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Tuesday, July 16 2013
INTRODUCTION: Another interesting teaching awaits us as we continue on our expository into the mystery of Faith. We have, by the grace of God been able to establish the importance of Hope and Faith and how they work together last week. This week, we will build on this knowledge and see how we can activate our faith and make it work for us. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” [Hebrews 11:1] A modern translation of the above scripture reads, “Faith is giving substance to things hoped for.” The Expanded Bible Version of the same scripture reads, “Faith means being sure [the assurance; or reality; or the sure foundation] of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it [the conviction/ assurance/ evidence about things not seen].”
We need to first realise and settle the truth about Hope having its own place in the perfection of our Faith walk. We also need to realise that it is our Faith that gives substance to the things we hope for. I love the way the New Living Translation of the Bible expresses the word hope in 1 John 3:3,
“And all who have this eager expectation (hope) will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure” [Emphasis Mine]
It is our faith that gives sub-stance to the things we eagerly or expectantly desire. If we are going to wait until we get something before we believe we have it, then it will be too late and it won’t work. Instances abound in both the old and new testaments of the Bible, about the many escapades done through people who refuse to wait until something happened before taking the appropriate steps towards realising and accomplishing their goals. For example, in Joshua 6:3-5, the Israelites were given certain instructions to act upon in order to posses Jericho. They were to march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days, and seven times on the seventh day. In addition, they were to shout when the musical instruments were sounded on the seventh day. These were the instructions required to be carried out by the Israelites in order for them to actualise the victory that God has promised them. They first had to believe they received God’s word to them and then take a further step of acting upon this word. Their acting upon the Word was their faith in action. It is important to note that the Israelites shouted (acting on their faith) even while the wall was still standing. The lesson here is that faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind, the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body [Matthew Henry’s Commentary]. Put in another word, the things which are not seen are eternal in value compared to the things that can be seen (2 Cor.4:18). Faith transcends the physical realm. It is not controlled or deterred by the physical. The Israelites faith gave substance to God’s word to them and when they acted on their faith, God’s promise became a reality and those walls came down, Hallelujah!
Faith Is Active Faith is acting upon God’s word. To act means to do something. Many people are waiting for answers to prayers to come to them especially in the area of healing or the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Too often, people just wait for something to happen with a passive faith instead of an active faith. Although God will help you meet your financial obligations, you have a part to play. You can’t just stay idle and expect things to happen or expect something to come to you. You can pray and believe God, but then you must act on your faith by actively looking for a job (for example) and something will happen. Same applies in the spiritual.
New Testament Example of Active Faith “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Faith is looking at the finished work and not focusing on the present! This is giving substance to things hoped. The finished work is the substance. Whenever Jesus speaks to people, He speaks the end of the situation and not what they are going through. That is giving substance to things hoped for. A very good illustration of giving substance to things hoped for is in Luke 17:11-19. Notice Jesus didn’t say the man’s thanksgiving has made him whole, but his faith (Discuss). This man saw what the other nine could not see. A man of faith indeed! Another illustration can be found in Luke 5:18-25. A man sick the palsy was let down from the roof of a house where Jesus was teaching because the room was so packed full. Verse 20, 24 of the same chapter records; “And when he [Jesus] saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee…..Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house”. Note the phrase saw their faith. It was not only the faith of the four men who brought the man the palsy that got him healed, the faith of the sick man was included too. This man also demonstrated his faith because how many bedfast (bed ridden) people would endure the pain and discomfort and let someone take them up on top of a house and let them down through? We also know that this man had faith because when Jesus said to him, “Rise up”, he wasn’t any better, just as the leprous man in Luke 17, who as at the time he went back to give thanks, has not yet been made whole. The man with the palsy was just as help-less as he ever was. Nothing has changed physically before the command to rise up was given. Instead of trying to get up, he could have said, “Why Lord, didn’t you see them carrying me in here? I can’t possibly get up. You’ll have to heal me first.” Instead, he began to move (active) and when he did, healing was the result. If he refused to act on the Word of the Master, he would not have received healing. There is a real spiritual lesson for us here. Acting on God’s word is called faith. And when we are in faith, we will receive answers to prayers. The ability, through the help of the Holy Spirit, to see the finished work and the end of the matter, empowers us to be able to act on God’s Word in the face of difficult situations and circumstances. In the early days of Pentecost, a woman evangelist ministered to four people in wheelchairs. All she said, in a very quiet tone was, “Rise and walk in Jesus’ Name” and three of the four people walked. The one who was left sitting there in a wheel chair said, “I can’t walk.” Even though she was reminded that the others couldn’t walk either, but they did, this woman still answered, “I know they did; but I can’t. I haven’t walked in years. I can’t walk”. She was left sitting there. [Read out the story of the woman with Arthritis who never believed she could be healed because of doctor’s report – You Can’t Receive from God without Faith]
The Holy Spirit Prompts, But You Must Respond Too many people think that God’s healing power is just going to move on them and make them do something whether they want to do it or not, or whether they cooperate with His power or not. No, that would not be the Holy Spirit; that would be an evil spirit instead. The Holy Spirit never forces or drives you to do anything. He only urges and prompts you and it’s up to you to respond and do something. It’s up to you whether or not to obey. Kenneth Hagin laid his hands and prayed for a woman to receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost indeed came upon the woman but she would not respond by speaking. This he did again but the result was the same. He mentioned that he knew exactly what was wrong with the woman. She was asked to read the portion of scripture in Acts 2:4 and the emphasis was on "....and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." . You see, this woman believed she was filled with the Holy Ghost, the main hindrance to her speaking in other tongue as one of the signs of being filled with the Holy Ghost is that she had always believed that it was the Holy Ghost that did the speaking. She was asked to read another scripture in Acts 10:44-46, in order to encourage her faith and she was filled with the Holy Ghost.
