Introduction to Divine Revelation -  The Expression of the Holy Spirit

 

 

Mt 16:17 (ESV) — 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 

 

Throughout the years, I have spoken to you regarding your divine potential. Meaning your potential to be all that God created you to be. It would be best if you never forgot the principle that you were created to excel and not fail. 

Dt 28:13 (ESV) — 13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, 

 

Today, I’m introducing another principle that God is offering you. It is yours to have if you choose to pursue it, and it is your potential to receive what I am calling “Divine Revelation.” It comes directly from God through the power of his Holy Spirit.

 

Introduction to Divine Revelation 

The Expression of the Holy Spirit

 

This is a subject I encourage you to listen attentively to for the next few minutes. I think you will at the end of the message that we, as born-again children of God, should all desire to receive from God the Divine Revelation in all of our endeavors!

 

This can only be an introduction. I cannot comprehensively discuss this in the moments allotted. But I am confident the Holy Spirit will begin to give many of you Divine Revelation as I revealed to you what God has so graciously given you as his children.

 

I encourage you to review this message on YouTube and meditate over what I’m discussing. Then, participate in the review that will occur this Wednesday night at the church for discussion.

 

The occasion of our text: 

Mt 16:13–16 (ESV) — 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

 

For today’s message, I will speak to you now regarding 4 things: 

• The Reality of Divine Revelation, 

• God’s will for you to receive Divine Revelation, 

• How to receive Divine Revelation, 

• Why you should seek to acquire Divine Revelation.

 

• THE REALITY OF DIVINE REVELATION – it exists - As defined by Christ

after Peter had made his statement:

Mt 16:17 (ESV) — 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

• • Blessed are you

• • • How exceptionally favored is Peter above all the other disciples! Many others were wiser and smarter than Peter, the scribes, Pharisees, and the rulers, but they could not recognize what Peter saw. 

• • • Peter could discern something by the Spirit that no other human being had the natural capacity to see.

• • • Jesus himself declared him blessed! How wonderful it would be to hear the voice of Jesus say to either one of us today that we are blessed!

• • • He was blessed because he was called blessed by Jesus

• • Simon bar Jonah

• • • He has blessed him by name. It is one thing to have a generic blessing but another when God explicitly calls your name to bless you. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear the voice of God call your name and say, “you are blessed!” That’s what Peter heard!

• • • Why was he blessed? Because Jesus called him by name.

• • flesh and blood has not revealed this to you

• • • The real reason Jesus called him out was because what he said was not revealed by flesh and blood.

• • • The disciples had already described what others said about Jesus; they were all wrong.

• • • Some said John the Baptist, and some said Elijah, and others Jeremiah. Some even said he was one of the other prophets. No matter how learned, trained, and educated they were, they were still wrong.

• • • • With all the speculation around, it is incredible that no one speculated that Jesus even could be the Messiah.

• • • • • Perhaps, he did not stand out in such a distinctive way that they would think he was unique. How wrong they were!

• • • • • Some ways seem right to man, but those ways can lead to darkness and death.

• • • Peter heard and said something that none of the learned people in the entire world knew or even thought about. This was a truth that only one person would learn. 

• • • • No matter the amount of education, this simple fisherman became aware of something that all the scholars in the whole world could not determine.

• • • • Flesh and blood cannot reveal what Peter got a revelation of!

• • • He heard it directly from the voice of God by an expression of the Holy Spirit

• • • We can learn many things in life. God has given us the ability to learn and grow in knowledge. We learn from the natural world because that is how we are trained to know things. We go to school and spend hours of study to learn about the natural world. We also can learn about even spiritual things, but there are some things the natural mind cannot comprehend no matter how much labor is put into studying.

• • • Peter immediately got a revelation that others did not. He learned what others spent years trying to determine; they did not know who Jesus was, but Peter did. Peter proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah!

• • • • It was not by knowledge of the flesh that he came to know this. But all that needed to be seen, was seen as fast as a bolt of lightning; by divine Revelation!

