The Passion of Mary Magdalene
“Leave her alone. Why are you bothering her?
She has done a beautiful thing to Me.
The poor you will always have with you,
and you can help them any time you want.
But you will not always have Me. She did what she could.
She poured perfume on My body beforehand to prepare for My burial.
I tell you the truth, wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the world,
what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”[1]
I just want to ask the churches that gather in the Name of Jesus Christ whether they have fulfilled the above words of Jesus by telling of the beautiful thing that Mary, sister of Martha, had done to Jesus, wherever His Gospel is preached throughout the world. Is it something we do and remember in our hearts as we preach the Gospel?
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was not the woman to whom Jesus awarded this honour. It is Mary, sister of Martha. She is the only person whom the Lord unequivocally tied to the preaching of His Gospel. So powerful is His statement that if you fail to mention the beautiful thing Mary had done to Jesus wherever His Gospel is preached, you are not preaching the Gospel to the full standard of truth that Jesus spoke of when He said, “I tell you the truth, wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” In fact you are dishonouring Jesus and the Gospel that was sealed with His blood. Mary, sister of Martha, is the one Jesus wants mentioned wherever His Gospel, which is John 3.16-18, is preached. The question is: Is she the one and same person who was the first to see and touch the resurrected Christ?
Do you find this too extreme? Do you find the zealous attitude of holding on to every word of Jesus offensive? Is it too much that a believer should honour all of Jesus’ words as truth, and put them into practice as His disciple? Is the diligent practice of listening to Jesus a delight to you, or a burden?
So, who is this Mary, sister of Martha, whom the Lord loves and is so well pleased with?
Mary, sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene
The four gospels recorded two females who followed Jesus and listened to Him very closely. They are:
1. Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany; and
2. Mary Magdalene.
The apostle John testified about Mary, sister of Martha, in John 11.2 of the NLT: “This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair.” Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who lived at Bethany. They were all loved by Jesus.[2]
Prior to John 11, it is written that Jesus had dinner at Martha’s house in Bethany. Martha was distracted by the preparations while Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to Him. But Martha was annoyed with Mary, and she said to the Lord, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”[3]
Who was Mary, sister of Martha, this female who could not tear herself away from Jesus, but sat at His feet to listen to Him? Near the tomb of Lazarus, why did she get up so quickly when Martha said, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you”?[4] Mary’s movement was so abrupt that other people noticed her urgency and followed her.
Is Mary, sister of Martha, who was given the honour of being mentioned wherever His Gospel is preached, the same person as Mary Magdalene, who was the first person to see and touch the resurrected Christ, and whose gospel is: “I have seen the Lord!”?[5]
After Jesus drove out seven demons from Mary Magdalene, she; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Suzanna; and many other women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases; together with Mary the mother of James and Joses; Salome, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons, followed Jesus to care for His needs.[6] Mary Magdalene also saw the tomb where His body was laid and then returned at the break of dawn on the third day.[7] After the resurrection, when Jesus spoke Mary Magdalene’s name, she flung herself onto Him in such a tight embrace that Jesus had to say to her, “Don’t cling to Me.”[8] Have you considered how Jesus said, “Mary,” and how He was looking at her? Did He have a look of love on His face? So is Mary, sister of Martha, the same person as Mary Magdalene, who recognised the resurrected Jesus after He called her name?
Why did the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus all agree that Jesus would appear first to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection, among all His other followers, disciples and apostles? What richness of friendship, relationship and discipleship was held between Jesus and Mary Magdalene?
Whether Mary, sister of Lazarus and Martha, who was living with them in Martha’s home at the time of Lazarus’ death and resurrection, is the same person as Mary Magdalene, is for each person to decide. Just as Jesus was born at Bethlehem, but had no place to lay His head during the time with His disciples,[9] yet was known as Jesus of Nazareth[10] and Jesus the Nazarene,[11] so likewise, Mary Magdalene was named because of the period of time that she lived in Magdala.[12] The Holy Spirit is the One who guides us in to ALL truth.[13] The Bible has its clues, but it is not clearly written that Mary Magdalene is the same person as Mary, sister of Martha. It leaves room for you to know what is clearly written, and then to seek understanding from the Holy Spirit. Remember that God examines your heart as you do.
Many have pondered the question, “Who is Mary Magdalene and what was her relationship with Jesus?” But to me, this question is eclipsed by the more relevant questions, “How much did Mary Magdalene delight in listening to Jesus, and why? How much of Jesus’ words did she accept, retain and persevere with, because she understood them? What harvest did she produce that she received the honour of Jesus appearing first to her after His resurrection?”
The tomb event
Mary Magdalene was no ordinary female. She will forever be the first person to see the resurrected Christ in the flesh. How can I say that Mary Magdalene was the first person when Jesus also appeared to Mary the mother and the other women?
If you read Matthew 28.9-10 in isolation, you would be mistaken to think that Jesus first appeared to both Mary the mother and Mary Magdalene at the same time. However, Mark 16.9 clearly states that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. How then do we reconcile Matthew 28.9 and Mark 16.9 when the verses seem to contradict each other?
Below are the events leading up to the meeting between Jesus and Mary Magdalene and the other women in the format of a movie script. The purpose is to inspire you to think and cry out to the Holy Spirit for your own understanding. What makes a woman follow Jesus, even seeking Him out after He is dead? Why was Mary Magdalene the first person to ever see and touch the resurrected Christ?
1. GOLGOTHA – DAY
JESUS CHRIST, our Saviour, hangs on the cross. Two criminals are crucified with Him, one on His left and the other on His right. It is at the ninth hour when darkness comes all over the land.
JESUS Christ
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (Which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’)[14]
PEOPLE STANDING AROUND
Listen, He is calling Elijah.[15]
JESUS CHRIST
I am thirsty.[16]
Immediately, one of the people runs and gets a sponge. He fills it with wine vinegar, puts it on a stick, and offers it to Jesus to drink.[17]
PEOPLE STANDING AROUND
Now leave Him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him.[18]
JESUS Christ
(Receives the drink) It is finished.[19]
(With a loud cry) Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.[20]
JESUS breaths His last, bows down His head and gives up His spirit.[21]
At that moment - the curtain of the temple is torn in two from top to bottom. The Earth shakes and the rocks split.[22] Many women are at Golgotha watching from a distance. They had followed JESUS from Galilee to care for His needs. Among them are MARY MAGDALENE, MARY the mother of James the younger and of Joses, the mother of Zebedee’s sons, SALOME,[23] His mother’s sister, and MARY the wife of Clopas.[24] Many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem are also there.[25]
EVENING - CONTINUOUS
A rich man from Arimathea named JOSEPH, who is a disciple of Jesus, goes to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. Pilate gives the body to him. JOSEPH, together with NICODEMUS, takes the body, wraps it in a clean linen cloth, and places it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolls a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and goes away.[26] MARY MAGDALENE and MARY the mother of James the younger and Joses watch - they are sitting opposite the tomb.[27] Some of the other women who came with Jesus from Galilee are also there and they see where the body was laid.[28]
2. TO THE TOMB - THIRD DAY - BEFORE SUNRISE[29]
After the Sabbath, on the Sunday, the first day of the week, MARY MAGDALENE, MARY the mother, SALOME, JOANNA the wife of Cuza,[30] and the OTHER WOMEN set out to go to the tomb. It is still dark when they leave their homes. They bring spices to anoint Jesus’ body.[31]
MARY MAGDALENE, MARY the mother and SALOME
(Near the tomb site, the women realise that they have no men with them to roll away the stone, and discuss amongst themselves)
Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?[32]
A VIOLENT EARTHQUAKE occurs as an ANGEL of the Lord comes down from Heaven and goes to the tomb. He rolls back the stone (as if in answer to their dilemma) and sits on it. His appearance is like lightning, and his clothes are white as snow. The guards of the tomb are so afraid of him that they shake and become like dead men.[33]
At the earthquake, the women run to the tomb as fast as they can. (Perhaps they recall that there was an earthquake on the Friday[34] at the moment JESUS breathed His last.[35])
3. AT THE TOMB - AFTER SUNRISE
MARY MAGDALENE, being younger, dashes ahead of the other women to the tomb and sees the stone rolled away.[36] MARY the mother, SALOME, JOANNA, and the other women[37] also make haste and arrive at the tomb just after Mary, and see the stone rolled away. As they enter the tomb, they see an ANGEL who looks like a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side. They are alarmed.[38]
ANGEL
Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples and Peter: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’ Now I have told you.[39]
MARY MAGDALENE obeys the command to go quickly and tell PETER. She is the first one to run back to tell PETER and JOHN, but she does not comprehend the miraculous realisation of the angel’s words that Jesus has risen from the dead just as JESUS had told them.
MARY MAGDALENE
They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him![40]
Meanwhile, trembling and bewildered, the other women go out and flee from the tomb. They say nothing to anyone, because they are afraid.[41] But they remain in the vicinity of the tomb site pondering what has happened.
Outside the tomb site, while they are wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleam like lightning, who are actually two angels, stand beside them. In their fright the women bow down with their faces to the ground.[42]
THE TWO ANGELS SAID to the OTHER WOMEN
(As a rebuke for their unbelief of the words of the first angel) Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He is risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’[43]
Then the women remember Jesus’ words.[44] So, afraid yet filled with joy, they also hurry away from the tomb to tell His disciples.[45]
4. AT THE DISCIPLES’ PLACE
JOANNA, MARY the mother and the other women join MARY MAGDALENE to tell all these things to the eleven and to all the others. But the disciples do not believe them because the women’s words seem like nonsense.[46] The disciples still do not understand, so instead of going straight to Galilee, PETER gets up and runs to the tomb.[47] JOHN also starts running to the tomb. Both are running. JOHN outruns PETER and reaches the tomb first.[48]
(MARY MAGDALENE frantically bolts back to the tomb after PETER and JOHN. She arrives at the tomb before any of the other women for their second visit. They follow, but running as older women run, arrive shortly after.)
5. AT THE TOMB- SECOND TIME
JOHN bends over and looks at the strips of linen lying there, but does not go into the tomb yet.[49]
PETER arrives and goes into the tomb. PETER sees the strips of linen lying there and the burial cloth that was once wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth is folded up by itself, separate from the linen.[50] PETER bends over and examines the strips of linen lying by themselves.[51]
Then JOHN enters the tomb. JOHN sees and believes.[52]
PETER and JOHN leave the tomb and return to their homes, wondering to themselves what had happened. They still do not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.[53]
MARY MAGDALENE stays behind after PETER and JOHN have left. She stands alone outside the tomb and weeps. As she bends over to look into the tomb, she sees TWO ANGELS in white. They are seated where Jesus’ body had been. One at the head, and the other at the foot.[54] (She has been in fearful anticipation of Jesus’ words coming to pass about Him rising from the dead after being killed, words which she alone had listened carefully to. Now she is in a state of shock because she has seen the empty tomb and heard the first angel’s report, and then heard the other women’s report. But in His absence, these words are yet unrealised.)
TWO ANGELS
Woman, why are you crying?[55]
MARY MAGDALENE
They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put Him.[56]
At this, MARY MAGDALENE turns around and sees JESUS standing there. But she does not recognise that He is JESUS.[57]
JESUS CHRIST
Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?[58]
MARY MAGDALENE
(Thinking JESUS is a gardener) Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.[59]
JESUS
Mary.[60]
MARY MAGDALENE
(Turns towards JESUS and throws herself on Him) Rabboni! (Which means Teacher)[61]
JESUS
Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’[62]
MARY MAGDALENE exits the garden to run back to the disciples with her exhilarating news.
Around this time, MARY, the mother, and the other women enter the garden on their way to the tomb site for their second visit. Suddenly JESUS appears to them. He is now on His way to Galilee where He had previously instructed His disciples to meet Him after He had risen.
JESUS CHRIST
Greetings. (The women come to Him, clasp His feet and worship Him)
Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.[63] (Again, He reminds them to tell the disciples to meet Him at Galilee)
6. AT THE DISCIPLES’ PLACE (second time after returning from the second visit to the tomb)
MARY MAGDALENE tells those who have been with JESUS and who are mourning and weeping.[64]
MARY MAGDALENE
I have seen the Lord![65]
And she tells them that JESUS said these things to her.[66] When they hear that JESUS is alive and that she has seen Him, they do not believe it.[67] The other women then return to tell the disciples that they have seen JESUS and to give them His message.[68]
7. THAT SAME DAY, JESUS appears in a different form to two disciples while they were on the way to Emmaus. They return at once to Jerusalem to report it to the eleven and those with them.[69]
THE ELEVEN AND THE OTHERS
(They did not believe the women’s report, yet in apparent confusion, they are saying)It’s true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon Peter.[70] (The gospels do not specify when Jesus appeared to Peter, except that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene and that Jesus told the other women to tell His disciples to meet Him at Galilee. It is not written that Peter or any of the disciples went to Galilee to meet Jesus as they were instructed to, but it is written that they remained in Jerusalem.)
Then the TWO DISCIPLES tell what had happened on the way, and how JESUS was recognised by them when He broke the bread. But the apostles and the others do not believe them either.[71] SUDDENLY, JESUS appears to the ELEVEN and those with them as they are eating and talking about this.
JESUS CHRIST
(Standing among them) Peace be with you.[72]
JESUS CHRIST
(He rebukes them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who have seen Him after He had risen)[73] Why are you frightened? Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at My hands. Look at My feet. You can see that it’s really Me. Touch Me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.
