THE SANCTIFIED IMAGINATION

GOD IS BUILDING HIS HOUSE:

God is building a beautiful house in these last days, and furnishing it with all manner of workmanship. It is a "spiritual house, of living stones. His Word contains the pattern, as seen in Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God. On the day of Pentecost, Peter said: In the last days says God, I will pour out of My Spirit, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. The blue-print for fellowship with God is seen in Acts 2:17-38

What sort of visions---What sort of dreams and prophecies does God give? Those which line up with the bible, His written word. He gives those that will accomplish this, His will and purpose.

In the Old Testament, He gave the pattern for the tabernacle and anointed furnishings or pieces of artwork to Moses,"by His Spirit" in the form of prophetic instructions. (Num. 8:4) Moses gave these instructions to the anointed workmen carrying out the plans. Visions had to have come into their minds, as to how the finished products would look, because this is part of the creative process.

Who gave them the ability ? It was God, the Heavenly Architect, overseeing His work, because He is the author and finisher of our faith. I believe that Bezaleel had a prophetic vision of that "golden mercy seat" and exactly how it would look with those beautiful angels facing each other, with wings touching.

He could imagine God's manifested presence in the holy of holies. Aholiab "saw" the embroidered pieces which he made, for he was "inspired by the word of God." The soul, which is the mind or " imagination", the will and the emotions all play a part in this.

THE POWER OF MAN'S IMAGINATION AS A TOOL FOR GOOD OR EVIL:

Preceeding scriptures demonstrate the potential power of "imagination." In the "imagination" of man used in either a destructive or positive way. The Babylonians were "unified" in their desire to spead their false religion across the world. Christians need to be as unified to spread the gospel. We also see the Pharisees imaginations were ignited by Satan to oppose the words of Jesus.

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In speaking of the arts, and the way in which the power of "imagination," enters into them; I don't want to convey that God's prophetic word or manifestations are frivolous, or stem simply and solely from the "fantasies" within ones own mind, but they are "spiritual manifestations" biblically based, which come from God into a man or a woman's heart and spirit.

The term "imagination" can be found in the prayers of David in the building of God's house, and in positive aspects. The "imagination" is in itself simply a faculty which can be influnced for the good or the bad. It must be brought into subjection and harnessed by God's Word and Spirit or it will be renegade.

TRYING THE SPIRIT OF THE ARTS & ARTIST:

The imagination can and should be filled with thoughts of God and of His word, and from the God-given creative imagination, or mind of Christ; can come forth incredibly marvellous and wonderful works of God for God. Things which glorify Him. All art must be tested by God's word, as to it's origin. Does it preach Jesus Christ and His saving power in holiness, and power as the bible declares Him?

It is the Christian communities own misunderstanding of the term,"imagination" equating it solely with worldly views, which has tainted it. In this study on imagination, we'll look at what the bible definition of the term is, how this term is used in scripture.

Dr. Lester Sumrall believed that the imagination was a God-given faculty. How we use it determines whether it glorifies God or Satan. He spoke of the way in which the great classical composers, received their music, and of master painters who painted the masterpieces which hang in the grand museums of this world.

In one of his messages, he spoke of taking a trip with his wife and of staying at a hotel where they had what is referred to as "box office television." He was appalled at the use of such a powerful media as television being used to destroy. Lester marched himself down to the managers office and preached him a sermon on the subject.

How did the television producers come to produce such filth and decadence? They used their imaginations. God's word says, nothing has been restrained which they have imagined to do.

Richard "Little-Bear" Wheeler, a child evangelist who teaches on the godly origins of our country and whose materials we've purchased in home-schooling our daughter, tells of walking into an electronics store, to purchase equipment that he needed.

As he walked to the counter to pay for his purchase, there was a life-sized card-board stand-up of a young lady wearing very little. Richard's righteous soul was "vexed." The Spirit of the Lord spoke to him and said: What are you going to do about this? Pointing toward the card-board stand-up ad, without looking at it, Richard "Little-Bear" said to the clerk: " This offends me!"

The next time he returned to the store, it had been removed. Where did this store manager come up with this idea to promote business by playing on the s of people coming into his establishment? It came into his mind or imagination, and this has become epidemic in our society.

Jesus will save, heal and deliver our world, through those whose hearts are filled with God's Word, who meditate and act on it. If we pray and seek the face of the Lord, placing Him in that place of preeminence in our lives, God will cause hells gates to fall before the building of His kingdom.

Did the skilled workers God employed in the building of the tabernacle, use their natural skills, or were they simply "spiritually gifted" in this crucial task? Metal fabrication and other skills were known at this time. God speaks of the craftsman Bezaleel,'s godly wisdom and anointing in all manner of workmanship i.e. fabrication of the tabernacle and it's construction as well as furnishings.

Long ago prophets were called "SEERS." (1 Samuel 9:9) God's word speaks of nine gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 4-11, listing "prophecy" among them. How does a person receive something prophetically? Does the word of the Lord come to him "in his spirit? Or does he see it visually?

Does God ever employ the mind of a person in bringing a message? The answers to these questions are all in the bible.

God showed Jeremiah the Prophet a snowy landscape and asked him: "What do you see Jeremiah?" Jeremiah responded: "I see the rod of an almond tree." God replied: "You have seen well." God utilized both the natural, i.e. the visual; as well as the spiritual perception of the Prophet Jeremiah. In this case, a prophetic parable was involved. God did not want just a casual observation on the Prophet's part. He wanted Him to take a good look about him and to see something specific, which he did. (Jer. 1:11-12)

The Christian community has sometimes tended to focus on the use of biblical "spiritual gifts" in the "traditional sense" of ministry callings, but talents and abilities are God given, to glorify Him in the arts--which is "ten-making." Not using talents or abilities apart from God,as Cain fled; after the murder of his brother Abel and brought forth a family of creative but apostate people who chose NOT to live their lives in the presence of God. Having rejected God, they developed their musical genius as children of darkness, and so it is today with all who abuse the gift of music in this way, rather than pursuing God and a gift of music to His glory. (Gen. 4:17-26)

Have you ever asked the question: Is this God or me? Is this just my imagination? As you study God's word and become more familiar with it, and walk in His ways, you grow to know the voice of the Lord, and to discern it when God speaks, don't you? Then I believe that God has given me a message to release you into a whole new dimension of the awesome plans and purposes of the Lord for your life. You know, some people wrestle with a thought for 20 years, afraid to take the first step! Praise the Lord that He has placed answers in His Word, and we discover that they were there all of the time!

Before I was a Christian, getting up in front of people was difficult for me. But God has ways of moving us out of our comfort zone. In the 1980's, I made dried flower wreathes, and a married couple with a flea market, even gave me a rental space for free, if I'd answer the phone. God used this little business to instill confidence in me and to make me more bold in God. It also increased my desire to be creative. It was here that I first began to realize that God was "giving" me designs for my craft business. I saw visions of them, when I prayed. As I worked on them, there in my kitchen, I would pray: Jesus how do I do this? Should I do it this was or that? When I went to church, people would play and sing songs and music that they received from the Lord.

With regard to fulfilling certain goals, or dreams, including calling to ministry, we feel that our own lack of confidence or shyness would be a hinderance. We think to ourselves: Oh, I could never do that. William Branham was so shy, that in one of his early speaking engagements, he escaped out of a window prior to the meeting and fled across an open field! But God and Branham stayed with it, and Branham grew in Jesus Christ to be God's healing evangelist.

IMAGINATION: WHO NEEDS IT?

It was probably 1987 or so, when I was in a church in Kirkland, Wa. and God gave me a prophetic word regarding the awesome things He was going to bring about in this place, and how the sanctified imagination played a part in all of this. God said that He wanted us to begin to fill our minds with faith for the salvation of the unsaved, to use our imaginations in the proper way. He also spoke of our old-life thought patterns prior to being saved.

I knew that this prophecy stumbled some people. The pastor said nothing in the way of a correction. But a woman made a comment to the effect of "IF" this is a good word receive it, which I felt put doubts in some people's minds as to the validity of this prophetic word. Being still fairly new giving public prophecies, I wanted to crawl under a pew till the service was over, and get out of there. What I did was what we all should have done---I went home to search the word for what God had to say about "the imagination."

I have come to the conclusion that Satan works very hard to try and make Christians think that he "owns their imagination." But the truth of the matter is that God created us with the power of imagination, or a thought-life to bring Him glory.

"WHAT IS THE IMAGINATION?

Vines Expository Dictionary defines the word"imagination" from the Greek word, MELETAO as ""to care for (melete="to care") then "to attend, be diligent in, 1 Tim. 4:15, to practice as the result of devising or planning, thirdly "to ponder, imagine, Acts 4:25, "meditate."

There are actually three Greek words translated "imagine." 1) LOGISMOS-A reasoning, a thought, to count or reckon is translated "thoughts" in Romans 2:15, suggestive of "evil intent," not mere reasonings; "imaginations" in 2 Cor. 10:5 "reasonings" in each place. The word suggests the contemplation of actions as a result of the verdict of conscience. 2) DIALOGISMOS Is rendered "imaginations" in Romans 1:21 carrying with it the idea of evil purposes, "reasonings;" and is most frequently translated "thoughts."

3) DIANOIA Strictly "a thinking over," denotes the faculty of thinking, then of knowing, hence of understanding, and in general, the mind, and so, the faculty of moral reflection. It is rendered "imagination" in Luke 1:51, "the imagination of the heart" signifying their thoughts and ideas.

UNLEASHING THE CREATIVE MIND OF CHRIST:

Until you are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit as it says in Acts 2:38-38, you cannot possess the mind of Christ. Most of us are incredibly visual people. It was God who made creation like a beautiful feast for ones eyes with majestic mountains, and leaves that turn almost neon as they change in the autumn, preparing the trees for winter. The rising sun, or the gentle waves washing over a beach bring us a sense of awe and wonder at the grandeur of all God has brought into being through His word.

One of the first lessons that we learn as new believers, after we have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour, is that we also have an adversary, Satan and his demons. The caves around Rome in which the robbers hid, is an apt allegory to teach the Christian about demonic strongholds in the mind, which come as concepts and ideologies.

God's word is clear that we, as individuals must choose what we meditate upon in our hearts, and we must guard our hearts for out of the heart of man proceed the very issues of life. Jesus further stated that "What comes forth from the man in the form of evil thoughts, which are accomodated, defiles him." Somehow, we have connected the whole evil fantasy realm so totally with the imagination that we forget that God did not err when He created man with a soul. He purposed it, that we might glorify God in all that is done in that sphere of our standing or position in Jesus name. The ability to use the mind is part of the realm of the soul. God prophesied in the Old testament that He would write His laws, (His will for us) " on the fleshly tables of our hearts."

USING THE MIND GOD GAVE YOU IN A SANCTIFIED WAY:

Has a teacher or someone ever exhorted you to: "use the mind God gave you? This is good advice! There are many scriptures which have to do with the mind. Some speak of the mind of Christ, the "mind of the Spirit" or the "mind of God." You might not ordinarily think of God as having a mind, since the Word says that "God is Spirit" but He does! The believer is to have "the "mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16)

And of a "sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7)

In lowliness of mind let each esteem the other better than themselves..."

humbleness of mind..."(Col. 3:12)

God's people can be "of one mind" to spread God's kingdom, just as the people at the tower of l were of one mind in what they "imagined or set their minds on to do." Gird up the loins of your mind. (1 Peter 1:13)

God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things that were not convenient. (Romans 1:28)

The mind of the Spirit...(Romans 8:27)

(Your mind manifests a certain "spirit," whether "proud or humble." The "mind" of the Lord. ((Romans 11:34)

Renewed in the "spirit of your mind." (Eph. 4:23)

The mind of the Christian must be "renewed." Desires of the flesh and of the mind." (Eph. 2:3)

The mind has desires. Desires in themselves are not bad, unless they conflict with God's desires for us. Be not soon "shaken in mind." (2 Thess 2:2)

Be of the "same mind" one toward another...(Romans 12:16)

The mind is described as an agency that can be "a willing mind." (2 Cor. 8:12)

Or "a ready or prepared mind." (2 Cor. 8:19)

A vain or empty person puffed up by his fleshly mind or heart. (P> In none of these scripture references, does God intimate that the mind (or imagination) in itself is an unnecessary evil thing to be gotten rid of, but rather that it must be sanctified, through God and His Word.

As a new believer in Jesus Christ in 1973, God made it so apparent to me that I had to get into the scriptures and allow Him to renew me in the "spirit of my mind." It was a necessity and not an option that I choose what would go into my mind, or the devil would do this for me. This has been for me a life-long choice, and I have seen the fruit of a mind which meditates upon God's Word.

Why in Christian circles have we so frequently countered a negative with another negative. In Hawaii, as missionaries went there in early centuries, they taught the people that dance was evil. There was even a fine imposed, if you were caught dancing. It would have been far more productive to teach the people that when you come to Christ you must present yourself to God as an "instrument of righteousness fit for the master's use, and that God loves dance and is glorified in the sanctified worship of a believer in this way.

MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS:

When God said: " My thoughts are not your thoughts" (Is. 55:8) He was referring to the fact that His thoughts transcend human thought. He did not mean that we were incapable of receiving an impartation from Him. He has shared His thoughts, or His plans with us in His Word, and this is the major revelation or testimony of God to us, for in this we have that God became flesh and dwelled among us. (John 1:1) In 1 Cor. 2:9 we read:

Eye hasn't seen nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those that love Him.

Some people only read this far. But the next verse says: But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, even the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:9-10)

"Secondarily is His creation. There are times though in which He shares with us a dimension of the thoughts that He has right now, but these must always line up with God's Word. When in tune with God's revealed Word and will, we can say that in this New Covenant in which God has written His Word in our hearts of flesh, that we perceive in this manner certain aspects of God's thoughts, as He has chosen to reveal or disclose them to us in written form. But yes, His thoughts are far greater and grander than we can even dream or imagine. For He sees it all from beginning to end and long before Genesis ever began God was there!

When darkness was upon the face of the deep, God said: "Light be" And light was. He made the very firmament and filled it with clouds, sun, moon and stars, birds that fly, and even a rainbow. And as much as we love to gaze at all that God has created, first and formost is that we have a knowledge of God Himself.

THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID:

The Tabernacle of David was built by David for the reception of the ark of God. (2 Samuel 6:17) It existed simultaneously with the Mosaic Tabernacle. (2 Chron 16:39,, 2 Chron. 1:3 )

King David prayed: Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory, and the victory and the majesty. For all that is in heaven and in earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly of this sort? For all things come from Thee, and from our hand have we given Thee. For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are a shadow, and there is none abiding.

O Lord our God all this store that we have prepared to build Thee a house for Thy holy name cometh from thine hand, and all is Thine own. For I know also my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen the joy of thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly to thee.

O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their hearts unto thee: And give to Solomon a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for which I have made provision.

Even the building of the "Tabernacle of David " was going to take God working through the thoughts, heart, and active imagination of God's people Israel.

God gave to David the pattern. And David gave it to Solomon. 1 Chron. 29:12 tells us that this pattern was of all that he had "by the Spirit." But wait a minute! In 1 Chron. 22:7, in David's conversation with Solomon his son about this building, he said:

"My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house for the Lord God of Israel."What was it? David's idea or God's? God said: "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Ps. 37) David knew His God and God knew David. It is my belief that God placed in David's heart a desire, and David had a passionte desire to carry it out!

In our lives, there is frequently an infusing of thoughts from God. which we ponder in our minds, and as we test what's received by God's own Word, meditating and acting on these, our faith grows doesn't it?

GOD HAS CALLED YOU ANOINTED OF THE LORD: GO AND DO ALL THAT IS IN YOUR HEART:

David had a pattern in his heart placed there "by the Spirit," and sent prophetic confirmation through Nathan. I believe personal prophecy plays an integral part in activating faith in the lives of God's people. Yes, we live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and primarily God's written Word is our blue-print. God is able to quicken a portion of His Word to you in a sermon, or during your private devotional time with the Lord. Or He may send a prophetic ministry to impart some further revelation of what God has called you to do.

I don't need a prophetic ministry to tell me that salvation, healing or deliverance are mine as part of the atonement. The Greek word SOZO incorporates these as Jesus Christ's "finished work" (Is 53:5) We must not passively wait around for a word, when God has already revealed His will to us in His Word. Should I evangelize the lost? Jesus said: Go into all the world and teach whatsoever things I have commanded you to do. But there are certain times in which a word from the Lord is exactly what we need, aren't there?

So as David contemplated this great desire of his to build God a house, God sent Nathan the Prophet to him with a Word."Go do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with thee." (12 Samuel 7:3) That would get you up and moving wouldn't it?

BEZALEEL: AN ANOINTED PROPHETIC ARTIST:

Born approximately 1450 b.c. Bezaleel was called and chosen of God in the designing and craftsmanship of the tabernacle. Metal work, engraving, gem-cutting and jewelry making were already known at this time of history, among the heathen nations. Bezaleel is called "an artificer, or one who cuts, due to the skill required in the fabrication of the materials with which he worked. He appears to have been a highly skilled craftsman, prior to being called by God and appointed for the construction of God's house to help construct both house and furnishings.

His name, "Bezaleel" name means "Protected by or In the shadow of God." This man probably was already a craftsman when God called him to this task, but the scripture bears out that his exceptional ability was the direct gift of God's Spirit.

Those who read the scriptures are not unfamiliar with the term used the the bible, of God's Spirit "coming upon" certain individuals to call or to equip them for various kinds of service, and so it was with him. 1) We may possess talents and abilities, but God's Spirit will only indwell those sanctified through the new birth. God takes us through a series of circumstances to teach us to trust in Him and not just in our natural abilities. 2)

God's giftings and callings are "artistic" as well as spiritual giftings. Bezaleel had both and God used them to His glory to prophesy to countless generations of God's greatest gift, for every part of the tabernacle from the cedar boards to the menorah, to the ark covered with the mercy seat all spoke of Messiah; God's greatest gift of all; and salvation to all mankind.

Let's begin our study of the life of Bezaleel by looking at Exodus 31:1-11. Bezaleel was the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. There seems to be sufficient reason to equate Hur with the man who helped to support the arms of Moses at Rephidim, during the battle with Amelek. The same man associated with Aaron in Exodus 24:14, when Moses was still on the mountain. Josephus tells us that he was Miriam's husband, so may have been a relative of Moses.

God said: "I have filled him with the wisdom of God in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of craftsmanship. To devise cunning works, or weavings and embroideries) to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. Clothes for service. (Garments of office, or the ornate garments of the high priest.) Bezeleel was also carried on apothecary's work in making the holy anointing oil, and incense. (Exodus 37:29) He appears to have been chief over all of the workmen.

And I, behold, I have given with him; Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: (a man given charge over the textiles required) and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee. So Moses was given the pattern, but God chose Bezaleel, Aholiab and others to complete the work.

Exodus 35:30 goes into more detail, saying And He has put it in his heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. The has he filled with wisdom of heart, (proper judgment) to work all manner of work, of the engraver, of the cunning or skilled workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet and fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.(Or works requiring skill) There are excellent male fiber artists, some are quilt artists. Russians make lovely amber jewery.

In Turkey, and India men make lovely carpets and rugs. In Labrador, we saw hand-knit sox knit by an old fisherman. He had come from a large but very poor family, and his mother taught him how to knit fair-isle socks. When a person is born again and Spirit-filled, his or her skills not only provide a field of influence, in which God can confirm His word with signs and wonders, but finances to do this. Thus,if the artistry is not in itself prophetic, it can serve God and the artist who is a prophetic or spiritually gifted person.

Evangelistic Christian worship and drama teams, utilize anointed artistic ideas in designing sets, banners, scenery and even costuming for bible dramas, in some countries using interpretive Christian dance, mime and skits, ssome of which is prophetic, but all evangelistic. God's anointed prophetic voice is going out to the ends of the earth.

According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses looked upon all the work, and behold, they had done it, as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them. That's what really matters. Do it as God instructs you and there will be a blessing in it both for you and for those to whom God sends you!( Exodus 39:42)

As a born again Spirit filled believer, ask yourself: "In what way can I show forth the mercy typified in the Old Testament tabernacle's "mercy seat?" How can my life lead others to the cleansing from sin--God's salvation typified in the laver? How can I be a menorah or lampstand to brighten this dark world with the salvation Jesus died to give? This is the most important part of all...