• • • • Such is the way of learning from God with divine Revelation. Though we are educated slowly by years of tedious studying and learning in school, it does not mean that everything must take years of study with God. 

• • • • • If God wants you to have the skill and education to do what it takes others years to do, he can give you as fast as the snap of a finger!

• • • • This was the Revelation that Peter had. It was divine Revelation!

• • • Peter called Jesus the son of the living God. No one else had that Revelation! Not one person in the entire world knew what Peter declared as truth and what he declared as truth would for eternity be declared as truth.

• • • Now this fisherman, an illiterate man and a person of low education compared to others, attained knowledge and truth that men of vastly higher education and wisdom could not even imagine.

• • • As a result, he stood alone in the world as the only man knowing the truth of God. It was a very dangerous position to be in. He was now set unknowingly against the world. He would be hated for this Revelation. Jesus knew it.

 

A DIVINE REVELATION MAKES ONE UNIQUE AMONG OTHERS

 

A divine revelation can turn flesh and blood against you! Think Joseph and his brothers

 

Being blessed by God means being hated by those of the flesh and brings persecution. 

 

but my Father who is in heaven

• • • Divine Revelation does not come by natural means. God the Father is the author of this Revelation through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus declared it!

• • • When you get a divine revelation directly from God, it radically changes your way of thinking. If you allow that Word to take root in your heart it will not only radically change your thinking but radically change your life!

One Divine Revelation Can Transform Your Life Into Conformity With Christ

Every minister has a divine revelation in their life; it is defined as a calling!

 

ONE DIVINE REVELATION CAN ALTER THE COURSE OF HUMAN HISTORY!

SELAH

 

Matthew 16:18–20 (ESV): 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

 

• • • Divine Revelation from the Father is not respectful of the social status and honors defined by humankind. It depends upon the grace of God unto whom it is given.

 

Ro 2:11 (ESV) — 11 For God shows no partiality. 

 

Pr 2:6 (ESV) — 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 

 

• • A few examples of divine Revelation 

• • • Adam had pure divine Revelation before the fall in the garden. Remember he communicated directly with God? 

• • • • Christ restored that perfect relationship. All the saints of God have direct access to the throne of God now.

• • • Whenever the Word of God came to a person in the Old Testament, they were getting a divine revelation!

• • • Noah got divine Revelation when God said he would destroy the world by flood Genesis 6

• • • Abraham had a divine revelation. Remember

Ge 15:5 (ESV) — 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

• • • Isaac had a divine revelation when in times of meditation, he learned to pray for his barren wife, and she had a child.

• • • Jacob found out how the cause the flocks to bring forth striped, speckled, and spotted sheep in Genesis 30:37 by divine Revelation.

• • • By divine Revelation, Joseph told Pharaoh the meaning of his dream, saying he would get Divine Revelation from God.

Ge 41:15–16 (ESV) — 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

• • • Joshua had a divine revelation of how to take Jericho. Joshua 5:13

• • • Solomon had a divine revelation of the attribute of wisdom 

1 Ki 4:29 (ESV) — 29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 

• • • Daniel, Shadrach and Meshack and Abednego also had divine Revelation

Da 1:17 (ESV) — 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

• • • Elisha asked God to give to the servant a divine revelation

2 Ki 6:17 (ESV) — 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

• • • Religious leaders saw the divine Revelation on Peter and John.

Ac 4:13 (ESV) — 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

 

• GOD’S WILL FOR YOU TO RECEIVE DIVINE REVELATION

• • We are told to ask what you wish, and if we desire it we can receive it

Lk 11:9–13 (ESV) — 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

 

God desires to give Divine Revelation to you to assist you in life!

• • • Jas 1:5 (ESV) — 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

DIVINE REVELATION IS PROMISED TO ALL BELIEVERS

Jn 14:26 (ESV) — 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

• • God has given the Holy Spirit so we may have divine Revelation to order our steps in life according to righteousness.

Ps 37:23 (ESV) — 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; 

 

Is 30:21 (ESV) — 21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

• • God wants to give us divine Revelation!

