We Are Filled With The Knowledge Of Who We Are

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [^[special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things— That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].  [We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, Colossians 1:9-11

This prayer is the Divine inspiration of our Father. So this prayer is what our Father wants for us and it’s what He has provided for us through Christ! Just look at the Words of this prayer: all, worthy, knowledge, joy, might, strength, wisdom, understanding, and power! These are the things that God has provided completely for us. Every bit as much as the prayer that Jesus prayed in John 17 is the Word of God, so is this prayer of Paul’s the Word of God! You want to see some real power, go and read the prayers at the beginning of the Epistles. As you read them watch the power of the Holy Ghost strengthen you as Jesus Authors and Finishes the faith within you to accept and walk in the Truth of them. Sow these prayers that we are shown in the Bible for others and watch those who you pray for and yourself actually begin to live and experience them. There is so much awesome power in the prayers that we are shown in the Word!

We are one with all of Jesus’ knowledge, all of His wisdom, and all of His spiritual understanding. Through the power of Jesus’ might we are every bit as pleasing to God as Jesus is! We are one with all of Jesus strength, all of His might, all of His glorious power, all of His patience, and all of His joy. There is nothing that Jesus is, and nothing that He has, that we are not one with, as He is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. We are now members of His body and greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world! And today is the day that we have all of this, for today is the day of our salvation!

We Are Enriched With All Knowledge

[So] that in Him in every respect you were enriched, in full power and readiness of speech [to speak of your faith] and complete knowledge and illumination [to give you full insight into its meaning]. 1 Corinthians 1:5

One of the things that Jesus does for us is to enrich us with all knowledge! 

Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.Philippians 5-7 

Jesus will enrich us with all knowledge, so that we will actually have His mind. He does this so that we can think like He thinks and so that we may understand God as He understands God! The Truth just keeps getting better and better! We now have the mind of Christ, which means that we can know fully that we are now in God and that He is now in us. Jesus enriches us so that our Father can use us, just as He uses Jesus. We are now the servants of our Father just as Jesus is the Servant of Him. 

We are now dead to sin but alive unto God, just as Jesus is dead to sin and alive unto God, Romans 6:11! Look at Jesus’ life, He just took on His glory and talked with Moses and Elijah for a while, Mark 9:4. Jesus looked right at the devil, even after fasting for forty days and told him to leave, and the devil had no choice but to obey Him, Luke 4:8! Jesus knew that even though He was in the form of a man, that He still was God, that He still was One with God, and that God was still in Him! We now have Jesus enriching us with the knowledge that we too are one with our Father, even though we are here on this earth, 1 John 4:17! We are servants of God just like Jesus and we are by the power of our Father that is within us! Jesus wasn’t hindered by sin, our Father wasn’t hindered in being able to work through Jesus, and we have been born again, so that our Father has the exact same freedom through us that He has with Jesus! This is just down right awesome! Jesus is within us, He is enriching us with all knowledge, and by His power, we have the fullness of our Father, Who is God, within us!

Philippians 3:12

12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.

I know that our Father has not yet brought me to where He plans on taking me. I would hazard a guess that He hasn’t gotten you there yet either, but what does it matter? Does our lack of not being there mean that our Father’s will is not being done? Does it mean that Grace is not being administered or that His Love is being withheld? 

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, Romans 5:20

Even if we are not fully mature and are messing up, our Father’s Grace superabounds our shortcomings. This allows us to have peace that passes all understanding. 

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

To the world it sounds like foolishness to believe that a person can have their full reward when they have not fully earned it. But for us, we have it, regardless of where we are at in the Lord. 

[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. 1 Corinthians 1:27

Philippians 3:10

10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]

The Holy Spirit causes us to have the desire and the will to want all of the Truth. Because we have the Holy Spirit within us we want to know everything about our Father and our Kingdom. We do this because the Truth is what sets us free, John 8:32. We also do this because we now have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16. We have been chosen by our Father to have absolutely no limitations on us. As we are freely shown the Truth we freely share the Truth, Matthew 10:8. Our Father uses us to share His Truth just as He used Jesus to share the Truth. Some will accept it, some will deny it, but we are used to freely share it with all, Mark 4:14.

