HOLD ON FAST AND DON’T LET GO

by Tammy Phillips
September 17 2021

TO:             To the angel (messenger, pastor) ofCHURCH OF THYATIRA (Corrupt Church)  Thyatira was a small city primarily known for making purple dye and had multiple trade guilds for a city of its size. 

FROM:       Jesus, “the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass”(Revelation 2:18 NKJV) Fire is light a blaze.  Jesus’ eyes were described as fire, alive, penetrating, all knowing, and all-consuming. His feet were described like fine brass which was the strongest known metal at the time.  Brass feet would be strong, steady, and immovable.  They would also be tried in the fire and purified. Head to toe fire!

LIKE THIS:  “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and [as] for your works, the last [are] more than the first.” (Revelation 2:19 NKJV) Growing and improving is good in the eyes of God.

DON’T LIKE:        “You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ “And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.”  God does not tolerate “the Jezebel.”  In the Old Testament, she used her influence to destroy her family.  We cannot allow false teachers, prophets nor seducers to destroy our church family, yet the “Jezebel spirit” abounds today in many churches.  Affairs are plentiful, as well as wrong thinking about love, faithfulness, and marriage.  Jesus allowed Jezebel time to repent, and she would not. The Lord warns us not to lead nor follow others into sin. 

 DO THIS:    Repent and hold fast what you have till I come.  “As many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come.” (Revelation 2:24-25 NKJV)

Everyone was and is not in the same boat.  Some had done the works, but followed Jezebel, too.  Some had remained righteous in the church.  They had growing love, faith, patience, and endurance.  They had God.  He told them to HOLD ON, be vigorous, and master all those things until Jesus comes again. Keep on keeping on.  Do not let go hold on fast.

OR ELSE:    “I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. ²³“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”(Revelation 2:22-23 NKJV).   God knows His church.   He knows our minds, our hearts, our actions, public and private.  He knows it all.  In His mercy and grace, He gives us chance after chance to choose Him.  When we reject Him and His righteous ways, when we let go of what He has gifted us, there are grave consequences. However, when we follow Him and there is great reward.

REWARD:   “I will give power over the nations– … “and I will give him the morning star.” (Revelation 2:26, 28 NKJV).  When we, the church, overcome idol worship and do not succumb to sexual immorality, we are promised to reign with Jesus in His kingdom.  And…He gives us Himself, the Bright and Morning Star.  He is radiant, brilliant, and magnificent.  He lights up the darkness and brings in the dawn.

I enCOURAGE you to hold fast to what you have in the Lord.   Maintain your power in Him. Keep growing in works, love, service, faith, patience, and in Him until He comes again.  Hold on to Jesus whose eyes are like fire, alive, penetrating, all-knowing, and all-consuming. Hold on to Jesus whose feet are like fine brass, strong, steady, and immovable.  Hold on! He is coming quickly.