Morning Star Testimony - Sermon Notes
Christ Conquered the Strong Man on the Cross - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 07/07/24
This
message was originally recorded December 27, 2015.
My
notes:
Doug
begins this study with the consideration of theodicy, "the vindication of
divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil". 'Why
does a loving God allow such evil things to happen to His people?' People also
ask, 'Where was God when this was happening?' Isaiah 63:9 "In all their
affliction He was afflicted." The answer is that He was right there
experiencing the suffering. As for justice?... it's coming and will be perfect.
Doug's series on The Celestial Court
addresses this (see Video Page).
Doug
has taught on the justice Jesus bore on the cross 2,000 years ago, the
forgiveness of sins; but there's the eternal retribution coming for those who
died in their sinful unregenerate state. God judged Jesus Christ on that cross
for all the sins of all mankind, including the sins of Hitler, Mengele, Mao,
Stalin, etc.
But
how does God deal with the unspeakable sins against humanity, especially the
body and bride of Christ, by Satan, principalities and powers, and Nephilim
hybrids? "As Paul describes it in Colossians Chapter 1 (verse 20), it is
the reconciling of all things through His cross." "On the cross, God
not only dealt with the sin issue, He dealt with principalities and powers. He
dealt with the 'strong man'. But how did He do it? He dealt with it in Satan's
proxy - the flesh... his means of articulating himself in fallen mankind."
God vindicates His righteous judgment on Satan and the fallen angels (to send
them to an eternal lake of fire) through the cross. And the criterion God uses
to prove their guilt is the church and what she has endured these 2,000 years.
(Again: The Celestial Court series will help explain this.)
Doug
explains the cross as being "supratemporal ... that which is transcendent
beyond time and space. The cross is not only a historical event; it's trans
dimensional. It encompasses all that which represents God's judgment against
sin - past, present and future - including the sin of angels." "On
the cross, God in Christ plundered the strong man... by the circumcision of
Christ in the removal of the flesh, He judged principalities and powers... He
takes that which represents the result of the fall, flesh, and in that flesh He
disarms principalities and powers... by putting it to death." That
circumcision on the cross was spiritual - "The flesh is removed in the
circumcision of Christ; what we are in Adam, removed... The flesh dies in the
circumcision of Christ; the old man dies." The flesh is the ground Satan
has access to. When Christ died, we died; the old man, our flesh, was removed.
Therefore Satan's access to us was removed. However, when we go back to living
in the realm of that old man, this gives Satan ground and access to us.
What
did God do to take away the strong man's armor? "What is that armor?
Flesh! The old man! Everything in you and me that's on the other side of the
cross, good and sinful... relatively good... religious... self-righteous.
That's how He dealt with it. He not only deals with sin; He deals with the best
of man. "
So,
what is our defense against Satan? Can he get to us to devour us? "What
man is now in Christ as the new creation, he has no access. Satan has no access
to who we are in our new creation identity as new." So how did we get
there? 2,000 years ago we in Adam, the first creation, died. "For you have
died and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). The enemy
cannot touch the new man hidden with Christ in God. It's when we step out of
who we are in Christ, the new humanity, back into who we are (were) in Adam,
our flesh, that Satan has access to us. This is why we must consistently
"put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in
regard to its lusts" (i.e.: desire, craving, longing, desire for what is
forbidden) (Romans 13:13).
As
this binding the strong man and plundering his possessions includes the
activity of the body of Christ during the church age, Doug points out,
"When we're in spiritual warfare, we never fight for victory. We're called
to stand in a victory that is already ours in Jesus Christ. He's already won...
We execute the judgment written... We enforce the fact that you are under us,
Satan."
Getting
back to why God allows the principalities and powers to hurt His blood-bought
sons and daughters, "What they're doing to the survivor, they're doing to
Him... and He's keeping score!" "Vengeance is Mine, and retribution,
in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their calamity is near, and
the impending things are hastening upon them." (Deuteronomy 32:35)
This
is another of those teachings that is so condensed and has so much to offer
that there is no chance we'll be able to digest it all in one sitting. A good
friend of mine equates much of Doug's teaching as at a seminary level. In my
opinion, I doubt there are many such seminaries today that actually teach up to
this level of spiritual truth and depth. Our pulpits today demonstrate this
quite succinctly.
