This post is the revelatory teaching notes that Dr. Aikens taught from in the Bootcamp entitled “Discerning Evil Present with, those Thinking to DO Good!”. Posted by Rev. Jane Babich after attending the Bootcamp.

 

Isaiah 29:14-15 Apostle-phrased!

At a time when God’s people were continually being beguiled by “evil present with them”; He sent His prophet and captain, Isaiah; to faithfully speak truth to lighten that darkness. And again, he obediently went and with quiet confidence men hear loudly; “spoke boldly” to “evil” its future, He said; “Behold saith, God, “I will yet come do marvelous, astonishing things among My people. It is My truth when heard, that shall cause subtility’s wisdom and false understanding completely lacking discernment to vanish. And all Mine good men “shall see”!For I declare “woe” unto evil’s fruit thinking to hide from Me what their counsel wrongly teaches. They speak and cover their evil with darkness; thinking who sees or really knows us?” But I do declare woe!

Mark 7:5-23 Apostle-phrased!

Jesus was sent as God’s Captain and He busily taught the truth to all following to listen to Him; in thinking and desiring to do good. Now scribes and Pharisees came to defile these hungry crowds by majoring on the minor. Their evil asked; “Why don’t Your disciples live according to traditions our forefathers said observe? Why allow them to eat with hands not ceremoniously washed”? Jesus answered, “Wow! Isaiah did excellently prophesy how you religious leaders would become pretentious hypocrites constantly showing My people to honor Me with their lips, yet hold their hearts afar off from Me. Thus fruitlessly, in vain, without profit, they do worship. You teach as doctrine to be obeyed, what you know are your commands and precepts. It’s evil! You disregard, what you know are key commandments of God to govern the heart. You make sure My people know only to carefully and faithfully do good, but by your traditions. You nullify, make the authority God as His Word is, seems void; of non-effect by your traditions; which you teach, as if they’re God’s will. It’s evil!

Then Jesus turned to address those He knew listened and heard in desiring to do good. And He said; “Listen, press in to understand what I say; “Nothing you take into your body pollutes or defiles you spiritually. It’s the things that come from within as fruit of thoughts you entertain. What you “let” be in you, though you can taste and know what’s not good; yet still entertain; that, makes you defile yourselves. Then you’ll live unholy; be unclean in God’s eyes. You have ears to hear, listen to hearing truth so you perceive what I say. It will change you as you but comprehend; then hearken to see to it you do it accordingly. That’s doing good!

When Jesus finished His teaching, He released the people and entered the house they were to stay. But His disciples immediately pressing Him to further clarify were shocked to find; He turned and rebuked them in asking; “Are you the spiritually unintelligent, dull and totally lack understanding? Can’t you discern to see whatever man takes into his body; can’t make his heart, mind or spirit defiled, unholy or unclean? Nothing physical reaches to enter hearts, only digestive tracts; there it passes out as waste.

But be not deceived; again, it is what comes out of man as bad fruit is planted, watered, fertilized as evil is entertained. It defiles. This can make him unholy, unclean in God’s sight. Discern, see, hear, taste these fruit, as evil present with you. Its hand works; orchestrates a doing of evil. It conjures base thoughts to produce sexual immorality, bondage, murder, adultery, perversity, discord, unrestrained selfishness; deceitfulness, covetousness, destructive wickedness; indecent conduct. See its evil eyes, as envy and jealousy. Hear subtility as evil speaks great words maliciously, to misrepresent God, as abusive. Discern, prideful words spoken by evil present, as if God spoke. It wears men out to lack strength of spirit and purpose. Its lies, dishonor. But God!

Learn to see, know and recognize! Romans 7:21

I find then a law that; when I would do good; evil is present with me.

“I Find Then a Law”

I Find then:         signifies drawing sound decisive conclusions in having no doubt; as to what fruit we see, discern, so fully perceive as it must be.

A Law:              signifies we’ve found a strict, dogmatic extremely rigid, principle formed, applied, operating; to work as a weapon against us. 

“When I Would Do Good”  

When I would:     signifying an extremely personal experience. For when “I” determine to decisively dedicate myself to go in God ordered direction for me; rather than passively comply with, or choose to do as others might prefer, or pressure me to be; the revelatory is; He delights in such choices.

Do Good:    signifies turning, fully determined; thinking to just do ordered, right things in God; so, move on in ordered steps.  Still, stuff happens; called evil!

Key is fear not, beloveds! Insidious, odious, audacious sifting will come in each turn and degree; as we think to remain undeterred in doing what we know is good, for us. We’ll yet be beautiful, in God’s time. And still trouble comes on account of Word heard.