1 Co 2:9–10 (ESV) — 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

The natural mind cannot even conceive of the wonderful amazing blessings God has for his children, but if we would seek divine Revelation we can begin to experience some of the things God desires

 

• HOW TO RECEIVE DIVINE REVELATION - by persistently and diligently spending time meditating on God’s Word

DIVINE REVELATION IS NOT GIVEN UNLESS IT IS DILIGENTLY SOUGHT AFTER

 

Jn 8:31–32 (ESV) — 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

• • By abiding in the Word

THE WORD OF GOD IS THE SPARK THAT IGNITES THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT GIVES THE DIVINE REVELATION OF TRUTH

• • • Every born-again child of God can receive a divine revelation. But the type of soil they are determines their Revelation's fruitfulness.

• • • • Path

• • • • Stony Ground – shallow in the Word

Luke 8:13 (ESV): And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the Word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

• • • Of course, you must not allow the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the Word you have heard. This is like the third type of soil in which the Word of God is sown among the thorns.

Luke 8:14–15 (ESV): 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 

15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

 

• • By diligently asking, seeking and knocking in the presence of God (after knocking one listens)

Lk 11:9–10 (ESV) — 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

• • • Peter denied self and was following Christ when he got the Revelation

• • • Jacob wrestled all night in prayer to get a blessing

• • • Daniel prayed 21 days to get an answer by divine Revelation

• • • Nehemiah fasted and prayed at least four months before getting the divine Revelation of what he needed to do

• • • Esther prayed and fasted to know what to say to the king by divine Revelation.

• • • It is going to take persistence to receive divine Revelation from God

• • With so many examples of God speaking in the Old Testament, how much more so he will speak to those of us who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

AFTER DILIGENTLY ASKING, SEEKING AND KNOCKING PATIENTLY, START LISTENING TO HEAR WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY – Your reward is in HEARING

 

• WHY YOU SHOULD SEEK TO ACQUIRE DIVINE REVELATION

 

It pleases God when we seek divine Revelation. We have to remember

Heb 11:6 (ESV) — 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

 

YOU ARE BLESSED EVERY TIME YOU RECEIVE A DIVINE REVELATION

 

If you pursue it, You will receive it

 

Lk 12:32 (ESV) — 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

• • Anyone willing to pursue God, regardless of their position in life, can receive divine Revelation. Divine Revelation is not given because of status in society but offered to the saints of God

1 Co 1:26–29 (ESV) — 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

• • We spend so many years trying to acquire an education about things in the world. We labor to gain knowledge of the arts and sciences and develop skills to live in this life. 

• • • But at the end of life, what does it profit us to have gained all the education of the world and recognize that our very soul was wasted on that which will pass away and be worth nothing in eternity? 

• • We will never be disappointed when we pursue divine Revelation.

Ps 22:5 (ESV) — 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

• • Peter heard what flesh and blood could not reveal. God has so much more for us, but we spend hours and even years seeking to acquire the wisdom to live in this world when that all that matters is eternity! We should strive to get the wisdom to live in eternity more than we strive to get the wisdom to live in this world that is passing away.

 

BETTER TO PURSUE WISDOM FROM GOD TO LIVE IN ETERNITY THAN TO PURSUE KNOWLEDGE FROM MAN TO LIVE IN THE TEMPORARY

Pr 16:16 (ESV) — 16 How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. 

 

Je 9:23–24 (ESV) — 23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” 

 

Is 55:6 (ESV) — 6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 

 

• • Peter was called Blessed! You too, will be blessed when you have trained yourself to hear divine Revelation of the voice of God! 

• • 1 Co 14:1 (ESV) — 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 

A DIVINE REVELATION IS GIVEN SO THAT YOU MAY FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE

It is a blessing to receive one. In doing so, you can know your life is in the will of God. For he has chosen you for such a time as this.

Now you should know

• The Reality of Divine Revelation, 

• God wills for you to receive Divine Revelation, 

• How to receive Divine Revelation, 

• Why you should seek to acquire Divine Revelation.

 

One Word from God is all it takes to transform your life! Therefore, Seek Divine Revelation