The Holy Spirit will also cause us to want our Father’s power. We have been born again and our new spirit wants to have miracles abound around us, Mark 16. We are born to want healing’s, prophecies, tongues, and interpretations of those tongues. We are born to want the dead to raise, the blind to see, and the deaf to hear. 

Finally in this verse, we are shown that the Holy Spirit gives us a heart that does not mind suffering. He empowers us to know that while we are in this world, we are not of it. Our Father causes us to know that the weaker that our flesh is, the stronger that He is within us.

But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may ]pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength). 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Amen there is nothing about our Father that we cannot know. There is no power of His that we will not be used to show and the weaker we become the stronger and more powerful we become. 

Philippians 2:16-23

16 Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I may have something of which exultantly to rejoice and glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

In verse 15 our Father wrote that we are in a dark world and we are. But that doesn’t mean that He will not use us to share the Word of Truth with all men, Mark 16:15. They may not all believe the Truth. They may harass us and even kill us for sharing the Word, but our Father will have us share His Truth, Ezekiel 36:27. Our Father will never allow us to live in vain. He will cause us to labor in righteousness. He will cause us to be more then conquerors through Christ, Romans 8:37. We are one with Jesus, Ephesians 5:30-32, how could we not be as He is, even when we are in this world, 1 John 4:17. 

17 Even if [my lifeblood] must be poured out as a libation on the sacrificial offering of your faith [to God], still I am glad [to do it] and congratulate you all on [your share in] it.

18 And you also in like manner be glad and congratulate me on [my share in] it.

19 But I hope and trust in the Lord Jesus soon to send Timothy to you, so that I may also be encouraged and cheered by learning news of you.

20 For I have no one like him [no one of so kindred a spirit] who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests.

There is a strong belief with many in religion today and it is that we must be actively involved with a group of believers to be used by our Father in any real way or to gain any real understanding. But look here, Paul only had Timothy. Only Timothy shared a common spirit with Paul, these two were not meeting daily with an established group that they were part of. John too was alone on the Island of Patmus when our Father gave him the Book of Revelation. Jesus also spent time alone in the wilderness. Moses did as well. I write this because our Father has many of us right now by ourselves, on an Island per say. That is alright, our Father never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. We do not have to be actively in a church to be with our Father. Many times we are lead to spend alone time with Him and there is no condemnation for us because of it at all, Romans 8:1. 

21 For the others all seek [to advance] their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

22 But Timothy’s tested worth you know, how as a son with his father he has toiled with me zealously in [serving and helping to advance] the good news (the Gospel).

23 I hope therefore to send him promptly, just as soon as I know how my case is going to turn out.

Galatians 5:5-6

5 For we, [not relying on the Law but] through the [Holy] Spirit's [help], by faith anticipate and wait for the blessing and good for which our righteousness and right standing with God [our conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action, causes us] to hope.

    

The Holy Spirit is responsible for bringing our righteousness. The Holy Spirit is who we rely on: He is our only Strength, He Alone is our Teacher, our Advocate, and He Alone is our Stand By.

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

It is insulting to Him to believe that our works make us right. Yet so many believe in their works and while believing that works bring us favor with God sounds religious, it is the message of the anti-christ. If a person believes that we are justified by keeping a law, then they are separated from Christ, Galatians 5:1! To believe this way is like believing that a child must do works to earn the attention and love of his father. If a parent needs a chid to do things for them to love and pay attention to them, then they are lousy parents. 

6 For [if we are] in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and energized and expressed and working through love.

So are we shown here that we have to work faith and love on our own? Are these two things our law now?

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Our freedom is that Jesus is the only reason that we have faith. True faith is not a human ability to believe God, faith is Jesus’ ability to believe God working through us.

I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them. John 17:26

Our peace that passes all understanding is that Jesus lives to make our Father known to us so that we may have His very love dwelling within us. There is nothing that we do first in Christ, we are never separated from our Head to initiate anything on our own. We have no part to play that is separate from Jesus. We are told in the Bible that we have to have faith and love, and the Truth is that Jesus is our source for both. It is impossible for a man to have true faith and love on his own. Everything must come directly from our Head first, John 3:27. If you believe that you must do any work on your own, then you have no part in Christ. 

Galatians 2:17-18

17 But if, in our desire and endeavor to be justified in Christ [to be declared righteous and put in right standing with God wholly and solely through Christ], we have shown ourselves sinners also and convicted of sin, does that make Christ a minister (a party and contributor) to our sin? Banish the thought! [Of course not!]

