Speaker: Deacon Gideon Pakpahan
Revelation chapter 2-3 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood or the last purification for seven congregations at the last days.
We are learning the congregation of Ephesus. They have lots of superiorities, but God has something against them because they have left their first love.
Revelation 2:4
2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
The first love is the love of God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The sacrifice of Christ is the foundationfor us to be employed in the building of the perfect body of Christ, until we become the bride of Heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-16
4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high,He led captivity captive,and gave gifts to men.”
4:9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
If we do not have the foundation, we cannot be built to become the perfect body of Christ.
The process of God’s pouring His love is Jesus must experience the tearing of flesh through worship prayer at the Gethsemane garden.
Luke 22:39-42, 44
22:39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.
22:40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
22:41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
22:44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
From our side, in order to receive the first love we must persevere in worship prayer. In worship prayer, we experience the tearing of flesh with all its will, lust, emotion, ambition, et cetera, so we are able to receive the love of God.
There are two possibilities that happen in worship prayer, as follows:
The functions of the love of God are as follows:
God blesses us.
Revelation chapter 2-3 refers to the seven sprinklings of blood or the last purification for seven congregations at the last days.
We are learning the congregation of Ephesus. They have lots of superiorities, but God has something against them because they have left their first love.
Revelation 2:4
2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
The first love is the love of God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The sacrifice of Christ is the foundationfor us to be employed in the building of the perfect body of Christ, until we become the bride of Heaven.
Ephesians 4:8-16
4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high,He led captivity captive,and gave gifts to men.”
4:9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
If we do not have the foundation, we cannot be built to become the perfect body of Christ.
The process of God’s pouring His love is Jesus must experience the tearing of flesh through worship prayer at the Gethsemane garden.
Luke 22:39-42, 44
22:39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him.
22:40 When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
22:41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
22:44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
From our side, in order to receive the first love we must persevere in worship prayer. In worship prayer, we experience the tearing of flesh with all its will, lust, emotion, ambition, et cetera, so we are able to receive the love of God.
There are two possibilities that happen in worship prayer, as follows:
- The disciples were sleeping in worship prayer.
Matthew 26:36-41
26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples,“Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
26:38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
It is being bored, lazy, and sleepy when worshiping God.
The results are as follows:- Entering the temptation or falling in sin up to the peak of sin.
- One cannot endure temptation, but fall from faith, and leave God.
James 1:12-15
1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. - Entering persecution of Antichrist.
Revelation 6:9-10
6:9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Revelation 20:4
20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- Experiencing willingly the tearing of flesh through worship prayer until the flesh does not sound anymore.
Luke 22:41-43
22:41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,
22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
22:43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
Then, we will receive the love of God.
The functions of the love of God are as follows:
- Giving extra strength for us so we can endure to follow and serve God during the sprinkling of blood.
John 15:9-13
15:9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
15:10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
15:13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 16:1-4a
16:1 “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.
16:2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
16:3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.
16:4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will rememberthat I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, - Giving peace in the midst of shaking world.
2 Corinthians 13:11
13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. - The love of God renews us from all sin and flaw.
Zephaniah 3:17-18
3:17 The Lord your God is with you,the Mighty Warrior who saves.He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you,but will rejoice over you with singing.”,
3:18 “I will remove from youall who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,which is a burden and reproach for you.
Luke 23:41-43
23:41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
23:42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
23:43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The love of God is able to change our life to become perfect.
God blesses us.