Category Archives: Spiritual Life Cycle

February 21, 2026 · 11:48 am

The Heart and Mind Made New: A Conversation with the Seer”

The little country church was already warm with song when the pastor motioned the Seer forward. He never asked for the microphone, but somehow it always found its way into his hands. He stood there—calm, steady, joyful eyes bright with that inward fire—and began as he always did, with the simple truth.

“Brethren,” he said, “we are gathered here today to hear again what our Father calls sin, and how He has provided the only way to be rid of it. This knowledge is the foundation of our faith. It is the doorway into the house of righteousness.”

He paused, letting the room settle. “The mind,” he continued, “is our boon or our bust. Victory or defeat—it all begins there. But the mind cannot stand on a sure foundation until the heart is made right with its Maker.” He opened his Bible and let the pages fall where they wished.

“Mankind is born into a spiritual condition that naturally breaks the Ten Commandments. People lie, cheat, steal, covet, commit adultery, and place a thousand things above their Creator. That is the human condition. And our Father calls it sin (I John 3:4). But now He is calling all men everywhere to repent of that old nature. And He has provided the way.

Long ago He promised us a new heart. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD [YAHWEH]. “I will put my law in their minds. This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).

The Seer lifted his eyes. “The Father poured Himself—He who is Spirit—into a chosen vessel. In English we say Jesus Christ, but His Hebrew name is Yahshua. That Man from Galilee carried our sins in His own body. He died, was buried, and rose again after three days and three nights. But here is what most churches never teach: we sinners must place our old spiritual heart, our old sinful nature, upon the cross with Him. Not symbolically. Not poetically. But in a revelatory spiritual act.”

He tapped the pulpit lightly. “We must let the old nature die with Christ, be buried with Him, and then—by faith in the operation of God who raised Him from the dead—we too may walk in newness of life, never to sin again (Romans 6:1–6; Col. 2:11–13; I John 3:9). All we must do is believe that He was raised. For believing in His resurrection opens the door to believing in our own resurrection.”

He closed the Bible gently. “Paul explains it plainly: ‘Being made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness’ (Rom. 6:18). And the Master Himself said, ‘Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin… and no man can serve two masters’ (John 8:34; Matthew 6:24).”

That was the heart of his message that morning.

Later, back at the mission, we met briefly for a bit of questions and answers. I finally asked him about what had been stirring in me all morning.

“You mean,” I said, “a person can change so much that they won’t do the bad things they’ve always done?”

He nodded. “Exactly. It is possible. ‘For with God all things are possible… all things are possible to him that believes.’”

“But the preachers,” I said, “they teach the opposite. They say as long as you live, you’ll sin.”

The Seer sighed—not in frustration, but in sorrow. “I know what they teach. But they are confused from the start. They have never narrowed down in their minds what sin is. They do not see that sin is the breaking of the Ten Commandments. They do not see that the old Adamic nature is the engine that produces sin. And they do not see that God has provided the way out. But that way costs us our old life.”

“That’s why people don’t want this message,” I said. “They know they’ll have to change.”

“Exactly,” he replied. “A classic case of wanting one’s cake and eating it too. Scripture plainly states that the Savior destroyed the works of the devil—which is sin (I John 3:8).”

I leaned forward. “Where on earth is sin destroyed?”

The Seer paused, letting the weight of the question settle. “There is only one place on earth where sin is destroyed,” he said softly. “In the heart of God’s sons and daughters. When His offspring believe this astounding truth, and think on it, and fill their minds with His word about it, then they begin to put on the armor of God. This prepares them for the spiritual battle that will come. When our new heart breathes the Spirit into our mind, then the battle is fought, and the victory is won. In God’s mind, it has already happened!”     Kenneth Wayne Hancock, fulltime missionary, 1971-1985

[What is your experience with the cross? Share your testimony in the “Comment” section]

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January 19, 2026 · 10:29 am

THE CALL TO GROW: WHY SPIRITUAL FRUIT MATTERS

Christ and His apostles taught a real, measurable spiritual growth—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold—and that this growth is not optional. It is the very purpose for which Christ chose us: to bear enduring fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to make our calling and election sure.