Faith Is Cooperating With God [Read Testimony of a man who had been burned over the lower part of his body and had been unable to walk]. We can only cooperate with God through our belief in His ability. We can understand this better through the principle of buoyancy [explain]. Faith, you see, is acting on God's word; doing what-ever He says to do in the Word or whatever He may say to us to do by the Holy Spirit. God can't help folks who won't cooperate with Him. But we need to get this fact; faith is giving substance to things hoped for. Faith will eventually bring into reality what you hoped for - The Finished Work! If You Believe, You Will Act The best definition of faith is this: IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL ACT. This also relates to God's word. If we believe God's Word, we will act as though it's true. Act on Your Faith for Healing Kenneth Hagin said that people want healing for their bodies and that he can tell then just exactly how to get it. The answer is in Acts 14:8-10. Paul perceived that this impotent man had faith to be healed; yet the man was still sitting there crippled until he acted on his faith. The real truth is, every believer has faith to be healed. Someone said, "If sick folks have faith, they are going to be healed". Oh no, that's wrong, because there's nowhere in the bible where it says, "If you just have faith, you'll be healed". But the moment you begin to act on the faith that you do have, your faith will be work and you will be healed. Yes, the devil will contest you every inch of the way. But if you keep on acting in faith, you will manifest the healing.
Conclusion If you can't get people to receive and act on God's word, there is no way that you or even God can help them. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). you've heard the word. Faith is acting on the Word that you've heard. It is you who must act on the Word, so get ready and act now. Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Tuesday, July 16 2013
Introduction We thank God for leading us to focus on the study of faith which is one of the prerequisites for walking in signs and wonders this year. We started with the study of the name of Jesus and we have been blessed by great revelations from the word of God. The summary of our studies can be found in Col. 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” The understanding of the name of Jesus sets the foundation for our journey into the mystery of Faith. Faith is one of the fruit of the spirit (Gal.5:22-23). It is one of the very natures of God. Since we are partakers of God’s divine nature (2Pet.1:4) then, living by faith is a must for our relationship with God.
1) What is Faith? : Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” a) Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.- Martin L.King Jr.
b) Faith is making the Words of God the main determining factor for every action you take, and remaining at peace whether you know the outcome or not.. Web definition
The NIV stated that “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” Moffatt's translation of this verse reads: "Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see."
The definition of faith will not be well rounded without understanding the relationship between hope and faith. Faith is giving substance to the things hoped for. Hope is not faith and faith is not hope.
2) The Difference Between Faith and Hope: Hope is a great thing and it is also a key part of faith. But Hope alone has no certainty; but with faith comes certainty. It is this certainty (trust) that says to a mountain “move” and it will move! Without the certainty that God will do what he promises, the great acts of faith we see in the Bible would never have happened. Faith gives us the confidence to act on Gods promises… hope alone does not. Hope is future tense. Thank God we do have a Blessed Hope. The Blessed Hope of the Church is the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saved dead, the rapture of the living saints, the hope of heaven, and the hope of seeing our loved ones and friends. Thank God for that hope. We rejoice in that hope, but that's all future tense. Jesus is coming again, whether we believe it or not. Hebrews 11:1 says: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” From this verse of scripture, we see that we must have HOPE to have FAITH. There is no faith without hope. But you don’t have to have faith to have hope. We know what we hope for, but that’s only the first part of having faith… we have to be “… certain of what [we] do not see.” Faith requires both parts! Substituting hope for faith is like trying to win a race without crossing the finish line… you have to start and finish. The power is not in starting the race… anyone can do that. The power is in finishing. This is why faith is so difficult.
3) Changing Hope to Faith To Receive Miracle: Hebrews 11:1 reads: "Faith is giving substance ... to things hoped for." The journey of faith starts at the door of hope. Mark 5:21 “For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” The hope of a miraculous healing made the woman to seek out for Jesus; believing that touching Jesus’s garmet would heal her was an “activator” of her faith and when she acted on her faith (by leaving her house and going ahead to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment) she received her miracle!
