Joe Perry - San Pedro CA
My name is Joe Perry. I’m the outpost leader for Point Man South Bay and Los Angeles harbor Area. I struggled with what to talk about in this message but the Holy Spirit stepped in and said “Allow me”. Well, that was a relief because you just can’t go wrong when God steps in.
I grew up with pictures of Jesus as the gentle Savior knocking on the door, the Good Shepherd holding a lost lamb in His arms, the warm Jesus with children all around Him. And He is all of that. But, something happened to me one night out in the middle of the desert!
I'm going to share a little of my testimony. It's not my intention to get into the details, and it is certainly not to glorify my exploits. But, in a nutshell, I pretty much dropped out of high school in my sophomore year of high school, hung out partying everyday at the beach at Topaz Street in Redondo Beach.
I was free to roam wherever I wanted to. I would even take off for days at a time and hitchhike up to the San Bernardino Mountains where I had lived in earlier years. Hang out at our old cabin in Crestline, party there for several days, come home and nobody even knew I was gone.
At age 16 I had some circumstances arrive in my life that created a need for a full time job. We falsified my birth date so I could go into the service. And my parents signed me in as a 17-year-old. I entered the service just a few days after my 17th birthday. (My social security information still shows me one year older than I am.)
I had been such a black sheep of the family I wanted to be noticed and I decided after boot camp and gunners mate school to join up with the U.S. Navy's Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Surveillance Group.
I was only 18 when my initial training was finished and off to Viet Nam I went.
I did two combat tours in Vietnam at the tail end of that conflict (1971) and (1972) and that changed me. I lived, dressed, and ate like I was Vietnamese. We were an oddball part of the Maritime Studies Group.
At this time of the Vietnam conflict most of the troops were leaving or gone, so our small unit worked very closely with what I always felt like was a bunch of Vietnamese pirates; at least that's the way we appeared. We acted like pirates, we even had a “Jolly Rogers” flying on our boat.
We zipped up and down the river ways and coastal areas in patrol gunboats and other small craft, placing listening devices in waterways and trails in order to track enemy movement and snuff it out whenever we could. After those two combat tours I transferred to the destroyer USS Henry B. Wilson and went back one more time in 1975 to that part of the world for the evacuation of Vietnam, Cambodia, and the recovery of the SS Mayaguez that had been captured by the Cambodian Khmer Rouge. These operations included some of the last combat ops in Vietnam.
I had eliminated the enemy with gunfire during those tours, but on a couple of occasions when silence was needed so as not to compromise our position and activities we had taken out sentries by much quieter means. That was too much up close and personal. That affected me. When I say "changed or affected me" I mean a new hard layer had formed around my heart.
After the evacuation in 75 I traveled all over Southeast Asia and other parts of that part of the world. All of that and I was still only 24 years old when I finally came home. With the exception of a few months in between deployments, I was pretty much gone for almost five years. I voluntarily returned to Viet Nam twice. I continued with the reserves and back with Inshore Undersea Warfare for several years after.
I tried to connect with my old friends but I had very much changed over the past several years and just could not fit in. I felt much older than I actually was. I simply was not the same Joe who left years before.
I had gotten into a fight and in a split-second seriously injured a man at the Redondo Beach pier. I was only defending myself, however, that scared me because I knew I would not be able to play fisticuffs with nobody, we were not trained to box.
I’m not a big guy so I learned how to do the most damage the quickest way possible. Super sucker punch! I wanted to be able to either kill em or put em out for a long time. I didn’t want them to get back up. I wasn’t about to have a grapple match with some big dude. This was part combat related training but I also took to another level to survive drunken sailor bar fights.
This incident scared me quite a bit however. I was worried I'd kill someone if I'd get in a fight at a bar or somewhere, especially if I wasn't quite in my right mind... you know what I mean? I unsuccessfully tried to walk away from fights and I unsuccessfully attempted to stay out of trouble. I began to suppress my anger.
I was hurt inside and had a hard shell around me protecting it. Even when my dad died and I came home for 2 weeks leave; I couldn't even shed a tear. I was totally desensitized with death. Burned out. Numb. My eyes had seen things no man should see. And I was developing a quick temper, a bad attitude, jumpy, sleepless. I’m not certain if I realized anything was wrong with me at the time.
Started drinkin'and “stuff” in order to feel more able to just simply hang out and feel comfortable around people. That worked for awhile, sort of, got to where I was using a lot, too much ,and that along with a lot of alcohol and about two years later all of that resulted in my world crashing down around me. Tumbled down in a matter of a few hours one night, early September 1988.
At the time I didn't know what hit me but now I know I ran into a brick wall named Jesus, He can make all things work for the good. Well, I certainly can say that was a good thing; it was not a good world I was living in anyhow. Thank You Jesus! I'm alive today because of Him.
That evening, when that world came crashing down, I found myself in despair standing on the edge of the cliffs at Palos Verdes with a .357 magnum pistol in my hand. Should I jump? Should I shoot myself first then fall off so I wouldn't know I fell off? Then a moment of clarity and rational thinking. What the heck was I about to do? Nah…I had kids and responsibilities and…I had been through much harder situations than the one I was in at the moment. Well, as you can see, I'm standing here tonight…
I decided to surrender. Surrender to whom? To God, whoever that was. And over the years He revealed himself to me more and more as the Lord Jesus Christ, whom over all those preceding years had been with me, protecting me, even when I ignored Him. Why?
I believe somebody had been praying for me and because the Lord had other plans for my life that's why! Even when I didn't know Him, He sure enough knew me. He is faithful. We have a faithful God! Amen? Nobody gave me a tract or invited me to church. He Himself came to me right where I was, right in the nick of time.
But, I didn't know Him at first. Oh, I saw the pictures of Him, read about Him a little, but, up until this point in my life I ignored Him, ran from Him. So, I didn't know whom I surrendered to that day, I just called it God. “God Help Me”!
But, an "it" god wasn't what I wanted nor what I needed. A generalized higher power wouldn't do for me either. I heard people say that the light bulb was their higher power, or the doorknob. Not for me; light bulbs burn out and how were you supposed to draw strength and guidance from a doorknob?? I needed someone I could talk to, someone that could understand me. I needed "The" God. I had trust issues. I needed a God that I could really get to know and trust, and He to know me.
After that day on the cliffs I started thinking and I started reading the Bible. I had some serious questions. What if it's true that there's an all-powerful Creator God who actually cares for the likes of you and me? The Bible had the answers I was looking for. Deuteronomy 23:5, says that "the Lord your God loves you."
Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart." Isaiah 43:1-4 tells us that the One who created you and me says, "you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… you are precious and honored in my sight, and I Love You."
Man, I didn't even have a clue what love was. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. The Bible is clear in it' message that God does care for the likes of you and me, regardless of our past.
What if it's true that hell is a real place of burning fire that lasts forever? In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What, be afraid of the gentle shepherd in those pictures? Jesus taught that hell is a real place.
What if it's true that there is only one God and only one way to God? 1 Tim.2:5 says there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Isaiah 45:14 assures us, there is no other God. In John 14:6, Jesus says "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Now note that He didn’t say “I am a way, or the best way. HE said He is THE ONLY WAY.
The apostle Peter taught in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." The Bible is clear that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to God.
What if it's true that the timeless truths of the Bible, even though they've been around for thousands of years, will still work in your family life today? That it will work in healing your past, that it will guide you into forgiveness and set you free.
2 Tim.3:16-17 says, "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
In John 7:17, Jesus affirmed that God's Word is truth. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." The Bible is clear that its truths still do work today."
Do you know that most of all the problems we experience in life are a result of unbiblical responses to people or situations? That's an important fact… Now, I continued on in my education after I got my life back together, went to college, got my Masters degree in counseling psychology. Learned all about people problems and how to fix them.
Well, that's nice but… let me repeat that important fact again; "most of all problems we experience in life are a result of unbiblical responses to other people or situations. Well, they didn't tell me that in college. Man, I bought and read a lot of books, but, all of the answers to all questions, all problems, and all of the ultimate solutions, are found in just one Book, the Bible.
Gloria (my wife) never received the education I was fortunate to receive, but, she just blows me away with her God given wisdom and knowledge gained through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and reading God's Word. She's a graduate of HSU. Holy Spirit University. She doesn't have a master's degree, but she's got The Masters degree.
