“Dining with Jesus” – leads to intimate friendship with Him, and acquiring a listening, submitted, surrendered- bride-like heart toward Him.
Spending much quality time with a person- is essential- to develop a true friendship with them- in any human relationship, and since Jesus is God in human flesh- it is completely necessary for us to first draw near to Him– with real devotedness toward Him- not just with a casual approach to Him, and then He will respond back- and draw near to us. He said in John 15- that if we would “dwell in Him”- that He would then dwell in us. Many are trying to walk the Christian walk- staying at an arms-length distance from Him- as they just suppose that they are to try to live out the written Word of God- on their own steam- relating to Him as a servant, and trying to obey Him- just walking in Believer authority to do this- when a close look at Scripture reveals- as John 15 and the Song of Songs, and other passages do as well- that Jesus is not only a Savior, but also a Bridegroom– who desires true intimacy with His people- where they would fully abide in Him.
Many are completely satisfied with just coasting through their Christian lives without true intimacy with Him- supposing that He is truly fully content with this kind of relationship with them, but in light of the recent increase in terrorist activity throughout the world, it begs the question to ask- just what a truly intimate, bride-like relationship with Him- would give the Believer- above and beyond just trying to walk in sufficient victory- via Believer authority. Wielding a sword against the enemy- by declaring and decreeing- standing on God’s promises in the written Word of God for full protection- is to some extent depending upon one’s own ability to do this consistently enough- to be fully protected in every possible situation. Missing the mark in doing this- after a while can lead one to ask- if there isn’t a better way!!, and to want to search the Scripture- to see if it reveals anything that is better.
Two passages of Scripture that may shed light on this question, and provide an answer- and one of them- directly from Jesus Himself– are Revelation 3- Jesus’ letter to the Laodiceans, and the Hebrews 4 passage where it talks about the importance of entering His rest, and just how to go about doing that. This closely correlates to His solution in the above mentioned letter- for a materialistic, lukewarm, ineffective church- where He told the Believers there- to turn back to Him after they had strayed away due to certain conditions- which can be prophetically applied to conditions that will exist for His Last-days, End-time Church (much like what we are currently faced with in our present western church here in America.)
To an ineffective, materially-oriented, lukewarm church in Asia Minor 2,000 years ago- Jesus spoke to them of their pitiable condition and then told them what they needed instead: gold refined by fire, clothes to cover their nakedness, and salve for their eyes- so that they could then see clearly. But then He said something else that was truly illuminating, and remarkable:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne.
(Rev.: 3:20,21; AMPC, emphasis added by the author)
Notice that Jesus says here that although they are His Church- that He is in the position of standing outside the door, where He needs to knock- and ask them to let Him in. They are not in close fellowship with Him in any way- and this is the root of their problem– so it seems that Jesus is getting at. He’s wanting in- into their hearts and lives– as this is the solution to this issue that they have. He’s not telling them to repent and get busy with trying to do better- more prayer and more service for Him in order to become more effective as a church- He’s saying that the real root of their problem- is that they’re too distant from Him- and that He’s outside the door- of His own Church!!
Then look at the exceedingly great promise that He then gives: If they would hear, and listen to and heed His voice, and open the door of their hearts to Him– that He would then come in and “dine” with them, and that if they would overcome in doing this intimate behavior with Him (suggesting that it may have to happen regularly– for them to be able to truly “overcome”)- that He would even grant that they could sit beside Him on His throne (and reign with Him.) And then He acknowledges that He Himself- did overcome- as the Son Of Man- in drawing near to The Father- in this same way- when He laid aside the privileges of His deity as God- to as a man- Himself overcome, and admonishes these Believers to do the same- now- with Him– just like He had done- in seeking an intimate walk with the Father!!
And this is Jesus’ personal invitation– to a bunch of lukewarm, ineffective Believers- to call them to become His intimate Bride– not just a “positional Bride” (to come into full fulfillment of in the next age), but an Experiential Bridal Partner– for this time period- right then- when He was speaking to them- to reign with Him as His kingdom partner. If they would first heed His call– to “dine” with Him, and to do this enough– until they themselves “overcome!!” Walking with Jesus as such a Bridal Partner- gives one more protection, with more authority– than just walking as an ordinary Believer with Believer authority. Because you’re in “vital union”- in an experiential relationship “walk”- with the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords- your INTIMATE BRIDEGROOM KING.
