INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PRAYER KC - MIKE BICKLE

A.    The Book of Revelation reveals the majesty of His heart and His plan to transition history. In Rev. 1-3, John reports one visionary experience which highlights 30 specific descriptions of Jesus’ personality and ministry. It is the most complete picture of Jesus in the Bible.
 
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants… (Rev. 1:1) 
 
B.    The name of Jesus will be as the “ark of safety” and the “ark of glory” in the end-time pressures.
 
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Prov. 18:10)

11 Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me… (Jn. 17:11)

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge…" 14 Because he has set his love on Me …I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. (Ps. 91:1-2, 14)
 
C.    We “keep the prophecy” in three different ways. First, we respond in loving faith and obedience to specific truths about Jesus. Second, we proclaim it and pray for the release of Jesus’ end-time battle plans. Third, we refuse to compromise by enduring persecution and resisting temptation.
 
7 I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book…9 I (angel) am your fellow servant, and…of those who keep the words of this book. (Rev. 22:7-9)
 
D.    A-R-K: foundational to worship and the spirit of prophecy is to the testimony of Jesus or the specific truths about Him. We worship Him by agreeing with these truths, asking for revelation of them and keeping the prophecy by committing to respond in faith and obedience to them.
 
10 Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Rev. 19:10)
 
1.    Agreement: make declarations of agreement to Jesus about who He is and what He does. We identify the core truths in each of the 30 descriptions (some overlap), then simply declare the truth back to Jesus with affection and gratitude. For example, “Jesus, I thank You for being a faithful witness to the truth. I love this about You. I trust what You say”.
 
2.    Revelation: pray for increased revelation of each description of Jesus. For example, “Reveal Yourself to me as the faithful witness and show me more of Your glory in this”. 
 
17 Father…give to you the spirit of…revelation in the knowledge of Him… (Eph. 1:17)
 
3.    Keep the prophecy: by committing to respond in faith and obedience to the specific truths about His Name and by asking for God’s help to do so. We make simple declarations of our resolve to obey or to stand in faith in the Word. We also ask Jesus to empower us to do this. For example, “I commit to be a faithful witness to the truth regardless what it costs. Help me to walk this out”. We turn these Bible verses in to a dialogue with God.
 

1 If you receive My words, and treasure My commands within you, 2 so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. (Prov. 2:1-5)
 
A.    Condition #1: we set our heart to walk in full obedience (if you will receive My words v. 1a). The Holy Spirit is the only one who can reveal Jesus to us. If He is quenched, we will not receive His revelation of His dear friend Jesus. Prayer is no substitute for the intention to obey God.
 
B.    Condition #2: we meditate on His Word (if you will treasure My commands, v. 1b). We treasure God's commandments by filling our minds with His Word. We turn the Scripture into dialogue with Jesus so that we have conversation with Him as we read the Scriptures.
 
C.    Condition #3: we must have a teachable spirit and open heart (if you incline your ear to wisdom, v. 2). This speaks of humbling our heart to learn from the Word instead of resisting its meaning.
 
D.    Condition #4: we ask for more revelation of God (if you cry out for understanding, v. 3).
 
E.    Condition #5: we are diligent in our pursuit (if you search for her as for hidden treasures, v 4). We must pay any price in our quest to search for more of God. We must spend long hours in our search for more understanding. We search for Him like a covetous man searches after wealth. 
 
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. (Prov. 25:2)
 
F.    God’s promise: we will find the knowledge of God (v. 5). The knowledge of God is the ultimate reality that the human spirit can experience in this age and in the age-to-come. We must have a vision to go deep in the knowledge of God.
 
G.    One of the foundational issues of the early apostles concerned what they understood about Jesus. The same issue will be emphasized by the Holy Spirit to the end-time apostles and prophets.
 
13 Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? 14 They said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah..." 15 He said, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Peter answered…, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." …18 On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) shall not prevail against it. (Mt. 16:13-18)
 
H.    The ultimate question for the end-time Church is the issue of who Jesus is. The Book of Revelation is all about love. It cannot be separated from the Song of Solomon. It is the same grand love story. You will find yourself praying in the language of Song of Solomon. It will awaken love in us as we see the attributes that He revealed to us to win us to Himself.  He is beautiful. Revelation seems like cruel tyranny to some without understanding that Jesus is winning us to love. He must go to such extreme measures because He dignifies our free will.
 

