The Battle for the Throne: The Call of God Part 1
Mark Lastimoso
In Revelation 1, the Scriptures reveals the exalted Christ in the center of the 7 churches. In chapters 2 & 3 prophecy discloses the conditions of these 7 churches and Christ’s cure for their spiritual sins. Now, let’s study Revelation 4. The unifying theme of this chapter is God’s heavenly throne.
Revelation 4:1 NKJV reads, “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
Prior to this verse (3:22), Jesus concludes His message to the churches saying, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In 4:1 John’s eyes were drawn above. He saw an opened door and heard a voice like a trumpet. Then an invitation, essentially a call from God. Not just an ordinary call. But an upward call upon God’s invitation!
“Come up here.” Three words from a Divine voice with urgency and solemnity. “I will show you things which must shortly take place. The reason why John was given an invitation, a call from God is because John was a faithful witness of the Lord [Brian Blount, 86-7]. Praise God for He gives direct access to people e.g. Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc., who are faithful and trustworthy. Sacred messages must be handed to sacred messengers. God knows what He is doing. God is in control. Today, The first call has to do with God calling His people to faithfulness.
- Faithfulness in hearing the Word
- Faithfulness in reading the Word
- Faithfulness in obeying the Word
Why? Because Jesus will show us things that must take place soon.
Revelation 4:2 NKJV continues, “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”
The second call has to do with God calling His people to be filled in the Spirit.
- Filled in the Spirit of Praise to God
- Filled in the Spirit of Power by God
- Filled in the Spirit of Prayer to God
Why? Because God, in His throne, is worthy of worship. He alone Created all things. God alone is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.
But somebody in the heavenly courts has other plans. Let’s turn to Isaiah 14:12-14,
“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer,[a] son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
O Lucifer,[a] son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’”
I will be like the Most High.’”
Lucifer desires to take the throne of God. He is a counterfeit God. Ezekiel 28:15 describes Lucifer, “Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” To battle the throne of God Lucifer is using his craftiness and beauty to deceive and destroy God’s people and to execute his own plan. He has taken over this world but God is the victor.
The message today is:
- God is calling His people to be faithful
- God is calling His people to be filled by His Spirit.
To conclude, let’s read 1 John 2:15-17, “Do Not Love the World 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” AMEN