@t spea5 for a wee5 because of some wrong. # 5now #@m on :our toes, but # Dust want to stand there a while.
2an@t :ou see how it would straighten things out for us in the home, the church, the nation, for men to become children of ?od and get the Hove of ?od in them, and then live in the famil: of ?od as children of ?odG >,/ove- does no re@oi#e a in@&s i#e and &nrig) eo&sness" 4& re@oi#es .)en rig) and r& ) %revai'.> >/ove 4ears &% &nder an! )ing and ever! )ing )a #omes.> Someone said, B# Dust can@t ta5e it an: longer.B Hove can. B# Dust can@t put up with him an: longer.B 1hin5 about ?od. He@s putting up with all of us. B#@ve ta5en Dust about all # can ta5e.B 1hat@s old natural human love. 1he Hove of ?od in :ou bears up under ever:thing. >,/ove- is ever read! o 4e'ieve )e 4es o+
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ever! %erson.> $atural human love is read: to believe the worst of ever: person. #t@s ever read: to believe the worst about the husband, the worst about the wife, the worst about the children. But this ?od&5ind of Hove is ever read: to believe the best of ever: personF husband, wife, brother or sister in the church, children. Believe the best of ever: person. #@ve traveled across the countr: in the ministr:. #t@s amaIing what :ou hear on this preacher and that preacher, this person and that person, this deacon and that deacon, this Sunda: School teacher and that Sunda: School teacher, this singer and that singer. # never pa: the least bit of attention to an: of them. # don@t believe a word of it. # believe the best of ever:one. 2hildren ought to have the right to be brought up in this 5ind of a Hove atmosphere. 1he:@ll go out in life@s fight and win then. But when :ou see the worst in :our children, alwa:s telling them, BEou@ll never amount to an:thing. Eou won@t do this and :ou won@t do that,B the:@ll live up to what :ou sa:. 1hough the: ma: have missed it, when :ou see the best in them and love them rightl: it will bring the best out of them. 1he: will amount to something. B6Hove@s7 )o%es are +ade'ess &nder a'' #ir#&ms an#es and i end&res ever! )ing
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,.i )o& .ea$ening-. /ove never +ai's;never +ades o& or 4e#omes o4so'e e or #omes o an end.> #f :ou wal5 in love :ou will not fail. Hove never failsK ,e are interested in spiritual gifts and we ought to be. But we ought to be interested in Hove first. Prophecies will fail. 1ongues shall cease. Knowledge shall vanish awa:. But, than5 ?od, Hove never fails. /h :es, # believe in prophec: and prophes:ing. # believe in tongues. 1han5 ?od for it. But :ou can e0ercise these things outside of Hove and the: become as sounding brass and tin5ling c:mbal. 1he thing about it is- Het@s have prophec:. Het@s have tongues. Het@s have faith. Het@s have 5nowledge. But let@s have Hove with it. Het@s put Hove first because we are in the famil: of Hove and have become acquainted with our Heavenl: =ather who is a ?od of Hove. ,e ought to want to learn. ,e ought to want to grow. ,e ought to want to grow in Hove until we are made perfect in Hove. # haven@t been made perfect in love :et, have :ouG But did :ou 5now the Bible sa:s we canG $ot in the ne0t world, but in this world. # believe some of us are going to ma5e it. #@m not going to quit Dust because # haven@t made it :et. #@m going to 5eep
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after it. 1han5 ?od for His ,ordK 1han5 ?od for His HoveK

'+

PART III

Chapter 1

RECEI$ING THE "NOWLEDGE

99Ti'' .e a'' #ome in )e &ni ! o+ )e +ai )" and o+ )e $no.'edge o+ )e Son o+ God" &n o a %er+e# man...> AEphesians +- 3

How is that going to come aboutG # guess we all want to be mature spirituall:, but Dust wanting to be doesn@t ma5e it so. How are we to grow spirituall:G ,e@ve alread: pointed out # Peter (-(, B8s newborn babes, desire the sincere mil5 of the word, that :e ma: grow thereb:.B ?od starts us in the spiritual, Dust li5e fol5s get started in the natural. ,hen babies are born
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the: start off on mil5. 1he: certainl: couldn@t eat meat. 8nd ?od sa:s that this sincere mil5 of the ,ord will cause us to grow. Eet there are some things Paul wrote to the 2orinthian 2hristians and to the Hebrew 2hristians which are of interest to us.
# 2/<#$1H#8$S 3- &( 8nd #, brethren, could not spea5 unto :ou as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in 2hrist. ( # have fed :ou with mil5, and not with meatfor hitherto :e were not able to bear it, neither :et now are :e able. HEB<E,S *- & + 62omments in parentheses7 /f whom we have man: things to sa:, and hard to be uttered, seeing :e are dull of hearing. 6Some things are hard to get over to fol5s because the: are dull of hearing.7 ( =or when for the time :e ought to be teachers, :e have need that one teach :ou again which be the first principles of the oracles of ?odF and are become such as have need of mil5, and not of strong meat. 3 =or ever: one that useth mil5 is uns5ilful in

the word of righteousness 61he margin reads @hath no e0perience in the word of righteousness.@ $ow wh: has he no
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e0perience in the word of righteousnessG7for he is a babe. + But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age 6mature7, even those who b: reason of use have their senses e0ercised to discern both good and evil. 1he: had the same problem then we face nowA that of growing. 1he: were Dust li5e us. 1he: should have been teachers, but the: still needed to be taught. 1he: couldn@t be taught an:thing ver: deep, but still had to be taught the mil5. Paul said, B# fed :ou on mil5 for :ou couldn@t ta5e the meat.B 1he mil5 of the ,ord he@s tal5ing about here is the preaching and sta:ing with the first principles of the doctrine of 2hrist 6Hebrews "- &(7. Paul calls that the mil5 of the ,ord, not the strong meat. ,hen :ou still have to be taught the first principles, :ou are still on the mil5. #t seems to me that@s about what we@ve done Aand about what we@ve had to do. But how are we going to grow upG Hoo5 bac5 at this clause in Ephesians +- 3 which spea5s about growing in Bthe 5nowledge of the Son of ?odB unto a perfect man. <eceiving the 5nowledge, feeding upon ?od@s ,ord- Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of the plan of ?od which He planned and sent the Hord Cesus to consummate...Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of what :ou
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are in 2hrist, and 2hrist in :ou...Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of what He did for :ou in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the =ather...Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of what He@s doing for :ou right now, seated at the right hand of the =ather where He ever liveth to ma5e intercession for :ou...Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of :our standing before the throne of ?od...Until :ou gain a 5nowledge of the fact that He defeated Satan and demons, and that all the forces of the rulers of the dar5ness of this world are dethroned powers, and that the: can@t rule over :ou. ,hen :ou do that, :ou@re getting out be:ond mil5. But :ou can@t preach that to some fol5s. Eou can@t get too deep in there. 1o be honest with :ou, # 5now a lot of things #@ve never taught :et. ,h: notG =ol5s have to be read: for it. 6Paul said in effect, B1here are some things #@d li5e to teach :ou, but :ou couldn@t bear it.B 1he: couldn@t ta5e it.7 8nd # don@t mean it@s some far fetched revelation. #t is the pure simple ,ord of ?od. But it is be:ond where we have been. So we have to go slowl: so fol5s can assimilate what we do give them.

The &rong iet

,h: haven@t we grownG
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#f we are real children of ?od, born of ?od, and we haven@t grown, it is because we haven@t had the right diet. # don@t blame people. #@m not scolding :ou. #@m thoroughl: convinced the ministr: is to blame. # believe most peopleA!!.!! out of %%Awould rise to the level of the ,ord of ?od for them if the: 5new it. But Dust because a man is one of the ministr: gifts Aapostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacherAdoesn@t mean he@s a full grown 2hristian. #t Dust means he has that calling on his life. He still has to develop and grow himself. #n the last church # pastored, during the winter of !+) and !+', # shut m:self up in the church, sometimes for da:s at a time, with the ,ord. # would 5neel and read the Bible on m: 5nees. # read for hours, and for wee5s. # had read it for :ears, of course, but this time # too5 those two pra:ers Paul pra:ed for the church at EphesusAEphesians - )& !, and 3- +&( . # would leave one of m: Bibles open to that place all wee5. 8nd ever: time # came into the building # would get on m: 5nees and sa:, B=ather, #@m pra:ing these pra:ers for m:self.B #f # had to ma5e a call or something arose, when #@d come bac5, even though # ma: have alread: done it several times that da:, #@d pra: these pra:ers for m:self. B...1hat the e:es of m: understanding be enlightened, that # ma: 5now what is
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the hope of His calling,....B 8nd so on. #t didn@t seem to do a bit of good for a while. But # Dust 5ept on pra:ing them. 1henAafter a whileA# began to get reve'a ion from the ,ord. 6He couldn@t have revealed the ,ord to me if # hadn@t been feeding on it.7 #t began to open up to meK ,ithin a few wee5s, 3% da:s or so, #@d learned more than #@d learned in the previous 3 or + :ears of ministr: put together. # said to m: wife, B,hat in the world have # been preachingG .:, m:, m:, that little old stuff #@ve been putting out wasn@t even mil5. #t was Dust blueDohn.B 1his didn@t come Dust because # pra:ed. 1hat was Dust a part of it. # spent equal time, if not more, with the ,ord as # did pra:ing. Eou can@t build a pra:er life Dust pra:ing alone. #t has to be built upon ?od@s ,ord. So when the Bible spea5s about our becoming a perfect man, the terminolog: B5nowledge of the Son of ?odB is used 6Ephesians +- 37. #t infers that it is this 5nowledge which will cause us to become full grown, and cause us to become mature.