(As He speaks, He shows them His hands and His feet. Still they stand there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder.) Do you have anything here to eat?[74]
They give Him a piece of broiled fish, and He eats it in their presence.[75] Only then do the DISCIPLES believe, and they are overjoyed.[76]
Indeed, it is not a small thing to be the first person in all eternity to see, talk to and embrace the resurrected Christ. Why Mary Magdalene of all people? She was not family to Jesus. Nor was she one of the eleven apostles. So, what makes her special to the Lord?
To answer these questions, we have to go to John 12.7 where Mary, sister of Martha, anointed Jesus with perfume at a dinner given in Jesus’ honour. Yet before this, listen to Jesus’ words in Mark 4.24-25 NLT: “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given - and you will receive even more. To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Also read Matthew 11.15 and Luke 8.18 NLT so that you may begin to receive the understanding of Mary Magdalene. Then you can decide for yourself, whether Mary, sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene are in fact the same person.
The understanding of Mary Magdalene
After the Father gave to Peter the revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God,[77] but before the Father spoke to Peter, John and James on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus began to tell His disciples that He was going to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law. Jesus told them that He must be killed, but after three days rise again. Even though Jesus did not speak in parables but spoke plainly about this,[78] it is clear from their reactions that the twelve apostles did not truly understand.
Peter first reacted by taking Jesus aside and saying, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to You!”[79] But Jesus replied, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”[80] Jesus called Peter, “Satan.” How’s that for a rebuke?
In Matthew 17.22 and Mark 9.31, Jesus again told His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.”[81] It is written that the disciples were filled with grief. However, Luke 9.44-45 NLT provides a further perspective on the reaction of the disciples: “When everyone was marvelling at everything He was doing, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Listen to Me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of the enemies.’ But they didn’t know what He meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.”
Regarding Jesus’ words about His death, you must ask the Holy Spirit why its significance was hidden from the disciples. What made the disciples too afraid to ask Jesus? Were the heaviness of His words and the gravity of His destiny more than they could bear? Did their grief stop them from asking Jesus the harder questions? Did Jesus’ rebuke to Peter scare them from asking questions?
Or was it hardness of heart? Were the disciples distracted by the desire of other things? Were they too busy arguing among themselves which one of them would be the greatest, that they failed to hear and believe the urgency of Jesus’ words?[82] Couldn’t they hear the tone of Jesus’ voice, or see the expression on His face? Did they have personal ambitions or unrighteous desires? Were they too busy looking at themselves instead of taking Jesus at His word? Or were they simply not interested?
If you answer, “Yes,” do not condemn the early disciples because you may be at the same place in your heart. Jesus said, “Yes, I am coming soon.”[83] Have you believed in the truth of His words? Do you speak and act and live your life in accordance with the urgency of the Father’s plan for Jesus’ return to reign? Or do you think, “Jesus has been gone for so long. If He wanted to be back, He would be back by now”?
When we distract ourselves, we become complacent, indifferent and even ungrateful. When we become complacent and indifferent, we do not listen to Jesus and the Holy Spirit carefully. And even if we listen to Them, we hide the meaning of Their words from ourselves because the truth is not in us.
Imagine: The Lord told His disciples He was soon to suffer a horrific death in the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law,[84] yet they turned around and argued about who would be the greatest. Not who is the greatest among them, but who would be the greatest. Were they already vying for the place of honour in the synagogues after Jesus died? Did they love praises from men more than praises from God? We all have this trait in us, albeit to varying degrees. Therefore, be earnest, repent, and forgive one another.
So when did the disciples finally understand? If they had understood at the Lord’s prescribed time, would anything have been different at that time? And what about the church today? Do we understand Jesus’ words, even in retrospect? Because there was one woman who heard, believed and understood Jesus’ words in the light of love. She was forgiven of much, and she loved much. And if the church understood too, it would, at this eleventh hour, be prioritising to prepare itself and the world for the return of the Christ, just as Mary, sister of Martha, used the jar of pure nard to anoint Jesus and to prepare for His burial.
How can I say that Mary, sister of Martha, was a disciple who truly heard, believed and understood God’s word?[85] Because wisdom is proved right by its actions and is shown to be right by its results.[86]
It is written, after Lazarus was raised back to life, Jesus was at the home of Lazarus where Mary, his sister, took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet with it, and she wiped His feet with her hair.[87] Then she broke open the jar and poured the perfume over His head.[88] The fragrance of the perfume permeated the whole house.[89] The gospels of Matthew and Mark do not identify the woman as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, but the gospel of John does. It is written in John 11.2-3 NLT: “This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.”
We can be certain that Matthew 26, Mark 14 and John 12 record this same event based on the identical response from Jesus to His disciples, and the others who were present, in particular, Judas Iscariot. They took offence and asked indignantly, “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”[90] But Jesus replied, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me. When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”[91]
Why did Mary, sister of Martha, anoint Jesus with perfume? How did she know to use the perfume at the dinner, when she was saving it to anoint her Lord’s body for burial? What motivated her to do so? What words of Jesus did she treasure in her heart that she went forth with such actions? We know she was someone who heard God’s word, believed it, and clung to it and to Jesus.
Was Mary, sister of Martha, a woman familiar to suffering? We know she a woman who buried her brother in sorrow, only to witness Jesus bring him back to life with three words, “Lazarus, come out!”[92] But what had inspired her to obstinately sit at Jesus’ feet to listen with undivided attention to what He said, and even ignore rebukes from her own sister, Martha?[93]
What about Mary Magdalene? Unless we humble ourselves for the Holy Spirit to show us, how can we even begin to understand Mary Magdalene, a young woman who suffered under the possession of seven demons, but was delivered by Jesus when He shone His light on her?[94] What does it do to a woman who had experienced such darkness, but then to be forgiven, loved, accepted and taught by Jesus Christ? What was it that she had done that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit had chosen her to be the first one whom Jesus would appear to after His resurrection?
Why am I talking about this?
It is because the inspiration and understanding we take from the accounts of Mary, sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene is such a personal matter. It is true that some are offended by speculation of the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, even though there is nothing written in the gospels that suggest the relationship was unholy. There is also nothing written in the gospels that unequivocally ties Mary Magdalene and Mary, sister of Martha, to be the same person. The Lord has hidden this, but not without clues. So it takes careful reading on our part to receive understanding.
Interestingly, it is not recorded that Mary, sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene ever appeared with Jesus at the same time and place, even though they both followed Jesus so closely. Luke 8.2-3 tells us that Mary Magdalene followed Jesus after her deliverance and helped support Him and the twelve. To understand that they are the same woman means that after she was delivered, she left the lakeside city of Magdala where she had lived and from where she had taken her name, to live with her sister, Martha, and brother, Lazarus, at Martha’s home in Bethany.
I believe that Mary, sister of Martha, and Mary Magdalene are the same person. I also believe that Mary Magdalene is the fulfilment of the words of the Prophet Jeremiah: “The Lord will create a new thing on Earth – a woman will surround, go about seeking and protect a man.”[95] For that is what she did.
It is more important to consider the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the perspective of discipleship, than as between male and female. If we consider it in the light of the Father’s command to listen to Jesus, it is evident that Mary Magdalene was a careful listener of Jesus. It is also evident that Mary Magdalene appreciated Jesus. She did what she could for Him: She heard and believed His words, followed Him, anointed His body, stayed around after He died, returned to His tomb very early on the first possible day, and looked for His body at the tomb when it wasn’t found. Then when He met her, she immediately obeyed His instructions to tell His disciples that He was returning to His Father and their Father, to His God and their God.[96] So, the common thread between the accounts of Mary Magdalene and Mary, sister of Martha, is that they both heard, believed and obeyed, and both did more than was expected of them.
If we cannot even appreciate Mary Magdalene in her listening to Jesus and putting her understanding into practice when she anointed His body for burial, what business do we have probing into their relationship and making speculations that have nothing to do with the revelations of the Holy Spirit? Many make the mistake of preaching or teaching about the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and in so doing, show no respect either for Jesus or Mary Magdalene, the first disciple of Jesus, who listened, believed and obeyed. Nor do they understand that Mary’s passion for Jesus rose out of her gratitude for the forgiveness and love she was given, which had healed the pain she had suffered, making her a new creation.
Although not everyone goes through the same suffering as Mary Magdalene did, we all have the ability to listen to Jesus at the standard to which we are called. Listening to Jesus is a calling that is open to all believers. If you listen closely to Jesus and treasure His words in your heart with faith, you can also apply the understanding to do beautiful things for Jesus yourself.
It is at this point of the chapter that the Holy Spirit showed me that I am to stop writing about Mary Magdalene. Instead this chapter will continue as follows…
The Delight of an Overcomer
“But the world must learn that I love the Father
and that I do exactly what My Father has commanded Me.”[97]
To the seven churches, Jesus told John the apostle to write seven letters on a scroll with everything he saw, what was then and what was to come, and send it to the seven churches.[98] The letters list Jesus’ approvals, rebukes and corrections for each church, as well as the rewards for overcomers within each group:
1. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of God.[99]
2. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.[100]
3. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.[101]
4. To him who overcomes and does My will to the end, I will give authority over the nations - ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ - just as I have received authority from My Father. I will also give him the morning star.[102]
5. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and His angels.[103]
6. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the Temple of My God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the Name of My God and the Name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of Heaven from My God; and I will also write on him My new Name.[104]
7. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.[105]
As John the apostle saw the vision of the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God in Revelation 21.6, the Father said, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”
The word “overcomer” appears as “everyone who is victorious” in the NLT. At the end of every letter in Revelation 2-3, Jesus commanded the seven churches: “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.”[106]
What are disciples of Jesus called to overcome, conquer and be victorious over, just as Jesus overcame, conquered and was victorious over? Is it any surprise that we must listen and understand all that the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches in order to have knowledge of what we are to overcome, the understanding of its purpose and wisdom on how to overcome? Without the Holy Spirit, how would we understand the “who, what, when, why and how” of overcoming?
What we need to overcome
The first focus of overcoming is the degree of power, which determines the control you have over situations. An overcomer is not defenceless and powerless. Even when weak, he can rise up to attack or defend to conquer and overcome all that stands between him and his goal.
So what are disciples of Jesus to overcome?
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8.35-39 that in all these things, that is, trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. For this is the power of the love of Christ: “Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all Creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The power of the love Jesus has for the Father since before the beginning of the Creation of the world ensured His victory in overcoming all trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword that He had to face. It ensured His success in executing the command that the Father gave Him. Jesus laid down His life, only to take it up again. No one took His life from Him, but He laid it down of His own accord. He had authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command He received from His Father.[107] Jesus said that all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Him.[108]
This brings us to the second focus of overcoming, which is authority. The Lord your God is the Sovereign Lord. There is no other God but Him. No angel or demon or man has the ability to do anything and succeed unless God permits it. Satan attacked Job with the express permission of the Lord.[109] Saul was tormented by an evil spirit sent from the Lord.[110] Joshua was able to defeat the Amorites at Gibeon with great victory because the Lord said, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”[111] King David was able to overtake the Amalekites and defeat them only because the Lord said, “Pursue them. You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”[112]
However, recall the time when Moses sent some Israelite men at the Lord’s command to explore Canaan for forty days. Moses said to the men, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” When the men returned to the camp, they gave this report to Moses, “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” Then the other ten men who had gone up with Caleb and Joshua said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”[113]
This report caused the Israelites to complain against the Lord who delivered them out of Egypt. Egypt was the strongest nation of that time, and it was brought down with great signs and miracles administered by two old men with a wooden staff. Because the Israelites’ hearts were hard and stubborn, they did not understand that their deliverance was the will of the Lord. They did not learn to trust in God, but said ungratefully, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” Then they said something so offensive that it angered the Lord and brought about their fate in the desert: “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”[114]
So the Lord said, “How long will these people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?”[115] Since the Israelites preferred to die in the desert than to trust in the Lord that He would take them into the land of Canaan as God had promised Abraham,[116] He pronounced judgment on them. The Lord said, “As surely as I live, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: In this desert your bodies will fall - everyone of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against Me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But you - your bodies will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. For forty years - one year for each of the forty days you explored the land - you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have Me against you. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against Me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die.”[117]
When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. “We have sinned,” they said. “We will go up to the place the Lord promised.” But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed! Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, for the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, He will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.” Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp. Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.[118]
This event shows how important it is to have the Lord with you. Success is ensured when we are carrying out His will in His prescribed way and timing. However, faithful love to the Lord and steadfast obedience to His commands are more important than the success that is ensured in His Name. Otherwise, disciples may abuse the authority given to them by Jesus, and forget the purpose for which they were given power and authority.
These are the three things that Jesus gave His disciples authority over:
1. Just as Jesus has the authority on Earth to forgive sins,[119] He gave His disciples the authority to forgive sins. He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.”[120] Jesus commanded us to practise forgiving our brothers and our enemies when they sin against us. A disciple exercises His authority to forgive the sins of those who persecute and insult him, and to overcome unforgiveness and bitterness in the churches. We are to practise forgiving so that our Father in Heaven may also forgive our sins. Remember Jesus said in His earlier teachings to His disciples, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”[121] Jesus referred to two types of persecution. The first one carries with it a blessing, because you suffer due to your faith in Jesus. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”[122] The second type of persecution occurs purely because of your own self. On this, Jesus taught, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven.”[123] Jesus said that loving your enemies means to pray for them and bless them. He asked, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”[124] So in the same way, if you only bless and pray for your loved ones, what reward will you get? Does not the world already do that? How then will the world learn through the churches that the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins is set apart as the superior covenant?
