RENEWED DAY BY DAY BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST - PART 1

RENEWED DAY BY DAY BY THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Part One
Rev. MF Blume


INTRODUCTION

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:1

John received the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God in human form limited to the human frailties we possess. The purpose for the manifestation of God in frail human flesh was to show us, through example, what it is to have God dwelling in our flesh. It reveals how we are to allow the Spirit of God within us to live forth in manifested behaviour through the vessels of our lives. In short, the life Christ lived is a life we are intended to live, by reliance upon the greater Spirit within us - God's Spirit, itself.

Christ relied upon the indwelling presence of the Father for all He did in this world.

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.
John 8:28

"I do nothing of myself."

In order for His Spirit to indeed live such victory through us, as Jesus experienced, we must learn specific truths. We must discover what will bring about this life of victory and manifested glory of God through our vessels.

John was given revelation from Christ concerning these very things. Do not miss the more important issue of learning how to let God's Spirit live through you, when you read the Book of Revelation. Popular ideas regarding this book limit it to physical events in the world just before this physical world is to come to an end. Popular ideas are often incorrect. When the whole scope of the Bible is teach us about Sprit endeavouring to perform God's will into our lives while flesh opposes such efforts, and how to see flesh cease this opposition and allow the Spirit to have His way, why would the book of Revelation cut this flow of scriptural stress and completely leave it only to speak about "endtime events"? There is more to the book of Revelation than atomic bombs, Chinese armies and implanted computer chips.

Let us dig into the mysteries of Revelation and learn how God is showing us how Christ can be revealed in our lives!

Paul spoke of Christ who was revealed in his life in the following passage:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:20

"Not I, but Christ liveth in me." This was a revelation of Christ through Paul. Christ actually lived through Him. One might ask Paul how he could accomplish such great exploits for the Kingdom of God. Paul would answer, "It is not I that do these things, but Christ that liveth in me. I have learned to stop trying through my own abilities, and to believe Him to work through Him. I have made myself available to Him that the members of my body might be His instruments to use for His purpose. I am labouring together with Him!" (See Romans 6:13).

JOHN AND THE VISION OF CHRIST

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:10-12

When John heard Christ speak to Him, he turned to look for the origin of the voice that He might see the One who spoke. And what he saw first was not Christ, per se. He immediately saw seven golden candlesticks.

We find what these candlesticks represent in the following verse.

"...the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
Rev. 1:20.

The picture of John seeing the candlesticks in his endeavour to see he who spoke to him revealed the churches to be the means by which Christ speaks. When John turned to see where Christ's voice came from, He saw candlesticks which symbolized the churches! Christ speaks through His church.

The candlesticks which John saw were identical to the candlesticks or lampstands Moses first constructed for the tabernacle.

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exo 25:31-32

The candlesticks were in the form of a tree with one main shaft and three branches protruding from each of the two sides of the shaft. The shaft itself formed a candlestick, too. Thus, seven branching candlesticks were pictured. A likeness of such a seven-branched candlestick still survives on the Arch of Titus, being carried on the back of a Roman soldier, from the time Rome plundered the temple in 70 AD.

And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:13

Jesus stood in the midst of these candlesticks. In other words, He was revealing Himself through the Church. The Revelation of Jesus Christ occurred through the Church

Christ must be revealed in as many believers today as exist, since that is the reason He puts His Holy Ghost into our lives. He wants to live in us. He wants to be revealed through us to the world. We are the only "Jesus" some people will ever see, but unless we allow His Spirit to reveal itself through us, and learn how to allow this to happen, He will never be revealed through our lives.

I AM THE VINE

Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. This is pictured in Revelation 1. Christ showed John that the church is the extension of Himself. It is His body, the Church. We are the branches, after which the candlesticks John saw were formed.

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:18

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5

When we see John envisioning a set of candlesticks with Christ in their midst, we are seeing a representation of the Vine and the branches, Christ and His Church. Let us experience the revelation of Jesus Christ through us, His church!

