Do GOD'S WILL ! ! !
"Seek 1st God's Kingdom!"
LESSON # 5: Kingdom Glory!
> john roy bohlen & John 5:30
G L O R Y !
GLORY NOW - HERE'S HOW!!!
Outline
The Promises of God: "The Greater Works", "Whatever You Ask", "Whatever You Bind", "No Difference", "If We Ask Anything According To His Will", "Exceedingly Abundantly Above All",
Verses Pertaining to Glory:
The Feast of Glory - Zech. 14
How To Shine Like The Son - 2 Cor. 3 Lay a foundation. How to walk like the Son - I John 2.
How to be like the Son - I John 4:17b.
How He is. Rev. John committed heresy: Rev. 19:10. But he won't do it again. Rev. 22:8.
Don't allow people to worship you. Acts 14. Herod went fishing anyway. Acts 12.
The Future - Revelation 12, Joel 2.
The Manifested Son of God, in the sons of God.
Coming to Be Admired in the Sons, All Creation Groans. Ro.8.
The Message :The Gospel of the Kingdom: How To Rule The World - Who, When, What, How.
I dare and double dare you to have an eager ambition to earn criticism from God on the Judgement Day for believing Him for too much, too soon. Ha-HA!!! Instead, God will criticize us for not believing Him for enough, soon enough.
The bright promises of God are not a joke. The "Rupture" of the Church is NOT the next thing on God's agenda - unprecedented revival and glory is. Please see Mathew 24:14. But, God is looking for a few good men (and women) who will volunteer to be a part of His end-time mighty army who will manifest His Glory. The glory of the Son of God manifested through the sons of God.
Will you stand on the sidelines and criticize? Or, take the dare, and win a world for God?
Perhaps, in the days to come, the earth will serve as a seed-planet that will populate the Universe, with the overcomers traveling from place to place in space, with the speed of thought, ruling over galaxies of gold!
QUESTIONNAIRE
- What does Romans 8:30 mean, "- those He justified, He also "?
- What does 1 John 2:6 mean when it says, that if anyone says that he is abiding in Jesus, that they should walk "even as He (Jesus) walked."?
- What does 1 John 4:17 mean, when it says, "As He (Jesus) is, so are we, in this "?
- What does 2 Corinthians 3:18 mean, when it says, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding, as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are transferred into the very same image, from glory to glory."
- What does 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 mean?
GLORY!
The old Pentecostal hollers "Oooooo, glooory!", when he or she is excited. They talk about having a "glory spell", and say that it's better felt than tell't. They recommend being "under the spout, where the glory comes out."
A West African Yoruba tribal Christian raises both fists and yells, "Ogooooooooo!" (glory).
Hollywood made a movie about the blacks' heroic participation in the muddy, bloody Civil War in the United States, and called it "Glory."
An old nickname for the flag of the United States is: "Old Glory."
We sing the song, "His Truth is marching on.", and the line, "There‟s a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me."
There is a food called "glorified rice", consisting of rice, poison sugar and whipped cream.
The word "glory", in the Bible, is impossible to adequately define or describe. But we will try, God and I. When Moses asked Yahweh to show him His glory, God responded that it would be impossible for someone to see very much of God's glory, and live.
So, God prepared a special safety seat, and showed Moses just a little bit of His Glory. In Genesis 16:14, the lady exclaims, "I have seen Yahweh, and yet I am alive!", and referred to the God that sees , as, "El Roi", like the middle name of my grandson, Zoe El Roi.
Can you imagine someone's face shining brighter than the sun? That's why Moses had to put a cloth over his face, so he could talk to people without blinding them. You know how dangerous it is to look at the sun for even a few seconds, even during an eclipse! The Bible tells us that's how our faces are to look, and can look, in the here and now. Here's how!
Can you imagine a fire large enough in the sky at night that is bright enough for 2 1/2 to 6 million people to see where they are going and what they are doing? That's how large the fire of Glory was to the Children of Israel, God's people, in the dessert. Can you imagine that same fire being hot enough to keep that many people warm, on a cold night?
