Is Anyone Stuck in the Mud? Part 3

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

June 23, 2021 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Is Anyone Stuck in the Mud? Part 3 - Type 3 Christians

In our previous two messages, we have shared about Christians who are stuck in the mud and don't know it and Christians who are stuck in the mud and know it. In this message we will conclude this series and share some thoughts about Type 3 Christians, who represent those who, in truth and in the mind of the Lord, are not stuck in the mud. If you are in this category, then you know what you must "do." 

As both an introduction and an analogy, let us consider David, a man after God's own heart. There are many parallels between David, whose name means "beloved," and Jesus, whose Name means "the Lord is salvation." Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ not only saves, He IS our salvation. Both David and Jesus were born in Bethlehem. Both were of low estate on earth. Both were shepherds. David cared for natural sheep; Jesus cares for the souls of men. Both were oppressed and persecuted but did not open their mouths. David was a natural king over all of natural Israel. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords over all mankind. This is NOT to say that David could ever be compared in any sense as equal to the Lord Jesus... far from it. David is another imperfect type of Jesus. Nevertheless, in our next message we hope to share with you some of the very significant aspects of what is called the Tabernacle of David.

The first natural king of the united kingdom of Israel and Judah was Saul. No man described in the Bible had so many opportunities to serve the Lord as did Saul, but no man missed those opportunities any more than Saul. In reality, he deliberately abused his opportunities. His life was an old familiar story of pride, egotism, and the abuse of power. Saul's sad story is repeated far too many times. Before David became king of all Judah and Israel, he was anointed three times, but it was in an orderly sequence of importance. We need to understand why David was anointed three times as king. The three anointings seem to be an example of another set of three.

Many are called but few are chosen and even fewer are faithful. That describes the overcomers. That describes Type 3 Christians.

David was first anointed to become king of Israel in the place of King Saul who had been rejected by God. We see, in the contrast between Saul and David, what occurs when we obey or disobey God. Men can ignore God, as did Saul and others, but the final consequences can not only bring ruin to ones' self but to many of those around them.

After Saul died from his own hands, the Lord told the great prophet Samuel to go to the house of Jesse to seek Saul's replacement. After the Lord rejected the seven older sons of Jesse, we read, in 1 Samuel 16:11-13,

"11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah."

This first anointing was a declaration of being appointed or called by God Himself, not by men. It had to be done by Samuel, the prophet of the Lord. That started David on the path to be king. However, David had been a keeper of sheep; he therefore had to undergo a process of preparation to be a king in many ways, such as his character and how to relate with the Lord and people when serving as a king.

The second anointing of David, as recorded in 2 Samuel 2, was by the men of Judah for him to become their king.

2 Samuel 2:1, "And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And He said, Unto Hebron.

2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah." 

David was not yet accepted by Israel. David was from the lineage of Judah and was therefore readily accepted as king by the people of Judah. Judah is also the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ. From Genesis 49:8-12, when Jacob blessed his sons when he was about to die, Judah was blessed to rule over his brothers until the coming of Jesus the Christ. This anointing was accepted by men. When Judah anointed David it was a display of obedience to the authority not of David but of the Lord. This second anointing compares to being chosen.

Saul had only received an anointing of being called by the Lord (1 Samuel 10:1). He never fulfilled the intense preparation to become king and failed terribly in his rule. Many people have been called by God, but we need time to be processed to acquire His character. No man just becomes immediately what we have been appointed to be; we have to prove to be fit for the appointment in order to be accepted by God and men. Saul was never accepted or chosen by men.

This is an example of Daniel 2:21, which says that God removes kings and sets up kings. The real reason that Donald Trump was elected as president in 2016 and Joe Biden was elected in 2020 is because of the sovereignty of God. That sequence of events fits the Lord's timetable.

The third anointing was for David to be king over both Judah and Israel. This anointing declared his acceptance by all the tribes of Israel. That marked a day of new beginnings. That marked the acceptance of being faithful. This is not to say that David never made any mistakes.

