Hello, everyone. I am Corey Russell, I am on the senior leadership team at The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri. I am glad to be with you for God Today. Today I want to look at a word out of Revelation 1:12. The apostle John is an old man, he has been exiled to the Island of Patmos. He knew Jesus earlier, walked with Him 60 years earlier. He is about to get a revelation of Jesus that is about to blow his mind.
In Revelation 1:10, John is facing one direction and he hears behind him a voice as if a trumpet that says, “I am the Alpha, the Omega, the first and the last. What you see – write it in a book and send it to the seven churches.” In Revelation 1:12, the Bible says, John says, “I turn to see the voice and having turned I saw.”
Today’s word I want to talk to you about is the word “turn”. The thing that strikes me when I read this is that John had to turn to move into the Spirit of revelation or to move into that place of encounter. Many times God will speak to you, but it requires a turning on your part to move into a deeper place of revelation.
When I think of the word “turn” I think of three realities. There are areas in our lives we must constantly, consistently turn away from. There might be certain substances, or people, or conversations, or things you need to get away from to move into a deeper place of intimacy with the Lord. You might know what those areas are. I know the things that come up in my life that I have to cut off in my life and turn away from.
Number 2: you must learn how to turn within and connect with the indwelling Spirit. Your tour guide into the revelation of Jesus is the Holy Spirit. He lives within you and His number one job description is glorifying Jesus. He wants to take you on a guided tour into the beautiful Man, Christ Jesus.
Number 3: you want to turn to other people that are going in the same direction. You want to find those brothers and sisters who will push you into God instead of talking you out of why you don’t need to go all-in for God. There are people in your life who you know you need to connect with. I want you to begin to connect with them and turn to them. It is in that context, where the Spirit of revelation comes to you, the Spirit of burning comes to you, and God will begin to awaken you. We believe God does more when we do it together.
Again, in Revelation 1:12 He says, “I turn to see the voice and having turned.” What are those areas you need to turn from? How can you grow in greater intimacy with the indwelling Spirit? Who are those people you need to turn away from in your life? And who do you need to turn to? I pray this blesses you and I pray God will release the Spirit of revelation in your life. Bless you.