The Testimony Of Jesus Christ

August 16, 2008

The Testimony of Jesus Christ

Kathleen Maples

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

The very word "Pharisee" means separatist. They were all about getting the externals right-strictly adhering to their traditions of washings, fastings, prayers and alms giving. Yet they separated themselves from people, were greedy for power and position, and men's praise. They made of themselves reputation and their religion was all based on self and outward works. They were not a merciful or a just group of people, they were dominant and sought to control the people. By the time of Jesus, they had such a control over people that many who believed in Jesus were afraid to stand up and say so for fear of the Pharisees and fear of being kicked out of the synagogues and the Jewish temple. Luk 17:22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

Luk 17:23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow

them.

In this Scripture, they were trying to interrogate the Son of God about the kingdom of God-something they thought to see-external and powerful. Remember this was what was important to them so this attitude would definitely color their thinking. Jesus tells them the rulership of God is an inward thing, not a visible thing. When God governs a life, He does it from within by the power of His Holy Spirit living in that person. Then Jesus turns His attention to His disciples-His students. There's going to come a time you are going to wish to be back here, to understand this time when I'm here, but you won't be able to go back. We can't ever go back, only forward. They (who don't know Me but think they speak for Me) will try to draw your attention and get you following them by claiming to point the way to Me. Luk 17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

There is some interesting reading in reference to this in Eze_1:13-14. I listened to Pastor David Wilkerson of Times Square Church preach "Be Ye Ready Is No Joking Matter" which can be freely downloaded, listened to, at Sermon Index. I encourage you to share download and burn this sermon to cd and share it with your loved ones. http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/viewcat.php? cid=27&min=80&orderby=titleA&show=20

In this message he reveals a dream the Lord gave him about His return, and he talks about being caught up, in the rapture, and what the experience would be like, how he was in some sort of conveyance-something was carrying him swiftly through the city, as others were being gathered. He saw many being left behind. He saw the horror on their faces. Felt a touch of their fear. This is not how you normally hear the rapture preached and if you have never heard this message I strongly urge you to click the link above and go listen to it yourself. I had never heard it preached so, yet the message has stayed with me these past few years since I heard it. Then one day I read something very interesting in Ezekiel. I want to share it with you from the New Living Translation, which is what I was reading this day. I had read it before in the King James, but it hadn't clicked in my understanding until I read it in the NLT. Ezekiel 1 4 As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber. 5 From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human, 6 except that each had four faces and four wings. 12 They went in whatever direction the spirit chose, and they moved straight forward in any direction without turning around. 13 The living beings looked like bright coals of fire or brilliant torches, and lightning seemed to flash back and forth among them. 14 And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning. 15 As I looked at these beings, I saw four wheels touching the ground beside them, one wheel belonging to each. 16 The wheels sparkled as if made of beryl. All four wheels looked alike and were made the same; each wheel had a second wheel turning crosswise within it. 17 The beings could move in any of the four directions they faced, without turning as they moved. 18 The rims of the four wheels were tall and frightening, and they were covered with eyes all around. 19 When the living beings moved, the wheels moved with them. When they flew upward, the wheels went up, too. 20 The spirit of the living beings was in the wheels. So wherever the spirit went, the wheels and the living beings also went. Now, read Luk_17:24 again and know in your heart it will be the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost Himself that directs this and chooses out those He knows are His, those in whom He dwells, to take out of here. Those who are HIS. Mat 24:31 tells us He is going to send His angels to gather His chosen people (many are called, few are chosen) from one end of heaven to the other. That word "gather" means to bring together to others already assembled and waiting. Wow. Consider that-finally the entire and whole Body of Christ coming together from the whole world in one place. There's coming a resurrection, a gathering, but first there has to be a cross. Likewise now spiritually, we can't be raised into heavenly places if we are carnal, and ruled by ourselves. Luk 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

It was a day just like any other. A normal day, with normal things happening. Food being cooked in the home, in the restraunts, weddings being planned and attended. People were just living their lives for themselves, just like from the beginning since Adam and Eve decided to operate independently of the Word and will of God. Self became the focus, and self dethroned God. But as I was reading this last night in church when the preacher was preaching, something jumped out at me and it's this next verse-and it began to minister some things to me that went in another direction from the above. It went deep and personal. Individual. I want to share this with you now. I wouldn't think I was ready for this but if the Lord shows you something, He knows you are ready for it, so I'm going to have to trust Him for great grace here. Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