The Vision Many Cannot See

Someone may say, “I just cannot see this spiritual growth you speak about—this thirty‑fold, sixty‑fold, and hundred‑fold fruit‑bearing. Why is it so important? I don’t believe we can be like Christ.”

To such a person I would answer kindly; it is understandable. This vision of sonship is not given to everyone. It is the Creator who calls and chooses. Christ Himself said, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that you should bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16). There goes Christ again, talking about fruit bearing. Read John 15 alongside the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and the pattern becomes unmistakable.

Many gladly receive His gift of salvation but never move beyond it. Not because they are evil, but because they have never been taught the spiritual growth cycle. They assume they do not need it—or worse, they simply do not believe it.

The Tragedy of Refusing the Call

But imagine realizing that you were not chosen to walk with Christ as the early apostles did. Would that not wrench the stomach with a bitter churn of regret? The doubters received salvation, yes—but they rejected His invitation to sit with Him on His throne (Rev. 3:20–21).

They resemble the lukewarm Christians, the five foolish virgins, who missed the great celebration because they dismissed the oil—doctrinal truth—as unimportant. They would not study it, believe it, or walk in it. These five virgins were indeed Christians (Matthew 25:1), yet their unbelief barred them from the royal feast. They hid when they should have feasted with the King. And Christ warns that such loss brings weeping and sorrow.

The Command to Grow

Scripture does not leave us passive. We are told to “make our calling and election sure” and to “examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith.” And what should we find in that examination? A young Spirit of Christ within us—alive, growing, maturing.

So, when someone says, “I don’t believe we can be like Christ,” they are not merely doubting themselves—they are limiting God and rejecting His own declaration: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” I understand the struggle; decades ago, I wrestled with the same doubts. But a mentor helped me cast them off and pursue the calling with certainty. All doubt springs from spiritual blindness. And Scripture tells us plainly what restores sight.

The Seven Additions: God’s Eye Salve

Peter teaches that the seven additions to faith—listed in II Peter 1—is the very eye salve that heals spiritual blindness. Speaking of the additions, Peter writes: “For if these things be in you and abound, they [the additions] make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off…”

These additions are the engine of spiritual growth. They move a believer from barrenness to fruitfulness, from blindness to sight, from mere salvation to sonship. Some will answer this call to bear 100-fold fruit and be His manifested sons and daughters in the end times. Christ spoke it; I am only repeating His words.

Conclusion

Spiritual growth is not an optional doctrine or a private theory. It is the clear teaching of Christ and His apostles. We were chosen to bear fruit, to grow into His likeness, and to walk the path laid out in Scripture. Those who embrace the seven additions to the faith will see; those who refuse remain blind. The call is before us. The fruit is promised. The choice is ours.  Kenneth Wayne Hancock [If you believe me, hit that like button, subscribe and make a comment.]

{I want you to have a free copy of my latest book, The Additions to the Faith. The Spirit is guiding us into knowledge of the seven crucial spiritual, divine attributes—what they are and how to add them to your faith. The books are free for the asking. No strings, no follow-ups. Christ wants us to grow. He has given me light on the subject and the funds to get the truth out there. Instead of putting cash in an offering tray, I publish my own books for the body of Christ. To order: Send your name and mailing address and the title of the book to my email: wayneman5@hotmail.com}

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December 13, 2025 · 9:04 am

Our Royal Destiny

The Overcomers Are Coming
“Many are called, but few are chosen.” What distinguishes the elect from Christians who never mature? They will have overcome all things and added to their faith the divine attributes spoken of by the apostle. Thousands will break through the suffocating conventions of churchianity, armed with the knowledge of their destiny. They will purify themselves with the cleansing power of the Spirit.

These overcomers have a stupendous destiny. Forged in the fires of Yahweh’s creative energy, they become vessels worthy to contain the fruit of God’s ultimate vintage—His Spirit. And they will walk humbly with their God and with mortal men, for humility is the requirement of those who “go on to perfection.”

