Christ is the mystery no 152
All in the name no 3
Characteristics of the Name
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
Galatians 5:22 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And
they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh (they have crucified self) with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let
us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians
6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear
ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ.
And
what is this law of Christ Paul said we are to fulfill? It is the Law of Life
where every seed must bring forth after its kind. And it is called the law of
the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus as Paul says in Romans 8:2 For the law
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin
and death.
In other words as Paul speaks in Galatians 5 there is
one law that Governs how you live, and that is the law set forth in Genesis 1:11 that "every seed must bring forth after it's kind." But last night we examined the law of life in
the natural man and then we began to examine the law of the Spirit of Life in
Christ Jesus showing those who have died to self, to the old nature and have
been buried in the Name of Jesus Christ, actually are planted in baptism and
are raised up bearing the Name of the One that planted them, namely the same
Name that governed the nature of Life in Christ Jesus Himself.
As Paul said in Romans
Planting the vine and where to plant it 59-0920 P:68
The Bible says this
now. The very Bible that said, "The works that I do shall you also," said this: "These signs shall follow them that believe:
If they lay their hands on the sick they shall recover." Now, the God that made one promise
and keeps it... If you're planted in that--by the rivers of water, it
brings every Divine Presence of God, every promise right into your connection.
You're a tree that's planted by the rivers of one Water.
That one Water is Christ, His Holy Spirit. There's healing; there's salvation;
there's joy; there's long-suffering, meekness, gentleness,
patience, all kinds of gifts laying right in that one precious
Name. "Whatever
you ask the Father in My Name, that I will do." Now, you pray in the Name of
Jesus for the person you got your hands on; I'll pray overall for all of
you. Let the Holy Spirit that's present now heal every person.
Planting the vine and where to plant it 59-0920 P:61
the Church is actually planted in God. Jesus said, "At that day, you'll know that I am in the
Father, the Father's in Me, and I in you and you in Me." See, it's that Life of God
flowing right down through the Name of Jesus Christ, right down into the
Church. See? Makes us one. We're branches. We're
representatives of His.
Notice then as we bear the name of Jesus we bear the
Life in the name. We are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh, Word of His
Word and Spirit off of His Spirit. we are one. And so
as we continue in these attributes that identify the life in the name, let us
continue in Galatians 6 and verse 2.
2 Bear
ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ. 3 For if
a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives only
himself. 4 But
let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear
his own burden. 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate
unto him that teaches in all good things. 7 Be not
deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;
but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the
Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in
well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As
we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of
faith.
Last
night we spoke on the characteristics of both the natural man, the self
centered man, the old man, and then we turned our focus onto the
characteristics of the Spirit filled Son of God. But do not forget we are still talking
about the Name here. The attributes and characteristics that
identify the name. For as we mentioned in no 1 in this mini series about
the Name of Jesus we showed how names have meanings, and therefore the nature
of the name is expressed in the Life of the one who is bearing the name.
Therefore
in continuing to address the attributes of the Spirit filled sons of God, the
one who bears the Name of Jesus in baptism, and newness of life, Paul
continues in Galatians 5 and verse 22 and let us examine the next attribute that Paul
speaks to us concerning our reflecting the nature of God's Spirit in our lives
which he says is longsuffering, because
after all God is the God of long suffering. And simply put long suffering means to
be willing to suffer long.
Psalms 86:15 But
thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering,
and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Numbers 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity
and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD
God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
truth,
In
other words, when you know the other is wrong, and they are perhaps not walking
in the way which is right, instead of jumping all over them, we must approach
them with long suffering. Now, that does not mean for one minute you have to
agree with them, or that you are supposed to accept what wrong they do. No,
long suffering simply means that although they are wrong, you bear with them.
Therefore Forbearance and Longsuffering run hand in hand as we see in
the Scriptures.
