I will not allow anyone to stop me from going to Jerusalem, here I will die and resuscitate

From: May 16-22, 2006 Study: # 444

TOPIC: “I will not allow anyone to stop me from going to Jerusalem, here I will die and resuscitate” Mathew 16:21-27 We don't want to suffer and we are not willing to, but if a wheat grain doesn't fall and dies it cannot give fruit. For this reason, as the wheat grain, we have to fall to the ground and rise to a new spiritual life. When we rise being spiritual then we will understand where it is necessary to go. Jesus came to earth to deliver us and for this reason he was pursued. We, as Him, should be pursued and die to the old man and "resuscitate". Ephesians 4:22 Colossians 3:5 Our flesh has to be killed because it is willful and tempted to sin. We don’t like to die to our flesh, how then will we "resuscitate" to a spiritual life? To "resuscitate" and for there to be joy, it is necessary to die to the old man. For this reason we have to go through persecutions and face them without any fear. When we "die" we will resuscitate to what is spiritual. It is a process; let us not escape from such processes. Those who overcome the process of facing persecution, to the death of their flesh and themselves, will learn a lot and live a spiritual life pleasant to God and victorious. We must learn each day. It is better to die to the flesh and not to the Holy Spirit, because no matter how much we do if it is not the will of the Holy Spirit our work will be in vain. Jesus spoke some strong truths to Peter. Mathew 16:21 the disciples were waiting for the Messiah, the promise of a warrior that would liberate them and would restore David’s throne, but Jesus did not come this way. Jesus was not as that great Messiah that they were expecting because he didn't come with splendid clothes or with heavy weapons. The same thing happens to us, because we have seen the glory of God in our lives in many occasions and when something bad happens to us we begin to act as they did. If we learn what the trajectory of this life is we will understand how necessary it is to be spiritual. We sometimes become obstinate to be so natural and carnal struggling to be as we wish and not as God wants. Then we become shattered, broke down to pieces and become affected. It is best for us to understand what spiritual life is and to be able to love. And to love as the Lord sends us it is necessary to have determination. For this reason, to break that hardness it is necessary to be mistreated and afflicted. Jesus had to put his head high and decide with firmness that he had to go to Jerusalem, knowing that it didn't suit him to go at that time because they were going to kill him. We also have to go to our "Jerusalem" even if they kill us, because there we will "resuscitate", there we will learn how to be spiritual. Persecution, pain and death was not the greatest thing for Jesus, but the greatest thing here was that he was to resuscitate in glory and was not going to be defeated. Let us do the same. For some it is good to hide and escape and while they do it they are supposedly ok because they don't go through the lion’s mouth, they don't go through death, but they will not have resurrection either. We must go through our Jerusalem. We sometimes hide behind many things and this way we will not get anywhere. It is better to be willing to do what we have to do; we don't have a reason to escape. How will we hide from God’s process? Those who don’t die to there flesh cannot resuscitate and it is necessary for our flesh to perish, to rise and be fruitful. We are in the conquest of our Jerusalem and we should know that our flesh should die so we will be able to move in God. In occasions our friends and family tell us that we shouldn’t die. The enemy doesn't look for a stranger but for those who are closer to us. We cannot allow those who love us to hide us, we have to go to Jerusalem and do God’s will. Peter was called. Jesus, the one who called him is greater. But, Peter wanted to persuade Jesus not to go through the process of God. Peter wanted to interrupt what was God’s will. Jesus knew that Satan was the one that didn’t want him to go through that process and at the end Peter also understood it. Jesus was not

looking at Peter when he spoke to him but to Satan who was behind Peter repeating, it was the echo of the voice of Satan who didn't want Jesus to go to the cross. Peter understood it. Let us not allow no one or anything to stop us from what we have to live. We can become evolved with our feelings, for that reason the devil uses our own family rather than strangers. The devil's plan of taking advantage of Peter's feeling failed. No one or anything shall conquer us, but the Father; He knows where to take us. Let us not allow ourselves to be controlled by the devil's voice. When we stumble with mankind we must realize that the voice behind them, that the voice behind them is the voice of Satan. When we recognize his voice we will say, just as Jesus did “get away from me Satan”. Let us not be mistaken and rise against mankind. This fight is not against man but against Satan that rises. Let us do what we have to do. Jesus said: "Get away from me…; you are an obstacle in my way.” (GNT) Our soul should not become depressed when we are told these types of things. Peter had been walking with Jesus in all that was success, but now it was necessary for him to "die" in order to achieve later. When we come to Jesus we want prosperity and all the good things. But, let us remember that Jesus had persecution, death and resurrection. And He said that we have to refuse ourselves, take our cross and follow him. Luke 9:23 We need to understand what it means to take our cross; we have to deny ourselves because many times we are obstinate with ourselves. Let us take the cross and follow him and we will never regret it. It is necessary to go to Jerusalem where God won't leave us alone. The brave takes his cross, and is able to deny himself. The more we live for our flesh, the more we will interrupt and detain the process of what God wants. The flesh brakes down, but the Spirit doesn’t. When living in the Spirit we know that we will have consolation, but when living in the flesh one lives in revenge, rebelliousness and speaking against God. We must die to our flesh, because the brave will be rewarded. Our trust cannot be in our strength but in God who loves us. Life is a risk, Jesus lived in risks. When we accept persecution as part of the process to die and to resuscitate, we will be rewarded in the Father’s glory. To do the work for God it is necessary to deny ourselves. He will come and give us great rewards for the work of our hands. Our reward will come from Him. If we have lived in the Spirit we will have a good payment, we will have a good reward. Beloved, in our faith God becomes greater. Let us stop to take so much of ourselves and let us do the Lord’s will, let us do what He wants, let us go to our Jerusalem. Amen.