I AM THE VINE / MINISTRY OF SPIRIT

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Rev 1:16

In Christ's right hand, John saw seven stars. Again, Revelation 1:20 interprets this symbol for us.

...The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:...
Rev 1:20

The "angels" of the churches were the ministers of the churches. When you read each of the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three, you find that the letters are directed to the "angel" of each church. The angels of each church were told of the problems in their church assemblies, and were told to correct the problems. This makes the angel, or messenger, the minister of God's Word in each Church. "Angel" simply means "minister" or "messenger". Preachers of the Gospel are messengers of the Gospel.

Stars are lights to lighten the world. They are given for signs and seasons.

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
Gen 1:14-17

These lights are the "light of the earth". The light of the world. Ministry. These lights lit the candlesticks which John saw. The churches' lights are the ministries of Spirit. We are the light of the world.

Jesus not only said He was the light of the world (John 8:12), but that we are the light of the world (Matt 5:14). We are extensions, then, of Himself. He shines through us. Once again we see that the revelation of Jesus Christ in intended to occur through us, the Church.

If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
Luke 11:36

The ministers are lights or flames of fire in His right hand. His right hand speaks of His power (Matt 26:64). The true ministry that is in His hand is the spirit ministry which actually is the light that shines in the candlesticks of the churches. It is truth that is preached. It is the Gospel of Christ.

...the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
2 Cor 4:4

This selection from the Bible is found in the context which speaks about true ministry of the Spirit. In Chapter three of 2 Corinthians, Paul explained how he was a minister used by Christ to write epistles of Christ, much like a pen is used by an author. Christ is the author of salvation, and writes upon our hearts His laws, changing our hearts, and filling them with His glory.

In 3:15-16, Paul said that a veil was upon the hearts of those who had not turned their faith towards Christ. But when the heart turns, indicating that the act of believing in Christ is accomplished, this veil is removed, and the Light of the Gospel shines in and administers the Spirit of Christ upon that heart. Paul said Christ ministered that work "by" him. Paul was the pen. Paul was the means by which this light shone.

Notice how the following verses describe the lights that the ministers of the Spirit truly are, as John saw the stars which lit the candlesticks as the angels of the churches.

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
2 Cor 3:3

The ink is the Spirit. Spirit is dabbed onto the heart of the believer through Paul's ministry.

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Cor 3:6

Again Paul says he was a minister of the Spirit, which gives life.

But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
2 Cor 3:7-8

He said the Spirit being ministered to a heart is typified by light that shines upon a person. Moses' ministry was not New Testament, but was Old Testament. And that Old ministry was glorious. This was indicated by Moses, the minister of that covenant, as he glowed with light. It was such a glory that the people could not look at it. And that ministry was to be done away with one day! It was only temporal. God had a greater ministry yet to come, which we found to be the New Testament. And if the people could not look at the light which typified the Old Testament, that would be replaced, how much greater glory and light is the ministry of the New Testament which shall never be done away with?

For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2 Cor 3:9

There is exceedingly more glory and light shining from the New Testament.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2 Cor 3:10

The Old Testament glory was in fact no glory at all when compared with the New Testament light and glory.

For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2 Cor 3:11

The New Testament is to remain. This makes it greater in glory than the temporary Old Testament.

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Cor 3:17

The Spirit Paul ministered was the Lord, Himself! Paul ministered Jesus Christ! Jesus was revealing Himself through Paul's ministry, making Paul an extension or branch of Jesus Christ. Christ, the Light, was in Paul and shining through Paul making Paul the light of the world.

This is evident from the following verse:

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
2 Cor 4:5

Paul preached or ministered Spirit, and that Spirit is Christ.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Cor 3:18

Paul preached Spirit, and it was like light shining onto people - glory - and it changed people's lives. And it was all accomplished by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is the Lord Himself (again see 2 Cor 4:5).

We can clearly see that the lights in Christ's hand are the ministers of the spiritual ministry, one of which Paul was, along with all other true ministers of Christ.

