“And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?'” Revelation 5:2
Dear Ones:
When the Apostle John, by the Spirit, sees a door open in heaven, he is ushered into the very presence of God, the angels, angelic beings, elders, and the host of the redeemed. There he beholds the Father seated on the throne of heaven, and then, the slain Lamb of God standing before Him. In the book of Revelation, chapter 5, a remarkable thing occurs. There comes a moment when John sees a book in the hand of the Father. The Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah who has overcome, comes and takes the book out of the hand of the Father. All the host of heaven bow down before the Lamb, declaring His worthiness…and His alone, to be able to take that book. What is the significance of this act? It is most certainly a declaration to all believers that there is time and opportunity now…that the promise of the Spirit, and the outpouring are to be believed in, and lived by. For, “…the night is coming, when no man shall work.” (Jn. 9:4)
Key to grasping the significance of this opportunity, is the understanding of the promise of the Spirit. In John’s gospel, before Christ was crucified, He told His disciples that He would “…pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.” (Jn. 14:16) The significance of this prayer, and answer to it, was that the disciples, who KNEW the presence of the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of truth…), dwelling WITH them, would come to know the miracle of His indwelling: “… and shall be IN you.” (v. 17) Essential for the realization of God’s purposes in and through the body of Christ, was Christ dwelling in the heart of every believer by faith.
When Pentecost came, and the effects of it were so powerfully seen, Peter stands up and declares that the out pouring of the Spirit, according to Joel’s prophecy, had occurred. “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.” (Joel 2:28) Between the day of Pentecost, and throughout the history of the church, until this very day, the power and potential of that out pouring has been made available to every believer in Christ. When Jesus rises to take that book in the kingdom of heaven, a book that is sealed with the seals of judgement, we see the redeemed of all ages before the throne declaring, “…Thou hast redeemed us out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Rev. 5:9) It seems that the period of the Spirit’s out pouring, what theologians call the “Age of Grace,” has come to an end, for judgement is about to be released on the earth. Time and opportunity have now taken center stage with regard to the promises of God. Today indeed is a day of salvation, and of blessing. How shall we then live? It is by believing all that Christ has declared, and acting upon it.
The promises concerning the blessing of the Spirit of truth are enormous: 1. He will abide with you forever (Jn. 14:16), 2. “(He)…shall be IN you.”(v.17), 3. “…He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (v.26), 4. “…He shall testify of Me…and you also shall bear witness.” (15:26-27), 5. “…He will guide you into all truth…He will show you things to come.” (16:13), 6. “…He shall glorify Me…” (v.14) Do we trust the Lord Jesus for the Holy Spirit to BE all this to us, in us, for His sake and glory? We are on this earth “…for such a time as this.” May the Lord Jesus give us grace to truly believe Him fully for all that He desires, and wills to do in and through our lives, for His glory.
Dear Father, time and opportunity are gracious gifts from You. Give us grace to grasp the enormity of our privilege, blessing, and responsibility. Meet us today in a new and fresh way, to trust You, to specifically believe you for the full out working of Your purposes in and through us by the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad