[Philadelphia]
The next church to which I wrote
was in Philadelphia. This
church represents that era out of which arose the great
evangelical and missionary witness which has caused the
gospel to be sent to many lands. It had its
inception during the time that the Protestant churches
had become virtually dead and ineffectual in their
witness. Especially in the English speaking countries
there was a turning to me by individuals and small
groups of Christians seeking revival because of the
desperately wicked conditions prevalent. I was faithful
to hear their cry, even as my words indicate: 'These
things says he that is holy, he that
is true, he that has the key of David, he that
opens and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens; I know your works: behold, I have set
before you an open door, and no man
can shut it: for you have a little strength, and
have kept my word, and have not denied my name.' (Rev.
3:7-8). I am presented as the one who is holy and true,
because the emphasis was placed on holiness of life, and
the presenting of the gospel of truth to the ends of the
earth. Flaming evangelists arose calling sinners to
repentance. Missionary societies of various kinds began
to mushroom, and over a period of a number of years,
thousands of missionaries went to heathen lands. Many
movements arose placing the emphasis on the simple life
of the New Testament in faith and order. Other movements
arose placing the emphasis on holiness,
sanctification and separateness from the world.
Hand in hand with this spiritual
resurgence, primarily in the English speaking world,
went the advent of Britain and the
United
States
to positions of world leadership. Thus truly an
open door was set before the church of the 19th
century to present the gospel witness throughout
the world. The two greatest Christian nations had both
the opportunity and the means presented to them; for as
the sovereign King, having the key of David, I
pledged that no man would shut that door. During the era
of the sixth church I gave the Christian peoples an
unprecedented opportunity, an open door, to come into
the fullness of that number, for on the sixth day I did
create man, and said 'let him have dominion.' (Gen.
1:26). Even so, if my people had been willing to pay the
price, spiritual dominion could have arisen throughout
the earth, and the way prepared for a 20th century of
righteousness and peace. But instead, the 20th century
has seen two world wars, many smaller ones, and a third
world war is now on the horizon. It has seen the beast
of communism arise and enslave multitudes of people. It
has seen the rapid decline of Britain and the
United
States
in world leadership. It is now seeing the power of
entrenched evil fasten itself upon the nations as never
before; and the breakdown of law and order is a growing
menace. It is seeing the rapid loss of individual
liberties and the increasing control by expanding
socialistic governments. It is seeing unprecedented
moral breakdown on all levels of society. It is seeing
the increasing deterioration of the organized
churches into the practical infidelity of
liberalism and modernism. All this BECAUSE my people
failed to avail themselves of the open door which I set
before them and vigorously carry forth the commission to
evangelize the nations.
NOW HEAR MY WORD! Because of the
faithfulness of a small remnant which has kept my word,
and has not denied my name, I will continue to keep this
door open even unto the end of the age, and the gospel
of the Kingdom will yet be preached in all nations for a
witness before the end comes (Matt. 24:14). But because
of the failure to carry forth the Word during the years
when the way would have been relatively easy, the battle
will now be hard fought with much opposition. Only at a
great cost will the message now be carried to the ends
of the earth, for the martyrs will be many as Satanic
power in full fury arises to encompass the earth. And
those who truly love me will have to give up most of
their earthly wealth and possessions in order to
remain true to me and keep from receiving the mark
of the beast in their foreheads and in their hands.
(Rev. 13:16).
Now how, you say, can we fulfill
your Word? Is not our strength small? (Rev. 3:8).
Because of my secret strategy! Because spiritual
power unprecedented will be available when I
suddenly translate the 144,000 firstfruits and
commission them to uphold and guide my end-time Body on
the earth, and when I pour out my Spirit in profusion in
fulfillment of the end-time Pentecost. And through
the supernatural guidance of my glorified ones, and
the anointed ministry of my chosen saints on earth, my
Word shall go forth in power, accompanied by signs,
wonders and miracles. So shall the true spirit of the
Philadelphia church
continue until the end, that a mighty harvest might be
brought forth to me. Even as the apostate
Roman church of the Thyatira period continues to
the end to be cast into a bed of tribulation (Rev.
2:22-23), and the dying Protestant churches which had
their inception in the Sardis era continue, to be taken
by surprise when I come as a thief (Rev. 3:3), so shall
the faithful remnant represented by the
Philadelphia church continue as a witness of my
faithfulness until through them I have accomplished
the fulfillment of the open door that no man can shut.
Those nations which seem to be shut to a vital gospel
witness shall yet be penetrated with mighty revival.
After I have outpoured my Spirit on
the prepared and waiting remnant, and a mighty revival
begins to sweep across the earth, then shall the words
be fulfilled: 'Behold, I will make them of the synagogue
of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do
lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before
your feet, and to know that I
have loved you' (Rev. 3:9). One of the
great phenomena of the end-time revival will be the
turning of many Jews to me as their Messiah. This will
be brought about by the unusual witness of those who
have been especially prepared and commissioned for
a spirit-powered ministry that will convince and
convict. Many who have been the Satan-impelled
enemies of the cross and the Christian gospel will
suddenly make an about face and become outspoken
witnesses for the truth. They will come in humility and
repentance, and in great contrition, and sit at the feet
of those who are gathered together in the spirit of
the Philadelphia church,
where the love of God is manifested in reality and
power. Then they will be 'true Jews' indeed in the
splrit of the New Covenant of faith, and the
circumcision of the heart (Rom. 2:28-29). And they shall
worship me in oneness of heart with those they had
formerly despised.
