Tag: #Ephesians6:17

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God Our Avenger – Part 2

I love how King David celebrated what surely felt like final victory over all his enemies, including Saul. David sang unto our Lord in 2 Samuel 22:48 NIV, acknowledging that God was the One who avenged him, who put the nations under him.

David must have felt a tremendous relief as God brought completion to this stage of his kingship process, because David, who feared God, was now proven obedient (Ps 34:7).

Herein lies a secret of God’s vindication.

When we follow God to complete obedience, He releases His vindication on our behalf as well as His vengeance on our enemies.

In other words, we need to obediently follow God into 2 Corinthians 10:6 AMPC, which says, “Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.”

Friends, God has no problem releasing vindication and punishment simultaneously to individuals and nations (De 32:43 AMPC, 1 Pe 2:14 AMPC).

Hebrews 10:30 AMPC says, “For we know Him Who said, Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the meting out of full justice rest with Me]; I will repay [I will exact the compensation], says the Lord. And again, The Lord will judge and determine and solve and settle the cause and the cases of His people. [Deut. 32:35, 36.].”

We must never forget that God is a God of complete justice and that He “reserves wrath for His enemies” (Na 1:2 AMPC).

God even wears garments of vengeance.

Isaiah 59:17 AMPC says, “For [the Lord] put on righteousness as a breastplate or coat of mail, and salvation as a helmet upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and was clad with zeal [and furious divine jealousy] as a cloak. [Eph. 6:14, 17; I Thess. 5:8.].”

God can use a sword of vengeance to make His point to those disobedient to His Word of authority (Le 26:25 AMPC, Ro 13:1-5). 

And this is not just Old Testament.

Romans 13:4 AMPC reminds us, “For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer.”

Friends, God does not mess around. He has destinies to fulfill in our lives. And He has ways of getting His point across, even to His people.

Hebrews 2:3 AMPC asks us, “How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].”

This “great salvation” here is described in 2 Corinthians 5:21 TPT which says, “For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8 AMPC confirms that God will “…deal out retribution (chastisement and vengeance) upon those who do not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and [upon those] who ignore and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, friends, we want to be on the side of righteous behavior. As such, not following Jesus is not an option. We are to know God’s truth, know our identity in Him and faithfully act on His precepts and strategies.

We don’t have to worry about the opposition along the way, because God assures us that He will release vengeance on our opposition, even in our promised land, as we courageously obey Him, like Joshua and Caleb (Jo 10:13 AMPC)!

It’s when we act in opposition to God’s ways and stop following Him out of cowardice, or for any other reason, that we should be concerned (Jo 22:23 AMPC).

If you follow Jesus and maintain a fear of God, you will see God’s justice and abundance of promise fulfilled (Pr 9:10 TPT, Ps 94:1 TPT). Like David and Joseph, God will make you known, and you will have your say when God brings completion to your kingship process (2 Sa 22, Ge 45).  

So, friends, let’s be encouraged by and trust in God’s truth of Word and Spirit.

Vengeance is actually a time of God restoring order, of “rendering full justice or satisfaction” (Lk 21:22 AMPC, Is 26:9). As such, this is cause for the vindicated to rejoice.

Revelation 18:20 AMPC instructs us to, “Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her! [Isa. 44:23; Jer. 51:48.].”

So, don’t give up, friends. Keep moving forward in your divine assignments. Just as God can send His avenging angel to His enemies, He can send an army of angels to help vindicate you, like King David (1 Ch 12:22).

So, pray with me if you will…

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your righteous justice. You tell me in 1 Chronicles 12:22 AMPC that “day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.” You instruct me, Lord, in Proverbs 12:22 TPT to “Live in the truth and keep” my “promises, and” You “will keep delighting in” me. You say that You detest “a liar.” 

So, Lord, I thank You that You are no respecter of persons and that You say those who fear you lack nothing (Ps 34:9). I ask You to help me keep my promises to You by sending me a great army to help me run my race and complete Your assignments in my life. Strengthen me, Spirit of Grace, to be unwavering and faithful as You are faithful (Ps 26:1). 

Thank You for freeing me from the burden of vengeance and for bringing completion to this kingship process in my life as You have established me to live out divine rulership with You. “…O God, You to Whom vengeance belongs, shine forth” (Ps 94:1 AMPC)!

Pour out Your Spirit on the earth today as revelation-light to pierce the conscience of the wicked as we worship You (Ps 94:1 TPT, Pr 9:10 TPT). Thank You for sending Your Son to be pierced for our transgressions (Is 53:5).

Thank You, Lord, for vindicating “me by Your mighty strength and power” (Ps 54:1).

In Jesus’ Name.

Amen

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

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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.