Review
Holy Spirit gave my friend, Chuck Pierce, a very important prophetic word this past weekend. It refers to a seven-day window and assignment, running from this past Monday through this upcoming Sunday (Nov. 10-16). During this week-long window, the Lord is asking us to release praise to Him three times a day. The seven days have obviously already begun, but you can still participate. Please do so, perhaps even adding a few days, so that you also do a total of seven days. God would certainly honor that. You can find Chuck’s prophetic word and my explanation in Wednesday’s post. Today I want to talk about why we praise the Lord, which I also did yesterday. Why would God ask for this? Our title is:
The Invitation
God loves being with us. Consider the following invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 KJV). The Almighty, the Creator, the Everlasting God of heaven and earth wants some time with us.
Do you, like me, find it interesting that He knocks on the door? I suppose God could simply knock it down. Or just walk through it! But that would be an intrusion, and God doesn’t intrude into our space; He waits to be invited in. Like anyone, He wants to be celebrated, not tolerated.
Two hidden meanings in this verse reveal far deeper insights than can be seen through a casual reading. The word “sup” in this verse is not a generic word for eating. This is the word in biblical times for the main evening meal. The Jewish new day began in the evening, at sunset. At this evening meal, the family would discuss the day’s events, and while doing so, the new day would begin and be planned. Jesus is saying to us in this verse, “Let me into your world. Let’s dine, fellowship, and plan the new day.”
A second possible interpretation is given in the margin of The Passion Translation: “The Aramaic can be translated ‘I have been standing at the door, knocking.’ Jesus knocking on the door points us to the process of an ancient Jewish wedding invitation. In the days of Jesus, a bridegroom and his father would come to the door of the bride-to-be carrying the betrothal cup of wine and the bride-price. Standing outside, they would knock. If she fully opened the door, she was saying, ‘Yes, I will be your bride.’ Jesus and his Father, in the same way, are knocking on the doors of our hearts, inviting us to be the bride of Christ.”
What an invitation!
In this verse, the Lord began by saying, “If any man hears My voice . . .” Hearing and discerning God’s voice is not a gift, but a learned art. We must learn to commune with the Lord as a real person and on a personal level. When you take the time to wait and listen, you learn to allow God to be a part of your thinking. His thoughts become yours. The obvious insinuation in this phrase is that our actions, not His, will determine whether or not we hear Him. Again, sensitivity is learned and developed. Like the frequencies on a radio, our minds and hearts must tune in.
A few years ago, one of my staff members shared a humorous episode about listening.
“My sister-in-law was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner and planning for various family activities. As she did, her young daughter spoke to her about several different and important things in her life, to which mom would periodically mumble, ‘Uh-huh.’ Finally, wanting to do something to make this more of a two-sided conversation, the little girl tugged on her mother’s arm to get her full attention. Once she knew her mother was really listening, she said, ‘Mom, why don’t you talk for a while now, and I’ll say Uh-huh.’”(1)
I can’t help but wonder how often God is knocking and calling, only to find us so busy we really aren’t listening. He will never treat us this way. You’ll never find Him so busy with others or so distracted running the universe that He feigns attentiveness to you, mumbling “uh-huh” while actually thinking about something else. He has plenty of undistracted time for you, and He’d like some in return.
The Scriptures tell us God is actually “searching” for this level of relationship. From the moment we were separated from Him by Adam’s sin, He began the search. “Where are you?” He called to Adam and Eve as they hid from Him (Genesis 3:9). Incredibly, we’re told that His eyes “move to and fro” throughout the earth looking for those whose hearts are fully His (2 Chronicles 16:9).
One of my favorite Bible stories as a young kid was of a man named Zacchaeus. He was a hated tax collector who had become wealthy, most likely by defrauding people, charging them more than they actually owed. Somehow, this man had become enamored with Jesus, so much so that he climbed a tree to get a good look at Him as He passed through his village. Jesus wanted Zacchaeus to get more than a look, however; He invited Himself over for dinner! “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5).
Jesus knocked, and Zacchaeus opened. The visit was obviously impactful - it always is when Jesus comes over for dinner. “Lord, half of my possessions I’ll give to the poor,” he promised before the dinner ended, “and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (Luke 19:8).
When challenged as to why He would be the guest of this thieving “sinner,” Jesus merely referenced His own “searching heart.” “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Christ simply has an insatiable desire to eat and fellowship with friends, family, and seekers.
Jesus was on a mission then; He’s on the same mission now. He wants some time and conversation with you. The next time He knocks, open the door. Make your house one of the regular stops for His searching eyes.
Let no distraction interfere. May your heart always remain an open door to Jesus, as you seek to mature in the art of discerning His knock and voice. As His eyes search this world for a surrendered heart with which to commune, may His gaze always stop with you. Welcome Him to sit at the supper table of your soul to dine and dialogue with you.
As we give Him praise today, fulfilling the word from the prophet, let’s not do it out of duty. That will bring neither Him nor us any pleasure. Do it from the heart, knowing that He wants to spend time with us. Invite Jesus into your world and our nation. When He shows up, His enemies scatter; they melt like wax in front of a fire (Psalm 68:1-2).
What a way to win a battle!
Pray this Psalm with me:
“God! Arise with awesome power, and every one of your enemies will scatter in fear! Chase them away—all these God-haters. Blow them away as a puff of smoke. Melt them away like wax in the fire. One good look at You and the wicked vanish. But let all the righteous be glad! Yes, let them all rejoice in Your presence and be carried away with gladness. Let them laugh and be radiant with joy! Let them sing their celebration songs for the coming of the cloud rider whose name is Yahweh!
“To the fatherless, He is a father. To the widow, He is a champion friend. The lonely He makes part of a family. The prisoners He leads into prosperity until they sing for joy. This is our Holy God in His Holy Place! But for the rebels, there is heartache and despair.
“O Lord, it was You who marched in front of Your people, leading them through the wasteland. (Pause in His presence) The earth shook beneath Your feet; the heavens filled with clouds before the presence of the God of Sinai. The sacred mountain shook at the sight of the face of Israel’s God. You, O God, sent the reviving rain upon Your weary inheritance, showers of blessing to refresh it. So there Your people settled. And in Your kindness, You provided the poor with abundance.”
(Psalm 68:1-10 TPT)
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
Dutch Sheets, Watchman Prayer (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2000), 47.