That word "revealed"-think Revelation. In the Greek it is "apocalupto" here. My life is normal, I have a family, I go to church, read my Bible, pray and yet I know there is more. I hunger for more. A dearly beloved Sister in Christ recently sent me the a dvd set preached by BH Clendennen. I have not watched it yet, but in this series "The Visible Image of the Invisible God" I read the titles when I received this in the mail. Christ, the Apocalypse of Man, of the Soul, of the Holy Ghost, Christ, the Apocalypse of God's Character & Existence, Christ, the Apocalypse of faith, etc. I have been hungering for a greater revelation of Jesus Christ. I cannot imitate what I do not see or know. I can only misrepresent Him if I do not know Him. At the same time, He has dealt with me in the past that this kind of knowing Him would kill something in me that needed killing. It will kill any remaining hope of ever finding anything good in self to bring to God or to God's kingdom work. It will kill any idea that flesh, and external works could ever be enough or merit anything of righteousness in God's eyes. It will kill the striving in the flesh to be what only the Spirit of God can make us. It will kill the desire for anything unlike Him for it would separate from Him. It will also cause the vessel that receives this revelation to completely reject the ways and things of this world. Last night I read this and in my heart, before I got home and got my Pocket E Sword out, and dug into this, I knew what that word "revealed" meant. It was an inner knowing that He put there. I just knew-I can't explain it except He put that knowing in my understanding. As I sat there last night, reading these next few verses I saw them like I had never saw them. I lost track of what the preacher was saying, but felt a stirring in my spirit that this needed more investigation, and much prayer. Luk 17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let

him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Luk 17:32 Remember Lot's wife. Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

On the housetop, in Jewish times, it was a flat place where one often went up to pray and meditate to the Lord. It was a place of solitude, to get away from the activity in the home, and alone with God. In one sense here, He is saying when things fall apart, don't try to save your material possessions. When judgment comes, don't try to hang on to what you have in this world. But there is another, much deeper application. Much more personal. Much more apocalyptic. I had never seen this before. HIS stuff in the house-meaning self-the one on the housetop-presumably praying-for most of the time when you read the word 'house' in the Bible it refers to a vessel- a person unless it specifically names someone's residence, such as Cornelius, or Simon's house,etc. It is the dwelling place of our soul and spirit. When that person in their secret closet of prayer gets this revelation of Jesus Christ, this apocalyptic revelation, he or she must make a decision on the spot to let everything go. Let the Lord strip you of everything in you that would hinder His life in you from ruling supreme. Don't try to hold on to anything for self. If that individual is out in the world, laboring in the harvest of God, and gets this apocalyptic understanding of Jesus Christ, don't draw back, don't retreat from Him and your flesh will want to draw back in fear for it doesn't want to be denied or crucified. RUN to Him. Embrace it. Trust Him to conquer your fear and even though it will overwhelm you, trust His Holy Spirit will anchor you and hold you up in this time. Only He can. Remember Lot's wife, He says. She couldn't let go of what she was leaving behind and she perished when she looked back. Don't look back. Many will not be able to let go of themselves and they will perish. Not everyone will get this type of understanding. It's an apocalyptic revelation-or understanding that one comes to when they truly see or understand enough of who He is that it destroys something in them. It's a destructive revelation. That human reasoning that wants to help God has to be destroyedremember Uzzah (2Sa_6:6-7) He doesn't need us to help Him, defend Him or try to hold His Word up. He does not need our help, He wants just our faith and obedience and our vessels willing to be used and prepared for His use. For it pleases Him in that which He would do to use human beings to accomplish His purposes in reaching out to others. One morning recently, just after my husband began to get up --on his own, without being asked---and started coming to church with me some on Sunday morning sticks out. I was getting ready and he hadn't gotten up yet and I thought well if I make a little noise as I'm getting ready, he'll wake up. The Lord spoke to me clearly and He said "I don't need your help." I repented, and you know, a few minutes later, my husband got up and began to get ready for church. I know that is a minor example, but He really doesn't need our help. We haven't seen Him as He really is if we think He can use anything in us to further His kingdom. What a humbling realization to come to. It's not our talents, our singing, or preaching, or witnessing-it's His Spirit. It's all HIM. Even the Lord Jesus Christ did not take credit for the work being done through Him. He said it is the Father in Me that does the work. (Joh_14:10)

