“For where two or three have gathered together in My Name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:20.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
When I raised My Son from the dead, He did not go and show that He was alive to everyone. He did not go to the gatherings of the chief priests and Pharisees or to the crowds in the Temple or down the streets of Jerusalem. He went to believers whose hearts were open to Him, but particularly to those who were gathered in His Name speaking of Him. Like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, they had joined together speaking of Him and pondering the events of the day and there He was in their midst. And next He appeared to the disciples who were gathered speaking of Him in the upper room in Jerusalem. I pay attention to those who are gathering in My Name to speak of Me, to spend time in My Word.
Then those who revered the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who honor the LORD and who esteem His name. “They will be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him. Malachi 3:16-18.
Do not absent yourself from assembling with other believers, for as you join in united faith miracles are released and I come down to dwell on your praises. The anointing is present to heal.
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:18-20.
And He is there as your great High Priest, with you whom He has anointed as a kingdom, priests unto Me, to do the work of the ministry together with you.
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5.
We left off in our Eucharistic journey when those who had recognized Him in the breaking of the bread at Emmaus arrived back in the upper room. There the disciples were gathered marveling over Peter’s report that My Son had appeared to him. And hearing again the women’s accounts of their experiences of the morning, they were starting to get excited with new hope. And when the two from the Emmaus walk joined, there was rejoicing. But Thomas, one of the twelve, had not joined in the gathering, he was waiting for the hard evidence that Jesus had been raised from the dead before he would believe.
While they were telling these things, though the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of the disciples and said to them, “Peace be to you.” He simply said “Shalom.” This tells you so much that we need to pause here. First words are important. Remember that whenever the devil comes to steal from you. Never agree with the doubts, fears, and thoughts he shoots at your mind, answer them with the truth of My Word.
The first Word Jesus spoke to his amazed disciples in the upper room when I raised Him from the dead with all your sins gone, having made peace through the Blood of the cross, was “SHALOM to you.” All is well. He was telling them no matter whether they hid, denied Him, or failed to stand by Him in faith, they were right with Him and with Me forever. Blessed assurance of eternal life for He had made peace (shalom) through the blood of His cross, the great sign from the other side.
But there is more. Jesus fulfills all My promises to you and in Him, they are “yes” to you. Of what promise am I speaking? My plans for you.
From the beginning and before, I knew the plans I purposed for you in creating you upon the earth, plans for your SHALOM (peace, prosperity, welfare, wholeness, good health, good relationships) and not for evil to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11.
In Adam things went off from that purpose but I sent Jesus and He gave His life for the life you lost and now you can call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and in Jesus, I will restore your freedom and fortunes. Jeremiah 29:11-14.
All you thought was lost is found, and all that which was dead lives again. Remember the parable My Son told of the prodigal son? That is about Me and you.
And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate. Luke 15:21-24.
Jesus came and preached peace (SHALOM) to you who were far away, and peace (SHALOM) to those who were near; for through Him you have your access in one Spirit to Me, your very own Father. Ephesians 2:15-18. When I raised Him from the dead, He told Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples that He would ascend to “My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.” John 20:17. He made you My children once again. The dead and lost son who is alive again and found.
In Jesus I have made you complete, whole, and that is SHALOM. The whole pie, not just one piece—not just health but broke, not just rich but sick, not just rich and well but with destroyed relationships, but complete with all wholeness in one happy life, with a joy no one and nothing can take from you no matter how ominous it looks.
The chastening for your SHALOM fell upon Him, and by His scourging you were and are healed. All of you like sheep have gone astray, each of you has turned to his own way; but I have caused the iniquity of you all to fall on Him. Isaiah 53:5-6. And My apostle Peter is your second witness on this with Isaiah, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25.
You who are troubled about your lives, listen to Me, for I speak SHALOM to My people. Hear what I proclaim, it is for you. Christ Jesus died for your sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3. I made you complete. How did I do it? I gave you My Son. And He reconciled us and made SHALOM for you through the Blood of His cross, putting away the enmity forever. You have His SHALOM in you now. Set your mind on things above where He is at My right hand, and I have raised you up with Him and seated you there too and blessed you with every spiritual blessing in Heaven. You have only to call your blessings into the earth realm by faith. The mind set on the spirit is life and peace, but the mind set on the flesh is death and unrest. There is no SHALOM for the wicked. But I have made you righteous in Christ and great peace have those whose minds are set on Me and all I have freely given you in Christ Jesus your Lord.
I am your dwelling place, your refuge, your fortress and your stronghold. How do you have assurance of that? In Jesus. In Him I have gathered you into My sheepfold, My house, My hand, and My heart, given you My Name (which is a strong tower you can run to and be safe) and equipped you for every good work.
“Now the God of SHALOM, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing and work to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21.
Now, it is like there is only Me and you together, and there is so much more for you! Do not draw back on Me but push forward in My grace, knowing I am with you to will and to do wherever you go, you need only walk it out together with Me. If you have Jesus, you have SHALOM with Me and that is all that matters. Everything else will follow and flow.
How would it profit you to gain all the riches and fame of this world and lose your soul? Lose your SHALOM. Do not be trapped by the pressures and anxieties and lusts of the world, the flesh and the devil. Those things are not SHALOM, the BLESSING of the LORD it makes rich and I add no sorrowful toil with it. The Cross of Christ only has value to you, it is your treasure, it is your SHALOM, your hope, your future assured with Me, your anchor behind the veil. It is the mark of the sign of Jesus that is completed by His resurrection from the dead with all your sins gone and taken care of justly before Me. You are forgiven, your sins are gone, and that you have a whole new existence with Me that is not of the flesh but of the Spirit. And the flesh is useless it is the spirit that gives life. It is the tree of life, the fruit of which is the Body and Blood of My Son and when you eat the fruit of the Cross you live forever.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26.
