FINAL CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE
By W. G. Guy
Matthew 21:12-14 – And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
After Jesus cleared out or cleansed the temple, what happened? He healed those who were physically corrupted by sickness, diseases and evil spirits.
Consider what is now the true temple of the Lord:
John 2:19-21 – Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.
The Spirit of Christ does not dwell in buildings of stone or wood made by man’s hands. He dwells in the believer by His Spirit, which he now calls His Body.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The word temple means “sacred place”; it also means shrine which is a holy place or container of what is sacred; of such is what God considers His born-again believers to be. So let’s consider the matter of cleansing this temple.
Cleansing is defined as to make clean; purging of what is unclean, defiling; purifying. What is it that needs to be purged, purified and cleaned out of our bodies, anything that corrupts the body or soul (mind). This consists of sinful behavior as well as sinful thoughts; but also includes other forms of corruption such as sickness, diseases, maladies, deformities, and especially evil or unclean spirits, (demons, oppression of the enemy).
This is verified by how Jesus ministered to the people, and also when He sent out His disciples to do the same.
Matthew 10:7-8 – And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Luke 10:1, 17 – After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. …. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Now for a look at the Old Testament for an example of cleansing and healing:
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.
Notice the purging needed for the healing of the land or nation! Such a purge was initiated by King Hezekiah who brought revival to his domain by bringing repentance and restoring God’s Word to the proper place of worship.
2 Chronicles 30:18b-20 – But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
Note the cleansing and purification that resulted in healing the people.
2 Corinthians 7:1 – Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Note the apostle Paul’s instruction for cleansing of FLESH and SPIRIT in order to restore holiness, or to present a holy dwelling place of the Spirit of the Lord to abide in.
Ephesians 5:25b-27 – even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Note that Christ wants His dwelling place, the believers, (called church when assembled together), sanctified and cleansed, and this is done by the washing of the Word. Note that this is for His believers who are already bought by His blood in the atonement. Note also that cleansing comes by the Word of God:
Psalm 119:9 – Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
1 John 1:8-9 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We need to be aware that Jesus’ atoning work on the cross provides total cleansing for the spirit, soul and body. That means that physical healing IS IN the atonement which too many Christians today deny. Christ wants us fully cleansed, so He made complete provision for us.
Isaiah 53:4-5 – Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
What Jesus did on the cross was for the whole man, spirit, soul and body. Nothing has changed in the divine Word of God, even though many chose not to believe it. The medical profession knows that there are thirty-nine categories of sickness and disease. Jesus was smitten by the Roman soldiers with thirty-nine stripes. Jesus bore all such sickness, disease and physical maladies upon His body by these stripes so that we don’t have to bare them.
1 Peter 2:24 – who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Healing is therefore in the kingdom or domain of God, and in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why He gave us power though His name to heal the sick by laying on of hands, by anointing with oil, and the prayer of faith.
Mark 16:17-18 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
James 5:14-16 – Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Jesus desires so much that we be in health and of a sound mind as well as free from sin that He gave us the Holy Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit which include gifts of healing.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 – Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
All of these gifts are to be in operation until the return of Christ as the apostle Paul stated in:
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jesus also gave us power and authority through His name to cleanse ourselves of all unclean evil spirits (demons), as listed in Mark 16 above.
Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Note that demons and evil spirits also cause sickness, disease and physical maladies. Casting out demons and evil spirits does not mean a person is “possessed” as so many people assume. It means those that are afflicted by demonic forces are oppressed by them, not possessed.
Acts 10:38 – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
God has not changed, neither has His Word lost its power, neither has the name of Jesus lost its authority. Jesus did all this for us so that we, His temple here on earth, can be a healthy, vibrant dwelling for His Spirit in us equipping us to be His witnesses in all the earth. So we can testify of Him with power and demonstration that He is; and all that is in His domain (kingdom) is available to us now.
The apostle Paul gives us an example of preaching with power:
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 – And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
There is no excuse for us today to not serve the Lord in the power of His presence which He has provided by His Spirit, because He does not change!
Malachi 3:6 – For I am the Lord, I change not;
Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
His cleansing power is not only for sins, but also includes physical healing of sickness, diseases, maladies, as well as setting people free from any and all demonic oppression.
Please recognize that any and all additions, homosexuality, transgenderism, pornography, as well as many other corruptions are oppressions of the devil caused by demons and evil spirits. This is why the call for cleansing is needed so badly in these last days. The purpose is to rid the church of all that is offensive to the Lord; the spots, wrinkles, blemishes and such:
Ephesians 5:26-27 – that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
2 Timothy 2:21 – If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
It is high time for the Body of Christ, his true believers, to rise up and walk and live in the power and authority of His name that He gave us as well as the power of His redemptive blood so that we can be His living witness in this life. To Him be all power and glory, AMEN!
