Hacking Through the Veil of Flesh
January 29th, 2009 | Michael Q. Pink
The other day, while marinating in the Word and pondering the contrast between some of the things I say I believe but seem only to sporadically at best manifest in my life, the Lord helped me to understand the situation with a picture He gave me.
I want you to picture two adjoining fields. The one in which you live has some grass, a few trees and a pond. You can sustain livestock, plant some crops, work hard and get by. The one that joins yours is lush and green, stocked with fruit trees and teeming with life. Waterfalls, lakes and streams abundant with fish, dazzling in their beauty decorate the landscape like diamonds set in fine gold on a beautiful woman.
You live on the sparse ranch, but you have the deed to the other. You look longingly at the beauty of the one you don’t possess and know it is yours, but you don’t know how to enter that land. You have prayed, but the land didn’t come any closer, nor did the one in which you live improve much over the years. Some have told you that’s not for now… it’s for when you get to heaven. Others have scolded you for ever wanting to enjoy such things when so many have so little.
But this land of plenty is not the land of avarice. It is the land of provision. There is no lack, but there is no greed. There is always enough and generosity is the currency of the realm. So how do you get there? What separates the two properties? This is what I saw…
The two properties are divided by a thin shield of what looks like water. You can see through this wall of water. In one sense it was like looking through a bubble that insulated one side from the other. The watery shield had the toughness of a membrane. It took effort to push through. It was in texture like a veil of flesh that must be torn to enter into the spirit realm.
It looked like water, but was tough like flesh. Pushing against it did not work. You needed something sharp to pierce it. Immediately, came the verse from Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
We need the Word of God to pierce the watery, fleshly membrane. But how does that work? Well my wife quickly added that Deuteronomy 30:14 says, “The word is very near unto you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.” What word is in your mouth? Paul quotes that very verse in Romans 10:8 and explains it is “the word of faith”
As my wife and I discussed this, she pointed out that it is not enough to have the word of God in our mouth. Scripture says we must also do it. We must act on it. Faith without action is dead. So today I am taking in the Word that I might declare it as appropriate and then act as though it were true. I will cut asunder the tenacious membrane of my flesh, pierce through the watery divide and take up residence on the other side.
How long will it take to cut through the membrane? Depends on how gentle I wish to be on my flesh. Right now I am thinking things might get a little messy, but anything worth having is worth struggling for. Hebrews 4 tells us that we struggle against the flesh to enter the rest. I might need some help pressing through. Want to join me?
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January 30th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Hello:
This was so right on for me today. There is power in our words and yes there does seem to be the great divide. I pray that we are able to cross over into the place of His presence whether it become a messy adventure or with ease.
Thank you for your insights!
January 30th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Thank you so much for the understanding you use applying scriptures to life and business I am looking forward to reading your book I just received. May God bless you real good!
I talked with my husband about your meeting in Panama but since he really hasn’t kept up with your teachings he wasn’t getting it. Do you have a radio program? He drives and listens to conservative financial programs and God has trained and taught him much through the years. I think he would really enjoy listening to you.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Michael,
Romans 10:8 is talking about saving faith.
But what does it say? l “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
I do agree with you that we must press on no matter what happens. The saved will endure to the end.
Kern
January 30th, 2009 at 9:30 am
This is profound truth. It sounds to me like the fast you described earlier this week has helped to weaken that membrane so you can cut through more readily. That challenges me. I have never liked fasting. Who does? But your resulting clarity is inspiring.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:43 am
When you quoted about the power of the Word of God to break through that flesh…i applied it to what i have beem reading in The Rain Forest stuff.
Thinking and relishing in the fact that as we use the Word of God with businessmen (both those who know and those who don’t know Jesus) how new and POWERFULL old busines truths will come to life. I just think the Word is the Key to the power - to give fresh perspective. There is nothing like the Word - “able to pierce” THAT deep (soul and spirit).
Michael - we appreciate u
Thanks for serving us.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Both Mark 9 and Mathew 17 tell of Jesus healing a boy that the Disciples could not. There is much to be learned from these verses, but I think a main lesson is that is was not faith the Disciples lacked, but their unbelief hindered this miracle. Jesus says this kind of unbelief can only be overcome by prayer and fasting. In essence fasting is overcoming the “flesh.” You learn how to have the promises of God in your life by communing with Him through prayer. To enter the Thrown room boldly, our will must match His….
