New Moon Meeting: March 2006, 3:20 EST
More Than Conquerors

Zahakiel: Luke, can you please give us an opening prayer?

Qinael: Our holy and loving Father,

We give you thanks for the pouring of your Spirit you have given us thus far today. We thank you that you have taken an intense interest in our lives and well-being, and have given us this time to come together that we may be cleansed from every defect and uncleanness.

We thank you that as we approach the coming of your Son, you have given us such tools as these times, that we may learn of you and of ourselves, and by your power, perfectly make the two match, as we are returned to our former state, images of Elohim.

We pray now that your Spirit will attend to this meeting and give us understanding. Be with the speaker that all things may be said and understood as you would have them. In Yahshua’s name we pray, amen.

Zahakiel: Amen.

Israfel: Amen.

Gabriel: Amen.

Crystle: Amen.

Guerline: Amen.

Barb: Amen.

Igor: Amen.

Jen: Amen.

Zahakiel: As a few of you know already, I recently finished writing the new book The Egyptian Conflict. It is not posted yet, still in the proofreading stage, but I learned quite a number of things (as I usually do) during the writing process.

One of the things I learned was that the books are getting more difficult to write, in a way. As I am sure all of us know, Yah will not do for His people what they can do for themselves, and many of the details of what I wrote did not just “come” to me, but I had to learn about them by studying the Scriptures (of course) and also maps of the area, commentaries, and some of Mrs. White’s writings.

Now, this book covers the life of Moses, and it is certainly longer than any of the others have been. I think it is almost twice as long as The Antediluvian War. Whereas the first four books cover only a part of Genesis, this fifth in the main series runs from Exodus through Deuteronomy. This, therefore, includes the section in the book of Numbers that covers the prophet Balaam. When I was reading up on this, I came across an S.O.P. quote that gave me the idea for this month’s topic. The topic is this: there is a difference between “suppressing” a temptation and “overcoming” one.

This is a subtle point, one of the “meat” issues of Christianity, and I believe it is absolutely essential to our full understanding of the Victory message.

Jen: Amen.

Zahakiel: It is also one of benefit both to our members (so that we can articulate our faith accurately) and to those seeking to join with us, since it explains with precision the thing that has (I believe) been holding a few people back from making their full commitment to Christ, and thus their full conversion.

Rita: Amen and Amen!!!

Zahakiel: Since this quote involves Balaam, we should go back to the source on this and get some background. Israel had, at this point in Numbers, been wandering for almost 40 years, and they were once again encamped not far from Canaan. They were about to enter in, but there was one final “purging” to be done within the camp.

Now, the sojourn of Israel is a symbol of the Church in its various ages. Yah begins the process with a great departure from the world, from the slavery of a system that has gone bad – but not everyone who comes away with it is “clean.” This was true even of the apostles. Christ said, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70)

For those who remained the purging process of trial and tribulation also had value. As Peter wrote of this he said, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Yahshua the Messiah.” (1Peter 1:7)

The gold must be tried, because as we covered in a previous study, the end result of the Plan of Salvation is not “forgiveness.” Forgiveness does not change the heart unless it is accepted, and unless it leads to “godly sorrow,” “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2Cor 7:10) The Plan of Salvation is about Atonement – it is about restoring man to his union with the Creator, when we could speak to Him and He dwelt among us as it will indeed be again in the Restoration. (Rev 21:3)

Zahakiel: Forgiveness is the beginning of this process, and the means by which it is accomplished; it is the door to justification. But thereafter there must be that journey through the wilderness, that cleansing of the being – because Yahweh will not force anyone to be good in the world to come; we must have already made our decisions to be faithful, and sealed our commitment with our lives, before the Judgment is set. We become changed by beholding, by seeing Christ’s providence in the circumstances that come to us, and with the “mind of Christ” (1Cor 2:16) doing what the new nature leads us to do.

The Bible tells us, “Follow peace with all men, and sanctification [it’s translated “holiness” sometimes], without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14) Yahshua Himself said, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Mat 10:22)

If Yahweh simply took the people who protested against “evil” into eternity, they would bring with them the very traits of character that caused the sin-problem in the first place. Israel was tainted by its stay in Egypt, as men are “drunken” on the wine of Babylon from which they are invited to rise, (Jer 51:7, Rev 14:8) and this is the reason we can see the process of sanctification in the “type” of Israel’s wanderings.

Zahakiel: Is everyone understanding so far?

Gabriel: Yes.

Qinael: <nods.>

Crystle: Yes.

Barb: Yes.