18 For if I [or any others who have taught that the observance of the Law of Moses is not essential to being justified by God should now by word or practice teach or intimate that it is essential to] build up again what I tore down, I prove myself a transgressor.

Paul was actively used by the Holy Spirit to tear down the belief that the Law of Moses, or the Ten Commandments, was essential for us to be justified with our Father. Ask yourself: how many teach this way today? Most will actually attempt to teach us that the Ten Commandments are absolutely essential for us to be justified. This false teaching takes away everything from Christ and places it all back on us. This way of teaching is the teaching of anti-christ. There Truth is that there absolute freedom and liberty in Christ. Why would anyone want to go back to laws that man could not keep or perform? The simplest commandment was to keep one day Holy and man couldn’t even do that. Our Father knew that we couldn’t do any of it, because our flesh was weak, so He sent Jesus to set us free from all of the law.

For God has done what the Law could not do, [its power] being weakened by the flesh [ the entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit]. Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, [God] condemned sin in the flesh [ subdued, overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice], Romans 8:3

Our Father knew of our weakness because He created us to be weak. We were created to be able to accomplish nothing on our own. 

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

Our Father gave us the gift of freedom from sin, it is called grace. It is all free and it is all undeserved. The Truth is that as soon as the Holy Spirit empowers us to live in this freedom, the things that so many try to not do with their own strength, will actually stop. Our fruitless acts will finally stop when we are empowered to understand that we aren’t responsible to keep ourselves. These acts will stop, because it is Jesus causing them to stop. In Christ we look away from everything, including ourselves, and when we are empowered to do this, freedom and maturity are the results.

Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11

Do you consider yourself to be dead to sin? 

Galatians 1:14-15

14 And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic and zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

    

15 But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased

Once again, the Truth is that Paul was called and set apart for use by our Father before he was even born! Paul was chosen even though he zealously persecuted Christians. Our Father knows us completely. He knew us before we were and He still called and chose us. He chose us even knowing all of our faults and all of our shortcomings. The Truth is actually that our Father made us all to be disobedient, that is what the Word teaches us. 

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

Grace doesn’t judge, it is just freely given. Grace is all undeserved and where sin abounds, our Father’s Grace much more abounds, Romans 5:20. Our Father knows how He made us and why He made us the way that He did and He will and does have mercy on all of us. 

16 To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone].

Here is another great Truth: when a person is born again we don’t have to immediately get them into Bible classes. Paul didn’t and look how our Father used him. For the first couple of years babies are raised primarily by their parents and then as they grow they have more and more fellowship with others. We don’t send our kids to kindergarten until they are five. Our Father will never leave us or forsake us and He especially won’t when we are a new born. 

But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [ permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]. 1 John 2:27

We have been given the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, John 14:26 and His anointing will never leave us. So don’t fret about if a new born isn’t being led into a church. Our Father may want them to Himself for a while. The Holy Spirit is the power for us to learn. He may do this One on one or He may use brothers and sisters to work through. Either way it is all the power of the Holy Spirit.  

End of Times Matthew 24:42-44

42 Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming.

We may not know the exact hour, but we are empowered with the Holy Spirit to know the season, of our Lord’s return. Our Groom will not overtake us as a thief would overtake an unsuspecting person. The Truth is that we will be intimately acquainted with our Wedding Feasts Plans. 

43 But understand this: had the householder known in what [part of the night, whether in a night or a morning] watch the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be undermined and broken into.

44 You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.

Sounds like Jesus places a ton of responsibility on us here, doesn’t it? I mean I have heard these verses preached dozens of times and the sermons always tell me that I better get it right. But as always the Truth sets us free from all fear. The first thing to alwaysremember is that without Jesus we can do nothing.

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5

The next thing to remember is that our Father will always cause us to be more than conquerors.

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us. Romans 8:37

Amid all things, which includes even keeping watch, Jesus empowers us to be successful. Jesus never will leave us and He never will forsake us, Hebrews 13:5, especially during the end times. During the last 3 1/2 years of this age in earths history there will be many mighty messages that we are used by our Father to preach, Acts 2:17, Revelation 10:1, 14:6. During the end times our Father will be using us to preach the gospel of the Kingdom to every tribe, tongue, and nation, Matthew 24:14. This is the one sign that will show us that our Groom is ready to return. We will not be overtaken as by the thief. We will be walking in the full power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Before our Lord returns we will be glorious, without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, Ephesians 5: 27. 