Link
to audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/12-27-15+sunday+assembly.mp3
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!
The Endurance of Jesus Christ - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 07/03/24
This
message was originally recorded October 11, 2015.
My
notes:
Where
is the church? "The church is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ." It isn't in a locality on earth; neither is it something you go
to or attend. Doug did a series on What is the Church - the first one produced
in video format that goes into this. The church is the body of Christ and we
who are a part of the church are members of His body and members one of
another. It's organic - not spatial.
Doug
explains the definition of 'faith' as that which includes the idea it is
"fully stretched out in expectation. 'Hope' has as its undergirding
'faith', but its faith fully stretched with expectation... He (Jesus) is the
source of that which inspires the hope in our perseverance, our manly
endurance."
When
it comes to waiting, Doug tells us "There's something in the soul when it
has to wait. It reveals where we are." Here Doug mentions "Joni's
testimony", referring to Joni Eareckson Tada. Waiting involves pressure,
"And nobody likes pressure because it involves suffering, obviously."
Speaking
of the full salvation we are to possess, "The rapture of the church has to
be something that is possessed. The territory that represents gaining that
possession is blocked by principalities and powers. They have to be displaced
in order for this final salvation to be attained. The rapture will hinge upon
the certain degree and measure of principalities and powers being displaced in
the second heavens." This is all about spiritual warfare, conquest,
overcoming, and the church dealing with those who occupy the second heavens
which represent where our inheritance is - the place of ruling and reigning
with Christ - and doing so is making a way for Christ to return. John the
Baptist made a way for Jesus to come to Earth in His 1st Advent; we, the church,
must make a way for Him to come for us in what we term the rapture, the
culmination of full (final) salvation. "The waiting and the perseverance
is all associated with and connected and related to His coming. We're called to
gain possession of our Lord Jesus Christ." We don't achieve any of this
simply 'getting saved' believing in Jesus and ignoring the fact there's an
inheritance to be fought for and won. Sanctification is "a framework for
gaining possession of final salvation."
"The
entering in to the rule and reign of God, and what it means to be in the future
rule and reign of Christ is progressive. We have to pass out of one man into
another." It is not automatic when we are born into God's family; it takes
time, effort, suffering and endurance to grow up into sonship. We all start out
as babes in Christ - then little children... young men... fathers. Our
spiritual growth is progressive. Only when we reach maturity are we given the
sandals, robe and ring, the authority to administer the Father's business.
"This suffering is that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of
God." This is not pertaining to initial salvation, but sanctification
resulting in final salvation.
"The
enemy's desire is to destroy us; but God uses the enemy to sanctify us;
probably the best tool, the most effective tool God has to sanctify saints,
Satan himself." - "The Lord is faithful and He will strengthen and He
will protect you from the evil one. So, no matter what the threats are, we can
fulfill our assignment and not be concerned about what the threats are from the
evil one; and there are many."
Doug
expounds on Isaiah 53. Though he doesn't go into this, I wanted to address a
Roman Catholic error that places extreme value and worship of the physical
blood of Jesus. Scriptures point out that life is in the blood, and Jesus
poured out His life unto death. For those who enjoy singing "There is a
Fountain", there is no 'fountain of blood'. "There is a fountain
filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins" is not true, nor are
sinners "plunged beneath that flood". Neither did "the dying
thief" rejoiced "to see that fountain in his day". It is the
life (also referred to as soul and soul life) of the Son of Man that was poured
out unto death. The Roman soldier who pierced Jesus' side did so after His
death, so it wasn't that which saves us, but Jesus pouring out His soul unto
death. Isaiah 53:12 says, "He poured out Himself to death".
"Himself" is the word nep?eš,
literally translated soul, self, life, soul life. Transubstantiation
erroneously teaches that the grape juice mystically transforms into Jesus' physical
blood during Mass, similar to our communion table. The cup represents the
blood, but never becomes the blood.