January 30th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Michael,
It seems especially true in this season when ‘the mountains are being cast into the sea’, that as the psalmist David said, I will declare the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. As we dominate the flesh, there is a reward of His presence that is without compare.
Thanks for this blog and for your insight.
January 30th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Michael,
A few cents of my own to throw in concerning your inspired insights
So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into his rest. For he that hath entered into his rest, he hath also ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into his rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick and powerful… (Hebrews 3:19 4:1-3,9-12)
This rest speaks of God’s best for our life which is the land on the other side of the membrane you alluded to Michael. It seems so charismatically trite, but the truth remains that the only reason one does not get to the other side is plain old fashioned unbelief! Notice the scripture said: They which have (do continue in spite of all) believed DO (eventually) ENTER into rest.
Your right on about the importance of speech, our words, for it is written: We believe, therefore have we spoken. This speaking in line with what we believe is what a spirit of faith is all about. Calling those things that be not as though they were even though it appears they are not is critical in breaking through the veil into the land of rest. Calling yourself there on the other side and praising and thanking God continually as if in fact, physically speaking you’ve already arrived releases that said spirit of faith.
Then also, it seems almost paradoxical that to enter in we must cease from our own works but yet at the same time, labor to enter into that promised land of a life filled full of God’s best. Labor in what?
Labor in the Word of God to rid our lives, our speech, actions, and attitudes of unbelief! Often our own works, words, our plans, our efforts, (however well intended and noble they appear) to get where we want to be in life (on the other side of that watery membrane) because we have not submitted ourselves first and foremost to God’s Word, we not only fail to move from a position of faith, but also we then fail to sense his leading and direction concerning those plans and efforts of ours. We often forget to in ALL our ways acknowledge Him and allow Him to direct our paths. We must TODAY, and everyday hear his voice and when we do-obey. We must learn what He was trying to teach they in the wilderness: You cannot live by bread alone, but by every personal directive (word) from God.
Our works, our toiling, striving and struggling are but manifestations of the curse that we have been redeemed from in Christ and in truth, only yield more of the curse! On the other hand, daily acknowledging Him, looking to Him, refusing to go without hearing from Him whatever it may cost our flesh, believing that where we want to be He is well able to bring us into and being at peace, at rest inwardly in that reality, rejoicing always while refusing the temptation to ever complain, acting and speaking as if we were already there (which is walking by faith and not by sight) we can all pass over to the other side!
I do appreciate your insights my brother, keep on keeping on!
Mitch
January 30th, 2009 at 10:10 am
OUCH !!! You are so right, Michael, about the flesh. Exactly what I needed to hear, though not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear something comforting, smooth, and promises of ease to go with my warm cup of “Morning Joe”. Thanks for keeping us on track and strengthening us to “Toughen Up.” The battles we face in our homes, churches, and nation are going to require “Mighty Warriors” who are not doing battle in the flesh, but in the spirit.
Many Blessings,
Jerri
Keep “The Son” in your eyes.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:31 am
yes, do want to join you. I shall join you today, starting by meditating on the scriptures listed. Thank you
January 30th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Kern;
You are correct that Paul was speaking of the word of faith for the saving of the soul but do you think that our salvation is the only thing we need faith for? I think having words of faith for living here and now is also very important.
Thanks for posting.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Awesome! Thank you for this very encouraging word. I am one of the many struggling Americans on the pond side and I KNOW the challenge to speak and believe for the other side. Day by day sometimes hour by hour! Now I am going to act on what His Word says and live as if it were-Kingdom principles! Sounds like flesh fight to me.
I just received your book and am excited to begin the journey into the rain forrest:)
January 30th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Wow Michael, great insight.
I have been in ministry for over 20 years now and have recently been grappling with many different facets of “faith.” There seems to be such a disconnect with the process of faith. Is faith our effort of “just believing hard enough” and it will happen? OR Standing on God’s promises trusting that He will fulfill then in your life? OR….
Faith is a growing process, one that God is very clearly stretching me in right now. Teaching me constantly (as long as I’ll listen) to believe and act. Trust and obey. Hide His word in my heart and share it with others.
Thanks for sharing.
