Summer 1995
Perspective and Purpose
Wade E Taylor

The seven Churches in Revelation chapters two and three span the entire Church age. All but the first three, in varied forms, are present with us today.

The Laodecian Church, as the seventh and last of these, represents the visible end-time Church. Two specific things were spoken to this Church by the Lord. The first, a word of correction, and the second, a promise. Because we are living in the time represented by this Church, these words that our Lord spoke apply to us, and should be considered.

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest
not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the
fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment,
that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine
eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see" Rev 3:17-18.

Following, is a conditional promise to those who rightly respond to this word of correction.

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any
man hear My voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and will sup with him, and he
with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with Me in My Throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with My Father in
His Throne" Rev 3:20-21.

Due to the urgency of the hour in which we live, the Lord is "knocking" in order to attract our attention. In the imagery of this verse, the Lord is outside, knocking on the door, seeking entrance into His Church.

Many within the Church have become satisfied with the blessings and provisions which the Lord has amply given, but have not gone beyond these to seek the Lord Himself. They are satisfied with the program, rather than coming to know the programmer. As a result, the Lord is outside, knocking, seeking the attention of those at rest within.

The fact that the Lord is knocking upon the door of the seventh, or last Church speaks of the urgency of the hour in which we live. We may ask, "What is this door upon which the Lord is knocking, and how are we to open it?

The first verse in Revelation, chapter four gives part of the answer to this question. John said,

"After this I looked, and, behold, a door
was opened in heaven" Rev 4:1a.

This "look" is more than a casual glance. It is a direct response. And it is this determined obedience to whatever the Lord desires that releases the door to open. As soon as we respond, the course of action will be made plain - the door will open to reveal the steps that are to be taken.

"The first voice which I heard was as it were
of a trumpet talking with me; which said,
come up hither, and I will shew thee things
which must be hereafter" Rev 4:1b.

This is a call to rise above our present circumstances. We will be unable to respond to this call, which is intended to bring us into an understanding of that which will follow the time of this seventh and last Church, if we are satisfied with our present position and with all that is being provided for us.

The key to our coming into this place of vision is in our becoming an OVERcomer. "COME UP hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter."

As we respond to this call as an overcomer, we will be brought into the outworking of this promise - "Immediately, I was in the spirit" Rev 4:2a. But in order to readily respond, a deep inner cleansing and purification is required. Thus, the Lord is saying to us, "I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire." This will prepare us for His intervention to lift us into this higher realm of vision and understanding.

"Immediately I was in the spirit, and behold a Throne" Rev 4:2a. A Throne speaks of government. I was in the army during the second world war. Because of the urgency of the hour, most of the officers were trained in a ninety day program. Therefore, they were called "ninety day wonders" by the enlisted men and were very much disliked because they were exercising authority, but had never been under authority themselves. They had no real understanding of the problems of the enlisted men. They knew the theory, but not the reality of life in the army.

In God's army, there are no ninety day wonders. We are in the final hour of preparation in which many are being qualified for the Throne. They are being heavily disciplined that they might exercise discipline.

"I looked ... a door was opened ... a trumpet
talking ... which said, come up hither ... and
immediately I was in the spirit: and behold a
Throne ... and One sat on the Throne ..." Rev 4:1-2.

This is the progression that leads through this door to the Throne. The "condition" that opens this door is clearly given to us. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne ..." Rev 3:21a. We overcome by facing and rising above our desires, temptations, and troubles. Our real problem is that we do not understand that these are present to provide the means for us to rise into the Throne.

The Laodecian church had thought that all the "things" (rich and increased with goods), which had been freely given to them, would have provided this. But the Lord said they were blind, poor, and naked. They did not understand that they could not overcome, unless they had something to overcome. These had been given for that purpose.

If we are unable to rule over the problems within our pattern of life, we will never be able to rule over the troubles of others. For example, I will never solve the problems of the city, if I cannot cope with those problems within my own life.

Not everyone will submit to this overcoming process, but there are those who will. This speaks of a "people within a people." Some are interested in the program and all that is being made available to them. They are "rich and increased in goods." But others are hearing the Lord's gentle knocking, and are responding by opening themselves to Him.

There is within the "visible" church that which is known to man. There is within the "invisible" overcoming church that which is known to the Lord.

Adam had been placed in an absolutely perfect environment with a wife whom the Lord had personally prepared for him. He was given only one condition to obey. Yet in the perfection of all this, he utterly failed.

We often say to the Lord, "if only my circumstances were better, I could be more spiritual." The Lord will respond, "I already tried that, and it did not work." Today, in all the adverse circumstances of life, an army of overcomers is being prepared by the Lord to rule and reign with Him in the coming day of His power.

It is through our tribulation and our trials that we are being perfected and made ready for His higher purpose. As we wait upon the Lord, our weakness will be exchanged for His strength (Isa 40:29-31). We cannot overcome in our own strength, but as we wait upon Him, we will receive the grace to rise up to sit with Him in His Throne in that day.

The Lord could set us free from all our trials and problems and place us in the Garden of Eden. But we would be as those whom the Lord seeks to correct in the last day Laodecian Church, "rich and increased in goods."

Rather, we are being called to overcome all these things and therein become qualified to respond to This Voice as a Trumpet saying,
"Come up hither, and I will show thee things
which must be hereafter."