Rev 3:8 – I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
The book of Revelation is a powerful book indeed. Jesus sent seven letters to seven churches which existed many years ago. History tells us that these were actual churches that existed. You can read about these churches in the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
For the sake of brevity, here is a short synopsis of those churches:
1. Rev 2: 1-7, Ephesus – loveless church
2. Rev 2: 8-11, Smyrna – persecuted church –no condemnation
3. Rev 2: 12-17, Pergamos – compromising church
4. Rev 2: 18-29, Thyatira- corrupt church.
5. Rev 3: 1-6, Sardis – dead church.
6. Rev 3: 7-13, Philadelphia – faithful church –no condemnation
7. Rev 3: 14-22, Laodicea – lukewarm church
When you read about the works and testimonies of these churches we find that Jesus had a lot to say about these churches! What is amazing to me is that out of seven churches, only two received commendation! The church of Smyrna and the church of Philadelphia!
Could this be a prophetic picture of the church today? I truly believe so! Think about this? The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse and picture of the end times. Jesus sent letters to these churches and I truly believe that they represent churches past, present and future!
How many of us know that we live in some perilous and uncertain times? This is why we need overcoming faith in the times that we live in. The Bible continuously exhorts us to overcome, to persevere and to endure!
This message today is a word to inspire you to overcome tests, trials, tribulations, troubles and temptations in your life to be all that God has called you to be, as it pertains to the Word of God and the Name of God!
These are two attributes of God that are both eternal and powerful. I truly believe you cannot be a victorious believer in Christ without understanding the significance and power of the Word of God and the Name of God!
I also believe that you cannot be a true disciple of Jesus Christ without understanding the significance of the Word of God and the Name of God in your life.
For as long as the Lord would have us to study these two important divine attributes of the Lord, we are going to go deep into the scriptures to see what the bible says about the Word of God and the Name of God, and why it is important that everyone be a student of the Word and the powerful names of God.
As a matter of fact you cannot pray and worship the Lord in spirit and in truth without understanding the significance of the Word of God and Name of God!
When we think about certain names there are certain thoughts that comes to mind! For example; Walmart, Sam’s, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Rolex, Obama, Trump and we could go on and on.
Now when I mention the name of Jesus what comes to mind? Salvation, power, deliverance, healing, grace, sacrifice, love, the cross and the list goes on!
God gives different names to describe his character, his power, his attributes and uses his name exclusively for His purposes and to reveal truths to us. When studying the bible we should always look at the names of people, of places, and uncover their meaning in scripture as it relates to the text.
Names have special meaning to the Lord, this is why He changed the names of people at times in the bible. For example from Abram to Abraham (Gen 17: 5), Sarai to Sarah (Gen 17: 15) or Jacob to Israel (Gen 35: 10). Moses even changed the name of Hosea which means deliverer, to Joshua which means Jehovah will save (Numbers 13: 8 and 16)
The LORD Jesus changed the name of Simon Barjona which is Simon Son of Jona, to Petros or Peter which means Little Rock. (Matt 16: 17-18)
When God changes a name it shows us the importance that he places on names and the character that is representative of the name! This is a key to revelational Bible study and understanding what the Lord wants to reveal to us.
The bible says in Ecc 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment. Did you get that? A good name is better than precious ointment! Names describe our character, names have prophetic meanings. As a matter of fact, the Hebrews named their children certain names that glorified who God was in their life.
For example Joshua means “Yehovah saves” or Isaiah means “ Yah has saved.” This is why we must be careful when we name our children, because names can have prophetic significance. For example, I wouldn’t name my son Judas or my daughter Jezebel!
There are also times when names were given to represent what someone went through as in the case of Jabez. In 1 Chron 4:9 it says,” Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” Jabez means to grieve or to be in sorrow.
The bible tells us that his mother named him Jabez because she bore him in pain! It doesn’t say what the pain was, but it says she bore him in pain!
In Revelations chapter 2 and 3, we find that there are seven churches. Jesus sent letters to these churches which where actual churches that existed. They are also representative of church’s that are past, present and future. What is interesting is that out of seven of these churches only two of them received commendation. The other five received condemnation.
Here is a list of those churches:
Ephesus – loveless church
Smyrna – persecuted church –no condemnation
Pergamos – compromising church
Thyatira- corrupt church
Sardis- dead church
Philadelphia – faithful church –no condemnation
Laodicea – lukewarm church
What is interesting is that the church of Smyrna was a persecuted church and the church of Philadelphia was the faithful church. So you have the persecuted church and the faithful church that received commendation from the Lord! What I want to focus on is the Philadelphia church in which we base our study: “The Word of God and the Name of God.”
The Lord said the following about the Philadelphia in Revelations 3: 7-8:
Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens;
Rev 3:8 I know thy 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.
Did you get that? I have set before you an open door, for you have a little strength, but you have kept my Word and not denied my Name!
I think that we can learn something from this! The Lord said that the Philadelphia church had a little strength, but they kept the Word of God and did not deny his Name! The testimony of this overcoming church was that they kept the Word of God and did not deny the Name of God!
We need to understand the significance of Revelations chapter 2 and 3 because there were seven churches but only two got a good report! Listen people of God, God deems those faithful that keep His Word and do not deny his Name!
There are many churches in the World today, but are they truly keeping the Word of God and not denying the Name of God? What about you? Are you keeping the Word of God and not denying his name?
You do know that you are the church, and that you are the body of Christ, and the temple in which God dwells, right? We must remember that the two very important principles of every church and every believer that names the name of Christ is being doers of the Word of God and honoring the Name of God!
The Word of God is what we stand on, the Word of God is what we preach, and the Word of God is what keeps us strong. King David, one of the most blessed Kings in the Old Testament said in Psalm 119: 105 and 133:
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
John said in John 1: 1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God! God places emphasis on his eternal Word according to Psalm 119: 89 and we are to be doers of the Word and not merely hearers according to James 1: 22.
In the first book of the bible in Gen 1: 1-31, the name of God is mentioned 31 times in every verse as he creates the heavens and the earth. And guess what we need to call upon the name of the Lord every day of the month and every day of the year! There is not one single day that you should not call on the name of the Lord!
All throughout the bible we find multiple names of God that speak of his awesome character and divine attributes. God reveals these names to us because they give us a glimpse of His glory and who He is!
Today as you read, study and meditate on the scriptures and you come across a name of an individual or place in the text. Uncover the meaning of the word which will give further clarity to your study.
Remember we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only! Remember that there are many names of God in the bible, but there is one name that is above all names, and that name is Jesus Christ!
Phil 2:10-11 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As the Lord told the church of Philadelphia in Rev 3: 7-8, you may have a little strength, and you may be going through trials, tribulations, tests, troubles or temptations, but stand on the eternal Word of God and never ever deny his Most Holy Name!
God Bless! Pastor Quinn