These are the elect of God—His princes and future monarchs. To them God will delegate authority during His thousand‑year reign of peace, for they will have proven themselves worthy of this glory and honor. Truly, they have been crowned “with glory and honor,” for “they were redeemed from among men.”

The Plot of a Fantasy Novel

The plan of God reads like the plot of a thousand‑page fantasy novel. Picture it: The Supreme Being, an Invisible Spirit/Force of Love, desires to reproduce Himself. Yet being invisible and immortal, He cannot demonstrate the greatest love—laying down His life for another.

So He creates a prototype vessel of Spirit, then forms Adam from the dust of the earth. Mortal men fall into bondage to an evil adversary until their Creator incarnates Himself in a son of Adam who can die. He suffers death for their ransom, rises again, and delivers them from despair.

He cleans them, trains them, and sets them on the ancient path preserved by prophets and apostles. As they grow, old desires melt away like dirty snowbanks in the afternoon sun. Light begins to shine through them. And one day they hear a knock. They open the door, and their Master comes in and breaks bread with them, granting them His approval and the promise that they will sit with Him on His throne.
That is the destiny of the overcomers. That is The Destiny of the Chosen Ones, the elect.

[This is from my book The Royal Destiny of God’s Elect, Ch. 22. For a free copy go here: https://immortalityroad.com/free-new-book-the-royal-destiny-of-gods-elect/] KWH

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October 23, 2025 · 9:54 am

The Unveiling of God’s Sons: Love’s Final Act

God’s final act of love for this world is the unveiling of His children during these latter days. These sons and daughters are not the average church-going Christians. They will know that everything that has ever taken place on earth is prerequisite to this final revealing.

All the apostles spoke of their existence in His plan. The apostle John said that we are the sons (children) of God and that we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (I John 3:2). Being like him is not just being saved and going to church. No, He’s promising to do the same things in the earth, the same miracle working power continuing.

John also said that when we receive the Spirit of Christ, God will give us “power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name.” Christ’s Hebrew name is Yahshua. It means Yah is the Savior (John 1:12).

The central theme of Paul’s writings was God revealing His sons to the world. He said that the entire creation “groans and travails in pain waiting for the adoption, waiting for the “manifestation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19-22). He said that Christ was the first-born son, “the first born among many brothers” (8: 29).

Peter Confirms It

Peter calls the sons of God “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people… the people of God” (I Peter 2 :9). He also says that God has given us promises wherein we are “partakers of the divine nature” (II Pet. 1:4). We now take part in God’s sinless nature, growing up in Him. [You need to order my book, The Unveiling of the Sons of God. It’s free with free shipping.  Click here: Ordering My Free Books in Paperback | Immortality Road]

Not Many Mighty, Not Many Noble Are Called and Chosen

God has deliberately chosen people who are not powerful. In fact, these future 100-fold sons and daughters of God are taken from a lower state on the earth, so that when God effects great spiritual changes in their lives, and they begin to do the “greater works,” then they will know who is doing it–God and not them. “That no flesh should glory in His presence” (I Cor.1:29).

They are new recruits in Gideon’s army; they are very few; they are without weapons for earthly combat. These future manifested sons will be despised like Goliath despised David, but God has chosen them, and they will surrender to His call. And they will help bring an end to Satan’s government. This is the revelation that the stories from the Old Testament tell us.

The offspring of God, who once were dead in their sins, have now been made alive by his faith in Christ’s resurrection. God, “declaring the end from the beginning,” sees the end product of God’s spiritual life cycle within them and “calls those things that be not [Christ fully in them] as though they were.” (Romans 4:17).

Finally, this divine unveiling is not a distant hope but a present reality unfolding in the hearts of those who believe. The Spirit of Christ empowers His children to walk in the fullness of their identity—not merely as followers, but as manifest sons carrying His likeness and authority. As creation groans in anticipation, the sons of God arise, revealing Yahweh’s glory through lives transformed and miracles continued. This is the culmination of all history: the revelation of a people who reflect Him, move in Him, and fulfill His purpose on earth.   kwh [If this has stirred your heart, tell His people about it by commenting. Love to hear from you.]