4) To receive, we need faith – not hope!
A look at the hall of faith Read Hebrews 11 verses 1-40
· It was through faith the people of old subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, and stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again and the walls of Jericho fell down.
Notice how faith always inspired fearless action! Hope doesn’t do that… only faith does. That’s why “…certainty in what you do not see” is so important. The certainty of faith removes all fear, and doubt… something that simple hope cannot.
Here are a few encounters:
We only receive when we pray in FAITH!
Conclusion The study of faith is a very wide subject that will require extensive search for deeper understanding and revelation. We thank God for His generals like Kenneth E. Hagin who did extensive studies on the subject of Faith in his life time. This study was extracted from his book; Faith Bible Study Guide.
Contributors: Alex Alajiki & Isekhua Evborokhai Thursday, March 14 2013
Introduction: ??But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.. and they shall walk and not faint''. Isa 40: 31. After few weeks of break in our teaching, I believe this scripture should be our experience as we continue in our journey into walking in the miraculous. A quick recap of what we have learnt will be of immense help to today's topic- Reigning by the Name.
In the Origin of The Name, we should remember this quote: ?'Men obtain great names in three ways. Some men are born to a great name, a King for instance. Others make their name great by their achievements. Still others have a great name conferred upon them''. The name Jesus is great because it came by all three means; By Inheritance- Heb 1: 1-6; By Bestowal- Phil 2: 9-11 and By Conquest- Eph 1: 20, 21, Col 2: 15. In Authority in His Name, reference was made to Kenneth E. Hagin's statement in "The Believer's Authority" that ??the value of our authority rests on the power that is behind our authority! The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority! We, as believers can therefore exercise His authority and face the enemy fearlessly'' Today we shall be considering the topic- Reigning by the Name from our text. Roman 5: 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Adam's offence: One man's offence in the passage refers to the first Man- Adam. His offence was the sin of disobedience. Consequently he died a spiritual death (which is the nature of Satan, this manifest in the likes of hatred, lying, poverty, and sickness. When Adam lost his dominion, all such of evil took toll on mankind. Man lost his throne. Satan began to reign.
Abundance of Grace and the Gift of Righteousness: The nature of God is love. He expresses this to mankind by the offering of Jesus for the atonement of our sin; restore man back to his original position as it was in Gen 1: 26. As many that receive this abundance of grace according to John 1: 12 receive the gift of righteousness and shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Now looking at the Amplified translation and several others, translate that, ??reign as kings in life''. One may be quick to ask: "What are we to reign over?" Circumstances, diseases, sickness, sin, hatred and everything else that is of the devil; those things will not dominate us. We are to dominate them. Think of this; someone who lives in Buckingham Palace goes through life with nothing much to eat, is sick, and emaciated. Can they be regarded as one who reigns in life? No, they would not. Why? Because, although they live in the Palace of the Queen of Great Britain; they have not experienced the benefits of the palace. The more we give place to the entrance of His words, chew it, regurgitate it, ruminate on its truths that we actually begin to reign in life by Christ Jesus.
The Place of Thanksgiving and Our Inheritance In our second text; Colossians 1: 12, 13 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Apostle Paul is talking about giving thanks unto God the Father for something that belongs to us right now. God Has made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Saints (Blood washed, redeemed) inherited something. Our Inheritances are: Deliverance from the power and authority of darkness In other words He Has delivered us from Satan's authority; from demons, from sickness, from diseases, from poverty. In actual fact, God Has delivered us from everything that belongs to Satan. ??God Has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His Beloved Son'' GWT. Another Translation says, ??He Has taken us out from under the control and the dominion of darkness.'' Instead of Satan's reigning over us, we are to reign over him. Many times Spirit-filled Christians are ruled and dominated by the devil, circumstances, and everything else of this world. They ought to be happy and joyous, filled with life and light.
Conclusion: Let's rise up and take advantage of what belongs to us. How is it we are going to reign? We are to reign by the Name Christ Jesus. Contributor: Martins Olubiyi Thursday, March 14 2013
Introduction When Jesus was teaching His disciples He made them to understand that the only way to get the best out of the Father is through His (Jesus') name. Considering the following bible verses we see exactly what he was trying to teach them which are good examples we can learn from.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
John 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
What does it means to act in another person's name? A name serves as a tag that helps to identify who we are; our reputation, authority personality and character. That is why the bible refers a good name to be better than great riches. When we act in another's person's name we are excising two things
1. The authority of the other person in whose name we are acting on 2. We come in the stead of him who sent us. Based on this we are treated as if we that person.
That's why when David came to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45 "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."
He came unto Goliath in the name of the Lord and not in his own power or authority but that of the Lord. And the rest as we know was victory.
