Revelation 1:4b The Seven Spirits of God

REVELATION

A Verse by Verse Study

A journey of Studying What’s Revealed to Me

 

^..., and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

Revelation 1:4b

The seven Spirits before his throne?  There is only one Spirit. That’s very true but just as God can be a three in one Trinity so he can be a seven in one Spirit because he’s God so he can be seven Spirits in one!  Rather than seven distinct persons as in the Trinity, this is the multifaceted manifestation of God.  The number seven in scripture represents perfection.  In God, there is nothing lacking and nothing missing.  Just as there were seven churches being addressed just prior to this statement (Rev 1:4a,) so there are seven manifestations of the Spirit that cover every need of man in being the church which is the Bride of Christ.   The Greek Word “pneuma,” used here for Spirit, is never used as a depersonalized force.  The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the triune Godhead and is seen or known in seven different manifestations.

The Spirit of God is and is before the throne of God.  He is God and he is before God. As he is the power of God, he stands before the throne waiting to manifest the Word of God. He is the demonstration, the power, the might & the wisdom. He’s the one who gives understanding. He’s the comforter, and friend. He’s the one who walks alongside, the helper, the counsel and the knowledge of God. He is the Spirit of the living God and hovers over the Word to perform it!  The Spirit of God is before the throne of God.

The light of God in the temple of God in the Old Testament was just a mere shadow of what we see here revealed in the book of Revelation.  The candle of the Lord, ever burned before the mercy seat. The Spirit of the Lord, ever burns in reality in the true and real presence of God!  The seven Spirits burn before the presence of God.  In the Old Testament, in both the tabernacles and temples, a seven branched menorah burned.  Daily it was cleaned and filled with fresh oil.  We, the church are not to live off of stale experiences with the Lord but are to be daily lit and daily burning with fresh oil and fresh fire. Just as the menorah burned in the night, we are to burn through the night seasons of our life with the fresh fire of the Holy Ghost!  We as the body of Christ are seated at the right hand of God, in heavenly places in Christ. Just as the Spirit of God stands before God so we stand before God with the Spirit inside, cleaned and sanctified daily, filled with fresh oil, having our wicks trimmed and ready to carry out the Word of the Lord.

The bible says there were ten virgins; five wise and five foolish. The foolish had no oil in their lamp. They were not ready for the coming of the bridegroom. May we ever stand before his presence having our hearts cleansed, our wicks trimmed, our oil filled and our flames lit, as we look and wait for his appearance!

You might say, “How can I do that?” “How can I be filled with my wick trimmed?”  The answer is found in being found before him.  We must seek him and press into his presence.  If we go about each day without seeking and acknowledging the Lord, and without seeking his face, guidance, comfort, counsel, wisdom, understanding, presence, power and might, we will not be filled.  On the other hand, if we approach him to be our all, asking him to fill our emptiness and to cleanse us on the inside daily, we’ll have him, not only in the day, but also in the night seasons.  We’ll be ready should he suddenly appear!

Matthew 25:1  “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

Just as the Holy Spirit is ready to carry out the Word of God, may we be the lamps and vessels that are filled with him. Let us be the vessels that are used by him. Let us be the lights of the world as Jesus said we were. Let us be part of the army of God that stands before him ready to carry out his Word!  The bible says of those who are ready to carry out his word:

Joel 2:11

The Lord gives voice before His army,
For His camp is very great;
For strong is the One who executes His word.
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
Who can endure it?

When we are filled with the Spirit we are filled with all he is.  Only in being filled with his presence and filled with his Spirit will we have the ability to carry out his Word!  God is multifaceted and can manifest in many ways, according to the Word of God, the commands of God and according to the needs of the body of Christ.  Here in the book of Isaiah is given insight into the seven Spirits before the throne of God :

Isaiah 11: 1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

1. The Spirit of the Lord- He must be upon us!
2. The Spirit of Wisdom- He is our wisdom and confounds the wisdom of the world!
3. The Spirit of Understanding- He opens our understanding into the things of God!
4. The Spirit of Counsel- He instructs us both day and night. He guides our paths.
5. The Spirit of Might- He gives us strength.
6. The Spirit of Knowledge- He is all knowing.
7. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!