And when you know you are right with Me, you are far from oppression. You have peace beyond all understanding. You know you are loved beyond all you could ask or imagine. And knowing that, Paul called everything that he had thought so important and been so anxious about rubbish in the light of the surpassing treasure he had in Jesus.
It is like there is only you and Jesus. The secret place of the Most High, the shadow of the Almighty. For you have a better possession than all the things, riches, fame, and glory of this world. You have His peace. His shalom. And all provision, prosperity, and every good and perfect gift are in that as well. He gave it to as an inheritance from Him at the Last Supper. John 14:27.
Even though they were listening to the testimonies of Peter, the woman, and the two disciples coming from Emmaus about My Son’s resurrection from the dead, when Jesus entered through the locked doors and stood before them, they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them.
Then He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds and hearts to understand the Scriptures.
And as they listened and believed in Him as Messiah and Lord, risen from the dead with all their sins paid for and gone, they were born again. And Jesus said to them again, “Shalom.” But He added more this time, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you, for thus it is written that Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” John 20:21-23.
What He did and said here is enough to spend many days meditating upon. Treasure them in your heart and put them into practice. These Words are for you.
First, as I sent Him, so He sends you. Jesus is quite clear that I sent Him to seek out and save the lost, undo the works of the devil, heal the sick, and set the oppressed ones free. Let Jesus Himself tell you what I anointed Him to do:
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19.
A time of Jubilee, all debts forgiven and slaves set free. He preached the good news and healed the sick. And He empowered you to do the works He did and greater by the same anointing from the same Spirit, in you and on you. What an amazing life He has won for you to live going about anointed by the Holy Spirit and power doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil. A life of loving service that is winning for you a very great reward.
And on that day of the resurrection, to those standing in total faith and wonder, He breathed His Holy Spirit into them and they were born again. And on the fulfillment of Pentecost, He poured the Spirit on them and clothed them in power from on High to be His witnesses in the world. And as He was yesterday, so is He today and forever. Into your heart He has breathed the Holy Spirit the day you were born again by faith in His Word. And faith comes by hearing and hearing My Word concerning Christ. And He has poured out the Spirit upon you in every increasing measure, as much as you can hold. Increase your capacity by living a lifestyle of thanksgiving impelled by love.
But there is another awesome promise here that people do not really understand as they should and, hence, they do not utilize it to the benefit of souls and the furtherance of My desire that all men be saved and come to know the truth. In the hand of Jesus My Will prospered. He knew the power in Him that I had put there to forgive. His merits won it but since He was sinless from the womb, no corrupted seed of Adam was in Him, he had it by the grace that flowed through Him to all of you already. From His fullness you have all received, grace on top of grace. Like the ocean waves.
Remember the crippled man who his friends lowered through the roof to be at the feet of Jesus to receive his healing? Jesus did not speak healing, or so it appeared at first, he told him that his sins were forgiven. This scandalized the Pharisees and religious leaders present in the gathering at Jesus’ home for they said only I could forgive sins. This is true but I have delegated that power to you who are in Jesus and have My Spirit dwelling in you. It is part of your royal priesthood that you have in Jesus. You can offer the blood of Jesus that speaks loudly of redemption upon the mercy seat in spiritual sacrifice and extend that forgiveness to others by the blood legally. To do this you must have full forgiveness of them in your heart as well. If you have resentment or bitterness still against them this will not work. It must be from a sincere heart of compassionate love for the sinner. “Forgive them Father they do not know what they are doing,” and thus He qualified all present for the sin offering He was making for all that was in His heart was love for YOU. Just as you have had legal mercy extended to you by Jesus, so you are directed to extend it to those who have abused or used you.
“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” John 20:23.
Let Me repeat here what I began this Life Lesson with and I think you will better understand the enormity of what you can do with your intercessory prayers as you join with Jesus, your great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for you.
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” Matthew 18:18-20.
And He is there as your great High Priest, with you whom He has anointed as a kingdom, priests unto Me, to do the work of the ministry together with you.
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5.
When Jesus spoke forth and raised Lazarus out of the tomb and had him unbound and set free, Lazarus had no part in it at all. He was dead, but the prayer of Jesus brought him back to life and unbound him. He just asked Martha to believe with Him, roll back the stone, and see the glory of God manifested. You may know those who are dead in their spirits. Call them out with Jesus, roll back the stone and unbind them and let them go free. How? He released you by His blood. Use it. As My royal priesthood, He is My gift to you. And you are partaking in His body and blood every time you do it in remembrance of Him. Do you still not understand the treasure I have entrusted to you in the Communion meal? It is His body and blood and it has become yours as well. You are the body of Christ on earth. You are to be under the direction of the Head, for as He has done, so you must do by the power of the Spirit, by His blood, by the Word, by His Name.
And the Holy Spirit, the priest Melchizedek, makes intercession in, with, and for you as well, for you do not know how to pray as you ought. Romans 8:26. It takes My Spirit to bring you up higher to understand the greatness of My power towards you who believe. I have put resurrection power in you, use it to raise up the fallen, the sinners, the hopeless, and those whose minds have been blinded by the god of this world. They know not what they do. They qualify for Jesus came to call sinners, and so were all of you, but now you are justified, sanctified, redeemed, and glorified by the blood of Jesus. What you have freely received, freely give.
I love you. Live on in My love and you will do the works Jesus did and greater. How? By Love.