My brethren; when our relationship to God is not right, it causes problems in every area of our lives- in our marriage, our career, our parenting, our relationships, and our finances. Then when people have problems, they turn to many different ways of coping before turning to God.
They'll try alcohol or drugs. They'll try the thrill of an affair. They'll try the latest religious fad or experiment with an alternative lifestyle.
BUT, all of these paths are dead ends. The Bible in Proverbs 16:25 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Even when we finally realize that our deepest need is to know God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know God.
For example, we'll rely on our religious upbringing as a child. We'll comfort ourselves by saying things like, "My mother was a Christian so I must be one too." Or, "I was born in the church." Oh yeah? If you were born in a garage, does that make you a car?
Or we'll say "I'll give up all of my bad habits, and then God will accept me." In other words I won't drink, smoke, cuss, or hang around those who do. But, the fact is you could live like a monk and it doesn't guarantee you know God. Why? Because God doesn't grade on a curve.
Many people say, "I'll start being religious and get baptized and go to church." That doesn't do it either. You can be baptized so many times that all the fish in the sea will know you on a first name basis, but that doesn't make you a Christian.
What then is the real solution? Well, that's what I want to tell you all. The solution is not found in a plan or a program; it's found in a Person, a Person named Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus didn't say He was a way, or one way, or even the best way. He said He was the only way to God. Either you go through Jesus, or you don't get in the door.
The Bible says that all of us have sinned. Any kind of sin is a form of cosmic treason. Sin is like raising our fist in God's face, saying, “I’m going to live my way!" Sin involves the breaking of God's commands. The payment we owe for sin is death. God is not grading on a curve. If you are less pure than Jesus is, you cannot get into heaven as you are. Did you hear that?
Wherever Jesus went, sin was revealed, and people just plain don't like sin to be revealed especially when it's your own. But, sin separates us from God forever. Our prayers are not heard. You are in a very good place when you can weep before God, repenting over the least little thing. You must allow God to make you fit for heaven by receiving Jesus Christ into your life.
The ultimate sin, the final sin that sends everybody to hell that commits it, is the sin of not receiving Jesus Christ as your personal savior. The sin of unbelief is the only sin that Christ's death did not pay for.
Now before we get any crazy notions to raise our fist at God, let me tell you about whom we're dealing with. If you have been struggling with fully submitting your life to Jesus; I believe your thought process, even your entire life will be altered if you capture this message. Read Revelations 1:7-20
Several years ago, after I was clean and sober and began seeking the Lord, I went through a terrible time of darkness manifested as a deep, deep depression. (I knew little about spiritual warfare at that time, and the devil was hammering on me.) And I knew virtually nothing about PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Late one afternoon, in a very depressed state of mind and spirit, I got in my truck and drove to a place way out in the desert to an area that I was not familiar with. As it became dark outside I began to take random turns on dirt roads until I became totally lost and the roads ran out.
I then got out and started walking. It was dark, no moon. It was like I was in a dark cloud of heaviness and I simply did not care about what I was doing, where I was going or what could happen to me. I was only wearing shorts, sandals and a tank top. It was around early November and it was now a moonless night, getting cold, and absolutely no light.
At some point I found myself on the ground. It's all like a haze. Even though I hadn't planned on killing myself, I curled upon the ground, freezing and totally lost and not really caring. I always used to joke with my friends that they would find my bones out there some day. I heard coyotes in the not to far away distance.
But suddenly… I noticed a small bright light on the horizon. A very small pin light but very bright. Not like a flashlight or a car headlight. It was a white light. This light began to grow in size and intensity. Bright, white bright and soon it took up the entire eastern sky like a nuclear explosion. I was still on the ground because now I couldn't get up.
The desert was lit up with this white, pure light, it was hot, and the best description I can tell you, it was a star like cross of a persons form formed out of the light; He was beautiful, and then a voice like many waters spoke to me..."Joe, you are breaking the heart of everyone who knows you, including Myself. Come to know me. Let me show you what I have prepared for you." Then…Silence… the light folded in upon itself and was gone.
HA! Some people would call this a UFO experience. I call it a U KNOW WHO experience!