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October 10, 2025 · 6:06 am

It Takes a spirit to Worship the Spirit

“Spirit” is from the Greek word pneuma [# 4151 in Strong’s]. It means “a movement of air…of the wind…” Since God is an invisible Spirit, worship of Him must come out of a spirit nature. It takes a spirit to worship the Spirit.

After all, if we have been truly “born again,” we are spirit. “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3: 6-8). If you are born of the Spirit, then you are a spirit and not the earthly body you see in the mirror. Since we are spirit, we merely reside now in an earthen body of flesh. Christ calls those that are born of the Spirit—a spirit. This knowledge helps us worship “in spirit.”

Moreover, He likens us to an invisible wind that blows across the earth. We are free like the wind is free, for we are a spirit born out of the loins of our Father, who is the Spirit of truth. We are like the wind, free to love others, not bound by the physical restraints imposed by worldly tradition peddlers. We are free to love with the soft breezes of compassion and mercy, free as the wind to soothe those who sweat in turmoil, who now writhe in the darkness of this cruel world’s overseer. And there is no law against this wind of love that now inhabits our frail bodies, that now is exhaled through us, His lungs and mouth.

“So is every one that is born of the Spirit.” And because each seed bears its own kind, we as new spiritual creatures in Christ have an “earnest” of His Spirit within, and He now breathes out of our mouths the word of God. That is part of true “worship.” It is submitting our bodies to be used by the Spirit of God within us to utter His words of life to others. It is allowing the Spirit to minister through us. And His word through His children’s mouth “will not return unto [Him] void, but it shall accomplish that which He pleases” (Isa. 55: 11). Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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July 21, 2025 · 10:27 am

Seek First the Kingdom of the Spirit

Chapter 7 of My New Book: The Abiding

Christ urged us to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness,” establishing a foundational precept for spiritual maturity and abiding. But what is this Kingdom? And where do we find it?

Scripture reveals that God is Spirit (John 4:24), and so His Kingdom must be spiritual as well—an invisible dimension not of this world, whose god is presently Satan. Thus, the Kingdom of God is not material, nor constrained by our five senses. It is a realm that “cometh not with observation” (Luke 17:20) but is “within you,” dwelling in the sanctum of the heart.

The phrase “Kingdom of God” has been diluted through overuse and denominational variation. While traditionally understood as “God’s Kingdom”—a realm belonging to Him—it can also be understood, linguistically and scripturally, as a kingdom comprised of Spirit. Just as “a wall of stone” describes a wall made of stone, “Kingdom of God” declares a government made of Spirit, led by a sovereign Spirit Being.

We are commanded to seek this unseen kingdom—the invisible government of God. It is not confined to temples or earthly forms of worship. True worship is not performed with buildings, rituals, or material offerings. It is an intimate, unseeable communion between our spirit and the Eternal Creator. “The flesh profits nothing; it is the spirit that gives life” (John 6:63). The essence of abiding lies in this deep spiritual connection.

Only those born from above—born of the Spirit—can perceive and enter this dimension (John 3:3-6). The narrow gate through which we enter is Christ Himself: “I am the door of the sheep… whoever enters through Me shall be saved” (John 10:7-9). This entry point begins the process of purification—where old concepts of God are stripped away, and faith becomes sight in the Spirit.

Prayer becomes our vessel into this kingdom. It reaches beyond the veil, into the heavenly dimension where miracles and spiritual battles unfold. Belief is the transport. We are not guided by sight, but by faith—believing before seeing.

The Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of the Spirit: invisible, yet near; eternal, yet now. The Holy Spirit is the breath of this heavenly domain, and those who seek Yahweh “while He may be found” will discover the gate, the truth, and the life.

Even now, His followers are being tested. “Fiery trials” refine faith, preparing us for entry into the realm that awaits beyond the narrow gate. As the apostle declared: “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27).

Here is The Abiding’s central message: the transformative power of abiding in Christ as the pathway to spiritual maturity, union, and divine oneness.

Abiding Begins with Seeking

The abiding life begins with an awakened hunger—to seek first the Kingdom not built by hands but drawn from Spirit. Christ’s invitation to abide is not passive—it is a call to pursue, with intensity, the invisible realm where divine communion unfolds. The Kingdom of the Spirit is not a reward for earthly effort, but the spiritual birthplace of all abiding.