Jen: Amen.

Israfel: Yes.

Guerline: Yes.

Igor: Yes.

Zahakiel: So now, near the end of their travels they were again poised at the borders of their inheritance when Yah allowed a great trial to come upon them, and to reveal the spirits openly that were not clean within. You may think of it as sort of like the “great tribulation” for Israel, right on the borders of Canaan, and the relevance to the lessons we may gain from these matters should immediately become clear.

To set it up, Balak the king of Moab has seen Israel encamped on the very borders of his property, and had heard what the army of the travelers had recently done to the Amorites. This makes him fearful for his own safety. He gets together with the elders of Midian, who have apparently degenerated a great deal in the forty years since Jethro was one of their spiritual leaders, and they decide to call for Balaam the prophet to “curse” Israel so that they will lose in battle.

Balaam was actually a genuine prophet; I would not say “true” prophet, because that implies an honest, faithful prophet – but a prophet may be both genuine and false, and it doesn’t sound as contradictory. In any event, being acquainted with Yahweh as some others were, though not from Israel (like Jethro, Melchizedek etc.) he knew about the character of Yah, but at some point turned away from the faith and began to misuse his gift.

One of the most interesting things about spiritual gifts is that they may be possessed even by people who are not “spiritual” in the godly sense themselves. The Bible records that Saul spoke prophecy, though little is said of his piety before the incident, and much is said of its lack thereafter. (1Sam 10:10) Jonah was a prophet, though his character was not right. Samson was able to do great feats by Yahweh’s Spirit, though he was hardly an example of sanctification. Even the very high priest that condemned Yahshua to death spoke a prophecy that was fulfilled. (John 11:49-53)

This has not changed even within the Adventist tradition. There are “prophets” in the history of Adventism following Ellen White – but for some reason they never seem to be in tune with the original SDA (i.e., Biblical) understanding of the Godhead. Of course, the “increasing light” argument is always ready at hand to be made by those who support some of these individuals (to their tragedy), but as I pointed out in a recent CSDA Forum Post, you cannot apply the “new light” argument to the pioneer understanding of the Godhead and retain Biblical integrity.

Dumah: I am confused.

Zahakiel: Okay, here is the point: One of the ways we know a true prophet is if he or she understands the nature of Yah, as it is taught in the Scriptures. And by “true” I do not mean merely genuine, but true in the ultimate sense of the word... faithful, divinely inspired, worth listening to. I am not saying that there are none of these in Adventism, only that we must identify them properly.

Does that help?

Dumah: Ok.

Zahakiel: I bring this up, because the nature of the Godhead has much to do with the character of Elohim, and that is relevant to the passage. Balaam, though an actual prophet, lost his grip on the character of Yahweh, and slid into apostasy. Now, he retained this gift, and was able to communicate more freely with the spiritual world than most, but he was willing to use this power for financial gain, and that is how the king of Moab came to know about this prophet-for-hire.

When the messengers came from Balak, offing to reward him handsomely to curse Israel, he did not immediately turn them away as one who knew the God of Israel might be expected to do. Instead, Yah came to him in a dream and said, “Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.” (Num 22:12)

So, Balaam sent the men away. The king did not take rejection well, however, and sent more messengers, promising greater rewards, to try again. This time, seeing that the prophet was intent on finding a way to obtain his reward, Yah said, “If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.” (Num 22:20) Now, there was agreement implied here, and that will become very relevant later on. Balaam, by going with the men, was agreeing to speak only what Yah would tell him to speak.

But there was also a condition: IF the men came to call him in the morning, he was to go with them. The men did not call on Balaam… instead, he got two assistants, got on his donkey, went out to them instead of waiting for them to come to him. This was the reason “Elohim’s anger was kindled because he went,” and He obstructed the prophet. (verse 22) This is an important element of understanding Numbers; some have said, “Why did Yahweh tell Balaam to go, and then get angry when he went?”

The fact of the matter is that Yah did NOT tell Balaam to go, but gave a permissive allowance if certain conditions were met. The conditions were not met, and Balaam broke the first part of the agreement. Because of this Yahweh, knowing that the second part of the agreement (saying only what He would give Balaam to say) was very important to the following course of events, took a threatening posture before the man to show the seriousness of His requirements.

Is everyone following so far?

Qinael: <nods.>

Nader: Yes!

Gabriel: Yes.

Igor: Yes.

Jen: Ok.

Barb: Yes.

Guerline: Yes.

Crystle: Yes.

Rita: Got it.