It was totally black out, no moon and by now it must have been very cold, but strangely I felt warm like I was sunburned. I just knew for certain that Jesus had just spoken to me. He had mentioned me by my first name. He had known me all of my life; even before that!
I had to get back home, but, I had been probably been walking for hours, had no idea where I was and couldn't see anything in front of me. I was stumbling through brush and tripping over rocks. Then I discovered that if I briefly closed my eyes, like a deep blink, I could still picture the lit up desert. So I began to blink and walk in the total darkness. Within a half-hour I literally walked right into my dark blue truck.
I waited until the sun began to come up and headed back home. And by the way; remember I said I was wearing shorts, tank top and sandals? The exposed areas of my skin were "SON burned” Now, I suppose I could tell you that this was my "without a doubt there is a God." experience. But as time passed, the greatest proof was a life changed. My life changed! Jesus didn't quite reveal Himself as the gentle shepherd to me that night.
He revealed Himself to me that night as Almighty God! If you haven’t already; I want you all to meet Almighty God Jesus through His Holy Spirit. What is the name that describes our Savior and Messiah? It's Christ. What is His personal name? Jesus. And what is His Divine title and position? It is Lord. Move it around a little and put it all together, and you have His full name, one that demons cannot throw doubt upon. His full name is Lord Jesus Christ.
Seventy two times the New Testament uses these three words together to describe the majesty and uniqueness of our marvelous Savior. Acts 28:31 says that Paul "preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1 says, "since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:5 says, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake." Philippians 2:11 asserts that one day, "every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". 2 Peter 3:18 invites us to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Jude 4 calls Jesus Christ "our only Sovereign and Lord."
I have experienced during times of worship; where I felt like the roof is going to lift away and expose an open heaven. That, "just beyond" the worship, like there is a curtain behind the worship, I can hear that same voice I heard in the desert that night. The voice that the Bible describes as like many waters.
He visits us. He speaks to us. He wants to speak to us as a body and we need to get tuned in to His voice. Friends, God is getting ready to do something and He wants to speak to us. He wants to give us our operation orders!
You see, the last book of the Bible tells us about a coming world leader who will at last bring peace and order to our troubled planet to replace all the chaos and confusion that now plagues the earth. The name of that leader is not Antichrist; it is Jesus Christ. Antichrist will rule the earth for seven years. Jesus Christ will defeat him. Jesus is going to win. And you "should" bet your life on it!
We, my fellow veterans, know what it’s to be men under authority. If you don’t mind I want to shift gears and make a little detour in my message. I’ll come back to it; I’ll weave this right back into it. I’ll make it fit.
Matthew 8:5-13 reads: And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." Jesus *said to him, "I will come and heal him."
But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed."For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does {it.}" Now when Jesus heard {this,} He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline {at the table} with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;
but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that {very} moment.
In this passage I just read we hear of the healing of the centurion’s servant in which Jesus highly commends this soldier’s faith. Calling his faith greater than any he had found in Israel. This is not the only time we read of military personnel presented in favorable light. There are several examples of soldiers who were outstanding in their service to God.
Joshua and Caleb were soldiers who stood out. They tried to persuade Israel to trust in God and were threatened with death. They were persistent however and in the end they were the only ones over the age of 21 to enter the Promised Land. After entering that land their military victories are well documented.
There are many other mighty men of valor told about in the scriptures. I think there’s a very important message that we need to acknowledge.
Military personnel have a particular attitude toward authority. The military teaches the importance of being under authority. Without a respected line of authority, chaos would develop. It’s impossible for a large group of individuals to function efficiently without a chain of command that is respected.
Instead of united, coordinated forces, it would be every man for himself. Soldiers are drilled to submit to authority immediately. Delay can be disastrous on the battlefield, where speed can mean the difference between life and death, victory or defeat.
Questioning authority, balking at commands, can easily result in ones own death and that of their comrades. Thus the military teaches both, how to submit to authority as well as how to exercise authority over others.
Successful Soldiers learn about their enemy, his tactics, and where he operates from. Soldiers know how to use their weapons under a variety of conditions. During battle, we temporarily cast fear aside and attack. We run to the enemy to keep him off balance. There’s a strong advantage to be the aggressor and not defender.
