2 Corinthians 4:17,18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Matthew 7:17,18 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Notice, he said your afflictions work for you, not while you give your attention to what's happening, but just the opposite. It works for you while you look not at what is seen, but what is unseen, the finished works of God. So, that can not be a natural seeing, because he said things not seen. So, he's talking about something outside of the range of your senses. People have a tendency of thinking that this physical realm is the primary realm, but it's not. The spiritual is the primary realm and this physical realm is simply the manifestation. That's why Hebrews 11:3 says, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Notice, without him was not anything made that was made. Who is the him, the word, which is spiritual.) Colossians 1:15-17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (By him who, the word, all things consist). And Hebrews 1:3 says, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. So, this physical realm was created by the spiritual. And by the spiritual all things consist. And by the spiritual all things are upheld, that makes the physical realm a product/manifestation of the spiritual.
That's why he says while we look not at the things which are seen, because it's only fruit. If you want to get down to the root, you are going to have to deal with the spiritual, anything else is fruit. And dealing with fruit keeps you dealing with the same issues, you get some relief and it pops back up again. Why, because the root is still active in the spiritual. For example weeds grow in your yard(the seen) you can cut them, but in just a matter of time what's going to happen, they will be right back. If you want to get rid of them, you have to dig up the roots or else you'll keep dealing with the same problem. Look at Job 14:7-9 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. (Notice, if it's cut down not dug up by the roots there's still hope for it or it still has potential to grow again) 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;(Notice, the root is still in the earth, old, but not dead) 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. Notice, he starts off with there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down and that's because the root is still in the earth and as long as the root is still in the earth there's hope for it. And a lot of times we deal with things on a surface level and wonder why this thing keeps coming back. It keeps coming back because of the root in the spiritual. Everything is rooted in the spiritual, has spiritual roots. Nothing originates in this physical material realm. Eph. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Once it's cut off in the spiritual the manifestation will cease. How do you cut something off in the spiritual, by establishing something different in the spiritual. Job 22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. Decrees are made in the spiritual, you are a spirit made in the image and likeness of God. So, even though you are clothed in flesh when you speak you are releasing words in the spiritual. Proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So, when you speak you are either giving life to something or death to something. And what you don't want to do is speak death to the things of God and life to the things of the devil. The spiritual is what keeps this physical realm operating, without the spiritual this physical realm would cease. We know the word says that the heavens and the earth are going to pass away and there will be a new heavens and a new earth, that's already been determined in the spiritual. And this physical material realm is subject to that, there's nothing in this physical realm that can stop that from happening. This physical realm was created by the spiritual (by God) and it will end by the spiritual (by God), because it's only a manifestation of the spiritual. So, you decree according to how God has said it, but the average person decrees and affirms according to the conditions. But when you do that you give it more life, more strength. Stop affirming the manifestation and affirm it as God has said it. That's one of the main reasons for calling things that be not as though they were, you are establishing it as God has said it. You cut off the old and establish the knew. Notice, in Genesis 17:4,5 God told Abram, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
But, in Romans 4:17 is says, And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old. Notice, God changed his name from Abram-high father to Abraham-father of a multitude. God had him call himself according to the spiritual, how God said it was. And by Abraham calling things that be not as though they were he cut off the old and established the new. When Jacob asked that angel to bless him, the first thing the angel asked him is what is your name. Because, back then names meant something, usually it described a characteristic of you. And Jacob means supplanter/one who takes the place of another or trickster and the first thing he did was change his name to Israel which means who prevails with God. You can't walk in the new calling yourself the old. You walk in what you establish. And even though he was praying for him, nobody's words have more weight in your life than yours. And even though he was not in a condition to reverse it, he established it so only he had the authority to reverse it, because God is not going to violate your free will. You can't keep speaking something over yourself or about yourself and think it's not having any effect on you, especially if you believe it. Jesus said in Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Can tell my account bananas-- I established it, I had the authority and ability to reverse it. I established something according to my flesh, but when I established something according to the spiritual that manifestation ceased. I spoke out what I believed.
Now here's the thing, there's another source of knowledge than the flesh/senses. God also is a source of knowledge and at one time that was man's only source of knowledge. But, it was man that choose knowledge other than God. When they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it says that their eyes were opened and that's when the creation fell. That word eyes means fountain which means source. It's the same word fountain in Mark 5, the woman with the issue of blood, where it says that the fountain(source) of her bleeding was dried up. Their source of knowledge changed from God to their flesh/senses. But notice, they were not suppose to eat from that tree, but nothing happened when she ate from it. Gen. 3:6,7 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Why did creation fall when he ate, because he knew what God said, Genesis 2:16,17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. He got his knowledge straight from God, she most likely got her knowledge from Adam. Because, some how something got added that God didn't say. In Genesis 3:2,3 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. God didn't say neither shall ye touch it, He just said don't eat from it. When you get your knowledge straight from God there's no wiggle room, how can you debate what you hear straight from God. The problem comes in when you add to it or take away from it.