The command to forgive is the mirror provision of the command to repent. For believers and disciples of Jesus Christ whose sins are forgiven under the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins, our primary duty is to practise unceasing repentance and forgiveness. The church is not a place where we are meant to feel good about ourselves, be entertained, or feel justified in the eyes of God because of the little time or thought we give to the Lord, as if we are throwing God Almighty a bone when we believe in Jesus. No, God does not need us to do Him any favours. Out of stones He can raise up children for Abraham.[125] Rather, we are the ones who need His grace. A church must be a place where all who walk in feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit because that church listens and understands what the Holy Spirit is saying to them. It must be a place where people know that Jesus our Saviour has forgiven our sins.
Know for certain that the church sins when it does not obey Jesus’ commands to repent, believe all His words or forgive one another as Jesus has forgiven us. Why do we do such things? Though we may believe that the Father sent His only begotten Son to save the world, we do not believe in all His Son’s words, therefore we do not believe in Him. So we busy ourselves by practising the laws of Moses and the judgment of James rather than obeying the laws of Jesus. We should be listening to Jesus first and foremost and with the utmost delight in honour of the Father. Therefore, let us repent unceasingly with the requisite attitude of repentance, “Be earnest and repent;” “Be zealous and repent;” and “Be diligent and turn from your indifference.”[126]
2. Jesus gave His disciples authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. He said to His twelve apostles, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.”[127] However, this is not the same for believers. There is a difference between the Lord doing a miracle for you, and you being entrusted with His power to do a miracle for the Lord at your own will. This difference is in the maturity of a disciple, and thus his trustworthiness. It is important to understand the difference between believers and disciples in this respect. For believers, Jesus commanded His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all Creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My Name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”[128] The fact that such signs accompany believers does not mean that they are doing it by their own authority. Understand the relationship between Matthew 10.8, Mark 16.17 and Matthew 28.19. When we preach the Gospel to a person, and he repents and believes in Jesus’ Name, he should be able to drive out demons, speak in new tongues (languages), pick up snakes and drink deadly poison without being harmed; and place his hands on the sick and they will get well, because that is what Jesus said. These are signs that confirm their faith in Jesus when they are baptised with the Holy Spirit as “new-borns” in Christ. This is the joint testimony of the Holy Spirit and believers who have become “trainee” disciples. For Jesus also said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”[129] This means that after believers receive Jesus by faith, the churches are to bring them to Jesus for baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and teach all believers to listen to Jesus by reading His words and putting them into practice, so that they may hold onto Jesus’ teachings and grow under the supervision of the Holy Spirit as disciples. A sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is that they will speak in the new languages Jesus said they would speak in. Then as part of their training in discipleship, they will be entrusted with a degree of God’s power to exercise the authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. Therefore, a church should consist of believers and disciples, with all believers being made into disciples. They would be in different stages of growth and maturity, but they are all following Jesus and listening to Him and the Holy Spirit, so that they may carry out the will of the Father for Jesus.
So the question is: Have you listened to Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Can you be entrusted with power? If so, how much of it? Remember, Jesus said from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.[130]
3. Jesus said to His disciples (the seventy-two), “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”[131] The same verse in the NLT is written as: “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them.” The power of the enemy is deception. The authority to overcome that power and to tread on snakes and scorpions is also for our protection as we are being sent out into the harvest fields to establish the Kingdom of God as we preach the Gospel, heal the sick and drive out demons by the Spirit of God.
If you desire to be an overcomer in Christ, you must understand these two things: The practice of mastering sin and the image of an overcomer.
Mastering sin
The command to master sin was given from the Father to Cain, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”[132] The same verse in the NLT is written as: “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
Firstly, to master sin, we must know and understand what sin is. Believers and disciples of Jesus Christ live under the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins. Under this covenant, sin is not defined by the Law of Moses, because Jesus fulfilled the Levitical Law and the Prophets as well as their law.[133] But for us, sin is defined by the Law of Jesus, and is unbelief in Jesus and His words. The Law of Jesus is all the decrees, commands and regulations given by Jesus. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Law of Jesus is the way, the truth and the life for us to obey so that we can come to the Father. The authority of the Law of Jesus exceeds that of the Levitical Law and the Law of Moses,[134] because the Father commanded the disciples of Jesus to listen to Jesus. Sin is the disobedience against the regulations, commands and decrees of God. If the Father did not command disciples of Jesus to listen to Jesus, it would not be a sin against the Father to follow the words of Moses. And why do you suppose the Holy Spirit only reminds us of everything that Jesus said?[135]
So for a believer or disciple of Jesus, sin is not just about a moral code of behaviour. Under the Law of Jesus in the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins, sin is defined as unbelief in Jesus. Jesus said, “When He comes, He (the Counsellor) will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin … in regard to sin because men do not believe in Me.”[136]
I am, of course, not talking about conduct that is governed by the laws of men, for we are to obey the laws of the land until Jesus returns. After Jesus returns, the government of the world will be on His shoulders.[137] Therefore, for a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, morality and immorality are judged according to the words of Jesus because all things have been committed to Him by the Father,[138] and all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Him.[139] For the church of Jesus Christ, sin is unbelief in Jesus. The disobedience against the words of Jesus, the failure to obey His commands, and the negligence in putting all His words into practice still counts as unbelief in Jesus, even if you call Him your Lord and Saviour. For if you had believed Him, you would have listened to Him and obeyed everything He commanded by putting His words into practice. It is that simple.
Jesus said that He came to fulfil the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms.[140] But the Father told the disciples to listen to Jesus, not to Moses or the prophets. Our failure to listen to Jesus is truly the reason why the overall state of the church is wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Therefore, understand that it is a sin to disbelieve or disobey any of the commands of Jesus. For example, the sin of adultery as defined by Jesus is looking at a woman lustfully.[141] It is a sin to call another man, “father,” for we only have one Father who is in Heaven.[142] It is a sin to swear by Heaven or Earth or by Jerusalem.[143] It is a sin to hate your enemies.[144] It is a sin to hold back forgiveness.[145] However, the only unforgivable sin is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.[146]
Five out of seven of the churches in Revelation 2-3 had committed specific sins against the Law of Jesus. They had failed to obey specific laws of Jesus that are recorded for us in the word of God.
1. To the angel of the church in Ephesus, Jesus said, “Yet I have this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”[147] Jesus first command to His disciples in regard to love is found in Matthew 5.43-48 NLT: “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in Heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is Perfect.” How can it be said that the first love of the church is the love of enemies, when Revelation 2.4 is written as follows in the NLT: “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love Me or each other as you did at first”? How do you reconcile these words of Jesus?
This is the truth: When fellow disciples fail to obey Jesus’ command to love one another as He has loved us, we become enemies with each other within the church. We become our own worst enemy.
2. The church in Smyrna did not receive a rebuke from Jesus. He gave them this encouragement because of the persecutions they suffered, “I know your afflictions and your poverty - yet you are rich!”[148] They are rich for Jesus’ rewards await them: “Blessed are the poor in spirit [or those who realise their need for Him[149]], for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [and justice[150]], for they will be filled.”[151]
3. To the church in Pergamum,[152] Jesus said He had a few things against her. Firstly, she had people who held onto the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Secondly, she has those who held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
The sin of Balaam is that he sold the favours of God for a fee. He was hired and paid by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balaam sacrificed bulls on altars so God would appear and answer his requests. This was the sorcery of Balaam. He sold the blessings and the curses of God for a fee for divination.
Sorcery is a practice of faith that only gives to receive and control. There is no love, but only the intent to take. Divination is the speaking out of that faith. The sin from the teaching (note: singular teaching) of Balaam, which this church was enticed to practise, is this: “Tithe to the church so that God may bless you; but if you don’t tithe, God will not and does not bless you.” What is this? Isn’t this a bribe? I was not aware that I should bribe my own Father. Therefore, the sin of Balaam in the church today is a form of sexual immorality of the spirit, where we religiously give a portion to God in return for God’s blessings as part of our worship, having a form of godliness but denying its power.[153]
Why is this a sin? Because the church in Pergamum disobeyed these words of Jesus: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former[154] … Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”[155] The shepherds of the church in Pergamum taught her people to hold onto the teaching of Balaam, which is to apply their faith in a way that bribes God to bless them. This is the attitude and act of manipulating God’s words for blessings in order to accomplish their own purposes. Therefore, both shepherds and the flock have sinned.
The second sin of the church in Pergamum is that she taught and held on to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. It is clearly written in Acts 6.5 that Nicolas was a convert to Judaism. Therefore, the teaching of the Nicolaitans is the conversion of believers and disciples of Jesus Christ back to Judaism, by way of including partial practice of the Law of Moses.
This is the spirit of Judaism. It aims to lead the church back into the kingdom of Israel where there is no salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, but only the act of atonement of sins by unending works. The spirit of Judaism in the church of Jesus Christ is a spirit of slavery. It is a conversion to mislead its people back into the slavery of the laws of the kingdom of Israel, instead of the freedom that the truth of Christ has given us. The spirit of Judaism led James and men from James to spread teachings in the church that combine the Law of Moses with the Law of Jesus, leading to the incomplete practice of either set of laws under their respective covenants.
The teaching of the Nicolaitans is a call for atonement of sins by works through partial observance of the Law of Moses to add to the perfection of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ through repentance. It is actually saying that faith in Jesus and listening to Him alone is somehow not sufficient. When a church does not practise and preach listening to Jesus first and foremost as its foundation, power and strength will be lost to that church. It will then resort to entertainment value and the powers of the world to maintain its reputation of being alive. But this is not the way it was supposed to be, nor the purpose for which the Holy Spirit was sent.
The church in Pergamum had sinned against these words of Jesus: “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News!”[156] Although this church has believed in Jesus, she has not believed in all the Goods News. For there were disciples who turned away from Jesus when the teachings became too hard.[157] If there were many then, why wouldn’t there be many in the churches now? For example, how many in the churches apply their faith to go to Heaven, rather than in Jesus’ words of John 11.26 that they would believe and live in Jesus, and never die?
In addition, the church in Pergamum did not obey Jesus’ command to teach all nations to obey everything He has commanded us, because she has people who hold onto the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.[158] That is why Jesus said in Revelation 2.16, “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” He will come soon to fight against her teachings and lies with the sword of His Truth. Jesus is the Truth and He brings the sword, which is His word. Therefore repent for we have not preached repentance nor tithed in accordance with the words of Jesus.
4. To the church in Thyatira, Jesus said, “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.”[159] The sin of Jezebel against Israel is that she urged her husband, Ahab, the king of Israel, to worship idols.[160] Jezebel was the daughter of a Sidonian king.[161] She was a false, self-proclaimed prophetess and Baal worshipper. The Lord did not send her. The Lord said in Jeremiah 23.16 that false prophets speak their own mind, and not words from the mouth of the Lord. By their lies, they fill listeners with false hope of righteousness through works from false doctrines, rather than the truth that it is by God’s grace alone that we are saved.[162] For no one is righteous apart from Jesus Christ, the Way through whom we receive the gift of righteousness, and He is the only one who we listen to and obey.[163]
Jezebel teaches the mirror image of Balaam’s teachings – pious poverty for the sake of godliness yet denying it of its power. Her sexual immorality is that she falsely teaches celibacy as holiness without the gift from God to be a eunuch. Jesus said about marriage in Matthew 19.11-12, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the Kingdom of Heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.” Jezebel’s teachings give rise to false sense of holiness. For holiness is not about appearances, nor about “do’s and don’ts”. Holiness is setting yourself apart for Jesus by listening to Him and the Holy Spirit only, believing in all of Jesus’ words and putting them into practice with patience and perseverance, so that you may come to know and honour Them. The church in Thyatira was led astray by eating and practising teachings of false holiness. This is idolatry within the church.
The sin of the church in listening to the teaching of Jezebel is the disobedience against this command of Jesus: “Be careful. Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”[164] By her hypocrisy, the church fell into adultery with the false teaching of the false prophetess. What is the true prophecy about this church? Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”[165]
Therefore be on your guard against every teaching of dead works and beliefs that lead you away from listening to Jesus and worshipping the Father in spirit and truth, as well as preparing for the return of Jesus. Jesus must find faith when He returns. But how would you be able to discern the truth from false teachings unless you have been listening to Jesus carefully in the first place? Therefore be earnest and repent, for Jesus told us to consider carefully how we listen.[166] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches and to each of us as He counsels us in the way, the truth and the life that is of Jesus.
5. To the church in Sardis, Jesus said, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent.”[167]
The church in Sardis disobeyed John 11.25-26. In the NLT version, Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” Martha busied herself with dinner preparations, while her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet to listen intently to Him. Jesus knew Martha’s deeds, and they were not complete in the sight of His God.
How are the deeds of the church incomplete? There is John 6.66 in us when Jesus’ teachings are too hard and offensive, and we choose to ignore them or walk away from Jesus. The church is meant to walk the narrow road with faith and knowledge in all of Jesus’ deeds and words. And the church should listen to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and then practise all the words of Jesus under the supervision of the Holy Spirit, such as praying to the Father in secret[168] but agreeing with one another when we are together.[169] Listen, then do. This is Mary and Martha combined in the correct sequence.