Now, Paul allowed Christ to minister Himself through Paul. And when a believer's heart was opened towards this ministry of light, that soul became exposed to glory. And that one was changed into that same image from glory to glory. In other words, Christ is then impressed as an image into that heart and that heart, in turn, becomes another means by which the revelation of Christ accomplished through people's lives.

The candlesticks which John saw were those which God instructed the Old Testament saints to put within the tabernacle and temple. And the New testament says that we are the true temple of the Holy Ghost!

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Cor 3:16

This is yet another indication that Christ wishes to reveal Himself to us so that we may in turn be the means by which He will reveal Himself to others.

The stars were lights of the earth for the purpose of indicating seasons and giving signs. Is this not what the ministry of the Church accomplishes?

COMFORT OF THE MINISTRY

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:17

John fell as though dead upon seeing this awesome spectacle. And immediately Christ laid the same right hand upon him as which held the seven stars. The ministry gives forth God's Word, and when light is given, truths which were formerly mysteries are said to be prophesied. The revealing of any true saying is a "prophecy". Prophecy is never meant to be condemning.

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1 Cor 14:3

The power of anointing from Christ (His right hand) upon the ministry comforts the believer's hearts, as He did John. The Spirit which the ministry ministers is called the Comforter.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26

RENEWED DAY BY DAY

The Bible relates the account of the rebuilding of the earth in Genesis 1. It is indicated in Scripture that the Genesis account is not so much a creation as it is a repairing done upon a world devastated and ruined into a state that is void and without form. Psalm 104 parallels the first six days of Genesis day by day.

Day One - Let there be light

-Psalm 104:1-5

Day Two - Divide the waters

-Psalm 104:6

Day Three - dry land rise and bring forth grass and plant life.

-Psalm 104:7-18

Day Four - sun, moon and stars appear

-Psalm 14:19-23

Day Five - sea beasts

-Psalm 104:25-27

Day Six - beasts and made from dust of the earth

-Psalm 104:28-29

The summary of this work of God is described in very interesting words.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. Psa 104:30

All accomplished by the Spirit. The face of the earth is not created in these six days, but rather renewed. The Hebrew word used in this instance is "chadash", to be new; cause to rebuild.

God renewed a damaged World and rebuilt it by His Spirit. He "created" and "renewed". There is a passage in the Psalms which also mentions these two terms "create" and "renew", but regards the work of God's Spirit upon devastated mankind!

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:10

The world having been renewed in Genesis typifies the soul that is renewed by God's Spirit to return to the image of God which God originally created humanity to be. That image was lost. And it is ministry of Spirit which rebuilds that image.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Cor 3:18

Christ is God's image. And we are conformed into that image.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Cor 4:4

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:29

We know Paul had this rebuilding of Genesis in mind when he wrote of the ministry of spirit in 23 Corinthians, because of the following words.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4:6

And Paul referred to this work of rebuilding with words that remind us of the picture we see in Genesis 1 involving six "days".

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Cor 4:16

We are renewed day by day. Day after day, God renewed the face of the earth. The world's "image" or "face" was rebuilt. Spirit ministry through true ministers of God accomplishes this renewal of God's image - this revelation of Jesus Christ within God's people!

Having God's image, as did Jesus Christ, allows God to reveal Himself to humanity. The Father within Christ actually did the works Christ accomplished, since Christ was a true vessel of God's Spirit.

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 14:10

We must likewise be revealers of Christ!! We must receive the ministry of spirit from the ministers of God that we in turn might be changed into the image of God as is Christ Jesus.

FLAMES OF FIRE

When Psalm 104 shows the first day of Genesis and the aspect of God's light being spoken into existence, it is not literal light we are to think about in this passage. Literal light was accomplished in the fourth day when the sun, moon and stars were made. This light is revelatory truth. It is the Gospel. That Gospel returns man to the image of God and makes people a means of revelation of Jesus Christ to others.