January 30th, 2009 at 10:59 am
MICHAEL, Thank you for the blessing.I am convivced that your trip will bear even more fruit then you thought because you are drawing closer to GOD and HE to you! May God continue to bless you richly!!
January 30th, 2009 at 11:11 am
This was a great word, I am so blessed to be reminded about the many blessing that God has for us as we apply the discipline of the word of God.
I was looking at Kern’s input and I see that while Salvation is the beginning the for the reason for faith, there is so much more.
I am stirred to think about the things that I have stopped believing for because my faith expired, but God gave a promise. Thanks Michael for bringing the word.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
This was wonderful, as are all of your blogs.
I’m so literal though - do you have some real life examples of what you mean? It helps so much to get practical applications - that’s usually when the light bulb goes on.
Thank you for your blogs!
January 30th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Michael,
Your commentary for the last couple of weeks have been excellent and quite relevant. Today’s message was right on target. Blessings on you.
Ron Gunder
January 30th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Michael - thank you. For years I have read your blogs, but never posted a comment. Your message of piercing through the fleshy veil has ministered to me. I’m on my 19th day of the 21-day Daniel Fast and I am just in awe of how I feel and how on fire I am for the Lord. I am ready for His desires to be my desires.
I’m also the co-publisher of a statewide multicultural faith-based magazine, Grace and I’m so grateful for the platform God currently has me and my husband on. We want to be able to obtain what God has for us - but we have to continue to die of our fleshly desires. I too, am up for the challenge and ready to go there … see you in the good land!
Tia
January 30th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Michael,
This is a really great picture. You are so correct that it is Flesh that separates us from the “two worlds.”
There’s one thing I’d like to add - Notice the beginning of that verse: “For the word of God is LIVING.” Scripture also teaches “The word became flesh” and dwelt with us. God, to this day, dwells in each and every one of his children - this is why we are called Saints, and no longer Sinners.
Many of us believe that more Bible reading will do the trick - it does not - I can attest to it. In fact, it makes many of us downright horrible to be around because we become so legalistic.
Many of us fail to understand our true Identity as children of a living God. Like your vision, we think that “heaven” or “eternity” begins after death. Eternity began when before we were ever born - AND the promise of eternity for us believers began when we accepted Christ.
I heard it for years but didn’t understand it - we are dead (though we don’t “feel” it) and HE LIVES THROUGH US. We must CHOOSE each and every day to allow HIM to live through us.
I thank God each and every day for Christ’s death - but I also thank Him each and every day for Christ’s LIFE through me. He died that I might live; then I died (to my flesh) that HE MAY LIVE THROUGH ME.
The “other” ranch that your speak of in your vision IS FOR NOW, and it happens when we replace the flesh with Spirit of the LIVING God.
January 30th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Hi Michael,
This goes right along with what the Lord is impressing on my heart. I have been listening to an MP3 put out by Graham Cooke on “Persona”, and if you haven’t checked it out, it goes right along with this. Our personality is here on earth, our persona is how God sees us, and all the abundance of heaven that is available to us when we are walking in the authority of our persona. Unfortunately, our flesh gets in the way and must be overcome. But God is moving and working in us to move us to that place of abundance, and if we work WITH God, not against him, we will move more quickly. Abiding in who we are in Christ requires the mindset of the warrior, battling the flesh, pushing aside comfort and safety to pursue the victory that is ours to take. You have the mindset of the warrior when you say, this may hurt, but I’ve got to battle my flesh to move into the abundance that God has for me. And we know that God will always give us victory over our flesh if we persist. He says “yes and amen” whenever we ask for His help in that battle.
God bless you and your ministry to the business world.
January 30th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Dearest Brother-Greetings in the name of the Lord! I Praise God for you and how God chooses to use you to bring illumination from the scriptures. Were I as faithful as you, I would be doing the same. Had I pierced that fleshy veil earlier in my journey, we may have been close friends by now(but I digress). Today’s message, at just the right time, blessed me in Spirit–as I was lamenting the hindrance that my flesh is to the goals of God and His timing. I must face my giants with faith, get my feet moving and trust Him while ON the battlefield. The battle is MINE saith the Lord, but He doesn’t move until I’m in position at the battleline. Thank you for yielding to the Holy Spirit, Michael. I am about to lay hold of all that God has promised me, even all that has been delayed, stolen or lost for His Name sake. And, I needed both the counsel and the encouragement to walk TODAY! Again, thanks, and continued increase in this time of world-wide famine, to you and your household. Abiding in Christ, Guy
January 30th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Oh, Michael, one more thing. The Kingdom of God suffers violence, but the violent(toward the flesh) take it by force. Here’s to being Zealous like Jehu against my flesh. It’s about time. Peace
January 30th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
THIS IS GOOD. VERY GOOD INSIGHT. IT SPOKE TO ME. THANKS, BARB<
January 30th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Thanks to you and your wife… This article is right on target!
