Birth
The days we are living in are called the "end of the age," or the "last days," or the "day of the Lord," or "that day" in the Bible. If you use a Bible program, searching for those phrases will reveal that hundreds of chapters in the Bible are specifically about the time we live in.
The day of the Lord is like a baby being born. That is the primary analogy to understand. Jesus described it like this:
John 16:19-24 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Now, in this analogy, Jesus was describing TWO realities: he was describing what would take place over the next few days for those friends of His...BUT, He was also describing what would happen over the entire "day of the Lord." Jesus was prophesying tribulation resulting in the "seeing of Him again."
That tribulation began with the events surrounding His crucifixion, but they would come in full at the time of His return.
Jesus said there were three primary realities to the day of the Lord birth process: pain and labor, a vision of the glorious thing that would delivered, and the promise of access to the Father in a greater way...in THAT day.
This began the very night Jesus spoke these words. However, the disciples completely missed what Jesus was saying. Because they missed it, they suffered unnecessary loss! Jesus is returning "like a thief in the night." Missing what He is doing will result in great loss for us, too.
Remember, John 16 is part of the description of Jesus' words at the last supper. Right after they finished eating, talking, and listening to Jesus pray in John 17, they went to the Gethsemane garden with Jesus where he began to travail in order to be strengthened for what He was to endure:
Matthew 26:36-53 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. ” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
The disciples would not pray with Jesus, and so when the trouble came, they began falling away from the plan He had just described to them! He had just finished telling them that there would be great trouble, like a woman in labor, that they needed to keep their eye on the goal, and that they had access to the Father in a new way.
They needed this access! Great trouble was coming that very night. But, they wouldn't watch or pray. They were so focused on their own idea of what would happen, or was happening, they couldn't understand what Jesus was saying. They had no vision. They loved themselves more than Jesus. They didn't pray. Instead they slept... it is almost like they were thinking "Jesus is praying intensely, he's got this...He wouldn't let anything bad happen"
Jesus was travailing and they were sleeping. Jesus... the Son of God...prayed HE would finish perfectly and they slept. Then when trouble came, they responded in fear rather than faith. Peter grabbed a sword because he had refused to grab onto God earlier in travailing and labor.
Peter fell away. That very night he denied he even knew Jesus...even to a little kid...he did not ready himself even though he had stated hours earlier he would have died right alongside Jesus.
Peter didn't know His heart. Friends, we don't know our own hearts. Jesus didn't warn over and over to watch, pray, and be ready to waste His breath. Only an arrogant person would disregard that warning in every Gospel account and every epistle.
Just before sitting down in Gethsemane, Jesus sternly warned Peter of the consequences of not watching and praying to get ready:
Mark 14:27-32 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. ” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise. Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Jesus didn't make those disciples stumble. He told them how to NOT stumble, but they wouldn't accept the invitation. It wasn't God's desire they would stumble.
This was the BEGINNING of the day of the Lord. This was the conception of what will be birthed in full in our day.
This picture of Gethsemane, the arrest, the betrayal, the crucifixion, and the glory that resulted...it was a "down payment" on Jesus' return, which is happening before our eyes. We are supposed to learn from Peter's mistake, NOT repeat it. Falling away now has permanent consequences. Peter hadn't been filled with the Spirit yet. That came at Pentecost. To fall away now comes at the highest price if you have been filled with the Spirit, which every truly saved person has been:
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
The stakes of not learning from Peter are very high. Lots of people say "we are in the end times"...but then they do nothing to get ready for all that means. Many say "I am ready"...but like Peter, they continue to slumber in the time they should be travailing and laboring. This is because they simply are not paying attention to what Jesus is saying...just like Peter. Many are underestimating the plans and authority of the enemy to make them stumble, and they are overestimating the quality of their own faith.
Revelation 13:4-10 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
To not take this warning in Revelation seriously is arrogance and presumption. This is what Peter's problem was.
If you were really ready, your life would be about this: knowing the plan (food) and telling other people (serving them truth) about it so that they would get saved and ready, too. This is the only ready there is:
Matthew 24:44-51 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
You don't need to be ready to die. You don't need to be ready to get raptured. Neither of these two events require your labor or participation. You need to be ready to explain to the world what is happening and why so they will get saved and ready themselves. You need to feed and tend the sheep of the end time Bride.
Many in the church are imagining the wrong scenario, or even worse, not imagining anything.
Peter's sword was the wrong response. Jesus said "don't you even get why this is happening?"...then he healed the one Peter struck.
Your war is not with the antichrist, ISIS, Islam, or the government. Your war is against unseen forces that want to keep Jesus from returning. Jesus is giving these human agents authority...he is giving them over to their evil desire... so that you and I would respond and do the thing that needs doing: travail and labor... turning to God with the whole heart...learning the plan and watching (Jesus told Peter "watch with me")...interceding as we watch (Jesus said "pray with me Peter")... and then bringing others into the truth. this is "ready."
When Jesus restored Peter from falling away, He asked "do you love me?"...then He told Peter "feed my sheep." If you really love Jesus, you will find out what He is actually doing, you will watch with Him, you will pray with Him as it approaches...you won't overestimate your faith or underestimate the trouble coming... you will tremble with the fear of God that He chose you to endure this hour...and you will feed the other servants the right food at the proper time. You will partner with Jesus in feeding and tending..directing His sheep... your brothers and sister in the church, and those who will come, into the safe path. To do this, you have to know the path and what to watch and pray for, you have to know what to say at the right time.
The trouble is already being released. Do you love Him. Are you ready?