There is no fear in the perfect love of our Father, 1 John 4:18. So there is no fear for us messing up during the end times. In Christ our yoke is always easy and our burden is always light, Matthew 11:30. Jesus will always cause us to be faithful and wise. The Holy Spirit will always teach us all things and He will always bring to our remembrance everything that Jesus has ever said, John 14:26.

Faith comes for us by hearing these Truths and the Truth sets us free.

Ephesians 6:9-10

9 You masters, act on the same [principle] toward them and give up threatening and using violent and abusive words, knowing that He Who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no respect of persons (no partiality) with Him.

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].

A branch cannot help but gain its strength from the vine. An arm cannot help but to gain its strength from the head. We are one with Jesus and our strength is God Almighty's strength. What makes Jesus makes us, we are perfectly united and one with Him. Everything that He is, so are we, even in this world. Everything that Jesus has, so do we. There is no separation at all between us. The two of us have become one flesh. 

The Holy Spirit will not just let us read this. He will cause us to stop and actually be empowered by His might to understand exactly what we are being told here. We are as strong as Jesus, because we are one with Jesus. When we think of Jesus and God, we believe that the Two are One, and the Truth that sets us free is that so are we. Many will tell me that Jesus did what He did because He was God, the Word of Jesus tells us that so are we. There is no difference between Jesus and us, as He is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17. We have been born of the same Holy Spirit. We have been grafted into Him, quickened and made alive by the same Spirit and the two of us are now one flesh. 

Jesus was Jesus only because our Father made Him that way. Jesus did no works to be Jesus, He was just born and the same power has made us one with Himself. Faith comes from hearing the Truth that sets us free. 

Ephesians 5:8-10

8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].

We are now light, because we are now one with the body of Light. We are now one with the Light, Jesus Christ, so how could we be anything but light? The powerful Truth about light is that it cannot be both light and dark. Good water and bitter water cannot come from the same fountain, James 3:11. We are either one or the other.

For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we do not belong either to the night or to darkness. 1 Thessalonians 5:5

 9 For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life.

We are plainly shown here the Truth that it is the Spirit that causes us to do what our Father wants. This is our victory and this is our peace. Far too many want to bring us again to bondage, teaching and preaching what we have to do for our Father. This teaching would be like teaching what the branch has to do on its own to produce fruit, or what the hand must do on its own to serve the body. There is no separation between us and our Father at all. All that He is, we are now one with just as Jesus is. We are new creatures in Christ, every old thing in our life’s has past away and now all things are new!

10 And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].

The great thing that we are shown here is that we can actually know what is pleasing to our Father. Our Father doesn’t hide things from us, we have real fellowship with Him.

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. John 16:13

Ephesians 3:10-11

10 [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

Look at what our Father teaches us here. The Church is how the wisdom of God will be made known to the angels and rulers in Heaven. We so often look for angels to come and share the Truth with us, when the reality is that we are the ones that show the Truth to them! How great is that? The Bible tells us that we are not to forsake the gathering together of believers and that we are to come together even stronger during the last days, Hebrews 10:25. Through the Bride, the true church, the wisdom of our Father will become clear. Our Shepherd will draw us together and He will cause us to be used to do the works that He did and even greater works, John 14:12, to show the Truth that will set the captives free. 

11 This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in [the person of] Christ Jesus our Lord,

Jesus came to make us one with our Father, John 17:19-22. Jesus was victorious on this earth and we now are one with God and the powers in Heaven see it. They see the Truth, they see what our Father desired for us and they see it carried out. The angels now know that we are one with Jesus, they know that we are members of His body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bones, Ephesians 5:30. This was our Father’s purpose all along. Our Father knew that Adam and Eve would fail. He knew exactly what satan was going to do. It was all our Father’s plan, nothing caught Him off guard. He knew satan was going to rebel and He knew Adam would fail and He chose to make it all known to the angels through us.   