The revelatory is “thinking to do good” implies we said an eternal yes. It makes us good men willing to work out a denying ourselves to follow Christ. This yokes us to journey together; to learn to value so emulate, intimate spiritual relationship gained as we press; reveals a joy of the Lord that’s still ours regardless of what we find we may fall into.   

Consider: James 1:2 Apostle-phrased tells us:

 “When we fall into divers temptations”; we’re to “count it all joy”!

When we signify, a given; a certainty we will do what follows; so, our focus needs to be on what our choices and actions ought to be; whenever, whatever will happen; rather than if; and remain committed to doing as we must the whole while.

 “Fall -Into Divers- Temptations”

Fall:  is signifying we’re to consider any encounter we have even with evil that often appears unavoidable; offering no other recourse but to utterly fall. But God!

Into Divers: signifies that having motley, multiple, diverse, varied characteristics that though manifold; yet, change not.

Temptations:        signifies that coming to “try” our discipline to walk by faith. It experiments with putting our being changed to the test; to prove our good.

 The revelatory is, “falling into divers temptations” is also our unavoidably experiencing evil using affliction to provoke us. It can also signify subtile adversity works us in artfully using misdirection to solicit, buffet and to harass us, with its insistent demands; until we’re left feeling we absolutely have no choices left; but to go astray of ordered steps.

This falling into divers temptation can seem as formidable experience as spiritually unavoidable; as is a huge sinkhole opening up beneath us. It can seemto leave us no choice but to utterly fall; to be swallowed whole; so, we’re “diminished there” as others may well be, but God!

Count it:      signifies “let joy” be our “command key” to enable; to lead us to consider it our chief way and authority to rule over; so escape holds and mitigate damages; any unavoidable “evil” poses, to cause us to utterly fall.

This “key” for us is still we know in being the Lord’s good men; grace guarantees we can count on so take spiritual pleasure in His all joy.

So regardless of how deep a hole may open us all around us, and claim it specifically came for us; yet we can confidently say; yeah devil, but our God also changes not. And it is His hand we can trust to uphold us in our ordered steps.

So, although a thousand may fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand; it shall not come nigh us. Again, God will never let us “utterly” fall. Psalm 91:7; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

The revelatory here is, this thinking to do good is obviously costly; yet promised to be rewarding; long as we keep the right perspective to go on through. The secret is, just don’t stop going; for that is when the best of us feel overtaken. For when we’ll go on through and endure come what may in knowing but God; He has appointed times allotted where our this too; must pass.

Beloveds, this remains our truth to count as all joy despite what the world may see as our weaknesses; or what messengers of Satan buffet us with, by making insistent demands “evil” masks as our own stuff.  But remember!

Psalm 37:23-24 Apostle-phrased!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And He then delights in our ways He orders.  So, though as we go, we should even fall; we shall not be utterly cast down. For the Lord will uphold us with His hand.

“Though We Fall; We’re Never Utterly Cast Down”

Though Fall:       signifies there’s great certainty as we move in, follow or are led in ordered steps; we as good men may encounter evil purposely, intentionally; so by design, causes us to fall in feeling overwhelmed; overtaken, overthrown; swallowed up in; and made to feel inferior; by what appears our own stuff; we absolutely feel a total lack of control over.

Not Utterly Cast Down:  signifies we surely shall not be made to pitch over; to stagger, reel or be carried away worn down or faint; so be taken out.

Back to Romans 7:21 Apostle-phrased!

I find then a law that; when I would “do good”; evil is present with me.

Do Good:    also signifies when we choose to separate ourselves from ungodly influences to where we learn to just be content in whatever state we find ourselves; we press into doing and being virtuous, viable, full of veracity; “His”!

So, fear not! When God’s truth is our basis; our root system in which our fruit ripen; it will produce pluckable fruit, the proof of excellence and His good pleasure done for us.

Consider therefore the revelatory of all of this is; just our simply “thinking; so, having that mind to do good” is truly a powerful thing; regardless of our weaknesses seen. Remember, although evil will continuously try and sift us; what did we learn about grace?

2 Corinthians 12:9 -10Apostle-phrased!

 The Lord said, “My grace, favor, loving-kindness and mercy; will always be sufficient; more than enough for you to face and overcome any danger. It works to strengthen and enable you to bear any trouble manfully. For it is My strength and power working effectually in you. It’s made perfect, fulfilled, completed, shows itself most effective in your times of weakness. Then Paul declared in receiving that revelation; “I will most gladly therefore, from now on, glory in my infirmities; so that the power of Christ may truly rest upon me.

And I will take pleasure not just in infirmities; but insults, hardships, reproaches, necessities, persecutions every kind of perplexing distresses evil brings to make life seem perilous; yet I endure for Christ’s sake.

For my truth is; when I feel weak in my own human strength; I then remember; I’m truly strengthened; and I’m thus, made strong and powerfully able in His grace; to do good as exploits needed to overcome any evil!

