Wade E Taylor
“Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing….” Revelation 3:17
The Laodiceans were spiritually satisfied and content with all that they had received, and had no sense of their need for a personal relationship to Jesus.
Therefore, Jesus is seen as being outside of their spiritual experience, knocking on the door of their heart, saying, “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…” (Revelation 3:20). He was seeking an active personal relationship with them – and also, with us.
Concerning their spiritual condition, they considered themselves to be rich; but the Lord viewed them differently, and called them both poor and naked (a spiritual baby).
“…know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17
Therefore, they were given a word of admonition and correction:
“I counsel you to buy from Me gold tried in the fire, so that you may be rich….” Revelation 3:18
If they would rightly respond, the chastening hand of the Lord would expose their true need. The Lord instructed them to buy “gold” from Him – that which results from our being tested in the fires of life. “Gold” speaks of the divine nature being wrought within us, making us conformable to the image of Jesus. The “fire” is the means whereby the Lord chastens and purges us to accomplish this.
“I counsel you to buy from Me…” This speaks of the Lord becoming personally active within us, that He might bring the needed correction to our spiritual condition. Here, Jesus is without, seeking entrance, because His nature can be produced within us, only when He is within us. He will not come within unless invited, which results from our having a sense of spiritual need.
“Jesus answered and said to him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.” John 14:23
Their spiritual condition was the result of complacency, or self-satisfaction – they had need of nothing. Therefore, they needed an increased spiritual hunger that would produce a desire to purchase the “gold” that Jesus offered, which is very costly.
“As many as I love, I rebuke and I chasten; therefore be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:19
If I do something wrong and the Lord does not bring correction, I have a serious problem. But when I am reproved, I rejoice, because the Word tells us that “whom the Lord loves, He chastens.”
The “chastening” of the Lord is always positive and corrective, whereby He seeks to draw us closer to Himself. Opposite to this is the condemnation that the enemy attempts to put upon us, which is always negative and meant to discourage and cause us to give up.
There are two sides to the door upon which Jesus is knocking. The first is His part – the Lord knocking upon the door of our heart, seeking a response from us.
The second is our part, which requires of us a deep sense of need, or spiritual hunger, so we, with desire and anticipation, will listen and respond.
“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
The Lord does not leave us to ourselves, as He will make known to us what He will do, when we invite Him to come within. The result may not be what we anticipated.
“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 eyesalve, that you may see.” Revelation 3:18
If we have not established the Lord as being first in our lives, it may be necessary for Him to remove whatever is between us and Him.
An example of this is given in chapter six of Isaiah. Isaiah had been active as a prophet during the reign of King Uzziah. He was always welcomed in the palace where ample provision was given him. Therefore, he had no need, and was content. When the source of his comfort was removed (King Uzziah died), Isaiah realized that something was missing, and began to seek the Lord. The chastening hand of the Lord had come upon him.
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:1
He is saying, “when that which stood between myself and the Lord was removed, I began to seek after the Lord, and He was there, waiting for me.” Isaiah saw the Lord, seated on a heavenly Throne in full control of all things – but only after the earthly throne became empty.
“And His train filled the temple.” Notice that His train fills the temple, which temple we are. In I Corinthians 3:16, Paul says, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” This means we have a direct connection to the Throne. All we need do is to make Him Lord of our lives.
“Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.” Isaiah 6:2
These seraphim represent an overcoming people, as they are in the place that is promised to the overcomer (Revelation 3:21). Each one had six wings, or three sets of wings. There is an old saying, “All Word, we dry up. All Spirit, we blow up. But, the Word and the Spirit together, we go up.” To function properly, each set of wings – the Word and the Spirit must be in a right balance.
With two of these wings, the Word and the Spirit, these seraphim covered their face. Jesus is the head. Our face is to be covered, that the mind of Christ will be in full control, and Jesus alone seen. We are to submit to His Lordship, and become obedient to His will.
“And with two, he covered his feet.” There was a time when we could go where we desired. Now our feet are to be covered, that we might move only in the will of the Head, as He directs. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).
When I submit myself to His Lordship – to the government of His Kingdom, I am ready to fly. “And with two he flew.” The Word and the Spirit being in the right balance, I can now ascend into His higher purposes in the realms of the Spirit.
“And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah 6:3
As they worshipped, something happened. “And the doorposts moved at the voice of the one who cried, and the house was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:4). Our worship is a key to an open heaven. When we lift our eyes from the earthly thrones of temporal satisfaction and complacency, and look up to the Lord seated on His heavenly Throne, and begin to worship Him in unity with a single eye, He will move toward us, and open the heavens to us. “The house was filled with smoke.” This speaks of His revealed glory and enabling power.
Truth, before it becomes ours, must be incorporated within our experience. It is not enough to just hear it, we are to eat, or experience it. It will bring us into an alignment with His will and purpose.
In the reflection of this glory, Isaiah saw himself and cried out, “woe is me.” An angel came with a coal of fire from off the altar and laid it upon his lips. This speaks of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire. We cannot stop with tongues, the fire must be applied to do its purging and purifying work.
If the Lord is knocking upon the door of your heart, seeking to remove your “Uzziah,” let him go. Whatever this earthly King may represent in your life, let it go.
We are approaching the greatest visitation ever, and need to be ready to rightly respond.