So goes it in the spiritual realm. Our spiritual enemy is no dummy and does have limited power and a pretty darn large army. But we have, (you need to get this) we have unlimited power in a battle with a predetermined winning outcome! Oh we might get some wounds, the battle can be heated at times but this can be done without fear. WE WIN! It’s guaranteed from the beginning of time! Hallelujah! Thank You Lord Jesus!
So here we are brother and sister vets. Bring this into your ministry.
Knowing how to submit to authority, obey the will of the Lord immediately upon hearing the Gospel or prompting of the Holy Spirit. We wouldn’t hesitate to obey orders if our lives were in danger, why hesitate when your soul is in jeopardy? Warfare, whether carnal or spiritual, requires complete devotion and total concentration to the task at hand.
Ephesians 6:10-13 reads: Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} Eph 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Let me have your attention. If you haven’t been in the military, it’s not my purpose to encourage you to enlist, but to suggest we would do well to remember the examples of those in the military.
For we are to be people under authority, the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ! An authority over all things in heaven and earth! An authority that demands obedience.
OK. So I just made a figure eight back to my original message. Let’s take another look at our Commander in Chief! Let me give you a new vision of our Lord, the King of Kings, and the Lion of Judah.
Open your Bibles to Revelation chapter One verse Nine. The apostle John, having just told us in verse 7 that Jesus is coming back to earth, is about to give us an amazing description of what Jesus is now like as the risen and ascended Lord in heaven. The Jesus who gave me just a peek at His glory that night in the desert.
John first introduces himself in verse 9, "I John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the Word of god and the testimony of Jesus.
John here lists three pivotal themes for you to receive. Suffering with patient endurance for the sake of God's coming kingdom on earth. Even though Jesus will win the final battle, life can be tough for Christians in the meantime while we wait for Him. That's a fact, get used to it.
The island of Patmos is a barren, (desert-like) desolate place of exile, a penal colony of no escape. It is narrow, only 4 by 8 miles, covered with volcanic rocks and very little vegetation. It was a natural prison.
Emperor Domitian who came to power after Nero died sent him there. Domitian launched an all out unprecedented empire wide attack against all Christians.
He instigated emperor worship as an imperial cult to help hold together the expanding Roman Empire.
While Domitian executed many of the younger Christians, banishment was his normal way of purging the older Christians from the Roman Empire.
So, after a long pastorate in Ephesus, John had (of course) refused to recant of his faith in Christ and was sentenced to confinement on Patmos. Old John was about 90 years old at this time.
He writes in verse 10, "On the Lords day I was in the Spirit…" There are two ways to interpret the phrase "on the Lords day".
The first interpretation is that John received this vision on Sunday, on the first day of the week, on the day of resurrection. That's possible. The only problem is that Sunday is never referred to this way any other place in the Scriptures.
The second interpretation is that the Lord's Day means the "Day of the Lord", which is the standard Old Testament way of describing the future time of tribulation on earth and the return of Christ. In the Greek it literally says, "I was in the Spirit in the day of the Lord." I think this gives us the better understanding of this phrase.
It would mean that John was actually projected forward in time in a vision to see the day of the Lord as it was occurring on earth, so he could write down what he saw.
Being "in the Spirit" would then mean that he was transferred spiritually to the time of these events so that he could actually see them unfold in front of his eyes, that he was transported prophetically into the future day of the Lord by some spiritual time device that placed him at the time of the future events for him to record his experience. Now I know that sounds strange, but, it makes sense when you read this book.
While in this visionary time warp, John says, "I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet". A trumpet is always used in Scripture as a compelling wake-up call to God's people. A trumpet is riveting. It is commanding.
It was used for four purposes in the Old Testament. A trumpet was used (1) To signal the presence of God, (2) to call God's people to action or to battle, (3) to call god's people to worship, and (4) to signal the impending judgment of God. I think this trumpet sound was meant to accomplish all four purposes at once.
Only it wasn't really a trumpet. It was actually a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet. It was the voice of Jesus Christ. In verse 11, this voice said, "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches".
These seven churches in these Middle East cities were all situated on a circular road that networked them together. A postal worker delivering mail to these seven cities would follow this order on his route.
