Most Holy Call to Pray (CTP, 23rd April, 2021)
Topic: Possessing the New Heavens and the New Earth
Minister: Rev. Kayode Oyegoke
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” (Rev. 21:1). The statement “no more sea” implies there will be no veil between the new heavens and the new earth, unlike we have in this present heavens and earth. The new earth would not need the preservative function of the sea, unlike this present earth.
It is possible for men to doubt that this present heaven will pass away because they do not have an accurate understanding of scriptures. Scriptures says that the heavens will be completely dissolved and vanish. God will kill each of its molecules or elements and there will be no remembrance of it (2 Pet. 3:10-12).
There is a prevalent concept in the minds of many Christians - that this present heaven is the permanent home of God. However, this is an erroneous belief because the Creator is higher than the heavens. Four thousand years ago, the Psalmist wrote that this present heaven is waxing old, and therefore needs to be changed (Psalm102:25-26). God who created this present heaven and the earth should be able to create another one. He has the freedom and power to change His abode. If human beings can change their clothes or houses, then God can also change His environment as well. When vestures become old, they are not rejuvenated; they are discarded.
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (2 Peter 3:12-14). We ought to look for both the new heavens and the new earth. When you look for the new heaven without its earth, you will not be privileged to reign on earth.
The kings in the Revelations 1:5 are of the new heavens and they are different from those in Revelation 21:23-24 who are in the new earth. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.” (Rev. 21:23-24). These kings of the earth are shepherds that will light and lead the earth with their light for a while, until the City of God arrives. Those who make up the heavenly City are the actual rulers of the earth.
We need to do everything to come into the heavens and inherit our earth as well, i.e., we must possess our bodies as well. There are majorly two orders of resurrection: resurrection of the dead and resurrection from the dead (Philip. 3:11, 1 Pet. 1:3). Resurrection from the dead makes the body a living body.
Every man that is walking in the light of Christ has the right to a living body through the Spirit. A man can be reckoned to have life in his soul if Christ is already formed in that soul (Gal. 4:19). And this life will further penetrate the body. The glorious light of Christ can be magnified in our mortal bodies (Philip. 1:20). However, this will take faith, obedience, and mercy. The peak of obeying the program of the resurrection of the dead is that our bodies will be eternally redeemed (Romans 8:11).
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1). The body should not just be presented holy and perfect; it must become acceptable to God. An acceptable body is higher than a body of someone who is only born again. Going further to becoming acceptable is a demand for perfection. It is a godly demand; and godliness is service.
The kings of the new earth in Revelation 21:24 are those who are limited in the use of light. They do not have the light of the heavenly City. Therefore, these kings are not reigning on the earth; they are just ruling or leading the nations of the earth.
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter 3:13). We should look for things that will make us inheritors of the new heaven. Furthermore, we should also look for the new earth because this is what it will take to reign on the earth. Also, there is a light required for reigning on earth. “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (Rev. 22:5).
Reigning in Revelation 22:5 does not refer to rulership over people but showing them how to use the earth for the expression of Eternal Life. The light that the Lord God gives is the key or secret to reigning on earth and those whom God will give this light are not ordinary people.
The nations who are on the new earth do not know how to use the earth, but they are just living in it (Rev. 21:4). Human beings have not known how to use the present earth - all we have done so far is abusing it. There is a light that teaches how to use the earth, which has been lost. The person who has exemplified how to use this earth well is our Lord Jesus Christ. However, God wants to raise kings who will have the capacity to use the glory or light of Eternal Life and also manifest it on earth. Therefore, we must look for new heavens and also look for the new earth. These kings will have to come down to the earth to reign.
To reign in the new earth is beyond reigning over oppositions (such as evil spirits or demons). What the new earth wants to offer the heavenly kings is an opportunity to reign. The heavenly kings will show men how to live as kings. God made the earth so that it can respond to His dominion. There is a reign of our Lord Jesus till He puts all His enemy under His feet; but the reign of the world to come is an expression of a high life (1 Corin. 15:25).
God made man for His own light (John 1:4). Therefore, it can only take the Lord God to shed light on how to use the earth. The earth was given to us for a reason. No man came to this earth by mistake, no matter the circumstances surrounding our birth. Every believer has been given a chance to reign and we have a great destiny in Elohim. It is a great journey ahead of us but there are wicked spirits who wants to cripple this destiny.
The destiny of every man or believer is to trap the governing light of the world to come, so that we can translate Eternal Life to others. Without the earth, no spirit can express Eternal Life. This was why Jesus cried to God not to leave His soul and body to corruption because He knew the importance of it (Psa. 16:10).
Illicit sexual intercourse is a sin and should not be joked with; and those who have been involved in it should not go back, because it is a sign that they are rejecting God’s plan for man. Our bodies are not ordinary; it’s a weighty thing in the scheme of God. This was why Lucifer wanted to take the body of Moses. Without his body, he would not have been able to participate on the Mount of transfiguration (Jude 1:9). Men like Elijah and Enoch who left with their bodies must have also understood the resurrection of the dead.
In Genesis, God made man’s body with a particular intention in mind. However, Satan has captured this body and he is intending to destroy it. We must understand that we are not of ourselves; we belong to God (1 Corin. 6:13). Many of us need to fight to take back our bodies from the hold of evil spirits. There is a contention in the spirit over our bodies.
This is the time for those who have issues with sexual sin to face it squarely and deal with it. Young people need to flee fornication (1 Corin. 6:18). The earth today does not even see anything wrong with fornication anymore because of the works of evil spirits in men. Satan knows that nothing destroys a nation faster than the sin of the body.
Fornication should not be joked with because the Bible affirmed that it can reduce a man to a morsel of bread (Prov. 6:26). We should make up our mind against illicit sex. If you have previously been involved in the sin of fornication, we should seek God’s help to withdraw from it. Jesus fought for His body out of hell, He did not joke with it; and we should do the same too.
Married and unmarried sisters do not need to be overly polite with men who have the fragrance of evil and that are likely to lead them astray. These are the days when sisters or brothers should be careful not to be easily spined by sweet flattering words, because it could lead to something destructive. Young people should be led and not just be involved in activities like dating without a purpose. You are not be cheap; you are bought with the blood of Christ (1 Cor. 7:23).
A sister should not be involved in fornication, even with someone who has promised to marry her because it can destroy her. Sisters should not be overly humble because not all brothers in the company have been healed of old habits.
We are in an everlasting season and we should not take things trivially. If you have sinned and asked God for forgiveness, do not go back to it. Sisters should not also be found seducing brothers. People have infirmities, but they should not use it as a stumbling block for others. We should all live holy. We have enough spirit and should use it to live holy.
Yusuf Oluwapelumi - 3 years ago