Welcome back to our series on Wisdom, Revelation and Understanding. In our last message we found out that the person of wisdom is the Holy Spirit, and without Holy Spirit, it is not possible to have TRUE wisdom.
Today we are going to look at Revelation. So what is revelation:
The dictionary defines it as:
noun: revelation; plural noun: revelations
1. a surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed to others, “revelations about his personal life”
2. the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence.
Revelation is a download from heaven, a firmware upgrade of our spirit. The very thing that partners us with a Loving father in the moment of an encounter of Him, which leaves us with a transformed mind.
Including revelation: of the past, for the present, or of the future, like Apostle John. Key is: it all leads us into transformation of life, if we allow it.
John 5:17 (NKJV)
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
John 5:19 (NKJV)
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:20
For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
These scriptures all hold revelation, in fact everything Jesus spoke or did, held and was revelation. Why? Using the above verses let’s explain it.
Jesus was looking into the heavenly realm and seeingthat the Father is working behind the visible realm and speaking out what He was seeing. This too was the same in John’s vision in
Revelation 4:8
“Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Now the 24 elders who were saying this, were not out of ritual, but from what they were seeing! This is what they were seeing, verses 4-7
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the centre, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle”.
Ok Let go back to Jesus, in John 5:17-20
Jesus was looking in the third heaven and seeing the Father’s work and revealing that He is always at work. Then Jesus Says “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19)
The second revelation is Jesus was revealing the access point and the provision to all He was doing,was through relationship. That the Father is awaiting for sons and daughters to work with Him, in His work and this is what He was doing. John 5:20 emphasisesthis.
“For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel”.
Jesus then goes on to Reveal who He is. The Messiah! The one they had been waiting for, that their Torah had spoken of. But revelation comes with a challenge through invitation out of free will.
That’s why if our hearts are not open to receive, we will not be able to understand and will reject it! As we read here:
“Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God”. (John 5:18 (NKJV))
So we are able to receive revelation we have to be open to lay down in freewill, what we think, know, or believe. We need to have an open hand approach in all areas of our life, so when revelation comes we don’t get caught or sneered by them.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
There are many ways we receive revelation, and along with an open hand with what we know or believe, we also need to have an open spiritual heart, ear, eye, in fact we need to have every natural and spiritual sense open to see and receive revelation.
What I mean is just as the Lord spoke through Jesus He also spoke through scripture, angels, visions, voice,nature, a tree, miracle, a person and a donkey.
Hmm, how many of these have you had revelation through? Which do you think would be hard for you to understand? Are any of these outside your human reasoning?
This why revelation is one of those things so many miss, Yet it’s one of the greatest sources of life in abundance.
Revelation 1:3 (TPT)
“A joyous blessing rests upon the one who reads this message and upon those who hear and embrace the words of this prophecy, for the appointed time is in your hands”.
This verse is a word that shows what can come from the ability to receive, handle and act on the message from the Father called ‘Revelation.
Right let’s pause there and pick up the final part of this series next time.
Challenge time: Grab your journal, some space and be with the Lord
1. Be real, brave and vulnerable. Ask the Lord how open is my heart, hands, eyes, ears, senses in the natural and spiritual, to receive Revelation from You? Record what He says.
2. Dig deeper. Ask the Lord would you show me what is hindering or stopping me from being open and available to receive Revelation from You? Record all He says.
3. Choice Time: For each thing hindering or stopping you, ask the Lord how to move it? Receive it, and then apply it in prayer thanking Him for the way forward to again being open to receiving Revelation in any form the Lord wants to give it.
4. Continue this step 3 as many times as the Lord requires for Him to move all stops.
5. Congratulations now you are fully open in senses, ask the Lord what He wants to Reveal to you and declare you will receive it will all your senses open, grateful and act on the message from the Father.
6. Give Thanks here is a extra challenge on this part, think of another way of giving Thanks to Him and implement into your life daily.
Father, thank You that Revelation partners us with a Loving You in the moment of an encounter of Jesus, which leaves us with a transformed mind and life. Today would you take us allow us to experience more Revelation and more of You. In Jesus Name amen.
Craig Patten
Itinerate Pastor / Prophet.
Encounter Ministries