Ephesians 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love;
1 Timothy
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto
all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by
the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
Now,
the next attribute of a Spirit filled believer who bears the name of Jesus
comes forth as a progression out of long suffering, for one who is long
suffering is not harsh but rather shows themselves to
be gentle and kind in their disposition. So Paul says, Longsuffering and then
he mentions gentleness, which is defined
as "kindness, or mildness." The quality or state of being gentle; especially: mildness of manners or disposition. So
what does that mean? It means: having or
showing a kind and quiet nature: not harsh or violent.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first
pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but
gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
And
I think this is where we as a believing people make our biggest mistakes in our
relationships with others. We need to come to the place that no matter what men
would say against us, we just learn not to respond to it. I know this has been
my failing as a Husband, and as a Father and as a Pastor. Basically, I have
taken a strong and sometimes bold stand when no response would have been the
best position to take.
By
responding to insults you are acknowledging them. Ignoring them is the best
medicine for the one doing the insulting, because the reason they insult you is
to get a response out of you, so they can say, See! See! Look at their
response. But in not responding at all, it defuses their sting.
But what they fail to see is that John
said, "he that is born of God does not initiate
sin." He does not go out looking for it. So when they attack you and as
Jesus said, "they will say all manner of evil against you for my names
sake," There's the name again. And so when they do we are commanded to
just let go and let God. Turn the cheek, for the one throwing the blows at you
will have to answer to God one day for there words. But sometimes as I said we
fall short ourselves and return blow for blow, and that is exactly what Satan
wants you to do, because then he can say, 'see, You're not so perfect
yourself".
And of course we are not perfect but we
bear the name of one who is perfect. And the one who bore the name first said,
"be ye perfect, even as my Father in heaven
is perfect." and the only way we are perfected is by the
blood of the innocent one, Jesus.
Now, Paul said in 2 Timothy
And
Jesus Himself told us in Matthew
So
think of your reward in heaven when men revile
you and speak against you. What they are doing is throwing your
reward at you. Then we should be thankful for all they throw our way. And we
should never throw back our reward at them, or else they are storing up our
treasure.
That
is why the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice:
And
Jesus told us that men will prove what nature they bear, by what they speak out
from their mouth as He tells us in Matthew
So
when you hear men reviling you, just remember, how can anyone
who is good speak such evil things. They speak evil because they are
evil. Because Righteous men speak righteous things because they think righteous
thoughts while evil men will speak evil things because they think evil
thoughts. It's just that simple. How can a well bring forth good and bad water
at the same time. That is what James said, and it's
the truth.
In
James 3:5 we read, Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how
great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the
tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the
course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts,
and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath
been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it
is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which
are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things
ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth
at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my
brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield
salt water and fresh. 13 Who is
a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let
him shew out of a good conversation his works with
meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This
wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying
and strife is, there is
confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy. 18 And the
fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
The
next Attribute that the Apostle Paul speaks of as attributes of a Spirit filled
person is
goodness. Goodness is defined as virtue or
beneficence: in other words, morally good behavior or character. And not only
being moral and of good character, but producing
or manifesting good and moral acts. IE: doing or
producing good; especially : performing acts of kindness and
charity
2 Thessalonians
Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness
and truth;)
And
of course the apostle Paul who taught us that it all begins with faith would
never think to leave it out of the list of Divine Attributes that every
Believer filled with the Spirit of God would manifest. faith,
Hebrews 11:6 For without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him.
And
we know God's vindicated prophet taught us that Faith
is a Revelation, something that is revealed to you. And we know that
Revelation is not a mental thing, but something that had been hidden is now manifested openly
so that our knowing is not based upon human ability to understand, but by God's
grace to open the eyes of your understanding that you might see what He sees.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
And
therefore, Faith gives us access into the very mind of God.
Ephesians 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with
confidence by the faith of him.
Romans 5:2 By
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Ephesians 1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and
love unto all the saints,
Romans 5:1 Therefore
being justified by faith, (justified
by revelation) we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ:
Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Then we see him list 23 Meekness, as an
attribute of the Spirit filled Christian.
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Notice
that Paul tells us here to put on meekness. Then if we are commanded to put on
meekness, then meekness is something within our own power to do in response to
the command put it on. Now, the word meekness speaks of gentleness but also
speaks of humility.
Webster's
dictionary defines meekness as enduring injury with
patience and without resentment : and
the word humility is defined as the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people :
the quality or state of being humble.