When He begins to reveal things to us, to manifest Himself to us, and we have the sort of revelation come to us that Saul who became Paul had, like Isaiah had, and John, Ezekiel, Daniel-they all saw Him in His glory, something in us that must die will die. Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

They want Jesus but they keep making provision for their flesh-for themselves. This word 'seek' implies a deliberate demanding of their own rights to self-when we are not our own. It's a natural instinct in a human to try to manage their own lives, to always provide for self first. It's almost an unconscious thing. A natural instinct. Self-preservation at all cost. This is the same word used in Mat_2:13 when Herod was seeking to destroy the infant child, Jesus. The same word is used in Mat_6:32 by Jesus who is describing how the Gentiles seek after things for themselves. In short it means a passionate pursuit of something-good or bad for right or wrong reasons. This is also the same word, and I encourage you to look it up (G2212 in your Strong's Greek definitions) used when they are seeking signs, (Luk_11:29) when they are seeking to enter in and not able (Luk_13:24), and when Jesus said He came to seek and save the lost. (Luk_19:10). People use every means available to preserve that which is most important to them. Is it our relationship with Him or is it ourselves? God help me get to the place where it is my relationship and communion with You. It's a costly decision-it means rejecting everything I am, think or feel in favor of HIS thoughts, His ways, His desires. Not my plans but His. Not my ability but His. Not my time, but His. This impacts every area of life, right down to the food I eat and what I drink, how I spend money, and time, and energy. What I think on, and look at. How I dress and speak. Relationships with others. Many are not willing to give this kind of right and authority to make decisions concerning themselves to someone else-especially Someone they can't see. That is why He said many will strive to enter in to the narrow way and not be able. Does my life mean more to me than He does? He asked Peter-do you love me more than these? He said whosoever shall lose, or put out of the way entirely, to agree to the destruction of one's own self-with all the selves included-self will, self reliance, self exaltation, self preservation, self confidence, self esteem, and I could go on and on. I looked it up in an online dictionary and there were almost 6000 entries for selfsomething. And don't forget self-centered, self focused, and self expression. When He says if you lose your life-He is saying if you agree to your self life's destruction, you will preserve your spiritual life-that life of Christ. If you reject the carnal life you can embrace the spiritual life. He truly can't use anything in us to further His kingdom-it has to be HIS SPIRIT living and ruling and operating in us that does this. Luk 17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Luk 17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Luk 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The phrase "in that day," if you look it up in the Greek is very interesting. (G3880, G3571 Thayer's Greek Definitions) It means, in that time when some are weary and tired of the battle; when others will be drunk on the cares of this life, (as Jesus warned about in Luk_21:34) give themselves up to sleep, some will have lost the life of Christ, in this time of moral stupidity and spiritual darkness, there will be choices made. He said iniquity would abound and the love of many would grow cold. The love for Him, for their brethren. The voice of the enemy whispering a barrage of lies against your mind can wear you down and out if you do not learn to stand up to him with your shield of faith and use that sword. I know I have to pray Lord, teach me how to fight this! I do not know how, nor in my own strength am I able to stand up against the flood that is coming against the people of God in these last days. The word for bed here means a small couch to recline on at meals or on which a sick man is carried. The word 'taken' means to receive near, to associate with oneself. To learn, take to heart. Taken up by who or what? This also implies a catching away, or taking up, i.e. the rapture, but there is an individual here and now application. The apocalyptic revelation of Jesus Christ. It has to be this. When Isaiah saw Him high and lifted up, he saw himself as desperately lacking and in need. He was overwhelmed. John fell at His feet like a dead man. Daniel did likewise. Ezekiel also fell at His feet as dead-they all were totally weak and without the strength of the Lord unable to rise up and hear what the Lord had to reveal to them. Saul saw this light that blinded him and took him down off his high horse and after that he was never same. God opened his eyes and he repented and gave his life for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He said one would be taken, the other left. Look again at what that word "taken" means in the Greek, the original language the Word of God was written in to us. Chosen to receive a revelation of Him many will not getbecause this is a revelation that has to be pursued. If I want to know Him, I have to pursue Him, to seek Him. The more I learn and understand of Him, the less I like and want myself, the more I hunger for Him. This is how it must be. After these saints in the Scriptures got this revelation, they had to have the touch of the Spirit of God raise them up before they could even hear what He had to say. They had to have HIS strength to be set upright again, to hear Him, to move. One taken in, one left out. One will be joined to the Lord, begin really knowing Him, one will be received of the Lord, and learn of the Lord, and one will not. I was astonished at this when I began to dig in here. I have never heard this preached like this. Two women, two men, laboring, working, in the same place-presumably in the field of the Lord, and one will get a revelation of the Lord and one will not. One will be drawn into intimate fellowship with the Lord and one will not. In light of what Jesus just said, I believe it's those who have chosen to "lose their life for His sake," that will be taken. Those who backed off from the call to sacrifice self on the altar of God will be left out in the dark. I keep thinking about what Jesus said in John's Gospel...

Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

We must understand and very carefully consider with light, or revelation, understanding, comes great responsibility. When He shows us something, we have two choices-walk in it in obedience, or run from it and hide. One choice leads to victory and life, the other leads to spiritual darkness and death. Now, go with me to Revelation 12. Rev 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.

Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

Rev 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

We get the victory over the flesh, the devil and the world because we have the power of the blood of Jesus working in our lives, washing us, cleansing us, protecting us, empowering us, and delivering us. It's a shield the devil can't cross. The word for "testimony" in the Greek is 'marturia' and it's the root word of the English word "martyr". You find a similar word 'martus' in Acts 1:8 when Jesus said we would be witnesses after the Holy Ghost comes on us. What is the word of their testimony? Their life meant nothing, accomplished nothing good, so they traded it for HIS life. His divine nature, His life in the power of the Holy Spirit. After we read this we see the devil is there and it's these with this testimony he fights so hard. Only these. He does all he can, even casting out a flood-or an abundance of things to come against her determination to live for Christ and die for self for it's only this testimony that is effective for the kingdom of God-for then it is God HIMSELF -once again the WORD made flesh walking this earth and that is the only threat to the devil. The Holy Spirit unleashed and ruling in us does great damage to the kingdom of darkness but how many are willing to lay it all down for the sake of loving Jesus? How many can love Him that much? See, ultimately, it's a war, still between Satan and God.

The devil will try everything in his power to persuade us make provision for ourselves. He will tell us if we try to fast and pray and seek God it will do no good, that there's no use, the world is simply too bad, too many problems, too many obstacles. Too much sin. They've gone too far. One weak little Christian missing a few meals and praying to Someone they can't see isn't going to make a differencewhy look all around you. Look how bad it's getting. But remember this: When God wanted to make a nation, He used one old man and old woman to old to have children. When He wanted to save that same nation out of sin and slavery, He used one old man to lead them out. When that nation backslid under a corrupt priesthood, He heard the desperate cry from the heart of Hannah, one little persecuted and grieved woman, who was barren, and gave her a powerful new life that changed that nation of Israel, through whom He turned His people back to Himself. When He wanted to save a world, He planted His Word in the womb of a virgin, and sent the man Christ Jesus-God in the flesh, to save the world. God only needs one. He's proved it time and time again. Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Again there's that word "testimony". The testimony of Jesus Christ is He died to Himself and was alive to God's will. A self willed, self consumed and carnal person can never possess the testimony of Jesus Christ or be used by Him. It's only those who are sold out to Christ and His purposes, who seek HIS life at the expense of their own that the devil goes after. But it's not as bad as it sounds for this is necessary preparation for this, saints:!!!!:: Rev 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I

am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Again, that word "testimony". It's the same-a witness who is dead to their own agenda and alive only to His. You can't be a true witness of something you haven't experienced or seen or known personally. This word also indicates a record or

report given. It's something you can't just talk about, you have to live this. HIS life, not your own. Not my own. I pray, the precious Holy Ghost will open our eyes, grant us to get to the place where we can be among those who receive this understanding of the Lord. We can put ourselves on His altar. At the temple, it was the worshiper who brought the sacrifice to the door of the temple-and it was the priest who killed the sacrifice and cut it in pieces and burnt it on the altar before God. We can't crucify ourselves but we must agree with God to the destruction of our self-everything in us that is enmity against Him and that doesn't want to be sacrificed for the sake of others. To be like Jesus, this is where we must go. To be with Jesus at that awesome marriage supper-isn't it worth it? Hallelujah!!