And after Psalm 104 mentions the first day of speaking forth light, we read an interesting truth which ties us back to Revelation 1 and the seven stars in Jesus' right hand.

Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
Psa 104:4

His ministers are a flaming of fire. Stars. Lights. He is light and He makes His ministers as the flaming fire that sits atop candlesticks in order to light this dark world. The light they minister is the Gospel which will conform a heart into the image of God, day by day. When Genesis' work of renewal was completed, it was the making of man into God's image which crowned the effort.

When God is finished the process of renewing us, we shall come forth as God's image! It is a process. We are renewed day by day.

The Psalm describes the glory of God after the account of Genesis's story of rebuilding, and points us once again to mankind and God's image.

...man...he is the image and glory of God:...
1 Cor 11:7

Man is God's glory! After telling how God renovated the earth in Psalm 104, the writer notes that God's glory shall endure for ever. Man, formed into God's image, worked upon by the light of spirit ministry, will endure forever!

Notice the thought of man's renewal and reception of eternal life, compared to the sinners and their removal from existence in the following closing verses of Psalm 104.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
Psa. 104:30-31

We are His workmanship (Eph. 2:10), created unto good works.

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke. I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
Psa. 104:32-35

Sinners who are unchanged into His image by means of spirit ministry will be consumed and removed from existence. Oh, let us allow Him to minister His image back into our hearts!!

THE SEVENTH DAY

The seventh day is the day of rest. Completion. Psalm 91 is a Psalm for the Sabbath.

A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
Psa 92:1

We thank people when they have done something for us. This describes God's work, not our own. God must accomplish this change in our lives. It is His Spirit which builds the temple. Zechariah saw a vision of candlesticks!

And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:2-6

The candlesticks were fed by oil from two olive trees. This means that the church is the temple Zechariah was prophesying about in this book, which encouraged the two main personalities, the two olive trees, who were the ministers of temple restoration, Joshua and Zerubbabel. Zechariah is a book of prophecy given to these two men during their efforts to rebuild the temple.

This book has significant truths regarding the temple of the Church - the extension "branches" of Christ the vine, as the candlesticks typify. It is not human strength, nor power, but God's Spirit which does the work. By God's Spirit we are changed (2 Cor 3:18). By the Spirit the world was renewed (Psalm 104:30). Spirit ministry is not human intelligence and wisdom, for such things cause the cross to lose effect in our lives.

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1 Cor 1:17

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1 Cor 1:21

So it is His work.

For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
Psa. 92:4-6

Only the spiritually-inclined people, whose hearts have been turned towards such spirit ministry, can appreciate how God works. The fleshly, brutish wisdom seekers cannot comprehend this work of God's Spirit. They exert no faith.

When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
Psa 92:7

The wicked are like the grass that is gone after a season. Compare the wicked with the saints who have been worked upon by God:

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Psa 92:12-14

God rested on the Sabbath day after working the renovation in Genesis' six days. His work was finished. And when He works upon the believers, and accomplishes the imprinting of His image into their hearts, they, His workmanship, shall abide forever. As Psalm 104 said, the glory of the Lord shall endure forever. The saints are the glory of God.

THE TREE OF LIFE

The first letter to the churches was to Ephesus. Jesus describes Himself to the Ephesians as the one who holds the seven stars and walks amidst the candlesticks. And after he admonishes the angel of the Ephesians to correct the sad state of having lost their first love, Jesus speaks of the overcomers.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev 2:7

He speaks of a tree of life after saying He walked amidst the seven candlesticks. Recall that the candlesticks looked like branches of a tree. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. If the church is the branch/candlestick, and the minister is the star lighting the candlestick with spirit ministry, there is the thought of the Word/light which the minister preaches, as the heart of the listener is turned towards Christ, the Lord who is that Spirit, with lack of the veiling that would hinder that light from shining in.

Notice these words:

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:54

These strange words describing the eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood were explained as follows:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:63

He was referring to HIS WORDS when He told them to eat His flesh. he is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). And when He said we must eat His flesh to have eternal life, He was saying we must believe His words. Believing His words were His topic of issue because verse 64 comes right out and mentions BELIEF.