Just as in the US armed forces- a general in the Pentagon- who is right near the President- the Commander in Chief of the United States of America- is used in a greater authoritative role than the infantryman on the battlefield- even though they both know how to use an M16 rifle effectively to assault the enemy- so the devoted, experiential, Bridal Partner of Christ- who stays right next to the Commander in Chief- of all of heaven and earth (Jesus) – has more authority than an ordinary Believer (who walks more distant from Him)- to be used to do greater works- because she’s established such a close walk with the One who has all authority- as her Bridegroom King- to be partnering with Him.
The writer of Hebrews 4 admonishes his readers also- to harken to the Lord’s voice– and to not harden their hearts as they do this– saying that this is the key to entering God’s rest– because “the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective.]” (Hebrews 4:12a; AMPC) This is exactly what Jesus does for you- when you’re walking right beside Him- as His Experiential Bridal Partner- truly walking in a full abiding relationship “walk” with Him. Remember that in John 14, Jesus said that He was “the Way and the Truth and the Life” (v. 6 AMPC). After coming to salvation- where one comes to know Him then as the way– a Believer then proceeds to know Him as the truth– as they begin to receive His words written in the Bible- that they then believe, and begin to apply in their lives.
But when one begins to journey with Jesus in a listening, abiding, “walk”- as His Experiential Bridal Partner- communing with Him as they go about their daily lives– they begin to come to know Him as “the life”- because He walks right beside them- giving His very life to them– as they intimately walk with Him. Isn’t it no wonder that this was then Jesus’ solution for an ineffective, lukewarm church in a materialistic culture- 2,000 years ago?
This is truly the place where a Believer finds rest, and full protection– even from the sort of things that are beginning to happen in the world now- in these advancing End Times today. As one would first begin to “dine with Jesus”- submitting to sit at His feet in the Secret Place of their Tent of Meeting- listening to Him on a regular basis- one begins to acquire a listening, submitted, surrendered- and in this way- a true “bride-like heart” toward Him- that is able to commune with Him- in true abiding friendship. And once this is achieved, the Lord can then speak to that believer- wherever they go– as the One who is the source of all ‘wisdom and spiritual knowledge and enlightenment’ for the Believer (Colossians 2:3)- as He leads them through the ‘fields and vineyards’ (Song of Songs 7:11,12) of their daily lives- as they walk right beside Him (in the spirit: “and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually– regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion]” (Mt.: 28:20; AMP)), TRULY ABIDING in their Bridegroom King.
As they do this with Him- carrying their Secret Place around with them wherever they go (that they had gained in learning to hear His voice while “dining with Him” previously)- He will then- wherever they go now- be faithful to reveal whatever He thinks they need to know from Him as they proceed along their path, and what to ask the Father for- for any specific thing they need- for protection, for provision, or to open any doors that they may need opened in their path- as they “step forward” with Him- walking in a rich Bridegroom – Bride walk with Him- as His bride-ambassador to the world around them. Having a true, intimate heart (i.e.- a bride-like heart)- so that they know Him well, and can truly make Him known- wherever He leads them.
To become such a Bridal Partner for Jesus- is “gender-neutral.” It is for men as well as for women– as all one needs- is a true listening, submitted and surrendered- “bride-like” heart after Him- i.e.- one who can hear His voice well enough– to follow Him- submitted and surrendered to His Bridegroom yoke of intimacy, and to then do whatever He tells them to do in any situation– even as He did walk this way with the Father- in His earthly ministry (as He Himself “overcame” in doing this- as the Son of Man.) I believe that this is where He wants a remnant of His Church to get to- in the days ahead- beginning right now, and that this will be their source of true protection (as well as standing on the full efficacy of the power of His blood)– against terrorism and other “wiles of the enemy” that will continue to arise in these end-times.