12 In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear).

    

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

We have boldness because our faith is now authored and finished by Jesus. If faith was a human ability to believe the Truth’s of God we would never have any boldness, we would only have doubt. But the Truth of faith is that it is Jesus’ ability to believe the Truth’s of God working through us. Jesus is our courage and He is our confidence. We have unreserved approach to our Father because we are one with Him just as Jesus is One with Him. We are Jesus’ body and in Him there is no fear! A branch has unreserved approach to the vine and an arm has unbroken fellowship with the head and Jesus is our Vine and He is our Head. 

Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth sets us free. The glorious Truth is that in Christ we are empowered to expect and believe that our Father will do far more through us than we can think of or imagine, Ephesians 3:20. We are empowered to dare to believe that our Father will use us to do greater works than He used Jesus to do, John 14:12. We are empowered to expect that there isn’t one feeble one amongst us. We have the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16, so we can think as Jesus thinks, believe as He believes, love as He loves, forgive as He forgives, and live as He lives! 

Ephesians 3:2-5

2 Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace (His unmerited favor) that was entrusted to me [to dispense to you] for your benefit,

  

3 [And] that the mystery (secret) was made known to me and I was allowed to comprehend it by direct revelation, as I already briefly wrote you.

  

Our Father is the only power that is able to reveal the Truth to us and it is only by our Father allowing us to comprehend His Truth that we will ever understand anything. Jesus prayed in John 17:1 that He be glorified by our Father, so in turn He could glorify our Father. We can only know the Truth because our Father gives us the Truth. So stop worrying about what you know and how you are used to serve the Kingdom. Our Father will give you what He wants to give you and when He wants to give it to you and it is all perfect and it is all in love. All things exist by our Father and through our Father and without Him nothing is possible, Colossians 1:16. Our Father knows what He needs for us to do. He knows when we are ready and able for Him to use us. Everything that He does is in love, He is love, so we will be used by Him when the time is perfect. 

Jesus is our Head, He is our Vine, and He is our Shepherd, so for us to be used to serve the Kingdom it must first come from Him. The branch isn’t expected to produce fruit on its own. The arm isn’t expected, nor can it, act on its own. An arm is part of a body that is controlled by a head and we are now members of Jesus’ body and Jesus is our Head. Jesus tells us in John 15:5 that without Him we can do nothing, but with Him we will be used to produce much and abundant fruit. We have entered into the rest of Jesus Christ, Hebrews 4:3. We have ceased from our own labors, Hebrews 4:10, and we now are the prisoners of Christ. Jesus leads us, He guides us, He strengthens us, and Jesus alone causes us to serve our Father. This is why there is now no condemnation to those of us who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1. 

4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.

    

5 [This mystery] was never disclosed to human beings in past generations as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles (consecrated messengers) and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit.

What our Father is revealing to us has never been revealed before. All of us in Christ have received the Holy Spirit which means that all of us have received Jesus’ abilities and powers to understand everything. There are no mysteries to Jesus and we are one with Him. We have become one with all of His glory and honor, John 17:22, so there are now limits to what we can know and understand. Our Father can now use us perfectly just as He uses Jesus perfectly. Remember, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The entire Kingdom of Heaven is ours. Our Father will hold nothing back from us. He will give us all exactly what we need, when we need it. 

Revelation 5:6

6 And there between the throne and the four living creatures (beings) and among the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit] Who have been sent [on duty far and wide] into all the earth.

Jesus keeps showing John the Seven Fold Spirit of our Father. Jesus is constantly reminding John of what the Holy Spirit is actually doing for us. John again sees that the Holy Spirit is causing us to be wise and to understand all of the Truth. He is causing us to be mighty, He is counseling us, and He is causing us to have knowledge and to have reverence for our Father. Jesus shows John here that the Holy Spirit is in all of the earth. The Truth is that the Holy Spirit is in all of the earth as the seven seals are being opened by Jesus. This is very important to see because many people believe that the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth when all of  this happens. They believe that the Holy Spirit is removed from this world and then because He is removed, the anti-christ is allowed to come into power. They teach this from a verse in 2 Thessalonians. 

