Friday, November 6, 2009

LITN XXII, Verses 28 - 46

28. And as I serve you, I also honor and bless you for standing by Me in all My trials...you were more or less apprehended by this whole thing...plucked out of your normal, natural lives, and thrust into the supernatural realm, and all that it entails...and yet you have stuck with Me through thick and thin.

29. That's why I confer on you all a Kingdom...just as My Father conferred one on Me.

30. And all twelve of you will eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones with Me, leading and guiding even those outside of the Kingdom...those who are represented by the twelve Tribes of Israel.

31. Then Jesus spoke to Peter, calling him by his natural, pre-revelation name, saying, "Simon, Simon...satan has asked permission to sift you as wheat.

32. And permission has been granted him...you will, indeed, be sifted in the next few hours. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and that through this sifting process, the 'Simon' in you will be removed, and 'Peter, the Rock', will finally emerge, fully intact. As I have said before...one man will be taken, and one man will be left behind. And when the chaff of Simon is gone, and the wheat of Peter is defined and refined, go back and strengthen your brothers."

33. But this concept basically went over his head, and he replied, "Lord, I don't know about satan's request, and I don't understand all this talk of sifting, but You should know that I'm ready right now to go with You to prison...I'm even prepared to follow You to death."

34. But Jesus, declaring the end from the beginning, called him Peter again, and said, "Buddy, I know that you think you mean that. But I tell you, Peter, that before the rooster crows this morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me."

35. Then Jesus asked them all, "When I sent you out with nothing but the internal, spiritual gifts that had been imparted to you, did you lack any physical thing?" "No...not a thing," they answered.

36. "Well", He said to them, "now, if you have some things to help you get by, take them with you...and if you don't have a sword, pawn your coat and buy one.

37. It is written: 'And He was numbered with the rebels'...and I tell you that this Scripture must be confirmed in Me. Please try to understand that what is written about Me is about to be fulfilled."

38. The disciples said, "Look here, Lord, we already have two swords among us."
"Well, on second thought", He said, "that's probably enough protection for you...and that's really enough talk about it."
39. Then Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as He had been doing every night for a while, and His disciples followed Him there.

40. Once they were at the desired spot, He said to them, "Pray that you will remain strong, especially in the next few hours."

41. Then He walked a short distance away from them, and knelt down and prayed, saying,

42 "Father, if there is any alternative at this hour to what is already unfolding, then take this cup away from Me...but that is the Son of Man in His humanity speaking...the Son of God, in His divinity says, 'never mind what the voice of human, self-preservation says'...may Your will be done in this."

43. And immediately a ministering spirit from the heavenly realm manifested to Him, and assisted Him in His transition from flesh to spirit.




















44. But the process was difficult...painful...and His mind kept going in and out of the revelation of the Divine Purpose. So, being in anguish as the temporal engaged in fierce battle with the eternal, He prayed even more earnestly. And as He contended with the conflict between His two worlds...His two realities...the struggle caused His perspiration to morph into drops of blood. But as He gradually and ultimately yielded to the Will of Love, He began to bleed the atonement...before He was scourged...before He was beaten...before He was wounded. He bled because He said 'yes'.

45. And with this final resolution, He rose from prayer and went back to His disciples, but found them asleep...filled with wine, and exhausted from sorrow.

46. "Why are you sleeping?" He asked them. "Get up and pray that you will remain strong!"

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bishop,
As I was reading this, I do love your paraphrase by the way, I had a question come to mind concerning this statement, not just in your version but in all, this is pretty much what is said.
“Satan has asked permission”
If Satan is only a part of our fallen human nature, or the negative part of our thinking that exist in each one of us; how is this to take place? Seems to me that in order for one to ask a request of another it would have to be a separate entity. Unless this fallen or negative part of Peter had been talking to Jesus without the other part or Peter knowing about it, which would indicate that Peter (therefore in this philosophy – all of us) had some serious mental problems.
Just a curious honest thought and enquiry……

Feedback from anyone would be appreciated and respected…..

Peace,
Dennis

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

P. Dennis...it's why the Scriptures must be "rightly divided"...there are some passages that indicate that satan is part of our fallen nature, unrenewed mind, or darkness, or a mindset...in SOTBI we talked about how the same story is told in both Kings and Chronicles, and pointed out how that in one version it talks about "satan", but in the same story in the other book it calls him "the anger of the Lord" (can't remember the reference right now but it's easy to find)...

On the Mount of Temptation it seems clear that Jesus was dealing with His own mind...He addressed His own thoughts in the Aramaic as "satana"...

