Article of the Month July 2008

The Voice of the Lord

Wade E Taylor

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

“If any man hear My voice.”  The word “if” tells us that this is a higher level of “hearing,” above and beyond our physical ears.  We can, personally, hear the voice of the Lord.  No matter how well I am hearing His voice, I should seek to hear better.

We are living in a very critical time in which there is much spiritual confusion, due to the mixed signals that are going forth.  Therefore, the Lord is perfecting the spiritual hearing of those who, with a pure spirit, are seeking to more clearly hear His voice.

This verse immediately follows the message to the Laodicean Church, which is the seventh and last Church that is addressed by the Lord.  The messages to these seven churches span the entire Church Age.  Thus, when we come to the Laodicean Church, we are approaching the end of the Church Age.

That we are living in the time of the Laodicean Church is evident through the Word of correction that is given to them.  There is a direct application of this “Word” to each of us (because you say).

“Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.  I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” Revelation 3:17-18

We live during a time of unprecedented prosperity – “rich and increased with goods,” in things both natural and spiritual.  The present day measure of prosperity that we have, the proliferation of religious material, and the excessive demands upon our time, provides us with ample opportunities to overcome.  Thus, the problem is not the abundance, or the availability of these things, but in our being satisfied with them and seeking nothing further -  “and have need of nothing.”

For years, I said that this is the reason why Jesus is without, knocking on the door of the Laodicean Church.  Instead, He is within, actively perfecting a people for His end-time purposes (those who desire to rise above and go beyond all that is presently available).

“But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Beginning with Ephesus, the message to each of these seven churches describes the conditions of that day and time and then leads into the church that follows, but there is no church that follows the Laodicean Church.

Therefore, the Lord is knocking on a “closed” door, because we are approaching the end of the Church Age.  After Laodicea, there is nothing further in relation to the church.  The response of John to this “knocking” confirms this, as the next word is for us to “come up.”

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:1-2

“I looked and a door was opened in heaven.”  The word “was” is not in the original text.  Thus, the door opened when John looked.  As we “look up” in anticipation, there will be an open heaven (immediately I was in the spirit) over our lives and ministry.  Also, the word “one” is in italics, which means it is not in the inspired text.  Thus, John is the first “overcomer” to sit on the throne with Jesus.

Especially during the Laodicean Church Age (the time in which we presently live), the Lord is actively preparing those who will have a part with Him in the progressive, unfolding stages of His return, “when He shall come to be glorified in His saints.”

“When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.” II Thessalonians 1:10a

The present move of the Holy Spirit in Lakeland, Florida is a forerunner of this, as its purpose is evangelistic – to introduce and prepare those who are spiritually hungry to become aware of, and more receptive to the greater manifestation of glory that is yet to come.

We are changed “from glory to glory” (II Corinthians 3:18).  That is, we are changed by being in a manifestation of glory, in which we receive the capacity to experience an even greater manifestation of Glory.  This is beginning to happen and will lead us into the Millennial Kingdom.

There is a progression of revelation that is given to those who desire to hear and respond to the “voice of the Lord,” that begins in Genesis.

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8

The fact that the voice of the Lord is “walking” tells us that there is a progression in what He speaks.  That which He is speaking today is beyond the Word that He spoke yesterday, and that which He will reveal tomorrow is beyond that which He spoke today.

In Genesis, His voice is “walking,” but in Revelation, He is “knocking.”  This speaks of the urgency of our hearing what He has to say to us - “a present word” - that is beyond the word revealed to any past generation.

From the time of Adam, the Lord walked through history for a thousand years, and the flood cleansed the earth.  He then walked another thousand years, and Abraham was called apart to become the father of faith, and the friend of God.  He walked another thousand years, and Solomon dedicated the temple in manifest glory.  As the Lord walked through another thousand years, John the Baptist was called apart to be prepared to introduce Jesus.

This completes the four days, or the four thousand years of the Old Testament.  This is not calendar time, but rather, prophetic time that relates to the purposes of our Lord.  Each day relates to the completion of a particular aspect of redemption, and preparation for the restoration of His glory and manifest presence in our midst.

After His resurrection and ascension, Jesus walked through the two thousand years of the Church Age.  Concerning this, He spoke the following word:

“On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You. And He said to them, Go, tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” Luke 13:31-32 NKJV

“Today and Tomorrow” refers to the two thousand years of the Church Age.  His being perfected the “third day” refers to Jesus taking His place as the active, manifest head of His corporate Body.

At this present time, He is standing at the door that leads into the “third-day” (Millennial Kingdom), knocking – calling apart (come up here … Revelation 4:1) a corporate “John the Baptist,” to prepare the way for the closing out of the Church Age, and the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom.

“If any man hears” (Revelation 3:20) tells us that He is presently “walking” within the range of our hearing, seeking for those who will respond to His knocking.  There are many today who are spiritually hungry and are searching for something further.  If these will become quiet and intently listen, in this time of intense activity, they will hear this “present” knock of His desire to make Himself personally known beyond that which was available to any past generation.

“Intimacy” with Jesus has become a present word.  Thus, He is saying, “If you hear My voice and respond, I will come and make Myself personally known to you.” (Revelation 3:20)

In the first coming of Jesus, He came as a “lamb” to submit Himself to the cross in order to accomplish redemption in our behalf.  But in His second coming, He will come in a very different way.  We have a description of how He will look in Revelation 1:14-15:

“His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire;  And His feet like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.”

His feet being like “fine brass as if they burned in a furnace” speaks of the “baptism of fire,” in which those who are presently responding to His voice, will be prepared for the outworking of His purposes.  We are the “feet” that will take Jesus where He desires to go (the wheel within a wheel, Ezekiel 1:16).

“When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.” Ezekiel 1:21

His voice being as “the sound of many waters” tells us that the Lord is preparing a corporate body who will all say the same thing, having been lifted into “apostolic” enabling power.  This unity is the “spirit of prophecy” that speaks through our intimacy of relationship with Jesus, in which we are so “at one” with Him, that our voice has become the expression of His voice (I live, yet not I).

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20a

“After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven” (Revelation 4:1a).  The Lord has walked as far as He can go in the earth realm (the closed door in Revelation 3:20).  Now the word of the Lord is for us to come higher, into the Kingdom.

“And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here” (Revelation 4:1b).  This is a call to spiritual warfare, in order to bring us above all that is attempting to hinder.

Here, through intercession and prophetic revelation, Jesus will show us “things which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1c).  That is, the Lord will reveal to us the process of the closing out of the Church Age, the birthing of the Kingdom Age, and our placement, or part in this process.

“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne...” (Revelation 4:2a).  This is a time of transition from the Church into the Millennial Kingdom, during which time of transition, we are being called to a higher realm.

It is of vital importance, in this present time of intense busyness, that as an over-comer, we rise above every hindrance to hear the present “knocking” of the Lord upon the door of our spirit.

If we will listen and respond in heart obedience, He has a further word for us that will lift us above the judgment that Jesus spoke to the Laodicean Church – “know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,” and respond to His word of correction, “I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire.” (Revelation 3:17b, 18a)

If we will repent of any spiritual hindrances, or, indifference that may be within us due to the time in which we live, the Lord has a further word for us.

“To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.” Revelation 2:17b

These, as “gold tried in the fire,” are seated with Jesus in His throne, having become His bride (a new name written in relation to our identity with Him).  Now, His present word, “the voice of the Lord walking …” can find its full expression through each of us, who are hearing His voice.