Did you know you have demon repellent available to you? Like bug spray, the enemy and his evil little workers absolutely cannot pester you when you use what God is going to show you today!

Let’s continue our study of the book of Revelation, remembering this is not a book of doom and gloom and confusing mysteries to remain hidden. No, the very title itself tells us this is a book of revealing. The revealing is coming to John directly from Jesus. Let’s get started today in chapter 2.

Verse 1: “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands:”

Now remember, the seven gold lampstands are seven churches. Does it mean there are only seven churches? No. Seven is a number that represents completion and perfection, so this is simply all of God’s people collectively. This is a letter to one of God’s gathering of people in the church of Ephesus. This church was started by Paul and over the years, it had become influenced by the world around them and lost their way a bit. Jesus has something specific to say to them.

He begins his letter to them by reminding them who he is. He reminds them he holds the seven stars in his right hand. These stars are symbols for God’s angels and messengers. Jesus has powerful command over his enemies with angel armies. He can send out defense and deliverance at any moment. The devil and his demons stand no chance against him. And with that reminder, he says, “I am the one who walks among my people.”

Now imagine that. He’s not sitting in the distance. He’s not watching from afar. He doesn’t create boundaries and then command his angel armies to fight for him in places he’s not willing to go. No, instead, he walks among his people. He’s in the trenches with us. He’s climbing those mountains with us. He’s on the battlefield. He’s in the office. He’s in our homes. He’s near.

And with all the power of heaven and earth held in his right hand, he walks among us, seeing everything, drawing near, ready to move on our behalf. That’s our Jesus. He’s right here.

Now, he says to his people in verse 2-3, “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.”

Jesus shows us how to have a tough conversation. He shows us you begin by recognizing what is going right. You offer praise first. Remember that when you’re in your next tough conversation where you must discuss things that need to change. First, tell them what you see that’s already good. You can’t come out of the gate complaining, Sis. You can’t begin a conversation with condemnation and finger pointing, and expect it to create the change you hope for.

Half of the lesson Jesus teaches us isn’t in the teaching itself, it’s in HOW he does it. This is how you address necessary changes in someone you love. First, I will recognize what you’re doing right.

Jesus literally knows everything we do. He’s walking right here among us. He sees it all. He hears it all. You can hide absolutely nothing from him.

Yesterday I was in a store in downtown Branson, MO and they had a solid white sticker with Jesus’ head creeping in from the corner and it said, “I saw that.” He did. Jesus really did see that. If that causes a bit of panic, regret, embarrassment, or stirring of excuses, recognize what’s really happening. This is holy conviction. This is God’s spirit within you saying, “My girl, I love you. What you did isn’t my best for you. I want to show you a better way. Let’s work on doing better together.”

Jesus saw that. And he wants you to know first that he sees what you’re doing right. He’s sees how you’re trying. He sees how far you’ve come. He sees how hard it’s been and he sure is proud of you for not giving up.

Verse 4-5, “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”

This is a group of God’s people who looked really good on the outside, but on the inside they had left love behind. They had become more focused on rituals and appearances and forgotten it was first and foremost about love. And this is what happens to us.

It becomes about boxes to check over a love for our God. Church, check. Bible, check. Pray, check. Next.

And Jesus says this is a problem, come back to me. Come back to how you once wanted to spend time with me. Come back to how you used to be in awe of me. Come back to the passion you once had for what I was doing in your life. And my people … what they need more than anything is love. If you’re not doing this is love, then you’re simply making it worse.

What if God were to check your heart and see what the true motives and intentions were behind your actions. Why do you raise your hands? Why do you smile? Why do you send that message? Is it to look good? Is it to fit in? Is it to make someone like you? Is it to try and get your way? Is it to make you feel better? Let me tell you, my eyes have never been opened more than when I started praying that God would examine my heart and reveal to me anything that wasn’t pleasing to him and needed to change. I found out beneath a whole lot of things that looked good on the outside, I wasn’t coming from a place of love. I was coming from a place of performance, manipulation or control. Love had been left behind.

To that, Jesus says, “Turn back and repent.” To repent means you don’t have to feel different about it to start doing it different. You don’t wait on the feeling, you lead your feelings. You start doing different before you start feeling different. You turn and change directions.

Don’t allow rituals and appearances to become more important than love. 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Do everything with love.” Now that’s a memory verse. Let’s practice it together. DO EVERYTHING WITH LOVE. Easy, you’ve already got it. Now, respond to that holy conviction you feel within when God reveals the things you do that aren’t coming from a place of love.

I’ve learned you can send the same exact text message with the same words, but the intent of your heart cannot be hidden. If your actions are coming from a place of manipulation or show or control, it will be known. You can’t hide that forever. So first, check your heart. If you can’t send that text from a place of love, don’t send it. Ask God to work on your heart first. Actions from an intent of love simply hit different. There’s no open door for the enemy to work when you’re operating from love. The devil can’t dwell in love. True love is like a demon repellent. He’s banished. But the moment you begin doing those same exact things from a place of trying to control or impress or check a box, the enemy has an empty space void of love to reside. All spaces void of love are a space available for the works of Satan and his demons.

When Jesus says, “Repent or I’ll remove your lampstand from its place among the churches”, he is saying, “I can’t use you for my good purposes if you’re not operating from a place of love.” You can label your works as ministry, but if it’s not done in love for God and others, then it is simply not useful to God and he doesn’t want it.

Yesterday, I also saw a sign that said, “Jesus loves you and I’m trying.” You know, what if it were that simple? What if you start looking at that jackwagon that makes your eye twitch as you resist wrapping your hands around their neck, and you remember that is a person that Jesus loves so much he was willing to die for them – and what if you just TRIED to love them too. For real, just try harder.

Verse 6, “But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.” Jesus doesn’t say he hates the people who are doing wrong, he says he hates what they’re doing. We’re not called to hate a single person. But we should hate sin. Why do we hate sin? We hate sin because of what it does to the people we love. We hate sin because of the separation it creates. Because of the hurt it causes. But we’re called to love the person while we hate the sin. Lead in love. If you can’t do that, you’re only making it worse.

Finally, Jesus says in verse 7, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.”

This means, to all who come back to loving God and loving others and overcome their own cold heart, there is a promise of restoration and eternal life. We will have our place in paradise!

So what does this mean? It means it will be worth it!

God, examine our hearts. Where are we not loving as you have loved us?

Love is a demon repellent. Leave absolutely no empty spaces void of love for the enemy to dwell. In everything you do, do it with love.

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