The problem with getting your knowledge from your senses is Romans 8:8 So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. God is a spirit so whatever He does it's done in the spiritual first. So, if you are carnally minded it's hard to receive from God if at all. That's why Hebrews 11:6 says, Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith deals with what is outside of the senses, so if you only go by what your flesh tells you then you cut yourself off from God's provisions. That's why Romans 8:6 says, For to be carnally minded is death, death mean separation. God has his finished works that are reality in the spirit, that's why it says, "By whose stripes ye were healed" "God has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Notice, God put them in past tense, because they are reality in the spiritual, while not yet manifested in this physical realm. Things have to be reality in the spiritual first before manifested in this realm. Understand God's word is truth, not fact--facts is defined as Fact is basically something that exists, or is present in reality. Hence, these are things that can be seen visually, and these are the things that can actually be verified. It is not just something that you believe, but rather these are more or less the things that can be observed empirically, or by the senses. So, facts can be seen and heard, as well as proven by the other senses. And truth can be described as the true state of a certain matter. And sometimes people mistake facts for truth and they are not. Facts deal with what you perceive by your senses, but the things of the spiritual can't be perceived with the senses. That's why you can't count on the flesh to tell you what the truth is, because flesh don't know. But, your spirit can know what the truth is, by God revealing it to you. Like, when Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am," and Peter said, "Thou art the Christ." And what did Jesus tell him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. God wants heaven and earth to work together, the natural with the spiritual. So, in all your doings, in all your circumstances of life don't forget the spiritual, see past this physical and into the spiritual.
It is not God's will that any should perish. And I wouldn't want to end this article without giving someone the opportunity to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It's very easy just pray: Dear God- I know I have sinned and I now turn from them and I invite Jesus to come into my heart (Revelation 3:20). He died for my sins and you have raised him from the dead and I now confess Jesus is my Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9,10). I thank you for saving me, Amen
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12). 1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 2 Peter 3:9 King James Version 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Matthew 7:17,18 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Notice, he said your afflictions work for you, not while you give your attention to what's happening, but just the opposite. It works for you while you look not at what is seen, but what is unseen, the finished works of God. So, that can not be a natural seeing, because he said things not seen. So, he's talking about something outside of the range of your senses. People have a tendency of thinking that this physical realm is the primary realm, but it's not. The spiritual is the primary realm and this physical realm is simply the manifestation. That's why Hebrews 11:3 says, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Notice, without him was not anything made that was made. Who is the him, the word, which is spiritual.) Colossians 1:15-17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (By him who, the word, all things consist). And Hebrews 1:3 says, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. So, this physical realm was created by the spiritual. And by the spiritual all things consist. And by the spiritual all things are upheld, that makes the physical realm a product/manifestation of the spiritual.
That's why he says while we look not at the things which are seen, because it's only fruit. If you want to get down to the root, you are going to have to deal with the spiritual, anything else is fruit. And dealing with fruit keeps you dealing with the same issues, you get some relief and it pops back up again. Why, because the root is still active in the spiritual. For example weeds grow in your yard(the seen) you can cut them, but in just a matter of time what's going to happen, they will be right back. If you want to get rid of them, you have to dig up the roots or else you'll keep dealing with the same problem. Look at Job 14:7-9 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. (Notice, if it's cut down not dug up by the roots there's still hope for it or it still has potential to grow again) 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;(Notice, the root is still in the earth, old, but not dead) 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. Notice, he starts off with there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down and that's because the root is still in the earth and as long as the root is still in the earth there's hope for it. And a lot of times we deal with things on a surface level and wonder why this thing keeps coming back. It keeps coming back because of the root in the spiritual. Everything is rooted in the spiritual, has spiritual roots. Nothing originates in this physical material realm. Eph. 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Once it's cut off in the spiritual the manifestation will cease. How do you cut something off in the spiritual, by establishing something different in the spiritual. Job 22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. Decrees are made in the spiritual, you are a spirit made in the image and likeness of God. So, even though you are clothed in flesh when you speak you are releasing words in the spiritual. Proverbs 18:21 says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So, when you speak you are either giving life to something or death to something. And what you don't want to do is speak death to the things of God and life to the things of the devil. The spiritual is what keeps this physical realm operating, without the spiritual this physical realm would cease. We know the word says that the heavens and the earth are going to pass away and there will be a new heavens and a new earth, that's already been determined in the spiritual. And this physical material realm is subject to that, there's nothing in this physical realm that can stop that from happening. This physical realm was created by the spiritual (by God) and it will end by the spiritual (by God), because it's only a manifestation of the spiritual. So, you decree according to how God has said it, but the average person decrees and affirms according to the conditions. But when you do that you give it more life, more strength. Stop affirming the manifestation and affirm it as God has said it. That's one of the main reasons for calling things that be not as though they were, you are establishing it as God has said it. You cut off the old and establish the knew. Notice, in Genesis 17:4,5 God told Abram, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