The !lace o2 #ight Teaching

,e have failed to grow because of the lac5 of right teaching. ?od put teachers in the church. He set them in there. 6Ephesians +- , # 2orinthians (-('.7
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1here are some wa:s all of us could do some teaching. =rom the natural standpoint we could tell some people what we 5now and could teach them to some e0tent. But on the other hand, there are those who are called of ?od, and anointed b: the Spirit of ?od, to teach. /f course, the Hol: ?host is also to be our teacher. But, after all, that is the Hol: ?host teaching us when He anoints men to teach. Some people get off on the idea that B$o one can tell me an:thing. # don@t need to be taught. #@ve got the Hol: ?host and # 5now as much as an:one 5nows.B 1hat is ignorance. ?od@s ,ord declares that He set teachers in the 2hurch to teach us. #@m afraid though that much of our so&called teaching has been out of our minds and not out of our hearts. ,e@ve gained a general head 5nowledge, mental 5nowledge, of the ,ord but never got the spiritual import of it. 1hrough the :ears what we@ve 5nown as teaching has been so cold and dead and not much to it, we almost turn up our noses at the mention of it. But the anointing of the Spirit of ?od upon genuine teaching of the ,ord of ?od is aliveK # didn@t 5now the difference m:self one da:. # used to be a preacher. # could preach Spurgeon@s sermons as well as an:one. # could read them and preach them word for word. # learned to sermoniIe and studied
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homiletics. # loved to preach with that old evangelistic fire and fervor. 8nd, once in a while, # crac5 down on it and do it :et. # was pastor of a church in $orth 2entral 1e0as in !+3. #@d never been a teacher until then. # didn@t li5e to teach. #t was their custom in this church that the pastor have at the Sunda: School hour on Sunda: morning the auditorium Bible class. #t was made up of adult men and women. # didn@t want to teach it. But it was their custom. # had a Sunda: School boo5 which # wouldn@t loo5 at all wee5. # studied the Bible and prepared sermons, but # wouldn@t even loo5 at this lesson until Saturda: night. # 5new # could read it over in % or * minutes and get up and tell it. 1he: all seemed to enDo: it, but # was never so glad of an:thing in m: life as when that class period was over. # wanted to preach. But at 3 o@cloc5 one 1hursda: afternoon in the parsonage of this church, ?od gave me a teaching gift. # 5new it on the inside of me. # 5new when it was born. # said out loud, B# can teach now.B 1o prove this, # started out in a most unli5el: wa:. # didn@t use an: of the other main services where fol5s would come an:wa:. 8 ladies@ pra:er group met on ,ednesda: afternoons at the church and # started teaching them. 4o :ou 5now what surprised meG # could stand
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there Dust as still, and never move out of m: trac5s, never raise m: hands, and the anointing would come on me greater than an:thing # ever sensed. # began to teach those seven or eight ladies. 1he: told their husbands and others. #n two or three wee5s, fifteen or twent: were coming. Some of the husbands too5 off from their Dobs to come. Before :ou 5new it, we had more people on ,ednesda: afternoon than on ,ednesda: night. Before :ou 5new it, the church building was practicall: full. 1hat proved to me people want to learn and want to 5now. Several :ears after # left that church # ran into one of those ladies. She said, B1han5 ?od for those teaching sessions. 1hat@s all #@ve been living on for the past seven :ears. #f # hadn@t gotten that, #@m sure # would never have made it. #@m still feeding on it. #@ve never heard an: teaching since then. 8ll we get is preaching.B ,e need preaching all right. But believers need teaching. People of ?od need teaching. 2ome bac5 to Cesus and His ministr: for a moment.
.811HE, !-3* 3* 8nd Cesus went about all the cities and

villages, teaching in their s:nagogues, and preaching the gospel of the 5ingdom, and healing ever: sic5ness and ever: disease
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among the people. <eading through the four ?ospels, ever: time He went into the s:nagogue, He alwa:s taught. 4own b: the seashore one da: He was teaching. 1he crowd pushed Him bac5 to the shore. 8 couple of fellows were there washing and mending their nets as the: had been fishing. /ne of them was Simon Peter. Cesus as5ed if He could borrow his boat, got in it and pushed a little wa: from shore. 8nd it sa:s, BHe sat down and taught the people out of the shipB 6Hu5e *-37. 8fter he was baptiIed and the Hol: ?host came upon Him in the bodil: form as a dove, and He was led b: the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted of the devil. 8nd after He came bac5 in the power of the Spirit into ?alilee, Hu5e +- * sa:s, B8nd he taught in their s:nagogues, being glorified of all.B 1hese were the people of ?od of that da:. 1he s:nagogue would correspond to the church house of toda:. Ever: time He went into it, He taught. 1he lac5 of right teaching is the primar: reason we@ve failed to grow. 2ertainl: we can stud: for ourselves and grow to some e0tent. But ?od also put teachers in the 2hurch to help us to grow, to feed us upon ?od@s ,ord.

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The 3ault o2 Inade(uate Teaching

1he 2hurch has not maDored in the things it should have. 8s one fellow said, BShe has maDored in the minors.B ,hen something was taught or preached, it was something of minor importance rather than something of maDor importance. #f :ou@re going to grow, :ou@ll have to be fed on the ,ord of ?od. 1he 2hurch has been strong in teaching man his need of righteousness, his wea5ness and inabilit: to please ?od. #t has been strong in denouncing sins in the believer. #t has preached against unbelief, world conformit:, and lac5 of faith. But the 2hurch has been sadl: lac5ing in bringing forth the truth of what we are in 2hrist, and of how righteousness and faith are available. 8 lot of people will tell :ou what :ou need, but the: won@t tell :ou how to get it. 8nd :ou@re not a bit better off. #t@s li5e one man said as the: went awa: from church. His wife noticed something was wrong with him. B,hat@s the matterGB she said. B# don@t 5now,B he said. B#@m disappointed and discouraged.B B,ith whatGB B,ith the church. ,ith our pastor. He preached on
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faith this morning. He quoted all those wonderful scriptures. @8ll things are possible to him that believeth.@ @,hat things soever :ou desire, when :ou pra:, believe that :e receive them, and :ou shall have them.@ He told us what faith would do if we had it. 8nd he told us we ought to get it. But he didn@t tell us how. #@m Dust hanging out here in the air. # 5now # ought to get it. # 5now what it would do if # had it. But # don@t 5now how to get it.B 1he real truth about it is he had faith all the time. =aith to be saved. #f he had been taught correctl:, he would have 5nown he could have fed that measure of faith on ?od@s ,ord and it would grow. He could use that same faith to receive healing for his bod:. He could use that same faith to get answers to pra:er. He could use that same faith to be filled with the Hol: ?host. But he didn@t 5now it. Eou can@t blame him, because what he heard hindered him more than it helped him. #t didn@t feed him. #t too5 out of him. 1here was a glow about the face of an obviousl: refined lad: when she came up after the final service to sha5e hands with me. #t was the first time she@d come up during the three&wee5 meeting but #@d watched her blossom and open up. She said, BBrother Hagin, than5 :ou.B B=or whatGB
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B=or the ,ord. Eou@ve given me bac5 m: Do: of salvation.B # said, BPraise the Hord.B She said, B#@m a visitor here. 1he last service # attended in m: church, and # can understand that the pastor was tr:ing to get us to pra:F but instead of preaching it the right wa: to ma5e us want to, he beat us over the head for nearl: an hour. ,hen he got through # went to the altar, got on m: 5nees, and stuc5 m: head under the altar. # said, @4ear ?od, # don@t 5now whether #@m saved or not. # don@t 5now whether # have an:thing or not. # don@t 5now where # am or who # am.@ # sta:ed there and cried until about -3% in the afternoon. But :ou@ve encouraged us to pra:. 8nd # believe #@m pra:ing more than # ever did in m: life. # 5now #@m enDo:ing m: fellowship with the Hord more than ever. # 5now #@ve got bac5 the Do: that # had when # was first a newborn babe.B /ne reason we haven@t grown is we@ve preached to believers li5e the: were sinners. ,e@ve treated them li5e the: were sinners, and fed them li5e the: were sinners, until we@ve undermined their faith. ,e need to present ?od@s blessings and ?od@s power in such a wa: that fol5s want to do it, and get so hungr: the: can@t help but do it. #f :ou have to force people, it isn@t going to wor5 or be much of a blessing or benefit to them an:how.
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#@m tal5ing about things that defeat us. /ur ministr:, ma:be unconsciousl:, has fed the congregations a ps:cholog: of unbelief. #nstead of tal5ing about what the: have, the: tal5 about what the: don@t have. 1he: tal5 about politics. ,here did Cesus ever sa: to go into all the world and preach politicsG He didn@t. ,here did :ou ever read that Cesus said, B?o into all the world and give a boo5 review.BG Eou didn@t. He said, B?o into all the world and preach the ?ospel.B Unconsciousl:, our ministr: has fed us on a ps:cholog: of unbelief. .ost of the songs we sing are not reall: scriptural. 6#@m tal5ing about things that 5eep us from growing.7 .ost h:mns put off redemption until after death.
>*e don9 )ave m&#) )ere? 2an9 e:%e# m&#) )ere? B& .e9re going o )ave i a+ er a.)i'e. *e9re going o )ave o do )e 4es .e #an )ere? And .ander aro&nd 'i$e a 4egger in )is o'd g'oom! .or'd. *)en .e a'' ge o )eaven" i 9'' 4e di++eren .>

#t would be different no. if :ou@d believe ?odK

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Histen to the songs. Histen to the sermons. 1he: tell :ou we have the promise of eternal lifeA preaching to believers. ,e don@t have the promise of eternal life. 1he sinner does. ,e have itK Eternal life isn@t something :ou@re going to have when :ou get to heaven. #t@s something :ou have right now.
# C/H$ *- 3 3 1hese things have # written unto :ou that believe on the name of the Son of ?odF that :e ma: 5now that :e have eternal life....

Present tense. BHave.B 1he Bible sa:s that we )ave passed from death, spiritual death, unto life 6# Cohn 3- +7. 1hat ?ree5 word for life here is BIoe.B #t@s the same word that@s used in Cohn 3- ", B...that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.B Cesus said, B1he thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to 5ill, and to destro:- # am comeA6,hat did :ou come for, CesusG7A# am come that the: might have life...B 1hat@s wh: He cameK 1hat we might have IoeK HifeK Sometimes it@s translated Blife.B Sometimes, Beternal life.B 8nd sometimes, Beverlasting life.B But it@s all the same. He said, B...# am come that the: might have Ioe, and that the: might have it more abundantl:B 6Cohn
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%- %7. He said :ou can have this Hife right nowAand :ou can have an abundance of itK 1hat@s wh: He cameK # listened to a radio preacher telling about how we have the promise of it, and we@re going to have it one of these da:s. $o, if :ou don@t have it in this life, :ou@ll never have it in the after life. B=or the wages of sin is deathF but the gift of ?od is eternal life through Cesus 2hrist our HordB 6<omans "-(37. #t@s a gift :ou receive nowK Eou receive this Hife Athis Ioe, the life of ?od, the ?od&5ind of HifeAinto :our spirit, into :our inward being. #t changes :our lifeK 1his Hife is the nature of ?od. #t ma5es :ou a new creature and displaces that old nature :ou had on the inside of :ou. So :ou become a new man in 2hrist Cesus, with a new nature, B...old things are passed awa:F behold, all things are become newB 6## 2orinthians *- )7. But most of our h:mns we sing put redemption and eternal life off until after death. B,e@re going to have it then.B
>*e9re going o )ave res .)en .e ge )eaven.> o

4o :ou 5now what the Bible teachesG #t teaches we can have rest and peace right now. Cesus said%%

