REVELATION KNOWLEDGE Ephesians 1 verse 17

My people, my people, it is that time of the month again this is my 11^th post.

Can you believe it next month will be one year since I have started blogging?

Next month we will be sure to have a celebration in like manner as the 7^th month. Yes people, the topic “REVELATION KNOWLEDGE’

REFLECTIONS

The Apostle Paul says follow me as I follow Christ. We have to move on La Royaume de Dieu has suffered violence and it is only the violent that will take it by force. We have to move on can’t afford to become static. His mercies are new every morning.

One of my favourite prayer in the Bible is found in the book of Ephesians, Ephesians 1 vs 15 - 23.  I mean every church prayer meeting I have attended as a true charismatic I pray this prayer personalizing it to the specific fellowship, as I was taught in my early years.

However, as I was meditating in my most favourite place on the floor early in the morning (for I know Raphleta says the Lord) Ephesians 1 verse 17

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

I said to myself  Daddy, what is this ‘revelation knowledge’.  As per usual I seem to have chosen a topic that very people seem to be interested in. Hence, we will have to do our own analysis.  Pastor Chris Oyakhilome did a series which was passable.  However, we don’t want to get into too much complex teaching.  I am trying to master French, the Greek and Hebrew is for another season. Though the vision tarry… We want to keep it sweet and simple (KISS). Pastor Sam Adeyemi would say that is our major problem as Christians too much complex thinking.  Some other scriptures I have been meditating on are Colossians 1 verse 27, Colossians 2 verse 9, I Corinthians 5 verse 17 you will see how all these scriptures tie in as we go along.

CRITICAL DEFINITIONS

I plugged the two words ‘revelation knowledge’ into the Blue Letter Bible (google it) only two (2) passages came up with the sequence of words Ephesians 1 verse 17 and Colossians 2 verse 9.

Revelation: A surprising and previously, unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way.  There are synonyms such as disclosure, announcement and report.

The book of Revelation being the final book of the Bible, is not only a report but also an announcement. It testifies to the Lord Jesus Christ and it also reports what will be taking place in the future in a most dramatic manner. It is the source of some good movies and more to come when the church takes over the film industry.

Knowledge:

1.      Facts, information and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.  This speaks to one’s intellectual ability.

2.      Awareness or familiarity geared by experience of a fact or situation. This speaks to spiritual awareness or feelings as some would say intuition.  We have synonyms such as consciousness and perception.

DISCERNING THE HEART OF GOD

There is a distinct characteristic between the first Adam and the second Adam, they both had intimacy with God.

In Genesis 2 verse 19:

¹⁹ And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Highlighting the statement in the verse ‘and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof ‘, God and man in partnership from the very beginning. A beautiful happening.

We now go over to Genesis 3 verses 8-9 after man sinned and see what takes place when fellowship is broken, man begins to hide from God. God is still waiting for us.

Looking unto Jesus, the second Adam who was able to finish the course. This is His posture St John 5 verses 19-20.

¹⁹ Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

²⁰ For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

He also reiterated this theme in St. John 8 verse 28:

²⁸ Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Israel Rejected God as Head

This story more than all other signifies to me the heart of God towards man. It was the request of Israel for a king.  When the Prophet Samuel tried to dissuade them, they would not listen.  However, this was what God said about the matter in I Samuel 8 verse 7 ‘for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.’

THE TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE

As the definition of knowledge indicates we garner knowledge by the things we learn and also by our experiences.  Jesus learnt obedience by the things He suffered. Hebrews 5 verse 8.  But there is also that knowledge through the heart or the Spirit of a man. They that have clean hands and pure heart shall see God.  St.  Matthew 5 verse 8 and Psalm 24 verses 3 and 4.

Our educational knowledge is progressive we start at kindergarten and move into university stopping at different levels along the way based on circumstances and individual desires.  One thing is certain when you stop learning you are ready to die.  It is a lifelong process. However, there is no knowledge like experiential knowledge.  The school of hard knocks.  In my network marketing days, the guys used to say you bring me your argumentation and I will bring you my results.  This advertisement comes to mind by Muhammad Ali ‘Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee.  The great smell of Brut and the punch of Ali.  If it was not for the grace of god these punches would have taken us out.  But we are still here praise the Lord!!

Looking at some men in the Bible who we thought would have been out for the count, but God.

Joseph learnt the art of rationing by being in Potiphar’s house and being in charge of the prison. Hence, he was ready for the promotion when it came.  Dr. Cindy Trimm prays ‘Father I thank you for the problem because heaven is getting a message over to me that I am about to be promoted.  So father I thank you for the problem and I thank you for the promotion’.

King David learnt the art of war (there is a book by that title) by living in caves and hiding all over the country side from his enemies. God knew that Israel had a lot of enemies, King David had to know a lot of battle strategies.

Moses learnt to recognize the voice of God in the backside of the desert.  You want to know if you are going to be stoned, in whom you have believed.  The children of Israel loved to stone people.

The Apostle Paul went through it all.  In fact his commissioning statement was ‘For I will show how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake’. Acts 9 verse 16.  In my opinion that is enough to turn off anybody.

One man of God said God does not use anything that He has not tested. Even Jesus had to have His wilderness experience.

I just finished reading a book ‘The Power of positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale”.  One statement in the book has been imprinted on my mind. It was from a sermon by a Pastor, it goes like this ‘Don’t discount another man’s experience. He experienced it!

