Receive the Blessing of the Open Door
Revelation of John 3:7-13
May the grace and peace of our Lord be with us all today. In today’s message, we see that Jesus holds the key of David. The key of David represents absolute authority, for when the King opens a door, no one can close it. To whom does the Lord open such doors of blessing? First, to those who are faithful even with small abilities. Second, to those who endure trials with patience. Third, to those who discern lies and hold on to the truth. Today, I want to share these three principles with you.
1. The Lord opens doors of blessing to those who are faithful with what little they have. The Lord tells of a man who entrusted his servants with varying amounts of talents according to their abilities—five, two, and one talent—and then went on a journey. When he returned, he asked each servant for an account of what they had done. The servant who received five talents reported that he had earned five more, and the one who received two talents reported that he had diligently earned two more. Hearing this, the master praised them, saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into your master’s joy.”
This shows that it’s not the amount of ability that matters, but our faithfulness in carrying out what we have been given. To those who work earnestly with what has been entrusted to them, doors of blessing will be opened. What’s crucial is to put even small things into practice. Many people desire to hear special or profound teachings but then fail to practice anything. This is a problem we must recognize.
The servant who received one talent heard the words but did not act on them, and the master rebuked him as a “wicked and lazy servant,” casting him into the outer darkness. This is a serious warning to hear with fear and trembling, for each of us has received at least a small ability from the Lord. Therefore, may we act on the words that convict our hearts, and I bless you that, through this, doors of blessing may be opened.
2. The Lord opens doors of blessing to those who endure trials with patience.
The Lord said to the believers in Philadelphia, “I will make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of trial.” However, we must recognize that Satan despises those whom God loves. He tries to torment them through trials, but in these times, the believers in Philadelphia responded with patience. They did not fight back against those who troubled them—those who claimed to be Jews but were lying. Instead, they prayed for them, and ultimately, their oppressors repented and bowed before God. This is the power of prayer in action.
Job received praise from God, who described him as “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” But what happened to him? He faced severe trials. Who tested Job? It was Satan. And what was the result after Job passed his trial? God opened a door of blessing, giving him twice as much as he had before.
Similarly, God declared of Jesus, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Yet, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, where He fasted and prayed for forty days. During this time, Satan came to test Him. If we apply this to our lives, who leads us to a place of testing? The Holy Spirit. And who administers the test? Satan. The one who makes life difficult for us is not our spouse, not our children, not any person—it is Satan. Therefore, like the believers in Philadelphia, we should not hate those who make life hard for us. Instead, we should bless and pray for them, just as the Lord instructs. When they did this, those who had troubled them eventually surrendered to God and repented.
How can we see beyond the people and recognize that it is Satan at work? How can we pray against Satan without harboring hatred toward people? And how, with our small abilities, can we endure in times of testing and keep the word of patience?
Hebrews 11:3 says, “What is seen was not made out of what is visible.” This means that everything we see originates from the unseen. Therefore, all visible problems are rooted in the spiritual realm. As believers, we do not judge by what we see but by what is unseen. Second Corinthians 4:18 reminds us, “What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Another verse beloved by believers is “I pray that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” Here, the well-being of the soul, the unseen, affects all visible aspects of life. This is a spiritual principle. I bless you that doors of such blessing may be opened to you as well.
3. The Lord opens doors of blessing to those who discern lies and hold on to the truth.
How can we hold on to the truth? The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth, while Satan is the spirit of lies. Truth is the Word of God, but lies are the words of Satan. What is a lie? It is deception and opposition to the truth. From the beginning, Satan twisted God’s truth. When God told Adam, “Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat of it you will surely die,” Satan countered by saying, “You will not surely die.” Which is truth, and which is a lie? Which will open the doors of blessing?
In Revelation 2-3, we read about seven churches, five of which had spiritual issues. Why? They had believed Satan’s lies, for Satan has always been a deceiver. From long ago to the present, he has enslaved God’s people with five major lies, making them his own servants. Five of the churches in Revelation received rebukes from the Lord. Their failures arose because they could not distinguish between truth and lies. Let us consider these examples.
The church in Ephesus represents those who lost their first love. Though they had been diligent in their faith, they lost their love by condemning others who didn’t align with their faith. We are not given the authority to judge others, for God commands us not to criticize others. What, then, is following truth, and what is following lies?
The church in Pergamum was steadfast in faith but accepted the teachings of the Nicolaitans. “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:8-9). When people teach human commands as doctrine, what is truth, and what is deception?
The church in Thyatira accepted the false prophetess Jezebel, who led God’s people into immorality and idolatry. The Lord said that no one can serve two masters, yet the believers in Thyatira attempted to do so. They claimed to follow God’s Word while also conforming to this world. What is truth, and what is deception?
The church in Sardis had a reputation for being alive, yet they were spiritually dead. As Christians, we are called to mature in faith, yet the believers in Sardis showed no spiritual growth. They had learned the truth but failed to practice it. What is truth, and what is a lie?
The church in Laodicea was neither hot nor cold. They claimed to need nothing, yet showed no zeal. Unlike the believers in Smyrna, who were devoted and willing to serve their Master with all their strength, the Laodiceans were indifferent. What is truth, and what is a lie?
How can we be set free from Satan’s power, which deceives and enslaves people? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). When we receive the power of the Lord, like Samson breaking through ropes as if they were threads, we can break free. May we all come to know this truth. We must long to receive the Holy Spirit, for when we do, we are freed from all bondage. I bless that, as these chains are broken, doors of blessing may be opened to your work, to happiness in your family, and to your future.
Now, let me summarize today’s message. The Church of Philadelphia was a small church, yet our Lord granted them an open door. Through the promise given to this church—”Never again will they leave it”—they obtained the right and position to dwell with God forever. The statement that they would become pillars in God’s temple means they would never depart from His presence. This promise is given to those who firmly keep God’s Word, who, despite having little strength, remain faithful accordingly, and who hold onto the truth and triumph in spiritual battles. May we all emulate the faith and patience of the Church of Philadelphia and receive the door of blessing that the Lord opens.
Let us pray together.
Gracious and loving Father God, we offer You thanks and praise for speaking to us today, granting our small church an open door. Though we have little strength, we desire to be faithful accordingly. You have told us that Satan tests us because You love us; please grant us the faith to pray without hating people but hating Satan instead. Hold our hearts through the Holy Spirit so that we may lack nothing as Your children who discern the five lies of Satan and hold onto the truth. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.