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.811HE, -('&3% (' 2ome unto me, all :e that labour and are heav: laden, and # will give :ou rest. (! 1a5e m: :o5e upon :ou, and learn of meF

for # am mee5 and lowl: in heart- and :e shall find rest unto :our souls. 3% =or m: :o5e is eas:, and m: burden is light. 1he wa: some people tal5, # Dust wonder what the:@re :o5ed up with. #t@s alwa:s a hard luc5 stor:. 8lwa:s going through a trial. 8lwa:s having a hard time. 8lwa:s scraping the bottom of the barrel, or else under the barrel with the barrel on top. B/h, this heav: burden we have to bear. ,e@re going to la: down our heav: burdens one da:.B /h, no. Eou la: them down when :ou find Cesus. B.: :o5e is eas:, and m: burden is light,B He said. #t@s not hard. #t@s not burdensome. #t@s not heav:. ,hat are the: :o5ed up withG Unconsciousl: the:@ve gotten :o5ed with unbelief. 1hough the: actuall: belong to Cesus and have been born&again, the: have gotten :o5ed up with unbelief and their burden became heav: instead of light. 1he: couldn@t sleep. 2ouldn@t eat. 1he: felt li5e the: had butterflies in their stomach. ,hen there is rest in :our soul, it will affect :our bod:. #t will affect :our entire being.
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>*e9re going o )ave vi# or! a+ er .)i'e.>

$o, than5 ?od, we have victor: right nowK

# C/H$ *-+ + =or whatsoever is born of ?od overcometh

the world- and this is the victor: that overcometh the world, even our faith.
>*e9re going o 4e over#omers .)en .e ge o )eaven>

$o, we@re overcomers nowK B#f ?od be for us who can be against usGB 6<omans '-3 7. He@s on our side. ,e@re victors now. ,e@re overcomers now.
>*e9re going o )ave %ea#e .i ) God .)en .e ge o )eaven.>

1hat isn@t what the Bible sa:s. <omans *- sa:s, B1herefore being Dustified b: faith, we have peace with ?od through our Hord Cesus 2hrist.B #t@s wonderful to have that peace. 1he Bible does sa:, B1here is no peace, saith the Hord, unto the wic5edB 6#saiah +'-((7. #f # didn@t have this peace #@d go to chec5ing up on m:self. But He
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didn@t sa: that to 2hristians. He said it to sinners. ,hen :ou preach to 2hristians li5e the: were sinners :ou build that 5ind of consciousness in them. Eou hold them under condemnation. 1he: can@t grow. #t@s impossible. #t@s the wrong diet. #t isn@t even the sincere mil5 of the ,ord. 4r. Cohn 8le0ander 4owie said, B/ur songs are embalmed with unbelief.B 1hat@s 5ept us from growing. ,e@ve sung those songs so much we thin5 the:@re so. # don@t want to bind :ou, but it would be better not to sing than to sing a bunch of Dun5, a bunch of unbelief.
>T)ere .i'' 4e no more +ai'ing .)en .e ge o )eaven. *e )ave no )ing on )is side and #an9 e:%e# an! )ing on )is side e:#e% +ai'&re" miser!" disa%%oin men " and .ea$ness.>

1hat isn@t what the ,ord of ?od teaches. Paul said, B,e@re more than conquerors.B $ot Dust conquerors. .ore than conquerorsK BEes, but Paul was an apostle,B someone said. Paul didn@t sa: he was a conqueror because he was an apostle. He said, B...we are more than conquerors through him that loved usB 6<omans '-3)7. 2hrist didn@t belong to Paul an:more than He does to us.
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1hat doesn@t mean :ou won@t have an: tests. 1hat doesn@t mean :ou won@t have an: trials. 1hat doesn@t mean it@s Dust going to fall on :ou li5e ripe cherries off a tree. /r that :ou@re going to float down the river of time on flower: beds of ease. #t didn@t with Paul. He got in Dail. He got his bac5 beat. He got his feet in stoc5s. He was in the innermost prison with ever: reason in the world to gripe and complain. But at midnight he and Silas pra:ed and sang praises to ?odK ,hen he got on board that ship a prisoner he said, BSirs, # perceive that this vo:age will be with hurt and much damage, not onl: of the lading and ship, but also of our livesB 68cts ()- %7. 1he: didn@t pa: an: attention to him. Ever:thing seemed to be all right. But before it was all over he was running the thing. He started on the bottom, but wound up captain of the boat. 4on@t sta: on the bottomK Eou don@t have to. 4o :ou 5now what brought Paul outG Eou can see it in his words. ,hen all hope that the: should be saved was gone, old Paul stepped forth right in the midst of it with the answer. He@d heard from heaven. 6,e have ?od@s ,ord and we@ve heard from heaven. #t couldn@t be an:more sure if an angel came down from heaven and wrote it with his finger in a granite roc5. 1hat couldn@t
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be an: more sure than ?od@s written ,ord.7 /ld Paul said, BSirs . . . there stood b: me this night the angel of ?od, whose # am, and whom # serve, Sa:ing, =ear not, PaulF thou must be brought before 2aesar- and, lo, ?od hath given thee all them that sail with thee. ,herefore, sirs, be of good cheer- for # believe ?od, that it shall be even as it was told meB 68cts ()-( &(*7. # li5e that fellow Paul. He made three positive confessions- B# belong to ?od. # serve ?od. # believe ?od.B 8nd that@s what caused him to rise. #f he@d been li5e most fol5s, he would have been whipped right in the midst of this crisis and he and the whole bunch would have gone down. =or most fol5s would have said, B#@ve been tr:ing to serve Him all these man: :ears. 1he Hord 5nows #@ve been tr:ing to serve Him. #f He doesn@t intervene somehow, we@re all going.B 8nd the: would have gone. #@m not ma5ing fun. #@m Dust stating facts. 1hat@s what defeats us. Paul didn@t sa:, B#@m tr:ing to serve Him.B He said, B# am serving Him . . . 1he ?od whose # am ... # belong to Him.B Someone said, B# hope # do.B 1han5 ?od, # 5now # do. # belong to Him. # serve Him. # believe Him.

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PART IV

Chapter 4

'

WHAT

ANNER OF

AN ARE YOU&

>Give none o++en#e" nei )er o )e Je.s" nor o )e Gen i'es" nor o )e #)&r#) o+ God.> A# 2orinthians %-3(

Here we have ?od@s ethnic division of the human race- Cew, ?entile, 2hurch of ?od. 1he Cew is ever a Cew. ?entile means the heathen world. Ever:one outside of 2hrist who is not a Cew is a heathen, or a ?entile. 1he 2hurch, the bod: of 2hrist, the new creation stands utterl: alone. Paul has another division in his writings- the natural man, the carnal man, and the spiritual man. 1he natural man is one who has never :et passed
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out of death into life. He has never been born&again. He@s never been recreated. He@s never become a new creature in 2hrist Cesus. 1he carnal man is a new creature. He has been born&again. But he@s never developed or grown. #t is sad but true that the carnal man ma: remain in this condition all his life long. He ma: never develop be:ond the bab:hood state of the new creation. He is governed b: his bod:F b: his ph:sical senses, rather than b: his spirit. 1he spiritual man is one who has developed in divine things. His spirit has gained the ascendanc: over his intellectual processes. 8nd his spirit has gained the ascendanc: over his bod: and his ph:sical senses. ?od governs him through the ,ord. Het@s loo5 carefull: at these three men to see which one we are, and what we can do about it.

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Chapter 5

THE NATURAL

AN

>B& )e na &ra' man re#eive ) no )e )ings o+ )e S%iri o+ God6 +or )e! are +oo'is)ness &n o )im6 nei )er #an )e $no. )em" 4e#a&se )e! are s%iri &a''! dis#erned.> A# 2orinthians (- +

8nother translation sa:s, Bbecause the: are spirituall: understood.B #f :ou understood the things of ?od and spiritual things with :our mind, the natural man could understand them. But :ou don@t. Eou discern them, or understand them, with :our spirit. 1he natural man is the unspiritual ph:sical man. His wisdom is earthl:F earthl: means natural. Cames describes itC8.ES 3- +& * + But if :e have bitter env:ing and strife in :our hearts, glor: not, and lie not against the truth. * 1his wisdom descendeth not from above, but
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is earthl:, sensual, devilish 6demonic7.

1he natural man is motivated b: demons. He is ruled b: Satan. /h no, #@m not sa:ing he is demon possessed. Eou see, all those who have never been born&again have Satan as their god and father. 1he: are in the 5ingdom of dar5ness and the: are more or less ruled b: Satan and demons. <emember Ephesians "- ( sa:s, Brulers of the dar5ness of this world.B So, the natural man is a Satan&ruled man.
</.8$S '-)&! ) Because the carnal mind 6other translations call it Bthe mind of the fleshB7 is enmit: against ?od- for it is not subDect to the law of ?od, neither indeed can be. ' So then the: that are in the flesh cannot please ?od. 61his natural man cannot please ?od.7 ! But :e are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of ?od dwell in :ou.

1he natural man is the man that is motivated b: the fleshF a ph:sical man, not a spiritual man. 6# found out :ears ago it helped me in m: studies in <omans, ever: place it sa:s BfleshB to substitute the word BsensesB or Bph:sical senses.B 8fter all, the onl: wa: the flesh has an: e0pression is through its ph:sical senses. #t will clear up a lot of thin5ing for :ou if :ou will do this.7
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6no7ledge Contrasted, #evelation-.atural /uman

1he natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of ?od for he cannot 5now them. Eou see, all the 5nowledge the natural man has is received through his five senses- sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. His mind is actuall: governed b: his senses. # call this na &ra' )&man $no.'edge. /thers call it sense $no.'edge. 1hat@s a good term. 1he wa: it comes is through the five senses. Sense 5nowledge, natural human 5nowledge, is all that the natural man possesses. But born&again believers have a 5nowledge that is above the flesh, above the senses. #t could rightl: be called reve'a ion $no.'edge. 1his 5nowledge is revealed to us in the ,ord of ?od. #t@s above the natural. 1he Bible brings :ou a revelation, or reveals 5nowledge to :ou, which :our ph:sical senses couldn@t grasp. Eou couldn@t understand it even after revelation comes. But than5 ?od, it@s there. #t is deepl: important that ever: believer notice the contrast between natural human 5nowledge, or sense 5nowledge, and revelation 5nowledge. .an: modern theologians are not revelation 5nowledge men, but sense 5nowledge men. #t@s all in their minds. .ost of the leaders of the church world as
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a whole are actuall: sense 5nowledge men. #f the: are saved, the: are not spirituall: developed. .an: aren@t even saved, but Dust natural men. 1he: are governed b: their ph:sical senses. 1hat leads them to repudiate revelation 5nowledge, or to give it second place in their lives. 1he natural man cannot understand Bthe things of the Spirit of ?od.B 1he: are foolishness to him. 1he Bible is of the Spirit of ?od. #t is not natural human 5nowledge. Hol: men of old wrote as the: were moved b: the Spirit of ?od. BBrother Hagin, this is refreshing,B someone said. B# am going to school and m: professor said concerning the Bible, @#f :ou can@t understand it and reason it out, forget it.@ B 2an :ou understand and reason out ?odG ,ell then, forget Him, according to this professor@s 6G7 advice. 2an :ou understand and reason out with :our little peanut brain Cesus, the Son of ?odG 1he virgin birthG 61his professor had said, B1he virgin birth is not reasonable. #t didn@t happen.B7 2an :ou understand and reason out the Hol: SpiritG 2an :ou understand and reason out divine healingG 2an :ou understand and reason out the supernaturalG $oK B,ell then,B he is sa:ing, Bif it doesn@t ma5e sense, forget it.B 1his Dust proves what # am sa:ing. He was motivated b: the senses.

