Revelation: Church at Sardis

Revelation:  Church at Sardis

The church in Sardis Revelation 3:1-6
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write;  These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die:  for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.  If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  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.  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.  He that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Attribute:  He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.

This church is hanging on by a thread.  There is just a few things that remain that is worth anything and they are told by the Lord to strengthen those things for they are ready to die.  Their works before God has NOT been perfect and they need to:

 Remember how they have received and heard the Word of God.  They are to go back to their first love.  When a person first receives Jesus they want to learn all they can about Him and walk close to Him.  They have let other things between them and the Lord and the Lord wants them back.
 Hold fast to it.  The Lord is telling them to hold fast to His Word and to act on it.  Not let it go.
 and Repent back to the things of the Lord.

In verse 2 He tells them:
 to be watchful 1127 Greek gregoreuo keep awake, be vigilant, to arise, arouse.  When we pray for people who are lost, or people who knew the Lord and have walked away like this church has we pray for an awakening for them.  To wake up! and be alert to their situation and the deceits of the enemy.  WAKE UP!   BE SOBER and BE VIGILANT because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.  1 Peter 5:8
 and strengthen the things which remain.  Strengthen is from 4741 sterizo which means to be steadfast;  to turn resolutely––to be decided, to be fixed, inflexible, constant and unshaken, to confirm, set, stablish

There are only a few people who are worthy to walk with the Lord in white.

The attributes given to this church is what is need to revive them and to bring them back to life in Jesus.

Seven is the number of perfection.  We are told to be perfect:  Matthew 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Seven stars: again this means light; shedding light to see and to know what is the truth.  Even in darkness God is shedding His light for people to repent and to turn to Him.  He wants everyone to come to know Him because He loves each and every one of us!

Seven Spirits of God:  Isaiah 11:2  “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;”

  The Spirit of the Lord:  First off a church or a person needs to do is to repent and turn to the Lord.  Seek His will for congregation or self and serve Him.
  Spirit of Wisdom:  According to Proverbs 8 Wisdom is easy to get.  She says she lifts her voice wherever people are and calls to them to listen to Her.  Reading through this chapter we find there is no reason for a person to lack Wisdom.  Wisdom by definition is skillful, it is prudence:  knowing right from wrong and staying away from the wrong and doing what is right.
  Spirit of Understanding:  This is comprehension, discerning.  Job 28:28  “And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”  A lack of this kind of understand was morally culpable (that is guilty, criminal, deserving of censure or moral blame) and resulted in sin and even more drove away God’s compassion for person who did not have it.  A lack of this wisdom is why people do and justify the wrong they want to live in.
Spirit of Counsel:    Advice, purpose, plan.  God has advice--His Word for us; He made us with and has a purpose and a plan in mind for us.  We need to seek His Word and Him in prayer.
  Spirit of Might:  This is force of valor, victory, mastery.  It means to be a powerful warrior and champion.  He has made us all this and strong in Him.  We are victorious in Christ:  1Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  
  Spirit of Knowledge:  This is cunning, learning, insight.  40 out of the 91 times used in Proverbs it is associated with wisdom.  Proverbs 24:3-5 “Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established.  And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.  A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increases strength.”  God holds unbelievers and Israelites responsible to know Him.
  Fear of the Lord:  moral reverence.  
This fear acknowledges God’s good intentions:  Exodus 20:20 And Moses said unto the people, 'Fear not:  for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.'  
It will motivate and delight even the Messiah: Isaiah 11:2-3 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.'  
It is produced by God’s Word: Psalms 119:38 Stablish thy Word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.   Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of the Lord.  
It makes a person receptive to Wisdom and Knowledge:  Proverbs 1:7; 9:10.  
The Fear of the Lord may be lost by despair of one’s own situation (Job 6:14) or by envy of sinner’s (Proverbs 23:17).  
This fear restrains people from sin, it gives confidence, and helps rulers and causes judges to act justly and it results in good sleep.
I suggest reading through Proverbs chapter 8.

Sardis and anyone today that is lacking; needs to repent and seek the Seven Spirits of God.  And he that overcomes
Reward:  “The same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.”
Addendum:  Proverbs Chapter 8 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

V1 Doesn't Wisdom call out?  Doesn't Understand make her voice heard?
V2 At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand.  
V3 Beside the gates at the entry to the city, at the main entrance, she cries out:
V4 "People, I call out to you; my cry is to mankind.
V5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish.
V6 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right.
V7 For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips.
V8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse.
V9 All of them are clear to the perceptive and right to those who discover knowledge.
V10 Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.
V11 For wisdom is better than precious stones, and nothing desirable can compare with it.
V12 I, Wisdom share a home with Shrewdness and have Knowledge and Discretion.
V13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil.  I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
V14 I possess good advice and competence; I have understanding and strength.
V15 It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law;
V16 by me, princes lead, as do nobles [and] all righteous judges.
V17 I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me.
V18 With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness.
V19 My fruit is better than solid gold and my harvest than pure silver.
V20 I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
V21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

V22 The Lord made me at the beginning of His creations, before His works of long ago.
V23 I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began.
V24 I was brought forth when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water.
V25 I was brought forth before the mountains and hills were established,
V26 before He made the land, the fields, or the first soil on the earth.
V27 I was there when He established the heavens, when He laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean,
V28 when He placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed forth,
V29 when He set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate His command, when He laid out the foundations of the earth.
V30 I was a skilled craftsman beside Him.  I was His delight every day, always rejoicing before Him.
V31 I was rejoicing in His inhabited world, delighting in the human race.

V32 And now, [my] sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy.
V33 Listen to instructions and be wise; don't ignore it.
V34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors everyday, waiting by the posts of my doorway.
V35 For the one who finds me finds lift and obtains favor from the Lord,
V36 but the one who sins against me harms himself; all who hate em love death.