Many years ago, I counted at lease five or six times that David slipped out of the will of God, but he was a quick repenter.

2 Samuel 5:1-5, "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

From Ephesians 5:30, "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." 

Verse 2 of 2 Samuel 2. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. 

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah."

Why did David have to wait seven full years before sitting on the throne as king of both the northern and southern kingdoms although he had already been anointed by Samuel at the direction of the Lord? because of the Lord's sovereignty and His timetable.

David had to be fully processed and made fit for the position. He had to be approved by both God and men. Our relationship is important both with God and with men. The appointing is done by God; the proving or the working out of our calling is done by men. To be anointed means God has seen our heart and set us apart, but character must be acquired over time. David had the heart to be king, but he also had to acquire the character of a king. Jesus also underwent processes as a Man. Jesus was prepared thirty years, and He fulfilled His calling in only three and one-half years. For David, it was seven years of intense preparation, full of temptations. He was successful in his kingly rule because he had acquired the character of a king, both of Judah and Israel.

1 Chronicles 12:23-40 gives a detailed list of all those 337,822 Irelites from every tribe who came to Hebron to make David the king. I believe that those verses are prophetic of the relative numbers of professing Christians who, sooner or later, come to spiritual Jerusalem to make Jesus the King of their life. For example, 120,000, or more than one-third of the total came from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manesseh, who took their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River, or outside of the Promised Land. They represent those professing Christians who remain content just with the initial phase of salvation but who never enter the kingdom of God while on earth.

1 Chronicles 12:28, "And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.

32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment."

It takes a significant amount of processing and grace to become a priest, a son of Zadok, or to be part of the tribe of Issachar that has understanding of the times, to know what spiritual Israel ought to do in these last days.

We need to recognize that we are living in the last of the last days. Therefore, the important question is, "What shall this man do?" (John 21:21), or "How then shall we live?" Certainly not like the rich man which Jesus described in the parable in Luke 12:20-21. 

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The major word that the Lord is saying to His people today is (and always has been) "Prepare ye the way of the Lord."

For those who see the state of our country and of the Church, much is required. From our experience as well as the witness of the Holy Spirit, three major actions are required on our part as individual believers in Christ. The first is to repent simply because we are a human being, formed from the dust as did Job and Isaiah; the second is to keep our personal garments clean, which includes being a quick repenter when we fall; the third is intercession with weeping and groaning that the will of God may be completed within the body of Christ.

There is never a better way to live than to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit. The Holy Ghost MUST be in charge of our individual lives as well as all of the proceedings in all of our assemblies, whether two or three or thousands. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25). That is easier said than done because of the pull of the flesh and of the world.

Consider the example of Jesus. In Matthew 4:1, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the devil." The wilderness is God's proving ground. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. So it is also with all of the faithful believers who are suffering in the wilderness. They have been led into their place of suffering by the Holy Spirit. Now when we are in the wilderness, our response to God leading us there is crucial. We can murmur and complain and just die in the wilderness, as did all of the Israelites (except two adults) when they came out of Egypt. Or we can patiently endure, just waiting for relief. Or we can be overcomers. Only we as individuals can make that choice. It is OUR decision. When we look at the response of Jesus to temptation, in Matthew 4, it is abundantly clear that Jesus was the prime overcomer. After overcoming, Jesus began to teach in their synagogues, preach the gospel of the kingdom, and heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Today, far too many Christians want to teach, preach, and work miracles without becoming overcomers. When the Lord blows the trumpet, there will be a fulfillment of Obadiah 21, "And saviours [deliverers, healers] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD'S."

God has all the while been preparing this remnant, the overcomers, the sons of Zadok. He has scattered them into the wilderness and has been refining them as silver is refined in the fire. He has used suffering of all different kinds to press his remnant into Christ, and He has a timetable for the true to emerge. Only the Lord knows when that time is, but surely that time is close at hand. That one voice crying in the wilderness will be a company of some number of overcomers. Only the Lord knows how many and who specifically will be a part of that company.

