Listen to this articleThe church is about to enter into a season of persecution, which in a way is similar to what the early church went through at the beginning.
Just as Jesus faced two major threats to his life: The first one came from Herod just after his birth. He had to flee Jerusalem and go to Egypt for some years.
The second one came at the end of His earthly ministry, in his 30s, leading to his crucifixion. It is this second persecution that ushered him into His Glory.
The Body of Christ has a similar pathway. When the church was a baby, it faced a threat from the devil, which led the church to flee Jerusalem and go hide into the world. But as the church matures and nears its glorification, it must face another persecution, leading to its death, resurrection, ascension and glorification.
The bible tells us that many Christians shall at this time depart from the faith, and one of the reasons is because they do not have the mind of Christ concerning death and life.
Matthew 24:9-10 (NIV)
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other
2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NKJV)
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
Revelation 12:11 (BBE)
11 And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witness; and loving not their lives they freely gave themselves up to death.
THE TWO REALITIES
Before I talk about why dying is not a calamity for a child of God, but a blessing, let me first talk about the two realities, and the two bodies. I believe it’s a great foundation to help us see things the way God sees them.
There are two realities that exist. We have spiritual realities and natural realities. If we hope to have victory over the world and over the devil, we must learn to be aligned to spiritual realities. Natural realities pertain to the natural existence and are experienced through the natural body. However, in-order to experience spiritual realities, we must have a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 2:14 (WEB)
Now the natural man doesn’t receive the things of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can’t know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
There is a spiritual body, and a natural body.
1 Corinthians 15:44 (NET)
-If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
THE NATURAL BODY
Your current experience of reality comes through your natural body and its five senses; What you see, what you taste, what you touch, what you hear.
Everything you do in this world is designed to satisfy the natural body. You work to feed that body, to clothe it, to shelter it in a house, to give it a nice car so it doesn’t walk, to beautify it, to give it pleasure and relaxation.
This natural body allows you to experience natural life on earth. This natural body came from Adam. It was made out of natural elements, which the bible calls dust.
Genesis 2:7 (WEB)
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Through the natural body, we experience natural reality, we experience natural life.
THE REAL YOU
The real you, is not your body, the real you is the soul and spirit contained within the body. This soul and spirit are together called, the inner man. That is the real you.
If your body is destroyed, God can replace it, but if God replaces your soul, you will seize to be you. This is why Jesus says, we must never be afraid of the death of the body, but rather the destruction of the soul.
Matthew 10:28 (WEB)
Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Your body is a house for your soul. A lot of times when people dream of being inside a big house, the house they are seeing is the state of their own body. Just as we have an earthly house, God has prepared for us a spiritual house, which is a spiritual body.
2 Corinthians 5:1 (WEB)
For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.
This house, which is your body, your natural body, is so great that it can contain other spiritual beings within it, besides you.
Demonic spirits desire to live in your house.
Matthew 12:43-45 (WEB)
43 When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came out,’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation.”
This house, which is your natural body, is so great, that it can contain thousands of other spirits.
Luke 8:30 (WEB)
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him.
A legion refers to about 6 000 persons. So imagine, six thousands spirits living and having their whole existence inside one human body. This is why sometimes your body is referred to as a city.
Proverbs 25:28 (NET) Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper.
There are people who are walking cities. There are people who sometimes dream and have visions of being in a large large city. Yet they are seeing the state of their bodies.
Your natural body is so great, to the extent that it contain God himself.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NET)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
So, your body is not you. Your body is your house. It allows your soul and spirit to experience natural life in this world. And whatever spirit lives in that house can also experience natural life through your body.
The apostles spoke this very clearly.
2 Peter 1:13-14 (NET)
13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
You are not your body, your body is the place where you live.
Philippians 1:22, 24 (NET)
22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:
24 but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body.
THE SPIRITUAL BODY
When you are born again, it is your spirit that is born of God.
John 3:6 (NET)
What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
The Spirit of God gives birth to a new spirit within you.
Ezekiel 11:19 (NET)
I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them;
Because your natural body, is not designed to experience spiritual realities, God has prepared a Spiritual Body for you, which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:39-40 (NET)
39 All flesh is not the same: People have one flesh, animals have another, birds and fish another.
40 And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The glory of the heavenly body is one sort and the earthly another.
2 Corinthians 5:1-2 (NET)
1 For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.
A lot of people have heavenly experiences where they see mansions in heaven, these mansions are not buildings like in the natural, they are bodies, that will house your spirit and soul.
2 Corinthians 5:2-3 (NET)
2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling,
3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked.
This spiritual body is much greater than our natural bodies. It will allow us to experience fully, spiritual realities. This spiritual body is not made out of dust, but it is made out of WORD just as Jesus Christ body, was made out of WORD.
John 1:14 (NET)
Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
We are children of the Word, so we have bodies in store for us, made out of word.
1 Peter 1:23 (NET)
You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.
James 1:18 (WEB)
Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
This spiritual body is like the bodies that angels have. Angels have spiritual bodies also called heavenly bodies.
Mark 12:25 (WEB)
For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
When you receive your spiritual body, you will be able to see and experience fully, your spiritual realities. Your natural body can not experience spiritual realities, because it experiences life through natural senses.