John 21:15-18 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
We live in the hour all of creation has longed to see, but to not waste it, we have to wake up, turn off the distractions, watch, pray, and get ready.
Romans 8:22-25 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
The day of the Lord is like a baby being born. That is the primary analogy to understand. Jesus described it like this:
John 16:19-24 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Now, in this analogy, Jesus was describing TWO realities: he was describing what would take place over the next few days for those friends of His...BUT, He was also describing what would happen over the entire "day of the Lord." Jesus was prophesying tribulation resulting in the "seeing of Him again."
That tribulation began with the events surrounding His crucifixion, but they would come in full at the time of His return.
Jesus said there were three primary realities to the day of the Lord birth process: pain and labor, a vision of the glorious thing that would delivered, and the promise of access to the Father in a greater way...in THAT day.
This began the very night Jesus spoke these words. However, the disciples completely missed what Jesus was saying. Because they missed it, they suffered unnecessary loss! Jesus is returning "like a thief in the night." Missing what He is doing will result in great loss for us, too.
Remember, John 16 is part of the description of Jesus' words at the last supper. Right after they finished eating, talking, and listening to Jesus pray in John 17, they went to the Gethsemane garden with Jesus where he began to travail in order to be strengthened for what He was to endure:
Matthew 26:36-53 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will. ” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
The disciples would not pray with Jesus, and so when the trouble came, they began falling away from the plan He had just described to them! He had just finished telling them that there would be great trouble, like a woman in labor, that they needed to keep their eye on the goal, and that they had access to the Father in a new way.
They needed this access! Great trouble was coming that very night. But, they wouldn't watch or pray. They were so focused on their own idea of what would happen, or was happening, they couldn't understand what Jesus was saying. They had no vision. They loved themselves more than Jesus. They didn't pray. Instead they slept... it is almost like they were thinking "Jesus is praying intensely, he's got this...He wouldn't let anything bad happen"
Jesus was travailing and they were sleeping. Jesus... the Son of God...prayed HE would finish perfectly and they slept. Then when trouble came, they responded in fear rather than faith. Peter grabbed a sword because he had refused to grab onto God earlier in travailing and labor.
Peter fell away. That very night he denied he even knew Jesus...even to a little kid...he did not ready himself even though he had stated hours earlier he would have died right alongside Jesus.
Peter didn't know His heart. Friends, we don't know our own hearts. Jesus didn't warn over and over to watch, pray, and be ready to waste His breath. Only an arrogant person would disregard that warning in every Gospel account and every epistle.
Just before sitting down in Gethsemane, Jesus sternly warned Peter of the consequences of not watching and praying to get ready:
Mark 14:27-32 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be. ” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise. Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Jesus didn't make those disciples stumble. He told them how to NOT stumble, but they wouldn't accept the invitation. It wasn't God's desire they would stumble.
This was the BEGINNING of the day of the Lord. This was the conception of what will be birthed in full in our day.
This picture of Gethsemane, the arrest, the betrayal, the crucifixion, and the glory that resulted...it was a "down payment" on Jesus' return, which is happening before our eyes. We are supposed to learn from Peter's mistake, NOT repeat it. Falling away now has permanent consequences. Peter hadn't been filled with the Spirit yet. That came at Pentecost. To fall away now comes at the highest price if you have been filled with the Spirit, which every truly saved person has been:
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
The stakes of not learning from Peter are very high. Lots of people say "we are in the end times"...but then they do nothing to get ready for all that means. Many say "I am ready"...but like Peter, they continue to slumber in the time they should be travailing and laboring. This is because they simply are not paying attention to what Jesus is saying...just like Peter. Many are underestimating the plans and authority of the enemy to make them stumble, and they are overestimating the quality of their own faith.
Revelation 13:4-10 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
To not take this warning in Revelation seriously is arrogance and presumption. This is what Peter's problem was.
If you were really ready, your life would be about this: knowing the plan (food) and telling other people (serving them truth) about it so that they would get saved and ready, too. This is the only ready there is:
Matthew 24:44-51 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
You don't need to be ready to die. You don't need to be ready to get raptured. Neither of these two events require your labor or participation. You need to be ready to explain to the world what is happening and why so they will get saved and ready themselves. You need to feed and tend the sheep of the end time Bride.
Many in the church are imagining the wrong scenario, or even worse, not imagining anything.
Peter's sword was the wrong response. Jesus said "don't you even get why this is happening?"...then he healed the one Peter struck.
Your war is not with the antichrist, ISIS, Islam, or the government. Your war is against unseen forces that want to keep Jesus from returning. Jesus is giving these human agents authority...he is giving them over to their evil desire... so that you and I would respond and do the thing that needs doing: travail and labor... turning to God with the whole heart...learning the plan and watching (Jesus told Peter "watch with me")...interceding as we watch (Jesus said "pray with me Peter")... and then bringing others into the truth. this is "ready."
When Jesus restored Peter from falling away, He asked "do you love me?"...then He told Peter "feed my sheep." If you really love Jesus, you will find out what He is actually doing, you will watch with Him, you will pray with Him as it approaches...you won't overestimate your faith or underestimate the trouble coming... you will tremble with the fear of God that He chose you to endure this hour...and you will feed the other servants the right food at the proper time. You will partner with Jesus in feeding and tending..directing His sheep... your brothers and sister in the church, and those who will come, into the safe path. To do this, you have to know the path and what to watch and pray for, you have to know what to say at the right time.
The trouble is already being released. Do you love Him. Are you ready?
John 21:15-18 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
We live in the hour all of creation has longed to see, but to not waste it, we have to wake up, turn off the distractions, watch, pray, and get ready.
Romans 8:22-25 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
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