Jesus said…I have this against you. Found in Revelation, Jesus brings a corrective word to 5 of the 7 churches. What He is saying is: Your peace, life, influence, and mission are on the brink of being disrupted. Or even worse, your life is about to continue without God’s guidance and wisdom. You’re about to have life YOUR WAY! **
Rev. 2:1 “Write this letter to the angel (messenger/leader) of the church in Ephesus. This message is from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven gold lampstands: – (A message from Jesus)
Rev. 2:2-3
1. you work hard and persevere.
2. you don’t tolerate evil.
3. you’ve tested those who claimed to be apostles and proved they were imposters.
4. you’ve endured trials and persecutions because of My name, and you’ve not been discouraged.
Rev. 2:4 NKJV “Nevertheless, I have this against you, (to oppose) that you have left (send away) your first (order of importance) love. (selflessness, unconditional care for others)
“Nevertheless, (in spite of all this) God is not going to force you to change. He lovingly will try to inspire you to see things differently. The Holy Spirit comes to convince and convict you of your righteousness and that you’re settling for a lesser image of who you really are.
I have this against you.” God opposes the stuff of ministry, spiritualism, and the cool factor of operating in the supernatural. All are distractions from walking in God’s love and peace, which was meant to be shared with those around you.
“You have left your first love.” It’s not puppy love or impulsive emotional love. It’s a selfless kind of love birthed from conviction, placing Jesus as your priority.
Rev. 2:5 TPT Think about (to rehearse) how far you have fallen! Repent (to exercise the mind-change your mind) and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent.
“Think about” Take some time to evaluate the mistakes of your past but don’t stay there. - Ps. 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
“Repent” Exercise, practice changing your mind from the comfort of self-centered patterns of “life my way” and embrace the uncomfortable freedom of doing life God’s way.
“Works of love you did at first” What was the work of love? Complete Surrender! Salvation was not about you. Becoming a follower of Jesus was not about you. The message of your life is not about you. It was and will ALWAYS be about surrender and laying down your life for another.
Rev. 2:7 NKJV He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes (prevails, gets the victory) I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”
Will you listen to the Spirit?
Change your mind and be restored to the kind of fellowship lost at the beginning where walking with God and hearing His voice was a common thing. You can OVERCOME!
How do we overcome?
The Bridge’s Growth Track – God Worshiped - Faith Lived - Lives Changed (on our app)
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As a believer and disciple of Jesus, I choose to maintain a teachable heart and listening ear to the Spirit of God.
I don’t settle for religious spiritualism or pious doctrines that simply have an appearance of godliness.
Loving God is the first order of importance in my life. It empowers me to love my brother and equips me with the strength to lay down my life for others.