Reason why the name will work for us Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
We have been adopted into the family of God as children. We have been accepted in the beloved. We are joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We share in the same inheritance. The Father looks upon the redeemed as if He were looking on His Son Jesus Christ.
It is the greatest of all blessings that Christ has told us to approach the Father in His own name. We are totally undeserving to come to the Father but when we will come to the father in the name of His son it means that we come to the Father with the knowledge that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and it is the confidence that Jesus has sent us to the Father. He grants our request not for who we are but because we have come His sons name.
Romans 8:32 emphases this truth "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
If He did not withhold His own Son from me and also promised not to withhold any good thing from me then I can only ask for these things in the name of His Son.
The bible commands us to come boldly. So in our prayers nothing can stop us and if anything dares try to ask us on the way in, "What are you doing here?".We can boldly answer, "We have come in the name of Jesus." And by this command our heavenly Father is compelled to treat us as He would His own Son because we come in His stead. We represent the Son when we come to the Father.
Conclusion In conclusion "in Jesus' name can become a meaningless phrase if we don't apply the right heart attitude. We should realize that the benefits of His are far fetched until we rightly apply the name of Jesus. God Bless you!!!
Contributor: Clem Roberts Thursday, January 31 2013
Introduction: Last week we continued in our study by looking at the authority in the name of Jesus, the meaning of authority, the connection between the name of Jesus and authority and the fact that authority in His name commands the supernatural. We concluded that Jesus confers His authority to us because He knows we will have need of it for a victorious Christian living. We cannot afford to be ignorant of the use of our delegated authority as satan thrives on ignorance.
His name our Surname In Rev. 3:8 Jesus commends the church for keeping both his word and his name." It is apparent that God wants us to know him by name for his name represents to us who He is and in Rev. 2:13 He commended the Church in Pergamum: "I know your works and where you dwell, even where Satan's throne is: and you hold fast my name, and have not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells" A Christian must know his status, his authority and his rights IN CHRIST. Satan always yields to the commands of a child of God who knows his position and God always confirms His Word with signs and wonders following that believer "that the eyes of our hearts may be opened, that we may know the exceeding greatness of His ability on our behalf..." (Eph. 1:17-23). To pray in the name of Jesus, is to take ownership of that which he has given to us as His bride and representatives on earth and as such we are united with Him and His purpose.
Jesus gave His authority to those who believe in him. It gives us God's power to fight spiritual warfare and do God's work on earth Amen," (Mk. 16:17-20). Jesus is the only name in which salvation is found (Acts 4:12) and gave the Church the power of attorney to use His Name. The disciples are commissioned to go and bear fruit; and they are given a legal right to use the Name of Jesus and to have the same authority that Jesus exercised in His earthly walk: John 16:23-24,26.
In Acts 5:27-28 - The high priest, all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees knew they were combating a "force" that they had never met before. Jesus, they had crucified, but His Name was more powerful! His name was working wonders and none could arrest His name or wrest it from his disciples. When you know how to take full possession of His name you will be a wonder in your world, you will be strong and do exploits. Acts 4:18,19 "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, judge you"
What does it mean when Jesus gives us power in His Name--the free use of it--with assurance that whatever we ask in His Name will be given to us? (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23-24, 26). Jesus solemnly gives to all who are His, a general and unlimited power to use His Name at all times. He could trust us with His interests and that His honour would be safe in our hands. Do not take His name in vain.
The free use of someone else's name is always a token of great confidence and close union. Someone who gives his name to another stands aside to let that person act for him. Someone who takes the name of another gives up his own as of no value. When I go in the name of another, I deny myself. I take not only the name of another, but himself and what he is, instead of myself and what I am.
Peter at the beautiful gate despite having no silver or gold he knew he had the name of Jesus which is more valuable than silver and gold.
Do you know you have his name as your possession? Do you fully understand what Jesus has accomplished on the cross? Colossians 2:10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. As a believer you must understand the mystery of Christ, His name, person, office, and grace.
According to Kenneth Hagin "Charles Spurgeon (1834-92), noted English Baptist preacher, told this personal experience. He was called to the home of an elderly woman who was bedfast. Malnutrition was about to take her physical life. During his visit, Spurgeon noticed a framed document on the wall. He asked the woman, "Is this yours?" She said it was, and explained that she had worked as a maid in the household of some of the English nobility. "Before Lady So-and-so died," the woman said, "she gave that to me. I served her for nearly half a century. I've been so proud of it because she gave it to me. I had it framed. It's been hanging on the wall ever since she died 10 years ago." Mr. Spurgeon asked, "Would you allow me to take it and have it examined more closely?" "Oh, yes," said the woman, who never learned to read, "just be sure to see I get it back." Spurgeon took it to the authorities. They had been looking for it. It was a bequest. The English noblewoman had left her maid a home and money. She lived in a little one-room house built out of wooden boxes and was starving to death?yet she had hanging on the wall a document that authorized her to be well cared for and to live in a fine house. The money was gathering interest. It belonged to her. Spurgeon helped her get it, but it didn't do her as much good as it could have earlier. I think that is indicative of what has happened to much of the church world. We live in a little run-down shanty? spiritually speaking?while lying on a table somewhere is the New Covenant. We're proud of it. But we've never taken the time to find out what it says belongs to us"
The devil has deceived the majority of Christians and kept them ignorant of the power in the name and the right to use it. To effectively use His name you must know what it entails and how to use it by studying the word, obeying and living by the word. The name is not a magic wand.