To the faithful remnant, in the
spirit of the Philadelphia
church, do I speak a further word: 'Because you have kept the word of my
patience, I also will keep you from the hour of
temptation, which shall come on all the world, to try them
that dwell on the earth. Behold, I come
quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown.' (Rev. 3:10-11).
This has a two-fold application. First, the 144,000 wise
virgin firstfruits will be taken and translated into the
heavenly realm just before the great hour of trial
begins. They shall be redeemed from the earth to stand
before the Son of man, that they might be
commissioned for duty among the saints yet on earth
during the tribulation. (Luke 21:36, Rev. 14:4).
Secondly, all those who faithfully keep my Word and put
their complete trust in me, shall receive my
protection and guidance, that they be not confused,
confounded, or harmed by the trying events and
circumstances of the tribulation period. There will be
those who will die for my name's sake that they might
receive the martyr's reward, but only because they
have willingly agreed to make such a sacrifice. But
until their time comes they will be kept from all harm.
The 'crown' mentioned is that which I have spoken of
elsewhere. It corresponds to the prize of the high
calling: those who will be received into the heavenly
kingdom to rule and reign with me. Give diligence,
therefore, to make your calling and election sure
(II Pet. 1:10).
Finally, in the Philadelphia letter,
there is the sixth promise to the overcomers. 'Him that
overcomes will I make a pillar
in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out and
I will write on him the name of my God, and
the name of the city of my God, which Is New Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from
my God: and I will write on him my new name' (Rev.
3:12). The temple which I am building is a spiritual one
made of living stones (I Pet. 2:5, Ephes. 2:20-22). The
stones are now being hewn and prepared, as each
overcomer yields to the working of my Spirit in his or
her life. I am the chief corner Stone of this temple
which is to be filled with the fullness of the glory of
God. This temple will be fitly joined together, first on
earth, and then in the heavenlies. I am now moving by my
Spirit to bring about the fulfillment of that which you
read in the scriptures. The type of that which I am
doing is portrayed in the events which led up to the
construction of the physical temple under Solomon, You
will notice that David prepared in abundance for the
temple before his death, and he set masons to work to
hew wrought stones for the building thereof. (See I
Chron. 22:1-5). David's reign is a type of the Christian
dispensation, even as the preceding reign of Saul is a
type of the era of the law. Solomon's reign is a type of
the Kingdom era which is now at hand. The temple was not
actually joined together until Solomon began his reign,
but the preparation was made in the reign of David by
the gathering of the material and the hewing of the
stones. The stones were prepared in the quarries before
they were brought together at the building site. So
perfect was the preparation that each stone fit in its
proper place so that 'there was neither hammer nor
axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house/ while it
was in building’ (I Kings 6:7).
This is why, my people, I must do a
perfecting work in your lives now, for as living stones
in my temple you must be prepared to take your place in
that which I have chosen for you. For before long I will
begin to move mightily to join together the living
stones as a mighty witness to my power and glory. Even
as Solomon was anointed king before David's death, so
does this portray the fact that there is an overlapping
of dispensations. The Day of the Lord, or Solomon's
reign, has its inception before the Christian
dispensation, or David's reign, is completely over.
The overlapping period is signaled by the beginning of
the blowing of the seven trumpets recorded in the book
of Revelation. (Rev. 8:2). Historically this period had
its inception during the years that the secret of the
atom was being unlocked and more specifically when the
first atomic bomb was exploded. But the actual joining
together in power of my glorious temple does not take
place until the blowing of the seventh trumpet when my
secret strategy takes place and I pour out my Spirit in
a second Pentecost.
What I join together on earth as a
witness to my Glory, and to bring forth a mighty harvest
as one age is closing and another is beginning, I will
also join together in the heavenlies. For immediately
following the great tribulation, a great host of
overcomers will be joined to me in the heavenly
Kingdom, being united with one another and with the
firstfruits who preceded them. (Rev. 14:2-4). This
glorified body of saints will then be the means whereby
I shall dwell in the midst of the people who are on the
earth within the confines of the earthly Kingdom. For
those in the earthly Kingdom will receive constant
teaching, guidance and counsel from the glorified
saints.
Because of the destiny of the
overcoming saints, and their coming inheritance as joint
heirs in the heavenly Kingdom, being associated
with all the heavenly retinue, I will write on them the name of my God, the
name of the New Jerusalem, and my new name. (Rev. 3:12).
The writing of these names has nothing to do with an
outward inscription of any kind. They are expressive of
Spirit impartations, making the recipients equal to
that which is required for participation in and
fulfillment of their assigned positions. The ‘name of my
God' must be written on the foreheads of all
overcomers while yet in the flesh. It is their ‘sealing’
for the Spirit-powered ministry that is to come forth in
my spiritual temple or Body in this end time. (Rev.
7:3, 14:1). After the overcoming saints have been
glorified they shall receive the name or power-potential
necessary for them to dwell within the New Jerusalem,
which will come down out of the upper heavens and be
stationed in the stratosphere above the earth. This will
then be the home and headquarters for the glorified
saints, who will descend and ascend to and from the
earth to carry out their duties. They will also
receive the power-potential of my new name, in
order that they maybe fully equipped for the task of
ruling and reigning with me. He that has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit is saying to the
church.