For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7

Our Father only has Paul write in 2 Thessalonians that the Holy Ghost is restraining the anti-christ and that there will come a time when He is removed from doing so. Our Father in omnipotent and so is His Spirit. He is everywhere all of the time. He cannot remove Himself from the earth, because there is nowhere that He isn’t. The Holy Spirit can allow things to happen though and He can stop things from happening, that is what our Father had Paul write about the anti-christ’s ability to come to power. Our Father only had Paul write that the Holy Spirit would stop preventing the anti-christ, not that He would remove the Holy Spirit from the earth. Just wait until we study in later chapters where the anti-christ is being held right now! The anti-christ is not what many people think he is!

Jesus just keeps reminding us that there is not a time when our Father’s perfect Spirit, the Seven Fold Spirit, is not causing us to be: wise, understanding, counseled, mighty, knowledgeable,  reverent, and obedient. These seven attributes are repeatedly used by Jesus to identify Who and What the Holy Spirit is and who and what He is causing us to be. These are the definitions and powers of Who has exactly been given to us to strengthen us, John 14:16. The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to cause us to be wise and understand our Father completely. He counsels us in the will of our Father. He causes us to be strong and know that it is our Father within us. He causes us to truly love our Father and He causes us to be obedient to our Father. Our true strength to worship comes to us directly from the Holy Spirit; it is not from us, it is not our own free will and human abilities deciding that this is our part to play. It is God within us causing us to accomplish His will and purposes. 

Many will try and bring peace to you by saying that we are not here on the earth during this time of the great Tribulation. They will take verses out of context, but we have the Holy Spirit and we cannot be deceived. Through our Father’s power the greatest Truth of the Book of Revelation brings us peace and that Truth is that for the first time ever the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to every nation, every tongue, and every tribe! The time of the great Tribulation will also be the time of the greatest evangelistic movement the world has ever seen. 

And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them. Ezekiel 36:27

The Truth’s of what our Father’s Spirit is, and why it has been placed within us, is essential when we study the Revelation of Jesus. If your experiences are anything like mine, the Book of Revelation has always been a book that was told to be mystical, or too far out there to truly understand. There was always a ton of fear associated with what it had to say; and every preacher that I had ever heard, told me that I wasn’t going to be around on this earth to experience it. Well, I may not be, I may very well be dead before any of it begins; but the Truth is that we won’t be raptured away from it. So knowing completely Who our Father is within us, can bring us perfect peace and joy, even though there will be hardships all around us. Our Father’s Spirit will cause us to be wise and understanding during the Great Tribulation. He will cause us to be strong and mighty during it. He will counsel us when we need it, and He will cause us to obey, even though a 1,000 are falling at our side, and 10,000 are falling at our right side!

Revelation 5:1-4

1 AND I saw lying on the open hand of Him Who was seated on the throne a scroll (book) written within and on the back, closed and sealed with seven seals;

The number seven is the number that our Father uses to represent perfection, so John is shown that what is written in the scroll is perfect. We are about to see the events that our Father will release on the world to bring on the end times. It is easy to get caught up in the events themselves and their effects. Remember though that Grace and Mercy are going to be at work as well during the end times. Our Father is always Love and even though He will allow what we believe to be terrible things to happen, these events will actually bring people together and He will empower His children to work as we never have before. We will give abundantly when it looks like it is impossible to give. We will heal those who hate us. We will be used to do the works that Jesus did and we will be used to do even greater works. It will be a time of extremes, but Grace will not be abandoned by our Father! 

2 And I saw a strong angel announcing in a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll? And [who is entitled and deserves and is morally fit] to break its seals? 

3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in the realm of the dead, Hades] was able to open the scroll or to take a [single] look at its contents. 

4 And I wept audibly and bitterly because no one was found fit to open the scroll or to inspect it. 

Remember what John told us in Revelation 1: that he was controlled by the Holy Spirit, that he was wrapped in His power when all of these things began to be shown to him. So what is happening here is the Holy Spirit is giving John a great desire to see the Truth. At this moment John needs to see this scroll opened, because Jesus had just told him that He was going to show him everything that was to come in its entirety. John was empowered by the Holy Spirit to desire to see the perfect will of our Father. He was also empowered to understand it, just as we are empowered to understand the Truth that sets us free. The same Holy Spirit dwells within us causing us to desire the Truth. There are a lot of people in the church that have no desire to read the Revelation of Jesus, beware of these people. If a person is truly born again, there is a desire in them to know the Truth, because the Truth is what sets us free, John 8:32. 