When the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, you will have supernatural ability to carry things out you can’t do in the natural.  God’s will isn’t carried out naturally but it’s carried out only with the help of the Spirit.  With God’s Spirit, you’ll have all you need to do whatever he needs!  He is the equipping you need to get the job done!  Even Jesus needed the Spirit of God.  If Jesus needed him, how much more do we.  As long as we are on earth, we are to be filled with the Spirit, a part of God’s army and doing all we can to lead others to him.  As that day approaches, may we also be ensured we are personally ready as a bride who is prepared for her bridegroom!  Amen!

Luke 4:18  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

I pray that each person reading this study will not be found sleeping or out of oil at the coming of the bridegroom who is Jesus and who is coming soon. I pray that each person will be standing before the Mercy Seat of God with their wicks trimmed and lamps filled with oil.  I pray every person reading this study will be ready for the coming of the Lord and not see the doors closed before being made ready!

Blue Letter Bible. "Revelation of Jesus Christ 1 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2013. 17 May 2013. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Rev&c=1&t=NKJV >

The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. “Bible Gateway. 2013. 11 May 2013. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025&version=NKJV

CHOSEN TO BEAR FRUIT THAT REMAINS

John 15:16 New King James Version (NKJV) 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

You may think you woke up one day and just decided to start drawing nearer to God but that's not the case. The bible says he chose us not that we chose him and that no person can come to Jesus unless drawn by the Holy Spirit. It is God that decides to draw you. You simply respond to the call of him. If you're thinking about him and if your mind is constantly considering drawing near to him, it is because he is calling and wooing you to draw near. He's gently encouraging you to yield your steps and walk in his direction.

We also need to know we are chosen by him to be fruitful. That means increasing in every area of our lives; whether finances, emotions or growing in him in spiritual maturity. Fruit is also described as the characteristics of God, i.e., joy, love, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, & patience. Fruit is also described as being growing in the knowledge and likeness of God; growing in your relationship with him as well. Remaining fruit means his Word takes root in your heart and produces fruit that will grow outwardly and last. In addition, you bear fruit by adding people to his kingdom through both your life and your outspoken witness (testimony) of him. The gospel of Jesus Christ is something that spreads. It's not a fairy tale or a figment of imagination but a true story that is alive and carries great promises. The bible is the world's top seller and the story & life of Jesus that many tried to squash and put down is the greatest story of all time! It's the gospel message that is not only true but has the power to change lives and give eternal life. It sounds to good to be true but the truth is it's beyond and better than our minds can imagine.

The scripture says it is his desire that you bear fruit that remains. God doesn't want us to come to him, believe him, accept Christ and stop there. He doesn't want his work in our lives to be temporary but he wants our fruit to remain. This means he wants to do both an enduring work in us and an enduring work through us. He doesn't want us to be fruitful for just a moment in time. Just as Jesus expected to see fruit on the fig tree as he was passing by, he wants to see fruit in us; fruit that remains throughout our lifetime and is also effectual in the lives of others.

Many come to Jesus but then fall away at the slightest trial but true increase only comes over the long haul. Let's not fall away at trials but let's through our trials grow stronger and even more fruitful!

For those that have slipped into complacency and barrenness, it's a new day. It's never too late to make a new commitment to him.

Know for certain that you were chosen to be born, chosen to be in relationship with him and chosen to bear fruit! He's chosen you for purpose and as we walk in relationship we grow! He's called you for a purpose which is highly valuable!

Let's make a commitment to be fruitful! Amen!

