Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
The suffering that John went through, being exiled on the Isle of Patmos, was the setting for the next event and describes how we can overcome the troubles of our life. John said, “I was in the Spirit.” There is no greater place to be than to find yourself in the Spirit. The phrase in the Spirit carries depth in relationship with God like nothing else in the Word. Being in the Spirit is the totality of all bible truth for the believer. Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. These verses describe the method of spiritual victory and depth of relationship with God. Victory and depth are not found in knowledge or wisdom. Spiritual victory and depth of relationship are found by being in the Spirit. In terms of the relationship with the Holy Spirit, three key elements are taught in those verses. To be in the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit. To live in the Spirit. These three elements of Spirit life deliver knowledge and wisdom beyond what we could know through learning. 1Corthians 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. By this, we understand that the most intelligent thinkers of our day are lost in terms of their knowledge and relationship with God. The only real way to know God is to know His Spirit. As the book of Revelation unfolds, we will see that before every distinct piece of the revelation was given to John, it was preceded by John being in the Spirit. This would indicate that if we want the revelation of Christ in our life, we must find ourselves in the Spirit. Learning how to be in the Spirit before we walk and live is the key to understanding God's Word and will.
It is said in this verse that John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. The day carries significance. This phrase only used here in the New Testament coincides with Paul’s writing in 1Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. The first day of the week was the resurrection day of the Lord Jesus. Acts 20:7 declares that it was the first day of the week that Paul preached to the disciples who gathered to break bread.
John was alone on the Isle of Patmos, banished till death would find him. How could someone face such loneliness and persecution? The answer is John was in the Spirit. Is this an act that overtakes us by the work of God without the willingness of man? Just as God never violates man's freedom of choice concerning salvation, so it is with the believer concerning his walk with God. The attitude of surrender from the believer's heart will end in being engulfed by the Spirit of God. Then by being in the Spirit, God will order our steps, as He did for John. As a result of John being in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, God is still using that event in John’s life nearly 2000 years later. I don’t believe we even realize how God can use us if we just stayed wrapped up and engulfed in the presence of His Spirit.
When John was in the Spirit, he heard a voice. The description in the next verse identifies this voice as the voice of the Lord. Being in the Spirit allows us to hear Him. Our ears cannot be open, nor can our eyes see or our heart feels without first being in the Spirit. Oh, how we need the Spirit of God to fill us completely so that our ears can hear and our eyes can see and that God may speak to us plainly and loudly as if we were hearing a trumpet blast.
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