There was another time when the disciples of Jesus could not stay awake to keep watch with Jesus. On the night before going to the cross, Jesus said to Peter, James and John, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” But Jesus found them sleeping and He said, “Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”[170]
If a church does not stay awake or wake up, she cannot keep watch with Jesus. She has failed to obey this command of Jesus, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”[171] No wonder Jesus said to the church in Sardis, “But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”[172] Jesus will come like a thief. He said so in Revelation 16.15, “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” But there are a few in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with Jesus, dressed in white, for they are worthy. I propose that as Jesus has those who are worthy to walk with Him, He will receive even more, more than enough - an abundance! Amen?[173]
If we do not believe that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and that we who live and believe will never die, and live this faith today, we will fall asleep and be dead because we will not be focused on the return of Jesus. Then we are not fully acknowledging the privilege of the first resurrection, and we are not striving to enrich our testimony of Jesus and the word of God so that we may lose our heads for Jesus and be able to refuse the mark of the beast when it comes. Therefore repent if you have rejected the fullness of the truth by only believing in John 11.25,[174] but shy away from John 11.26[175] because it seems too impossible. Everything is possible for him who believes![176] These are not my words, but Jesus’ words. So how do you apply your faith?
6. The church in Philadelphia did not receive a rebuke from Jesus since she kept His command to endure patiently.[177] Her overcomers will earn this reward, “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the Temple of My God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the Name of My God and the Name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of Heaven from My God; and I will also write on him My new Name.”[178] Jesus said that the church in Philadelphia had little strength, but she kept His word and did not deny His Name. Thus she fulfilled these words of Jesus, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”[179]
The synagogue of Satan, who claimed to be Jews, but were liars, persecuted the church in Philadelphia. Perhaps they said this to the church in Philadelphia to attack their faith, “If Jesus loves you so much, why does He allow you to suffer?” In return, Jesus said that He would make those liars, those fake Jews, fall at her feet and acknowledge that Jesus loved the people of this church. Why? Because the synagogue of Satan had been spreading lies that Jesus did not love the people of this church, even though she had kept His command to endure patiently. So Jesus will vindicate His own words, “Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him.”[180] Therefore repent for we have not obeyed Jesus by rejoicing when we are persecuted because of our faith in Him.
7. To the church in Laodicea, Jesus said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of My mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”[181]
This church claimed to be rich because it disobeyed these words of Jesus in Matthew 6.24, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” She was neither hot nor cold because her deeds were founded on a split loyalty between serving God and money. This deception can be so deep that the split loyalty merges into a lukewarm attitude towards the Lord and the urgency of His return.
More importantly, the church in Laodicea did not honour the truth of Jesus’ words to His disciples, “If you love your father or mother more than you love Me, you are not worthy of being Mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than you love Me, you are not worthy of being Mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of being Mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for Me, you will find it.”[182] Because the church in Laodicea did not put aside her home, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children and fields for Jesus, she thought that she was rich and she did not need a thing. Yet Jesus said, “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the Earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!”[183]
Luke 14.26 in the NLT adds a further perspective, “If you want to be My disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison - your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be My disciple.” If your following Jesus doesn’t come at a personal price (a price first paid by Christ in grace) – or if you did not let go or harden your heart towards something or someone precious so that you can seek first the kingdom of our Father and His righteousness - or if you did not live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern[184] - or if you did not regain something from the Lord that you thought was lost forever, be it your health or a hope fulfilled - or if your faith in Jesus costs you nothing - if you are never challenged to advance, nor had to rise to an occasion due to your faith in Jesus – or if you have never experienced failures in your practice of Jesus’ words so that you may repent and persevere, you will become lukewarm and lack passion. Why? Because you will not appreciate what you have received from Jesus. There is no sense of urgency for the Lord’s return. If everything in your life does not make you ache for Jesus to return to reign on Earth, how would He be at the forefront of your thoughts, speech and actions?
It makes perfect sense that Jesus taught us to give up and hate our father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even our own life, by comparison. By comparison to what? To the kingdom of our Father and His righteousness. Yet, did not Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the Gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.”[185]
We wish, crave and diligently seek things we need and desire, and our Heavenly Father knows it.[186] But if we do not cast our desires and plans aside for a time to seek first the Kingdom of God and the Father’s righteousness, how can the Father give them to us, and a hundred times as much in this present age and in the age to come? Even though it may sound harsh that Jesus said to give up or hate our family by comparison, never forget that the Father, Son and Spirit are “family Men”. Always look at it from the perspective of the benefit of the Kingdom of God, and always remember that you have a very generous and loving Father who will never forsake you. So how do you honour the perfect Father who would never forsake you? By going after your own dreams and putting His on hold? Or do you honour your Father by losing your life for His plans and desires for His Son Jesus? For those who overcome themselves and their life will sit with Jesus on His throne to reign with Him.
Without the urgency of the soon arrival of Jesus and the importance of remembering that the Father desires none to be lost except those doomed for destruction, your faith may become a casual relationship, a part-time worship and a lacklustre fellowship. It may be without delight in striving to overcome all that is on your plate. It may be without pleasure in the freedom of faith, and without treasuring everything that you were given so as to become a son or daughter of God in the Kingdom of God. For, it is the arrival of Christ that is the most anticipated event on your Father’s mind, not your entry into Heaven.
And so it was, it is, and it will be. In any case, we must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, because Jesus our King, our Brother and our Life, is arriving soon in Jerusalem. “The time promised by God has come at last! The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”[187]
To all churches who gather in the Name of Jesus Christ and are willing to hear, listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches: Now fear the Lord Jesus and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the teachings of your forefather James from the Law of Moses, and listen to the Lord Jesus only. But if listening to Jesus seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will listen to, whether it be the teachings of the forefathers of the church in the land you are living in or the Law of Moses.
It should be clear by now that for a believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, mastering sin means to master any disobedience against the words of Jesus. Under the New Covenant, Jesus defined sin as unbelief in Him. So sin can only be mastered by the words of Jesus and by obeying His commands. Jesus’ blood was poured out for many for the forgiveness of all sins except the eternal sin, which is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 15.29, James advised the Gentiles that they would do well to avoid food sacrificed to idols, blood, the meat of strangled animals and sexual immorality. However, if you listen to Jesus, it would be better to only avoid the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And it would be best to master sin through the practice of righteousness by believing Jesus and obeying the Law of Jesus. What is the mastery of the words of Jesus? It is when you believe, know and understand His words, and you practise, teach them, and live their truth for the sole purpose of advancing the interests of Jesus and His kingdom.
Church: Can you tell the difference between the words of James and the words of Jesus? We, who call Jesus our Lord and Saviour, have no business listening to anyone else if we do not listen to Jesus first and foremost. We have no business quoting the words of Moses, James or Paul, or anyone else, unless we can first quote the words of Jesus flawlessly.
James said, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”[188] Yet Jesus said, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”[189]
James said, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Hell.”[190] Yet Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”[191]
James said, “Faith without deeds is dead.”[192] Yet Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe … Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”[193] We were not saved by our deeds, but by our faith.
James said, “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the Name of the Lord.”[194] Yet Jesus said to His disciples, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons[195] … And these signs will accompany those who believe: In My Name … they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”[196]
I am merely marking out the differences between the teachings of James and the teachings of Jesus. It is of course your choice to listen to Jesus or to James. You may even listen to both, but at least know where your loyalty lies because there is a difference. If you can tell the difference between the words of Jesus and the words of other men, you will understand why Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light.[197] It is definitely easier and lighter to practise only Jesus’ words and deeds than to practise selected commands of the Levitical Law, mixed in with a few verses of Jesus and the Epistles. You lose sight of where you stand! Even the apostle Peter thought so. He said at the council at Jerusalem to the Pharisees who were zealous for the Law of Moses, “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?”[198]
Under the Law of Jesus in the New Covenant, there are only two sins. Firstly, there is the sin of unbelief in Jesus. For the condemned, it is unbelief in His Name – the name of God’s one and only Son. For believers and disciples, the sin of unbelief in Jesus is unbelief which leads to disobedience against Jesus in the failure to put all His words in practice. If we do not believe even just one of His words, then we have not fully believed in Him, because partial belief is, in truth, unbelief. Secondly, there is the eternal sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Compare this to the Law of Moses. No wonder Jesus said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light! This is purely by the Father’s grace through the covenant with His Son.
Just as it is a delight for believers and disciples to witness the words of Jesus coming true for them, it is also a delight for the Father to see us persevering in our faithful practice of His Son’s words, despite our setbacks and failures. To God, your faithfulness is more valuable than your success because your faithfulness to Jesus honours Him. So what do you have to lose in putting Jesus’ words into practice exclusively? Absolutely nothing! If you can accept that the Lord has a standard to which the churches are called to listen to Jesus, and that we have failed to meet that standard, yet you go forth and listen to Jesus today, you will begin to see how petty and irrelevant some churches are when they focus on issues that have nothing to do with the urgency of preparing for Jesus’ soon arrival. It is futile to cover up our lack of full power with great shows and charitable banquets, and send our children on outreach missions without the full armour of the power of the Holy Spirit that was provided for disciples. So where is the church of Jesus Christ with full power and strength? For the church with full power is one where each believer and disciple listens to Jesus individually and to the Holy Spirit collectively to prepare for Jesus’ return to reign upon the Earth.
The image and likeness of the overcomer
The image and likeness of an overcomer helps us understand where or who we came from, and what Jesus came to save. God said, “Let Us make man in Our Image, in Our Likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the Earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”[199] God created human beings in His Own Image. In the Image of God He created them; male and female He created them.[200] God’s Image is what the Father, Son and Spirit imagined and created for Themselves, and God’s Likeness is who They are.
It is written about Jesus in Hebrews 1.3-4: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. So He became as much superior to the angels as the Name He has inherited is superior to theirs.” In the NLT, the same verse is written as: “The Son radiates God’s Own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honour at the right hand of the majestic God in Heaven. This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the Name God gave Him is greater than their names.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.[201] God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.[202] Through Him [Jesus, the Word] all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.[203] The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth, unfailing love and faithfulness.[204]
The Word is full of grace and truth. The image in which God created mankind is not just our face or the way we look. Our image is flesh, spirit and soul. Do not construe image in the worldly way by judging by mere appearance. Have you ever asked the Lord, “What is man that You are so mindful of him? Why do You even care?” God cares because God sowed Their Image and Likeness into us. As He said in Isaiah 48.11, “For My Own sake, for My Own sake, I do this. How can I let Myself be defamed? I will not yield My glory to another.”
What is the Image that God created us in? What is Their Image and Likeness?
You must look to Jesus if you want to understand the Image and Likeness of the Father, the Son and the Spirit. Man’s flesh, spirit and soul are made in God’s Image and Likeness, for we were created in the flesh, which contains the spirit and soul. And it is written that Jesus came full of grace and truth, unfailing love and faithfulness – this is a good place to start when seeking the Holy Spirit for understanding.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Being made in the Image of God sets us apart from the fish, the birds, the livestock and the wild animals, which we were meant to have authority and dominion over. It even sets us apart from those of the spiritual realm because God specifically said, “Let Us make man in Our Image, in Our Likeness.” He did not say, “Let Us make sons in Our Image,” because angels are also referred to as “sons of God” in the Bible.
Who knows the power of God, except the One who said, “Let there be light,”[205] and there was? Who understands the power of God, except the One who said, “Lazarus, come forth,”[206] and he lived again? Who said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed,” and the centurion’s servant was healed at the precise time of His words?[207] Who said to the storm, “Hush, be still,” and the wind became perfectly calm? [208] So who on Earth can understand the glory of the Word who became flesh, unless the Holy Spirit of Grace is pleased to guide them into ALL truth? And how can we even begin to ask the harder questions and bear the hardest teachings, unless we have listened to Jesus and have been brought to a place of refining maturity by the Holy Spirit, so that we are able to hold on to what we have, despite any failure or success?
Think about the gravity and seriousness of God making man in His Image. Think about why it was justified in God’s eyes to put an end to all people at a time when the sons of God (that is, the angels[209]) had children with the daughters of women in Genesis 6, filling the world with violence and corrupting it with their wickedness. Is God cruel? Or rather, was it necessary because God could not allow the bloodline of Jesus Christ to be corrupted with vileness from the marriage of angels and humans, thereby destroying men made in the Image and Likeness of God, which He gave to us as a gift?
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, is the exact representation of God’s grace. Jesus, the Son of Man, is the exact representation of God the Father in the flesh. Can’t you hear the Father’s heart when He said, “How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call Me, ‘Father’ and not turn away from following Me.”[210] For what is land to God really, when He has an abundance of universes? What are new moon festivals and appointed feasts to Him, when He said they are a burden to Him?[211] And what does a sacrifice of fattened sheep and goats mean to the Lord Almighty, when He said the cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him?[212] The Lord said that He has no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.[213]
All these things are meaningless to God as long as His sons and daughters on Earth are in the land of wild living, squandering their inheritance and birthright for a bowl of stew that is not even real food.[214] And all the while, the sons and daughters who are working in the fields care more about keeping their share of the fattened calves and land than the Father whose neck is outstretched, looking out for His other sons and daughters who are a long way off, because He is waiting for them to come home through the Gate who is Jesus.[215] And some even have the audacity to say to the Lord about salvation, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for You and never disobeyed Your orders. These men who were hired last worked only one hour and You have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day. Why should someone who is saved at the eleventh hour be granted the same reward as I have believed for over these last ten years? I have been a Christian since birth!” Does this kind of conduct honour our Father, the Father of Jesus?
