(To Coincide with Fasting Prayer Service Session III)
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:9-20 is about vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, bothyour brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John in Patmos Island experiences suffering in flesh not because of sin but the Word of God (the Table of Showbread) and the testimony of Jesus Christ (the Golden Candlestick).
Matthew 6:17
6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your headand wash your face,
The signs of true fasting are as follows:
Mark 7:21-23
7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
7:23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
The evil and unclean heart is filled by twelve evil and unclean desires starting from adulteries up to foolishness. Foolishness means one cannot be advised. God will let him and he will only wait for perdition.
Through fasting, we are able to experience purifying of heart and mind.
Matthew 5:8
5:8 Blessedarethe pure in heart,for they shall see God.
If heart and mind are purified through fasting prayer, we are able to see God.
John 20:20
20:20 When He had said this, He showed themHishands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
The process of seeing God is as follows:
God blesses us.
Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1:9-20 is about vision of John in Patmos Island.
Revelation 1:9
1:9 I, John, bothyour brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John in Patmos Island experiences suffering in flesh not because of sin but the Word of God (the Table of Showbread) and the testimony of Jesus Christ (the Golden Candlestick).
Matthew 6:17
6:17 But you, when you fast, anoint your headand wash your face,
The signs of true fasting are as follows:
- ‘Anoint your head’means our mind is anointed by Holy Spirit (the Golden Candlestick).
- ‘Wash your face’means our heart is purified by the Word of God (the Table of Showbread).
Mark 7:21-23
7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
7:23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
The evil and unclean heart is filled by twelve evil and unclean desires starting from adulteries up to foolishness. Foolishness means one cannot be advised. God will let him and he will only wait for perdition.
Through fasting, we are able to experience purifying of heart and mind.
Matthew 5:8
5:8 Blessedarethe pure in heart,for they shall see God.
If heart and mind are purified through fasting prayer, we are able to see God.
John 20:20
20:20 When He had said this, He showed themHishands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
The process of seeing God is as follows:
- Seeing the side of God.
John 19:33-34
19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.
19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
God’s side has been pierced by spear and blood and water come out. Seeing God’s side means we must have the sign of blood and water.
The sign of bloodmeans believing in Jesus and repenting, stopping doing sin and returning to God or being dead from sin.
The sign of watermeans water and Holy Spirit baptism.
The condition of water baptism is one must repent. The practicing of true water baptism is one who dies from sin or repents is buried in water together with Jesus and being baptized in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, namely Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:19
28:19 Go thereforeand make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
The result is the newness of life or one becomes new man. It starts from honesty or speaking truth.
Ephesians 4:24-25
4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying,“Leteach oneof youspeak truth with his neighbor,”for we are members of one another.
Holy Spirit baptism makes us obedient.
Thus, the practice of seeing God’s side is being the son or servant of God who is honest and obedient. The result is we are saved and blessed by God. - Seeing God’s hand with the hole because of being nailed.
The meaning is we do good deed and sacrifice anything until we can repay kindness for evil.
The peak of good deed of Jesus is saving the sinner. Now for us, the good deed is testifying to others so they can be saved and perfected.
Jesus serves faithfully until dies on the cross. Now we must serve faithfully and fervently until the end line, whatever we must sacrifice.
Thus, the practice of seeing God’s hand is being the servant of God who is faithful and good.
Matthew 25:21
25:21 His lord said to him, ‘Welldone,good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
The result is we are trusted in many things or employed in the building of the perfect body of Christ and experience the joy of heaven that cannot be affected by anything in earth. - Seeing God’s face or worshipping Him.
Matthew 17:1-2
17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
In worship prayer, Jesus’ face in glory as the sun is able to change us from carnal men into spiritual ones like Jesus. Fasting prayer accelerates the life renewal because we are racing with the time of Jesus’ second coming.
Matthew 11:28-30
11:28 Come to Me, allyouwho labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For My yokeiseasy and My burden is light.”
Heart is renewed to become humble and gentle.
Humblenessis the ability to confess the sin to God and others. If we are forgiven, do not sin anymore.
Gentlenessis ability to forgive and forget other’s sin that is confessed solemnly.
The result is all labor and heavy burden will be carried by Jesus on cross and replaced with rest.
Sin makes labor and heavy burden. Sin is the heaviest burden that burdens from now in the world to hell. If it is finished, everything becomes easy and light. And other burdens can be solved by God. The impossible thing becomes possible.
Philippians 3:20-21
3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
3:21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
If Jesus comes a second time, we will be renewed in a moment to be as glorious as He is. We will be lifted up on glorious clouds, seeing God face to face, entering the Marriage Supper of the Lamb of God, Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace, until the New Jerusalem, and we meet God forever.
Revelation 22:4-5
22:4 They shall see His face, and His nameshall beon their foreheads.
22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
God blesses us.