The Christmas story from the Bible reads, "And the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid!" from Luke 2:9 KJV and ASV both say "sore afraid", but the NIV says that they were terrified. I believe that they were so scared that they were hurting sore.
A FASCINATINGLY GLORIOUS STUDY
One of the most interesting subjects one could study in the Bible, is the Presence or Glory of the Lord, to study out those occasions when God spoke up or showed up, or otherwise revealed Himself. We encourage you to go through the entire Bible, and pay special attention to every reference to God when He reveals Himself. Most of all, to me, the most fascinating, are those words that relate to God's glory, the Shekinah glory of God!!! We recommend that you look up every verse in your complete concordance on "glory", "cloud", and "fire". We recommend that you make the glory of God, a lifetime study.
THE VERY SAME IMAGE!!!
Would you please turn to 2 Corinthians, chapter 3. I will show you where the Apostle Paul proves himself to be verbose and repetitive, and loquacious, and
wordy. Read verses 7 and 8: 7 “But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?”
Here, you will see that Paul is making a speech and is referring his readers to a portion of Scripture from the Old Testament that he expects his readers to know about. For example, if I mention "The Prodigal Son", or, "David and Goliath", or "The Fiery Furnace", or "The Handwriting on the Wall", most every one knows the story, and the details of it. So, also, Paul mentions the time when Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Then, in verse 8, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
Then, read verse 9: “For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.”
Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, in verse 9, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
Then, read verse 10: “For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it.” Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, verse 10, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
Then, read verse 11: “For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.” (NAS) Same thing: Moses went up on the Mount, he saw the Glory of God, he came down from the Mount, his face shining like the sun, so brilliantly that no one could look at him, so he had to put a veil over his face so people could stand to talk to him. Here, in verse 11, God, through Paul, makes the point that the glory that was on Moses' face was nothing, by comparison to the glory that is available to us today.
The grand conclusion comes in verse 18: "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a glass (or, mirror), the Glory of the LORD, are transformed into the very same image”!!!
1 John 2:6 "If any one says that he abides in Him (Jesus), he ought also, himself to walk, even as HE walked!!!" The same walk.
1 John 4:17b says: "As He (Jesus) is, so are we, in this world!!!" God does not want there to be ANY difference, between, Who Christ is, at the right hand of the Father, and Who Christ is, IN YOU!!!!!!!
THE VERY SAME IMAGE! - THE MIRROR!
I ask the people to whom I am preaching, "Where did Moses go to see the glory?" They answer, "To the mountain!" Then I ask them, "Where are we to go, in order to see the glory?" I tell them that I want the answer from this verse 18. They don't know. The answer I am looking for, is: "The Mirror!!!"
In our worship center, we have 2 huge mirrors. Many people do not like mirrors. Most people, when they look into the mirror, they see - themselves! Many people see inferiority, ugliness, stupidity, failure, defeat, old age, weakness, insufficiency, sickness, or some other negative quality.
Then, I ask them, "Why, the mirror?" The answer I am looking for, is: Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;" NAS; Col 3:2-3 "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
NAS In other words, the answer is, "The King's Greatest Secret!"! In James 1:23,24, the sinner looks at his face in the mirror and then forgets what kind of person he should be. But in 2 Cor.3:18, the saint is to look at himself in the mirror, and remember that he or she has been crucified with Christ, is dead and buried with Christ, that it is no longer he or she who is living, and that the Person being seen in the mirror is the glorified Jesus Christ Himself living within one's self and that Jesus is now living within and looking out through our eyes, living within our skin, our head, our brain, our souls, our spirits, our bones, muscles, cells, bone marrow, walking around within our clothes, our shoes, our lives, our bodies, that it is not we who are talking or walking or thinking or being, but that it is the glorified Christ Who is living His Own glorified Life within us, through us, as us, in our place, with our co-operation and faith and conscious willingness. Col 3:3-4 says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, Who IS our Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." Wouldn't it be lovely if He appears to us now, in the mirror, and we appear with Him in glory, now?!!!. Amen. Please see our little book, The King's Greatest Secret!!!