Sanctification- God Making Himself Known

GOD WILL MAKE HIMSELF KNOWN PRIOR TO THE RETURN OF CHRIST

Joel 2:16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”


Many of us know about the Revelation of Christ as the Bridegroom and the Body of Christ as the Bride.  As it pertains to the doctrine of the return of Christ, we know that this is described as the bridegroom returning for his bride. That's not my subject so I won't post those scriptures at this time.  As we await the return of the bridegroom, he is making himself known, gathering and drawing those that "will be" his.

1 Peter1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,  To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 

Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is gathering, sanctifying, & assembling- prior to the bridegroom coming. Did you know Jesus is married to you? He's married to you whether you are walking close or whether you are a backslider. He is the groom that takes back a wife that has fallen away. He is the groom that will not turn you away if you want to be with him. Run into his arms today! He is anxiously awaiting you to be gathered into his arms.

Sanctification is the act of God separating his people, both those that know him and those that don't yet know him. If you are feeling drawn by his Spirit, then you are being drawn by his Spirit. If your mind is wandering to a place of wonder, God himself is causing you to think about him. Your part of sanctification is yielding and allowing him to make changes in your life, whether that change is a fresh commitment to him or a commitment to walk away from some type of behavior that is dishonoring him! Your part is to draw near and move closer. The time is now! It's time to surrender to God. Turn around, look and listen! God is moving and speaking by his Spirit and he's moving toward us with great compassion and longing!

The time is now to let God sanctify himself in your eyes and you in his! Sanctification by God and for God- himself & you together forever! Amen!

A BEAUTIFUL COLLISION

This past week I had a collision!  Before I explain, let's ask about what a collision is.... as if it needs explaining! :)

From www.dictionary.com

col·li·sion

1.the act of colliding;  a coming violently into contact; 

2. a clash; conflict: a collision of purposes.

3.Physics . the meeting of particles or of bodies in which each exerts a force upon the other, causing the  exchange of energy or momentum.

My collision was between what I see coming and what I know is!

WHAT'S COMING: THE PROPHETIC

I told my pastor I was having this collision and all he said was....

"Congratulations on your collision."

This was my heart meditation:

We as prophetic people often find ourselves looking forward.

         

God shows us things before they come to pass.  He does it so we can release it from our mouths, sowing the Word seed into earth, into the hearts of people:

Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Anyone that knows me knows I have a love and appreciation for the prophetic! I have loved the gift of prophecy since rededicating my heart to Jesus in 1986 and finding out about the beautiful gifts of the Holy Spirit that were given to build up and edify the saints; yes to profit the church!

Prophetically, I see a great move of God just on the horizon- I can't help it that I see this and it IS in the future- but closer than we think!  God reveals things to us by his Spirit; things to high for our knowledge!  This move of God will be both wonderful and devastating at the same time!  It will shake world systems but turn hearts and minds to the one who matters.  Know for certain God says,

"Once more I WILL shake heaven and earth!"

Haggai 2:5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’  6 “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts.

I believe we are in the midst of this move but people have not turned to Jesus in mass as they will.  I say, "What more will it take? When will people realize what they've placed their trust in is sinking sand!"  God will shake this earth until they come to the Desire of All Nations!  As people hunger and thirst and chase after God, they will be filled with his glory, their true desire!

I know this is God- he's coming to me repetitively to reveal it and speak it to my heart and surely he wants it released!

God shakes things up so people will turn to him.  Foundations that are unreliable must shake for people to make the true "Desire of all Nations" their sure foundation!

We also see the promises God has given us and as we prophetically see and hear these things, we desire to see them come to pass in our lives.  This had to be the case of Joseph who was in transition for 13 years, headed to a future God showed him as a boy!  He had to walk through 13 years of processing before coming into the place of authority God had shown him.

We know that we've heard and we know that we've seen and therefore we know there are greater things coming that what our current circumstances are testifying to!

MY COLLISION

I am experiencing a collision between what I see coming as a prophetic person and what I know I have full and complete access to as a born again Christian!

We have this treasure in earthen vessels!

Christ in us the hope of glory!

2 Corinthians 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Colossians 1:26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which[a] is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

We need to know that as we walk through this journey called life, we have access to an unlimited God, who is full of glory! 