Romans 12:3 For
I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not
to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
followed closely by temperance: which he says, against such
there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us
not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
So
you see, the closer and closer we come into the image
of Christ, the less we will provoke others through things we do in our actions
and words. But if we are to put on Christ, and to bear the name of Jesus
Christ, then to put on Christ means just exactly what Paul said. He did not say
we are to put on a part of Christ, but we are to grow up into Christ in all
things. That's what he said in Ephesians 4.
He
said, Ephesians
From
his sermon, Tested Faith Produces Goods 58-0518 P:37 "He that heareth My Word, and
believeth on Him that sent Me, has Eternal Life, and shall not come to the
judgment; but has passed from death to Life."
Then what kind of a character would that be? If many has that profession
and don't have the fruits of the Spirit to follow it, then they're deceived.
"If you love the world, or the things of
the world, the love of God is not in you."
Now, just think about that title of that sermon. Tested Faith Produces Goods. Untested faith
doesn't produce anything. So it's the test that counts.
Communion 57-0418 P:33 I wonder tonight if I'm speaking to people who once made a start to
go through with God, and when the testing time come you chose rather to go back
into the world and do the things of the world, or did you take the rugged old
way of salvation? Did you do like Moses when he was under testing? When he had his foot on the throne of
Reproach for the word 62-1223 P:34 Can you remember the disciples returning
back and rejoicing because they figured that they were counted worthy to
stand the reproach of His Name? He said, "All that live godly in Christ shall bear a
persecution," the
reproach of the Word. You always have to stand this reproach in order to
give your testing to see. Every man that comes to Christ must first be
child-trained for the purpose that God has ordained you for. And remember, if
you could just keep quiet... Remember, if He's called you for this, there's
nothing that can keep it from happening. There's
not enough devils in torment but what God's Word will be made manifest. You're
born for a purpose. And nobody can take your place. You might have
impersonators and everything else, but they'll never take your place.
That's right. God's Word will triumph. It cannot fail. There's where every
Christian ought to stand, knowing that trials will come up and seem
every way to you. But remember, God has a purpose, and it all will work right.
Victory day 63-0421 P:64 Now, remember. God has counted you
worthy when you have a test. Now, don't fail this, to get this. When
you have a trial, or a test, it shows the grace of God has found... You found
favor with God. And God believes that you'll stand the test. You
remember, He did the same thing by Job. Satan said,
"Oh, yes, I seen Job down there." God said, "He's a perfect
servant. There's none in earth like him. There's nobody like Job. He's a
perfect man. Now, He's My pride and joy." Satan
said, "Oh, sure. He gets everything he asks for." Said, "Let me
have him once." And said, " I'll make him
curse you to your very face." Said, "I'll just make him curse
you." God said, "He's in your hands, but don't you take his
life," See? God had confidence in Job. Amen.
So just remember, "all things will work
together for those who love the Lord and are The called according to His
purpose." And remember one other things.
Thy seed shall possess gate 62-0121M P:38 And you go through a testing time.
The church goes through a testing time. Each individual goes through
a testing time before it can ever possess the gate of the enemy. Abraham
went through it. Christ went through it. After Christ was filled with the Holy
Spirit there at the
Notice that brother Branham said not only do we as
individuals go through a time of testing, but so does the church. And he also
said "if the church is not being tested it is
not of God."
Impersonation of Christianity 57-0120M P:71
Is that Spirit that's
in your life, ticking out your emotions exactly with the Bible? Have you longsuffering, and gentleness, goodness? Material is not tested... Listen as you
pray. Material is not tested by its quantity, how big it is, how big of a
church, I mean here. See? It's not tested by its quantity, but by its quality.
Metal is tested by its strength. And the Church is not tested on how big a
church or how many members. It's tested by its strength by the Bible,
how can it say, "Amen," to every promise that God has given.
Now, I know we all are tested in ways that may very
much from one another. But let me say this. I know specific times in my life
that I knew the test was on, and God was going to see how I responded in the
situation he brought me.
I remember specifically as a young man, facing the
test, do I play football on Sunday with the Minnesota Vikings or do I put God's
Word first. You know brother Branham was tested in that when he was thirteen
years old and he passed the test and so did I.
