The Testimony of Jesus
“for the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy”
Revelation 19:10
The “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”; His testimony to us is the personal prophecy of what we are to become. The prayer of a heart apprehended by God is to apprehend (to lay hold of; to make our own) in word and deed all God has purposed for each of our lives.
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own”
Philippians 3:12 (ESV)
Paul knew of this cry, this anguish of the wonder of Christ within. This cry cannot be articulated in the language of men, taught, preached, or marketed in the local Christian bookstore. It was and is the very Spirit of Adoption crying out for God’s full and realized salvation in Christ (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6).
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
Romans 8:23
Throughout the earth, there are people responding to this cry of God within. It is the desire of God to unite all who feel this burning of His Spirit within. A New Wine Skin is forming wherein men and women of all nations are being joined as ONE unto the final consummated work of God. This work of the drawing together of a people will culminate in a union based solely upon their abiding in the Spirit of God Himself. It is a work that will cause men and women to forsake the denominations, sects, and organizations of men to walk and live under the Lordship of Christ. It is from this New Wine Skin that the pouring forth of the New Wine will be accomplished. Unity is ever the basis of the revelation of His manifest presence in our midst (see 2 Chronicles 5:14, Psalm 133, Acts 2:1-4).
“But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins”
Luke 5:38
Peter declared in his epistle:
“…who by the power of God are guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”
2 Peter 1:5
We are living in that Day and God has purposed in His own plan of Salvation to unveil to all creation “the manifestation of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19); only He is able to finish that which He has begun. He continues to press His Own in whom this Spirit of Adoption is at work. As scripture declares, such a cry is not the result of men’s teachings, nor is it the result of the will of man. It is the cry of the Son within crying out unto the Father to make in us a living testimony of His own grace and power! This unity will be free from the will and the direction of men but rather fused together by the love and fire of God Himself; a people on earth who live in the unity of the Spirit in heavenly places (John 17:11,21). This unity is His Unity in our midst (Matthew 6:10). To touch this harmony of Spirit we must live and dwell in Him by whom we are sanctified; One Body and partakers of that One Bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17). Only those who eat His Flesh and Drink His Blood will feel the urgent necessity of this Oneness.
“And not only they but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body”
Romans 8:23
While many may argue that the revelation of those who have the “first fruits” of the Spirit is verified by the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit, God sees things differently. The evidence is the groaning of our hearts for His fullness. People may have gifts and yet walk in evil and greedy ways. Men can understand all mysteries and yet know nothing. It is those who know of this unspeakable desire for the fullness of Him who have the first fruits of His Spirit. Though it may “not yet appear what we shall be” this living hope purifies us “even as He is pure”.
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is”
1 John 3:2
How is this living hope revealed?
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure”
1 John 3:3
John follows these powerful declarations with the following:
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him”
1 John 3:4-5
Sin is the result of a life that does not abide in Him. I have been struck with the enormity of His Call and His purpose for us in Christ. His testimony to us is “Whosoever, abideth in Him does not sin”!
Can we receive His Testimony?
Consider the Call of Christ
“That AS HE IS
so ARE WE in THIS WORLD”
1 John 4:17
These are not my words nor yet my full experience, but it is the reason why (as with Paul) there is a pressing and an intensity of His Spirit within to run in such a manner to the intent we may obtain the Prize of the upward call of God in Christ (Philippians 3:14). While there may be many who feel not this pressing in their hearts there are never-the-less others who feel the call to something deeper, something higher and something which causes their hearts to yearn and cry out unto Him for His fulness within.
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things”
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
(read the context and feel the spirit from which such words were given unto us)
________________
“…how will we escape
if we neglect so great a salvation…”
Hebrews 2:3
Brian Troxel
3 Comments