Strong City

 

By Apostle Aje Pelser, harvester Cape Town, 17^th December

 

Scripture: Isaiah 26; 27

Isa 26:1  In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks.

Isa 26:2  Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

Isa 26:3  You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

Isa 26:4  Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

 

There are characteristics of the Holy and Strong City of God that will help people to identify Christ in our churches. These righteous characteristics of a strong city are contrasted with the wicked “lofty city” throughout the chapters 26 and 27 of Isaiah's prophecy, so read further to find out more.

 

A strong City has its own Song

Every movement has its song, its sound, a frequency that sets it apart and introduced new revelation. There is new wine for new wineskins. Old paradigms can’t contain the new wine that God has for the church today. They will burst because God’s vineyard is producing something that is more powerful fruit than ever before, to bring His purposes to a conclusion and set up his son’s wedding feast. Revelation also speaks of the end time “pressing” of the nations where the evil nations and cities are judged, Babylon being a symbol of the harlotry of nations against God.

The gates of His city are called “Praise.”

 

The Song of the strong city is in the land of Judah.

Judah means: Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions

H3063   yehûdâh BDB Definition:

Judah = “praised”

1) the son of Jacob by Leah

2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob

3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah

4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon

5) a Levite in Ezra’s time

6) an overseer of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah

7) a Levite musician in the time of Nehemiah

8) a priest in the time of Nehemiah

 

Judah was a son of Israel, prince with God who obtained the Abrahamic promises.

He had a tribe – an extended family that praised God with him.

God gave him territory to occupy and eventually a kingdom to rule and reign over.

Later a man with the same name served under Ezra and Nehemiah – both reformers and restorers of worship in Jerusalem, reforming the nation and aligning them with God’s will.

He was a Bishop like overseer in New Testament terms.

He was a musician that lived out his praise. Some people call themselves God’s people, but they don’t praise Him like David, like Judah.

He served as a priest.

Jesus also came from the tribe of Judah, according to the divine order of Melchizedek. David also came from this tribe.

Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and roars rebukes over the devourer, symbolizing God’s executive authority over all.

 

God appoints Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks of His City

A city needs walls for defence. That is the meaning of bulwark: a solid wall-like structure raised for defence; a strong support or protection.

Also used to describe a breakwater, seawall against the angry waves. In James, doubtful double-mindedness is compared to a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Apostolic Doctrine builds a bulwark against winds of doctrine and the storms they cause in Christian circles.

(Definitions from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulwark.)

 

Abstract use:

“democratic principles that stand as a bulwark against tyranny”. Strongholds of our faith can be built up and when we pray in tongues we build up ourselves on our most holy faith, praying i the Holy Ghost. This morning we prayed for a man that was struggling with depression as well as stomach pains with lower back problems!

 

We told him that God’s word says: “Don’t Worry – pray about it!” and he immediately agreed with the Word. We rebuked the spirit of depression and then cast out infirmity in Jesus name and he started to become relieved. After laying hands on him he was baptized with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the spirit gave him utterance – his faith needed to be built up immediately and praying in the Spirit helped to settle his understanding.

 

When a sent one preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ accurately, a person hears and faith rises in their hearts to call on the name of the Lord and be saved. This process becomes a defence for the righteous – the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are saved!

 

Proverbs 18:10  The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

 

God opens the gates for a righteous Nation to enter into a strong city.

Becoming right with God through faith in Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross is the key to unlock the gates of a strong city. Praising God for his faithfulness becomes the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips – an entry point into His strength, His strong city for us! But look at the benefits of those gates being opened through accurate Praise:

 

Isa 60:11  Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession.

Isa 60:12  For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

Isa 60:13  'The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, The cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious.

Isa 60:14  Also the sons of those who afflicted you Shall come bowing to you, And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; And they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Isa 60:15  'Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, A joy of many generations.

Isa 60:16  You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, And milk the breast of kings; You shall know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Isa 60:17  'Instead of bronze I will bring gold, Instead of iron I will bring silver, Instead of wood, bronze, And instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness.

Isa 60:18  Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.

 

A strong city protects a righteous nation that keeps the Truth.

It’s one thing to know about the truth, but to make the truth part one’s existence, part of the fibre of one’s being is truly a work of the Holy Spirit within, that leads and guides us into all truth. Jesus is the way the truth and the life

John 14:6  Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

We enter our “Strong City” within God our Father, through the Truth that is Jesus Christ.”

We enter in by faith in that Truth. Every time we learn a new truth and apply it in our lives, we go deeper into that city and our lives are fortified!

Practical ways to keep the truth can include:

• Bible Study that is aligned with Apostolic Doctrine of the New Testament.
• Writing down revelations and prophecies in a journal with Contents and references.
• Storing up retrieval systems of sermons and songs.
• Memorizing scriptures.
• Including key verses from the Bible in songs that are sung in congregational meetings so that people remember what the Spirit is saying to the Churches through the agency of the song.
• Publishing the Truth in Books, CDs and DVDs containing the present revealed truth about the Church and God’s People.
• Making posters in your home containing revealed truth for your family.
• Internet articles that share truth and testimonies that help people overcome.
• Making disciples of the Truth in Christ Jesus and taking them through the phases of Christian Growth accurately, step by step, line upon line, precept upon precept.
• Planting Churches with Bible Colleges founded on apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ the Chief Cornerstone.
• Relating to an Apostolic Network where the Five Fold Ministry is allowed to function to its full potential.

 

Isaiah’s prophecy prepares us for the Heavenly City

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Rev 21:11  having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

Rev 21:12  Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Rev 21:13  three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

Rev 21:14  Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 

 

It is a City of Peace

God can help us perfect peace, if we keep our minds on Him, because of a relationship of trust developed over time through trials, tests, tribulations, troubles and temptations.  It is easy to spot a citizen of the Heavenly City, their strength is often not displayed outwardly and flaunted, but they have kingdom peace within while others panic.

 

Let’s reveal these characteristics of the heavenly strong city to our generation collectively as churches –  every local church becoming a righteous nation that enters through gates of praise, by the Truth of Jesus Christ, protected forever by walls of salvation broadcasting a sound of victory that distinguishes a move of God’s Spirit in the earth today!