But why send Christ's message to the churches? Why not to the Roman Empire? Why not send it to Emperor Domitian in order to try and straighten out the mess in the government? What good does it do to communicate to a bunch of churches?
Because God's work on earth is accomplished primarily through His church; instead of sending a letter to Caesar to clean up the government. God's chief focus was to revive His churches, which, in turn, would be His light and salt in the world. When the church becomes vibrant in its faith, then and only then will its spiritual influence be felt within the nation.
That is my message to you. Have Faith. Only believe. That's the key. Have faith, only believe. Don't try to figure it out. Stop your deep searching. Have faith. Only believe. Let those words sink in to you.
Jesus Christ chose to write letters to these seven churches because their spiritual condition was representative of all churches. What Christ says to them will speak to all types of churches in every country and in every century.
But before John is told what he is to write to the churches, he is first shown who is the Head of the church.
Listen now; this tells us that the church, you and me, must first see Jesus Christ's sovereign Lordship before she (the church) will be able to hear what He (Jesus) has to say.
This is awesome… Once our conscience is bound to totally obeying Him, then He will speak to us with a clear voice. Do you want to hear His voice?
Verse 12 says, "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me."
It had been 62 years since John last heard this familiar voice. When John hears it, he jumps out of skin! His heart stops. His hair stands up. His head jerks. It is the voice of his beloved Lord Jesus Christ. Quickly he turns.
"And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands…"
In the Old Testament, both the Tabernacle and Temple contain seven-branched lampstands, which means they have seven small oil lamps supported by a single center stand. But here instead we have seven separate lampstands; each of them made of gold and arranged in a circle, with Christ among them, standing in the middle of them.
Verse 13 says, "and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man", dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest."
The term "Son of Man" is the code name for the Messiah. This is the glorified and ascended Jesus Christ in heaven that John is describing here. The same One that appeared in the manner He did to get my attention out in the desert that night through His Holy Spirit. The same one for whom I can hear His voice "just beyond the worship", just beyond my prayers.
Jesus is seen as our High Priest, for the high priest in Israel wore a full-length robe. Jesus is also our King, for the golden band around the chest is a picture of His majesty and authority as King of Kings. Jesus is also a prophet, for He is about to unveil to John many details about the future. He is our prophet and priest and King.
In verses 14 through 16, seven parts of Jesus' appearance are described in detail. "His head and His hair were white as wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand he held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance."
This is not exactly the same kind of Jesus I described in the pictures we grew up with on the walls of our homes, nor the one you see pictures of in children's books, is it? Look and listen beloved! Since He's ascended to heaven, things have changed! What's it all mean?
The description of Jesus Christ in verse 14 is very similar to the description given of God the Father in Daniel 7:9 where it says of the Ancient of Days, "His clothing was white as snow, the hair of His head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and it wheels were all ablaze." Would you now dare to shake your fist in the face of this man?
First Jesus' white head and hair speaks of His absolute purity, for Jesus never sinned. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that He "knew no sin", and in Hebrews 4:15 that He "is without sin." Even Pilate declared, "I find no fault in Him." White also speaks of His absolute wisdom: He is all knowing, so He never makes a mistake.
Second, John saw that Christ has fiery lasers flashing out of each eye socket! Flaming searchlights were shining out of each eye. This tells us that He sees all with a penetrating, piercing gaze. Remember what I just said next time you get the notion that you can hide things from Him. Hebrews 4:13 says, "nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.
If I'm speaking this tonight and it tugs on your heart, or is convicting to you, stop whatever you're doing that's wrong in God's eyes, (bitterness, unforgiveness, offense, lust) tonight, right now, confess it and repent of it. Do a 180-degree turn away from it…tonight. Then ask for His forgiveness.
Look, don't let pride get in the way. It is good to let the tears flow. There's healing in the tears. I stopped crying tears at about 8 years of age and didn’t shed a tear again until he opened the floodgates in me in 1989 and I cried three days straight. What amazing healing occurred with that experience!
LISTEN carefully. Beloved, if there's anything in your life that in any way resists the power of the Holy Spirit and the entrance of His Word into your heart and life, drop on your knees and cry aloud for mercy. When the Spirit is waiting at your heart's door, do not resist Him; instead, open your heart to the touch of God. Resisting the Holy Spirit will drive you in to sin. Yielding to Him will give you His power.
