“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelations 3:7-8
“To the messenger of the city of brother love, Jesus the son of King David” could be the rendering of the above passage.
In application brotherly love that is holy and true is rare. Yet the church of Philadelphia succeeded at it enough that Jesus has no words of rebuke for them. He identifies with this church in his humanity when he tells them he holds the key of David. David is an earthly authority not a heavenly one. Yet, Jesus says of earthly authority that what is open, remains open, and what is closed, remains closed.
Brotherly love can be an exhausting task. The church at Philadelphia was tired and they had little strength. When this happens opportunities for promotion can be lost. The Christian can long for times of security in the past. They come to desire something that no longer exist and often never existed. You see this with the children of Israel. In numbers 11:5 they state “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.” Slaves don’t get anything freely, but time can makes us forget the problems of the past. Jesus takes care of this by closing the door. Now if you have an open door in front of you and a closed door behind you what is left? You can remain in limbo, but the blessing is forward not behind!
Jesus is always working to move his earthly church forward. He pushes us to a place where the name of Jesus is tested. He does not dishonor the past in doing so. David was dead and buried and yet Jesus is using his name in honor. The church can honor past generations but we have to walk through open doors of the future as individual believers and as a corporate body.
As you walk through the various denominations of the Body of Christ you can identify the dates and times of revelation God poured out. There are denominations with expression from the 14th, the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century. There are believers now 80 years of age who long for God to move like he did when they were 20 years of age. The son of David has shut the door. God wants to move in a new way. He wants to move in a new way in your life and my life.
Spiritual victory can only be obtained by pushing ahead. You may be weak, you may be tired, but as you endure you will get your victory and your vindications. The world is going to be tested by the name of Jesus. As God reveals his word through great teachers, as he reveals his supernatural nature through signs, wonders, and miracles denial or devotion will result.
I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelations 3:9-10
Deliverance comes to the persistent that make themselves ready by consistently tending to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. They have a peace in their heart that comes from walking with a savior who never changes but is who is always calling his church to adapt to changing times.
These are the words of him who is holy and true who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Revelations 3:7-8
“To the messenger of the city of brother love, Jesus the son of King David” could be the rendering of the above passage.
In application brotherly love that is holy and true is rare. Yet the church of Philadelphia succeeded at it enough that Jesus has no words of rebuke for them. He identifies with this church in his humanity when he tells them he holds the key of David. David is an earthly authority not a heavenly one. Yet, Jesus says of earthly authority that what is open, remains open, and what is closed, remains closed.
Brotherly love can be an exhausting task. The church at Philadelphia was tired and they had little strength. When this happens opportunities for promotion can be lost. The Christian can long for times of security in the past. They come to desire something that no longer exist and often never existed. You see this with the children of Israel. In numbers 11:5 they state “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic.” Slaves don’t get anything freely, but time can makes us forget the problems of the past. Jesus takes care of this by closing the door. Now if you have an open door in front of you and a closed door behind you what is left? You can remain in limbo, but the blessing is forward not behind!
Jesus is always working to move his earthly church forward. He pushes us to a place where the name of Jesus is tested. He does not dishonor the past in doing so. David was dead and buried and yet Jesus is using his name in honor. The church can honor past generations but we have to walk through open doors of the future as individual believers and as a corporate body.
As you walk through the various denominations of the Body of Christ you can identify the dates and times of revelation God poured out. There are denominations with expression from the 14th, the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century. There are believers now 80 years of age who long for God to move like he did when they were 20 years of age. The son of David has shut the door. God wants to move in a new way. He wants to move in a new way in your life and my life.
Spiritual victory can only be obtained by pushing ahead. You may be weak, you may be tired, but as you endure you will get your victory and your vindications. The world is going to be tested by the name of Jesus. As God reveals his word through great teachers, as he reveals his supernatural nature through signs, wonders, and miracles denial or devotion will result.
I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. Revelations 3:9-10
Deliverance comes to the persistent that make themselves ready by consistently tending to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. They have a peace in their heart that comes from walking with a savior who never changes but is who is always calling his church to adapt to changing times.
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