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Eou can alwa:s locate these people. B$ow common sense will tell :ou....B # 5now, but where did :ou ever read in the Bible that we wal5 b: common senseG Eou didn@t. #t sa:s that we wal5 b: faith and not b: sight 6## 2orinthians *-)7. #t sa:s, B...as man: as are led b: the Spirit of ?od, the: are the sons of ?odB 6<omans '- +7. $atural man cannot understand the Bible because it is of the Spirit of ?od. #t is in a realm he doesn@t 5now an:thing about. Someone said, B,hat :ou@re not up on, :ou@re down on.B 1he reason a lot of fol5s are down on a lot of things is, the:@re not up on them. #f a man is a natural man and hasn@t been born&again, he@s not up on spiritual things. He doesn@t 5now an:thing about them, so he is down on them.

The .atural &alk

EPHES#8$S (- &3 8nd :ou hath he quic5ened, who were dead in trespasses and sinsF ( ,herein in time past :e wal5ed according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now wor5eth in the children of disobedience3 8mong whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
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flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mindF and were b: nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Here is a picture of the natural man wal5ing. He is wal5ing Baccording to the course of this world.B He is wal5ing according to the Bprince of the power of the air.B 1hat@s the devil. He is being ruled b: the Bspirit that now wor5eth in the children 6sons7 of disobedience.B He is doing the Bdesires of the fleshB or of the senses. He is Bb: nature the child of wrath.B 1hat@s strong language. But it describes the man outside of 2hrist. $otice verses and ( of this same chapter.
EPHES#8$S (- & ( ,herefore remember, that :e being in time past ?entiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision b: that which is called the 2ircumcision in the flesh made b: handsF ( 1hat at that time :e were without 2hrist, being aliens from the commonwealth of #srael, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without ?od in the world-

1he 8merican <evised Lersion of verse ( reads, Bthat :e were at that time separate from 2hrist, alienated from the commonwealth of #srael, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without ?od in the world.B
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1hat was us before we were saved. 8nd that@s a picture of ever:bod: who is not now saved. 1he ?entile has no more claim or hold on ?od toda: than he did then. 8s a ?entile he has no legal standing, no legal rights. But than5 ?od, he can come and be born& again, and become a member of the bod: of 2hristF then he has a standing and he has rights.
# 2/<#$1H#8$S -(' (' 8nd base things of the world, and things

which are despised, hath ?od chosen, :ea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that areHere the ,ord of ?od is tal5ing about us when He chose us in 2hrist. He calls us the Bbase things of the world.B He calls us the Bthings which are despised.B 8nd, Bthings which are not.B 1he 2entinar: translation reveals the Bthings which are notB represented the slaves of the <oman Empire. 1he: had no standing, no voice. 1he: were Dust things, so to spea5, which were not. But when the: became 2hristians, the: had a standing before ?od. # Peter (- % sa:s, B,hich in time past were not a people, but are now the people of ?od-....B 1he ?entile has no standing. He is a Bno people.B ,ith all his boasted culture, abilit:, and mone:, he has no voiceF no standing with ?od. 1he picture of utter spiritual
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bondage, Ephesians (describes him as without hope, hopelessF and without ?od, ?odless. Ho%e'ess and God'ess.
EPHES#8$S +- )& ' ) 1his # sa: therefore, and testif: in the Hord, that :e henceforth wal5 not as other ?entiles wal5, in the vanit: of their mind, ' Having the understanding dar5ened, being alienated from the life of ?od through the

ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart1he: wal5 in the vanit: of sense 5nowledge. 1he: wal5 in the vanit: of their minds. 1he: are dar5ened in their understanding. 1he: are alienated from the life of ?od. 1he: are filled with their own 5nowledgeF ignorant of spiritual things. #sn@t that a picture of themG But than5 ?od there is a wa:. 1here@s a wa: out. 1here@s a wa: to ?od. Cesus said, B# am the wa:. # am the truth. # am the life.B

Chapter 18

THE CARNAL

AN

>And I" 4re )ren" #o&'d no s%ea$ &n o !o& as &n o s%iri &a'" 4& as &n o #arna'" even as &n o 4a4es in 2)ris . I )ave +ed !o& .i ) mi'$" and no .i ) mea 6 +or )i )er o !e .ere no a4'e o 4ear i " nei )er !e no. are !e a4'e. For !e are !e #arna'6 +or .)ereas )ere is among !o& env!ing" and s ri+e" and divisions" are !e no #arna'" and .a'$ as men7 > A# 2orinthians 3- &3

,ho is this carnal manG He is the babe in 2hrist. $ot a newborn babeAwhen Paul wrote these 2orinthians the: were not newborn people. He plainl: infers the: should have been be:ond where the: were in their spiritual development. 1he: seem to have been in about the same boat as the Hebrew 2hristians 6Hebrews *- (7. Paul@s letter to the 2orinthians is written to born&
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again, Spirit&filled believersAeven to a church which has all the gifts of the Spirit operating in it. He said to them, B:e come behind in no gift,B bragging on them a little first before he started to correct them 6# 2orinthians -)7. He specificall: mentioned that the: didn@t come behind in utteranceAthat means the utterance gifts 6# 2orinthians -*7. Eou can see that when :ou get over to where he began to correct them. 1he: were all tr:ing to tal5 in tongues at once. Here is a thought that will help us in some of our thin5ing so we can grow. Spiritual gifts don@t ma5e :ou a full grown 2hristian. /ften fol5s don@t 5now what spiritualit: is. Some thin5 being spiritual would be e0ercising a spiritual gift. 1hat couldn@t be so because here it plainl: states these 2orinthians were carnal and babesAand the: had all the gifts of the Spirit operating in their church. #@ve heard people sa: when a fellow 2hristian the: thought to be carnal gave an utterance in tongues, or an interpretation, or prophec:, B1hat couldn@t be the Hord.B # said, B,h:GB 1he:@d sa:, B,ell because the:@re carnal.B # said, B4o :ou mean to infer that carnal 2hristians can@t have the Hol: ?hostGB BEes.B B1hat can@t be so because :ou have Him. 8nd the
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church at 2orinth had Him.B 2an carnal 2hristians have the Hol: ?hostG 2ertainl:K B8re carnal 2hristians savedGB someone as5ed this question to one of our =ull ?ospel magaIines some :ears ago. # thought it was sort of cute the wa: it was answered- BPaul seemed to thin5 so.B 1hen the: gave this scripture. 8ctuall: the ?ree5 word translated BcarnalB has created much comment and no little confusion among Bible scholars. # thin5 onl: in latter :ears has the Spirit of ?od made this word clear to us. #n some scriptures it is translated BcarnalB and in others it is translated Bfleshl:.B #t reall: means a man who is governed b: his ph:sical senses. 1hat would be the flesh governing him. 1hough he is born&again and a new creature, he wal5s after the order of natural men.

&alks as a +9ere 9an+

Histen again to what Paul wrote, B8nd #, brethren, could not spea5 unto :ou as unto spiritual 6men7, but as unto carnal 6men7, even as unto babes in 2hrist...=or :e are :et carnal- for whereas there is among :ou env:ing, and strife, and divisions, are :e not carnal, 6$/, ?E1 1H#S7 and wal5 as menGB Several modern translations read, Band wal5 as mere menGB
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Paul tal5s about env: and some of the same things Cames did in tal5ing about the natural man who had never been born&again. Paul is sa:ing in effect, B1hough :ou have been born&again, :ou are still wal5ing as a mere man, as a common man, as the natural man who has never been born&again. Eou are wal5ing Dust li5e the world men wal5. 1here is env: and strife among them. Eou are letting :our flesh dominate :ou.B /ne modern translation instead of sa:ing B:e are carnalB sa:s B:ou are bod:&ruled.B 1hat@s a good translation. 1he outward manAthe bod: which is not redeemed :et 6than5 ?od we will have a new bod: one da:7Arules, instead of the inward man who is a new man in 2hrist and has the Hol: ?host dwelling in him dominating and ruling. 1oo much of the time in 2hristians the outward man dominates the inward. 8s long as he does, the: will remain babies and carnal. 1he: will wal5 Dust li5e world menAthose outside of 2hristAwal5. Eou@ll run into these bab: 2hristians who have never grown sometimes, and it is amaIing to see how the: thin5 the: are so spiritual :et the: live in the flesh or in the senses. # preached to a church once who before the: received the baptism of the Hol: ?host and became =ull ?ospel were what we call old line holiness. Some
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of them almost thought it was a sin to ta5e a bath. /ne did tell me it was a sin to use deodorant. 8nother one thought it was a sin to drin5 co5es. #t wasn@t a little church. 1here were over *%% there the Sunda: morning # preached and the Hord anointed me and gave me a message Dust for them. # never preached it afterwards. 8nd although # was quite dignified then, much more than # am now, # Dumped off the platform and ran up and down the aisles. # said, BPeople tal5 about worldliness. 1his is the most worldl: church # ever preached in.B .an, the: loo5ed at me. 1hen # began to tell them what worldliness and carnalit: is. # read what Paul had to sa: about the 2orinthians, that there was env: and Dealous:, debate, strife, and division. # said, BPersonall:, # thought Paul was writing a letter to this church, then # happened to loo5 up there and it said 2orinthians.B Some of them got so angr: the: were read: to fight. 61hat proved the: were carnal, didn@t itG7 But it helped some of them. 2arnal 2hristians have not learned the love law nor the love wal5. ,hen :ou love one another :ou won@t wal5 in env: and strife and Dealous: and division. 1he 2orinthians were born&again, filled with the Hol: ?host, the: had gifts of the SpiritF :et the: had not learned the love law, nor the love wal5. ,hen :ou are
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spiritual :ou learn that. ,hen we begin wal5ing in divine love, 2hristian love, Bible love, the ?od&5ind of love, we stop being DealousF we stop strife and division and bac5biting. Bac5biting, bitterness, and Dealous: are signs of underdevelopment on the part of the believer. ,hat causes these thingsG #t@s because people are selfish. 8s long as :ou are selfish, sensitive, and can be hurt, :ou are a babe in 2hrist and cannot grow.