These red fiery eyes speak of eyes that seek out and eradicate all that is unpure. He sees all, knows all, and searches all; absolutely nothing can be hidden from Him, even the deep motives of our hearts. He sees into the deep and secret places of all of us. With holy intelligence, Jesus knows every detail about every one of us. Nothing escapes His attention. He never has to gather information or ask questions. "Listen" There is no place to hide. Get right; right now. But the good news is, when you are right with Him, this knowing that He is there with you becomes a blessing!
Nothing can obscure His vision. That's why we should strive to seek His vision. No knowledge is out of His reach. With blazing insight and penetrating gaze, He fully knows every detail about us. Knowing this about Him produces within us the fear of the Lord, which is the conscious awareness that God is continually watching and evaluating everything we say, think, and do. Are you beginning to get a new vision and respect for our Lord?
Third, John tells us that "His feet were like bronze". Bronze is what the temple "brazen" altar was composed of, on which all sin offerings were made, therefore it speaks of God's holy, burning anger against sin and His execution of righteous judgement against those who rebel against his righteous rule.
Catch this… in other words; Jesus will judge sin in His churches. Yes, He will judge sin in the world too, but, according to 1 Peter 4:17, "it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God." Are you family?
Why does the Lord Jesus Christ begin His judgment with His church? Well, do you hate weeds more in your neighbor’s yard or your own? You hate them especially in your yard, right? Do you hate cancer more in your neighbor’s family or your own? You hate to see cancer hit any family, but you especially hate to see it hit your own. In the same way, Christ especially hates sin in His own spiritual family, even more than he hates it in the world. (Let this all sink in for a moment). Wow…
The fourth description of Christ moves from sight to sound. John says His voice was like the deafening roar of a powerful waterfall plummeting hundreds of feet below. In other words, when Jesus Christ speaks, He drowns out all other voices. He is the final authority.
In Southeast Asia I went to the bottom of a giant limestone sinkhole. A large waterfall fell into it from a few hundred feet above. The roar of all that water rushing over the falls was deafening! The cascading waters completely drowned out all other sounds, including all I tried to say. I could only hear the roar of the water. Nothing else. For a long time after leaving that place, I could still hear the cascading waters reverberating in my ears.
So it is with the Lord Jesus Christ. When He speaks, He utterly drowns out every human or demonic voice; His truth flushes away man's feeble opinions. What Jesus says to his churches is the final word. His appraisals cannot be debated. His verdicts cannot be overturned. His promises cannot be broken. That's great news isn't it?
Fifth, John describes Christ's hand; "In His right hand He held seven stars". These stars, representing God's messengers to his churches, are in the palm of His hand. Whatever is in Jesus' hand He controls, and he protects. He's got the whole world in His hands, but some are especially precious to Him.
Sixth, John tells us that "out of His mouth came a sharp double edged sword." Hebrew's 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."
This sword, therefore, portrays Christ's judicial authority to discipline His church, removing our evil thoughts and ungodly attitudes with conviction through His Holy Spirit, which leads to repentance. With his sharp sword, Jesus stands ready to surgically remove sin from His body (us) just like a surgeon to cut out a life threatening malignancy. Because He loves us and wants us spiritually healthy and alive.
Seventh, John says, "His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance." When you look at the sun shining in all its strength, you can see nothing else. When you look at the SON it's the same. Jesus Christ is the focal point of the universe, the cosmic center of all life.
His face shines like the sun, too brilliant to look upon, for it radiates the splendor and majesty of the Shekinah glory of God. Jesus Christ is no longer a lowly suffering servant on a cross. He is now our risen and victorious King of Kings. He is utterly brilliant, gleaming in glory and greatness.
What a vision of Jesus! His head, His feet, His voice, His hand, His mouth, His face, all portray perfect power and perfect authority. This Jesus can overcome any obstacles in your life!
When you close your eyes, is this the Christ you see? When you pray, is this the Lord before whom you come? When you worship, is this the Jesus to whom you sing? When you read your Bible, is it this Master that you hear speaking to you? Well…???