39 You search the Scriptures (Bible study), for in them you think you have…life; these are they which testify of Me. 40 You are not willing to come to Me (dialogue) that you may have life. (Jn. 5:39-40)
 
A.    It is not enough to study the Word, we must give our heart to God and receive from Him as we read it. Bible study is most effective when it creates a dialogue in our heart with God. Scripture gives us the “conversational material” in our prayer life. It creates the language of our heart with God. Using the Word in our prayer language with God makes prayer easy and enjoyable.
 
B.    Hearing someone teach the Scripture can be compared to reading a menu that stirs our appetite. We do not fully feed on the Word by hearing someone teach. We may be inspired in our faith, but we actually feed our spirit as truth becomes part of our prayer dialogue with God.
 

A.    The 30 descriptions of Jesus in Rev. 1-3, include His names as well as the truths we see in how He appeared to John. Everything about Jesus’ appearance, including His clothing and actions, are intentional with the purpose of communicating a message to us. In Rev. 1:12-16, Jesus did not speak one of His names, yet He revealed significant truths about Himself by His appearance. For example, the garments He wore showed that He is a high priest, etc.
 
B.    Agreement: make declarations of agreement to Jesus about who He is and what He does.
 
1). “You are…” declarations: You are a faithful witness, the firstborn, the ruler of kings, etc. 
2). “You have…” declarations: You have a sword or You have the keys of the Kingdom, etc.
3). “Your….” declarations: Your face is like the sun or Your eyes are like fire, etc.
 
C.    Revelation: pray for increased revelation of Jesus. Reveal Yourself to me as…
 
D.    Keep the prophecy: by committing to respond in faith and obedience and by asking for help.
 
E.    Linger in God’s presence: in dialoging with God in the Word. Take time to linger as you speak slowly and softly to God while adding statements of love or praying in the spirit or being silent.
 
F.    Journaling: take time to write your thoughts and prayers as you “pray-read” through Scripture. This helps us capture the truths that the Spirit gives us and to grow in our dialogue with God.
 
G.    The anointing of the Spirit is our best teacher. When we pray the Word with a heart of love and obedience, then the Spirit works in us to provide us with tailor-made teaching in the Word.
 
27 The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things… (1 Jn. 2:27)
 

5 From Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood… (Rev. 1:5)
 
A.    Jesus is the faithful witness: a core truth is that He spoke the truth regardless of what it cost Him.
 
1.    Agreement: “Jesus, You are the faithful witness to the truth. You are the truth. I thank you that You always tell the truth. I love this about You. I trust what You say. You are reliable, I can count on You. You took a stand that cost Your reputation and life.”
 
2.    Revelation: “Reveal Yourself to me and show me Your glory as the faithful witness.” 
 
3.    Keep the prophecy: “I commit to speak the truth regardless what it costs (as the Spirit leads). I trust what You say. Help me to walk this out.”
 
B.    Jesus is the firstborn from the dead: a core truth is that He is preeminent over all.
 
1.    Agreement: “Your are the firstborn. I rejoice in Your preeminence over all.”
 
2.    Revelation: “Reveal Yourself to me as the firstborn. Teach me more about this.”
 
3.    Keep the prophecy: “I will serve You in a way that draws others to You not me. Help me live in secret humility and sacrifice so that people are attracted to You not me. I set my heart to live in the spirit of a friend of the Bridegroom (Jn. 3:29). Help me, Lord.”
 
5 We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord… (2 Cor. 4:5)
 
C.    Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth: a core truth is that all kings will submit to Him.
 
1.    Agreement: “Jesus, You are the ruler over all the kings on earth. All the kings on earth and through history will soon bow before You. I love Your greatness over all men.”
 
2.    Revelation: “Reveal Yourself to me and show me Your glory as the ruler of all kings.”
 
3.    Keep the prophecy: “I will submit to Your great leadership. Empower me to obey You. Help me to walk this out. I will work to call kings and those in authority to obey You regardless what it costs me.” 
 
D.    It is a great privilege for all of us to teach others to talk to Jesus according to how He personally revealed Himself in the Book of Revelation. Together with other ministries, our goal is to see millions of believers talk to Jesus in this way with a spirit of revelation, love and obedience.