We've
heard in so many ways about our soul being governed by the desires of our
bodies, or us living out from our soul. In that context it is negative - not
what we want to do when we've been purchased by the blood of Christ. We want to
put to death our soul life and live a spirit filled, spirit led life instead.
However, the soul of Jesus was not corrupted by sin as our souls are. His soul
was and is perfect. As His soul was brought to maturity, being dependent on
Heavenly Father drawing on the Holy Spirit given Him without measure, learning
obedience through suffering, He became the sinless offering that paid our sin
debt. He poured out His soul life unto death - a pure and undefiled soul
governed by His Spirit, out from the power of God.
Another
adjustment to consider is the passage in Luke that speaks of Jesus coming to
cast fire on the earth. Instead of understanding that to apply to Pentecost and
the 'tongues of fire' that appeared over the disciples, it will be "to purge the earth - to
cleanse the earth for His 1,000 year reign." "Fire is always
judgment; fire always consumes." We see that happening during the day of
the Lord, the 7-year tribulation.
As
this message is about the endurance of Jesus Christ, we see the entire Godhead
is involved in the incarnation and life of Jesus as the Son of God, Son of Man.
"As God - He empties Himself; as Man - He humbles Himself. The cross is in
God... The nature and character of that which defines that cross historically
is in the Persons of the Godhead."
Resource
mentioned: in the shadow of the cross by
Glenn M. Penner
https://bit.ly/4ez3ALY
Link
to audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-11-15+sunday+assembly.mp3
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!
You Have Need of Endurance - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 06/30/24
This
message was originally recorded October 4, 2015.
My
notes:
"We
all face various testing where we have to abide under the pressure and the
testing that life circumstances bring our way, and that's daily; we all face
various circumstances that the Lord is calling us to remain under - to abide
under - to be steadfast and to persevere with manly endurance."
Over
the years, Doug has taught us that as we study scripture how we need to know
the interpretation - the who, what, when, where, and why (i.e.: context) - and
also the application(s) that we can apply. In other words, in the Gospels,
since the church is a mystery and not yet revealed, the passages that indicate
the end of the age are by interpretation speaking of Israel's eschatology, not
that of the church. However, "we need to understand that God's provision
for them and warnings and exhortations apply to us (the church) at the end of
this age."
Once
again we are warned, "There is a judgment that is coming upon the church
very soon, as we see the consummation of the age before us, nation rising
against nation, and the prophecies of those nations that are now gathering
around Israel prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39 happening today."
So
what about endurance? What does that look like? Endurance requires us "to
continue to abide and remain under the circumstances that God has sovereignly
placed you in, to remain under... to remain under... to remain under while the
soul continues to die." We have need of endurance; "not a change of
circumstances... or another way out where we can find a better life, so our
soul can feel better." As for our soul life needing to die, "don't
forget that death is not the end; it's the means to an end." The result of
that dying to self is the resurrection life of Christ. "You want God to
change your circumstances? You'll give up sonship. Our circumstances are not
the issue. What is God training us; what is the discipline (child-training) of
the Lord in those circumstances? What's He trying to teach us? Is it pleasant?
No! The soul is dying."
What
is God waiting for in sending His Son to come for His bride? "He's waiting
for that which represents as soul-governed church to accept crucifixion with
Christ, and come on to the ground of Jesus Christ in a state of exanastasis
(Philippians 3:11). That's what He's waiting for. A church that will be
raptured will be wholly on the ground of resurrection spiritually, not
physically. A church that is governed by the life of the soul is not going to
stand at the end."
Speaking
of Hebrews, "it has everything to do with the inheritance - the whole book
has to do with inheritance, full reward. It's a race that's set before
us." The race requires perseverance and endurance. "There's a race
set before us, and there's a joy set before Him. What is that joy? 'I must be
perfected; I must go through to God's full end as Man for man so that the
Father can bring many sons to glory. The joy of giving to the Father - many
sons." For the joy, Jesus endured. "Are we enduring anything that's
greater than what He has endured?"