Probably not. Why? Because, let's face it. We have become too casual in our relationship with Christ. Too comfortable. Too horizontal. Too buddy buddy. It's no wonder that in a recent survey I read of ex-church members, it was revealed that the main reason they stopped going to church was that they found it boring.
Boring? Not this Jesus! He reigns in exalted loftiness, dwells in consuming majesty and glory. There's nothing boring about Him at all! HA!
In fact, let's suppose that this Jesus whom I have been speaking about were to walk into wherever you are right now. What would be your response?
Would you continue to sing worship songs? Would you walk over and introduce yourself to Him? Would you eagerly tell Him about your ministry and the wonderful things that you are doing? Would you ask to explain some deep mystery that has been perplexing you? Would you just run over and hug Him? Would you get Him to autograph your Bible?
I doubt it friends! You wouldn't do any of those things. What you would do is immediately fall on your face before Him. Covering your eyes from the glare of His glory! You would drop to the ground in humble adoration. No one would remain standing, let alone initiate any conversation with Him.
With much fear and trembling, we would acknowledge His divine presence by collapsing to the floor. We would all fall to the ground like cut timber. Holy terror would grip our hearts. We would experience repentance and revival unlike anyone has ever seen before.
Our faces would hit the dirt, and we would experience complete and total brokeness before Him. Man… why would we want to wait until He comes? What is stopping us from doing that right now in the presence of His Holy Spirit?
God wants us to be free. Men and women are tired of imitations; they want reality; they want to see people who have the living Christ within, who are filled with Holy Spirit power. We will not accomplish that with our own power or devices.
We are called to be ministers of life and instruments pointing to the saving power for humanity. God works mightily in us, proving us and manifesting His grace. Learn right now to take the victory run to that enemy and shout in the face of the devil, "It is done"!! , It is done devil!! For your glory Lord. Thank You for the victory I have in you! Amen
We have fellow veterans out there hiding, hurting, in bondage, POW’s of our spiritual enemy… Who is best to get out there and be Point Men to point the way to Freedom in Christ? We’ve been there, we know the way!
OKAY. I’ll close with this. You’ve all heard that a man is known by the enemy he has? If you’ve got a price on your head you know that you are a threat to enemy operations.
Are you a threat to the kingdom of darkness? If the satan and his demons were having a board meeting and your name came before the board, what would they say? Would they say to put extra demon troops on you to harass and oppose you? Would they put a high price on your head?
Or would they say “This guy is no threat to us or our activities. Leave him alone. He needs no help from us”.
Remember, the devil and his henchmen are created beings with limited resources. They won’t waste their time on those who do not pose a threat. There are millions of church going Christians sitting in their pews Sunday after Sunday who pose little threat to the kingdom of darkness.
If we truly believe that we war against rulers and principalities that cannot be seen, then we must realize that their mandate is to hinder any believer who is seeking to walk in the fullness of God. Greater is He that is in you, than he who is in the world (1 Jn 4:4).
If you are seeking to fully follow our Commander In Chief in this spiritual war, you can expect harassment from the enemy. Often this harassment comes in the form of temptations and God permits temptations because it drives us deeper into the soil of God.
I remember one morning in Viet Nam where we got into a situation where we were heavily out-gunned. I was laying on the side of a muddy dike and could here the bullets smacking into the mud above me. All I could do is press into that mud!
Today when you come under attack-Press Into Jesus! These times of temptation reveal god’s awesome power to keep us and walk us through those temptations, or whatever the attack is. The point is, do not consider it strange if you find yourself fighting major battles the more obedient you become to the Master. God desires each of us to become a feared enemy of hell in order to affect satan’s domain.
Heavenly Father, you are awesome in power. Lord, fill these veterans with your Holy Spirit. Give them Your power, your knowledge, and your vision. Let their Outposts be a fearsome stronghold of Yours. Let these Point Men be armed with Your might! Lord you know who are yours, Use us Dear Lord, guide us to those who need to know you. Provide us with your power to break the chains of bondage of those who are prisoners of the enemy so they may be sold out soldiers for you! In Jesus’s mighty name I pray. Amen.
Point Man International Ministries
since 5/28/05