But, in Romans 4:17 is says, And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old. Notice, God changed his name from Abram-high father to Abraham-father of a multitude. God had him call himself according to the spiritual, how God said it was. And by Abraham calling things that be not as though they were he cut off the old and established the new. When Jacob asked that angel to bless him, the first thing the angel asked him is what is your name. Because, back then names meant something, usually it described a characteristic of you. And Jacob means supplanter/one who takes the place of another or trickster and the first thing he did was change his name to Israel which means who prevails with God. You can't walk in the new calling yourself the old. You walk in what you establish. And even though he was praying for him, nobody's words have more weight in your life than yours. And even though he was not in a condition to reverse it, he established it so only he had the authority to reverse it, because God is not going to violate your free will. You can't keep speaking something over yourself or about yourself and think it's not having any effect on you, especially if you believe it. Jesus said in Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Can tell my account bananas-- I established it, I had the authority and ability to reverse it. I established something according to my flesh, but when I established something according to the spiritual that manifestation ceased. I spoke out what I believed.
Now here's the thing, there's another source of knowledge than the flesh/senses. God also is a source of knowledge and at one time that was man's only source of knowledge. But, it was man that choose knowledge other than God. When they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it says that their eyes were opened and that's when the creation fell. That word eyes means fountain which means source. It's the same word fountain in Mark 5, the woman with the issue of blood, where it says that the fountain(source) of her bleeding was dried up. Their source of knowledge changed from God to their flesh/senses. But notice, they were not suppose to eat from that tree, but nothing happened when she ate from it. Gen. 3:6,7 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Why did creation fall when he ate, because he knew what God said, Genesis 2:16,17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. He got his knowledge straight from God, she most likely got her knowledge from Adam. Because, some how something got added that God didn't say. In Genesis 3:2,3 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. God didn't say neither shall ye touch it, He just said don't eat from it. When you get your knowledge straight from God there's no wiggle room, how can you debate what you hear straight from God. The problem comes in when you add to it or take away from it.
The problem with getting your knowledge from your senses is Romans 8:8 So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. God is a spirit so whatever He does it's done in the spiritual first. So, if you are carnally minded it's hard to receive from God if at all. That's why Hebrews 11:6 says, Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith deals with what is outside of the senses, so if you only go by what your flesh tells you then you cut yourself off from God's provisions. That's why Romans 8:6 says, For to be carnally minded is death, death mean separation. God has his finished works that are reality in the spirit, that's why it says, "By whose stripes ye were healed" "God has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" "God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings." Notice, God put them in past tense, because they are reality in the spiritual, while not yet manifested in this physical realm. Things have to be reality in the spiritual first before manifested in this realm. Understand God's word is truth, not fact--facts is defined as Fact is basically something that exists, or is present in reality. Hence, these are things that can be seen visually, and these are the things that can actually be verified. It is not just something that you believe, but rather these are more or less the things that can be observed empirically, or by the senses. So, facts can be seen and heard, as well as proven by the other senses. And truth can be described as the true state of a certain matter. And sometimes people mistake facts for truth and they are not. Facts deal with what you perceive by your senses, but the things of the spiritual can't be perceived with the senses. That's why you can't count on the flesh to tell you what the truth is, because flesh don't know. But, your spirit can know what the truth is, by God revealing it to you. Like, when Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am," and Peter said, "Thou art the Christ." And what did Jesus tell him, "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. God wants heaven and earth to work together, the natural with the spiritual. So, in all your doings, in all your circumstances of life don't forget the spiritual, see past this physical and into the spiritual.
It is not God's will that any should perish. And I wouldn't want to end this article without giving someone the opportunity to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It's very easy just pray: Dear God- I know I have sinned and I now turn from them and I invite Jesus to come into my heart (Revelation 3:20). He died for my sins and you have raised him from the dead and I now confess Jesus is my Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9,10). I thank you for saving me, Amen
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (John 1:12). 1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. [10] For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 2 Peter 3:9 King James Version 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