The Gate to Oneness

To abide is to pass through Christ—the narrow gate—and dwell in the unseen realm. It is here, in the Kingdom made of Spirit, that the Son draws us into the Father’s presence. We are not spectators in this Kingdom; we are transformed participants, being shaped in the oneness of Yahweh and Christ. The Spirit is both door and dimension.

The Spirit Over Flesh

Abiding requires departure from the visible and tangible. The flesh profits nothing. Material religion cannot usher us in. True abiding is spiritual worship—truthful, unseen, relational. It is the invisible rhythm of connection, where abiding becomes encounter. This Kingdom is not distant—it is within. It is the heart awakened by the Spirit.

Purification in Union

Faith is the chisel that removes false constructs. Belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ initiates the inward resurrection—where abiding is made possible by purification. As old leaven is cast out, abiding becomes an active dwelling in the Spirit’s government. Our trials refine us not merely for entrance—but for union.

Finding Him Where He Is

To abide is to seek Yahweh where He may be found—in His own dimension, invisible yet near. Just as John touched, saw, and heard the Word made flesh, we too will know Him. For abiding leads to intimacy. The Son abides in the Father, and those who walk through the gate will abide also. This Kingdom is not merely theological—it is our promised home.

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June 29, 2025 · 8:40 am

Eyes on the Harvest

  1. The Sower’s Longing

God’s eyes are ever on His harvest. This is not simply a season—it is His will unfolding across time. He sows with the end in mind: a mature people, ready to be gathered. Are our eyes aligned with His?

Just as the farmer treasures the yield of his field, God watches with divine patience for the maturity of His Word within hearts. The Bible is a record of this great sowing—the planting of promises, prophecies, and purpose.

Be patient… until it receives the early and latter rain (James 5:7).

2. Maturity Marks the Time

The harvest is not about numbers—it’s about readiness. Maturity. Fruit that bears the nature of the Seed. In this “time of the end,” we are witnessing the crop coming to full ripeness.

The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels (Matthew 13:39).

These aren’t ominous words. They’re hopeful. They point to transformation—souls shaped in the image of Christ.

3. The First Fruits Rise

Like ears of corn ripening early, some sons and daughters awaken to maturity ahead of the field. These are the first fruits—the ones formed not just to arrive but to labor. To reap.

From the prophets of old to the hundredfold elect of today, these forerunners bear the burden and the glory of calling others in.

They without us should not be made perfect (Hebrews 11:40).

4. The Call to Labor

Christ’s command echoes now more than ever:

Pray ye therefore the Lord… that He would send forth laborers into His harvest (Luke 10:2).

The time of the latter rain is not only about power—it is about purpose. God is activating His mature ones to gather the rest. Millions will come. And the world, weary as it is, will see the glory of ripened faith.

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April 25, 2025 · 2:13 pm

Truth Cannot Nest in the Thorns of Falsehood

The Son approaches the hour of sacrifice,
His steps nearing the cross, heavy with the world’s weight.
The disciples, fragile hearts, shaken,
Are cloaked in sorrow, like a dim twilight descending.

Yet, He speaks, tender as a father to his children,
“My little ones, I am with you only a while longer.”
And then, the command like a flame passed from torch to torch:
“Love one another, as I have loved you,
So you, too, must love.”

Feast no longer on His love alone;
Drink deeply from the wellspring of the Spirit,
The Father, alive in Him, who works through Him.
“Believe,” He pleads, “that the Father is in Me,
And you shall do greater things, for I go to Him.”

A promise takes flight, soaring on the breath of His words:
“Keep My commands, and whatever you ask in My name, it shall be.”
But first, the name—the sacred name—and all it holds,
Its weight, its wonder, its truth.

Again, He returns, a shepherd calling to His flock:
“If you love Me, obey what I command.”
Obedience, the root from which love springs,
And to the faithful, the Counselor comes—forever,
The Spirit of truth, eternal and pure.

Yet truth cannot nest in the thorns of falsehood,
Cannot take root in soil tainted by error.
All must be purged, all misconceptions cast to the wind.
“Believe,” He urges, “that the Father is in Me,
And I in Him. We are One.”

Oneness—a Spirit that breathes life into all,
The Creator, the Holy, pouring Himself
Into fragile flesh, the Savior of mankind.
All that denies this truth must wither and fall,
Pruned by the Gardener’s hand.

And He ends as He began:
“Believe Me when I say, the Father lives in Me.
Through Me, He works miracles.
Obey, and believe,
For Yah is One,
The Holy One of all who trust in Him.”

The words echo, a melody to be sung
Until hearts and minds are free from chains of error,
And truth shines unclouded,
Forever.

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March 11, 2025 · 11:59 am

Thinking God’s Thoughts–The Additions and the Abiding

Thinking God’s Thoughts–The Additions and the Abiding

(from a Journal entry dated 7-30-14)

If you want to hear from God today, soften your heart by believing. Believing what exactly? Believe that God exists and is there, very near to you. And that He reveals Himself to those who search for Him with all their heart. We need to believe Him, like a little child believes—with all our heart (Heb. 11:6).

That is why it is so important to tell children the truth. For they will believe you. They’ll believe you, for instance, about Santa Claus and the flying reindeer, until the day they discover their first betrayal, until the day when they trade their faith in for a plastic phony world.

Nevertheless, God promises true things to His children. He promises everlasting life and power that overcomes obstacles in our lives—starting today—if we do not doubt Him. He has promised us that if we believe Him, then He, the Spirit of truth, will come and dwell/abide in us!

But, first, we must abide in Him. We must dwell in Him by getting rid of untruths and, frankly, the doctrinal errors that we all have been subjected to. He calls this “purging out the old leaven” (I Cor. 5:7; see Purge Out the Old Leaven = Getting Rid of False Concepts | Immortality Road).

This is “abiding in Him.” When this is done, then He will abide in us. This is how spiritual growth works. For it is when His Spirit dwells fully in us that we will show forth Him! This is the fulfilling of His purpose: God’s will is for Him to reproduce Himself, and “God is agape Love.”

We abide in Him when we think His thoughts. It is when we “get our minds right” and “get with His program” that we can abide in Christ. This leads to Christ fully dwelling/abiding in us.

Again, to abide in Him and He in us is to think His thoughts. This is having the same mind that Christ has. “Let this mind be in you” (Phil. 2:5).

How to Think His Thoughts

Two spiritual tools exist to help us train our minds to think His thoughts. For Yahweh’s thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8). So then, our minds must be re-educated. We are born from a matrix of doubt and disbelief. We have been misled about what the truth is. So, the Master Teacher has prescribed prayer and fasting to cast out the unbelief.

Put another way, the two increase belief. They add to our faith. In fact, the seven additions to the faith are added by faith/belief, and God has ordained that prayer and fasting come into our spiritual life. He not only desires this for us, but He also makes it happen (II Peter 1:5-12).

Adding the seven additions is the only way in scripture to “make our calling and election sure (v. 10).” These seven “things make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Him. Adding them ensures that we will bear much spiritual fruit (v. 8). By adding them to our faith, we are ensured “an entrance…into the everlasting kingdom…” (v. 11). [See Additions to the Faith to Make Our Calling and Election Sure–To Be Like Peter, James, John, and Paul | Immortality Road

For His elect have their destiny pre-determined by God. And He will restore what we had with Him in the beginning—which are the seven additions to the faith.

Peter is imploring us to take heed. Take the additions to heart. If you want to be in His elect cadre, we must add the attributes of His divine nature. The Spirit is telling us to add them. We must do this. We do not work for salvation; it is a gift. But we must work to spiritually grow through study and prayer. We work because He has saved us for a purpose: To be laborers in His last day vineyard.    Kenneth Wayne Hancock [For more on this, send for my new book, The Additions to the Faith. It is free with free shipping. Send your name, mailing address, and the name of the book to my e-mail: wayneman5@hotmail.com].

