To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Rev. 2:8-11)

In the book of Revelation, Jesus delivers words of warning and encouragement to seven churches in the province of Asia. The second church is the church of Smyrna. This church existed in a wealthy city with a large Jewish population and yet the church is characterized by afflictions and poverty. The sense we get from the letter is that they were suffering persecution that was provoked by Jewish leaders in much the same way that Jesus was persecuted.

If we do the things that Jesus did, it is inevitable that we will also be slandered and persecuted in some way. Some of that slander and rejection will come from religious people. Just a few months ago, a prominent west coast preacher and author published a book that was an impassioned attack on all those who claim that God still does miracles through his people and that God still speaks in any way other than through the Bible. Although God is doing amazing things all over the globe there are many who will still declare that any such activity is a lie, a deception, or from the devil. If you walk in the power of the Spirit you will probably hear some of that from your own family members, from friends, or from your church or former church.

In the face of that slander or rejection you will be tempted to go underground with your faith and your prayers and to display your faith in Jesus and the power of his Spirit only in the presence of those who believe as you do. And yet, the power of the Spirit is to be displayed before unbelievers so that they might believe and so that they can experience the goodness of God which calls them into the kingdom.

The church in Smyrna had it right. Jesus said that though they were poor and afflicted by worldly standards, they were actually rich. The church in that Roman city was laying up treasure in heaven through faith and persistence in doing what God was calling them to do – regardless of the cost. The people that I know who walk most powerfully in the Spirit are those who do what the Spirit prompts them to do regardless of the cost or the risk. That mindset is alignment with Jesus because Jesus did exactly the same thing.

In this short statement to the church at Smyrna, Jesus simply told them that a season of persecution was coming and that they must remain faithful in the face of that persecution. Christianity is statistically the most persecuted faith on the planet. Even in America there is a war on Christianity. If we are to stay aligned with the Father, we must simply accept the fact that if we follow Jesus the world will reject us because it rejected him. We do not have to enjoy the fact but we must accept the fact as part of the cost of following Jesus.

On the other hand, when you walk in the power of the Spirit you will also be loved by many. Those individuals whose lives God touches through you will love you. Those who share your faith will love you. More importantly, God himself will delight in you. But others will not because they do not know God as they should or at all. If you read Chapters 8 and 9 of the gospel of John you will see what Jesus has to say about that.

In his letter to Smyrna, we discover that true alignment with the Father requires the acceptance of some level of persecution and rejection in our lives and the willingness to do the works of the Father regardless. As we become willing to endure that realty from time to time, the power of the Spirit will increase in our lives. For many of us that is a bitter pill to swallow because our greatest desire is to be loved and accepted by every person in our lives. There is nothing wrong with the desire to be loved but we must love Jesus more than any other. To do so will require experiencing the disapproval of those who do not love him or know him as they should. It is how you become rich in heaven and it is one of the qualities that invites a greater measure of the Spirit into our lives which is true wealth even in this world.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace  that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.    And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. (Eph.1:7-10)

Knowing who we are in Christ is essential to believing God’s promises for us and for walking in the potential destiny he has determined for our lives.  The accuser tells us at every opportunity that we are not worthy of God’s love, his promises, or our destiny.  If we receive the accusation we approach the Lord half-heartedly expecting little because of our shortcomings. Often we fail to even ask for much that is ours because we walk in the unworthiness of the flesh rather than in the righteousness of Christ.

The enemy’s primary strategy is always to dig up our past and rub our nose in sins and failings that have haunted us for days or decades.  The truth is, however, that in Christ we walk in a continual state of forgiveness purchased by the blood of the Lamb.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that we have entered into a covenant in which the Lord declares, “I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more” (Heb.8:12).   David put it this way.  “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Ps.103:11-14).

The enemy accuses us of things for which there is no record in heaven. Peter declared, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19-20).  The idea of “blotting out” is to wipe clean.  When ancient inks were used on animal skins there was no acid in the ink to bite into the skin.  It sat on the surface like watercolor on glass and when wiped with a wet rag, anything written was totally erased.  That is what God does with our sin when he blots it out.

Here is the essential truth you can stand on. You are forgiven.  Your sins are washed away.  There is no record in heaven because God remembers your sins no more. Satan brings up our past. We bring up our past.  But God does not bring up our past because our past is covered by the blood of Jesus. The enemy accuses you of things for which there is no remembrance.  The enemy is a liar.  You are forgiven and live in a constant state of forgiveness as long as your heart points in the direction of the Father.

Because of that, God considers you pure and righteous and has lavished his grace on you.  The word “lavish” means “in abundance” or “in excess.”  God has given you more grace than you ever needed.  Grace is God’s enabling power that comes to you freely because of what Jesus has done. Think of an exclusive club (if you’re a golfer think of Augusta Country Club) you always wanted to join or a university you always wanted to attend.  Being in the club would give you immense status and privileges.  Graduating from the “right” university would do the same. The catch is that you could never afford the dues or the tuition nor do you know the right people whose influence could get you in.

However, if someone loved you and paid the dues or the tuition on your behalf, you still get all the status and privileges of membership or connection even though you got there on someone else’s dime – someone else’s grace.  The enemy, of course will come along and tell you that you should not take advantage of the status and privileges because someone else paid your way.  However, They paid your way because they wanted you to have the status and privileges and they wanted you to use them and enjoy them. To spurn the advantages from the gift is to spurn the gift because it is all the same.

You are forgiven.  You are perfectly righteous in the sight of God by his grace, his good pleasure, and his desire. It is his will and his desire that you enjoy and use every blessing in heaven for his purposes and his glory.  He has given you such unique standing that not only has he made you righteous but he has shared with you the mystery of his will – the good news of Jesus Christ that saves not only Jews but Gentiles.

Peter tells us that the great prophets of old did not understand the prophecies they declared and that even angels longed to look into the things that have been entrusted to the church for declaration to the world and the spirit realm. (See 1 Pet.1:12).  You are the church.

When the Holy Spirit gives you insight into scripture and when you share that insight with others, God has given you the honor of revealing another facet of the mystery of the kingdom – not only to men but also to angels.  When you share the gospel with others and explain it to them, you are the oracle of God declaring his mysteries to both the natural and the spiritual realm. A great treasure has been entrusted to you whether you feel the honor and the responsibility or not.  So…you are righteous; you are one upon whom God has lavished his grace; you are the one to whom God has entrusted his mysteries.  You are one chosen from the creation of the world for these things.  God has planned greatness for you and he wants you to embrace that greatness.  Be blessed today knowing who you are.