The preparation that occurred right before Jesus was rejected and crucified was a natural preparation. On what we now call Palm Sunday, upon Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people strewed their garments and palm branches and palm leaves in His path. Although there are many varieties of palm trees, what we see in scripture refers to the date-palm, which brings forth fruit. The date-palm tree is very striking in its appearance ... upright and beautiful. The tree is very fruitful, its foliage is perpetually green and grows very high, as if reaching upward toward heaven. It grows ever upward, even when loaded with weights. "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (Psalm 92:12). The fruit of the Spirit must become a manifested reality. Jesus said that we will know them by their fruit ... the fruit of the Spirit.

When John the Baptist saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:7-8). But there was no genuine repentance. There was no fruit, just branches and leaves. Even the common people were simply looking for a natural king to deliver them from their oppressors.

But the preparation for the second coming of our King must be a spiritual preparation. We must prepare His way in our hearts. There will still be spiritual garments, palm branches, and palm leaves. But there will also be the fruit of the palm tree, the fruit of the Spirit. We must prepare His way with the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3), wearing linen garments... the garments of His righteousness.

Our preparation is to allow the Holy Spirit to mold us into that which He desires. Our attitude is critical. Sometimes I get the impression that we are an "I know that" church. We have received so much teaching and read so many books that "we know that." So we are no longer flexible and pliable in the Lord's hands. We have crystallized our doctrines, got it all down pat, searched the scriptures, and lead our own lives. We have built three tabernacles and here we stand. It is no wonder that after an initial spurt of growth, the real life of the Spirit departs from our fellowships. After some period of time, the Spirit of God is no longer in control. We are running on our own steam, following our own traditions, having a great time, and never knowing that something is wrong. Our preparation can be characterized by the following three scriptures, although there are many more we could use.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Micah 6:8

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

The most important "work" for us as believers in Christ is that we always continue to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Another major action on our part is intercession. But to fulfill this commandment we must have first learned to develop fruit.

The effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

The intercessor is one who comes in between God and man, on behalf of men, frequently those men who deserve His wrath and punishment. The great Intercessor, of course, was and still is Jesus. In effect, when Jesus died on the cross, He was saying, "Let the judgment that is due to the people come upon Me." Then after His death, resurrection, and ascension, we are told,

Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

What a comfort to know that Jesus continues to make intercession on our behalf before the throne of the Father! Jesus spent thirty years in relative obscurity in "normal" family life; three and one-half years in public ministry; and now about two thousand years in intercession, unseen by any natural eye. Do those time frames say anything about the importance of intercession?

Some careful thought will bear witness that the greatest saints were often the greatest intercessors, for they were those who were closest to the heart of God. Some of those great intercessors were Abraham, Moses, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, and Paul, to name a few.

Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom because his nephew, Lot, was there. Abraham kept interceding for Sodom until the Lord promised that He would not destroy it if He found ten righteous persons in the city. So for the sake of ten righteous people out of 10,000 persons God was willing to spare the entire city. That is one out of a thousand! That does not seem like a very large percentage ... 0.1% ... or a tenth of a tenth of a tenth. Is it time for the judgment of God to descend upon our country? Do we need some real intercessors, such as Abraham was in his time?

A second striking example of an intercessor was Moses. The apostasy of the Israelites who came out of Egypt during the Exodus was so great that only two of those over the age of twenty actually made it into the promised land. But Moses interceded. 

31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book, which Thou hast written. Exodus 32:31-32

That is intercession! How many such saints do you think there are in the United States who could sincerely make that same statement? Only the Lord knows, but I would guess not too many! The Lord surely would have destroyed His chosen people had not Moses stood before Him in the breach to turn away His wrath.

In Verse 31, the people had made gods of gold. Have some believers today likewise made gods of gold? Money is a HUGE driving force in America, both in the world and in the Church. Most of the teaching relating to money that I have heard in person and from the television preachers is WARPED and DISTORTED!

