DEVOTIONAL INSIGHTS & REFLECTIONS

Occupy Until He Comes - November 2

A scripture reverberating in my mind this morning is where Jesus tells the new testament believers to "occupy until He comes (returns)." See Luke 19 (KJV) and Matthew 25:14-30.

I hope you read through to the end of what I am sharing with you today...

An army "occupies" a certain territory---oversees, performs duties there, keeps the peace there, etc. We work, have "occupations;" we "occupy" dwellings/habitations.

Our "spiritual occupation" until He returns is to do these things (written above), in addition, we are to be "watchers" --- be on the lookout so we can address things in prayer for our nation, our neighbors, ourselves, our families, our children, etc.

…Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.… 1 Peter 5:7-9

Read Ephesians 6---it speaks to the authority of the believer---particularly, identifying the weapons of our "spiritual" warfare.

In the book of Revelation, Jesus reveals things to come to his servant John----before He begins, He gives John messages to the seven churches in the area. The following is His message for the church in Thyatira, especially note what He says near the end of His message to this particular church (Revelation 2:18-29):

“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations---that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’b —just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Finally, see Revelation 12:11:

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Jesus says that we are "more than conquerors" because He has given us all authority in heaven and in earth. We are the one's who are to "take possession of the land." The "authority" is ours----He has transferred His authority to us. "We" are His authority in the earth. We perform our duties through reading, studying and meditating on His word and then praying and declaring His word, speaking it and His will into existence in our areas of occupation.

Never forget that Jesus loves you!