Gabriel: Something interesting is how Yah tells Balaam not to go but allows Balaam to later in order to bring him back into accordance with Yah if he would at least cooperate and be willing to learn.

Zahakiel: Okay. <nods.>

Now on arriving, Balaam made a great show of sacrificing fourteen animals on seven altars, and attempting to pronounce a curse on the Israelites who were encamped in the valley below their vantage point. He tried this three times, but each time Yahweh suppressed the words he desired to say, and instead had him pronounce a blessing.

Now, here is where the principle of “agreement” comes in. Balaam agreed that he would only say the words Yahweh would give him to say. Because of this, the words he wished to say, to curse Israel and get a reward from Balak, were suppressed, and the blessing was spoken instead.

Dumah: I see.

Rita: This is a personal lesson I am learning, myself, right now.

Zahakiel: Now before we go on, we are going to have to get a little “deep,” so attend carefully :)

We have said several times, and in various places, that the Spirit of the Most High reveals the character of Yahweh, but not the Person-hood of Yahweh, because it fills a person, and may speak through them, only with conscious agreement from the being. In other words, if an “evil spirit,” which is actually an intelligent mind, “fills” you, you lose control of yourself. Yet Paul says that an element of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “temperance” or in modern language “self control.” (Gal 5:22, 23) There is a contrast there.

If you see someone claiming to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit and they are rolling around on the ground, and speaking words they themselves don’t understand… something is wrong. The Spirit is not a “Person” in the sense of an intellect that can eclipse the faculties of thinking, self-aware beings…. No, and some have attempted to use the example of Saul as support for their ideas, but it cannot be honestly done.

Saul was said to “prophesy” when he came under the influence of the Spirit. (1Sam 10:11) Some versions, I think, have translated the word describing what he did as giving “ecstatic utterances” and the comparison has been made between that and modern “speaking in tongues.” But it is merely an unfortunate translation that renders Saul’s actions as “ecstatic utterances.” The word simply means to “speak as a prophet does.”

Similarly, we read that under the influence of the Spirit “he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night.” (1Sam 19:24)

There is nothing in the passage, however, that suggests that these things were done in some raving madness like what we might observe today. We do not know what Saul was prophesying, but we can read from the experiences of those whose prophecies were recorded that the things seen and heard in these states have a profound effect on the individual, and they will fall on their faces, fast and pray for days, consider themselves unworthy, even to being undone, etc. Just looking at the writings of Daniel and Ezekiel, we find that these things all take place, but there is no loss of self-control, and thus no conflict with Paul’s words in Galatians.

Here also, in Numbers, we should not conclude that Yahweh “forced” Balaam to speak the words he was given in an absolute sense, or else the warning on the way to Balak would have been a pointless exercise. Rather, Yahweh inspired Balaam to speak, and he, respecting his agreement (for a change), because of his holy dread, was “forced” to speak the words that occurred to him as he looked upon the tents of Israel.

There is no suggestion in the Bible that this was a loss of self-control, or the use of direct manipulation on the part of Heaven; it merely says he spoke the words. Now, Ellen White does say that “Balaam greatly regretted this restriction; he feared that his purpose could not be carried out, because the Lord’s controlling power was upon him,” and that the words “had been forced from his lips by divine power.” [Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 443, 448] Some may take this to mean that the “controlling power” actually overrode Balaam’s free will, but there was another “spirit that controlled him” as she said on that very page [443], and that also by his choice.

Likewise, when recounting the actual incident she writes, “Balaam confessed that he came with the purpose of cursing Israel, but the words he uttered were directly contrary to the sentiments of his heart. He was constrained to pronounce blessings, while his soul was filled with curses.” [p. 447] And “Again the Spirit of God rested upon him, and the divine message came from his lips.” [p. 450]

What the Scripture says is this, “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” (1Cor 14:32)

So how do we understand the above statements? Very simply; we merely look at the example of Jonah.

All that was said of Balaam could be said also of Jonah. He actually tried to flee from the message he was “constrained” to present, because unlike Balaam he had no thought of reward. The message was similarly “forced” from his lips, and it was a message so contrary to the desires of his heart that after he gave the message, and Yah attempted to bring correction to him by means of his circumstances, he wished only to die. (Jonah 4:9-11)

Yah’s Holy Spirit may rest upon men and “lead” them to say things they would not otherwise say, or do things they would really rather not do – but their free will is not taken away from them in the same way a man possessed by a demon has lost self-control. Does everyone understand this idea? I will support it further in a moment, but it is important, because I am about to tie this in to the main topic – that of resisting vs. overcoming, sin.

