Nov 23, 2009 Why Flesh Must Be Crucified Kathleen Maples

We are living in a very troublesome time, a dangerous time, and I want to share with you some
Scriptures and the understanding the Holy Spirit gave me concerning them. I couldn't help
feeling awed and uneasy as I have been digging in these Scriptures for the past week. In these
times we desperately long for hope, and comfort, and help as we see things in our world, in our
country spiral out of control. Gross darkness covers the land, covers the minds and eyes of men
and women. How desperately we need the glorious light of the Gospel of Christ to shine
through His people, through chosen, sanctified vessels.

I began to wonder as I read these Scriptures about some things, so I did some research, and
carefully studied the time line given in chapter 5 of Genesis, and I learned Noah was born about
1056 years after Adam was created. I created a graph, using 0 to identify Adam's creation, and
the Bible said he lived 930 years. 0-930. You can see below how their lives overlapped and
consider the ramifications of that as you consider your own family. I'll tell you something else
I noticed-Enoch, Adam's great grandson, (to the 7th generation) lived during Adam's lifetime.
Adam came into being as the creation of God, the firstborn of humanity, in whom God breathed
His Holy Spirit, indwelled, in perfect fellowship, an accurate reflection of the likeness of God-
possessing the nature and Spirit of God. He had walked with God, yet turned away from that to
do what the tempter had wanted. Make your own decisions. Be your own god. It's a rebellion
against God.
Gen_4:26 tells us that after Seth had Enos, at that time men began to call upon the name of the
Lord. I have a study Bible and and want to share with you something it says, and I quote:

An equally valid translation could read: "At that time men began to call themselves after the name of the
Lord." This is undoubtedly a reference to the mighty men of old who called themselves gods and incorporated
the names of the Lord into their own names and titles."

You can find this Bible here: http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Its-Original-

Order/dp/0967547997

This is an interesting point, one I'd never considered. It's arrogance. What did the serpent say
to Eve? "For God knows in the day you eat this forbidden fruit, your eyes will be opened, and
you will be as gods, knowing good and evil." Since then, man has always desired to be their
own god, rule their own destiny. You hear things like that latter part said all the time. Be your
own boss. Make your own way. It's my way or the highway. All of that come from the devil. Yet
here, in this world that was in rapid decline, was a man named Enoch who walked with God.
That word for "walked" means a lot-to go, to come, to follow, desire, continually converse with.
Enoch went to God with everything, he talked to God all the time. He desired God, else he would
not have sought after God so much. He stayed near God, he walked before God upright and
honest. Here, while Adam still lived, his great grandson, seven generations later, is walking
with God. 57 years after the death of Adam, God took Enoch.

Heb_11:5 and Jud_1:14 tells us Enoch was a prophet who walked very close to God and was
raptured out of the world, not having to die. He learned so much from God. He saw far into the
future the events that would unfold in the history of humanity. I believe the Lord revealed to
Enoch there would be a flood that would destroy all life left as well. Knowing Enoch was a
prophet, knowing he walked far closer to God than anyone else mentioned in the Bible, Enoch
named his firstborn son Methuselah. That name means "when he is dead it is sent; messenger
of death". Enoch knew about the coming of the flood before Noah was even born.

Gen 5 bears a little more consideration here. The history of Adam is given. There is a reminder
in verse one that God created man, Adam, in the likeness of God Himself. He created and
blessed them. But in 5:3 Scripture says Adam lived 130 years and had a son in his own likeness,
after his image, Seth. No longer the image of God, but the image of Adam. No longer like God,
but like Adam, fallen, carnal, not spiritual. A list of descendants is given, along with their
lifespans.
Lamech, Enoch's grandson, is the father of Noah. Noah was born 1056 years after Adam was
created, as shown. At the same time, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared,and Methuselah were all
alive. By the time God told Noah about the flood, about 1536 after Adam's creation, (using 0-
930 as the start for the years) and Noah was 480 years old.

The name Noah means rest, or comfort. Lamech said he would comfort us, concerning our
work and toil with our hands because of the ground which the Lord cursed. That he would
make such a statement reveals an understanding and repentance of the events of humankind
that brought the curse about in the first place. There was a desire for restoration, renewal,
revival, if you will. There was a mourning, and desire to be comforted.

Gen 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters
were born unto them,
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them
wives of all which they chose.