%ro7ing :ut o2 Carnality

?od wants us to grow. 1here is no other wa: to get out of the carnal state e0cept to grow out of it. Peter said, B4esire the sincere mil5 of the ,ord that :ou ma: grow thereb:.B Paul said, B# have fed :ou with mil5.B Paul is tr:ing to get these 2orinthians to growing. He didn@t tell them the: weren@t saved. 1hat comes as a shoc5 to some fol5s, but the:@ll Dust have to be shoc5ed. 8t the end of the chapter he said to them, B1herefore let no man glor: in men. =or all things are :oursF ,hether Paul, or 8pollos, or 2ephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to comeF all are :oursF 8nd :e are 2hrist@sF and 2hrist is ?od@sB 6# 2orinthians 3-( &(37. # am so glad for the Hol: Spirit and for the ,ord of
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?od. # am so glad the Hord has been patient with all of us and helps us. # can remember pra:ing awa: bac5 in !* at the beginning of .arch down in the state of 8labama where # was holding a meeting. # was pra:ing in tongues, in the spirit 6# 2orinthians +- +7. 61he devil and natural peopleAand sometimes even some carnal peopleAdon@t li5e this. But it@ll help :ou, praise ?od. .ost of what # 5now about the Bible, # learned b: pra:ing in tongues. ,hat do # mean b: thatG 1he Spirit is to be :our 1eacher. #f :ou will ta5e enough time to pra: in tongues, :ou@ll get :our mind and bod: quiet while :our spirit is functioning. Eou are spea5ing out of :our spirit. 1hen ?od can communicate with :our spirit because it becomes sensitive to Him, for He is a Spirit.7 # pra:ed in tongues for almost 3 hours that da:. Eet it seemed li5e onl: about * minutes. ,hen # loo5ed at m: watch # couldn@t believe it had gone b: so fast. # had m: e:es shut all that time pra:ing. 4uring that time of pra:ing the Hord too5 me through the first three chapters of # 2orinthiansAand it changed me. #t changed the course of m: ministr:. #t changed the course of m: life. #t made me a greater blessing to the 2hurch. #t enabled me to do more than #@d ever done before. #t helped me to do some growing. He too5 me through the first chapter where Paul
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bragged on them a little and then began to tell them how the: were babes and carnal. He said to me, B#f it had been :ou and some preachers :ou 5now writing to those people, :ou would have said, @Eou bac5slidden buIIards need to pra: through and get right with ?od.@B 1hat@s probabl: e0actl: what # would have said up until then. He said, BBut Paul didn@t call them buIIards. Paul didn@t call them bac5slidden. He did call them carnal, and he did call them babes. ,hen a bab: cries, hitting him over the head isn@t going to ma5e him grow. =eeding him. Putting something into him, not ta5ing something out of him, ma5es him grow. 4on@t ta5e an:thing out of them. Put something into them. B4o :ou remember C.,.GB He as5ed me. # didn@t. B4o :ou remember 1uff:GB He said. 1hat was what we called him, 1uff:. Bo:, that was putting it mildl:. 1uff: wasn@t a strong enough word for him. But even when He said that # still didn@t remember because it had been so man: :ears. 1hen He called his whole name to me. 8nd when He gave me his last name # said, B/h :es, # remember.B 1he Hord refreshed m: memor: that da: and it has enabled me to help others.
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1uff:@s mother died when he was ver: :oung. His dadd: was a motorman on the old interurban line from ,aco to 4enison, 1e0as and wasn@t home much. So 1uff: was left to himself. He ran up and down the bac5 alle:s and got into the wrong crowd. He was still in the *th grade when # was, but he should have been in the 'th. 8nd he was ma5ing a straight B4B report cardAB4B was the lowest grade the: gave in those da:s. He had been in trouble and # overheard the principal telling m: ?randpa about it. He as5ed, B,hat are we going to do with 1uff:G 1he Dudge called me again and he wants to send him to reform school. He@s Dust been lenient on him because he 5new he didn@t have a mother.B # heard m: ?randpa sa:, B.r. .ac, if :ou@ll do as # tell :ou, we@ll ma5e a man out of him. ,e@ll ma5e a useful citiIen out of him.B 1he principal said, B,ell, the Dudge is leaving it up to me for another thirt: da:s.B ?randpa said, B1ell him to give us ninet: da:s.B 1he principal agreed to call and as5 for ninet: da:s. B4id :ou notice how he hangs around meGB ?randpa as5ed. BHe@s gotten to where he sta:s with me nearl: all the time.B BEes, #@ve noticed that,B .r. .ac said. B#t@s because #@m the onl: one who puts an:thing
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into him. # tell him #@ve got confidence in him. # tell him # believe in him. Ever:bod: else tells him he@s no good. Ever:bod: else tells him @Eou@re going to reform school.@ Ever:bod: else tells him he@ll never ma5e it. He@s gotten where he won@t even pla: on the pla:ground an:more. He Dust hangs around with me. $ow, in the first place, don@t whip him an:more.B .r. .ac would whip him one to three times a da:, ever: single da:. Sometimes fol5s do need whipping :ou understand, but other times it doesn@t mean a thing in the world. Eou could hear the paddle all over that floor of the school, :et 1uff: would come bac5 into the room laughing. ?randpa told the principal, B# hid in the restroom in :our office to watch and he@s the one who stole the mone: out of :our des5 drawer.B 1he: sold cand: at lunch period and used the proceeds to bu: pla:ground equipment. Someone had stolen the mone:. ?randpa hid to see who got it. 8nd it was 1uff:. He said, BEou have to start building confidence in him. So ta5e him out of stud: periods and tell him, @C.,., # need someone older than the rest to watch the office. Someone has been stealing the mone:.@ Point right to where the mone: is and show him. #f a dime is ever missing #@ll put it bac5 m:self.B 8fter the: had this conversation at noon we went
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bac5 to class. 1he first stud: period .r. .ac came to the door and called 1uff: out. Ever:bod: snic5ered. 1he: 5new he was going to get a whipping. 1he: 5ept listening to hear that paddle. But he didn@t come bac5. 1he: wondered. But # 5new e0actl: what was happening. .r. .ac had said to him. B$ow C.,., :ou 5eep the office. ,e need someone older over here.B He pulled the drawer open and showed him the mone:. BHere it is and someone has been stealing it.B /f course, it was him. 1he Hord reminded me how almost immediatel: # saw him begin to ma5e passing grades. #n fact, he did so well the: began to move him up. He never went to reform school. He never went to the penitentiar:. He grew up to be a useful citiIen. 1hat da: the Hord too5 me through the bab:hood, childhood, and manhood stages of spiritual growth. He told me, BSpiritual growth is li5e natural growth in a sense. Paul didn@t Dust ta5e out of these people. He corrected them gentl: all right, and showed them where the: were missing it. But he didn@t ta5e ever:thing awa: from them. He bragged about what the: did have. 8nd showed them there was more out thereAencouraging them, @?o to itK ?et after itK #t@s :our@sK@ B4on@t beat 2hristians over the head,B He said.
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4on@t beat an:one over the head. =eed them. =ind somewhere :ou can hoo5 on with them. 4on@t fight other churches and other believers. B4on@t ta5e an:thing awa: from an:bod:,B He said. B?ive them something. Put something into them.B 1hat da: changed m: ministr:. # started doing what the Hord said, and it wor5ed. Het@s loo5 again at what Paul said to them in the last part of that third chapter, B1herefore let no man glor: in men. =or all things are :ours....B 4o :ou mean to tell me, Paul, that these bab: 2hristians, these carnal 2hristians who were wal5ing as mere men, that all things were theirsG Ees. #t all belonged to them. 1he: ma: not have come to a 5nowledge of it :et, but it belonged to them. 1he: ma: not have grown to a place where the: could appreciate it and ta5e advantage of it :et, but it belonged to them. B...,hether Paul, or 8pollos, or 2ephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to comeF all are :oursF 6He didn@t ta5e an:thing from them. He said, @#t@s all :oursK@7 8nd :e are 2hrist@sF and 2hrist is ?od@sB 6# 2orinthians 3-( &(37.

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Chapter 11

THE SPIRITUAL

AN

>And I" 4re )ren" #o&'d no s%ea$ &n o !o& as &n o s%iri &a'....> A# 2orinthians 3-

#n other words Paul said, B# couldn@t spea5 unto :ou as unto spiritual men.B #sn@t that a sad traged:G ,ho is this spiritual manG ,hat are his characteristicsG
EPHES#8$S -3 3 Blessed be the ?od and =ather of our Hord

Cesus 2hrist, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenl: places in 2hrist1he spiritual man is one who 5nows what belongs to him in 2hrist Cesus, and ta5es advantage of it. 1he spiritual man has drun5 deepl: at the fountain. He has fed regularl: at the table of the Hord. 1he spiritual man has saturated himself in love, the
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love of ?od.

6no7ing the 3ather

1his man has come to 5now the =ather in realit:. 1here was a time in m: life that # 5new the Hord Cesus, was filled with the Hol: ?host, had preached a number of :ears, and had various gifts of the Spirit operating at times in m: lifeAbut somehow, on the inside of me, # 5new that ?od could become more real to me as m: =ather than a father in the flesh. 1he ,ord said He was m: =ather. 8nd # 5new in m: spirit He could become more real to me than m: wife, more real to me than either of m: children. # 5new in m: heartAand # said it out loud as # drove down the highwa: on the wa: to revival meetingsAthat # 5new ?od could become more real to me than the automobile # drove. ButA# 5new He wasn@t that real to me. #t did not come overnight. #t did not come in one month. #t did not come in one :ear. But as # continued to do what the Bible saidAto fellowship with the =ather through the ,ord and through pra:erAlittle b: little, He became more and more real to me. Until one da: # was able to sa:, BHe is more real to me and # 5now Him better than # 5now m: wife. #@m more personall: acquainted with ?od m: =ather than #
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am m: wife. He is more real to me than m: children. He is more real to me than the automobile # drive.B 61o be honest about it, not too man: can sa: that, because natural things are more real to them than spiritual things.7 # came to the place that ever: wa5ing moment, even when #@d wa5e up in the nighttime, #@d be conscious of His presenceAmore conscious of His presence than # was of m: wife@s.

6no7ing the ;on

1he spiritual man comes to 5now the Hord Cesus 2hrist in His great ministr: at the right hand of ?od the =ather. Ever: born&again believer 5nows the Hord Cesus 2hrist as Savior. But Dust being born&again will not cause :ou to grow. Cust to 5now Him as Savior, :ou@ll never be more than a bab:. 1o grow, the believer must come to 5now what he is in 2hrist, and what 2hrist is in him. He must come to 5now the present da: ministr: of the Hord Cesus 2hrist at the right hand of the =ather. Knowing the realit: of Cesus@ present da: ministr: did more for me in m: spiritual growth than an:thing else. ,e need to grow up in 5nowing the realit: of His ministr: toda: as High Priest 6Hebrews +- +& "7, as 8dvocate 6# Cohn (- 7, as #ntercessor 6<omans '-3+, Hebrews )-(*7, as Shepherd 6Psalm (3- , Cohn %- +7,
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as HordK Cust because we@ve heard this taught is no sign we wal5 in the realit: of it. #t is as we feed upon it and become acquainted with the truth that we come into the full 5nowledge of the Son of ?od unto a perfect 6mature7 man.