CONCLUSION When the Lord Jesus went to heaven, He left His work--the management of His Kingdom on earth--in the hands of His servants. He also gave them His Name to draw all the supplies they need for advancing the kingdom. We have the spiritual power to use the Name of Jesus only as far as we yield ourselves to live only for the interests and the work of the Master. The use of the Name always supposes the surrender of our interests to Him Whom we represent. All the authority and all the power that is in Jesus is in His Name and He has given the name to the Church. He said "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:18-19 The name of Jesus belongs to you when you marry Him, it will not work for people dating God. Christ is the bridegroom and you as His bride automatically possess His name, can represent Him and co-owns all that belongs to Him. His name has been freely given to you.
Contributor: Esther Alajiki Thursday, January 31 2013
INTRODUCTION: Last week, we continued in our journey into walking in the miraculous by gaining understanding of the origin of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We concluded that He obtained the great Name, Jesus by Inheritance: Hebrews 1:1-6 "......hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name.....", by Bestowal: Philippians 2:9-11 "Wherefore God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name....", and finally by Conquest: Ephesians 1:20-21 "which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly....". We concluded last week that knowledge of the origin of the Name will enhance our walk in the original dominion God intended for us.
This week, we will be looking at how we can walk effectively in this dominion, through Authority in the Name of Jesus Christ.
1. Meaning of Authority The words, Power and Authority are sometimes used interchangeably in the New Testament. The word Power is translated from the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament) from several different words. In O.T.: Koach - Strength; Force; Ability to do something (Exodus 15:6 & 32:11) In N.T.: Dunamis - in reference to God: Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62; of Christ:1 Corinthians 1:24; the Gospel: Romans 1:16 Exousia - freedom of action, right to act; Luke 12:5, Ephesians 3:10 Ischus - ability, force, strength; 2 Thessalonials 1:9 Kratos - power; 1 Timothy 6:16, Hebrews 2:14
The word Authority is translated from the Greek word exousia denoting ability or strength that one is endued or given. We see that this word is used somewhat interchangeably in the New Testament meaning power or authority depending on its context. Summarily, Power is the ability or force to accomplish something and Authority is the right to carry it out. Authority is delegated power! Example - Uniformed Personnel and a very strong person.
2. Connection Between the Name of Jesus & Authority "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." [Revelations 1:18]
In classical Greek, key (kleis (noun), kleio (verb)) described keys, as well as a bar, a catch, or a bolt. It also carried the idea of authority (the ability to "open and close" something. A general summary for the word key in the scripture is a "symbol of authority." We can therefore conclude from the above explanations that the one who has the key is the authorised one. Jesus is saying here, "I am the authorised one." He has authority - the right to carry out!
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," [Matthew 28:18-19]
"And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." [Mark 16:17-18]
Jesus Christ delegated His authority in the earth to the Church (You and I) by commanding us to Go therefore. Not only this, He also gave us His name as the authority. He's commanded us to exercise authority in my Name. In his book, The Believers Authority, Kenneth. E. Hagin mentioned that the value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority! The devil and his forces are obliged, therefore, to recognise our authority! We, as believers, can therefore exercise this authority and face the enemy fearlessly!
Policemen who direct traffic during the rush hour just raise their hands and the cars stop. These men dont have the physical power to stop the vehicles if the drivers choose not to stop. But guess what, they dont use their own strength to stop traffic; they are strong in the authority that is invested in them by the government they serve. People recognise that authority and stop their cars. blessed be God, there's authority that's vested in us by the Lord Jesus Christ!
When a uniformed personnel goes to make an arrest, he or she simply declares that the offendant is under arrest. If asked to show any arrest warrant, the arrester just simply shows document which authorises him to make the arrest! We have the warrant to carry out Jesus's authority here on earth, hallelujah! The authority is in His Name! He gave us the name that is above every name. He gave us the name that is recognised in three worlds - the Name that has authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Angels, men, and demons have to bow at that Name - and that Name belongs to us. We have the Authority to use that Name, Hallulujah!!!
"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Philippians 2:9-11]
"which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." [Ephesians 1:20-21]
3. Authority In His Name commands The Supernatural According to Mark 16:17-18, Jesus Christ promised that the supernatural signs mentioned (new tongues, taking up serpents and you can add to the list) will accompany the believers. We became born again through His name. By believeing in His name. There is no other Name given under heaven whereby we must be saved (acts 4;12).