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January 27, 2025 · 2:13 pm

Heart Preparation for the Abiding of His Spirit

The book I’m working on, The Abiding, will explain to the reader how the great Spirit, our Creator and Savior, will come and live in us—fully, like in the apostles of old. That is the main theme of the book.

But many Christians will say, “We don’t need to study out all these things; we just need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is raise our voices loudly enough with song and praise. We believe that He will hear our cries and answer us with His slaying power. That’s how the disciples did it.”

Not so fast. The disciples had much more preparation than any of us. The Savior taught and walked with them before their experience at Pentecost. They were with Him forty days after the resurrection. Not to mention the 3 1/2 years that they walked with him before the crucifixion. It wasn’t like twelve men wandered up into an upper room and began to pray and—boom!—they’re all filled with God’s Spirit. With no study? Please.

There was much preparation before their experience. The disciples had studied the Word up close and personal. They were taught daily by the Anointed One. They didn’t fully understand His plan and purpose until they were filled with the Holy Spirit and fire. But they studied the Scriptures and the living, spoken words of Christ, who is the “Word made flesh.”

What Christ Taught Them

And what did Christ teach the disciples during the forty days after the resurrection? He spoke of “the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). That’s what the disciples were doing after the resurrection. Christ was teaching them “the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 13:11). Before they gathered in the upper room, before they were “filled with the Holy Ghost,” before they began “to speak with other languages” to those devout Jews who had come to the feast from at least fourteen countries. They all heard the Spirit speak their languages, through the apostles. It was not “unknown” languages. The Spirit was speaking through them in known, living everyday languages (Acts 2:4-12).

Christ’s lambs and sheep earnestly desire the true experience of the Spirit filling their vessels, but all of us must get our ducks in a row first. We must get an answer to this question: What are these “things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” that Christ, the resurrected Savior, was teaching them? If Christ appeared to us tonight in a vision and asked us, “What are these ‘things’ pertaining to my Kingdom?” How would we answer Him?

Christ was teaching them things about spiritual growth.

Christ speaks no idle words. Christ was teaching “things” to his disciples, as the Spirit of truth directed. It seems like a divine mystery, right? But it shouldn’t be. The disciples wrote down the “things” for us, that Christ had spoken to them about.

I submit to you that these “things” are lessons on how we are to grow spiritually. This gets us ready to be “filled with the Holy Spirit,” like the early apostles experienced.

These “things” are about how we are to go through God’s spiritual life cycle of growth. The parables of Christ teach us about growing from a babe in Christ to apostleship. In the “Parable of the Cast Seed,” the man sows; the seed comes up and grows. “First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear” (Mark 4: 26-29). Spiritual growth is also when he likens the Kingdom of God to a grain of mustard seed and how it grows and matures (4:30-32).

“And when they were alone, he expounded all things to His disciples” (4:34). Christ spoke to them “of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” He explained it to them.

And then there is the Parable of the Sower, who sowed the seed, the word, into four different soils. The birds ate up the seed that fell by the wayside. Some seed fell on stony ground and was scorched by the sun. And some seed fell into thorns and was choked out. But some “fell on good ground, and did yield fruit…some thirty, and some sixty, and some one hundred” (Mark 4:3-8).

This great parable is all about spiritual growth. It is so important to understand, for it unlocks the rest of the parables (4:13). Christ explains the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:14-20. It is all about growing and bearing fruit.

The Spirit is expounding to us His word about how He grows in us. In retrospect, nearly everything published on this site is a connecting dot concerning spiritual growth, from the sprouting of the seed, the word of God, in our hearts to the harvest of that seed.

The last phase of God’s growth in our vessels is what The Abiding is all about. It is about the “things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” The complete abiding will come as we do the new commandments, and add to the faith, and put on the armor of God, and continue in the Apostles’ Doctrine.

Christ’s teachings on the Kingdom of God are lessons on spiritual growth, guiding believers from spiritual infancy to apostleship. Parables like “The Cast Seed” and “The Sower” explain sowing God’s word and nurturing it to yield spiritual fruit. Embracing these teachings allows God’s Spirit to flourish within us, helping us partake of the divine nature.

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Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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