6no7ing the /oly %host

1he spiritual man has come to 5now the blessed intimac: of the Hol: Spirit as He is unveiled in the ,ord. Eou can be baptiIed with the Hol: ?host and spea5 in other tongues and never 5now this. 1hat@s the sad thing about it. 1he baptism of the Hol: ?host has been preached in a wa: that isn@t e0actl: right. 8nd fol5s thin5 that because B# have the baptism of the Hol: ?hostB that@s the end. But it isn@t. #t@s Dust the beginning. 8nd because of wrong thin5ing the: never reall: learn to 5now the Hol: Spirit intimatel: and are cut off from growing. 8s spiritual babes the: received the infilling of the Hol: Spirit and spo5e with other tongues, and were all Bta5en upB with the outward manifestation. 2ertainl: # believe in spea5ing in other tongues. 1han5 ?od for it. But :ou hear them tal5ing about how B# felt,B and the:@re tr:ing to BfeelB that wa: again. 6#t doesn@t ma5e the least bit of difference to me if #
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ever BfeelB that wa: again. # base nothing on feelings. # base ever:thing on the ,ord.7 1hen when the: lose that BfeelingB the: thought the: had, the: thin5 He@s gone. But He isn@t. Cesus said, B# will pra: the =ather, and he shall give :ou another 2omforter, that he ma: abide with :ou for everFB 6Cohn +- "7. He didn@t sa: He would sta: two wee5s. He didn@t sa: He would come on a vacation. He said the Hol: ?host would come Bthat he ma: abide with :ou forever.B Somebod: said, BBut Brother Hagin, don@t :ou believe that if a man sins the Hol: ?host leaves himGB 2ertainl: not. #f He ever left him he would be forever doomed and damned. He could never get bac5 to ?od. 1he Hol: ?host doesn@t go and come. $ot a scripture in the Bible sa:s so. 4avid, after he@d had the woman@s husband 5illed and committed adulter: with her, in his pra:er of repentance said, B1a5e not th: hol: spirit from meB 6Psalm * - 7. Had the Hol: Spirit left him, he could never get repentance. He could never pra:. He could never come bac5. 8nd if He ever left :ou, that would be the end of it, too. He@s still there to show :ou the wa: bac5 to repentance. #f :ou@ve sinned and failed He is still there Abecause He@s a representative of ?odAto show :ou the wa: out and lead :ou bac5. #@ve found that when #@ve missed ?od and sinned it
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isn@t the Hol: ?host inside me who condemns me, it@s m: own spirit. Cesus said that He hadn@t come into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved 6Cohn 3- )7. # found that the Hol: ?host was there to ta5e the ,ord of ?od and open it up to me, to show me the ministr: of Cesus for me toda:. ?entl:. Even when #@d missed it and was so ashamed of it # hated it with ever: fiber of m: being, :et He was so sweet and so gentle to lead me, to show me the wa: out and the wa: bac5. ...as Ind.e''er
# C/H$ +-+ + Ee are of ?od, little children, and have

overcome them- because greater is he that is in :ou, than he that is in the world. ,e need to become conscious of the Hol: Spirit@s indwelling presence, and learn to wal5 in the light of the ,ord on this subDect. 1hen in time of crisis we would remain calm and collected because we@d 5now the Bible is so whether or not it Bseems li5eB it is. #f :ou 5now Bgreater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world,B when crisis comes, :ou won@t have to run around li5e a chic5en with his head cut off, flopping here and there tr:ing to find help. Eou@ll
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5now Help is available. Eou@ll 5now He is in thereF the ?reater /ne is in there. Eou@re wal5ing in intimate fellowship with Him, and He@ll show :ou what to do. #n ever: crisis of life He shows me e0actl: what to do. /n the inside of me, He@ll rise up in me to give illumination to m: mind, direction to m: spirit. But He cannot do it if :ou@re not sufficientl: acquainted with Him to recogniIe it. #f :ou@ve been born&again and filled with the Hol: ?host, :ou have on the inside of :ou all :ou@ll ever need to put :ou over. Cesus said, B# will pra: the =ather, and he shall give :ou another 2omforterB 6Cohn +- "7. 1he ?ree5 word translated 2omforter also meansAand the 8mplified translation reads this wa: A2ounselor, Helper, #ntercessor, 8dvocate, Strengthener, and Standb:. ,hat else would :ou ever needG ?et acquainted with the Hol: ?host through the ,ord. ,hen :ou 5now what the ,ord sa:s about Him, then :ou@ll 5now what He@ll do. Eou@ll 5now how He will manifest Himself, and :ou@ll 5now how to :ield to Him. Eou@ll 5now how to wal5 with Him. 8nd :ou can grow spirituall:. ...as Tea#)er Here is an invitation, a precious invitation, a blessed invitation of the Spirit to go into the deep
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things of ?od# 2/<#$1H#8$S (- ( ( $ow we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of ?odF that we might 5now the things that are freel: given to us of ?od.

,e didn@t receive the spirit of the worldAwe received the Hol: Spirit, the Spirit which is of ?od. ,h:G =or what purposeG T)a .e mig) $no. some )ing. Cesus said of Him, BHe will teach :ou. He will guide :ou into all truth. He will show :ou things to come. He will receive of mine and show it unto :ou.B 1he Bthings that are freel: given to usB are the things Paul@s tal5ing about in Ephesians -3, Ball spiritual blessings in heavenl: places in 2hrist.B 8nd the: are the things# 2/<#$1H#8$S (- 3 3 ,hich things also we spea5, not in the words which man@s wisdom teacheth, but which the Hol: ?host teachethF comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

$ow notice something Paul said earlier in this chapter, BHowbeit we spea5 wisdom among them that are perfect 6matureAbab: 2hristians wouldn@t get it7:et not the wisdom of this world, nor o+ )e %rin#es o+
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)is .or'd" )a #ome o no&g) 6> 6verse 37. 8nother translation reads, >nor o+ )e de )roned %o.ers o+ )is .or'd.> 1hat@s involved in the all things He has done for us. CesusAin His death, burial, and resurrectionA dethroned the devil and all the spiritual forces that had ruled this earth from the time 8dam sold out to him in the garden. 8dam was the god of this world. ?od gave him dominion over all the wor5 of His hand. But 8dam committed high treason and sold out to the devil. 1hen the devil became the god of this world 6## 2orinthians +-+7. Ephesians "- ( sa:s, M=or we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the dar5ness of this world, against spiritual wic5edness in high places.N Cesus dethroned themK #n His great plan of redemption which ?od planned and sent Cesus to consummate, these powers are dethroned. 1he: can@t rule over us an: more, but we can rule over them in the name of Cesus. $owAthis wisdom is Bnot in the words which man@s wisdom teacheth, but which the Hol: ?host teachethFB 6# 2orinthians (- 37. #t is an unveiling of spiritual things. Eou couldn@t have 5nowledge from the natural, to save :our life, that Cesus defeated the devil. Eou couldn@t see Him do it. 1he disciples saw Him
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d:ing at 2alvar:, but the: didn@t 5now wh: He died. He was with them and had tried to tell them. But the: didn@t 5now wh: He died when He died. 8fter He appeared to them the: said, BHord wilt thou at this time restore again the 5ingdom to #sraelGB #t wasn@t until the Hol: ?host came and began to teach them, that the: understood the plan of salvation and what ?od did for them in redemption. 1his couldn@t be seen with the natural e:e. 1he natural man couldn@t understand it at all. #t is an unveiling of spiritual things b: the aid and the energ: of the Spirit of ?od Himself. His In)eri an#e 1he spiritual man 5nows his inheritance.
2/H/SS#8$S - (& + ( ?iving than5s unto the =ather, which hath made us meet to be parta5ers of the inheritance of the saints in light3 ,ho hath delivered us from the power of dar5ness, and hath translated us into the 5ingdom of his dear Son+ #n whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins-

8nother translation reads, B?iving than5s unto the =ather, who has given us the abilit:....B #f He Bmade us meet,B He gave us the abilit:. 1o do whatG 1o enDo: our share of the inheritance of the saints in lightK
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1he spiritual man will 5now what his inheritance is in the lightAfor the light of ?od@s ,ord will shine in and open it to him. He@ll 5now he has the 8bilit: to enDo: it. His A4i'i ! =or ?od has given us our 8bilit:. He is our 8bilit:. 1hat 8bilit: reveals itself in unveiling the treasures of the grace of ?od that belong to us. /ur thin5ing has been so shallow in some areas we have been robbed of ?od@s blessings. =or instance, we have quoted 8cts -', BBut :e shall receive power, after that the Hol: ?host is come upon :ou- and :e shall be witnesses unto me both in Cerusalem, and in all Cudaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth,B and without stud:ing it an: we@ve put emphasis on the word BpowerB not realiIing what the word BpowerB means here. # was pastor of a communit: church when # received the baptism of the Hol: ?host and spo5e with other tongues. 1o hear =ull ?ospel people tal5 about this BpowerB # thought it would be some 5ind of a great overwhelming ph:sical and emotional e0perience. But all # did was tal5 in tongues. 6Eet when # read down through the 8cts of the 8postles that was all # could find the: did. So if the other would have been important, the Bible would have said something about
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it.7 8nd though # tal5ed in tongues for an hour and a half and sang three songs in tonguesAas # tal5ed in tongues # said in m: mind, B.:, m:, m:, #@ve had a greater blessing than this man: times Dust out pra:ing b: m:self.B But, :ou see, receiving the Hol: ?host isn@t getting a blessing. Eou can get blessings beforehand and :ou can get blessings afterwards. #t is receiving a 4ivine Personalit: to come into :ou and dwell in :our spiritK # didn@t 5now that. #@d sha5e m:self, and feel m:self, and thin5, B.:, m:, m:, # don@t have an: more power now than # ever had.B So # went bac5 to m: church and never said a word about it. # didn@t seem to have an: more power to preach, but the congregation began to tell it. 1he: said, BEou have something :ou didn@t have.B # said, B,hat is itGB B,ell, it@s a greater abilit: than :ou had. #t@s a greater punch.B # loo5ed up this word BpowerB from 8cts -' in Eoung@s 2oncordance. 8nd # found out that this ?ree5 word translated BpowerB here also means Babilit:.B .: congregation could see # had more abilit: to preach than # did have. # had m: mind hung up on the Bpower.B ?od said that we would receive an abilit:. 8n abilit: to witness. ,e@ve overloo5ed the abilit: tr:ing to find the power.
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Cohn called it an unction, he called it an anointing, he said it is in :ou. ,hen :ou 5now the 8bilit: of ?od is in there then :ou 5now what he meant when he said, B?reater is he that is in :ou.B ,hen :ou 5now this, then when :ou hit that hard place, :ou can Dust lean bac5 on Him instead of fighting and tr:ing to pra: the power down or wor5 it up. Eou can Dust lean bac5 and laugh. Eou can shout all the wa: through because :ou 5now the ?reater /ne is in there. He@ll put :ou over. He@ll ma5e :ou a success. He@ll bring :ou out. 1he spiritual man is going to come to 5now this, but the bab: doesn@t 5now this. 1he bab: 5nows he has had an e0perience. ?od has made us meet, He has given us the 8bilit:. 1hat abilit: comes with the infilling of the Hol: ?host. Ees, the abilit: to witness. But it doesn@t stop there. He has given us the abilit: to enDo: our inheritance. 4eliverance, redemption, is our inheritance 62olossians - 3& +7. ,e have been delivered out of Satan@s authorit:. Satan has no authorit: over :ou, or over me, or over the 2hurch. Het@s don@t let him ta5e an:. ,e have been delivered out of his power or authorit: and translated into the 5ingdom of His dear Son 6verse 37.