Blessed be God, the Name of Jesus does belong to us today! And thank God, that Name not only carry salvation, the Name enwraps all the power, all the majesty, and all the glory it ever did. Remember that the name of a person, stands for the person. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father on high (the seat of power), far above every known authority. His name has all authority, all the power, all the dignity, all the majesty and all the glory that Jesus the Person has. We will discuss how the name of Jesus healed Lazarus (Smith Wigglesworth) and the Girl with convulsion (16 Year Old Leader of the Full Gospel)
Conclusion In conclusion, the Lord Jesus Christ confers His authority to us because He knows we will have need of it for victorious christian living. Imagine if the uniformed men refuse or are ignorant to use their delegated authorities? They would have made a shipreck of their authorities and been seriously injured in the process. The bible says;
"lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." [2 Corinthians 2:11]
Satan thrives on ignorance. We must not only be knowledgeable of our authority in Jesus Christ, we must use and enforce our Authority in His Name!
Contributor: Leye Olayiwola Wednesday, January 23 2013
Introduction: Last week we started off our journey into walking in the miraculous by understanding the name Jesus - the name by which the miraculous happens. We looked at the meaning (Jehovah is salvation), the significance, the content and implication of the name Jesus. Today, we will consider the origin of the name - how He obtained this great name! There are examples of people who were self-acclaimed. The Roman emperor Domitian became power drunk and decreed himself to be god demanding to be addressed as dominus et deus (master and god) in AD 81. Idi Amin came into power in 1971 as the Ugandan president and decreed himself Field Marshall! But Kenyon writes: "Men obtain great names in three ways. Some men are born to a great name?a king, for instance. Others make their name great by their achievements. Still others have a great name conferred upon them." The name Jesus is great because it came by all three means. · He inherited a great Name. · His achievements were great. · His Father conferred it upon Him. Let us consider one after the other how, when and why Jesus obtained this great name. 1. By Inheritance Hebrews 1:1-6 "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him. Jesus inherited a "more excellent name than they." He inherited a greater Name than any angelic being. As Son, He is heir of all things. He is "the express image" of God. He is "the brightness of the Father. He is God speaking to us. And He "by inheritance obtained a more excellent name." When did He inherit it? Not in heaven before He came to this earth, because He already had everything. Not when He came to the earth, because the Philippians 2:7 says that He stripped Himself of all honour and glory. Hebrews 1:4, 5 These verses tell us when He inherited this more excellent Name. It was when God said to Him, "Thou art my son, THIS DAY have I begotten thee" This day! That's when it happened?the day He was begotten. When was Jesus begotten? When He was raised up! On that Resurrection morning "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." Acts 13:33 Emphasis mine We will not be able to understand the authority in the Name of Jesus until we understand this fact that Jesus went down to hell and satisfied the claims of Justice on the behalf of each one of us, because He died as our substitute. 2. By Bestowal "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things [beings} in heaven, and things [beings] in earth, and things (beings] under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ?Philippians 2:9-11
The second is by bestowal; God gave Him a Name, which is above every Name. Let us imagine for a moment that God had a Name (known in heaven, unknown elsewhere), and this Name was kept to be conferred upon someone who would merit it: and Jesus came down to earth and made himself of no reputation, became a servant, God became like men. He then humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He therefore merited and was given this Name, and at this Name every knee shall bow in the three worlds?Heaven, Earth, and Hell?and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord of the three worlds to the glory of God, the Father. Paul praying for the Church at Ephesus in Ephesians 1:18-20 prayed that the eyes of their spirit would be enlightened to truths they would never be able to figure out in their heads. God not only gave him a Name before which every being in the three worlds must bow and confess His lordship, but God seated Him in the highest place in the universe, at His own right hand, and made Him to be head over all things. Why did was the name given to us? 1. To use that Name against our enemy (the Devil and his cohorts). Mark 16:17 2. To use it in our petitions. John 14:13-14 3. To use it in our praises and worship. Luke 4:8
Finally, we will consider the third means by which Jesus obtained His Great Name. 3. By Conquest In Paul's prayer for the Church, he stated that God had raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named "(Eph. 1:20,21). By His conquest of these principalities, powers, might, and dominions, Jesus obtained that Name! Colossians 2:15 says: "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" These are the same principalities and powers spoken of in Ephesians 6:12: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual "wickedness in high places" The principalities and powers we wrestle against are the same ones that He overcame, No wonder He said, "In my Name they will cast out demons"! The conquest that Jesus made of the devil, of sin, of sickness and disease is wrapped up in the Name. The Name, when we use it, will bring into reality in our lives what Jesus has already accomplished. We need to be well aware of the authority invested in that Name Colossians 1:13 "Who hath delivered us from the power [authority] of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." After spoiling the principalities and powers, putting them to nought, overcoming them and defeating them, He delivered us from the "power of darkness." Satan has no authority to dominate the Christian or the Church. Conclusion When we know this truth, that the name is not a self-acclaimed name, and know that the Name has been given to us. When we recognize the power and authority embedded in this name and the completeness it offers; then we can indeed walk in the original dominion God intended for man in the Garden of Eden; dominion over all of creation including the Devil and his agents.