So the Father may say to you, “My son, you are always with Me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”[216] Or He may call you, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? … Or are you envious because I am generous? Take your pay and go.”[217] He may even say to you, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But this world has many people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about My world?”[218]And then you will realise in your naked shame that even though you had obeyed the Father when He said, “Son, go and work today in the vineyard,”[219] you had focused on the wrong things all along. You worked, but your attitude was not like the Son who is fully after the Father’s own heart. You were the son who worked in the field so that you could say to yourself, “I have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”[220] Your heart was far from honouring your Father. That is how we may be envious of God’s generosity. We think we will receive less out of our inheritance because God is generous. We care more about our birthright than the One who loved us so much that He gave us the right to become children of God by sacrificing His Son in ways we do not yet fully understand.
So let us be earnest and repent for this is our image as sons of Adam. We inherited the image of Adam and Eve, and we have always cared more about our inheritance than our Father and what He wanted. Jesus Christ, the Son, is the exact representation of God’s grace, and He expresses the character of God in the fullness of His grace. But are we a representation of God’s grace? Or are we a representation of our forefather Adam? It is written: When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.[221]
What is Adam’s image and likeness? The image of Adam is flesh with sin that leads to decay and death, and his inherent likeness is disobedience, ingratitude and blamefulness. If you blame Adam and Eve for disobeying the Lord and being kicked out of the Garden of Eden, you have just demonstrated the trait of blamefulness. We cannot condemn others for making mistakes because we could easily make the same mistakes in the same situation, if not worse.
One aspect of the image and likeness of Adam is ungratefulness, or “un-grace”. If Adam was grateful for the companion and helper God created for him, would he claim Eve by saying, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man”? And if Adam was grateful for all that he enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, would he defy the Lord’s command and eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? When he ate the fruit, did he repent? No, he blamed God for placing Eve in the Garden of Eden, “The woman You put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”[222] The likeness of Adam is “un-grace” and blamefulness. If you constantly blame someone else for your mistakes, you will never repent. If you don’t repent, you will never learn and change. If you don’t learn and change, you will always make the same mistakes. Then if you keep making the same mistakes from lack of repentance, how then can you master sin?
Church: We have failed to consistently acknowledge and testify in its fullness that we would have nothing if not for Jesus the Son. He is the Word who took on flesh to give His life as a ransom for many because He loves the Father and does exactly what the Father commands. We must be grateful and cheerfully thankful for the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins, for we are the beneficiaries of God’s grace and His joy in salvation. To show our appreciation and honour to God the Forgiver for this covenant, we must practise and preach unceasing repentance and forgiveness in Jesus’ Name. Forgiveness is what it takes to wipe out the original sin of man, so that the end would be the beginning. The beginning is the original intention God imagined for His Creation. So now, do you see that Jesus Christ is the exact representation of God’s grace? He said, “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save[223] … Here I am - it is written about Me in the scroll - I have come to do Your will, O God[224] … Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.[225] For I am My brother’s keeper.”
Therefore churches: Listen to Jesus. Continue to love your fellow disciples as Jesus has loved you. Praise God and repent for your failures and your weaknesses in doing so. Forgive one another. And freely give away the successes you have achieved so that they may be multiplied into the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God. Do not turn your heart away from your Father who waits patiently for His sons and daughters. Do not block your ears from the Holy Spirit who guides you into ALL truth. And do not take your eyes off Jesus, even for a second, because He who is full of grace says, “Yes, I am My brothers’ keeper,” and we must all learn from Jesus on how to honour the Father.
To summarise: God created man, male and female in His Image and Likeness. This Image and Likeness can only be seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Word who became flesh. He came from the Father full of grace and truth, unfailing love and faithfulness. We cannot look at our own image and likeness to determine God’s Image and Likeness because we fell from grace when Adam first sinned against God in disobeying His command.
Jesus is the exact representation of God’s grace. The fullness of grace in Jesus Christ is that He is His brothers’ keeper because He loves His Father and always does what the Father commands Him. As Jesus’ disciples, we are also doing exactly what the Father commanded us when we listen to Jesus.
Jesus is our Saviour. He overcame the world for He is the Light of the World.[226] Crucifixion was no walk in the park, for Jesus is Man, but He overcame and conquered. So, for us to be the fullness of grace like Jesus, we must be our brothers’ keeper as well. We are to obey Jesus’ commands, including loving our enemies and our fellow disciples as Jesus has loved us. If we do not obey Jesus’ commands, how can we mature to be our Brother Jesus’ keeper, as surely as He is ours? Since He has come and He overcame so that we may have life and have it to the full, shouldn’t we then strive to stay alive and overcome so that when our Brother arrives, He not only finds many with faith on Earth, but many with more than faith?
Are you your Brother’s keeper? If so, do you know what you must overcome to make the truth manifest out of this mustard seed of desire?
The purpose of overcoming
At this point, has it crossed your mind to ask, “Why should I overcome? What am I to overcome? And when did Jesus say I should overcome?”
First of all, overcoming is an attitude and a mindset. It is a resolution and a decision you make for yourself. The commitment to that decision becomes your daily cross, and it calls for patient endurance and perseverance. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?”[227] Your daily cross is everything in your life and in your heart that you put aside to seek first the kingdom of the Father and His righteousness, and to do the will of the Father as a disciple of Jesus. This is the call of service. The hardest part to overcome is often ourselves, for we can be our worst enemy. Jesus said we cannot serve both God and money. The truth is, neither can we serve both God and our selfish desires. For disciples of Christ, it is one or the other. There is no middle ground, because the middle ground is not the narrow road. And it is only the narrow road that leads you to know the Father of Jesus, and to prepare for your King’s return to reign upon the Earth. The narrow road is God’s prescribed way because His ways are higher than our ways.
Jesus said that He gave us authority to overcome all the power of the enemy.[228] Earlier in this chapter are listed Jesus’ instructions in the seven letters to the seven churches where He also spoke of the twelve rewards for overcomers. These rewards are not about Heaven and Hell. They relate to eternal life, authority and kingship. The churches keep missing the point when they preach on Heaven and Hell. Heaven and Earth will pass away, and Hell will be emptied and thrown into the Lake of Burning Sulphur.[229] It is almost like attending a lecture on a set of laws that will soon be abolished. Shouldn’t we be teaching believers and disciples about rewards that are eternal?
Did you know that Jesus will give His rewards when He arrives with those who lost their heads for their testimony of Him and for the word of God? He said in Revelation 22.12, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” He will give the pleasant rewards of Revelation 2-3 to those who overcame in Him, and the unpleasant rebuke with its eternal consequences to those who did not listen to His voice and hold to His teaching, “I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!”[230] Re-read the twelve rewards of overcomers at the beginning of this chapter. Jesus the Overcomer will give these rewards to His overcomers:
1. The right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of God.[231]
2. To not be hurt at all by the second death.[232]
3. Some of the hidden manna; and
4. A white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.[233]
5. Authority over the nations; and
6. the morning star.[234]
7. To be dressed in white.
8. Their names will never be blotted out from the Book of Life. Jesus will acknowledge them before His Father and His Father’s angels.[235]
9. To be made a pillar in the Temple of Jesus’ God, and never again will they leave it (The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of New Jerusalem[236]);
10. to have written on them the Name of Jesus’ God and the Name of the city of Jesus’ God, the New Jerusalem; and
11. to also have written on them Jesus’ New Name.[237]
12. The right to sit with Jesus on Jesus’ throne.[238]
The “why” of overcoming is simple. We overcome for this reason alone: To honour and bring glory to the One who overcame the world and poured out His blood at the cross for the forgiveness of sins, because, for this we were spared. It is not about rewards or glamour. For there is no glamour in overcoming, there is only the glory of justice for Jesus. If you take up your daily cross as His disciple, you have put your hand to the plow. Therefore, repent if you keep looking back, so that you may be fit for service in the Kingdom of God.
We overcome purely for the love of Christ and the fire of justice for Jesus. There is no other way to dress up a reason why a person would put himself out there in patient endurance and perseverance to be an overcomer. Why take on the humbling challenges and suffering that discipleship brings, when you can just recline and live a “comfortable” life as a believer? Why hold to Jesus’ teachings if it means being persecuted and hated by the world because you no longer belong to the world?[239] The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3.10-12: “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” And the apostle John wrote: “I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us.”[240] These are words of an apostle of Jesus, not a believer.
This is the truth: You simply begin to take on the attitude of an overcomer when you are in love with Jesus and you want justice for Jesus. Then you begin to understand that the practice of overcoming is part of discipleship under the counsel of the Spirit of Grace, which is to make you eligible for the first resurrection to reign with Christ the King as His brother or sister. It is part of coming to know Christ Jesus through thick and thin. You just want to know Jesus and to be with Him, wherever He is. It is a simple yet burning desire. The attitude and willingness to lay down your life then becomes part of your relationship and growth in the Lord in everyday called today. Not later. Not when you are dead, nor in Heaven, nor after Judgment Day. It is today. And your attitude will be tested by the things you are to overcome in your personal life and your service before the Lord. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. However, if you do not have knowledge and understanding, how much more difficult would it be to stand firm in your faith?
This is when some people will say to you, “You have gone mad. Your faith is too extreme and you take Jesus’ words too far. There should be a balance between your ‘religion’ and your life.” But you look at them, and you think they are mad for not being so in love with Jesus and taking Him at His word, because Jesus is your life! So, what is a little sacrifice today when there is a hope and promise that you can be with Jesus in everyday called today? It is like giving up an apple to plant its seeds to gain an orchard later. Not that we focus on rewards, but we do know that the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit receive glory through their loving-kindness and generosity.
As to what we are to overcome, Jesus gave us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy. As it is written in the gospels, the power of the enemy is the only thing Jesus told His disciples to overcome. Overcoming the power of the enemy is more than driving out demons. Remember Jesus told His disciples not to rejoice that the demons submit to them, but rejoice because their names are written in Heaven.[241] So what does it mean?
Overcoming the power of the enemy
The power of the enemy is the power of Satan. It is the power of deception.
The tools of deception are lies, flattery and doubt. Satan uses these tools in our times of troubles, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, dangers, sword, weaknesses, insults and difficulties. These are times when a person is at his weakest. These situations arise in our lives either from our disobedience, or from reaping what we have sown. They are either discipline by the Lord or disturbances by Satan’s demons, depending on where you stand with God, and whether you are in disobedience against the Father, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. How we overcome these situations depends on our repentance, faith, faithfulness, practice and understanding of Jesus’ words. It is when a man is at his weakest, that he should master sin rather than let sin rule over him. He must not remain in unforgiveness and un-repentance. Unrepented sins in our lives open an avenue for Satan’s demon workers to interfere with our lives. Because, when we have unrepented sins, we are in rebellion with Satan as his cohorts against God. That is why we must practise unceasing repentance and forgiveness, and respond quickly and correctly to the convictions of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gave us the authority to overcome the power of the enemy, which is deception, because we need to complete the tasks for which the church was sent into the world. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all Creation[242] … I have been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”[243] Disciples of Jesus were called to testify about Jesus and the Good News of the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins. But Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”[244] And He said, “Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I myself may be in them[245] … That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you. He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Mine.”[246] How are we going to know the Father unless Jesus makes Him know to us? Jesus is the Way to the Father, and the way to Jesus is opened to us by the Father because no one can come to Jesus unless the Father enables him.[247]
Church: There is a deception in the world that God the Father does not have a Son, who is Jesus. Yet the Father said that Jesus is His Son,[248] and Jesus has referred to Himself as the Son of God.[249] The world only knows that there is a God, but it does not know that we have a good Father, whom Jesus came to reveal to us. We must repent as we have failed to testify with Jesus about the Father. By our failure, we have made Jesus and the Father out to be a liar in the sight of the world. We have not overcome this deception by coming to know the Father through Jesus, nor have we destroyed the deception by our testimony that is accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit.
How do you propose we solve this problem? How do we overcome this deception? And if you are keen to solve the problem with the Holy Spirit, don’t you have to listen to Jesus? He is the Son who the Father commanded you to listen to. And He is the only one who knows the Father. How else would you come to know the Father if you do not listen to Jesus? And if you do not know the Father, how are you going to testify about Him to vindicate Jesus, who is the Truth? If the church cannot even overcome the deceptions in its midst, how can it overcome the deception that is in the world? How are you going to exercise the authority to overcome the power of the enemy if you do not even know the truth? So now, where is your sword of truth? Where do you stand?
The secret power of lawlessness that Paul wrote about is the rebellion that is brewing in the spiritual realm. It will manifest in the physical at the coming of the false prophet. The false prophet is the second beast in Revelation 13. He is a man with two horns like a lamb, but he speaks like the dragon.[250] This means he speaks lies, for the devil is the father of lies. Paul described the false prophet as the “man of lawlessness”.
The false prophet is also the antichrist. Just as Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, the false prophet is the antichrist of all antichrists. The apostle John wrote: “The antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour … Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father and the Son.”[251] I say that the false prophet is the antichrist of all antichrists because he will be the antichrist displaying the most counterfeit signs and miracles. Yet it is not the signs, wonders and miracles that will set the false prophet apart from other people who deny Christ; it is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. This is what will make this antichrist the false prophet. The false prophet will commit the ultimate denial and betrayal of Christ by blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
To understand lawlessness, first understand that every sin under the Law of Moses can be atoned for. And every sin under the Law of Jesus can be forgiven, except for the eternal sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.”[252] In the same way, the AMP translates: “But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of an everlasting trespass.” No grace is available from God to forgive the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The blood of Christ will never cover this sin. These are the words of the Father that Jesus spoke.
What is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? It is the testimony of a disciple of Jesus Christ who will use that which he has received from the Holy Spirit to exalt and magnify himself over and above Jesus in the temple of God. When the false prophet receives the power of deception from the beast that first received it from the dragon, he will combine it with the powers of the coming age that he has received from the Holy Spirit, and turn it into a god – a god that is described in Daniel 11.38 as “a god unknown to his fathers.” At his full power, this man will deny that his powers of signs, wonders and miracles come from the Holy Spirit, but he will declare that they come from the power, throne and great authority of the first beast. It is abusive speech against the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit Himself counseled and trained up this man. And it is a malicious misrepresentation, because it is premeditated and purposed to lead the inhabitants of this Earth to worship and honour the dragon who gave authority to the beast in order to resist the return of Jesus Christ.[253]
As the writer explained in Hebrews 6.4-6: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the Heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted in the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” Why did the writer say that they are crucifying the Son of God all over again? Because the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins, which was sealed by the blood of Jesus, never provided for the forgiveness of the eternal sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. If this sin was to be forgiven, though it will not, Jesus would have to be crucified all over again to “pay” for this sin. But this shall never be.
The false prophet will say un-heard of things against the God of gods, and if you have not been listening to Jesus at the standard to which you are called, you will be deceived. Paul wrote: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”[254] This is the Lord giving them over to the evil desires of their hearts. And this prophecy will be fulfilled: “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”[255]
The counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders are a powerful delusion allowed by God that will deceive even the elect, if that were possible.[256] You will not know new wine from old wine, from poison, if you have not been listening to Jesus and the Holy Spirit to come to know the Father and His ways. Because the false prophet is not so foolish and un-charismatic that he will say outright, “Worship the dragon.” He will be one who mastered being as shrewd as a serpent but as innocent as a dove. His teachings will accompany many kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders that will capture the attention and affections of the world at a time of distress, and enslave them to take on the mark of the beast.
Consider Absalom, the son of King David, with his good looks and charms. “In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom.”[257] Consider the way he carried on behind his father’s back. “In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, ‘What town are you from?’ He would answer, ‘Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.’ Then Absalom would say to him, ‘Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you. And Absalom would add, ‘If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice.’ Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’” The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.”[258] This is the spirit of Absalom that wanted to usurp his father, David’s kingship. He used his charisma to win the hearts of the Israelites by attacking the weaknesses in his father’s reign – this is rebellion. In truth, the rebellion against kingship is rebellion against God, because God sovereignly appoints the kings of the land.
In rebellion against Jesus the King, the false prophet may say similar things about Jesus, “Look, your claims against God are valid and proper, but Jesus has not returned to hear you. If only I were appointed as god in the temple! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that he gets justice. Everyone who has a sickness could come to me and I would see that he gets healed. See, I healed the fatal wound of the beast by my power.” Then the inhabitants of the Earth may say to the false prophet, “Make the beast our god so we can worship him. Give us the mark of the beast so that we can continue buying and selling. As for this fellow Jesus who said He is coming back, we don’t know what has happened to Him.’” This is just a projection of mine, but it is for you to think about and seek the Lord for answers. All that is written in Scriptures will be fulfilled. The question is, whose side will you be on?
Jesus has given us the authority to overcome the power of the enemy, which is deception. Deception causes us to sin by our disbelief and disobedience to the Law of Jesus because we have not listened to Jesus at the standard to which we are called, and we do not hold on to His teachings. But don’t blame Satan for deceiving you, he cannot help himself. You should examine yourself, and repent for not knowing and obeying the laws of Jesus. Your lack of knowledge, understanding and practice of Jesus’ words is neither the fault of Satan, nor of the Lord. Take responsibility for your own actions and sins.
Paul wrote: “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”[259] What is this victory Paul spoke of?
The victory belongs to Christ and was sealed by His blood of the New Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins. The victory is the grace of the Father who gave His one and only Son. We participate and benefit from His victory of grace under the New Covenant. The authority to overcome the power of the enemy is the authority on Earth to forgive sins, which was given when Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”[260] We received authority from Jesus and we have the seal of approval of the Father to forgive all sins against Jesus, His words and deeds, and against the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins. If we do not forgive sins, sins are not forgiven. If we forgive them, they are forgiven. And if you do not forgive another’s debt to you, your Father will not forgive your debts to Him.[261]
This was part of the church’s duty: To exercise the authority to forgive sins. Do you think we have discharged this duty? Or is the sin of unforgiveness rampant amongst the flocks of Jesus Christ? Does the church have a reputation for its forgiveness? What about you? Have you forgiven all those who have sinned against you? Do you love them by praying and blessing them as Jesus commanded you? The love of your personal enemies means to pray for them and forgive them of their sins against you and against the Lord in everyday called today. It is practice for the things of a grander scale in the Lord. For Jesus has spoken to us of Earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if He speaks of Heavenly things through the Holy Spirit?[262]
Under the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins, the authority to forgive sins is given to the disciples of Jesus Christ. Having received the Holy Spirit, disciples are authorised to forgive sins on Earth, just like Jesus, the Son of Man. Jesus healed the paralytic to prove that He had such authority. He said to the teachers of the law, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your heart? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins …” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home.[263]
One of the purposes of signs and miracles is to prove that Jesus’ disciples have the authority on Earth to forgive sins so as to vindicate Jesus’ testimony about Himself. When we perform miracles in Jesus’ Name, even though men do not believe us, men can believe the miracles that they may know and understand that the Father is in Jesus, and Jesus is in the Father.[264] The power of the Holy Spirit is not purposed to glorify the church or our ministries. It is to glorify Jesus. Power is given to vindicate Jesus and His testimony about Himself and the Father, and to prepare for Jesus’ return to reign upon the Earth. That is why it is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit to take His power and use it to exalt and magnify a beast.
When Jesus said to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,”[265] He declared our deeds at that time to be a sin of ignorance, because we did not know the eternal consequences of what we did. Yet the false prophet does, because he knows the eternal consequences of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. To him, it is worth a shot to break Scripture and discredit God Almighty. He knows the eternal consequences of breaking Scripture and what it means for God to be declared a liar. If Jesus cannot return, he will not be thrown alive into the Lake of Burning Sulphur. Then he can reign as a god on the Earth in this age with his powers of the age to come.
As believers and disciples of Jesus, you must understand that the Covenant for the Forgiveness of Sins did not stop at the cross, because grace was meant to continue to flow from the churches. We are to dispense the grace of God when we continually forgive sins on Earth, though we may not see and fully understand the eternal consequences now. If we should ask, “What is the point of repenting and believing in Jesus then, if all is forgiven?” we have missed the point of eternal life. For, we have to repent to receive the forgiveness that was pre-paid for us by Jesus’ shed blood. But in our immaturity, we have ignored the ache in the Father’s heart that we would come to know Him through Jesus Christ, His Son.
So take the long view. Consider eternal life, not Heaven and Hell. Think about New Earth and New Jerusalem. Eternal life is coming to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom He sent into the world. Eternity is the notion of time you are given to live your eternal life. And your measure of eternal life is determined by your place in eternity.
Will your place in eternity be the Lake of Burning Sulphur?[266] Will you be a dog outside the gates of New Jerusalem?[267] Will you be one who may go through the gates into the city?[268] Or will you be one who is a pillar in the Temple of God who never leaves it?[269] This is part of what Jesus meant regarding a “share in the Tree of Life and in the holy city.”[270] John testified of his vision that there is no temple in the city of New Jerusalem because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its Temple.[271] So doesn’t it mean that the ones who receive the reward as a pillar will never have to leave New Jerusalem, or God Himself?
How much of God you want to know today is up to you. If you want to know your Father and Jesus whom He sent, then go listen to the Father’s beloved Son today. You are not going to learn much about the Father listening to the apostle Paul, or to me, for we both look to Jesus to learn from Him.
So, if we continue to forgive those who do not believe, saying as Jesus did, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing,” they are forgiven of their sin of ignorance. At the end of the day, God will be shown for His honour, justice, mercy, generosity and grace in His judgment and His plan for salvation. For now, do you have faith in Jesus to practise the love of your enemies and forgiveness towards your brothers, though you will only understand the due process of God’s judgment later? If we are not practising forgiving one another and praying for our enemies each day to gear our minds and hearts for when the distress comes, we will lose our focus on the grace of the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Today is the day to master the sin of unforgiveness.
The victory of grace belongs to Christ. That victory is in the flesh and blood of the Lamb, and it remains in all of us as long as we abide in Jesus and His word abides in us. The victory of God’s grace is in all of us bringing justice to Their grace. For Their sacrifices will not return to Them empty, but will accomplish what They desire and achieve the purpose for which They had made them.
Are you prepared to be an overcomer? If so, listen to Jesus, so that you may be on your guard for the birth pains that He spoke of.
The secret of overcoming
There isn’t a secret to overcoming. The main thing to understand is that you don’t overcome for yourself. You do it for Jesus and for justice for Jesus - and you do it for your fellow disciples whom Jesus loves. A line from the movie, Black Hawk Down, comes to mind. I don’t remember the details of the movie but what one soldier said to another resonated in me. I cannot forget the jolt that ran through my spirit at that moment. If I quote the line verbatim, I will misquote it. But the actor mainly said that the battle ceases to be about the reason why they went to war. In the heat of the battlefield, it just becomes about the life of the one fighting next to you.
If you are a warrior of the Lord, you go into the battle to win the war for justice for Jesus. In the battlefield, it will be all about the fellow disciples next to you. Keeping them alive and making sure they are safe, so that there may be many with faith to greet Jesus upon His return.
The secret, which is really not a secret, is that you overcome for the benefit of Jesus and the fellow disciples on your right and your left. They are your brothers and sisters whom you have made yourself one with through Christ, because you all have the same goal: To remain alive to greet Jesus upon His return. This is the power and strength of love held in the Son, Jesus. For Jesus did not endure and conquer the cross for His own enjoyment. He did it for the Father because the Father so loved the world. Likewise, you don’t overcome for yourself, and you never look at the rewards. That is part of the training and the growth, and that is part of the stature of the Son of God.
Everything that you need to overcome your personal trials and the power of the enemy is in Jesus’ words, for He is the only one who is full of grace and truth. And we have been given the Lord who is the Spirit[272] who counsels the disciples of Jesus and gives us growth. The Holy Spirit says, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”[273] His patience to each of us is unparallel due to His commitment to glorify Jesus. Now do you see what the church has lost when it turned away from listening to Jesus at the standard to which it was called? It lost its potential to master sin and overcome the power of the enemy because it failed to practise the righteousness that is found only in Jesus’ words and the Holy Spirit’s counsel. But instead it practised the avoidance of sin, which is futile. So it is overcome and overwhelmed by the power of the enemy.
Therefore be earnest and repent. Put your heart to listening to Jesus and the Holy Spirit today.
The delight in overcoming
The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12.7-10: “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
What did Paul mean when he wrote that he delighted in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties? Surely it is unnatural for a man to delight in such horrid things? As it was said, so it must be revealed what delight is. For if we do not understand what delight is, how can we delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, as Paul said he did? Since what is valuable in the eyes of men is detestable to the eyes of God, then what is delightful in the eyes of men must be abominable in the eyes of God. So, what does the church delight in?
The Lord said that the Israelites delighted in sacred oaks;[274] in their own ways and abominations;[275] and in the Lord’s sanctuary.[276] For the churches, the sacred oaks represent the idol worship of ‘holy’ or ‘anointed’ men, and doctrines that do not teach the focus on listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd and the Holy Spirit. Men’s ways and abominations in the church represent our deeds and plans that delay the arrival of Jesus. The sanctuary is the stronghold that the church takes pride in, the delight of its eyes and the object of its affection.
The stronghold of the church is its reputation of being alive, which draws and attracts the bodies and souls of men. The delight of its eyes is the riches it thinks it has, which deludes it into thinking that it does not need the counsel and power of the Holy Spirit to testify for Jesus. And the object of the church’s affection is the holiness it thinks it has, due to the observation of man-made rules and traditions in the Name of God Almighty. By and large, the church has lost the ability to differentiate lies that come in the guise of wisdom and truth, because it does not obey the command to listen to Jesus at the standard to which it is called.
Yet what does our Lord delight in? The Lord declared in Jeremiah 9.24, “Let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on Earth, for in these I delight.”
How different we are from the Lord! Jesus said that evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly come out of men’s hearts.[277] All these are sinful because they separate us from Him. But if we think deeper about it, sin is really about our state of “un-oneness” with God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. To disbelieve, disobey, forsake and rebel against the Lord means that you are no longer one with Them. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they sinned by their disobedience to the Lord’s command, and declared their “un-oneness” with God.