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Governed 4! )e *ord Eou@re in the place of His protection and His care. Eou@re in the place where :ou feed upon the bread of heaven. 1he ,ord of ?od is the bread. Cesus said, B.an shall not live b: bread alone, but b: ever: word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ?od.B 1he manna of heaven is the ,ord of ?od. 8s :ou feed on this ,ord, :ou will grow up spirituall: into the image and unto the stature of the Son of ?od. 8nd that@s the onl: wa: :ou@ll ever get there. 8s important as pra:er is, :ou won@t get there b: pra:ing. 1hough fasting ma: have a place, :ou won@t get there b: fasting. 1hough self&denial ma: have a place in the 2hristian life, :ou won@t get there b: self&denial. 1hough e0perience has a place in the 2hristian lifeA and than5 ?od for e0periencesAbut though :ou ma: have had man: wonderful e0periences or man: wonderful visions or revelations, the: will not get :ou there. $or will spiritual gifts get :ou there. 1hese things have their place and their purpose, but the Bible tells :ou e0actl: how to get there. #t comes b: the 5nowledge of the ,ord. 1he spiritual man is the one in whom the ,ord has gained the ascendanc: over his mind and over his bod:. #t has brought him into harmon: with the will of ?od, for the ,ord of ?od is the will of ?od.
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PART V

Chapter 12

THE RIGHT DIET

Eou have to have the right diet if :ou@re going to grow. ,hat is itG ,ell, of course, the entire ,ord of ?od. But particularl: the $ew 1estament. Because we live under the $ew 2ovenant, not under the /ld 2ovenant. Some things said bac5 there don@t appl: to us. .an: principles do, but other things don@t. 1he: appl: to the Cews. 2ertain sections of the $ew 1estament are written especiall: for :our benefit. 6/ther sections, li5e the four ?ospels, are for the benefit of not Dust 2hristians and believers, but the world and sinners.7 1here are
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Hetters which are written directl: to the 2hurch. Spend most of :our time feeding on the Epistles. $o one told me to do it, but # believe that on the bed of affliction where # was born&again as a bo: of *, # unconsciousl: :ielded and was led b: the Spirit of ?od. 1he first time # was ph:sicall: able to have a Bible brought to m: bed, when # loo5ed at it and saw it said B/ld 1estamentB and B$ew 1estamentB # reasoned that the $ew must ta5e the place of the /ld. So # started in with .atthew. # eventuall: saw that the Hetters were written to the 2hurchAfrom Paul@s writings to the <omans and the 2orinthians right on down through the Hetters of Peter and Cohn. 1hrough these man: :ears #@ve spent !%O of m: stud: of the ,ord of ?od here. #t@s the diet #@m supposed to have. #t@s the message that was written to me. 1here are things there which can@t be found an: place else. Paul plainl: stated about the m:ster: of this revelation that it was BnowB made manifest 6<omans "-(*&("7. Het :our diet be mainl: made up of the Epistles or Hetters which were written to the 2hurch. Particularl: let it consist of # 2orinthians 3 and the =irst Epistle of Cohn. ?et an 8mplified translation of # 2orinthians 3 and go over it carefull:. #t will do Dust what its name impliesAit will amplif: those verses and help :ou
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understand them even better. =eed on all five chapters of # Cohn. Eou will find that in these two writingsA# 2orinthians 3 and # CohnAthe great love teachings are unveiled and revealed. Cohn comes bac5 to it again and againB,e 5now that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethrenB 6# Cohn 3- +7. BBut whoso hath this world@s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of ?od in himGB 6# Cohn 3- )7. BBut whoso 5eepeth his word, in him veril: is the love of ?od perfected-....B 6# Cohn (-*7. B1here is no fear in loveF but perfect love casteth out fear...He that feareth is not made perfect in loveB 6# Cohn +- '7. 1hese are Dust a few of the man: such statements there. ?od@s nature is Hove. 8s His child :ou have the Hove nature in :ou. Eet that nature has to be fed in order for i to grow. Unless :ou feed where this is found it will not grow and develop in :our life. # am thoroughl: convinced that if ever: 2hristian would get into # 2orinthians 3 and # Cohn and live there awhile, it would onl: be a little while until the:@d be so different the:@d have to pinch themselves and
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sa:, B#s this meGB #t wouldn@t be long until their homes would be so different it would be absolutel: amaIing. =or one statement in # 2orinthians 3 is, B6Hove7 see5eth not her ownB 6verse *7. 1he babes are alwa:s see5ing their ownAnaturall: and spirituall:, too. 1he bab: is alwa:s sa:ing, B.other, Cohnn: has m: cart.B /r, B.ar: has m: doll.B Strife. Puarreling over their own. 1he quarrels in our homes, the divorces, give us a picture of the bab:hood state of the modern church. 1hose who wal5 in love and have matured in love wouldn@t be acting this wa:. 1his bab:hood condition in the church can be remedied onl: b: the stud:, the feeding upon, and the putting into practice of the ,ord of ?od. Stud: the plan of redemption. =ind out what :ou are in 2hristAand what 2hrist is in :ou. =ind out :our standing before ?od. =ind out that :ou are the righteousness of ?od in 2hrist Cesus. =ind out what He did for :ou in His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the right hand of the =ather. =ind out what He is doing for :ou right now at the right hand of the =ather in His present da: ministr: where He ever liveth to ma5e intercession for us. 1his 5nowledge will help :ou grow out of the bab:hood state into a full grown man in 2hrist. Here@s ?od@s commentar: on the subDect+*

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# 2/<#$1H#8$S +-) ) =or who ma5eth thee to differ from anotherG

and what hast thou that thou didst not receiveG now if thou didst receive it, wh: dost thou glor:, as if thou hadst not received itG ,hatever we have from ?od we received b: grace.
EPHES#8$S +-) ) But unto ever: one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of 2hrist.

Each believerAthough born&again as a babeAhas a measure, a deposit of grace that will meet ever: emergenc: in his life. Ever: believer has the same new birth, the same Eternal Hife, the same Hove of ?od, the same grace, the same Hol: Spirit 6we 5now Him first in a measure in the new birth, but then there is the fullness of the Spirit available to us7, the same Eternal #ntercessor, Cesus 2hrist, the same matchless Heavenl: =ather. #f all this be true, then there is no reason for us to be wea5 and to remain babies when b: reason of time we should be developed. Het@s loo5 again at the full grown believer in Ephesians +- 3& +, B1ill we all come in the unit: of the faith, and of the 5nowledge of the Son of ?od, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of
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the fullness of 2hrist- 1hat we henceforth be no more children....B ?od never planned on :our remaining a bab: spirituall: an: more than He planned on :our remaining a bab: ph:sicall:, or mentall:. ,e@re attracted to little babies. 1he:@re so sweet and wonderful. But wouldn@t it be sad for a little one to live twent: or twent:&five :ears and not grow ph:sicall: or mentall:G # saw an individual li5e thatA thirt:&eight :ears old and still in a bassinet. His mother nearing sevent: would pin a diaper on him and feed him Dust as :ou would a small bab:. How :our heart bleeds for them. 8ged parents, the other children grown and married, and the: are left with this one. But, :ou 5now, how sad it is for 2hristians. .an: are in the same boat. #f we could see spirituall:, the:@ve never developed. 1he:@re still babies. =ort: :ears old and still a bab:. Selfish. Sensitive. Easil: hurt. Envious. Cealous. 8 deacon, an older man who@d been saved and filled with the Hol: ?host thirt: :ears came cr:ing to the parsonage bawling li5e a bab:, BBrother Hagin, :ou don@t visit me li5e :ou do some of the others. # saw :our car three times last wee5 over at Brother So& and&so@s house.B # said, BEes, and there@s another verse right under that. #@m not coming to see :ou either. Eou get up and
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testif:, @# was saved thirt: :ears ago last /ctober, filled with the Hol: ?host for thirt: :ears.@ B8 big thirt: :ear old bab:. 1his man he@d seen me visiting had Dust gotten saved in our meeting a wee5 or so before. Because he was Dust a newborn bab: he@d stumbled around and missed it. ?od tal5ed to me in m: heart and sent me out there to deal with him. So # went out to help him. # said to this deacon, BEou don@t need an:one running out there to visit :ou and feed :ou the bottle. Eou need to be out visiting others :ourself.B ,e have churches full of babies. 1a5e their bottles awa: and :ou have a cr: on :our hands. 1r: to get them to get up and get out of the spiritual nurser: and give up their bed to some newborn babe and the: wouldn@t do it for an:thing in the world. 8nother deacon, a leader, supposed to be setting an e0ample in the church, got mad and wouldn@t come. # 5new something happened because his wife 5ept coming. 6Some men would be in a mess if the: didn@t have good wives.7 # saw him in town and he would hardl: tal5 to me. He was hard and cold, puffed up li5e a toad frog. His wife was a sweet person and # as5ed her, B,hat@s wrong with himGB She said, B/h, he@s mad about something. He went home from church and went to bed. He wouldn@t even
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tal5 to me for three da:s. # finall: Dust as5ed him what was wrong. # thought ma:be it was me. But it wasn@t. 8nd it@s not e0actl: :ou. Somebod: sat in his pew. He alwa:s sits right here in the second pew, the second seat from the end. ,hen he got here and someone was sitting there, he got so mad he stood up. He wouldn@t sit an:where else.B 8 man li5e that isn@t fit to be a deacon. ?od never planned that he would remain a spiritual bab:. He wants us to grow spirituall:. E:)or a ions o Gro. ) and S%iri &a'i !
EPHES#8$S 3-(% (% $ow unto him that is able to do e0ceeding abundantl: above all that we as5 or thin5, according to the power that wor5eth in us.

1here is no need for us to sta: in a state of bab:hood, or under development. ,e have the Power of ?od wor5ing in usK ,e have the 8bilit: of ?od wor5ing in usK But instead of :ielding to that, babies :ield to the flesh.
PH#H#PP#8$S +- 3 3 # can do all things through 2hrist which

strengtheneth me. SeeK $o place for under developmentK

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HEB<E,S */f whom we have man: things to sa:, and hard to be uttered, seeing :e are dull of hearing.

1he Boo5 of Hebrews isn@t written to the worldF it@s written to 2hristians, to believers. #f the believer isn@t careful, he can become dull of hearing so that the ,ord cannot reach him. 1his can hold him in that bab:hood state and carnalit:. ?oing on with the ne0t verse...
HEB<E,S *- ( ( =or when for the time :e ought to be teachers, :e have need that one teach :ou again which be the first principles of the oracles of ?odF and are become such as have need of mil5, and not of strong meat.

1his doesn@t mean that ever:one of them would have a teaching gift. #t means that because the: have 5nown and have been fed on the ,ord themselves, the: ought to be able to teach someone else. Ever: believer ought to aspire to be the teacher of at least one. But :ou can@t teach if :ou@re a babe, and still on mil5.
HEB<E,S *- 3& + 3 =or ever: one that useth mil5 is uns5ilful in

the word of righteousness- for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are
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of full age,.... Paul tal5s about the same things in 1imoth:.