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Wednesday, January 23 2013
Introduction: The final days of anyone on earth are always days of handing over precious information to the next generation. When Jesus knew that He was coming close to His passion, He met with His disciples for the last supper, washed the disciples' feet and Judas Iscariot finally left the company of the disciples. Jesus begins His parting address to His disciples. It was the intimate fellowship around the table and Christ proclaimed the new commandment, that they should love one another (Chpt 13). He comforted their hearts by telling them that He was to go to prepare a place for them; He had shown Himself to be the revelation of God the Father. He had given them a vision of their coming task: the greater works that they should accomplish. Then, as if coming to the heart of His message, as indicative of how these greater works should be accomplished, he solemnly speaks these words, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13, 14). We learn from John 16:24, that the disciples had asked nothing in the name of Jesus up to this time. It was a new command; a new challenge; a new revelation. The statement was clear. There was only one condition: "in my name." There is no greater revelation concerning prayer, nor a greater challenge to enter into and claim God's promise than in this verse. Here, then, is the key to prevailing prayer. But what did Christ mean by asking "in my name"? 1) The meaning of the name of Jesus: Isa. 9:6, Matt.1:21 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." "And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." "Jesus" is an English rendering of the Greek name Iēsous(Joshua), which is a translation of the ancient Hebrew Yehoshua[Yeshua (ישוע)]. This name is formed from Hebrew roots signifying "Jehovah is salvation" and is translated in our English Old Testament as "Joshua." The name of Jesus is infinitely glorious because of it significance and content.
a) The Hebrew meaning of Jesus is "Jehovah is salvation". Salvation is available to all only by His name. Act 4:12 b) The angel proclaimed His name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
a) His name shall be called Wonderful (Isa.29:14) b) His name shall be called Counselor (Jhn.14:26) c) His name shall be called the mighty God (Jhn.1:1) d) His name shall be called the everlasting Father (Heb.1:2) e) His name shall be called the Prince of Peace (Jhn.14:27)
2) The Implications of His name. Jhn.1413,14 "And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When an individual does something in the name of another, it indicates union which may be of different kinds. Andrew Murray pointed out that this union may take three different lines: legal union, family union and marriage or love union.
Contributor: Alex Alajiki Monday, December 31 2012
Introduction In the last study, John walked us down heaven's street and introduced to where we would spend eternity; no greater "incentive" to gear us to live right and be there forever! In this study, John describes the last bit of heaven and brings us to the end of his visions, drawing us back into time and the reality that face us. Verses 1-2 "1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Pure River of water of life echoes the promise of Christ to the woman at the well of John 4. Living water has benefits for those that drink it. They will never thirst again! (i) Proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb: This water supply is supernaturally supplied, which ensures the eternal or continuing nature of not only the supply of water, but the quality as well. (ii) And on either side of the river, was there the tree of life: This statement is difficult to comprehend because one tree cannot be on two sides of a river. My opinion is that the tree is in the midst of the river and it extends its branches and leaves to both sides of the river. (iii) Which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: 12 types of fruit are produced on the tree each and every month
Verses 3-5 "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; . Implies that because the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, there will be no more curse. (i) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: The Lord God becomes the light of the Holy City
Verses 6-7 "And he said unto me, these sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."
Behold, I come quickly: Jesus says He comes quickly and some have misunderstood this to mean that He will come back in the generation it was spoken. The word in Greek actually means that He is coming suddenly. The angel was sent to show His servants (the Church) the things that must shortly be done. This prophecy actually started with the seven churches of John's time. It continues to be mostly about the Church age on earth until the Church is completed at the marriage in Heaven. Then the focus is in Israel.
Verses 8-9 "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God."
You would think that John would have got the message when the other angel rebuked him for falling to worship him. It should be apparent that angels appear as if they were Gods to men, as does Satan. In any case, it is clear that angels are not to be worshiped and righteous ones do not even want to be worshiped. Verse 10 "And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand." Again, we are told this book is a prophecy. John is told not to seal it because the future things written in it started with the letters to the seven churches in Asia. Some of these things written to the seven churches actually did begin in John's lifetime. The book of Revelation is written to those who are in spiritual light. The passages for those in the light cannot be sealed. The book is only sealed to those who live in spiritual darkness.
Verses 11-12 "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." This verse literarily brings the revelation to an end and returns us back to the now. It indicates that the giving of this prophecy will not change the hearts of all the people.