By W. G. Guy
Matthew 21:12-14 – And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
After Jesus cleared out or cleansed the temple, what happened? He healed those who were physically corrupted by sickness, diseases and evil spirits.
Consider what is now the true temple of the Lord:
John 2:19-21 – Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.
The Spirit of Christ does not dwell in buildings of stone or wood made by man’s hands. He dwells in the believer by His Spirit, which he now calls His Body.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
The word temple means “sacred place”; it also means shrine which is a holy place or container of what is sacred; of such is what God considers His born-again believers to be. So let’s consider the matter of cleansing this temple.
Cleansing is defined as to make clean; purging of what is unclean, defiling; purifying. What is it that needs to be purged, purified and cleaned out of our bodies, anything that corrupts the body or soul (mind). This consists of sinful behavior as well as sinful thoughts; but also includes other forms of corruption such as sickness, diseases, maladies, deformities, and especially evil or unclean spirits, (demons, oppression of the enemy).
This is verified by how Jesus ministered to the people, and also when He sent out His disciples to do the same.
Matthew 10:7-8 – And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Luke 10:1, 17 – After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. …. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Now for a look at the Old Testament for an example of cleansing and healing:
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.
Notice the purging needed for the healing of the land or nation! Such a purge was initiated by King Hezekiah who brought revival to his domain by bringing repentance and restoring God’s Word to the proper place of worship.
2 Chronicles 30:18b-20 – But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
Note the cleansing and purification that resulted in healing the people.
2 Corinthians 7:1 – Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Note the apostle Paul’s instruction for cleansing of FLESH and SPIRIT in order to restore holiness, or to present a holy dwelling place of the Spirit of the Lord to abide in.
Ephesians 5:25b-27 – even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Note that Christ wants His dwelling place, the believers, (called church when assembled together), sanctified and cleansed, and this is done by the washing of the Word. Note that this is for His believers who are already bought by His blood in the atonement. Note also that cleansing comes by the Word of God:
Psalm 119:9 – Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
1 John 1:8-9 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We need to be aware that Jesus’ atoning work on the cross provides total cleansing for the spirit, soul and body. That means that physical healing IS IN the atonement which too many Christians today deny. Christ wants us fully cleansed, so He made complete provision for us.
Isaiah 53:4-5 – Surely he hath borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
What Jesus did on the cross was for the whole man, spirit, soul and body. Nothing has changed in the divine Word of God, even though many chose not to believe it. The medical profession knows that there are thirty-nine categories of sickness and disease. Jesus was smitten by the Roman soldiers with thirty-nine stripes. Jesus bore all such sickness, disease and physical maladies upon His body by these stripes so that we don’t have to bare them.
1 Peter 2:24 – who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Healing is therefore in the kingdom or domain of God, and in the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why He gave us power though His name to heal the sick by laying on of hands, by anointing with oil, and the prayer of faith.
Mark 16:17-18 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
James 5:14-16 – Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Jesus desires so much that we be in health and of a sound mind as well as free from sin that He gave us the Holy Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit which include gifts of healing.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 – Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
All of these gifts are to be in operation until the return of Christ as the apostle Paul stated in:
1 Corinthians 1:7 – so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jesus also gave us power and authority through His name to cleanse ourselves of all unclean evil spirits (demons), as listed in Mark 16 above.
Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Note that demons and evil spirits also cause sickness, disease and physical maladies. Casting out demons and evil spirits does not mean a person is “possessed” as so many people assume. It means those that are afflicted by demonic forces are oppressed by them, not possessed.
Acts 10:38 – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
God has not changed, neither has His Word lost its power, neither has the name of Jesus lost its authority. Jesus did all this for us so that we, His temple here on earth, can be a healthy, vibrant dwelling for His Spirit in us equipping us to be His witnesses in all the earth. So we can testify of Him with power and demonstration that He is; and all that is in His domain (kingdom) is available to us now.
The apostle Paul gives us an example of preaching with power:
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 – And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
There is no excuse for us today to not serve the Lord in the power of His presence which He has provided by His Spirit, because He does not change!
Malachi 3:6 – For I am the Lord, I change not;
Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
His cleansing power is not only for sins, but also includes physical healing of sickness, diseases, maladies, as well as setting people free from any and all demonic oppression.
Please recognize that any and all additions, homosexuality, transgenderism, pornography, as well as many other corruptions are oppressions of the devil caused by demons and evil spirits. This is why the call for cleansing is needed so badly in these last days. The purpose is to rid the church of all that is offensive to the Lord; the spots, wrinkles, blemishes and such:
Ephesians 5:26-27 – that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
2 Timothy 2:21 – If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
It is high time for the Body of Christ, his true believers, to rise up and walk and live in the power and authority of His name that He gave us as well as the power of His redemptive blood so that we can be His living witness in this life. To Him be all power and glory, AMEN!