Paul is telling us that he has died, that it is NO LONGER Paul who is living, but that it is Christ Who is living within him. In other words, with eyes of faith and humility, WE ARE TO SEE THE GLORIFIED CHRIST LOOKING BACK AT US
FROM THE MIRROR, and reflect that very same glory!!!!!!!!!!!!
1 John 2:6 "If any one says that he abides in Him (Jesus), he ought also, himself to walk, even as HE walked!!!" The same walk. No difference.
1 John 4:17b says: "As He (Jesus) is, so are we, in this world!!!"
Who? US!
Where? HERE!! When? NOW!!!!!
When I am in Africa, ministering, I ask the people: "Is Jesus' face, your color, or my color. They smile and point to themselves and say, "My color!" I ask, with a challenge, "Is the color of Jesus eyes, your color or my color?" They laugh and shout, thumping themselves on the chest, and say, "My color!!" Then I taunt them and say, "I can prove to you from the Bible, the color of Jesus' face, the color of Jesus' eyes." I have their attention. "Do you want me to show you?" "Yes", they shout. So, I take them to Revelation, chapter one:
Rev.1:14 & 2:18 “His eyes were like a flame of fire” "His face shone, like the sun in its strength." Then, I ask the people, "What color was Jesus' face?" and I get them to repeat after me, with great volume and drama, "Like the sun in its 'POWAHHHHHHH'!!!!" "What color was Jesus' eyes? "Like a flame of FYAHHHHHHHH!!!" "What color does God want your eyes to be?" "Like a flame of fire!" "What color does Jesus want your face to be?" "Like the sun in its power!!" "As He is, so are we, in this world!!!"
Joel's Army: Joel 2:1 "Blow a trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the Day of the LORD (Yahweh) is coming; Surely it is near, 2 A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness. As the dawn is spread over the mountains, So there is a great and mighty people; There has never been anything like it, Nor will there be again after it to the years of many generations. 3 A fire consumes before them, And behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, But a desolate wilderness behind them, And nothing at all escapes them. 4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like war horses, so they run. 5 With a noise as of chariots they leap on the tops of the mountains, Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, Like a mighty people arranged for battle. 6 Before them the people are in anguish; All faces turn pale. 7 They run like mighty men; They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths. 8 They do not crowd each other; They march everyone in his path. When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks. 9 They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief. 10 Before them the earth quakes, The heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness. 11 And the LORD (Yahweh) utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The Day of the LORD (Yahweh) is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it?"
NAS
Who are these people? Not the Russians. Not grasshoppers. The Bible clearly tells us who these people are! Verse 11: His camp! His army! His camp. Here is; "He who carries out His Word!!!" Those who do God's will! Please note what the Bible has to say about those who do God's will. You will find a theme that runs through the course of the entire Bible. Those sons of God who are led by His Spirit! (Rom. 8) Jesus said, in Mat.12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of My Father Which is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother." KJV
Who are these people? The saints! What are they able to do? "This honor have ALL HIS GODLY ONES!!!" Ps 149:5 "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD (Yahweh).
? ? ? ?? WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE ?? ? ? ?