But in Job, satan clearly seems to be a separate entity who came before God to ask how much he was allowed to do to Job...

I could site more examples, but the point is that each reference must be judged on its own terms, and that even if and when he or it is a separate entity, he/it still is used to carry out God's purposes (Colossians 1:15, 16)...

One more thing...in the spirit realm, things like that aren't so clearly delineated...for example, we know that money is a thing, but when Jesus talked about it on two occasions, He personified it, referring to it/him by the proper noun "Mammon"...

Things that make you go "hmmmm"...

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

correction: "I could CITE more examples..."

Erik said...

Bishop, you continue to put Luke in another realm of interpretation. Excellent Fruit of the Vine. Thank you.

It is so pleasurable to see again how Jesus conferred Heaven upon ALL of the disciples, and that ALL 12 of them sit with Him, leading and guiding ALL others to their Peace, Joy & Righteousness (Heaven). Judas is clearly overtly included. My own vision of Judas is that he was the closest to Jesus in Spirit because he was the only one that could do what needed to be done to fulfill the process. Even the tears of blood included what was to come. It pained both Jesus and Judas, the only two there that comprehended the enormity of what was coming, and the struggle to actually accomplish it.

Yes, satan always asks permission, either as a separate entity or part of ourselves, always permission from the separate entity that God is, and the part of ourselves that is as Divine as we are Human. Sifting is a wrenching process, as part of us is ‘separated’ continuously.

Yes, as we are ALL sent out with spiritual gifts, as we agree to receive and apply them, we are challenged, and yet the natural supplies are there. I know in my own life how MANY times that manifests. I have seen so many times how the natural defies natural logic and stands with spiritual experience. It is difficult for me to ascribe real power to the natural, although I understand we work in both areas. Almost like Wigglesworth’s comment about satan, when he was at the foot of Wiggleworts’s bed ‘Oh, it’s only you’ as Wigglesworth turned to go back to sleep. Sometimes, that is how I see the natural. Especially when it appears fierce. Oh, it’s only you, natural. I know there is more. As Jesus sent the disciples out, they had both.

Alternatives, The Struggle Jesus had, yes, if it can be changed, change it God. However, I trust You, and a ministering Spirit is always there. We do what is the best in ALL of us as We trust God.

Yeah, I can relate to the being filled with wine, sometimes natural, sometimes spiritual, sometimes both.

Sorrow, we do know it, and yet it is overcome by Joy. My own life has plenty of opportunities to embrace sorrow, but usually, it is like clothes that just do not fit right, or can’t keep me warm. So, as soon as I can I ditch it for Joy that always fits, and always warms (or cools if I am in ‘The Fire’).

I know satan is a servant of God, of Me. It serves to hone me, and help me face my own fears, my own tears of blood. I thank The Creator for this ‘metallurgist’ who helps refine me . I am with Jesus in Heaven, and I am here now. I am refined and being refined, evolving simultaneously. As we all are.

Bishop Jim Swilley said...

Excellent, Erik...thanks!

Pastor D...correction on those references...what II Samuel 24:1 calls "the anger of the Lord", I Chronicles 21:1 calls "satan" (or, rather, "Satan"...I don't capitalize it)...

You probably knew this already... just using it to make the point...

Anonymous said...

Must have had a brain cloud....(joe vs the volcano)

Thanks Bishop for refreshing my memory. Yes I do remember that from SOTB now....

Your always an encouragement..

Peace,
Dennis

Anonymous said...

also very insightful Eric.....

karl said...

Hi Bishop!

A few instances here Jesus says to stay or remain strong. I needed to see/hear that right now, and it's neat that this is the last thing you spoke to me Wednesday, too... you said "stay strong." Thanks.

Pastor Marilyn said...

Bishop,
Love the paraphrase as it causes one to not skim through familiar passages, but actually reflect on what is happening in both the physical and spiritual realms. It causes a pause to reflect what is spirit is saying...

In Him,
Marilyn

Pastor Marilyn said...

Bishop,
Love the paraphrase as it causes one to not skim through familiar passages, but actually reflect on what is happening in bothe the physical and spiritual realms. It causes a pause to reflect what is spirit is saying...

In Him,
Marilyn

Pastor Marilyn said...

Bishop,
Love the paraphrase as it causes one to not skim through familiar passages, but actually reflect on what is happening in bothe the physical and spiritual realms. It causes a pause to reflect what is spirit is saying...

In Him,
Marilyn