Qinael: <nods.>

Jen: Yes.

Igor: Yes.

Nader: I understand.

Guerline: OK.

Crystle: Yes

Rita: Yes.

Pastor “Chick”: Resisting = suppressing?

Zahakiel: Yes, I use them the same way in this context.

Dumah: Are you saying then that these men obeyed Yah only out of duty or dread but not from genuine heart felt love?

Zahakiel: Certainly. Jonah had no “love” for Nineveh, and Balaam certainly had no love for Israel when he pronounced the blessings... they were “contrary” to his heart.

Dumah: I mean desire to please Yah for the mere sake of pleasing Him.

Zahakiel: Right. There were “external” reasons for their obedience, as we will see in a moment.

We see that just as Jonah was “constrained” to give the message he had initially agreed to give because Yah brought him into a difficult situation and used it to awaken his conscience (being thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish) so similar things happened with Balaam. Balaam was threatened by the Angel of Yahweh, and this combined with the rebuke about the ill treatment of his donkey, forced him to honor his agreement despite his desire for a reward.

Now, because of these external factors (this is key) Balaam resisted the urge to transgress divine will. As 1Cor 14:32 makes plain, the “force” employed was not internal and absolute, but Balaam’s spirit was subject to his will, he merely responded to the motivating factors that Yahweh had provided, and spoke what he was inspired to say. There was no change in Balaam’s heart toward Israel, just as there was no change in Jonah’s heart toward Nineveh (at least, not recorded of the time).

Ellen White points this out herself, saving me the trouble of trying to convince you :)

Zahakiel: I will paste it all, and let me know when you are finished reading.

She writes, “Disappointed in his hopes of wealth and promotion, in disfavor with the king, and conscious that he had incurred the displeasure of God, Balaam returned from his self-chosen mission. After he had reached his home the controlling power of the Spirit of God left him, and his covetousness, which had been merely held in check, prevailed.

“He was ready to resort to any means to gain the reward promised by Balak. Balaam knew that the prosperity of Israel depended upon their obedience to God, and that there was no way to cause their overthrow but by seducing them into sin. He now decided to secure Balak’s favor by advising the Moabites of the course to be pursued to bring a curse upon Israel.

“He immediately returned to the land of Moab and laid his plans before the king. The Moabites themselves were convinced that so long as Israel remained true to God, He would be their shield. The plan proposed by Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing them into idolatry.

“If they could be led to engage in the licentious worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector would become their enemy, and they would soon fall a prey to the fierce, warlike nations around them. This plan was readily accepted by the king, and Balaam himself remained to assist in carrying it into effect.” [Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 451]

Jen: Ok.

Nader: Yes.

Crystle: Yes.

Rita: Yes.

Barb: Finished.

Igor: Finished.

Guerline: Finished.

Gabriel: I thought Jonah found repentance in his heart when he saw the shipmen fighting to save him.

Zahakiel: He found “repentance” of his decision to run away, yes. But as the later chapters point out (like the incident under the gourd) his heart was not yet changed toward Nineveh and the people there.

Gabriel: Ok.

Zahakiel: I have taken some time to spell out the nature of the “controlling power of the Spirit of God” because it is very important to our understanding of Yah’s character; and He is not a God of force.

Rita: Yea and Amen and Amen!!

Nader: Amen.

Zahakiel: This is not to say that He will not use a “strange work” upon those who have passed beyond repentance, or to accomplish a necessary part of the plan of salvation; but He will not override free will to do it. He even obtained agreement from Pharaoh before releasing Israel, though He certainly had the power to just take them Himself.

Gabriel: So you are simply saying that these men were compelled by some motive other then Yah’s ideal motive for obedience, but they compelled themselves to obey...or the motives in them compelled them.

Zahakiel: Right, the external factors, and not Agape.

Guerline: “Strange work” in a positive, or a negative sense?

Zahakiel: Like sending an angel to wipe out an army of 180,000 men :) Depending on who you are, that could be seen as either positive or negative.

Guerline: Ok.

Zahakiel: But note that when this controlling power was withdrawn from Balaam, and he determined to “resort to any means to gain the reward promised by Balak,” he did not immediately return and simply pronounce the curse.

Look at how Ellen White uses that phrase in other places: “[Converts, in Yah’s timing] will speak that which they have been reluctant to utter, which they have shrunk from speaking. Under the constraining power of God, they will declare the danger threatening the cause of God, and the plain facts and principles of truth to which we must adhere, which every worker must respect.” [Manuscript Releases Volume Twenty-one, page 448]

She is not, there, speaking of the Spirit forcing individuals to speak by taking away their freedom, but of the Spirit impressing them with so great a need to speak that like Jeremiah they will have little practical choice if they wish to have a clear conscience before their Maker.

