New True part 1
I want to kind of pick up on a thread that I started pulling in the last Rant series. And it comes from Revelation 2:17, "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh 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 knoweth saving he that recieveth it." Our new name. Our TRUE name. And just so we know exactly what we're talking about here, "name" is number 3686 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "authority, character." Your name is not just the noise people make to get your attention. Your name is who you are. And let me just say this real quick: You are NOT what people call you. But you ARE what you answer to. You are what you believe you are--either what the world says, or what the Word of the Lord says. Which is why having an ear to hear is so important; with the world screaming at the top of its lungs, sometimes we need to be still in order to hear the still, small voice of the Lord deep inside us. The deep calling out to the deep, right? And, while we're setting the foundation and making sure we're clear about some things, JESUS is the One that overcame. He said so in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." We don't "overcome" by trying really hard to defeat things in our lives. We overcome when we realize that HE overcame, and He did it both for us and as us. We overcome when we understand that HE overcame... and as He is, so are we in this world. Being an "overcomer" is not about having the power to overcome. Its about knowing that Jesus finished the work... and now we can rest. We don't have to go to war because Jesus already won the war to end all wars. We have peace. We can rest. Our new TRUE identity not a warrior. It is a peacemaker. THAT'S how we'll be identified, and that's how we'll be identified as the Son(s) of God. And watch this: "Stone" in our verse in Revelation is 5586 in Strong's Greek Concordance and it means, "a pebble (as worn smooth by handling), that is, (by implication of use as a counter or ballot) a verdict (of acquittal) or ticket (of admission)." The stone that was used to slay the giant, perhaps? Given to us so that we might know the victory has already been won. So that we might stop fighting. It is our ticket into the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of God (if I can say it that way). Receiving that name--which is Jesus--and knowing that we can experience His life of love as He lives it in us, and through us, and as us. We don't try to live it. We simply let HIM live it and enjoy the ride. Its not about fighting our way uphill. Its about flowing in the river of living water. Its not about getting anything. Its about knowing what we have--knowing who we are--and giving what we've got. Its not about being someone we're not. Its about knowing, and embracing, and BEING who we are. Who we REALLY are. Knowing our new TRUE name. Knowing our authority as kings and priests. Knowing our character. Our nature. Not the beast nature. But the love nature!