1 John 3:2 (WEB)
Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.
So, do not be worried, when you read the bible and it is telling you what you are, yet you can not see or experience it. It’s because you are in the wrong body.
The bible tells you, you are sitting in the heavenly places, that you are a king, that you have glory, that you are above all principalities, that your are an heir of the kingdom, that you are rich, that you are perfect and righteous, that you are all these things.
Yet you can not see it.
It’s because flesh and blood, can not experience these spiritual realities, they are spiritually experienced.
1 Corinthians 15:47-50 (NET)
47 The first man is from the earth, made of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust, and like the one from heaven, so too those who are heavenly.
49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the man of heaven.
50 Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
So, do not become discouraged. The apostle Paul explains here:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
DYING IS A BENEFIT
When last did you hear this being taught in the church. As Christians we have lost this very critical understanding, and we have taken up the mind of the world. For a born again believer, dying is a benefit.
Philippians 1:21-23 (NET)
21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:
23 I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,
Dying, for someone who is born again, means putting away this wrong body and being prepared to receive their rightful body, the spiritual body meant for the new creation.
The Devil has used the fear of death to keep people under bondage.
Hebrews 2:15 (KJV)
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
The fear of death, has kept a lot of Christians in bondage to the devil. Yet when you understand that you have a heavenly body already prepared for you, you will know that death for a born again believer, is a blessing.
Indeed that is what the Spirit of God says.
Revelation 14:13 (NET)
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit,
“so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”
There are many good men and women of God, that God kills physically, he takes them, and we cry and we pray to try and bring them back, yet God is blessing them through death. The Spirit is saying to them, its time to enter into rest, you have been working hard, well done.
Listen to what God says to Isaiah…
Isaiah 57:1-2 (KJV)
1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
When we are naturally minded, when righteous people die, we will weep and curse God, and say why is God so heartless, why did he allow such a good person to die. We ask, why does God allow innocent children to die, why do the good people go so young. Yet scripture is saying, they are being blessed, and that God will sometimes take his people away, to protect them fro evil to come, and to place them into peace and rest.
We are looking at things from a natural lens. We are only seeing natural life.
Jesus says something that seems to make no sense.
Luke 21:16-18 (NET)
16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.
17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name.
18 Yet not a hair of your head will perish.
Jesus is saying that you will be put to death, yet not a single hair on your head shall perish.
What? That seems to make no sense from a natural perspective.
Christians should let go of the fear of death, if they are to escape the bondage of the devil.
WHY CONTINUE LIVING IN THIS WORLD
I know, I know, now people are asking themselves, why didn’t God just take us to heaven the day we were born again?
There are three reasons I will look at.
1. To Fulfill the Work of Christ
Christ’s mission on earth is not yet completed. There are millions of people who are yet to receive the word and be born again.
When we are born of God we become united with Christ, and have our share to fulfill in his mission to save the world.
We must preach the gospel, we must share in his sufferings and we must demonstrate the spirit to the world, for its salvation and judgment.
Mark 16:15 (NIV)
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Listen to what Paul and Peter say as reasons for them to remain on earth.
Philippians 1:22-25 (NET)
22 Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer:
23 I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,
24 but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body.
25 And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress and joy in the faith,
So one of the reasons for us to live on earth after we are born again is to help in the salvation and growth of other people.
2 Peter 1:13-15 (NET)
13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.
2. To Mature in Christ
When we enter into eternity, what ever we are, is what we shall be forever.
Those that are Holy will be Holy forever.
Revelation 22:11 (KJV)
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
So, while this age of time exists, God has given us time to grow our spiritual level, to the highest dimension, which is the dimension of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Colossians 1:28 (NET)
We proclaim him by instructing and teaching all people with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature in Christ.
So, it is critical to use this time we have, to grow spiritually as much as we can, because we wont be able to do that in eternity. Our level in the next life is determined by our growth in this age. And we must also make every effort to fulfil the call of Christ and help other people to come to Christ and to grow in Christ.
These are the main reasons God keeps us here after we are born again.
3. To bear testimony to the lost
Those who are lost, who refuse Christ, who will fall under judgment, must also receive a testimony of their wickedness and this testimony comes from their interaction with us.
Matthew 10:18 (ISV)
18 You will be brought before governors and kings because of me, to testify to them and to the gentiles.
God also uses our lives to testify of his grace, goodness and love to the world. We are living scriptures.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NET)
2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone,
3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.
CONCLUSION
As we face various persecutions of life, the devil will use the fear of death to keep us in bondage. But you are not your body. Your body is your house where the real you currently lives to experience natural life. However, when you were born again, you were given a new life, a spiritual life, and God also prepared for you a spiritual body, not made of dust but made of the word. Just as Jesus body was made of word. Through this heavenly body, you will be able to experience spiritual life and spiritual realities of what you are, in their completeness.
The physical death of a child of God is not a tragedy, but a blessing, it is not a loss but a benefit. Yet we have work to do, and growth to achieve whilst we are in this time. Let us use the time we have been given wisely, but do not hold on too much to this natural body, which is perishing.
Stay Blessed, Amen.
