Page 28 - The Mark of the Beast

belly and a mind set on earthly things. The belly is a prominent feature of the beast nature,
and it was singularly marked out when God cursed the serpent. The emphasis on the belly
of this beast reveals that its entire life rests upon the satisfying of its earthly appetites. The
belly is also emphasized when speaking of men who have given themselves over to be ruled
by the beast nature.
The beast nature can be summed up in one word, “selfish.” The divine nature, in stark
contrast, can be summed up in the word “selfless,” or with the word “love,” for we are told
that love “does not seek its own” (I Corinthians 13:5).
The perfect wisdom of God is unselfish and seeks the welfare of another. Thus we see
in Scripture that among the godhead there is a great selflessness. The Father glorifies the
Son, the Son lives to do the will of the Father, and the Spirit takes the things of the Father
and with them glorifies the Son (John 16). The perfect wisdom of God is such that Yahweh
would send His beloved Son to die for mankind, and Yahshua would freely lay down His life
for His friends. This wisdom is utterly unselfish. This wisdom is meek and gentle and
humble.

James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of
mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

The corrupted wisdom of the beast nature is not so. It is born in selfishness and cares
not about the welfare of others.

James 3:15-16
This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural,
demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every
evil thing.

I want to share something here that is difficult to convey. The reason it is difficult is
that the saints have been so carnal for so long that they can only with great difficulty begin
to perceive the tremendous depths to which the church has sunk. I know the majority of
those reading this book will think that they are not manifesting the beast nature in any way,
that they are truly selfless and to a great degree they are manifesting the Spirit of Christ, but
we must remember that the serpent is cunning above all beasts and that Satan’s chief
weapon is deception. Satan can convince you that you are the image of godliness when in
fact you are far from it.
I ask you to really allow the Spirit to search the depths of your being as you read what
follows. It will certainly sound radical and appear out of place in a world ruled by the evil
one. It will appear as heretical to a harlot who wants to remain firmly seated upon the beast.
It may even cause some fear to arise within your being as you “count the cost” and consider
the consequences of what is being shared, but if you will not shrink back, and if you will
allow the Spirit to transform you so that you are no longer conformed to a fallen, materially
obsessed world, you will find the image of the divine expressed in and through your being.
You will begin to manifest that for which God created man. You will appear as the very
image and likeness of God.
Are you ready?
We read above where jealousy, and selfish ambition, and a slavery to the belly, or the