Consider this; God’s grace is so sufficient It literally causes the sons of Sa`tan; his demons, devils and strongmen; all as evil present with us, to begin to tremble as they see such determination to live God’s Word and our salvation, aloud.

They tremble for our “thinking to do good” also signifies we’re willing to submit ourselves unto God; thus, we’d be used to bring forth that pluckable fruit as appointed.

For in “thinking to do good”; we journey from submitted to committed; as the Lord’s good men, He knows as His. 2 Timothy 2:19-21

Only the Lord so knows our hearts; that He also knows how, when, where and what it takes for us to truly choose to separate, purge and cleanse ourselves from having any further contact with contaminating, corrupting influences; that hinder fruitfulness.

Only the Lord as we even think to do His good; immediately sanctifies us as His vessels He sets apart and makes useful for His honorable purposes. Itis He alone that trains and equips us to resist, speak boldly to; soundly rebuke even cast out the evil sons of Sa`tan; thinking to counterfeit us and our fruit; as sons of God. 

Do Good:    also signifies when we become vessels choosing to be set apart as vessels unto honor, and begin realizing we’re daily being consecrated, made fit, ready, fully established to profitably press in for His purpose; it proves costly.

For though we aim for the higher than mark the revelatory high calling is; our doing so does not make us exempt from experiencing evil being present with us. For this is when it truly thinks to work and wear us out; so, to diminish us.

Finally, a great revelatory kingdom key and principle is, being moved by our eternal yes shapes, defines, refines and fills us with integrity we’re to retain as spiritually good men.

These yesses also make our “thinking to do good” able to be seen more by our lifestyle, then it is heard by merely our profession. Finally, eternal yesses make us strive for that excellence required of fruitful vessels unto honor. For regardless where we are or good we find hard to do; we’re irrevocably increased already; despite evil’s taking us there!  

 So, there’s a spiritual law in operation; that when we but think do good; evil, as is pestilence swarms about like spiritual flies, gnats, hops in like fleas, eats at us like locusts, insidiously inches like palmerworms, infests as do roaches, bed bugs. All this is descriptive of evil, persistently present, with us”!

“Evil is Present With Me”

Evil:   Scripturally in the O.T., appears 489 times rendered 12 different ways. The most prolific is “ra`”; signifying inherent wickedness, the bad using, bringing subtilities, adversity, affliction, calamity, distresses, exceedingly great heaviness and grievous harm.

The revelatory is, it is full of hurtful great words it spews out in attempts to obscure our future ordered steps. It also signifies all the mischievous imps that come to swarm about bringing pure misery.

This “ra`” also signifies noisome pestilence, sorrows, trouble, vexation and all its provocation as pure wickedness that can feel impossible to avoid as its wretchedness feels authorized to follow us everywhere.

Evil:   Scripturally in the N.T., appears 133 times again rendered 12 ways. It is Paul that uses all these descriptive words; but his Romans 7:21 signification reveals “kakos”; as being the prolifically wicked, malevolent, malicious force “with us” in the world.  Paul also gives the added revelation of how this “kakos”; is relentlessly, insistently “present with us”.

Present with me:   signifies seeming to lie near, to lurk nearby; to be very present specifically to be “with me”; thus, full of claimed familiarity.

Consider, it like those easily besetting entangling yokes that try to settle back about us; as if we belong to and it has an absolute right to us because of our past, or even some thoughts we entertain.

Consider, it will even deceptively bring us what our flesh “thinks” we still like. Oh, But God; He can so change that combination as we are “changed”; that it will seem He took the virtual taste for who or whatever; right out of our mouths; so, what we thought used to satisfy; He’ll make sure, we can’t find! All we have to do is ask! 

Consider; with us as signifying we all must deal with some form, it manifests as or another; for it comes and again; it remains at hand; insistently demanding no matter how much we resist; it will only leave for a season; until such time as Jesus returns and war breaks out in the heavenly.

Consider, it is also again synonymous with the virtual armies God declares as still His; still Sa`tan thinks he controls evil. But the key is our “sovereign” God retains all!

Revelatorily we could then spend weeks covering all that’s discernible about this concept of the extremely invasive work of “kakos” aka “evil”. They’re described as invasive locusts, swarms as flies lighting on; gnats flitting; fleas biting; palmerworms insidiously inching their way in to ruin us, our works, any fruit we think to cultivate and obscure all sight.

But simply it signifies a demonic yet extremely cunning, calculating hand continually at work. It comes to wear us out; kill, steal or destroy seeds of the Word we receive; spoil any fruit we hope to bear; so, ruin us!

Consider, even as the will to do good is constantly effectually at work in believers; rebellion is ever equally as present with and always thinking to adversely influence us to act as do the spiritually double-minded; unstable in all our ways and apt, to willingly sin again.

