Rise Up into It!

Matthew 16:6-7 Then Jesus said unto them (His disciples), Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

It is quite easy to interpret the dealings of God in your life on the wrong level. Even when reading the Scriptures we tend to interpret them only on our present level. We need to lift up our spiritual eyes to see them on a higher level. Then rise up into it!

Matthew 16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, He said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?

Jesus was not concerned about the natural realm. This should be a lesson for us. When you read the Scriptures, look for an insight that transcends the natural.

Matthew 16:9-12 Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11 How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12 Then understood they how that He bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees was their sinful nature riding on their teachings. What a person is in his spirit rides on the words he speaks. The Pharisees and Sadducees were antichrist in their hearts, and anyone who received their teachings would also receive of their antichrist spirit. We must learn how to discern spirit. A teaching may have the right words and right principles but still be devoid of the presence of the Lord.

Do you think the devil will try to deceive you with teachings you don’t believe? He comes as an angel of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness (II Corinthians 11:14-15). Satan will come as a bearer of light. He will deceive you with correct teachings. That is because his nature rides on what he speaks. His favorite way of deception is through sincere ministries of the Gospel. He looks for one who is speaking empty words and he jumps on the words spoken. Even Scripture is empty words if the person speaking them is not filled with the Spirit of Christ. Satan will do his greatest damage through lukewarm Christians.

Matthew 16:13-14 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

They obviously believed that some of these prophets would reappear. I have no doubt that many things will take place in the days ahead of us that we are not aware of now.

Matthew 16:15-18 He said unto them, But whom do you say that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but My Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say unto you, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

I’m sure that everyone reading this message believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. However, I would ask why you believe it? Some would say they believe it because their church teaches that He is and they believe what they are told. That’s good! But is it a revelation? There is a way in which you believe He is Lord because you have been told so. There is a higher realm where you believe it because it is a revelation to your heart. We need to rise up into that realm. To many He is the Lord in heaven (the sky); that is not the revelation we are speaking of. We want the revelation that He is the Lord ruling and reigning in us and through us. We want to rise up into that realm. Rise up into it!

“I’m in the Body of Christ!” That’s great! Where are you? Where is Jesus? “He’s at the right hand of the Father.” Where are you? “Well, I’m waiting for Him to come back.” If you are in the Body of Christ, you are at the right hand of the Father, too. The Head and the Body are not separated. People think there is a literal throne up in the heavens. It is a word-picture that takes something spiritual in the realm of God and expresses it in a way that we earthlings can understand it. He is not on a throne up in the sky. His throne is in the Body of Christ. It is in us that He wants to rule and reign. Rise up into it!

Matthew 16:20 Then charged He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was Jesus the Christ.

Why did Jesus tell His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ? It was because they might accept it without it being a revelation. Revelation of Him is the medium of change. There are two steps involved in revelation. First, you must receive the revelation to see the reality. Then, it is your responsibility to move up into it. It is not enough to perceive it; you must enter into the reality of it. Rise up into it!

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