SCRIPTURE:
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”
Revelation 3:11-12
OBSERVATION:
As the word of the Lord continues to fall on the seven churches, the focus of His message to the church at Philadelphia sums up with verse 1I, “I'm coming soon, hold on and no one or thing will take your place in my Kingdom.”
APPLICATION:
So what did the church of Philadelphia do to receive this response from the Lord? God knew their deeds.
It’s in Verse 8. 'I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
- They received and seized the open door, the keys to the kingdom if you will. And not only entered in, but kept the door open of others to join in. Philadelphia was given the opportunity to evangelize and seized it.
- They maintained with little strength. Not weakness, but just enough strength to have the Lord fill in the rest. They relied on completely on God.
- They kept the word of the Lord. They remained faithful.
We often associate the churches of Revelation with getting it wrong. Ephesus forget their first love. Smyrna would suffer persecution. Pergamum didn’t repent. Thyatira has a false prophet. Sardis had fallen asleep. Laodicea had a lukewarm faith. But, here’s a church getting it right. A church that kept the faith and became a pillar not a pushover of the Kingdom.
PRAYER:
Jesus, may I champion the causes You champion. Reflecting your love and light in all I say, all I do and all that I am. Amen