"I will pour out the Latter Rain!!!" Jas.5:7 "You shall do the "greater works"! Jn.14:12
"What soever you bind, shall be bound!" Mt.18:18 "If two of you agree, it SHALL be done!" Mt.18:19
"These signs SHALL follow those who believe!!!!!!" Mk.16:17 "You shall ask what you will and it SHALL be done!!!" John 15:7
"They shall lay hands on the sick and they SHALL recover!!!" Mark 16:18 "The Glory of Yahweh shall cover the Earth, as the waters cover the sea!" Hab.2:14
Stand up, if these verses have been gut level, nitty gritty, right on, get down, practical, experientially true in your life! Have we seen this? Not to any great extent. Will we see this? Of course! When? Can we enter into it NOW? Or, must all of these verses be delayed for another, different, far away generation and time?, some other people?, some other place?, some other time?, after we die?, in the sweet bye and bye?, in Heaven?, in the New Jerusalem?, in Canaan Land?, way over Yonder?, in Zion?, after the rupture?, during the thousand year reign?, away down south in Dixie?, tomorrow?, in the future?, when we meet on that beautiful shore?, in the millennium?, after the devil has been thrown into the Lake of Fire?, some time?, another dirty dispensation, any time other than here and now?, to some other people?, when?, who?, how? How about NOW?!! How about HERE?!!! How about us?!! God's Name, "Yahweh", means, "The God of RIGHT NOW"!!! "The God of THIS PRESENT MOMENT"!, the Great Almighty I AM"!!!
THE KING‟S GREATEST SECRET!
We have a small book available to you, called, The King‟s Greatest Secret!, and exhort you to make sure you have a good understanding of this. We recommend that you leave no stone unturned, that you not give up, until you have come to a gut level, spirit-level, deeeeep understanding of what it means for Christ Jesus to be your Life, the Holy Spirit to be your fullness, and for you to have a revelation of what it means, both, to resoundingly know and be able to teach others, the "King‟s Greatest Secret", and then, to have a "Throne-Room Mentality". The bottom line is this: If "you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" - - -. If it is no longer you who live, but Christ that lives in you, then the risen, glorified Christ, as your Life, should shine upon, and to and through you, with the radiant glory of God, unhindered, uninterrupted, unceasingly, increasingly. As He is! How is He?
Glorious. May His face shine upon you! May He lift up the light of His countenance upon you! He is the Light of the world. You are the light of the world. Let your light shine!!! Let it shine! Let it shine! May the glory of the Lord shine round about you, and from within you, from your fingers, your face, your eyes, your words, and from your life!!! Heavenly Father Yahweh God wants to live in EVERY PART OF YOU! Ephesians 3:19, from the Amplified, says, "May you be filled with ALLLLL the fullness of God, that is, may you have THE RICHEST MEASURE of the Divine Presence, and be a body WHOLLY FILLED AND FLOODED WITH GOD HIMSELF, indwelling your innermost being and personality."!!!!!!!!!!! This is talking about you, right here, and right now. Feast of Tabernacles is a celebration of this, and, of His GREAT, GRAND, GLORIOUS PRESENCE in each other.
HUMILITY!!!
Acts 12:23 "And, immediately, the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost." KJV There were two worms, digging in earnest. Pooooor Earnest! What's worse than finding a worm in your apple?? Finding half a worm! Guy was a good fisherman. Wanted to find out his secret. Out in the boat, asked him how he did it. "Mammmfummm." Finally, was able to understand him saying, "I'm keepin' my worms warm."! How would you like to die, standing up, being eaten by worms??! When the glorified Christ does something through us, we must be careful to give God glory!!!!!!!!!
And, we want to expect Christ to do and be and think and say EVERY THING through us, ALWAYS!!!
Acts 14:11 "And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, - -"
HOW CAN WE RULE THE WORLD? Or, KINGDOM GLORY
Outline
Rev. 2:26-28, "We can rule over the nations with a rod of iron." (JB) Matt. 5:5, "We can inherit the earth." (JB)
I Cor. 6:3, "We shall judge angels."
Daniel 7: 18, 22, 27, "The time arrived when the saints took possession of the Kingdom." ,
Ps. 2:6-9, "People and land as our possession." (JB) Ps. 149:4-9, We can "bind the kings with chains.
Joel 2:1-11, We, The Invincible.
Ps. 16:3, "But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all My delight." (KJ)
John 10:34-35, "Jesus said, „Ye are gods! Rev. 12:13, Caught up to a place of authority.