Likewise, Israel refused to come close to the Lord and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”[278] They chose to stay far away in distant worship. In response, the Lord gave the Israelites hundreds of commands, so that by their obedience to His laws and commands, they may remain one with Him. Such is the danger of distant worship. How easily we are led astray when we are unable to discern the truth and our hearts are not earnest to repent.
Jesus gave us the glory that the Father gave Him, so that we may be one as They are One, He in us and the Father in Him.[279] The Father told us to listen to Jesus, and no one else. When we listen to Jesus, which includes our practice of His words and listening to the Holy Spirit, we are obeying the Father’s command and we declare ourselves one with the Lord. This is our outward sign, just as circumcision and the Sabbath are for the outward signs according to the Levitical Law. So how can the glory that Jesus gave us bring glory again and again, unless we listen to Him at the standard to which we have been called? How would the world believe that the Father had sent Jesus, if the church does not listen to Jesus at the standard required of it?
Sin in the Kingdom of God is not about this thing you said, or that thing you did. It is the whole package of evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly coming from our hearts in varying degrees, according to Jesus’ definitions. What is in our hearts causes us to sin against Jesus, for sin in the Kingdom of God is unbelief in Jesus.[280] We then ignore or refuse to obey His words and put them in practice. For believers and disciples of Jesus Christ, it is not enough to simply see sin as murder or theft. We must understand sin as disobedience against Jesus’ commands and His ways, which are His laws. Sin is our state of “un-oneness” with the Lord, the Lord and the Lord. Sure, we overcome one thing at a time, be it pride, envy or greed, through each situation that is brought about or that we get ourselves into, or each event that the Lord allows to happen in our lives. But take a step back and look at the mountain itself.
In truth, sin is the mountain of our “un-oneness” with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which we must flatten because it stands in the Way of Holiness. How can we move this mountain of sin unless we have a mustard seed of faith in Jesus and in God? Not that we lack the prerequisite mustard seed of faith, for the church does have faith. We probably make the same request as the earlier disciples, “Increase our faith!”[281] But the better question is: Do we apply our faith in constant daily practice of Jesus’ words to prove His words true? Do we delight in all our successes and failures?
What about homosexuality for example? This is a very sensitive subject for the church, isn’t it? It was not recorded that Jesus taught on homosexuality. In this respect, churches quote Leviticus 18.22: “Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman: that is detestable.” The Lord said that it is detestable because it is not the way man was created. Male and female are created to become one on Earth and God commanded them to be fruitful and increase in number. That is God’s plan. Yet the churches have been shown for its duplicity to pick parts of the Levitical Law to preach whenever it pleases them. In truth, one cannot preach the practice of Leviticus 18.22 unless it practices the entire Levitical Law. I can understand why the world would feel indignant about that. But then the world has not seen a church of Jesus Christ at full power.
So what did Jesus’ teach us on homosexuality? Nothing directly. So what do we do then? Listen and understand what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. This is my understanding and experience: Be it homosexuality, jealousy, gossiping, compulsive lying, unforgiveness, addiction to porn, cross-dressing, fornication or adultery – lay it all aside for the moment. Let’s focus on the bigger picture first.
If you are gay and you believe in Jesus, are you baptised in the Holy Spirit and do you listen to Jesus? Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of your Father and His righteousness. For some have been born with sin in their flesh producing homosexual tendencies, just as another is born with a physical or mental defect. Whilst others practise the homosexual lifestyle by choice, sometimes due to molestation. Therefore, what is most important is to repent and believe in Jesus, and to put Jesus’ words into practice. This includes repenting of your sins, forgiving everyone who sins and is indebted to you, praying for your enemies and laying hands on the sick to heal them. Receive the Holy Spirit and listen to Him as He guides you into ALL truth. Repent when He convicts you in regards to sin and righteousness, and praise God for His grace. Follow Jesus closely and respond to the convictions of the Holy Spirit. This is common for all believers. Just as one person has to stop gossiping, another has to stop watching pornography, yet others adultery, so a gay person must come to that place where he no longer practises homosexuality. Only the Holy Spirit knows our areas of weakness. For we grow out of our fears and old habits by reading the words of Jesus and putting them into practice, and we have not yet seen what happens to all human weaknesses in a church at full power.
I am not picking on groups of people in our community. Nor am I “anti-anyone”. I am merely “anti-sin”, for we are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. What is there to compare? I am a sinner; you are a sinner; he is a sinner. No one is better than anyone else. Sin is the common thread running through all mankind. But we have been forgiven of much and we all have a sanctification process to complete. The Father’s word is truth and we are sanctified by the truth. Jesus is the Truth. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth. Keep listening to Jesus – there is a transfiguration in God’s mind for every believer of Christ. It is called sonship and daughtership. We all must repent and forgive one another.
We all must make changes in our lives and hearts. Sometimes these changes happen quickly, sometimes they happen slowly. This depends on our faith, fears, circumstances and our own determination. Trust in God, trust also in Jesus. Only the Lord knows what you need. Of course, our fellowships also affect us because we do not hear from the Holy Spirit perfectly. I do not have all the answers but I know this much: Jesus is the only Person who the Father commanded us to listen to. This has not been done at the standard to which we are called. Whether we are black or white, gay or straight – we should all repent, turn in earnest to listen to Jesus and hold to His teaching, which includes forgiving one another. Only then we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free.
The church is called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we are fulfilling Jesus’ commands in doing so. But after someone repents and receives the salvation of the Lord Jesus, he must be baptised in the Holy Spirit. And he must be taught to listen to Jesus first and foremost. Why? Because this is Jesus’ way, and therein lies our growth and the beginning of a one-on-one relationship with the Lord through the reading and highlighting of Jesus’ words as we fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This should precede all other programs, be it Bible study, discipleship and other mentoring programs. The level of acceptance, passion and diligence of a person in listening to Jesus shows how serious they are about coming to know Jesus and the plans concerning Him. I would have no right to say this if the Father did not tell us to listen to Jesus, but listening to Jesus is the only measuring line. It is the only command given directly by the Father to the disciples of Jesus.
I believe and have seen it to be a better thing to encourage and guide someone to listen to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, than to encourage and guide them to stop sinning. Listening to Jesus is the foundation. Without a sure foundation, the house will fall. Without it, we are more likely to fall away when troubles come. It will be harder to hold on to your faith. And without the sure foundation of delight in listening to Jesus, it will be harder to overcome and master sin.
And when I talk about the standard of listening to Jesus, it is the attention you pay to His words, the urgency of crying out for understanding, your delight in the daily bread, the faithfulness you have to Him and the passion you have for defending Jesus’ words as truth. It is an attitude of mindfulness and loyalty. Reading and highlighting the words of Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit is not a bore, a chore or a burden. To me, it is a delight to come to know Them by reading Their words. This gift of knowledge and understanding is a treasure far beyond my imagination because my vision is so short-sighted. If I ever find reading Their words a chore, it is because I am lazy and would rather watch television. But it’s not the Lord’s fault if I am lazy and do not delight in the right things, is it?
Delight
The delight of this age and in the age to come is simply this: The world’s acknowledgement that Jesus loves the Father and that He does exactly what the Father has commanded Him.
I want you to ask: Is it possible for the whole world to acknowledge that Jesus loves the Father and that He does exactly what the Father commanded Him? Of course it is! I don’t even have to look at Scripture and quote that with God all things are possible. Didn’t the world once think the Earth was flat? Doesn’t the whole world now acknowledge that the Earth is not flat, but in fact, is round? And wouldn’t anyone who says otherwise stand corrected or be ridiculed?
So how is the world going to learn about this truth about Jesus? How is the world going to be filled with God’s delight? It starts with you and your testimony about Jesus. I do not know all the details, but I know this much: The acknowledgement of the world that Jesus loves the Father and that He does exactly what the Father has commanded Him is not enough. It is not the complete delight. The delight of this age and in the age to come must be the acknowledgement of the world that Jesus loves the Father and that He does exactly what the Father has commanded Him, BECAUSE GOD THE FATHER IS SO GOOD, HE IS PERFECT. Can you imagine living in a world where all acknowledge that the Father is perfect, as surely as they acknowledge that the sky is blue?
This is not even a matter of the extra mile, or Jesus’ opinion about the Father. It is the truth. And the world must learn that the Father is good and He is righteous, and that is why Jesus loves Him and does exactly what the Father commanded Him. Jesus laid down His life and took it up again. Jesus committed Himself to His Father’s will and committed His spirit into the Father’s hands.
So when Paul said that he delighted in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, and that when he was weak, then he was strong, do not judge his words by mere appearances. Make a right judgment as to what delight in the eyes of the Lord might be. Delight to the world is the joy that is brought about by things or persons you love. But to the Lord, it is more than that. The Lord delights in kindness, justice and righteousness, and that is why He exercises these things on Earth. In all things, always remember that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are consumed with jealousy for Each Other. And to be one with Them in Their delights, is to delight in the way They are jealous for One Another. For Them, glory for One Another comes first.
Delighting in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties will be difficult if you apply the world’s understanding to delight. Such things go against our mortal nature. But first decide whether your heart can accept that in the eyes of the Lord, the Lord and the Lord, delight in this age and in the age to come is the acknowledgement that the Father is good and He is righteous, and that is why Jesus loves Him and does exactly what the Father commanded Him. Can you imagine a world that acknowledges this truth? Can you a imagine living in a world that is filled with the Lord’s delight - this satisfying, quiet, yet uplifting joy of the Lord?
If so, our delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties is our firm acknowledgement that the Father is good and He is righteous, no matter what is happening to us, the people we love and the world around us, for distress unequalled since the beginning of the world is coming. This is the true delight to those who profess to love God and trust in God. And that is why the power of delight and the understanding of the power and its application, has been given to us now so that we may not only overcome, but overcome in delight.
For if we fight to overcome but do not have delight in our hearts, we will easily fall away because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Look to Jesus. Even when He was nailed on the cross and He was insulted by those who would benefit from the salvation that comes in His Name by His sacrifice, He was still delighting in the mercy of His Father. For He said in Luke 23.34, “Father, forgive them for they do not what they are doing.” That is Jesus’ delight in the Father, that the Father is good. Yes, our Father is perfect, merciful and compassionate.
Jesus was also delighting in the goodness and righteousness of the Father. If He did not, He would not have asked, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me?”[282] and with His second last breath, He would not have said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”[283] For Jesus knows He has a Father who will never forsake Him.
We all experience troubles, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, dangers, sword, weaknesses, insults and difficulties to varying degrees in our lives. Sometimes they happen in the ordinary course of life. Other times they happen because of our faith In Jesus. Jesus never said such things would be avoided just because we believe in Him. They will come into our lives and they will come into the world. But how we react to them is our choice. Do we seek solace in the words of men, or in the words of Jesus? Do we throw ourselves into the world of men, or into quiet fellowship with the Holy Spirit? Do we look for answers in books written by men, or do we cry out for understanding to the Father?
The choice is yours to make. Your can let your love go cold. You can choose to have faith only when it is convenient or easy. You can deny knowing Jesus, and you can fall away. Or you can find delight in the darkest situations, and find that pearl of great value as the merchant did in the field. Even if that pearl is the size of a mustard seed, you will hold on to that pearl because you truly believe with all your heart that the Father is good and righteous, no matter what happens to you. Even if events in your life devastate you to your core and you lose grip of your faith, or when things seem to be too hard and you just want to walk away from your calling. As long as you truly believe that the Father is good and righteous, just like Jesus knows He is, you will find yourself turning back to the Lord because your Father is pleased to help you and He has not forsaken you. For this is the power of delight. The power of delight anchors your perseverance and patient endurance.
Sometimes it is okay to have time-out, or get frustrated or angry with the Lord. It is not pleasing to Him, but He understands because of His loving-kindness, mercy and grace. As we grow in the Lord, our selfishness and tantrums will decrease. And our grace and compassion towards the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will increase.
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. When your delight is in the truth that the Father is good and righteous, and this delight has become your treasure, it is no longer a matter of choice that you want to defend this treasure with your life and your resurrection.
For there is no choice if you firmly believe in what you believe in, for then you must live it. Otherwise you are living a lie.
There is no choice if you have lost your head for your testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God.[284]
There is no choice if you just want Jesus to be back on Earth for His millennial reign.
There is no choice if you want to see Jesus’ face as He is crowned King of the kingdom of the Christ, the Kingdom of God, on Earth.
There is no choice if you want to see the face of a proud Father when He presents His Son’s bride, New Jerusalem, to Him.
There is no choice if you understand that the Father longs for the day when everything is made new.
There is no choice if you want to see death cast away for all eternity.
There is no choice if you just want to be with Jesus and the Father.
And there is certainly no choice if you understand the urgency of Jesus’ return to reign on Earth. Otherwise, why would He say He is coming soon? Did you think He was speaking casually? Don’t you think He would have returned already if the church had fulfilled its duties properly?
There is no choice but to think, say, do and be the exact way the Father desires for His sons and daughters, because His ways alone are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Only Jesus’ words are eternal. The Father only placed His seal of approval on His Son Jesus. Did Jesus have a choice? Of course, He did. He too had freewill. But did He really have a choice if He wanted to glorify the Father in the exact way They agreed on and purposed? No. The choice was so narrow it was but one.
