TRUE REVELATION REQUIRES A CHALLENGE

There is a period of “blind belief” in the life of every person.  It usually begins to slowly fade into self-discovery around the age of two.  Mom says, “HOT!” and the toddler reaches out to touch the pan only to discover that Mom was right.  The challenges to authority and knowledge continue throughout childhood, adolescence and into young adulthood.  At some point, a set of accepted values are established and the need to challenge all authority and societal norms is buried under more exciting pursuits…but what if societal norms are wrong; what if accepted facts are not facts at all, but merely someone’s opinion or interpretation?  What would we learn, how far would knowledge increase, what scientific advances would be gained if one person had the courage to challenge?

In the 21^st Century, we have the benefit of sophisticated instrumentation, powerful satellites, and pictures from space to prove that the EARTH IS ROUND!  Although a few “FLAT EARTHERS” still exist, intelligent people all accept that we live on a big round ball. By the way, we only have to read the Word of God to find out that there were ancients, such as Job, who speak of a CIRCULAR HORIZON and Isaiah, who declares that God sits on the CIRCLE OF THE EARTH to understand that the earth is round.  Yet it became an accepted “societal norm” that the earth was flat until around 500BC.  Pythagoras, a Philosopher and Mathematician  challenged conventional knowledge, declaring that since his observations showed the moon was round, it only made sense that the earth must be round also…BUT what if no one had ever challenged this “fact?”

We will never receive further revelation without allowing the things we have always believed to be challenged!

We all can name several religions that are stuck in the century in which their particular sect was formed and a doctrine was established and codified. Dissent is squashed and those who would question are shun and ostracized, so that the religious tenets are kept pure.  They have received no fresh revelation for 1,000, 500, 75 or 40 years but “Praise God, they hold to the old paths” and no one dares to challenge.

This isn’t a Middle Ages or modern day phenomenon, some of the great leaders of the Bible were happily walking in their established tenets until they were CHALLENGED and received GREAT REVELATION!

In the Book of Acts we read of Saul’s miraculous conversion, how he became the great Apostle Paul and then, follow his ministry through the Epistles, yet Paul did not receive his GREAT REVELATION until his closely held beliefs were CHALLENGED!!!

We find in Acts 9, that Saul was on his way to kill those who dared to challenge the established religion of Israel.  He even had the blessing of the Religious leaders, but God had other plans and CHALLENGED Paul’s mission by shining a supernatural light on the situation.  A large portion of our New Testament Bible would be missing, if Paul had not been CHALLENGED!

The great Apostle Peter had been given the Keys to the Kingdom, was filled with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room and preached the first sermon after the birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, yet God had to CHALLENGE HIS ADHERENCE TO THE LAW before He could impart further revelation and use Peter in a powerful mission.

Peter was raised a Jew, embraced the Jewish law and believed it was sin to break any part of the law as it had been handed down…then God CHALLENGED him in a vision.  In his vision, Peter was told to slay and eat animal flesh that would violate the dietary laws of his established beliefs.  At first, he resisted, but God had a plan for GREAT REVELATION and it lead to Cornelius, a Gentile, finding the same salvation that Peter had received….But what if Peter had never been CHALLENGED?

Acts 19:2 And he said unto them, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?” And they said unto him, “We have not so much as heard that there be any Holy Ghost.”

After receiving supernatural revelation, Paul journeys to Ephesus and meets up with a group of John’s disciples.  They were Believers because they followed the teaching of John, which said they should believe on Jesus and they had been baptized by John unto repentance.  There is nothing to suggest that they were unhappy with their religious experience or even felt a hunger for “something more.”  Paul, however, CHALLENGED them with one question, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”  They had come to the crossroad of “STATUS QUO and REVELATION!”

The account continues; the Disciples of John took the “Road of Revelation,” were baptized in the Name of Jesus and received the Holy Ghost; speaking in other tongues and prophesying…BUT WHAT IF THEY HAD NEVER BEEN CHALLENGED?

REVELATION IS NOT a greater understanding, supported by our preconceived point of view or interpretation of Scripture.  Revelation will NEVER contradict Scripture but it MAY contradict YOUR INTERPRETATION of Scripture!

If only we could get past what WE THINK WE KNOW! What great REVELATIONS of TRUTH, contained in His Word, is God waiting to impart to you, if you would only open yourself up to being CHALLENGED? 

TRUE REVELATION WILL ROCK YOUR WORLD!