I enjoyed very much every time you mention your wife and the imput you get from her… It is a great example for the Christian men!
I would like to have a meeting with both of you for my own ministry with the Hispanic community at large.
The love of God, His peace and His joy overflow in your life!
January 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
For the past few months the Lord has been teaching me to step out and believe Him for financial favor. He has called us to walk in His supernatural provision, not the world’s provision; so I have been studying the word to receive from the Lord.
Just in the first twenty four chapters of Genesis there are 16 examples of God’s provision! I want to share regarding Abram, in Gen 12:8 “Then he (Abram) proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD” (two lands which one do you chose). Bethel means house of God and Ai means Ruin (total destruction). Abram built an altar between the two, not ruins and not all God, just enough to get by.
He was forced to Egypt because of the famine, upon his departure from Egypt the Pharaoh gives him plenty (Gen 12:16) (sound familiar)! When Abram returns he moves to Hebron (derives from chavar which means “to unite” or “to join”) a prominent city in Judah (which means praise); Abram gets sold out and unites with God.
God His covenant and God blessed him and all his nations to come. That’s us! Join Abram in praise and unite yourself to God totally for His provision to be realized in our lives, it’s already there!
As always; Thank you for sharing.
January 30th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I am with you on this one Michael. God has been speaking to me of similar items, specifically being instantly obedient which speaks to the “do it”. I think the other thing I am hearing in this message is that we get in our own way, our flesh is blocking the entrance to the adjacent land. Thank you for sharing the vision it certainly paints the picture for us.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Hi Mr Pink you sure do know what the season and the hour requires, am with you
January 30th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Good word, it is all there just as they went in and looked at the promised land but they had to go in and take the land. We need to do something, take the sowrd of the spirit but you have to be moving and going forth.
I have found out that taking the time to meditate is the key, we are jus to busy.
Richard
January 30th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Thankyou!! This was confirmation to what the Lord had been saying to me about my flesh - you can,t be gentle with it!! You have be push through with the Word of God to your life.
Thankyou for the encouraging messages…..I know they are built on the three things that remain - faith , hope and love. Bless you!
January 31st, 2009 at 12:18 am
Michael,
Right now, I feel lost. I am a Christian, but I cannot see what is on the other ranch. I know it is there…I am lacking the vision, the voice of God, the direction to even know which way to look. Everything seems to ring hollow, words have little meaning. Part of it is me, I am off and on about daily reading my Bible, but even when I do it rarely “speaks to me” as it has in the past. This feels like a season of life that I am stuck in and cannot get out of and has been ongoing for many months. What do I do?
Kurt
January 31st, 2009 at 12:34 am
Kurt - I’ve been where you are! It’s a scary place, but it’s God stirring something new in you. You’re realizing it’s not working. Sounds weird, but that’s good! There are a lot of great books that help put this in perspective. The Shack is a good easy read about relationship with God. For meatier reading, try Watchman Nee, or better yet, I highly recommend, The Rest of the Gospel - google it.
Years ago someone said to me, “You haven’t died to self yet.” I hated that because I thought I was “doing” everything I knew to do. That was the problem. I was the one doing. God calls us to do, but only in relation to Him. It’s an issue of identity. Who are you? Who is He? If you have the impression that God is a fearful, unapproachable taskmaster, requiring more bible reading, more church attending, and so on, then you’ll be forever miserable in that relationship.
When you received Christ, you did nothing to “clean” youself up. After receiving Christ, there is nothing we can do to “get closer to him.” What I mean by this we simply need to grow in the relationship - meaning just meditate on how loving and wonderful he is. If we did nothing else from this point forward, we’re still accepted in his eyes. Rest in that. Know that he loves you regardless of what you do, or don’t do.