Jesus told us that we would know the season of the end times. The Book of Revelation is a huge part of what our Father has created to allow us to know the Truth. There is a blessing when this Book is read out loud in a group of people. Those who our Father uses to read it are blessed and those who He empowers to hear it are blessed. In Christ there is nothing hidden from us. Jesus has overcome the world and now all things are possible for us, just as all things are possible for our Lord! We are now flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. The two of us have now become one flesh, Ephesians 5:31-32. The end times in no way hinders our unity with our Groom, it actually strengthens it, Romans 5:3. 

Revelation 4:5-6

5 Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne seven blazing torches burned, which are the seven Spirits of God [the sevenfold Holy Spirit]; 

We are shown immense power here! We are shown that Jesus is powerful and He is because our Father is powerful, and the two are One. Our peace is that through Christ we are one with our Father as well! Our Father’s power is not just for Himself, it is for those whom He has chosen! Go and read the parable that Jesus told us of the Prodigal Son and you will see that this is Truth. We are one with our Father’s power, just as Jesus is one with it! We have been given the Holy Spirit to teach us all Truth and to strengthen us and to seal us until the day that Jesus returns. Our power is right from our Father Himself. So before we are shown the end times we are shown that our Father is powerful and that we have His Seven Fold Spirit working through us. 

6 And in front of the throne there was also what looked like a transparent glassy sea, as if of crystal. And around the throne, in the center at each side of the throne, were four living creatures (beings) who were full of eyes in front and behind [with intelligence as to what is before and at the rear of them].

Our Father sees everything, past, present, and future. In prophesy the word sea is used by God to represent the people of the earth and here we see that the sea is transparent, it’s all crystal clear to our Father. There is nothing that we do or think that is hid from Him. 

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

It is also powerful to know that everything is crystal clear. This also means that we can see through it as well. We will clearly see who are of our Father and who isn’t. We will not be deceived by those who have a form of godliness, but who deny the power of it. Far too many believe that our Father has hidden things from us. Many won’t even read the Book of Revelation because they believe that it cannot be understood. But that is just not true, everything is clear and nothing is hidden from us. We have the mind of Christ. We have the Holy Spirit to teach us all things. We are the Bride of the Groom Who is the King of Kings. We aren’t just married to Jesus, we are His friends as well, so He plainly tells us all things. Nothing is hidden from us just as nothing is hidden from our Father. 

Revelation 4:1

1 AFTER THIS I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. 

Our peace and joy is that our Lord and Savior, Who is Jesus, always wants us to know what is going on. He does this because we are His body and as He told us, we aren’t just His servants, we are His friends, John 15:15. Jesus even began the Book of Revelation by telling John that He was about to show him all of the things that were to come in their entirety. Jesus wants us to know our Father completely. He always wants us to know the complete Truth that will set us free, John 17:26. Jesus wants us to know His full will for our lives, John 16:13, and our place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Father wants us to know just how dear we are to Him and how that He is unwilling to be without any us.  

Jesus absolutely knew what was going on in the Kingdom of Heaven when He was here on the earth as a man and He completely knew our Fathers will for Him. Jesus knew when He was going to die, how He was going to die, and who was going to do it. Jesus knew when Lazarus was going to die and when He was then going to raise him back up. Jesus knew our Father’s will completely and He was empowered with the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that our Father sent Him to do. Jesus knew the Truth that would set us free and He shared it with us. 

So if Jesus was allowed to know and was empowered to carry out our Fathers will, why wouldn’t we be allowed to live with the same knowledge and power? We have the same Holy Spirit that Jesus has and we are now member of His body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. Through Jesus, our Father showed us plainly how man is supposed to be, fully one with Him and fully empowered by Him, John 17 clearly tells us this Truth. Jesus told us that He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly, John 10:10. Jesus came so that we might have a life as He has life and to know the Truth as He knows the Truth. We have become one with our Lord and Saviors mind, His Spirit, and His Body. As Jesus is, so are we in this world, 1 John 4:17.

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you. John 14:26

But you have been anointed by [you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from] the Holy One, and you all know [the Truth] or you know all things. 1 John 2:20

The end times are not mysterious and to be unknown. Our Father wants us to clearly know all things that are coming. He wants us to know them in their entirety, Revelation 1:1.