We do have to walk through the journey and the processes of life as we pass from season to season and chapter to chapter, fulfilling each purpose God has for us but we don't have to go alone! We have Christ in us and the hope of Glory! We have the very glory of an unlimited God with unlimited resources living inside of us and he surely will see us through every step we take when we follow him!

While we are waiting, we need to also be enjoying!  While we wait for things to come, and while we press forward in faith, we need to enjoy what currently is! 

While we press onward and upward in faith believing for the future we need to be pressing into the presence that is HERE NOW IN THE PRESENT!  HALLELUJAH! 

While we are confident in a future we need to bask in his PRESENCE in the PRESENT.

Moves of God DO come!  Charismatic history bears out the moving of God in waves- some bigger than others and in ebbs and flows, like tides that rise and fall and come in and out!

LET US BE THE CARRIERS OF THE MOVE OF GOD

There was ALWAYS a group of faithful that carried the charismatic gifts of God and the move of God into the NEXT move of God!

THAT'S WHERE HUNGER AND THIRST COMES IN!

Every move of God has been in response to someone's hunger!

THE HISTORY OF GREAT REVIVALS OF THIS CENTURY ARE WITNESSES TO THIS TRUTH!

REVIVAL ALWAYS STARTS WITH HUNGER AND THIRST!

God has always moved in response to hunger!

The hungry ones and the thirsty ones are the ones filled!

Matthew 5:6 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 

An individual has always had the option to be in their own personal revival while others are waiting for a corporate move of God!

Moves of God come and go but the presence of God always is!  He is ever present!

GOD IS I AM- NOT I WILL BE at some future time.  He never says you have to wait for my presence.

In fact it's his presence that carries you through the seasons.

GLORY IN THE MOMENT

We can want our season to change so bad we press in more for that than we do to enjoy the God of the moment!

The best two examples I can give are:

A.     The children of Israel

• They wanted so badly to have things another way that's all they thought about- having things different than they were.

• The children of Israel had the glory of God manifesting on a mountain yet they feared to hear his voice.

• The children of Israel had the voice of God speaking from the mountain yet they wanted Moses to hear for them.

• The children of Israel had the glory of God in a cloud by day to keep them cool and refreshed.

• The children of Israel had supernatural food falling from the sky.

• The children of Israel had bread just appearing on the ground and quail falling from the sky!

• The children of Israel wanted the fruit of the earth more than bread from heaven!

• The children of Israel had the glory of God in a fire by night but still complained!

• The children of Israel had a cloud of fire to separate them from their enemies!

• The children of Israel desired the promised land more than they desired the one who promised!

Can you imagine what a privilege it was to actually live and see God do some of the most notable miracles of all time? 

• 10 plagues in Egypt gave them deliverance
• A cloud by day and fire by night
• Glory on a mountain that must have been so far beyond awesome we can't even imagine!
• An entire sea parting!
• Water from a rock!
• Quail and bread falling from the sky! 

How glorious were the sights they were able to see!

There's nothing wrong with desiring the promised land but there is something wrong with not desiring the PRESENCE IN THE PRESENT LAND!

The promised land is a promise from God and we should be looking forward to possessing all God has promised without sacrificing all God is!

It's the PRESENCE in the PRESENT LAND that gets us to the PROMISED LAND ! We have this #treasure

GOD SAID TO MOSES- "My presence will go before you.... and behind you!" We have this #treasure

B- The example of Joshua. 

Joshua followed Moses up the mountain, desiring to experience the one that was meeting them in the desert.

Joshua lingered in the tabernacle, desiring the present glory!  After Moses and the children of Israel built the tabernacle, they would go there and meet with God.  Moses and all the others left, yet Joshua would linger behind where the glory of God was filling the tabernacle.

Joshua recognized the presence of God in the present circumstance and desired that above anything. He desired that even above being in the presence of Moses- the greatest leader on the face of the earth at that time! Hallelujah!  Joshua wanted to be in the presence of the one leading the leader!