Out of that will come the natural flow of love, as He loves through you, rather than you doing it.
Don’t know how much that helps. It really is a moment by moment thing. At any given point in time we are tempted to live by the flesh, especially if we have a flesh that needs to prove itself.
Just know that you’re loved by him AS YOU ARE. Know that He’s pleased with you. God is outside of time and doesn’t look to our screw ups as much as we do. Forgive yourself and simply rest in Him. Know that He delights in you - He created you, with all the warts and everything. His standards are high, but He doesn’t require us to meet them on our own.
If that fails, then go and wash yourself in an icy cold river 7 times!
January 31st, 2009 at 12:41 am
P.S. For what it’s worth - Years ago, I was praying the Lord’s prayer, struggling through REALLY understanding it, and knowing that certain concepts get lost in translation. As I prayed, “Lead me not into temptation”, as I had recited so many times, and read in Scripture, I stopped and said, “What does that mean? Would God lead me into temptation in the first place?! Of course not!” I thought of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and know that he leads us. But the language didn’t really embody the character of who I understood Chrit to be. So I decided to start praying, “Lead me AWAY from temptation.” I don’t know how transliteral that is, but it fits more into the character of who I know God to be.
As I’ve done this over the years, I’ve less and less beaten myself up when temptation comes, and I fall prey to it, and find myself praying, “Lord, lead me away from temptation.” And you know what, it works everytime. God leads me away! He delights in leading us, if we let him.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Truly excelent thoughts. I forwarded it to many people.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 am
Good word.
We can use a dull knife or sharp knife. One will tear and the other will be a clean, fast cut so we can heal faster.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:18 am
I’m in. Let’s do this thing!
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Michael,
I appreciate what you shared I made a determination to enter that same place over 2 years ago. since then I have been taken through a very unique journey that included a similar vision of the veil, very personal so I will not share here. Never the less my journey to live in “the kingdom’ the place of provision, prosperity, and no greed has certainly been the most significant preparation process of my Christian life. You just never realize how much world may have seeped into your business practices, as opposed to kingdom in your business practices. The experiences of course run much deeper than the space I have here. I’m in the journey.
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:10 am
Michael,
I have been praying for my children, and my son called me today with an idea he has been thinking about. He told me that he is wanting to take 10 acres out of production on our farm this year and plant it in some kind of grass. He wants to plant some trees and make it beautiful to look at as opposed to the usual corn or bean crop that gets planted there year after year.
When I read your message today, I could see a correlation between what the Lord has been speaking to your heart about and the means that the Holy Spirit went about imparting such revelatory understanding of how we must press through with the word of God and faith in His Word in order to break through into what God has for us pertaining to His Kingdom.
I am printing your message to give to my son, and I am believing in my heart that it is going to act as a point of contact for the working of the Holy Spirit to open his eyes to the things that God is wanting to deal with in his life in order to bring spiritual change on the inside where it parallels the natural realm and that he will also come to realize that even the thoughts that he has been having regarding this land have not actually initiated with him but have been planted in him by divine intervention.
You are a blessing to me…..
Judy
February 7th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
MY GOD, I feel as if you are watching every move I make and every thought that I have. I am experiencing this exact thing but I never looked at it that way. I have been asking what is going on I know I am close but somehow I am just not close enough when the truth is all I need is to exercise my faith.
Thank you so much for the insight and my God Bless you continuously, Carla
February 24th, 2009 at 2:37 am
It’s wonderful to see the Word of the Lord (Adonai) flowing like a river, thank Him for using you to bless me this day! it’s easy to get caught up in all study and work. But what a humbling experience to be put into rememberance, that it’s not that hard, and the words not that far, that He is always as close as your mouth and heart. Be encouraged and keep being used. Remembering to remember keeps us in a place of worship! The promise of this kind of speech reminds me of Malachi 3:16—”Then they that feared the Lord (Adonai) spake often one to another, and the Lord (Adonai) hearkened, and heard it, and a book of rememberance was written before him for them that feared the Lord (Adonai) and thought upon His Name.” A gift for a gift my friend! Continue to dip into the river, their are many that will join you!
March 19th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I had this discussion today. Where God word states you will know them by their fruits.If not known of this fruit how can you know Jesus?This is proff of God word. Thanks
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