Zahakiel: The “controlling power” for Balaam was in the agreement he had made, just as Yahweh “hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exo 10:20) because of the circumstances He brought about, NOT because He took away the Egyptian monarch’s free will, though the language employed by the Biblical author can (and has) been taken that way. This is a subtle truth, and one that is easily misunderstood both in Exodus 10 and Numbers 22 – and therefore potentially in Ellen White’s commentary on these passages… so I want to ensure that everyone in this study understands it.

Are there any questions?

Qinael: I have none.

Israfel: No.

Rita: None.

Dave: No.

Gabriel: None.

Guerline: No.

Pastor “Chick”: No questions, but seen as a vital concept to understand and apply.

Jen: Ok.

Zahakiel: Now, what I want to focus on in that passage is this sentence: “After he had reached his home the controlling power of the Spirit of God left him, and his covetousness, which had been merely held in check, prevailed.”

Here is the point of this study: If you are merely “resisting” temptation, and holding things in check, there will arise some circumstance, some temptation, that will bring it forth, and reveal it openly. This is to say: you are not yet free of it, even though it is not being shown openly.

Jen: So true.

Zahakiel: If, because of external pressures, a fear of punishment, a desire for reward, a desire to please others, you merely hold some propensity or practice “in check,” it is not evidence that the soul is clean. It merely means that the external factors are more important to you than the desire to accomplish whatever it is that the temptation entails.

The modern history of Christendom reveals a vast number of well known “ministers” of the Gospel who are involved in some scandal or the other, often involving adultery or fornication. The reason why is because these ministers were merely “suppressing” the temptation. They had not experienced victory, or they had departed from it (in the case of some who actually taught this message in the earlier days of Adventism). While it is true that resistance to sin has a place, and the Bible tells us “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” (James 4:7) we need to understand when to do what, and what each means.

What Yahweh promises through His Son’s sacrifice is this: “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Yahshua the Messiah, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” (1John 1:7)

Gabriel: How does a person tell if they have been suppressing a temptation or resisting it? I have been brutally tempted at times and have even been tempted to question my conversion based on the pull I feel toward some sin.

Zahakiel: I am just getting to that :)

That word “cleanseth” is also translated as “purged,” so if we want to understand the way the word is used Biblically, we must look at other examples in which it appears, particularly in the New Testament:

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” (1Cor 5:7)

“If a man therefore purge himself from these [acts of iniquity], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2Tim 2:21)

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14)

“For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” (Heb 10:2)

Zahakiel: In each of these cases, we are told that Yahshua’s blood does the opposite of teach us to suppress sins. When you suppress something, you push it down. When you purge something, it is taken up, and away.

Jen: Amen.

Pastor “Chick”: Amen.

Rita: Amen!

Zahakiel: It is written, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psa 103:12)

Too many are “suppressing” their sins, resisting the power of the devil by their own will. And to be honest, many can be very successful, and for a very long time. They can become excellent moral individuals, and even very good “Christians,” but Yahweh judges the heart. If we are merely good on the outside, but the heart is defiled, is the character right for Heaven?

Nader: Never!

Pastor “Chick”: Much victory, but little sweet love and peace.

Zahakiel: Right.

Such people, who have only a “show” of godliness, and a “form” of the Victory, are not safe to bring into eternity... sin must not rise again; therefore, there must be no seeds of that bitter plant brought into the new Creation.

Dumah: We talked about this today in our Church meeting.

Zahakiel: <nods.> This is true of both the new world for all, and of the new life in Christ for the individuals.

Gabriel: This is music to my ears.

Zahakiel: If we do as Balaam did, or even Jonah, and perform the actions because we merely seek to please, or avoid disgrace, or because some other factor “controls” us to do so, we miss the point of Yahshua’s sacrifice. He did not come to make our willpower stronger so we could resist temptation “better.” No – if we think this, we have not understood the Cross. We are made, by the Cross, “the righteousness of God in Him.” (2Cor 5:21)

Pastor “Chick”: Amen :)

Gabriel: Wow.

Jen: AMEN.

Zahakiel: We are made the righteousness of Yahweh; it takes “arrogance” as some men falsely count true humility, to surrender our lives, and submit to Christ’s will so that our will can be made sanctified (holy) – and so that we can say without any worldly pride, “I am the righteousness of Yahweh in Christ.”

Igor: Amen. Praise Yah for His Gift.

Zahakiel: That is just another way to “Take Christ at His word, and let your lips declare that you have gained the victory.” [Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, page 517]

As soon as any constraining influence is removed, we will fulfill the desires we cherish. Yahweh will allow this, because He does not control us without agreement. In a related matter: Yahweh will allow this, because presumption limits the power of grace.

Guerline: So, What is the perfect recipe to stay sanctified?

Zahakiel: I am getting to that :)

Pastor “Chick”: “Presumption limits the power of grace” – a powerful statement!

Zahakiel: I will give an example to show what I mean by that (here is another brief, but major, point).

Let us supposed that a man was an alcoholic. He becomes converted, and lives a sober life. After a while, he begins to imagine that since he is “converted,” he should go back and minister in the bars to the drunks. In so doing, he places himself directly in the path of temptation, and he falls victim to the lure of the bottle.

Here is the issue: the problem is not that the man took a drink. That less to do with the state of his soul if he was converted than the Root; The problem is that he has not seen this Root, and it is another problem entirely – he is presuming on the grace of Yahweh. Now, if he does this willfully, he will need to become converted. In our case, we may assume that the man was not deliberately saying, “I will throw myself off the tower, and Yah will send His angels to bear me up.”

But if he does not see that he is, in fact, doing this by going to a place wherein he knows temptation lurks, it will ruin him eternally, and even if he is “sincere,” he will not be able to overcome the acts that plague him.

Pastor “Chick”: Give no provision for the flesh.

Zahakiel: Right.

Of course, taking that latest drink is something of which he must repent – I am not trying to weaken the impact of the act, but what I am saying is that he will never truly put that part of his life away until he sees the bigger problem, the root of what caused the action, and repent of presumption.

Dumah: The ex-drunk did not think he was being presumptuous... yet he was. So when the temptation comes to drink again and suppresses it, does that reveal he is unconverted?

Zahakiel: If it is revealed to him, that is the trial of his spiritual state.

Pastor “Chick”: I am seeing “levels” of conversion... EGW speaks much of “genuine” and “thorough” conversion.

Zahakiel: Yes. She would often say, “There is a need for a FULL conversion.”

Gabriel: I agree with this.

Zahakiel: Unless someone steps out of victory so entirely that they commit an overt act of which they have been already convicted, we would not condemn them... or call for rebaptism or anything like that.

Gabriel: Ok.

Zahakiel: But if they have erred (think Peter in Antioch) there may be need for a stern, open rebuke. Yah will bring correction, and if our hearts are in victory, we will accept it, and then conquer.

Pastor “Chick”: Amen!

Gabriel: Amen!

Guerline: I am seeing the meat of the whole matter: Amen.

Zahakiel: Satan, of course, will be on hand to discourage, as Gabriel indicated before... He will say, “How could you not have known, Peter?” But we are not to argue with Satan. Here is where we need “holy arrogance.” :)

Dumah: I can testify to all of this... by personal experience, one I will not (by grace) repeat.

Igor: Light and reproof is for salvation, never for condemnation.

Pastor “Chick”: “Holy arrogance” = “implicit trust in the Word of YAH.”

Gabriel: YES!!!! AMEN!!

Zahakiel: Right. Now, earlier one asked, “How can we know if we are suppressing (resisting) sin, rather than overcoming it?”

If we wish to overcome sin, we need to test our actions according to the two issues I have raised so far in this study. I have heard people saying to me, “I thought I had accepted the victory, I really did, but I just did X, Y or Z again, and I must have missed it, or fallen away already.” Their interest in the message dies off fairly quickly after that, and it is a sad thing, because they have not understood the message. The Victory is not a discouraging, hard doctrine, it is an invitation to a new life, a life that does not know that kind of defeat at all, or even a fear of it.

Jen: Undone for completion.

Zahakiel: There are some, even some now studying with the Church, who can’t seem (they testify) to “get it right,” and the reason why may be because they are doing one of the two things I have spoken of. Here is how to check:

1) First, we need to make sure that we have repented of a sin completely, and had it taken from us. We are not attempting to suppress it of our own willpower, and you can know IF you are doing this by examining your motives.

Even sins that have been “overcome” can still tempt us. I had a conversation with someone while preparing this study, and here is an excerpt of an answer I was giving:

“There is a nature that comes from the flesh. This is when a person is led by the promptings of the flesh: appetite, desires, things the body would go for even if no significant mind were controlling it. Even the animals are governed by these things.

