"There is no soldier who is troubled with the affairs of life, if he would please him who enlisted him" (2 Timothy 2:4). Men like the apostle Paul realized the grace and honor that God offered them. "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus" (Philemon 1:1) "For you have been given grace in relation to Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him" (Philippians 1:29). This is the life of a believer.
God always tells us "To him who overcomes" (Revelation 2:26), that is, we have to fight. "Because you have kept the word of perseverance in me (Revelation 3:10) "From the time of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forced, and the violent have taken it." (Matthew 11: 12)
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, who does not stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the company of scoffers, but delights in the law of the LORD, and meditates on it day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) We don't feel forced but take pleasure.
It is extraordinary that men, like you and me, who have been scourged and flogged for the Gospel have never rebelled against God. Every son and daughter of God must understand the content of his or her call. The call, not to the ministry, but the call that God has given you. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its way out is the way of death. (Proverbs 24:12) I need to know if the step and pace that is set is really what God wants. If I am as He asks me, then I must do the same. "Despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and accustomed to suffering, Like one whose face is turned away, We have despised him, we have set no store by him." (Isaiah 53:3) The most important thing is not what others think of me, but what God thinks of me. Do you examine yourself in the mirror of the Word to see if the fruit I produce is in accordance with the Scriptures?
2 Peter 1:16-17
The apostles were all in different places but they brought the same thing, there was no contradiction. All the prophets who spoke were led by God. All of them would have wanted to live in this Laodicean Age because this is where it all ends. You are in this Age, so you have to do something. But what do I accomplish? In every area, everything is confused. Laodicea: "Therefore, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16) This is a glorious Age in which things are so difficult. But it is in this Age that God is going to bring out his pearl. At Golgotha, Satan thought he had the victory but it was Jesus who manifested his victory because you were there. "For by one offering he has brought to perfection forever those who are sanctified." (Hebrews 10:14) This is a finished product. Satan tries to discourage you but he can't. This Jesus is yours. Jesus is omniscient. Jesus was far away but when He saw Nathanael: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." (John 1:48) What God had to desire, He will obtain. "I rebuke and chasten all those I love. (Revelation 3:19) The Lord molds us, shapes us to be like Him. When God rebukes you and you refuse, you are outside God's plan. He wants to see himself in you. "If anyone turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination." (Proverbs 28:9) God knows how to make us perfect. The goat gets angry right away, but the sheep is gentle, listening. Which category do you fall into?
"For men will be selfish, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, rebellious to their parents, ungrateful, irreligious," (2 Timothy 3:2) You will experience this, but how will you react? "He who was reviled did not revile, he who was abused did not threaten, but trusted in him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23)
2 Thessalonians 2:1 / 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
When we are told about the reunion with Him, it is about the rapture.
2 Peter 1:16-17
The Coming of the Lord is preached by many. Even in the denominational churches it is talked about. All believe they will go in the rapture but there must be a difference. Peter is talking about Jesus Christ our Lord. They have seen Him, they have lived with Him. You must know who is going to take you away! Catholics have 3 gods, who are they going to wait for? A man of God, a preacher sent from God must have the words of God. God must have brought him into His program. When God called Moses, He made him go up on the mountain so that he could see in order to lead the people into the Truth. One cannot speak of things that one has not experienced. Peter here demonstrates who this Jesus is. "For I received from the Lord what I taught you" (1 Corinthians 11:23)
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Cephas is Peter. "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19) Paul was not with Peter, but it was God who revealed this to him. Paul was preaching because God had revealed to him.
"Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God, and believe in me. There are many mansions in my Father's house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I will prepare a place for you. (John 14: 1-2) Paul was not there, but God comes and gives him the revelation, "For this we declare to you from the word of the Lord: we who are alive and remain for the coming of the Lord will not precede those who are dead." (1 Thessalonians 4: 15) Today, everyone has revelation, but what is revelation? "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20) Not other things. "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all nations. Then the end will come." (Matthew 24: 14) The disciples preached only what the Master had said.
"... baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). But at Pentecost, revelation comes to clarify: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) In the things of God, we must have fear and reverence. You are touching something that would be a judgment on you.
2 Peter 1:17-18
Peter does not refer to John the Baptist because Peter was not there. Peter is referring to the experience he had with God. You too must refer to your experience with God. The one who spoke to John the Baptist also spoke to Peter. Peter was certain of what he was saying. God does not send "maybes". He first makes you go up, come down, He first prunes you before He sends you.
