John 18:22 BRB “When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, ’Is this how You answer the high priest?’”
It is essential to know that sometimes you will say things that are not well received by the religious community, even those who are most inclined to do what I have told them to do and yet they have gotten off track…like the officers and the high priest in this verse.
Truth within the religious community has not been well received in many cases throughout the year when it goes against the authority of those I have invited to lead the church and who have gotten off track because of power, greed, or fear.
Watch for this in yourself as you advance in My Kingdom. Yes, you will see it in others, but it is harder to see in yourself. Ask Me to show you when it is becoming a problem but, most of all, stay close to Me through My Holy Spirit, listening to Me, seeking Me, and always finding Me in all that you do. This is the best way to counteract the negative things that can come into your life when you begin to experience power and authority in the Kingdom.
Of course, the enemy will try to take the verse:
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
and skew it in your heart so that it becomes about your identity or your worth.
The enemy will take this verse:
Matthew 10:8 ESV “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.”
And cause you to believe that it is through your own power, or your own desire, or your own strength that you will do these things.
This is what happened to the high priest and the leaders in Jesus’ day. They believed they knew what I wanted without seeking Me to actually tell them the mysteries of the world. They boiled My Kingdom and all that it is down into rules and regulations and patterns to follow and they lost the essence of what the rules and regulations and patterns (the law) were pointing to….Me.
Do not make your life or religion human sized. If you ever get to a point where it makes sense to you and there isn’t a sense of unknown or mystery…even an uncomfortable feeling when I begin to teach you something that goes well beyond yourself…then you will know that your relationship with Me has become religion and you will know that the enemy has convinced you that I can be understood and molded and formed into a belief and structure that allows you to be in control.
If your desire in this world is to be in control, you will be at enmity with Me.
Do not be as the high priest is in this verse. Do not hear the words of Jesus and slap Him because He is not showing you respect.
Instead, hear the words of Jesus and recognize that He has authority over you and always will and alter your own behavior to align with His rather than expecting Him to align with yours.
I say this, not to be discouraging or to hold you back. I say this so that you will know how to stay close to me in the mysteries and the impossible nature of the Kingdom of Heaven.
I believe this is a message to us from God, written from His perspective – Sherri
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