Today has been an intense day of ministry and prayer for me.

 

Today’s revelation is concerning being enemies of the Cross. Philippians 3:18 talks about being enemies of the Cross. Verse 19 however explains what being enemies of the Cross means.

 

“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is shame…”

1. Whose end
2. Whose God
3. Whose Glory.

 

These are the 3 characteristics I am going to study WITH you as I have been praying this through today.

 

WHOSE END

The Greek is the word for “end” is “telos” which means “goal” “objective”. So whose end is to bring a goal and an objective to bring destruction. Paul uses the word destruction. Let us also see what that means.

“Destruction” Greek “apooleia” which means “ruin” and “loss” whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Also can be “brought to waste”. In this context it can mean a well prayed through strategy which is brought to waste through this nature, of being a ENEMY OF THE CROSS. It can also mean “to bring to death” which could be interpreted to mean, to bring to death the move of God in a person’s life, or anyone in their sphere of influence. So what we are looking at here is someone who has not let the WORK OF THE CROSS WORK THROUGH THEIR SPIRIT MAN, AND WORKING IN THEIR SOUL, AS IN THE SANCTIFICATION PROCESS THAT PREPARES US FOR ETERNITY.

 

WHOSE GOD

 

Whose God…”Theos” can be the object of their devotion, replacing God with something else. The Greek then goes to define what the belly is in this verse… Greek terms belly as “koilia” which is basically a cavity, a heart. That means that the person who is an ENEMY of the CROSS, and all its work, has made the focus of their attention be ON THEMSELVES AND ON EVERY WHIM AND DESIRE OF THE HEART ABOVE THAT OF GOD AND HIS KINGDOM. The “koilia” is essentially also a womb, says the Greek, which means it is the place where WE BRING THINGS INTO BEING. Being termed a womb means what we produce is indicative what seed it is produced from. And from a person who is an enemy of the cross is that the WOMB IS PRODUCING SELF ABOVE GOD. The Cross, and all its implications brings death to this, where the “koilia” produces what Mary (Miriam) produced when the Power of the Highest overshadowed her, and the Spirit came on her, to produce Yeshua and the seed of the Son of God. But a sword was brought on her soul, she bore the work of the cross before the Cross. You may think I am being in error, but when you consider the risks of Mary being pregnant in a betrothal situation was to bring shame on herself from society, and from the religious leaders of the day who if by the Law of Moses were to know, was punishable by death.

 

This means that when we walk in the light as a friend of the Cross we must bear the marks, consequences of its work in us.

 

WHOSE GLORY

 

Glory in the Greek is “doxa”, which means honour, praise, whereas the word “shame” found in this verse is “aischune” which means “all that which is dishonest, shameful.” So a person who has not had the Cross work through their life, they resist its work, resist what the Cross represents personally in terms of its costs and its processes means they glory in being dishonest and glory in the shame they can bring on others distracting the attention from themselves, so wherever they work, live, move, they create distractions by deflecting scandal from themselves, creating discord, disunity, disability, so that they never come under the spotlight of any human spiritual authority, and they seemingly can live above any spiritual law in this life.

 

“Phil 3:18-19

 

18(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

 

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

KJV

“Who mind earthly things” above heavenly things, because an enemy of the Cross does not have access by their mind to the heavenly things having set their affections on earthly things. What does Paul say in Colossians 3:1?

 

Col 3:1-3

3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

 

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

KJV

 

How can you be risen with Christ if you have not been crucified first? So what does Paul exhort here?

 

1. Seek the things which are above.
2. Set your affections on things above.

 

So the crux of our prayer together today is, to examine ourselves if we too are ENEMIES OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST. Because it is no good setting our prayer on revival if first our seeking is not on the things above, crucifying ourselves with Him, and setting our affections.

 

What are we seeking? Revival.

 

What revival? Larger Churches, better ministry, more finances?

 

No, we long to see the manifest Glory of God. That Jesus be glorified in the Earth. As Head of the Church. Working to bring the fulfilment of the harvest of souls and the perfecting of all things, subject as unto Him. That is our goal.

 

Shalom.