Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2:9-10
2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
The condition of congregation of Smyrna is experiencing the death, suffering in the flesh together with Jesus.
The right attitudes when we face the suffering in the flesh together with Jesus are as follows:
We are learning the first one that is not being afraid in facing the suffering together with Jesus.
We must be afraid of God so we will not deny Him like Peter.
The practices of being afraid of God are as follows:
God blesses us.
Revelation 2:9-10
2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
The condition of congregation of Smyrna is experiencing the death, suffering in the flesh together with Jesus.
The right attitudes when we face the suffering in the flesh together with Jesus are as follows:
- Do not be afraid to face what we must suffer.
- Be faithful until death.
We are learning the first one that is not being afraid in facing the suffering together with Jesus.
We must be afraid of God so we will not deny Him like Peter.
The practices of being afraid of God are as follows:
- Hating sin until lie.
Proverbs 8:13
8:13 To fear the Lordis to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance,evil behavior and perverse speech.
Facing suffering together with Jesus, we must live in righteousness. For example is Job.
Job 23:10-12
23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
23:11 My feet have closely followed his steps;I have kept to his way without turning aside.
23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
The result is gold or the faith that is tested and perfect to greet Jesus’ second coming.
Luke 18:8
18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” - Serving and ministering God in faithfulness and sincerity.
Joshua 24:14
24:14 “Now fear the Lordand serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
Matthew 25:21
25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
The result is we experience the joy of heaven in the midst of the cursed world.
Through ministry, God is transferring us from the ambience of curse to joy of heaven. If Jesus comes a second time, we will enter the joy of marriage supper of the Lamb of God, the joy of heaven, until eternal one. Behind the cross or suffering with Jesus, there is the joy of heaven. - Worshiping God the Maker.
Revelation 14:7
14:7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
We confess that we are unworthy mortar, having a lot of sin, weakness, unable to do anything and useless. Then, the mortar is in the hand of Maker.
Genesis 2:7
2:7 Then the LordGod formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
God will breathe the Holy Spirit so we will live. It means Holy Spirit is able to give the spiritual life; we can live right and holily in the midst of peak of sin at the last age. It also gives the physical life in the midst of difficulties and impossibilities of world.
John 20:21-22
20:21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
20:22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
God breathed Holy Spirit for sending. Holy Spirit gives peace. We feel nothing that the flesh is used to, but we feel the love of God. We can love God more than anything, others like ourselves, and our enemies.
If the heart feels peace, we are employed by God to bring cool wherever we are. It is through good news or gospel of Word to bring sinner to believe in Jesus so they can be saved and bride tidings or teaching Word to bring saved people to be sanctified until perfected.
John 21:3
21:3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
After the disciples were breathed by Holy Spirit, they came back to catch fish. It means denying God, leaving the ministry for catching the earthly things.
Acts 2:1-4
2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2:2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
2:3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
For that reason, Holy Spirit was blown in violent wind by God on the upper room in Jerusalem. It is the revival of Holy Spirit at the first rain, so Peter and friends can be employed to spread the good news or gospel Word to the end of the earth.
At the last days, Holy Spirit is blown violently, so we can be employed in the revival of Holy Spirit at the last rain, the revival of building of the perfect body of Christ. The condition is we believe in Jesus, repent, and get the water and Holy Spirit baptism.
Matthew 3:7-8, 11
3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
We become the prisoner of Holy Spirit.
Acts 20:22-24
20:22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
20:23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
We can minister God obediently and walk in His way. We can minister to God and willingly sacrifice anything until the end line.
The functions of Holy Spirit are as follows:- Holy Spirit is a Comforter that makes us strong and of good courage.
John 15:25-27
15:25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
15:26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.
15:27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
We are neither disappointed nor in despair. We do not leave God whatever may come. We keep faithful and fervent in ministry, and become the witness of God. - Holy Spirit is a Helper.
John 14:16-17
14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Holy Spirit is able solve all obstruction and obstacle so we will not be hindered to minister to God. Holy Spirit is able to finish all problems even the impossible ones.
Holy Spirit also makes spiritual miracle that is renewal from carnal men to spiritual ones like Jesus.
Romans 8:26, 28
8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
It starts from mouth is changed so we can worship with a broken heart and surrender fully to God. Then He will work to make everything good, successful, and beautiful in time.
Until Jesus comes a second time, we are changed to become as glorious as He is, we are lifted up on glorious clouds together with Him forever.
- Holy Spirit is a Comforter that makes us strong and of good courage.
God blesses us.