Chapter 4 (Part 1) 
IN THE “IMAGE” OF GOD

(Author’s Note: Pardon the capitalization of some of these “sharing’s”…I used that to make my messages easier for me to read in a church service. All bible references are KJV unless noted. One more thing…some of these messages were presented before the “change” in my viewpoint of God and Christianity…they have “Christian” elements, which I was then preaching. Nonetheless the concepts they embody reflect “truth” and I ask you to forgive me if some things sound “Christian” and take into account that I was “blind” to many areas of “truth” at that time.) 

THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO BREAK INTO YOUR THINKING TODAY AND CHALLENGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE WONDERFUL POTENTIAL THAT IS INSIDE YOU! 

UNDERSTAND WHAT IS “IN” US BETTER

UNTIL WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THOSE THINGS THAT GOD CREATED INTO US BETTER WITH OUR “SOUL” (SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY), WE CANNOT WALK ON THE HIGHER LEVEL THE WORD (Author’s note: When I say “Word” I am generally speaking of the Old and New Testaments familiar to Christians) TALKS ABOUT OR ATTAIN THE “REST” THE WORD TALKS ABOUT. THAT “REST” IS BASED IN THE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE IN GOD. 

Heb. 4:3-11 ³ For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. ⁵And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. ⁶Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: (THEY DID NOT MIX “FAITH” WITH THE WORD!) ⁷Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. ⁸For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. ⁹There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. ¹⁰For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

¹¹Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

WHAT IS IN US, AS CREATED BEINGS THAT WOULD QUALIFY US FOR THIS “REST” THAT THE WORD TALKS ABOUT?  

WE NEED AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THE WORD SAYS THESE THINGS, AND THE BASIS FOR THEM; UNTIL WE DO WE WILL BE LIMITED IN OUR ACTIONS AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS THE “BODY” OF GOD IN THE EARTH.

HOW DO WE POSSIBLY “QUALIFY?”

THE WORD SPEAKS SOME VERY STRONG THINGS ABOUT US; THINGS THAT OUR SOUL HAS GREAT TROUBLE ACCEPTING.

LET ME SHARE A FEW EXAMPLES…

IN EPHESIANS 1, 2 & 3 THE WORD TALKS ABOUT YOU, AFTER YOUR “SALVATION,” AS BEING SEATED IN, AND WITH THE AUTHORITY OF, “HEAVENLY PLACES…”

IN EPHESIANS 2 PAUL STATES…

Eph. 2:6 ⁶And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (THAT’S “AUTHORITY!”) 

THE WORD, TALKS ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO PRESENT THE DEVIL, TOTALLY DEFEATED, TO GOD FOR HIS USE AS A “FOOTSTOOL!”

NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND WITH THE DEVIL JUST KICKING US HOWEVER HE WANTS TO!

Heb. 10:12-13 ¹²But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 

THE WORD TALKS ABOUT A “GLORIOUS CHURCH,” WHICH INDICATES THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THAT CHURCH WILL BE “GLORIOUS” AS WELL.

USUALLY WE DON’T FEEL VERY “GLORIOUS!”

Eph. 5:27 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

THEN, IN MARK 16, RABBI JESUS COMMANDS US TO GO OUT AND SPREAD THE GOSPEL AND CARRY OUT THE ACTIONS OF THE GOSPEL IN THE WORLD.

Mark 16:15-18 ¹⁵And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. ¹⁷And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ¹⁸They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 

WHAT MAKES US CAPABLE OF ALL THAT?

EVEN HARDER TO GRASP….THE WORD TALKS ABOUT GOD ACTUALLY LIVING INSIDE OUR BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT, THAT WE ARE “TEMPLES”…

2 Cor. 6:16 …..ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

THE WORD SAYS GOD PLANS TO MOVE HIS HEADQUARTERS TO EARTH…. WHEN WE LOOK AROUND OUR WORLD TODAY, IT IS HARD TO FIND A REASON FOR GOD TO WANT TO DO THAT!

Rev. 21:2-3 ²And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

WHAT IS IN THIS CREATION, “MAN,” THAT GOD WOULD LITERALLY MOVE HIS HEADQUARTERS TO EARTH TO BE CLOSE TO THEM?

WE ONLY HAVE A “HINT”

I PROPOSE TO YOU, FROM THESE INDICATIONS IN THE SCRIPTURES, THAT THERE ARE GREAT DEPTHS INSIDE EACH OF US THAT WE HAVE ONLY A “HINT” OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT. 

I PROPOSE THAT UNTIL WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, GRASP THAT, AND BEGIN TO DIG INTO THOSE TRUTHS, THAT WE CAN REMAIN DEFEATED, POOR, AND STRUGGLING; WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US, AND THE WORD, PROCLAIM WE ARE ADOPTED CHILDREN OF THE KING OF HEAVEN, AUTHORIZED TO MOVE ON HIS BEHALF IN THE EARTH!  

THAT WE ARE AMBASSADORS OF THE CREATOR, WORKING WITH HIM IN THE EARTH!

2 Cor. 5:20 ²⁰Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

THAT WE ARE TO BE PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE RETURN OF GOD, AND PREPARING OURSELVES TO “RULE AND REIGN” WITH HIM FOR THE MILLENIUM AND WORK WITH HIM FOR ETERNITY!

Rev. 20:6 ⁶Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

WHAT PART OF GOD’S “IMAGE” IN US DO WE HAVE TROUBLE WITH??

…PRETTY MUCH EVERY PART! 

ACTUALLY, THOSE “HINTS” FROM THE WORD ARE PRETTY PLAIN!

THE WORD STATES THAT WE ARE CREATED IN THE “IMAGE” OF GOD; NOT GOD, BUT VERY MUCH LIKE HIM. 

LISTEN! THAT BEING NECESSARY IF GOD WAS TO CREATE A BEING ENABLED TO RELATE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM; A BEING CAPABLE OF EXPANDING GOD’S “FAMILY” AND A REPOSITORY FOR HIS OWN MAJOR QUALITY, WHICH THE WORD SAYS IS “LOVE.”

THE SOUL HAS TROUBLE WITH GRASPING THE DESIRE OF GOD TO SHARE HIS LOVE WITH A BEING WHICH THE SOUL SEES AS VERY IMPERFECT; CERTAINLY NOT “WORTHY” OF THE ATTENTIONS OF THE CREATOR! 

NEVERTHELESS, WE COULD NOT HOLD THE “QUALITIES” OF GOD, THE “ABILITIES” OF GOD UNLESS WE WERE “CONSTRUCTED” TO BE ABLE TO HOLD AND HANDLE THOSE QUALITIES AND ABILTIES!

WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EVEN TALK TO OR RELATE TO GOD UNLESS IN US WAS MUCH OF WHAT HE IS! ONLY LIKE BEINGS CAN FELLOWSHIP!

THE WORD STATES IT PLAINLY…BUT WE HAVE TROUBLE WITH OUR SOUL SEEING AND ACCEPTING THAT TRUTH!

Gen. 1:26-27 ²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

IT’S NOT OUR SPIRIT THAT HAS TROUBLE WITH ALL THAT, IT’S OUR SOUL…OUR MIND, OUR WILL, OUR EMOTIONS. WHY?

BECAUSE WE MUST BELIEVE THESE THINGS BY “FAITH,” WHICH DOES NOT PRESENT THE SENSORY EVIDENCE THE SOUL DESIRES TO OPERATE WITH, THE SOUL STAYS ON “TILT” IN SPIRITUAL AREAS.

OUR SOUL MUST BE OVERRULED BY THE SPIRIT MAN TO FUNCTION IN SPIRITUAL REALMS.

WE NEED TO “STUDY” TO BRING OUR SOUL TO THE PLACE OF BEING CAPABLE OF BEING “OVERRULED.” 

“STUDY” TO GROW IN THAT TRUTH

2 Tim. 2:15 ¹⁵ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

WE CAN BE PRESENTED THIS FACT FROM THE WORD, ABOUT OUR “IMAGE,” BUT NEVER GROW FROM IT OR WALK IN IT WITHOUT THE “STUDY” REQUIRED TO GET THE KNOWEDGE IN OUR SOUL AND THE FAITH IN OUR SPIRIT! 

IT TAKES EFFORT AND ENERGY ON OUR PART, IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DISTRACTING WORLD, TO FOCUS AND GROW IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE “IN THE IMAGE” OF OUR CREATOR. 

THE BENEFITS OF THAT ARE WITHOUT BOUNDRY BECAUSE THAT “STUDY” AND UNDERSTANDING WILL ENABLE US TO “WALK” IN THE ABILITIES AND QUALITIES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN US!

OUALITIES THAT WERE “CREATED” INTO US, AND THEN ACCESSED BY OUR “SALVATION,” OUR RE-CONNECTION TO GOD! 

GOD HAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US HIS WORD AND HIS SPIRIT TO ENABLE US TO WALK IN THE FULLNESS HE CREATED US FOR….NOT JUST IN HEAVEN…BUT HERE IN THE EARTH! TO ENABLE US AS INDIVIDUALS AND THE CHURCH AS A BODY TO FULFILL ITS DESTINY TO BE THE “GLORIOUS CHURCH.” 

