DO NOT BOW TO PEER PRESSURE, BUT WALK IN YOUR OWN REVELATION

“And I [Paul] went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles…”—Galatians 2:2

 

In Galatians 2:2, we discover that the Apostle Paul went to Jerusalem about seventeen years after his conversion to tell the church what he had been preaching among the Gentiles. Paul was a highly educated and zealous man who worked fervently persecuting the Church before his conversion.  After his conversion, Paul writes, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus” (Galatians 1:15-17).  Paul points out that he was not pressured by others in what he should do after his conversion, but he walked in the revelation that he had.

 

John chapter 7 gives an account of when Jesus’ brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah, and how they tried to influence Him so that they would have positions of honor. 

 

“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him. The Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come’” (vs. 1-9).

 

The Feast of Tabernacles was held the 15-22 of September and this Feast was about seven months before His crucifixion.  This was a very solemn time for all the Jewish males and called for their personal attendance.  Jesus’ brothers (some of His kindred) tried to influence Jesus to go to Jerusalem so that more people could see His miracles.  This sounds like reasonable advice at first glance—more people get exposed to His ministry; however, reading a little further you will discover that his brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah.  A Prophet—yes but not the Messiah.  Perhaps they were thinking that they would be able to share in the “lime-light,” if He was exposed to more people; but, what we do know is that Jesus told them to go along with the other people; he was not going to Jerusalem at that time.  Closely examine the Scriptures and you will see that Jesus knew by revelation not to follow along with the rest of the people who were going.  Perhaps His going with them would have stirred up the people with animosity before it was prophetically time for His crucifixion, we do not know for sure.  But we do know that Jesus always walked in revelation of His timing and did not follow along with the crowd, and you can to. 

 

Jesus was not moved by ideas of grandeur and influenced by the needs of others.  He humbly stayed submitted to the Father and never did anything but what He heard the Father say and do.  We can walk in that same revelation by staying humble, walking in love and being submitted to the Father.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for Your revelation.  I purpose not to walk ahead of my appointed times by being influenced by family and others in Jesus’ name.  Amen.