“But conversion restores the dignity of men, and re-raises them to a position of dominion over the animals, including the animal of ‘self.’

“What changes when Christ returns is the ‘flesh,’ as Paul tells us. It becomes a refined, spiritually inclined vessel as opposed to this corrupt form. But at the point of conversion the ‘new nature’ begins to guide the person, and they will resist the promptings of the corrupt vessel. Hence ‘whosoever is born of God does not commit sin,’ because the new nature steers it away from the commission of transgression.”

Pastor “Chick”: Awesome explanation.

Zahakiel: As long as we are in the flesh, even if we are born again, temptations will come. Satan knows that the areas in which we have been weak in the past will be particularly sore, and he will often steer (or attempt to steer) circumstances in those directions. If we are still cherishing the sin, but because of external motives we are suppressing the actions, these circumstances will have power over us.

Gabriel: This is why we can be tempted.... we have flesh and the temptations to let it rule in our make up, but we do not obey it because we chose the divine nature.

Zahakiel: Right.

Now, if we become aware that we are merely “suppressing,” we must accept that we are “purged” of the sin, and not merely seek to become better at fighting it down. That is a long, laborious process, and one that has not even a hope of reward for all the trouble.

If you have ever wondered why Paul would tell the converts to “beware” of this or that, even though they were converts... this is the reason why. They must make, as pastor said, no provision for the flesh.

Pastor “Chick”: Suppressing temptation – what a miserable existence! No rest day or night...

Zahakiel: Right.

Dumah: Yeah... Hell starts early for people who suppress sin.

Zahakiel: Now that is the first thing: Check your motives and see if, like Balaam, you are merely responding to external forces. The second is connected:

2) Second, we need to examine ourselves for presumption. If we are putting ourselves in situations where temptations are likely to arise, we cannot expect divine help (which is necessary) to attend us in overcoming the sin.

Presumption says, “I can resist this…” and then we proceed to try to resist it either by suppression, or by “faith” that “nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19) even if we jump in front of harmful things. The verse from Luke 10 was spoken to men who were to take the Gospel to the world, not to those who would attempt to do things with the stated purpose of being “delivered” by a miracle.

If we are being presumptuous, of course, we are not going to overcome sins; but in those cases the “sins” or the acts of transgression, are not the actual problem, but the symptom – and thus they will not go away until the actual sin-state is identified and surrendered.

Is everyone understanding that?

Qinael: <nods.>

Gabriel: Most people, when reading James 4:7, start with the resist part – but they forget the most important part which starts with SUBMIT!

Zahakiel: Yes, very good :) I saw that verse and considered including it... I am glad you have brought it up.

Guerline: Isn’t that what faith is all about? Alone or by myself I cannot, but through Christ I can.

Zahakiel: That is what true faith is, yes.

Dumah: I’m seeing that a person can have a sin problem and be unaware of it. If he cherishes presumption, he will never be aware of it or overcome it.

Zahakiel: Right.

Pastor “Chick”: I see a difference in “resisting the Devil” and “resisting temptations” (or “suppressing temptations”)...

Zahakiel: Can you explain further?

Pastor “Chick”: When the Devil is “resisted”, “sin is overcome”, but when temptations are resisted (or suppressed), sin is NOT overcome.

Zahakiel: Ah, that is a good way of putting it, and may tie in to what comes next for our summary :)

Dumah: Interesting.

Guerline: Do you mean by ‘suppressed’ when one says: ‘I won’t do it for such and such reasons, but if those reasons are not present the way will be clear’?

Zahakiel: That is one way of expressing it, yes. To push it down because of some pressure from the outside. Even a form of “pleasing Yah” may qualify as an external factor, for there are some who seek this merely to obtain a reward from Him.

Guerline: Ok.

Pastor “Chick”: Oh, EGW tells us that if we obey YAH just to receive the reward of Heaven, our obedience is in vain.

Zahakiel: Right.

Dumah: Any time we go somewhere that is a temptation to us, without being called by Yah to be there, we are resisting the temptations in that environment but we are in the company of the Devil... we are on his ground, and we are bound to fall if we do not see the presumption and leave immediately.

Zahakiel: Right.

Igor: This also connects with faith that is silver compared to faith that is gold.

Dumah: When I went to visit my sister, I was resisting many temptations but I was in an environment where Satan ruled and Yah had not put me there. My salvation hung in the balance...Praise Yah for the necessary meat!

Zahakiel: Yes, Igor... right.