CAN I EVEN UNDERSTAND THE “IMAGE” IN ME?

WE ARE EQUIPPED TO!

WE CAN GRASP AND WALK IN THE “IMAGE” OF GOD THAT LIVES INSIDE US! 

WE HAVE THE “MIND” OF CHRIST;

1 Cor. 2:16…..But we have the mind of Christ. 

GOD DOES NOT “WITHHOLD” KNOWLEDGE FROM US, JUST AS WE DON’T HOLD BACK KNOWLEDGE FROM OUR CHILDREN. EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE “OWNER’S MANUAL” WE CALL THE “WORD.” 

WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US AS A TEACHER AND US IN HIM!

1 Cor. 6:17 ¹⁷But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 

WE CAN LITERALLY COMMUNICATE WITH THE CREATOR THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE SAME WAY THAT ADAM AND EVE DID AT THE BEGINNING OF CREATION WHEN THEY WALKED TOGETHER IN THE “COOL OF THE EVENING.” 

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

IT’S NOT A “PROBLEM.”

IT’S A LACK OF CARRYING OUT OUR COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO GOD.  

IT’S BEING SUCKED BACK INTO THE THINGS OUR UNRENEWED SOUL IDENTIFIES AS MORE IMPORTANT AND FOCUSING ON THOSE THINGS RATHER THAN THE RENEWAL OF THE SOUL. IT’S BECOMING RE-PREOCCUPIED WITH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD TO THE EXTENT THAT THE WORD CANNOT BEAR THE FRUIT IT IS DESIGNED TO…

Luke 8:11-15 ¹¹Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹²Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. ¹⁵But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 

IT’S A MATTER OF US YIELDING TO A NOISY WORLD AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR THE “STILL SMALL VOICE!” 

THE DEVIL CERTAINLY DOES NOT WANT US TO EVEN THINK THAT WE MIGHT BE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF THE CREATOR…THAT KNOWLEDGE SPELLS “BAD NEWS” FOR HIM AND HIS PLANS; THAT UNDERSTANDING SEALS HIS FINAL END AND THE RETURN OF THE LORD! 

WHAT CAN I DO TO UNDERSTAND THE “IMAGE” WITHIN ME?

1. TELL YOUR SCEPTICAL SOUL, “I AM CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD BECAUSE THE WORD SAYS SO!”

UNTIL WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT A TRUTH, IT CANNOT BECOME RELEVANT IN OUR LIVES (“SALVATION” AS AN EXAMPLE); YOU CAN DICTATE TO YOUR SOUL FROM YOUR SPIRIT MAN AS YOU STRENGTHEN YOUR SPIRIT WITH FAITH.

EXPECT TO STOP BEING RULED BY YOUR BODY OR YOUR UNRENEWED SOUL! 

2. TAKE “TIME BY THE THROAT” BY TAKING “DOMINION” THAT BELONGS TO YOU, OVER YOUR ALLOTTED 24 HOURS IN EACH DAY. 

PLAN, AND EXECUTE THE PLAN, TO SPEND SOME OF YOUR TIME TALKING TO GOD AND STUDING HIS WORD; TO PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ACCESSING THE TEACHER WITHIN YOU TO INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH OF THE WORD ABOUT THE “IMAGE” THAT EXISITS WITHIN YOU AND HOW TO USE IT! 

3. EXERCISE THE IMAGE BY USING IT BOLDLY AS YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND ITS POWER AND REALM OF AUTHORITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW THE POWER OF THE WORDS YOU SPEAK, NOW SEE THE VERY SPIRIT OF GOD PLACED WITHIN YOU AS SPEAKING OUT THOSE WORDS IN AGREEMENT WITH YOUR SPIRIT AND SOUL!

AS YOU SEE THE “IMAGE” OF GOD GROWING IN YOU, BEGIN TO ACT LIKE YOU SEE RABBI JESUS ACTING IN THE GOSPELS….SPEAK TO THE THINGS OF THE DEVIL YOU COME ACROSS AND THROW THEM OUT! 

LET ME WRAP THIS UP BY GIVING YOU WHAT THE WORD HAS AS THE “FINAL” WORD ON OUR “IMAGE.” ARE WE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD? LISTEN TO THE WORD ITSELF…        

1 John 3:2 ²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

That concludes the excerpt from “In the Image of God.”

Next:  Have “Christians” Gone Too Far?