SUNDAY, JANUARY 15
Scripture: Revelation 2:26-29

Revelation 2:26-29 states, “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations — ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ — as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Jesus offered the church at Thyatira the opportunity to rule with a rod of iron. The same way He received authority from His Father, He offers authority to us. Jesus, in the book of Revelation, carries a rod of iron. And when He strikes with the rod of iron, the opposition is removed. It resembles David’s victory over Goliath. Are we facing a Goliath? If we pray the rod of iron into action, Goliath will repent or be removed. Access the rod of iron and trust the Lord to act, removing the opposition. The rod of iron is a serious issue in the book of Revelation. The resurrected Christ is offering it to the church at Thyatira. What is obvious in this passage is that Jesus paid the price for the church to represent the Father with a rod of iron. But today’s church only occasionally picks it up. As it stands, if we pick up the rod of iron it is pretty much a faith-accident or a Holy Spirit outburst that causes us to pray beyond our passive theology. David was not passive when he prayed. There is one thing that is obvious in this study – Jesus paid for a rod of iron and He offers it to the church. And if we never pick it up, we will fail to write the history that God has ordained for us in our generation. The rod of iron is real. It is a dimension of spiritual authority that is designed to remove the opposition to our harvest field. David swung it in a sling and when the stone came out, the enemy was on the ground. As a servant of the Most High, when we swing it in obedience, the very same thing should be happening. The early church swung it when Peter was in jail and the angel was released – Herod was gone. The rod of iron is real. It is just as real as David’s sling-shot. It is just as real as Herod’s removal. The rod of iron has a distinctive purpose. Do not leave home without it!