Matthew 17:1-3
When Peter spoke of magnificent glory, he knew what he was talking about. God wanted true witnesses, certain of what they were talking about. When God testifies, He knows what He is doing. God wanted them to be certain because they had a responsibility to go out and preach the good news all over the world. It is difficult to be in the Word because you have to be consecrated for that. "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you, and before you came out of her womb, I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)
Endure the suffering, but love this Jesus. It is good to suffer for Him. You cannot imagine the glory to come. If the demons are picking on you, it is because they know the glory that awaits you. You are a son, a daughter of God, you are placed above the angels. You call Him your Father.
They did see Moses and Elijah before them, there was no doubt. When these disciples spoke, they knew what they were saying, God had commissioned them. Moses and Elijah had been dead for a long time, but God proved to them that resurrection was possible. Have faith in God, do not be afraid. As children of God, you can pray for a situation to happen. We have the power. What Moses did with the Red Sea, Joshua did with the Jordan River. Joshua knew who he was and he did not doubt: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the valley of Aijalon! And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation had taken vengeance on their enemies." (Joshua 10:12-13) You are gods. Do not be afraid of what men may say. Just act on faith. "And the victory that overcomes the world is our faith." (1 John 5:4) It is God who is in control. But if you don't recognize who you are, Satan is in control.
Facing the Red Sea, the people of Israel had spiritual amnesia. They doubted what God could do. Yet it was God who had brought them out of Egypt with signs and wonders. Your faith stops at your head. Your unbelief will kill you. When Moses spoke to the rock, Moses did not think. Yet the rock has no ears, but he spoke and water came out. Wake up! "Your God commands you to be mighty" (Psalm 68:28) The God we serve is true. "And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." (Psalm 50:15) It's time, call on Him and He will do it. The Word enters you, It does its work so that in your interior, you are certain that everything is possible. As long as you are on the Earth, men would like to do but they could not. "If God is for us, who will be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
Pilate thought he had the power of life over Jesus, but Jesus said to him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given to you from above. Therefore he who hands me over to you commits a greater sin. (John 19:11) Jesus was there to fulfill the Scriptures. On this earth, you need not fear "because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) Just pray for Him to enter you. Elijah, in front of the 800 prophets, closed the sky for 3 and a half years. This is the power that God has given you. When the army comes to look for him, the chief said to Elijah: "Man of God, the king said: Come down!
Elijah answered the chief of fifty: If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men! And the fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men." (2 Kings 1:9-10) A man of God has authority. "For he says, and it happens; he commands, and it is done. (Psalm 33:9) "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk." (Acts 3:6) God is able to do much. While you are in this place, God is solving your problem. God does all things through His Word. You cannot fight the Word. It is only the sons of perdition who rebel against the Word of God. The son of God submits to the Word.
Elijah and Moses were the pillars of Israel. It was said of Jesus that He spoke against Moses, but that day He saw them.
Luke 9:29-31
They were speaking in the present of things that would come to pass. Moses is alive, Elijah is alive.
Peter was a witness to this. For the Word of God to work in you, you must have a channel prepared from before the foundation of the world. If that were not so, why would He call men to the ministry? "And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry and for the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-12)
Colossians 1:21-26 / Matthew 17:4-5
This is the same voice that John the Baptist heard, but here the voice adds, "Listen to Him. Jesus is the most important. With such a powerful testimony, how could we not preach Jesus? "We are of God; he who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us: by this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (1 John 4: 6) If God has established them, it is because He has truly worked them.
Acts 4:18-32
Do not lose heart, you have something precious! There is a house waiting for us on the other side: let us go home. This is our prayer!
2 Peter 1:19
Peter is certain of this prophetic word. What is the prophetic word? It is something that has been announced and that must be fulfilled. You must first know that this word is a prophetic word to pay attention to it. You have to have faith that it will be fulfilled. When the disciples showed the beauty of the temple, Jesus said to them, "Do you see all this? I tell you the truth, there will not be one stone left standing here that will not be thrown down." (Matthew 24:2) This is a prophetic word. But because the disciples knew the Master, knowing that what He said must happen, they came to Him and asked Him, "Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3) They took this to heart and asked questions. This was fundamental and we could see that all this was fulfilled.
When we talk about the prophetic word, we always refer to the Message. But when Peter said that, he was not thinking about the Message of the Evening Time... We must not remain locked up but we must have a general view to see and understand the plan of God.