## 1#./1HE 3-) ) Ever learning, and never able to come to the

5nowledge of the truth. #sn@t that the picture of some toda:G ?oing to church Sunda: after Sunda:, ever learning, :et never arriving. #f calamit: comes, if sic5ness comes, if the loss of propert:, or the death of loved ones comes, the: stand paral:Ied and helpless in the presence of the enem:. 1he: have the resources of ?od because the: are believers and He has made provision for them. 1he: have the 8bilit: of ?od. 1he: have His loving ,ords. But the: have never ta5en advantage of it. 1he: never avail themselves of the riches that are theirs when the crises come. 2rises of life come to all of us. But it ma5es a big difference when a crisis comes whether :ou are in the carnalit: bab:hood stage, or whether :ou have grown at least to some e0tent. 2hildren who have never developed when crisis comes, are unable to ta5e advantage of what belongs to them. 1he:@ve sta:ed in their infanc:. .: what a picture. Ephesians *- and ( shows what the: could be.
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EPHES#8$S *- &( Be :e therefore followers of ?od, as dear childrenF ( 8nd wal5 in love, as 2hrist also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to ?od for a sweet&smelling savour.

# li5e another translation which reads, BBe :e therefore imitators of ?od, as beloved children.B ,hat@s it tal5ing about to follow ?odG to imitate ?odG <emember, ?od is Hove. #n the =irst Epistle of Cohn, which # wanted :ou to sta: in for awhile, Cohn sa:s in effect that if :ou wal5 in love, then :ou wal5 in ?od, and ?od is in :ou and :ou@re in ?od, because ?od is love. #mitate ?od in love. B?od so loved the world.B He loved us while we were :et sinners. ,ell, imitate Him in that. #t@s eas: to love those who love :ou. 8n:bod: can do that. But we@re supposed to do li5e ?odAto imitate Him in loveAand love the unlovel:, love the unlovable, love our enemies. Eou can@t do that unless :ou have the Hove of ?od in :ou. 8nd :ou@ll not do it unless :ou grow in Hove. ,hen :ou@re sensitive and easil: hurt, it doesn@t ta5e enemies outside the bod: of 2hrist, but Dust a believer, a brother in the Hord, to do something that doesn@t amount to a hill of beans and :ou@re so easil:
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hurt :ou@re almost read: to cut his head off. Be imitators of ?od wal5ing in Hove. 1his is our privilege. 1his is where we should and could live. ,e have this $ew 2ovenant law to govern us as a 2hurchC/H$ 3-3+&3* 3+ 8 new commandment # give unto :ou, 1hat :e love one anotherF as # have loved :ou, that :e also love one another. 3* B: this shall all men 5now that :e are m: disciples, if :e have love one to another.

3ruit o2 the /uman ;pirit

Hove is the first fruit of the human spirit when :ou are born&again. #t@s not the fruit of the Hol: Spirit. 1he translators were entirel: wrong in putting a capital BSB in ?alatians *-((. #t refers to the human spirit. Cesus said, B# am the vine, :e are the branchesB 6Cohn *-*7. ,here does the fruit growG /n the branches. ,ho are the branchesG 1he Hol: SpiritG $o. ,e are. 1his fruit of the spirit 6?alatians *-((7 is fruit that grows in :our life because of the Hife of 2hrist within. How are :ou going to 5now and tell that :ou are
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savedG B,e 5now that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethrenB 6# Cohn 3- +7. 1his is the fruit of the recreated, born&again human spirit 6?alatians *-((&(37. Eou can ta5e each fruit of the spirit and prove b: the Bible that if :ou@re saved :ou have it. =or instance, one is peace. <omans *sa:s, B1herefore being Dustified b: faith, we have peace with ?od through our Hord Cesus 2hrist.B #f :ou are born&again, this Hove is in :ou. Eou ma: not be practicing it. But it@s in :our inward man, :our spirit. #f :ou@re ever going to grow and develop out of the bab:hood state, :ou will have to learn to feed this Hove nature on the ,ord of ?od, and e0ercise this love nature in the arena of life. 1hen :ou will grow in Hove. Eou@ll not do it an: other wa:. Eou could sit around all da: and pra:, B?od, give me love. ?od, help me love m: brother. ?od, help me love the world,B and it wouldn@t do an: more good than to twiddle :our thumbs and sa:, B1win5le, twin5le, little starF How # wonder what :ou are.B But when :ou recogniIe the Bible teaches that because :ou are born of ?od :ou are born of HoveF that :ou are made a parta5er of the divine nature, ?od@s nature, which is HoveF and :ou have it, a
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measure of it at least...and then :ou get read: to feed that love nature on the ,ord of ?od, and to put it into practice...:ou will begin spiritual development and growth. 8nd not until. Hove is absolutel: to govern the heart life of the 2hurch.
# 2/<#$1H#8$S %-(+ (+ Het no man see5 his own, but ever: man another@s wealth 6or good7.

How man: of us are see5ing our own goodG .ost of us. ,hen love does not rule, then the motives of life become distortedF conduct becomes abnormal, and the bod: rules the spirit causing the mind to be brought into captivit: to earthl: things.

#ene7ing the 9ind

</.8$S (-( ( 8nd be not conformed to this world- but be :e transformed b: the renewing of :our mind, that :e ma: prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of ?od.

1he primal need of man is to have his mind renewed. B8nd be not conformed to this world....B 68nother translation sa:s, BBe not conformed to this age.B7 4on@t
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thin5 li5e this age thin5sK 4on@t thin5 li5e this generation thin5s. 4on@t thin5 li5e this world thin5sK 4on@t be fashioned according to this world, or this age. B...but be :e transformed b: the renewing of :our mind, that :e ma: prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of ?od.B 1his infers that if :our mind is renewedAand it becomes renewed b: the ,ord of ?odAthen :ou will 5now what is the good, the acceptable 6one translation sa:s BpermissiveB7, and the perfect will of ?od. But until :our mind is renewed, :ou will sta: in the state of bab:hood.
2/H/SS#8$S 3- % % 8nd have put on the new man, which is renewed in 5nowledge after the image of him that created him-

#t is deepl: important that the believer@s mind be renewed after the image of Cesus. 1hat@s one reason He sent the Hol: ?host to indwell us and be our 1eacher and ?uide. He said, BHowbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide :ou into all truth-...B 61his can onl: come as the Spirit, through the ,ord, guides us into the realit: of our redemption in 2hrist.7 B...for he shall not spea5 of himselfF but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he spea5- and he will shew :ou things to comeB 6Cohn "- 37.
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EPHES#8$S +-(3&(+ (3 8nd be renewed in the spirit of :our mindF (+ 8nd that :e put on the new man, which after ?od is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Eou 5now as well as #, that if :ou put on the new man created after ?od in righteousness and true holiness, that is going to be the end of env:ings, Dealousies, strifes, and divisions, isn@t itG 1herefore, :ou wouldn@t be a babe in that carnal state an:more.
</.8$S (- &( # beseech :ou therefore, brethren, b: the mercies of ?od, that :e present :our bodies a living sacrifice, hol:, acceptable unto ?od, which is :our reasonable service. ( 8nd be not conformed to this world- but be :e transformed b: the renewing of :our mind....

Paul didn@t write this to unsaved people. #t came as a real shoc5 to me, after fifteen :ears in the ministr:, when # realiIed that Paul is sa:ing to people who are born&again and filled with the Hol: ?host that it hadn@t affected their bodies or their minds. 1herefore the new birth and the baptism of the Hol: Spirit are not mental e0periences, nor ph:sical e0periences, but spiritual e0periences. 8fter :ou are born again, and after :ou are filled with the Hol: ?host, it is up to :ou to do something
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with :our bod:. #t is up to :ou to do something with :our mind. 1he real :ou is the man on the insideAthe spirit man. Eou are to present :our bod: to ?od. 6He does want transfigured bodies.7 8nd :ou are to get :our mind renewed. HowG ,ith the ,ord of ?od. B: meditating on and practicing the ,ord of ?od.

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Chapter 13

A WORD OF ENCOURAGE ENT

4on@t become discouraged because :ou don@t become a full grown 2hristian overnight. Eou didn@t become a full grown human overnight. 1he Bible sa:s for us to e0amine ourselves. #t doesn@t sa: for me to e0amine :ou, or for :ou to e0amine me. But to e0amine :ourself. 8s # e0amine m:self, in some areas # thin5 #@m growing prett: well, that #@m prett: well matured. But as # loo5 at another place, it seems li5e #@m still a bab: in that area. 8nd then as # loo5 in another area it seems li5e #@m in the childhood state. # dare sa: :ou are in the same boat. #s an:one full: grown upG full: spiritualG alread: perfected in loveG # don@t thin5 so. But, praise ?od, we@re on our wa:K 4on@t be discouraged because :ou don@t get there overnight. Eou didn@t become discouraged because :ou went one wee5 to school and the: didn@t graduate :ou the ne0t. $o, :ou sta:ed on in the first grade and
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were tic5led to get in the second grade the ne0t :ear. Eou will not grow up spirituall: overnight an: more than :ou grew up mentall: or ph:sicall: overnight. But there@s one thing about itAthere@s no need of :our not growing. #t is alwa:s the greatest concern of m: life whether or not # 5now more about ?od and have grown an: this :ear above last :ear. # believe in going on to perfection. #@m not perfect :et, are :ouG But #@m going on. #@m not going to stop and quit Dust because # didn@t grow up last wee5, or because # made a mista5e or failed. 1he full grown 2hristian won@t do that either, because he 5nows that Cesus is right there to represent him at the right hand of the =ather. Ever: step out of love is sin. 1oo often we@ve gotten in our minds that :ou didn@t sin unless :ou bro5e one of the ten commandments. But that was the law of the /ld 2ovenant. 1he new law of the $ew 2ovenant is that we love one another. So ever: word said out of love is sin. Ever: act made out of love is sin. But this Epistle written to the 2hurch sa:s, B.: little children, these things write # unto :ou, that :e sin not. 8nd if an: man sin, we have an advocate with the =ather, Cesus 2hrist the righteousB 6# Cohn (- 7. 8s # loo5 bac5Aand # guess an:one who has had
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an: spiritual growth is the same wa:, we thought we were doing prett: well spirituall:, bac5 when we were in some areas of bab:hood. ,e thought we were living practicall: sinless. ,e met all the human standards the: set for us, so we thought we were practicall: sinless. But then, as we grow up a little and develop spirituall:, and we loo5 bac5 we see we were sinning more than we thought we were. ,e come to find out we missed it more than we thought we did. ,e failed to wal5 in love. But Dust because we failed, we didn@t sta: there. ,e got up and went again. #t is the 5nowledge of ?od@s ,ord that helps us to grow. 1hat ,ord is spiritual foodAfood for our spiritsK

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