OPEN DOORS - PART 6

SATURDAY 02 MARCH 2024

I believe that we are going from strength to strength as we understand this topic in its progressive brightness, which has become quite visible, having unveiled the expository cognizance through the successive parts. Please pay apt attention to today's article because of the importance of a revealed truth by the Spirit of God - hidden as a treasure within the framework of the versified statement below.

Reference: Revelation 3:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

"I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me."

The first segment I expounded is: I know all the things you do.

The second segment is: And I have opened a door for you that no one can close.

The third segment is: You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word.

And the last segment is: And did not deny me.

Now watch this: I was divinely informed that Christ did not open a door for the church in Philadelphia because of the third segment, which I specifically mentioned in part 5 of this topic. Why? The third segment, "You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word" applies to all of God's people. This third segment illustrated their continual growth and progressive "increased" experience in the practical knowledge of God's Word, because as they would remain consistent in doing so, they would go from strength to strength.

Therefore, obeying God's Word is not the actual reason Christ opened door for His saints in Philadelphia. On the other hand, God does not give His children great or double strength because they keep His Word, bearing in mind that they can do so by engaging the "infilling" influence of the Spirit! That's the reason, regardless of their little strength, they excelled in obeying God's Word. Zero wonder apostle Paul prayed for spiritual strength on behalf of the Ephesian saints (See Ephesians 3:16).

Beloved, there are the very elect who have kept God's Word and yet, they have not experienced an open door which they yet desired in some certain aspects of life. There are also many of God's people who have missed several opportunities to obey His Word in this end time, yet they walk into any open door with ease, whether or not the hand of God has authorised it. So these Philadelphian saints never turned away from their obedience to God's Word because they desired or needed an open door, but because their hearts were fully controlled by the love of Christ, which is the real definition of a true character of the born again Christian.

So why did Christ open this door for His very elect in Philadelphia? His faithfulness, knowing that they preciously deserved it. And this brings us to the last segment, which is: And they did not deny me. The Message Translation (MSG) completed the statement in this manner: And did not deny me when times were rough. This denial defined Peter's character. In other words, they avoided taking on Peter's attitude during Christ's arrest that led to His crucifixion.

Beloved, the Philadelphian saints were tried and tested beyond measure, yet they did not deny Christ when seemingly relevant opportunities came for them to do so. Simply put, they were tested to the point of denying Him. And that's the reason for the open door in that Scripture. Got it! Christ did not withhold the demonstration of His faithfulness in their lives because they were unwilling to deny Him in the midst of opposition, negative outcomes, masked challenging influences, and adverse effects of persecution.

To instantiate this verity in a nutshell, why did God open a door of significant promotion to Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego in the midst of their severe trials? They said, "If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up" (Daniel 3:16-18 NET). In other words, whether or not the Almighty God would come to rescue them from the furnace of blazing fire, they would not deny His name. Who later appeared in their midst? Yes, a fourth image likened to the Son of God.

Did they ask for an open door? No! What did the open door look like? A promotion! The king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon (Study Daniel 3:10-30 NLT). Christ's faithfulness opened the door of promotion for them, which they did not ask for.

Beloved, Titus 1:16 says this about some, "They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deeds" (NET).

In conclusion, the Lord Jesus Christ says in Matthew 10:32-33, "Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven" (NLT). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Matthew 26:34; Mark 8:38; 2 Timothy 1:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:22-23.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, the lyrics of my triumphal song are replete with the testimonies of your open door - based on the leading of your Spirit. Day and night, by the strength of your Spirit, I honour the Lord Jesus Christ, who has opened a door for me which no one can close, come what may. Thankfully, I continually experience the progressive radiance of your righteous faithfulness in my life, in Jesus' Name, Amen.