Surely if Moses and Joshua could taste of the glory, we as Glory Filled Christians can!

NOW WE HAVE this treasure in earthen vessels. This is something we don't have to wait for!

The treasure in earthen vessels is more valuable than any increase in salary.

The treasure in earthen vessels is more valuable than any mansion or material thing.

Sometimes we as prophetic people can be so focused on the future we miss out on the presence in the present!

The treasure in us is more valuable than any move of God!  Why?  Because we already have what the move of God brings to those that don't have!

I have had the wonderful experience of being IN revival since 1993 but I can remember when the whole world was waiting for revival I was in my own personal revival.  In fact I can only remember a few years of my entire Christian walk I was not in revival!

My finances were bare to the bone, and my earthly circumstances looked bleak but I was having encounters with the LIVING GOD!

Your earthly experiences can be abased- all while you are encountering the living God!

GREAT JOY COMES FROM HIS PRESENCE- NOT FROM HAVING EVERYTHING JUST SO!

I thank God for the moves of God and I thank God for what I see coming but the thing I'm most thankful for is:

Christ who is in me and who is the hope of glory! 

If Moses can experience his glory in the middle of a wilderness how much more can I a New Testament Christian with the glory of God inside of me taste of his glory NOW?

AMEN, let's get hungry and thirsty and press in for more of God, more of his presence and more of his glory than we've ever known or seen!  He is I AM and his goodness is here now!

Let us look forward to what's coming while fully enjoying what has already come! Let us have a beautiful collision!  Amen!

PROPHECY: A HUGE PART OF THE END TIMES

PROPHECY- A HUGE PART OF THE MOVING OF GOD!

I have a desire to prophesy! What does that mean? It means I desire to hear the voice of God and declare it out of my mouth. Prophecy is a HUGE part of the last days! Today we have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit living inside of us. We have the privilege of hearing his voice and he wants us to both desire to speak it and he wants us to speak it! Yes we are in subjection to the house we're in but you can prophecy in your prayer closet! You don't try to overpower or take over services. You don't force yourself to be heard where you are not welcome! You prophecy in subjection to whatever house you're in! In your house, you're the head so if you aren't in position to prophesy in a church, then prophesy in your prayer closet! I dare you to try it! I dare you to declare what the voice of God speaks to you!

1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

Acts 2: 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 

15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 

16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 

17 ‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your young men shall see visions,

Your old men shall dream dreams.


18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days;

And they shall prophesy.

TODAY YOU CAN HEAR HIS VOICE- TODAY YOU CAN PROPHESY- TODAY THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY IS INSIDE OF YOU

HEBREWS 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son

I hear a lot of people use this scripture as a text for debunking prophecy but I use it as a text to prove that prophecy is for sons and daughters everywhere who have Jesus inside of them. In the Old Testament, everyday man did not hear the voice of God but people went to the prophets. To use this as a text to debunk prophecy would be inconsistent with scripture in both the new and old testaments since there are multiplied passages teaching the correct doctrine of New Testament prophecy. This text shows that we now hear the voice of God through Jesus Christ!

If you are not seeing prophecy poured out on menservants and maidservants you may not be in the middle of what God is doing!

Now you may say that doctrine passed away but I refuse to get into a theological debate when the Word of God is as plain as day!

Now you may say that I'm drunk on wine but I will say, not wine but new wine, his wine, the wine of the Holy Ghost for I am not drunk as you may suppose but I'm filled with the Holy Ghost and this promise is for you too!

I tell you if you want to see a last days move the way God wants to move in the last days, you need to firmly embrace prophecy and let your sons and daughters prophecy! There's power in declaring the Word of God because God doesn't do anything until somebody speaks it out of their mouth! Fruit is born of seed and God's word is seed so embrace prophecy and teach it correctly and then release it from your mouth and allow the release of it! It's the Word of God!

I dare you to declare!

Amen and be blessed!