But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
John 6:64

In other words, "Some of you are not eating my flesh."

When many left, Jesus asked the disciples if they would leave, too. Peter indicated he knew what Jesus meant by eating His flesh as he responded to Jesus:

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
John 6:66-68

The words of eternal life. Believing His words is eating His flesh and gaining eternal life. Jesus told the overcomers of Ephesus that they will have right to eating fruit of the tree of life. In other words, comparing scripture with scripture, the ones who overcome the carnal temptations will enjoy feasting on God's Word and continue to experience renewal day by day.

If you look closely enough, you will see that each of the seven days of Genesis parallel each of the messages to the seven churches in some manner. Let there be light parallels the thought of eating eternal life-giving fruit from the tree of life.

But the main thought to be had in this first letter is the thought of the church overcoming temptation in order to continue eating Word and receiving light to grow into God's image.

If Satan can keep us milling around outward and carnal issues, some of which are not detrimental in the sinful sense, he will keep us away from spirit ministry which he knows will change us into God's image. Anything he can get us occupied with in order to keep us from spiritual truth will accomplish his end. Temptations are presented before us to do just this thing. If we can overcome these things, we will continue feasting on God's truths and successfully receive spirit ministry which changes us into God's image!

The sealed book in God's hand contains the truths we must understand regarding the very temptations we must overcome. This book is sealed seven times, and each seal is indicated to be temptations which we must be made aware of in order for us to become revelations of Jesus Christ. At the end of the sixth seal 144,000 were sealed with God's seal on their foreheads in indication that the work of imprinting his image into the believer was fulfilled. The sixth day saw man made in God's image. Overcoming the six temptations as revealed in the six seals sees us stamped with God's image!!!

The first seal regarded the white horse of false doctrine. Recall that the first four seals, the horsemen, are listed consecutively by Jesus, Himself, in Matthew 24:4-10 in parallel to the four horsemen of false doctrine, warring, famine and death (detailed in another study entitled, "The Four Angels and the Four Winds"). And Jesus said, "he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." Matt 24:13

Overcoming is enduring.

Being saved is the full end of the Gospel.

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1 Pet 1:9

Jesus said that if we seek to save our lives (souls in the Greek) we shall lose them. Matthew 16:24-26. This means that gratifying self in the pleasures of life now will cause us to lose pleasure in the end. And losing our lives will have us find them. This means that self-denial and willingness to suffer the loss of fleshly pleasure will reward us great pleasure in the end. When?

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
Mat 16:27

The temptations of the enemy, four horsemen, are intended to distract us from continuing in the renewing process of God's Spirit. The first thing God spoke into existence was light - truth, of Day one. The first enticement away from this work is false doctrine, just as the first church was told to overcome the fault of losing its first love. Jesus is the truth and is what we must love. If we overcome, we will continue feasting from the tree of life, the extension of Christ ministering the word of God, to receive the continued impartation of eternal life.

Receiving truth as opposed to false doctrine and a false Christ is the first thing we must settle in our hearts. It will be the victory over the first temptation every believer will face. The whole work of renewing us regards the impartation of light and truth - Spirit ministry. Unless we settle this in our lives as a priority, we will fall at the first trial of false doctrine. The Word of God makes us aware of Satan's devices.

Christ is within the believer. But He will not be revealed through the believer unless the believer receives ministry of Spirit and learns to overcome fleshly temptation that seeks to hinder that work. The books of our lives must be opened to reveal Christ to the world. Breaking seals is breaking the flesh.

So if we endure temptation to the end, we shall see our souls saved! Delivered!

The four horses were called four winds in Zech 6:5. And we see that the saints shall be gathered from the four winds, delivered from the four horsemen (Matthew 24:31). The word delivered means saved. If we endure temptation to the end we shall be saved.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
James 1:12

The crown of life is the image of God impressed upon our lives.



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