ESOCS Devotional 10 May 2025 – Don’t Delete Your Garment Yet!
MEMORY VERSE: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” Revelation 3:4
TEXT: REVELATION 3:1-6
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
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Beloved, to defile means to pollute, corrupt, tarnish or make filthy. In the spirit realm, our lifestyles here on earth are seen as a garment. When our lifestyles here on earth are sinful, insincere and corrupt, we are seen or perceived in the spirit as wearing filthy, dirty and stinking garment (Zech.3:3-5). Some folk’s garments are looking as dirty rags with holes in the spirit. No matter how hard we try to hide our evil ways here on earth, it’s very obvious in the spirit realm. It’s not hidden. Apart from sin, the vitality of our spiritual life can also be seen in the spirit as alive or dead. It is characterized by our works for God’s Kingdom here on earth. Any spiritual work or activity that is powered by self-will and fleshly desire rather than the will of God is a dead work; and the church doing it is dead, it doesn’t matter how flamboyant or interesting it looks. Is our Bible study to edify and grow men or to show off revelation knowledge of God and be applauded thereby? What of our programs, to the glory of God or to the glory of our church?
To the Sardis Church, the Lord told them that they had a name that they were alive but were dead. It might be that it was one of the churches people admired so much because of their multiple, interesting and innovative programmes. And they looked promising, progressive and prosperous. However, they were not producing Christians that loved the Lord but that wanted to enjoy the goodies of the Lord. Men saw them as a great church but the Lord saw them as dead. Men and women were testifying of miracles but their souls were dying in corruption and lack of real and true spiritual growth. So, the Lord called them to repentance. He reminded them of the kind of messages they received and heard that caused them to receive salvation from Him, and hold fast to it, so that the dying souls could revive. Some of the churches these days are like this Sardis Church.
In all these, there are still those whose garments are not defiled. They are those who love the Lord with all their hearts, soul, spirit and body. They can do anything for the Lord according to His will. They have resolved to rely on the mercies, love, grace and strength of the Lord. No fleshly desires and manipulations. They are willing to lose anything and go any lengths for the Lord.
CHALLENGES
- If you love the Lord with all your heart, please don’t blend into the evil of the congregation.
PRAYER POINT
- Father LORD GOD, help us not to be a self-willed or a lethargic church but a church that is alive unto your will and purposes.
FURTHER READING: 1 Samuel 1:1-17; Ruth 4:11-22; Revelation 2:13-29
ESOCS Devotional 10 May 2025