Verses 13-14 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" When Jesus comes suddenly all the judgments and rewards written in this book will take place because He is Almighty God the Creator of all things. He is the beginner and finisher of all things. The eternal commandments are fulfilled in loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Keeping these two commandments fulfill all the other commandments of God. Those who do so will be allowed access to the tree of life in the Holy City so they can eat of it and have spiritual life forever. The truth of the matter is - you cannot love God if you reject His Son and you cannot in truth love your neighbor without the Spirit that is given by the Son. Therefore, keeping the commandments can only be fulfilled by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in you.
Verses 15-17 "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
These are left out of the Holy City; they will not have access to the tree of life. They will be in an eternal state of death (separation from God). Jesus is the one who sent the angel to John to tell the Church about these things. He says he came from the lineage of David and that He is the bright and morning star (the light of the world the first light to shine that indicates that the night is over). The verse is directed at those that are thirsty. We are told the water of life is given freely to all that are thirsty for Him (Jesus). The words and whosoever will seems to indicate that mankind has free will of choice to come to Jesus to be saved or not. Verses 18-19 "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
God takes the prophetic message He gave to John seriously. Any who add to the words of this prophecy will receive the plagues written in this book and those that take away the words of this prophecy will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
Verses 20-21 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
Conclusion The final words of the book tell us that Jesus will come suddenly. We should all be watching and waiting for His return. The time set by the Father for the bride to be completed is getting very short. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai Friday, December 28 2012
Introduction: The study of Rev. 20:1-3 last week put a seal to the fact that the devil is way below the status of the Almighty God. Just one Angel was able to bind and cast him into the bottomless pit for 1000 years. Satan is not and will never be God's rival. We studied the millennial reign of Christ and His saints and the white throne judgement. We concluded with the warning that our works will be tested and eternal damnation awaits those who will not receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. We are to be out there prayerfully reconciling the world back to God.
This week, as we study chapter 21 of the book of Revelation, let us take note of the phrase "and I saw". This book is a documentation of visions that were given to John and we can also have access to God's visions for our days. More importantly, we are introduced to where we would spend eternity; there is no greater "incentive" to gear us to live right and be there forever! Verses 1-5 "All Things Made New" "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." A new heaven and a new earth: The new heaven and earth is not simply the old renovated but an act of new creation. It was mentioned in Isa.65:17; 66:22-24. Peter, in 2 Pet.3:10-13, also described the dissolving of the old heaven and earth. Paul also made mention of the heavenly Jerusalem in Gal.4:22-26 and Heb.12:22-24. The New Jerusalem: (Also see Rev.3:12) was described as the Holy City prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men: Despite the self existing ability of God, He, in His love, longs to dwell among us in order to have fellowship with us and to bless us with His personal care. This ought to touch our hearts and cause us to draw near to Him. Verse 6 "It is Done!" 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. The Lord was the Alpha in creating a perfect world. Here He has fulfilled His work as the Omega bringing an end to sin and evil. Verse 7-8 "Rewards for good and evil" 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; The Greek indicates habitual or continual victory over sin. If this is a problem for us, we may ask for strength and put it to work in our lives (2Cor.12:9) He shall be my son: We may now be children of God but then, in a special way will we be His sons and daughters! With the curse of evil gone we will be able to see Him face to face! But the fearful: Fearful or "cowards" - Those who fear the temporary consequences of following Christ, telling the truth. Verse 9-21 "The Great City Described" 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Having the glory of God The great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God also had the glory of God. The Description John had an idea of some of the names of the precious stones used to construct the foundations of the city. Sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, amethyst. But for the others, he must have used the best words he knew to describe the glory of the place. "Unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; Pure gold, transparent glass!" The twelve gates "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several [individual] gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." (Verse 21). Today large perfect pearls are highly prized. In our verse each gate is an individual pearl. Amazing!
The Golden Street We often hear of heaven as having golden streets, but the text says "street," singular. We will see the street of heaven again in Chapter 22. "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it [the city], and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life" Verse 22-27 "A Perfect Place" 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.27 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. No temple therein: No sin, no need for a temple; why? Because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. At this point it is clear that no more sinners will ever claim restoration through the blood of the sacrificed Lamb, that phase of the temple services will end. Will we still need our Lord? Absolutely. In Him we will still live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). He and the Father will ever be our joy. Conclusion Interestingly, there were twelve gates of the celestial City (Verse12); the twelve kinds of precious stone of the celestial City (Verses 19-20), twelve foundations, the twelve names of the apostles. The Symbolism of 12 in the Bible; Twelve is the number of what is completed, which forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit. In the ancient civilizations, like Oriental and Judaic, it corresponds to the plenitude (the quality or state of being full), the completion and the integrality of a thing, The number "12" represents: "The Government of God being established." it is also a number attributed to the government of the world. It represents the months per year, tribes of Israel, and the twelve apostles of the Jesus Christ. Also, there were 12 fruits in the tree of life that we shall all eat! Rev 22:2 Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai |
