Revelation – Salvation: His Glory & Grace – Part 2

Divine revelation is defined in Revelation 1:1 AMPC as “His unveiling of the divine mysteries.”

In 1 Corinthians 14:6 AMPC it’s defined as the “disclosure of God’s will to man.”

Divine revelation can be delivered through an angel (messenger) (Re 1:1) or a prophet (Lk 16:16, Pr 31:14).

Or it can be given directly from God, as He wills, to His beloved listeners, who have a heart for Him (Ep 3:3, Ga 1:12).

Treasure to treasure (Ps 119:162, De 26:18).

For our benefit and beyond.

For the adventure we’re on, to guide us in victory as we grow in Him.

But Divine revelation is so much more than revealing secrets we long to understand so we can better navigate life on earth. 

Receiving Christ as Revelation Light

Divine revelation is primarily about God making Himself more deeply known to us:

You see, in Luke 2:32, Christ is actually called “Revelation Light” (TPT version).

He, as Revelation Light, brings to light our hope in salvation for all nations (Is 42:6, Lk 2:32). 

So, God purposes to make Himself known through revelation, even as revelation itself. 

With Revelation Light, we are made truly righteous, as opposed to self-righteous.

Isaiah 51:4 in the MSG version says, “Pay attention, my people. Listen to me, nations. Revelation flows from me. My decisions light up the world. My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time. I’ll bring justice to the peoples. Even faraway islands will look to me and take hope in my saving power. Look up at the skies, ponder the earth under your feet…my salvation will last forever, my setting-things-right will never be obsolete.”

According to the Tyndale Bible Dictionary, revelation is “God’s own self-disclosure or manifesting of himself, or things concerning himself and the world. God is always the initiator and author of revelation. The zenith of God’s revelation was the coming in flesh of his beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Full and complete revelation comes when people encounter the personhood of God. The ultimate purpose of Scripture is to reveal Christ. By special revelation God purposes to share [salvation] with mankind in various ways. By inner, immediate illumination of their hearts and minds by God, the prophets and apostles spoke his Word as he gave them utterance.”

Paul said in Ephesians 3:3 AMPC – “…that the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct revelation…”

Paul even boasted “about supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord” (2 Co 12:1).

But divine revelation is not just for Bible apostles. 

Pure, Devout, Teachable Heart

It’s for all God’s redeemed who have a heart for Him. 

And it manifests in our lives through Holy Spirit’s in-working of our faith. 

“In Scripture, faith is God’s warranty, certifying that the revelation He inbirthed will come to pass (His way)” (HELPS Word-studies).

So, to receive what God reveals to us, and to see it manifested in our lives, we must hold to our belief in Him and what he reveals.

Luke 11:34 TPT tells us, “The eyes of your spirit allow revelation-light to enter into your being. When your heart is open the light floods in. When your heart is hard and closed, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place.”

Therefore, Divine revelation does not come to those who do not believe.

Unbelievers and those with hardened hearts are limited to a parable-level knowledge of God.

They do not know the deeper meanings of God’s Word.

Mark 4:11 AMP affirms this by saying, “…’The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you [who have teachable hearts], but those who are outside [the unbelievers, the spiritually blind] get everything in parables,'”

At best, our unbelief limits God revealing Himself and His treasury of wisdom to us. 

Proverbs 29:18 AMPC goes so far as to say, “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish…”

Jeremiah 5:21 AMPC describes this as, “…foolish people without understanding or heart, who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not: [Isa. 6:9, 10; Matt. 13:10-15; Mark 8:17, 18.]”

Knowing this we can see that there is a direct correlation between revelation and salvation in that we receive revelation as we walk out our salvation.

So, we endeavor to say with confidence, like Simeon, who was careful and pure in heart, “With my own eyes I have seen your Word” (Lk 2:30).

Victorious Spiritual Warfare

Concerning spiritual warfare, Revelation Light is key to reigning victorious in the midst of spiritual resistance. As the rhéma Word of truth is revealed, it is to then be used for defense and offense: 

Ephesians 6:17 TPT tells us to “Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God.”

Friends, we are to live out our salvation, even from our heads, using revelation-knowledge given to us by God to voice His Word like a weapon.

Like Joshua, we must know God’s greater (and unique) strategies for victory as we fight with faith forward. We must understand God’s intimate instructions to win battles.

John 5:20 AMPC tells us that “The Father dearly loves the Son and discloses to (shows) Him everything that He Himself does. And He will disclose to Him (let Him see) greater things yet than these, so that you may marvel and be full of wonder and astonishment.”

Friends, this is the beginning of receiving revelation.

For His committed, God progressively reveals higher understanding as we are postured to receive it—especially as we are “consumed with awe” in worship (Pr 9:10).

For believers who have lost hope after a hardship, God shines a spotlight on dark areas of their hearts, to help them believe again (Job 12:22). 

For prodigals, God uses Revelation-Light to draw them homeward by increasing light in their darkness as they soften their hearts and step toward Him (Lk 15).

With revelation, God can make our hearts grateful in a split second. 

So, we are to “…grow in grace (undeserved favor, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (the Messiah)…” (2 Pe 3:18 AMPC)!

Pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord, 

Thank You for Your marvelous grace (1 Pe 1:13). I repent of any and all hard-heartedness and unbelief that has caused me to not experience You more deeply. Lord, take me beyond parables into Revelation-Light. Help my unbelief so I may gain the privilege of knowing You and your mysteries more deeply. I choose to prepare my heart and mind for action! I choose to stay alert and fix my hope firmly on the marvelous grace that’s coming to me. I choose to believe that when Jesus Christ is unveiled to me, a greater measure of grace will be released to me to accomplish Your will in co-labor with You. I choose to believe that “…[the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea…” (Ha 2:14). And I desire to be one who is filled with Your glory.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen. 

And now, “I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him. I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination, flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones” (Ep 1:17-18 TPT)!

In Jesus’ Mighty Name, 

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

Revelation – Salvation: His Glory & Grace – Part 1

After a couple of days of studying for this video-devotion, my phone rang. 

It was a God thing… 

A divine appointment.

A dear friend had phoned to invite me to pray with her about her young-adult daughter. 

I listened to my friend’s story, and then we began to pray. 

Straight away, The Lord revealed that her daughter was heading away from Him. 

God showed me a vision of her walking far out into the otherwise barren night, toward a tiny guardhouse, that was set on the edge of a geographic border.

When the daughter arrived at the guardhouse, a guard walked out. He reviewed her I.D. and handed it back to her. He refused to allow her to cross the border. Then he walked back into the guardhouse. 

The daughter stood there alone. She didn’t push back. She didn’t even look upset. She simply stared down at her I.D., perplexed, facing her own void in a remote place, not knowing what to do next. 

This young-adult daughter had come to the end of the line God had set for her.

After a moment, she quietly turned back from where she came. She was oblivious to the night all around her, as though it were her normal.

Still looking down at her I.D., she stepped forward slowly, almost mindlessly.

As she did, light began to increase around her. Gradually.

The light grew brighter with each step.

At one point, she looked up, taking her eyes off herself. She became aware that her surroundings had changed.

They were lighter.

She felt lighter.

Realizing this, the daughter sped up her walk until, finally, the bright light of revelation came on in her conscience: Suddenly, she knew beyond a shadow of doubt that she was headed toward Jesus.

When she received this revelation, she took off running a very short distance, right into His arms.

Luke 11:34 TPT tells us, “The eyes of your spirit allow revelation-light to enter into your being. When your heart is open the light floods in. When your heart is hard and closed, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place.”

This daughter ultimately returned (repented) to her loving Jesus, full of glorious light, love and victory.

Friend’s, this is where we are all called to live—close to Him.

Through this vision, The Lord reminded me that He can post His angelic guards at boundaries that prevent us from going too far from Him. God can post angels to help us and our loved ones return to Him. 

The one thing up ahead in our dark night, can prove to be the beginning of a mighty turning point toward God’s glory. 

I believe that daughter’s angel awaited her arrival, as Jesus’ eye was upon her the whole time. 

My friend and I now declare salvation over her, as we all await her return. 

Salvation means to defend, deliver, help, preserve, rescue, be safe and avenge. And, we know God’s Word will not return without accomplishing His will. 

The day after this vision came forth, Holy Spirit added to the message…

He further revealed that, while He would enlighten the conscience of my friend’s daughter, He would simultaneously boost my friend’s confidence to trust Him implicitly with her. While my friend awaits her daughter’s return, He will grow her trust in Him to do that which only He can do. Both mother and daughter will come to know Him in a new way.

God often works in parallels, and this was His plan! 

Holy Spirit highlighted Psalm 97:11 AMPC to me in regards to my friend’s daughter, which says, “Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].”

In regards to her mother, Holy Spirit highlighted Luke 1:17:

Luke 1:17 AMPC says, “And he will [himself] go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn back the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient and incredulous and unpersuadable to the wisdom of the upright [which is the knowledge and holy love of the will of God]–in order to make ready for the Lord a people [perfectly] prepared [in spirit, adjusted and disposed and placed in the right moral state]. [Isa. 40:3; Mal. 4:5, 6.]”

When I saw the Word “unpersuadable” in this verse, I realized God was about to give my dear friend a revelation of faith. He was about to reveal Himself as trustworthy and prove Himself as faithful. He was about to awaken her and her daughter and persuade them both.

Both will be made stronger in Him.

When the daughter returns, God will be at the center of their relationship, and they will see more of Jesus in each other’s hearts. They will be grateful, because they will know that He alone delivered them and set things right.

The Lord used this vision to highlight a particular precept to me for this hour:

We are beginning to see what His Word describes in Habakkuk 2:14 AMPC, which says, “But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. [Isa. 11:9.]”

God is unfurling His plans in our lives to establish us more deeply in Him with awesome wonder. 

Isaiah 11:9 TPT says, “On all my holy mountain of Zion, nothing evil or harmful will be found. For the earth will be filled with the intimate knowledge of the Lord Yahweh just as water swells the sea!”

This is a new beginning for all of us, as we continue to yield to God’s plan, and come increasingly into His marvelous light. 

Hebrews 8:11-12 TPT assure us by saying, “And the result of this will be that everyone will know me as Lord! There will be no need at all to teach their fellow-citizens or brothers by saying, ‘You should know the Lord Jehovah,’ since everyone will know me inwardly, from the most unlikely to the most distinguished. For I will demonstrate my mercy to them and will forgive their evil deeds, and never remember again their sins.”

Join me next week for part 2 of Revelation – Salvation: His Glory & Grace.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.