There is an important distinction here. The men referred to in verse 1 is human beings. But in
verse 2, the word for sons means a builder of the family name. The men, descendants of the line
of Cain, had wives, and had daughters. But there was another family, the sons of God. They
were descendants from the godly line of Seth. This verse implies up to this point, there had been
a separation. The sons of God turned from marriage to godly women, daughters of Seth's
lineage, to the daughters of the world. Why? Because they saw the daughters of the world were
beautiful, pleasing to the eye. Just as Eve, when tempted to disobey God, saw the fruit of the
forbidden tree was pleasing to the eye, and would make one wise, according to the serpent, so
now, the sons of God were distracted by the beauty of the daughters of men. They took for
themselves wives which they chose. God was left out of this decision. Key words here: they took
for self. They were drifting away from God, drawn away by their own lust. The word fair also
means they were pleasant, and agreeable. How that plays on the desire of self for that which is
pleasing, stimulating, entertaining, and yet not demanding. Look at verse 2 again, carefully-
that which was OF GOD got its eyes on that which was OF MEN. It went downhill from there.

There are many places in Scripture that testify to the fact the Lord sees people from heaven,
down on earth. His eyes miss nothing and no one. I had not previously thought along these
lines, but immediately, when the sons of God went astray and began to marry and mix with the
daughters of the world, God pronounced judgment on the whole world. He immediately
decided to put an end to this whole world.

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his
days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

His Spirit contends, judges, pleads with men-even back then. In Gen 5, the generations of men
up to this point are listed, according to the number of the years of their lives. Men were living
upwards of eight to nine hundred plus years. That's almost a millenia. And from the beginning,
God's Spirit has sought fellowship, and as a parent with a child, leadership in the lives of His
human creation, especially those of His own-those called sons.

From the beginning, He wanted to be close to people, wanted to give them the benefit of His
great wisdom, share His time and heart with them. What an awesome thing. He wanted to love
and be loved, to be heard and listened to, to be sought after by those He had so much regard
for. I believe He had regard for humanity, great love, because He knew before He ever breathed
life into Adam, that Adam would fall from the image God created to him to be, and thus
humanity for the most part would reject Him.

Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came
in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men
which were of old, men of renown.
I have heard people preach this as fallen angels mating with the daughters of men and
producing a line of giants. That is simply not true. First of all, you have to understand at this
time, as is now, there is two families on this earth, two lines of descendants. One was the godly
line of Seth, the sons of God. The other was the descendants of Cain, whom Scripture warns us
was of that wicked one. So you basically have the family of God and the family of Satan on this
earth. Now, Jesus said in the Gospels the angels neither marry, nor are given in marriage. I
know Scripture mentions in Job how the sons of God came before the throne and Satan came
with them. This Scripture has been misunderstood. This is an illustration of how the enemy
tries to fight us when we come before God's throne in prayer. He comes with accusation,
looking to defeat our prayers before they get prayed. Thank GOD for the blood of Jesus! It's
simply not true that angels cohabited with women. God said everything would produce after
its own kind.

Luk 20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in
marriage:
Luk 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from
the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Luk 20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of
God, being the children of the resurrection.

And if you still need more proof, consider this nail in the coffin of that lie:

Heb 1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Heb 1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the
angels of God worship him.

Answer? NONE. Never have the angels been called sons of God. Period. Only Christ and those in
whom He lives. So back to verse 4.. there were giants in the earth in those days. In the Hebrew,
(H5303) the word is nephiyl, where the word "nephilim" comes from. In the KJV it's translated
as "giants" but a better translation would be "bully" or "tyrant". My interlinear Bible
translates this as 'distinguished ones'.

Consider that we are talking about the mixture of a godly, or spiritual line of people with a
rebellious, carnal line of people. The flesh will always try to bully and rule over the Spirit.
Remember Jacob and Esau, struggling in Rebekah's womb? Remember David and Saul? These
are two prime examples of the struggle with the flesh and Spirit. Remember Ishmael and Isaac?
What did Paul say?

Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit,
even so it is now.

When you mix the spiritual with the flesh you get a tyrant, a bully, who wants to rule over that
which is Godly. It's an abomination to God.

God looked down from heaven, He saw the wickedness of man was spreading rapidly through
out the world. It was everywhere. There were warriors, tyrants, men of great and big
reputation. Everything they did, and purposed to do, every thought and imagination of their
heart was wicked in the eyes of God. It was all rooted in a desire to please themselves, to live
unto themselves, and leave God out of everything. God is not a tyrant. If you put a group of
children on an island without responsible adult supervision, they will turn into a bunch of
savages. It will be every one for themselves, and will have no mercy or compassion for cruelty
to the other. I believe they made a movie years ago that reflected this same idea. But it's true-
without someone wise and strong to keep order and teach the right way, everything descends
into chaos.

The Lord was grieved in His heart-the very center of His feelings and mind, He was repentant
and grieved for making man. A little over 1500 years after creating Adam and everything had
deteriorated so badly the Lord decided to wipe it out and start over. But Noah, whose name
means comforter, found grace in the eyes of God. He found favor with God because the
Scripture says he was a righteous man, entirely righteous, there was no mixture in Noah. He
was wholly righteous. While the earth was decaying, the morals and the lifestyles of the
people, being such a mixture of right and wrong that right was overwhelmed with evil, grew
worse. In the midst of that, here was Noah and his family. In the midst of the violence, the
oppression, the false, Noah was a righteous man. The rest of the world had corrupted
themselves. They were spreading violence and wickedness every where they went. As bullies
over God's creation, they went about destroying, defiling, without remorse. What a reflection
of the nature of Satan.

God spoke to Noah and said the end of all flesh is going to come before Me. I'm going to see to it
that this ends now. He told Noah what to use and how to make this ark. It would be three
stories high, about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. You put a window in it "above"
(translates to overhead) He said in verse 16. You will be safe in this ark, but you only need to
look up not out, not around, for your direction. God was going to make a covenant with Noah.
He would start the human race over, using Noah's family. God told Noah to bring provision
into the ark, of all food that is eaten, for his family and for the animals.

Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an
ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith.

God told Noah to do something, and Noah believed God and did it. He had not seen a flood, had
no idea how bad it would be. But he walked with God, and had a relationship with God, and
because of that, God could talk to Noah and tell him things. This warning was given to Noah to
preserve him and his family because Noah was righteous, not like the rest of the world. Noah
was motivated by fear and reverence for God. He prepared the ark, constructing it as God told
him to. I've wondered because it took so long to build that ark, and the judgment that God had
pronounced was set, but it must have seemed so far off. Imagine all the hard days spent cutting
down the trees to make the ark, preparing the wood so it would be usable. Measuring, cutting,
climbing. Word must have got out where Noah lived that he was building a huge boat. Surely
someone asked Noah why he was building such a thing. I believe he answered truthfully,
because God has told me He is going to flood the earth, and this ark will be the only place of
safety. What was the reaction? Remember, the flesh persecutes the Spirit. Maybe some might
have listened, and for a while been persuaded. Did some even offer to help Noah? Not likely.
But the Bible says he was a preacher of righteousness.

2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

He proclaimed truth to people. But the result was evident-no one believed Noah's message
because no one was even troubled enough to bring their babies to the ark. There were no
children on that ark, except Noah's children. It all hinges on first, faith, second, being able to
walk and talk with God, and third, obey what He tells you.

Now this will hit home. It's a hundred years later. At the end of
Gen 5, Noah is 500 years old. At the end of Gen 6, he is 600 years old. Everything is finished.
The ark is complete. Noah did not have to go out and gather the animals. The Holy Spirit did
this. He went out and gathered the animals chosen to go to the ark. His Spirit led them there.
His subdued the predators so all would be preserved. Just like in the millennium when Christ
will rule on the earth for a thousand years, and the lion will lay down with the lamb, on this
ark, the predators, subdued by the presence of the Holy Spirit will not prey on the other
animals or Noah's family. He is able to subdue all things to Himself (Php 3:21).

Gen 7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen
righteous before me in this generation.

The call came, an invitation, a command, spoken by God. "Come in here." The Holy Spirit was
already in there, waiting on Noah and his family. His abiding presence would maintain order
in that ark for the duration of this voyage. There was a door on the side of that ark. It was so
big that it also served as a ramp for the animals and the people to walk up to enter in the ark
itself. That door had to be huge, big enough that Noah and his family could not open or close it.
It was a prepared place of safety. We have to understand, when the Lord said, Come, and Noah
went, as he walked up that Door to get into that ark, he was now dead to the world as it was
and alive to God. He knew everything on the outside of that ark would be destroyed. Why?

Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and idolaters,
and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

This is all that is left when truth and light are finally and forever rejected. This is where
darkness will lead you. On the outside, and ultimately, with no way back in. The Holy Spirit
knew where everything went in that ark. He kept everything in order. He went out and
gathered the animals and led them in to safety. Only one man was found righteous in the earth
and his family was spared as well. While that ark was being constructed, many animals played
on it. Many people came to see it. Noah warned the people of the judgment to come. Flesh is
governed by sight and feelings. They saw no judgment, year after year. Those who might have
considered his gospel, who might have at first believed it, grew skeptical and would not listen.
When the rain came, the animals that had played on the ark ran for cover in the wrong
direction.

Gen 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Gen 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the
month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of
heaven were opened.
Gen 7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Gen 7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and
Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;
Gen 7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him:
and the LORD shut him in.

God waited, after all this time of preparation, He still waited seven more days. Anyone could
have come and been saved. No one did, because no one else was saved. God shut that door.
(Joh_10:9) Jesus is the Way in for us. Many are playing games in church, with God now. When
the rain started, I'm sure it was destructive. It wasn't just some normal rain that started and
kept raining until the waters began to rise. No, the Bible said the fountains, the source of the
water, in the abyss, the same abyss mentioned in Gen_1:2, were broken up and the windows of
heaven were open. The water was pouring down from the sky, it was being forced up from the
earth, there was massive cracking of the earth's crust, water flowing like a raging river of
massive proportions, washing away everything. Tsunamis must have been unimaginably high
as the fountains of the deep were broken up and opened, shoving this water up and out. I
believe people had time to see it coming, to know they should have listened to Noah, but it was
too late to repent. Their babies perished, they perished, everything perished that was outside
that ark.
Since then, God has been preparing and gathering a people and placing them in the family of
God where they will be preserved in Christ, our Ark of safety. Many are called, but few are
chosen. The Holy Spirit is in this world, gathering out a people, as the call goes out. The
message is being carried world wide. He's drawing, convicting, reproving, comforting,
instructing, preparing people, placing those who yield to His call, and work, in this body of
Christ, our Ark. These are the blood bought, blood washed, Spirit filled vessels. He is
instructing them, you are no longer of this world. This world is not your home. You are not
your own. You have been bought, purchased with the blood of the King, and you must say
goodbye to this world and its ways. You must live the life of Another, now, and you must
separate yourself from the ways and influences of this world. You must not partake of that
which is unclean. You were in darkness, but I have brought you into the light, and shown you
Truth. I am your Life. I am the only Way. Follow Me. You must die to everything you were, and
everything you thought you wanted. Let My life be your life.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

These who are in the Ark of safety now must be as dead to the world as Noah was when he took
his family and went on that ark. Flesh, the carnal desires of self to rule and make its own way,
do its own thing, must be crucified. This is the ground of the enemy, he exploits and operates in
that ground of the natural man. It must be cut off. All that holds us to this world must be cut
off. There must be a separation. Only what is hid in Christ will survive. Just as God's Holy
Spirit subdued the predators in that ark to preserve the life of Noah and his family, and the
other animals, so when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, when He lives in us, He can subdue
our carnal nature, our flesh, that would prey on the life of the Spirit in us. Nothing of this
world, or self will be allowed in this ark. We have to make the choice to let it go.

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our
salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering
and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the
lusts thereof.

Judgment has been set. It won't be water this time, it will be fire. Put on-as to sink into, the
Lord Jesus Christ, into His Body, where only the Holy Spirit can place you. Do not keep
supplies on hand for the desires of self. What self wants will cause you to perish. It must be
denied and that is painful. We must have the power and life of the Holy Spirit in us to
consistently deny ourselves and yield to Christ. When we do we will find that by denying self,
we get something much better, HIM. It's a dangerous time. We must be mindful of what was
spoken by the prophets, in the Word of God.

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
 continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long
suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up.

We need to be on guard, be diligent, seeking God, whose Spirit discerns the work of the enemy
against His people, and can prepare and warn us. Don't be led away by the error of the wicked.
What was their error? They didn't believe God meant what He said so they didn't repent and
give their life to God. They perished. They are lost. Don't go there. This is why it is imperative
that our flesh, our self will must be denied and put under the Lordship of the Holy Spirit of God,
the precious Holy Ghost. There is a heaven to be gained, an eternity spent with the Lord. The
devil lost that position and privilege and he would deny you that opportunity. Don't let him
win. This isn't something you can just walk into and do. It's a process that the Holy Spirit leads
you on. There is preparation, instruction and training involved. He's well able to do it, if you
will let Him. He has all power over all flesh (Joh 17:3) and can subdue everything in you that
would work against Him. The devil wants you to make your own decisions, he doesn't want
you to let the Spirit of God govern your life. If you govern it, you will perish. He knows that. I
pray the Lord help us see, and open our eyes before it's too late.