Rev. 19:14, Riding with Him on our big white horses. I John 2:6, We can walk just like He did.
I John 4:17, We can be like Christ now.
II Cor. 2:14, Victory, always, everyplace. Rev. 1:12-17, Our face can shine like the sun. Rev. 19:10, John worshipped his brother?
Rev. 22:8, He worshipped a prophet? Matt. 18:18, "Whatsoever ye bind. . . Ph. 4:13, Our omnipotence.
John 14:12, Greater works than Christ. Galatians 2:20, Christ my life.
HOW CAN WE RULE THE WORLD?
I Cor. 6:3: "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?" God is looking for persons to whom He wants to give His unlimited power, and authority, and love, "'and joy, and financial provision and miracle power, but God will not give these things to people who are not prepared or who have not been faithful! He will not give unlimited power to someone who will prostitute it or do his own thing with it. God is looking for those who are holy, are overcomers, are willing to do anything God says, who have learned His voice, and are totally sold out to Jesus Christ as Lord. Amen!
The following phrases are used to describe these people who will rule the world. Then I will tell you how you can be one of them!
"As for the saints (lit., Holy Ones; i.e., the Godly) who are in the earth, they are the MAJESTIC ONES (the excellent KJ) in whom is all My delight" Ps. 16:3. ("The Majestic Ones", sounds like a good movie or book title, eh?!)
"For the Lord [YAHWEH] takes pleasure in His people. He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Let The Godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishment on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the judgment written; this is an honor for all His godly ones." Ps. 149:4-9. AlleluYahweh!!! !
The whole of Psalm two talks about the same thing, especially verses 6-9:
"But as for me I have installed My King. upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, Thou are My Son, today I have begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thy inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.' "
Joel 2:1-11
The Book of Revelation chapter two talks about the same thing:
"And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father and I will give him the morning star." Rev. 2:26-28
Daniel talks much about the Kingdom of God. Here is a sample:
"Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the holy ones (the saints) of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the Kingdom." Dan. 7:22
"Then the Kingdom, (sovereignty), the dominion, and the Greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the holy ones, (saints) of the Highest One; His Kingdom will be an Everlasting Kingdom, and all the dominions will serve. and obey Him." Dan. 7:27
Perhaps you have been wondering how to become. one of these people. Perhaps you, too, would like to rule the world. Here's how:
- Receive Christ as your Saviour, Lord and
- Be aware, on a revelation level, that you are seated in Christ in the heavens. Eph.1& 2 and Col. 3 tells us this fact: that not only did Christ take us with Him to the cross and the tomb, but also with Him to the very heavens in the Throne Room of the Father and caused us to Be seated in Christ Jesus, far over and above every principality and power, and over everything that is named in heaven or on earth!!" (JB) Here we are with Him now, and we "have the mind of Christ". (I Cor. 2:16)
With everything that we have in God, two things are necessary. First, we need a revelation of the provision, not just "head knowledge." Second, we need to act on the basis of the accomplished fact of healing, and miracle power, Christ as our life, or as our Righteousness, and that He has taken us to be seated in Christ our life. In each case we need a revelation of it so that we know that we know that we know!
The only other thing that's necessary for anything we potentially have in God, is to act on the basis of the accomplished fact! Faith always acts on what it believes. Faith without corresponding action is dead!
For example, a person could be starving to death even though he may have closet shelves lined with food, if he doesn't know the provision is there or if he doesn't act on the basis of the provision. A person could have a million dollars in his bank account but not be able to buy a thing if he is not aware of the provision, or if he does not write a check and live on the basis of the accomplished fact!