Church: If you want to commit your spirit into the hands of the Father, and your life into the hands of the Holy Spirit, there is no choice but to obey the Father’s command to listen to Jesus. Only the Father and the Holy Spirit know the way to prepare the world and the church for the arrival of Jesus the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Since God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours, then Their desires are higher than ours. Have you considered that the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit desire Jesus to be back on Earth to reign for a thousand years, and the only reason He has not returned for the last two thousand years is because His own servants have not made themselves ready, let alone kept themselves ready? Have you considered the consequences if Jesus returns without His church being ready to receive her King into this world? We make such a big fuss over the leaders of the world visiting a foreign country. Is the church ready to receive her King? What state is the church in? Yet we even have the audacity to think like king Hezekiah, “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good. Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”[285] Just because Jesus is not back on Earth yet, is no reason not to prioritise the preparation work?
Ask the Holy Spirit as you listen to Jesus, “What needs to be done? What words of Jesus need to be fulfilled? What should we look out for? How do we stay awake?” Does it truly cost you too much to believe that Jesus wants to return in your lifetime? Or is it easier to wave Him off because He has not returned yet? No wonder overcomers rarely, if ever, emerge from the churches. Few testify to the delight of preparing for the Lord’s reign.
You have a choice in this, especially when the days of distress come upon us. You can be bitter and doubt God when persecution and hardship come upon you. Or you can delight in your acknowledgement that the Father is so good and righteous that He is perfect, and love Him and do what He commands you - come what may. The delight of the overcomer is coming to know God personally, who is so good and righteous He is perfect.
Praise be to God. Blessed is the Lord when we delight in the fear of the Lord and find great delight in Jesus’ commands!
[1] Mark 14.6-9. See also Matthew 26.10-13; John 12.7-8
[2] John 11.1, 5
[3] Luke 10.40-42. In the NLT, the same verse is written, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
[4] John 11.28-31
[5] John 20.18
[6] Matthew 27.55-56; Mark 15.40-41; Luke 8.2-3 (Note: Mary, the mother of James and Joses [Joseph] is Jesus’ Earthly mother)
[7] Matthew 27.61; 28.1; Mark 15.47; 16.2; John 20.1
[8] John 20.17 NLT
[9] Matthew 8.20
[10] Matthew 26.71; Mark 1.24; Luke 4.34; 18.37; 24.20; John 1.45; 18.5, 7; 19.19
[11] Mark 16.6
[12] Matthew 27.56, 61; 28.1; Mark 8.10 AMP - Magdala, also known as Magadan, is two miles north of Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
[13] John 16.13
[14] Matthew 27.46
[15] Matthew 27.47; Mark 15.3
[16] John 19.28
[17] Matthew 27.48; Mark 15.36 This is different from the wine mixed with gall offered to Jesus earlier in Matthew 27.34, which He refused to drink.
[18] Matthew 27.49; Mark 15.36
[19] John 19.30
[20] Luke 23.46
[21] Matthew 27.50; John 19.30
[22] Matthew 27.51
[23] Matthew 27.56; Mark 15.40-41. Note: Although scholars refer to the mother of Zebedee’s sons as Salome, there is insufficient evidence to make a definite conclusion that they are the one person. However, we know both were present at Jesus’ death. Matthew notes that Zebedee’s wife was with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother and many other women at the cross. Mark notes that Salome, was with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother and many other women, and that Salome went to the tomb. Luke and John do not mention either woman under those names in their gospels.
[24] John 19.25
[25] Matthew 27.55-56; Mark 15.40-41
[26] Matthew 27.57-60; Mark 15.43-46; Luke 23.50-53; John 19.38-41
[27] Matthew 27.61; Mark 15.47
[28] Luke 23.55
[29] Matthew 28.1; Mark 16.1; Luke 24.1; John 20.1 NIV / NLT
[30] Luke 8.3
[31] Matthew 28.1; Mark 16.1; Luke 24.10 and John 20.1 collectively list all the women who were present in the first instance.
[32] Mark 16.3
[33] Matthew 28.2-4
[34] Mark 15.42; Luke 23.54 NLT
[35] Matthew 27.51
[36] John 20.1
[37] Mark 16.1; Luke 24.10
[38] Mark 16.4-5
[39] Matthew 28.5-7 and Mark 16.6-7 combined. Note that the first angel is referred to as “a young man” in Mark 16.5 due to his appearance.
[40] John 20.2
[41] Mark 16.8
[42] Luke 24.4-5 (Luke 24.23 records the angels as two men)
[43] Luke 24.5-7. Note that the two angels reminded the women what Jesus had told them when Jesus began to explain that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life at Caesarea Philippi is in Galilee in Matthew 16.21; Mark 8.31.
[44] Luke 24.8
[45] Matthew 28.8
[46] Luke 24.9-11
[47] Luke 24.12
39 John 20.3-5
[48] John 20.3-4
[49] John 20.5
[50] John 20.6-7
[51] Luke 24.12
[52] John 20.8
[53] Luke 24.12; John 20.9
[54] John 20.11-12
[55] John 20.13
[56] John 20.13
[57] John 20.14
[58] John 20.15
[59] John 20.15
[60] John 20.16
[61] John 20.16
[62] John 20.17
[63] Matthew 28.9-10
[64] Mark 16.10
[65] John 20.18
[66] John 20.18
[67] Mark 16.11
[68] Matthew 28.11
[69] Mark 16.12-13; Luke 24.13-33
[70] Luke 24.34 NIV / NLT Also see 1 Corinthians 15.5
[71] Luke 24.35; Mark 16.13
[72] Luke 24.36
[73] Mark 16.14
[74] Luke 24.38-41 NLT
[75] Luke 24.42-43
[76] John 20.20
[77] Matthew 16.16
[78] Matthew 16.21; Mark 8.31
[79] Matthew 16.22
[80] Matthew 16.23
[81] Matthew 17.22-23
[82] Luke 9.46
[83] Revelation 22.20
[84] Luke 9.22, 44
[85] Matthew 13.23 NLT
[86] Matthew 11.19 NIV / NLT
[87] John 12.1-3 NLT
[88] Mark 14.3 NLT
[89] John 12.3
[90] Matthew 26.8-9. Also see Mark 14.4-5; John 12.4
[91] Matthew 26.10-13. Also see Mark 14.6-9; John 12.7-8
[92] John 11.43
[93] Luke 10.39-40
[94] Luke 8.2
[95] Jeremiah 31.22 and footnote a
[96] John 20.17-18
[97] John 14.31
[98] Revelation 1.11, 19; chapters 2-3
[99] To the church in Ephesus - Revelation 2.7
[100] To the church in Smyrna - Revelation 2.11
[101] To the church in Pergamum - Revelation 2.17
[102] To the church in Thyatira - Revelation 2.26-28
[103] To the church in Sardis - Revelation 3.5
[104] To the church in Philadelphia - Revelation 3.12
[105] To the church in Laodicea - Revelation 3.21
[106] Revelation 2-3 NLT
[107] John 10.17-18
[108] Matthew 28.18
[109] Job 1.12; 2.6
[110] 1 Samuel 16.14
[111] Joshua 10.8
[112] 1 Samuel 30.8
[113] Number 13.26-29, 31-33
[114] Numbers 14.1-4
[115] Numbers 4.11
[116] Genesis 12.7
[117] Numbers 14.26-35
[118] Numbers 14.36-45
[119] Matthew 9.6: “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins” … Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
[120] John 20.21 NLT
[121] Matthew 6.14-15
[122] Matthew 5.11-12
[123] Matthew 5.44
[124] Matthew 5.46
[125] Matthew 3.9
[126] Revelation 3.19 NIV / NASB / NLT
[127] Matthew 10.8
[128] Mark 16.17-18
[129] Matthew 28.19-20
[130] Luke 12.48
[131] Luke 10.19
[132] Genesis 4.7
[133] Matthew 5.17; John 15.25
[134] The Law of Moses is Deuteronomy, which is a repeat of the Levitical Law with Moses’ additions and explanations.
[135] John 14.26
[136] John 16.8-9
[137] Isaiah 9.6-7
[138] Matthew 11.27; Luke 10.22
[139] Matthew 28.18
[140] Matthew 5.17; Luke 24.44; John 15.25
[141] Matthew 5.27-30
[142] Matthew 23.9. Note that the context here is a priestly nature as Jesus was talking to the crowds and His disciples regarding the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees.
[143] Matthew 5.33-37
[144] Matthew 5.43
[145] Matthew 18.22; Mark 11.25
[146] Mark 3.29; Luke 12.10
[147] Revelation 2.4
[148] Revelation 2.9
[149] NLT
[150] NLT
[151] Matthew 5.3-6
[152] Revelation 2.12-17
[153] 2 Timothy 3.5
[154] Matthew 23.23
[155] Luke 11.42
[156] Mark 1.15
[157] John 6.66
[158] Matthew 28.20
[159] Revelation 2.20
[160] 1 Kings 21.25
[161] 1 Kings 16.31
[162] Romans 3.10; 9.31-32; 11.6
[163] Romans 5.17
[164] Matthew 16.5
[165] Matthew 15.7-8
[166] Luke 8.18
[167] Revelation 3.2
[168] Matthew 6.6
[169] Matthew 18.19
[170] Matthew 26.36-41
[171] Matthew 24.42
[172] Revelation 3.3
[173] Matthew 18.19: “Again, I tell you that if two of you on Earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in Heaven.”
[174] “Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.” NLT
[175] “Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die.” NLT
[176] Mark 9.23
[177] Revelation 3.10
[178] Revelation 3.12
[179] Matthew 5.11-12
[180] John 14.21
[181] Revelation 3.15-17
[182] Matthew 10.37-39 NLT
[183] Matthew 10.34-36 NLT
[184] Matthew 6.33 NLT
[185] Mark 10.29-30
[186] Matthew 6.32-33 AMP
[187] Mark 1.15 NLT
[188] James 4.7
[189] Matthew 5.39
[190] James 3.6
[191] Luke 6.45
[192] James 2.26
[193] Mark 5.36; Luke 7.50
[194] James 5.14
[195] Matthew 10.8
[196] Mark 16.15-18
[197] Matthew 11.30
[198] Acts 15.10
[199] Genesis 1.26
[200] Genesis 1.26-27 NLT
[201] John 1.1
[202] Genesis 1.3
[203] John 1.4-5 and footnote a
[204] John 1.14 NIV / NLT
[205] Genesis 1.3
[206] John 11.43 NASB
[207] Matthew 8.13 NASB
[208] Mark 4.39 NASB
[209] This is artfully hidden by the Lord in Job 2.1 and footnote b
[210] Jeremiah 3.19
[211] Isaiah 1.14
[212] Psalm 50.10
[213] Isaiah 1.11
[214] Genesis 25.29
[215] Luke 15.11-32
[216] Luke 15.31
[217] Matthew 20.13-15
[218] Jonah 4.10
[219] Matthew 21.28
[220] Luke 12.19
[221] Genesis 5.3
[222] Genesis 3.13
[223] Isaiah 63.1
[224] Psalm 40.7-8; Hebrews 10.7
[225] Luke 23.34
[226] John 8.12
[227] Luke 9.23-25 NLT
[228] Luke 10.19 NLT
[229] Luke 21.33; Revelation 20.14
[230] Matthew 7.23
[231] To the church in Ephesus - Revelation 2.7
[232] To the church in Smyrna - Revelation 2.11
[233] To the church in Pergamum - Revelation 2.17
[234] To the church in Thyatira - Revelation 2.26-28
[235] To the church in Sardis - Revelation 3.5
[236] Revelation 21.22
[237] To the church in Philadelphia - Revelation 3.12
[238] To the church in Laodicea - Revelation 3.21
[239] John 15.19
[240] Revelation 1.9 NLT
[241] Luke 10.18-19
[242] Mark 16.15-16
[243] Matthew 28.18-20 NLT
[244] Luke 10.22
[245] John 17.25-26
[246] John 16.14-16
[247] John 6.65
[248] Matthew 17.5; Mark 1.11; 9.7; Luke 9.35
[249] Matthew 26.63; Luke 22.70; John 5.25; 10.36; 11.4; Revelation 2.18
[250] Revelation 13.11
[251] 1 John 2.18-22
[252] Mark 3.29 NLT
[253] Revelation 13.13-14
[254] 2 Thessalonians 2.9-12
[255] Revelation 22.11
[256] Matthew 24.24
[257] 2 Samuel 14.25
[258] 2 Samuel 15.1-12
[259] 1 Corinthians 15.56-57
[260] John 20.21
[261] Matthew 6.12
[262] John 3.12
[263] Matthew 9.4-6; Mark 2.8-11; Luke 5.22-24
[264] John 10.25; 14.11
[265] Luke 23.33
[266] Revelation 20.14-15; 21.8
[267] Revelation 22.15
[268] Revelation 22.14
[269] Revelation 3.12
[270] Revelation 22.19
[271] Revelation 21.22
[272] 2 Corinthians 3.17 NLT
[273] 2 Corinthians 12.9 NLT
[274] Isaiah 1.29
[275] Isaiah 66.3
[276] Ezekiel 24.21
[277] Mark 7.21
[278] Exodus 20.19
[279] John 17.22-23
[280] John 16.9
[281] Luke 17.5
[282] Mark 15.34 NLT
[283] Luke 23.46
[284] Revelation 20.4
[285] 2 Kings 20.19