The apostle Paul made the same statement as did Moses.

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh. Romans 9: 1-3

Did anyone say, "But brother I have not been called to the ministry of intercession"? If you are a member of the body of Christ, you are automatically called to intercession because you are called to be part of the holy, royal priesthood after the order of Melchisedec! Because Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us, we likewise, in identifying with Him in all points, are called to intercession for the lost (who will be found) and those already in the Church who have strayed, particularly those in leadership positions, that they will return unto the Lord, laying aside all mixture, all pride, and all things that hinder. Scripture is clear that judgment is according to the light that has been given ... the greater the light, the more severe the judgment.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him will be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:48

The important aspect is that God have His way ... that God's will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. We MUST identify with the heart of God. It is crucial for all who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand, to ask the Lord to make real our ministry of intercession. There is no higher calling than that of an intercessor. This is a hidden ministry. Man will not see, recognize, or applaud you, but in the Kingdom of God your life will count for eternity.

And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

Closely associated with intercession is weeping. The pathway to the fullness of the kingdom of God MUST go, sooner or later, through the valley of Baca... the valley of weeping. If we have been allowed to see in some small measure the heart of God, His purposes, His ways, then we must weep at the current state of affairs in the church and in our country. 

4 Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still praising Thee. Selah.

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.

7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. Psalm 84:4-7

In Verse 4, "they" is clearly plural and speaks of all true born-from-above believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 5-7 speak of overcomers. They make the valley of Baca a well by their tears for the body of Christ to come into maturity. The rain (weeping from heaven) also fills the pools. Scripture describes several different reasons why His chosen people have wept. One reason for weeping is because some of His chosen people finally see how they "missed" God's best. The following two verses are an example of the chosen people of God weeping when they saw what they had missed.

And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Nehemiah 8:9

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. Psalm 137:1

The most important reason to weep is given in the Book of Joel. Unfortunately, the ministers of the Lord have not yet done this in these end times (to the degree that will satisfy the Lord), but will do so soon. 

12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar ..." Joel 2:12-13, 17

The priests, the ministers of the Lord, are overcomers ... the Bride of Christ ... the priests, the sons of Zadok ... those who have His name written in their foreheads (Revelation 22:4) ... those who voluntarily offer themselves as a burnt offering ... those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High ... those who look for His appearing ... those who are waiting at the Tabernacle Gate to see the High Priest come out of the Holy of Holies and complete the redemption of the saints ... those who will reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years (Revelation 20:6). Why do the overcomers weep? because they identify with the heart of God... they identify with the Lord Jesus in every respect. They have great compassion and love for their brethren who, for whatever reasons, are content with being saved and just going to heaven one day. 

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. Psalm 126:5-6

That verse speaks of the great harvest of souls during the last spiritual Feast of Tabernacles. The precious seed is the word of the Kingdom of God. The "they" in Verse 5 and the "He" in Verse 6 both speak of the overcomers ... those who have identified with the heart of God ... those who weep over spiritual Jerusalem ... those who fulfill Joel 2:17. Lord, open our eyes and ears that we may be attuned to your will in these last days!

In conclusion, just as David was anointed as king three times, in like manner Jesus was anointed three times. The first time is recorded in Matthew 3:16-17, "And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." That was his anointing by appointment.

The second time that Jesus was anointed occurred after Jesus had resisted all the temptation from the devil, had preached the gospel for 3 years, and had performed many miracles. This is recorded in Matthew 17:5, "While he [Peter] yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him." This anointing by the Father was proof of Jesus being King. Although at that point in time, Jesus was still rejected by the religious elite in Judah, the common people heard Him gladly (Mark 12:37).

The third and final anointing of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords will soon happen. This is declared three times: in Isaiah 45:3, Romans 14:11, and Philippians 2:9-11.

Philippians 2:9-11, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

From Revelation 11:15, "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever."

Revelation 19:16, which speaks of Jesus, the living Word of God, says, "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." 

What a wonderful day that will be! That will usher in an eternity with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!