The story is told of Ole and Sven coming over on the boat to the new country from the old country. Ole only had enough money for his ticket but only pennies extra for food. So, he thought, "Hmm, let's see now, what's the most amount of food I can buy for the least amount of money for the boat ride?" So he finally decided to buy a sack of potatoes which he took to his room. All the way across, he ate potatoes, raw, one each meal. When they were pulling into New York, past the Statue of Liberty, Sven saw Ole at the rail all hungry looking and said to him, "Why, Ole, how come I never seen you in the dining room on this trip?" And upon hearing about the bag of potatoes, one each meal, Sven said,' "Why didn't ye know that all of those ship's huge and lavish banquet meals was included in the price of the ticket?!."
Another story is told of a man who died and went to heaven to be shown around by Saint Peter, who took him to a huge warehouse in which were endless shelves loaded with beautifully wrapped presents. The person asked Peter what the presents were, whereupon Peter explained, "These are all the lovely things the Heavenly Father
intended for you to have on earth, but because you didn‟t open and enjoy them then, you may have them now! !"
I really don't think that the above two stories are very Scriptural though, because of Christ's parable of the "One talent" man. When he failed to appropriate "his possessions and multiply his talent, what he did have was taken away, given to another, while he was exiled to the blackness of outer darkness, with, with wailing and gnashing of teeth and given an external existence. (Matt. 25:30
I don't really see that we have much of an option, dear one. It's either be overcome or be an overcomer! A man of God said, "Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser." I'm not sure who he was quoting, but if one doesn't overcome, he is surely not an overcomer. I can't get over some theologians saying that a sinner is a saint, and that God is blind or wears rose colored glasses and can't see our sin because we're hiding behind Christ. That‟s garbage. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the great cloud of witnesses see us as we are.
God says that we can walk as Christ walked (I John 2:6) and that we can be as Christ is, in this present world!!! 1. John 4:17.
HUMILITY
Please look with me in Revelation 19 where John, the Beloved Apostle does something seemingly cultic. Verse 10 says, "And I (John) fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow-servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God." What on earth prompted John to do such a thing as that!? Surely he knew better! He walked with Christ on earth for three years, leaned his head on Jesus, and was perhaps the closest to Christ. And John saw what Christ looked like in His Glorified state in Revelation chapter 1. So please tell me, dear one, why did John fall down and worship this brother in the Lord? The brother in the Lord said, "I'm just your brother, just a fellow-servant. Don't worship me, worship God!" Well anyway, it looks like John has learned his lesson.
But let's look at Revelation chapter 22 where John "messes up" again! He does something borderline cultic. "And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the [messenger] who showed me these things. And he said to me, 'Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book! Worship God!" vs 8.
HE COULDN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE!
I believe the reason why John fell down to worship at the feet of his brother in the Lord was that he could not tell the difference!!! I believe that this fellow servant- brother-prophet had gotten hold of this secret we are presenting, and that he was. walking "As Christ Walked"! I believe this disciple messenger had gotten hold of the truth that, "As Christ is so are we in this present world!"
I may be mistaken, but I believe that the brother that was talking to John looked like this:
His eyes shown like a flame of fire!
His face shone like the sun in its strength!
His feet glowed as bronze heated to white hot intensity! His voice was as the sound of many waters!
Dear one, if you forget all else in this book, always remember that Christ has, called you and me to be "As Christ is . . . in this present world!!" I believe we are to be so much like Christ, that, like Paul and Barnabas, we will need the integrity to explain to people that there is a difference. (Acts 14) There must be no limitation that we place on the Lord's desire and ability to manifest His Life and glory through us, though the glory must always belong to Him. Amen!!!
KINGDOM POWER
"For the Kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in Power." I Cor. 4:20.
O Lord God of Sovereign Action - Act Sovereignly in us, through us, in Your miraculous creative way again. Thank You, Mighty Right Now God, for working in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure! We repent of waiting for You to do what You've been waiting for us to do, while, all the while, the weapons of our warfare have been mighty through God to the tearing down of strongholds. Be all that You are in us. Cause us to be those people of the Shining and Radiant countenance. We volunteer to be the Joel's army of God, and will pay whatever price is necessary to walk with You in white-and rule the world with You on Your throne!!!