John,

After reading the new section and scanning several times through chapter 2, I have a question concerning what you wrote about Satan’s nature being different from his external body after he sinned. Today, man’s body/nature is sinful, but what was the nature of Adam’s body before he sinned? Not sinful? Was the nature of Adam’s body changed when he sinned (to be sinful)? Or have human bodies always had the nature of sin in them, including Adam’s body before he ate the fruit (just ignorant of sin before that)? Just wondering after reading the new section.

Thanks!
Lyn
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Hi Lyn.

Good question. It appears that you are confused about the body and the nature being one and the same. They are not. They are closely connected, but they are not the same thing. The natural, human body is not sinful, even now; it is just carnal, material substance, something made of flesh. It is neither good nor evil. It is man’s nature that is evil, and that nature is in man’s “heart” – not his physical heart, but deep down in his soul. How do I say it? It is impossible to describe apart from the body, but it is not the body!

Adam’s physical body remained the same after he sinned, just as Satan’s beautiful heavenly body was unchanged. But the nature within man and Satan’s body “fell”, and became perverse. So, both man and Satan continued to look normal after they sinned, continued to look the way they looked before they sinned even though they were very much changed.

Hope that helps a little.

jdc

Pastor John,

Hi Pastor John. I hope everyone is well. I enjoyed the videos on livestream very much. I have another question for you. I am recently went back to work at an automotive factory. I work 7 days a wk, 12 hr shifts. There is so many filthy spirits here Pastor John. I am having a very hard time feeling Jesus. I spent a year and a half not working and, everyday was filled with Jesus. I dont know how to stay close to Him right now. I have thought about leaving this enviroment but I honestly feel Jesus wants me to learn to walk with Him through any condition. How do I do this? How do I surround myself in filth everyday and stay close to Jesus? How do I know if Jesus wants me to stay or to leave this job? My spirit feels awful around all of this. I have to work closely with these spirits everyday. If you have any advice on how to do this, I could sure use it. I hope it doesnt bother you, that I write and ask questions. I just trust that you definitely know Jesus, and I am still getting to know Him. I f by chance you would rather me find someone else to seek advice, I completely understand and will do so.

Sincerely
Beth D
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Hi Beth.

Thanks for writing.
Isaiah said, “He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him.” That’s a promise. Go to work with your mind on God, and talk of His praise and wonderful works all day.
That’s the answer the Lord gave me when I was a young construction worker. My soul was vexed, like Lot’s (2Pet. 2:7-9), “by the filthy conversation of the wicked”, all day long. One particularly bad day, I went home heavy-hearted, sick to death of my co-workwers’ nasty minds and mouths. I prayed about it that evening and spent some time reading my Bible. Then, in Psalm 71, God gave me His answer (especially the bold verses, below):

[1] In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
[2] Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
[3] Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
[4] Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
[5] For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
[6] By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
[7] I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
[8] Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
[9] Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
[10] For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
[11] Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
[12] O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
[13] Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
[14] But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
[15] My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
[16] I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
[17] O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
[18] Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
[19] Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
[20] Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
[21] Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
[22] I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
[23] My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
[24] My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.”

I went to work the next day on the offensive, with the weapons of praise and singing! I was amazed at the change it wrought on that construction site. It wasn’t long before some of the guys started approaching me when I was alone, confessing shameful sins and wanting me to talk about the Lord.

jdc

John,

I have a question, is what happened to Jesus when he received the holy ghost different than what happens to us when we receive the holy ghost? I know that the Son of God left his place and came and took on the flesh of Jesus and lived through him, and I know it says that they saw the spirit descend on Jesus like a dove when the Son took up his abode. But that was not just like receiving the holy ghost right? I mean The Son of God actually lived through Jesus.

I also know that when we receive the holy ghost, the Son said that he and the Father would come and take up their abode with us. So, I don’t really know if I am asking this right, but the physical Son of God was in the flesh of Jesus right? And not in us right?

Thanks
Stuart
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That’s right, Stuart.

It’s a difficult thing for us mortals to comprehend. Perhaps the best way to consider it is to compare it to our natural birth. Every one of us received human life when were were born, but we are all different. We each have our own personality and abilities. It is the same when we receive the holy Spirit. We all receive eternal life when we receive the Spirit, but it is different for each of us. We are born again in Christ with our own spiritual personalities, purpose, and gifts.

Jesus was born again as the Son of God because the Son of God himself came and took up his abode in Jesus’ temple and Mary’s son and God’s Son became one person. We, too, are born again as “sons of God”, but each of us has a place in our heavenly Father’s kingdom different from that of Jesus. He is “Lord of all”, and we are all under his authority.

That’s about the best I can do with that question. Such things are far beyond us, and only with the mind of Christ can we begin to comprehend them.

Pastor John

Hey, John:

A Palestinian woman nurse was assigned to me before my surgery in 2001. She told me that there is a place in Damascus, Syria called “Paul’s” wall. When I looked it up I am assuming that the wall she is talking about is the wall the believed where Paul was let down in a basket. She also told me that when Jesus went to Damascus, he was received and there was a place dedicated to him, too. I didn’t find a place where Jesus ever went to Damascus. Is this just a myth?

billy m
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Yes, Billy, it is a myth. And the “Paul’s Wall” she told you about is a myth, too.

Pastor John