The more revelatory point is evil or kakos in any of its forms still lack strength, power, and authority to make us do as flesh wills; obtain what it wishes, perform what it dictates or insistently demands as its passionate desire.

So though “evil is present with us”; it cannot prosper as any weapon formed against us. It lacks the power to prevail.

Thus, it behooves us to remain submitted to and work on becoming truly committed; thus, fully persuaded; so, sold out to God. Then we can resist any hindering meant to make us unwilling to deny pride to be stayed, humbled under His mighty hand.

It is that we learn to look unto Jesus, or to “aphorao”; signifying to look away from the trouble our faults can cause us to be overtaken in; unto He Who we already in pressing; have come to know as greater and more than anything, daring to think to.

Consider this evil present with us; it is no more than opposition at work, thinking to touch us in ways meant to wear us out; hindering, inhibiting; adversely influencing us.

Again, all this endlessly swirls about us to make us forget the perfect peace that is ours if we can but keep our hearts, our minds; thus, our way; stayed on the Lord.

If we cannot do that beloveds; we’ll foolishly become like the Martha’s Jesus rebuked; encumbered about with our much serving; too careful and so troubled; that we become anxiety filled in everything. Be careful beloveds; being so makes unprofitable servants!

When we waste precious time; feeling overwhelmed, resistant and in such a spiritual struggle; we become prone to faint; unprofitably fruitless and we will then miss out on many of our seasons to reap; that lie just ahead of the “kakos and the ra`” following us.

Consider “kakos” uses all inhibitors, so we struggle so with how often we seem to end up shadowboxing with its evil; until we feel too unworthy to publicly do the good of being the spiritually fruitful; when it seems ours will never ripen enough to be seen! Yet such costs are easily discerned to press on past if we’re the Lord’s spiritually led.

There are so many whose base selfish natures align with what they know is wicked; so perhaps inadvertently lend themselves to a being used as weapons formed not just as “evil present so against us”. Truth is far too many will furtively take full advantage of supposed like purposes or old seasons and relationships; to come now and “be with us” but are not really for us. Now that can truly turn out to be evil. For they speak and reach us; as perhaps few others can. And that beloveds can truly work as evil!

Still, no matter how anointed and authorized of God we are; if we only half-heartedly exercise power to resist and speak boldly rebuking them; “kakos” will seem able to still vexingly come to present themselves repeatedly as if we lack power or authority to effectually make them flee.

As we prepare to “selah”
remember these points again on evil!

It signifies a dark hand full of subtility extended to artfully, maliciously misdirect us in conjuring ways for its fears to seem to touch us. It can orchestrate a crescendo of condemnation to swirl all about us. It is no more than Sa`tan’s demonic hand magnified; to appear as brimming full of viral infestation; dangerous situations, detestable pestilence; threatening to overtake us. It tries to make us feel too weary to give what others won’t; too costly to obediently minister of our own substance; too moved, wavering; becoming weary; overwhelmed in experiencing opposition! It comes as “trouble”; on account of Word taught and heard!  

Its oppressive hand is full of idle words men whisper.  For it wields swarms of scandalously demonic; offensive, lying residue of things long past, men yet foolishly repeat. It fills atmospheres with injurious ill-will intentionally flying in the face of will to do good.

Thus, thinks to kill, steal so destroy our kairos times of God-sent opportunities to be used; in presenting ourselves as; “His” living sacrifices. It seeks to tirelessly touch; to insinuate itself into our lives, and light upon us like pesky gnats; spread troubling rumors; innuendo men entertain as thoughts meant to negate the work salvation’s forgiveness does in us.

It tries to strategically position; using doubleminded among us; those having minds full of condemnation that seems so able to touch us in speaking often loud, silent thoughts. It’ll even act as if God permitted it form to come nigh as weaponized against us. But beloveds, our final closing points are simple; despite this over-abundance we’ve learned evil present with us is.

But be not deceived beloveds; even if or when it is God permits any weapon to come against us; we know what? Amen!

Even if or when He releases armies to come among; even to encamp about so be with us; even if or when He permits lying spirits to come weave deceit into our atmosphere; never forget; our Lord God does all; decently and in order! Thus, He has and will always view the salvation of His people as a sure, viable, kept covenant or contract eternally. He’s never, even when we’re absolutely deserving; left us to be totally decreased, diminished or devasted; so essentially damaged by any evil present with us; permitted or otherwise.  He’ll never permit a breach into our abundant life to so prosper against us that it inflicts damage He hasn’t already made provision mitigating it. Remember God through it all! For we’ll never suffer any “essential” damage He cannot fully restore us from!

Galatians 1:3-5

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins,that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father; Thus, it is to Him to Whom we should heap glory; for ever and ever.  Amen!

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