THE CHURCH – WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED
Friday – September 15, 2017
I am not the first to say that the Church was wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, the Lord Jesus Christ did. On the Isle of Patmos, the Lord spoke these words to the Apostle John concerning the Church at Laodicea. This certainly describes the modern American Church.
Revelation 3:16-17 (KJV)
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The Lord Jesus told us that we were to do what He did in His earthly ministry and we were to do greater things.
John 14:12 (KJV)
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
I assume that those reading this teaching know the things that Jesus did but in case that is not true here is a partial list from the mouth of the Master.
Luke 7:22 (KJV)
22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
How much of this is going on in my life or your life? Generally, in our interpretation of Scripture we must realize that it is to be interpreted as it relates to the physical and spiritual realms not relegated to just one or the other. Unfortunately, most of us are satisfied with where we are in the physical and spiritual realms and we are therefore lukewarm. The Church is talking about the Lord healing our land and the coming of an awakening or revival but is our heart in it?
Now, what about the “greater works then these” that Jesus refers to in John 14:12? Shame on us, we are not doing the works that He did and we are wondering about and thinking we can just skip that and go right to the greater works. Many interpret Jesus’ reference to greater works in a very simplistic fashion saying we have more time and there are millions of us. For the sake of our education I believe the “greater works” can be found in Isaiah sixty-one. These things could not be done by Jesus in His earthly ministry or the forty days after Calvary because it was not legal.
As one starts to read Isaiah sixty-one you will recognize instantly that this is in part what Jesus read in the Synagogue at Nazareth on the Sabbath (Luke 4:15-19). Jesus however only read the first one-third of Isaiah 61:2. As we read the remainder of the chapter we find many of the “greater words” that the Church not only has the authority but the power to accomplish in the name of Jesus. As you read notice phrases like “trees of righteousness”, “they shall repair the waste cities”, “Priests of the LORD”, and “Ministers of our God”. Notice other people will be taking care of your stuff you are to have so much (vs 5), we are partakers of the double portion (same as Jesus vs 7), the Lord will direct us in Truth and we have an everlasting Covenant (vs 8), our words (His Words in our mouth) and our children are to be well known among the heathen as blessed (vs 9), and we will be a praise before all peoples (vs 10-11). Notice especially we have the authority and the power with the leadership of the Holy Spirit to repair the desolations brought about by Satan, sin, and the curse. We are now truly world changes, we can literally expand the physical and spiritual Kingdom of God in the earth for all who chose. However, we cannot do it lukewarm and we can’t do it before we have even taken the first step of doing the things Jesus did in the earth.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
NEW MAILING ADDRESS: 10 Village Green Circle, Oakland, Maine 04963