Endurance
for overcomers results in reigning with Christ. "’If we endure with Him (2
Timothy 1:12), we shall reign as kings.’ Endurance - reigning. ‘If we suffer
with Him, we shall be glorified with Him’" (Romans 8:17).
Link
to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-4-15+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
A
rich discussion followed with plenty of jewels that relate to the message:
https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/10-4-15+Discussion.mp3
Recommended:
JD Farag recently gave a very good message on the suffering church of Smyrna
(Rev. 2:8-11): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NeWBIL_FO0.
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!
The Kingdom of God and the Church - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 06/26/24
This
message was originally recorded August 23, 2015.
My
notes:
As we
are being conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) and Christ is being
formed in us (Galatians 4:19) during our life prior to our receiving glorified
bodies, "The resurrection body will display the measure in which we have
been organically grown together and united with Christ in the likeness of His
death and His resurrection. And there are vast measures of differences."
We will not all be the same in resurrection. The kingdom of God will have
"from the least to the greatest" (Hebrews 8:11); "star differs
from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead." (1 Corinthians
15:41-42)
When
we are born again, we are part of that new creation in Christ where there is
neither Gentile nor Jew. "There's no more roots as to what we are as
Gentiles or as Jews... In Him, both Jew and Gentile as a new creation are
reconciled to God... both disappear in Christ."
Some
may think it impossible or insane for Satan to believe he can defeat God. Doug
explains in detail the conflict of the ages that began long before man was
created. After Satan rebelled, he was cast from his lofty position as the
highest cherub that covered the glory of God. In so doing, God judged and
convicted him and those angels who followed him in rebellion as guilty and
sentenced them to the lake of fire. It was specifically created for them - not
mankind not yet created. Satan appealed his conviction. As a result, God
created man and the saga of this conflict has been playing out for 6,000 years.
The criterion for the denial of Satan's appeal is man, especially those God
created to be a part of His family, and the proof of Satan's guilt being the
violence against them, and the pathological attempt to exterminate mankind,
trying to prove God a liar. If there are no Christians for Jesus to come back
to, or if no Jews to rescue at the end of the day of the Lord, it would
establish a basis for acquittal. However, we know the end of the story and the
outcome of the conflict. Satan fails and the sentence is ultimately and forever
carried out. Obviously Doug tells the story much better. My "Cliff
Notes" version only scratches the surface. You can also learn a lot from
Doug's series The Celestial Court (on the Video Page).
Here's
something you don't hear every day - the actual name of the soon-to-be-revealed
Antichrist. Doug deciphers the scriptural reference to him in Daniel and found
consistent corroborating testimony from many of the SRA survivors he
counselled. Remember, in antiquity, the name of someone describes their nature
and character. Elsewhere Doug has established the Antichrist as well as the
false prophet to be Nephilim (hybrids) not fully human, who will be indwelt by
Satan to carry out their mission during the day of the Lord. Scriptural proof
can be seen comparing Hebrews 9:27 with Revelation 19:20. If they were human,
they would have to appear at the great white throne judgment before being cast
into the lake of fire.
Doug
also explains that during the day of the Lord when the mark of the beast is
required for all those who want to cooperate with the one world system, it will
be that which alters their DNA and cause them to become hybridized, thus no
longer being fully human, and therefore unredeemable. Some, present company
included, believe the current shot to be formulated during the tribulation to
become this agent to transform mankind into Übermensch Human 2.0. In the
October 1, 2018 issue of Forbes Magazine, an article titled "Faster
Than You Think. Will You Evolve with The Times?", Ray Kurzweil is quoted,
“The Singularity will represent the culmination of the merger of our biological
thinking and existence with our technology, resulting in a world that is still
human but that transcends our biological roots.” Anyone with any spiritual (and
even unspiritual) discernment can see we are on the precipice of the day of the
Lord.