Now, the true course of overcoming sin is what has been promised to the Christian. We are told, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Yahshua our Lord.” (Rom 8:35-39)

Some of those things over which we are “more than conquerors” are physical dangers like death and famine, but some are also temptations, and the agents of temptations, and in all these things we are victors.

Pastor “Chick”: Love is “the Seal” that cannot be broken :)

Rita: Great. Pastor that is the very summary of the power of love unto salvation.

Igor: Amen.

Guerline: So is it a gift just like the promise to provide for our daily needs?

Zahakiel: Yes.

Guerline: Amen, then.

Zahakiel: What must happen is this: In a previous study, examining Elijah and the people that are to come with his spirit and power I spoke about how to claim this victory. I spoke about speaking faith, and rejoicing at the very slightest indication that our prayers have been fulfilled. When we do this, we may indeed claim to have “overcome” the sins we have confessed and from which we have repented. But now, because we are still in the flesh, we must continue to “resist” the temptation.

THIS is the right place for resistance.

Pastor “Chick”: Amen :)

Zahakiel: Most Christians teach it backwards. They say, “You must resist the temptation, and then, with time, maybe, someday, you will overcome it completely.” No, no… this is the world’s method. What the Bible teaches is that we must be like our Father who “calleth those things which be not as though they were,” (Rom 4:17) and “walk by faith, not by sight.” (2Cor 5:7)

Pastor “Chick”: Wow, that is a “solid Rock!”

Igor: Faith first, experience follows.

Rita: Amen and amen!!

Zahakiel: We must CLAIM victory; we must accept that we have overcome the sin (past perfect tense – completed action) and from that point on we resist the temptation IN the faith of Yahshua, with perfect confidence in His (not our) willpower, and searching ourselves to ensure that we are free from presumption so that we are not taken unawares by any subtlety. (2Cor 11:3)

This will become our testimony.

Jen: Amen.

Pastor “Chick”: Amen.

Guerline: Amen. Wish to ever remember this.

Rita: Amen.

Igor: Amen.

Pastor “Chick”: And has become our testimony :)

Zahakiel: Right :)

Igor: True.

Jen: Amen.

Rita: IS!

Zahakiel: Ultimately, we are all the CSDA Church, every baptized member. Each of us individually represents all of us as a whole – and that is a precious responsibility. Those who are studying with us are likewise being examined by those who know them, to “see what this religion will do.” We have to be willing to take up that mantle, and to do so boldly.

They say of worldly Churches, “Do not judge the religion just because the people are bad.” Let that NEVER be said of us. Yah forbid that it should ever be said because of any of us! We must each be able to say with supreme confidence, but without any worldly pride, “Christ lives in me, and if you want to see what will happen when He lives in you, come and see.”

Rita: Christ alone is pure and holy. Let this mind be in you....

Zahakiel: I would like everyone to leave this study being encouraged, and convicted to bring this Victory to those in our sphere of influence… because it is for their lives.

Rita: Amen!

Jen: Amen.

Zahakiel: Resisting sin is not enough, as the experience of Balaam demonstrates clearly. We must overcome sin, and then resist it thereafter until our bodies are also redeemed from the corruption of the curse. We are called to claim victory, to step into the ranks of Israel, the Over-comers, and to be more than conquerors over both the physical and spiritual aspects of this world.

Igor: Amen. The Straight Testimony spoken and lived out by the True and Faithful Witness in our flesh.

Zahakiel: Yes.

When we walk by faith, and speak by faith, then we will find that we also act by faith, and “this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1John 5:4)

Pastor “Chick”: Hallelu-YAH!

Rita: Yea and Amen.

Zahakiel: Are there any questions before we close?

Pastor “Chick”: A great Blessing, praise YAH again!

Jen: Father spoke for me – Praise Him

Crystle: None.

Guerline: Amen!

Zahakiel: All right, then. Pastor, will you please dismiss us with a prayer?

Pastor “Chick”: Alright...

Dear Father in Heaven,

We have been fed at your Table... thank you for the Heavenly manna. The light is not only becoming brighter, but more focused.

Praise your holy name for this progress in the Divine Life. May your Spirit of Love be ours now and forever, as we have the Seed remaining in us.

Dismiss us with your loving protection and guidance – in YAHshua’s holy name, Amen!

Zahakiel: Amen :)

Crystle: Amen.

Rita: Hallelujah.

Qinael: Amen.

Nader: Amen!

Dave: Amen.

Barb: Amen.

Jen: Amen.

Gabriel: AMEN!

Guerline: Amen.

Igor: Amen.