I remember other tests as well. Do I accept this job
for 6 digits but I would have to move to Michigan, and that was when 6 digits
meant a whole lot more than it does today, that was 20 years ago, but I would
have had to leave the ministry to do it, or do I turn it down and continue
serving God as a pastor. I never even flinched, even when the recruiter told me
that he was told that he had received over 400 applicants for the position of
Director of Packaging for this very large firm, and the Vice president said he
was only interested in one person and that was me, and he was to offer me
whatever I wanted to get me to come work for them. I never gave it a second
thought. I passed the test.
But do you know as a pastor we get tested quite often
in what we preach. I know many do not understand this, but when God tells you
to preach some things that are very hard, you got to do it. And when He tells
you to do it, immediately Satan is there telling you if you do you are going to
loose a whole bunch of people. But I can honestly tell you that I have been
obedient to My Father and I have not withheld from you even tough I knew saying
certain things would cause some to leave.
This has been the case several times over the years,
but I would rather say it and say it the way he told me to say it, than to not
say it or say it in a way that it would not be understood.
Now, I know that many preachers cloak their words in
obscurity, to ease their consciences. They justify that they said what they
were supposed to say, but they say it in such a way that there is no power, their is no impact.
I was listening to brother Branham the other day and
he just blasted the people for something, and then he said, I know that what I just
said hurts, but I said what he wanted to me to say, and in the manner in which
he wanted me to say it. So we are all tested, but how well are we in passing
the test? How many times are we taking the same test over and over again. That will tell you how you are faring.
From this sermon we are studying, Christ is the mystery - 63-0728 216.brother Branham said, "Listen closely now again as we go on, going back to the
original
And again from Christ is
the mystery - 63-0728 217. And
remember, we are now as His Bride, pregnated with His Spirit. Oh, my.
The Church bearing children (See?), pregnated by His Spirit with His Name,
bearing His Name, bearing His Life, bringing forth the signs of His
Life evident with the preeminences, evidence
of His resurrection showing that He is not dead, but alive forevermore. This
is Eternal Life. And a-vindicated--vindicates to the world that we are
alive in Him. Whew.
Christ is the mystery - 63-0728 281. What is it? Not them
people; the Headship and the Body has become One unit. It's God
manifested in His people. That's the reason the husband and wife is no
longer twain; they're one. God and His Church is One: Christ in you, God's
great revelation (Glory to God.), even bearing his name. His
Name is Jesus, the Anointed. The reason He's called Jesus, He is the
Anointed. And it's the Anointed Body of Christ proving, manifested God like
that Body did. And that Body redeemed every these bodies.
So how can you bear anything else but His
life if you are bearing His name?
How can you bear any other character than
his character if you are bearing His name?
How can you bear any other nature than His
nature if you are bearing His name?
How can you bear any other Life than His
Life if you are bearing his name?
Then, How could you not
bear His Power when you are bearing His name?
Because bearing His name means you are bearing his presence, bearing His
power. Because when he said, I am, that
means "the self existing one," "the One Who is present".
Did
Jesus not promise in John
And
did not Jesus promise us in Matthew 28:20 "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the
world. Amen."
And
Matthew
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made
to drink into one Spirit. Therefore Speaking His
name brings His Presence. Because that is what His name means. I exist that
I exist. I am present that I am present. In old testament
they knew that if they spoke his name it would bring his name it was too holy
to utter.
Therefore, We are kept
by the name of Jesus as Jesus himself prayed in John
Therefore, Jesus came to
manifest the name of the Father which means he came to manifest the
very nature, the very character and the very power of the father through the
name the father gave Him. John 17: 4 I have glorified
thee on the earth: (I have doxazo, I have magnified thy Values, and thy Opinions and judgments) I have finished the work which thou gavest
me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me (magnify in me thy values,
opinions and judgments) with thine
own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. and what was this work of the father that he finished? We
get our answer in the next :. 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine
they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have
kept thy word.
Therefore in
manifesting the name of the father he manifested the very character, the very
nature, and the very power of the father.
God identifying Himself 64-0320 P:31 The Bible don't give an uncertain sound. It
identifies the characteristic of God in Its sounding. Jesus said in St. John 10:37, "If I do not the works of My Father, and I don't
have that character of My Father, then don't believe
Me. They are the one...
They identify His character in Me, His characteristics, because the Father
is the Word." In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. And the characteristic of God is displayed by His
promise for that age.
let us
pray...