The
church is being constituted as the administrative body of Christ to be
participants in the judgments executed during the day of the Lord. Doug
connects the 24 thrones and 24 elders in Revelation with the thrones set up in
Daniel for the destruction of Antichrist and his kingdom. The completed
priesthood of the church called to be kings and priests is given judgment over
the earth and of angels. "We are a scepter in the hand of the KING of
kings by which He exercises royal dominion... We are the extension of His
throne. That is, we in those characteristics as overcomers." When it's
time for Jesus to overthrow the Antichrist at the end of the day of the Lord,
"When He slays the Antichrist with the breath of His mouth, that breath
comes through a body that's glorified." The kingdom of Antichrist will be
judged and overthrown by the Son of Man, Jesus Christ in union with His body,
the church. "And we as church age believers have been created into that
one new man."
Link
to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/8-23-15+Sunday+Assembly.mp3
Resource
mentioned: Why Did Jesus Call Himself the Son of Man?
Link
to Article by Don Stewart:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_793.cfm
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!
The Kingdom of God Within Us - by Pastor Doug Riggs
by John Mark on 06/23/24
This
message was originally recorded August 19, 2015.
My
notes:
As
Doug continues to teach on the theme of the Kingdom of God, we are encouraged
to "seek for that which demonstrates the rule and reign of God in your
life through Jesus Christ." The kingdom of God is not until we get to
heaven, or even when the millennial kingdom begins. The kingdom of God is
within us - the rule and reign of Jesus Christ who personally indwells every
believer. The kingdom will be externalized in the coming age when we return
with Jesus Christ as He establishes the church as His kingdom on earth, ruling
the nations with a rod of iron in and through Israel as its physical
headquarters.
Now,
during this church age, Jesus Christ is receiving His kingdom in us. "So
how does He receive that kingdom? Through the cross in our lives, everything in
us that dies to the natural and comes out of that which we are by nature in
Adam, and on to the ground of Christ in resurrection. He's receiving a kingdom
through that process. Only that which is on resurrection ground can qualify for
the kingdom which He is receiving." This does not mean as that kingdom is
being established in us that it's going to be easy. "For the rule and
reign of God to be established in our life, tribulation and pressure are
required... kingdom is attained through tribulation and perseverance."
You
(the church) are being prepared by God for the Kingdom, "and equipping and
constituting you so that you will be the means by which Jesus Christ will judge
the world." This requires enduring suffering, testing, travail, and even persecution
and afflictions, "so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of
God" (2 Thessalonians 1:5). "Now is the capacitation phase of that
kingdom. When Christ returns with His church, that kingdom glory will be
manifested in and through those that are ruling and reigning with Him as KING
of kings and LORD of lords... Ruling and reigning with Him, kingship, is an
attainment. It is a part of our inheritance. Kingship is not granted at
salvation."
At
the 2nd Advent, "when Jesus Christ comes back as King, He has an
internalized, fully formed kingdom, a sphere in which He manifests His rule and
reign as King." However, before this occurs, there is that which is yet to
come. "There is a shaking coming in the body of Christ to such a degree
that when everything's leveled to the ground, all that will remain is the
church that Jesus is building. There'll be nothing left but that."
As we
hear about the kingdom of God coming to Earth in the near future, we should not
assume God in the person of Jesus Christ is not ruling and reigning as King
here and now. Satan is called “the god of this age”, “the prince of the power
of the air”, but Jesus, as the Man in glory, is the absolute sovereign ruler of
heaven and earth. All things are under His feet - and under our feet as those
enthroned in and with Him at the Father's right hand, "far above all rule
and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in
this age but also in the one to come." That age to come is the Millennial
Kingdom.
Link
to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/8-19-15+Wednesday+Assembly.mp3
Recommended:
Kingdom Value
System by Bob Mumford
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7jvIZuvMfY&t=332s)
Note:
I recently began listening to Bob and am discovering a plethora of fatherly
advice and encouragement. This particular video (only 9 minutes) fits so well
with Doug’s series on the Kingdom of God. I have no doubt it will bless you.
Maranatha!
John Mark
...hereby committing this unto the
providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is
blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!