An extension of this is that you are not to begrudge another man’s anointing you don’t know the price they had to pay for it.

PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF BIBLICAL REVELATION

The nature of revelation is also seen to be progressive.  We can clearly see this illustrated in the Bible. The Bible states that Jesus Christ it is that filleth all in all Ephesians 1 verse 23.

I Timothy 3 verse 16 – The mystery of Godliness

Colossians 2 verse 9 – In Him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily

Colossians 1 verses 26-27 – The mystery made manifest, Christ in us the hope of glory

Ephesians 3 verses 14-20 – That we will have knowledge that passeth understanding

II Corinthians 5 verse 17 – If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creation

The first book of the Bible is thought to be Job not Genesis and the authorship attributed to Moses.  We must be careful where we get out revelations in the Bible. There is the issue of pre-text what has gone before, post text what comes after and context the present situation.

Job in Job 1 verse 21 said ‘the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away’.  However, in Job 42 verses 3 and 5 at the end of the book ‘Therefore have I uttered that I understand not; things too wonderful for me; which I knew not… I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.’

In our dispensation, it is John 10 verse 10: Hence the reason I started out with Jesus, He is the only perfect example everybody else is commentary.

¹⁰ The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The Old Testament we have come to realize points to Jesus in every way.  The Patriarchs and the Prophets knew in part and prophesied in part.  We also have to be mindful of prophecies that are specific to the nation of Israel, under the old covenant in our analysis of scriptures; for example, Daniel 9 – Daniel understood by the Book of Jeremiah that the Jews should be in captivity for 70 years and started interceding on the behalf of his nation Israel. Video of  Pastor Benny Hinn on the subject

 OFFICIAL TRANSFERENCE OF THE MANTLE

We want to look at a very high level meeting that took place on Mount Hermon and is recorded in the books of St. Matthew 17 verse 1 – 8, St. Mark 9 verse 2-8, and St. Luke 9 verses 28 – 36 called the Transfiguration.

Jesus took His inner circle Peter, James and John up into the mountain and His personal appearance was changed into a glorified form and His clothing became dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with Jesus about His death. Peter in shock and amazement and being very fearful offered to put up 3 shelters (we are still trying to build monuments to men, instead of continuing the movement, Jesus is saying whose inscription is on these ministries) for them. Peter was desiring to stay in that place when a cloud enveloped them, a voice said, ‘This is My son, whom I have chosen, whom I love, listen to him!  The cloud lifted, Moses and Elijah had disappeared and Jesus was alone with His disciples who were still very much afraid.  Jesus warned them not to tell anyone what they have seen until after the resurrection.

The purpose of the Transfiguration was to give the inner circle an insight into the deity of Christ.  It gave them an opportunity to behold His glory.

However, symbolically the appearance of Moses and Elijah represented the Law and the Prophets.  God’s voice from Heaven – “Listen to Him’ – clearly showed that the Law and the Prophets must give way to Jesus.  The one who is new and living way in replacing the old.  He (Jesus) is the fulfillment of the law and the countless prophecies in the Old Testament.

Also, in His glorified form they saw a preview of his coming glorification and enthronement as King of kings and Lord of lords.

John wrote about the experience in St John 1 verse 14

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

and Peter in 2 Peter 1 verses 16 -18   

¹⁶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

¹⁷ For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

¹⁸ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

HOW TO RECEIVE REVELATION KNOWLEDGE

There is no one way that God speaks to everybody, you have to be disciplined. The secrets of God are for His friends.  He spoke to Elijah in a small voice, to Daniel through the scriptures, in dreams to Joseph, Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, in visions to the Apostle Paul, He threw Jonah off a boat, he knocked Saul off a horse, He used a donkey to talk to Balaam and by the Spirit through Jesus and the 120 in the upper room. The two persons that shew the greatest faith in the gospels were the Centurion and the Syro Phoenician woman by discernment. You have to get close to God and be intentional about His business.  

Method of Meditation

1.      Be washed by Jesus’ blood I John 1 verse 6

2.      Have a teachable attitude James 4 verse 6

3.      Pray ‘Lord, show me’ Romans 12 verses 1- 2 and Proverbs 3 verses 5 – 7

4.      Slow down, ponder, muse Psalm 119 verse 18

5.      Combine anointed reason, flowing pictures, music and speech St John 7 verses 37 – 39

6.      Read with focused purpose St. Matthew 5 verse 6

7.      Glorify God for insights Ephesians 3 verse 21

CONCLUSION

Here is to your continued growth in wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God.  It has been God’s desire to communicate with man on a very personal level from the beginning of creation and it has not changed.  He gave man an identity, made in His image and likeness, He gave man authority- have dominion, He blessed man and gave him a purpose Be fruitful multiply and replenish the earth.

As I go let me close with this quotation by Derek Prince from Blessing or Curse pages 90, 91

‘To put human ability in the place of divine grace is to exalt the carnal above the spiritual. The effect will be manifested in many different areas. For example

      Theology will be exalted above revelation

      Intellectual education above character building

      Psychology above discernment

      Program above the leading of the Holy Spirit

      Eloquence above supernatural power

      Reasoning above the walk of faith

      Laws above love.

All of these errors are different manifestations of one great basic error, putting man in a place God has reserved solely for the Lord Jesus Christ’. Revelation vs Reasoned Knowledge

He who hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Once again this is me Raphleta, Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from the True North. 

À bientôt