The Lord has given us at This Is Your Season Ministries so much Word and we want to share it with you all. We are living in a time of plenty, where the Word is freely given, yet indifferently received. We are coming to a time when the Word will be scarce because of great persecution, but it will be passionately received. We must store up His treasures in the storehouse, just like Joseph prepared Egypt for the years of famine.
The book of Revelation tells us great and terrifying things about the times to come, the times we are entering into. It is written to those who have an ear…
Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes…
We have great promises and great instructions if we but open up our eyes and ears to what God is speaking to us. As the time of Jesus’ return nears, God will release His presence more and more upon His people. God’s remnant will display great wisdom and power, to bring God’s people closer and closer to the saving and sanctifying knowledge of Jesus Christ!
But with this manifested presence, more and more will be required of us. We must walk with a higher standard of obedience. We must be overcomers. This study will help us to see what needs to be overcome, and how we can be overcomers.
This is a long and in-depth study, meant to be taken slowly and chewed upon. We will study being an overcomer for 10 weeks. Each week will be on our website for you to copy and do the study in preparation for the teaching on Thursdays. If you have any comments or questions about this study, please e-mail us at thisisyourseason@verizon.net.
We must be Overcomers
Week 1
Jesus is coming back for His bride and He is coming soon. We should be excited just like a bride anticipating her wedding. And also just like a bride, there are many preparations that must take place before that glorious day. We must be prepared, but how? What is expected of us?
Daniel 11:32 The people who know their God will display strength and take action.
In order to gain more understanding on a bride waiting for her bridegroom, I want to go over ancient Jewish wedding customs. A traditional Jewish wedding is so different than our weddings, but they give us a wealth of understanding of our covenant relationship with Jesus, the bridegroom of the church.
There are three parts to the Jewish Wedding: the betrothal, the wedding ceremony, and the wedding feast.
The betrothal has many parts:
· the match is initiated by the father of the groom and the bride must give her consent.
· a bride price must be paid by the father of the groom to reflect the value of the bride.
· voluntary love gifts given by the groom to his bride as an expression of his love for her.
· dowry given to the bride by her father to equip her for her new life.
· marriage contract – written document stating the rights of the bride, the assurance of provision for the bride’s needs, and the promise of the groom to return for his bride.
· sealing of the betrothal with a cup of wine offered to the bride by the groom. They are considered married at this point.
· The groom then leaves to prepare the place for them to live. He pledges he will return. They do not see each other until the wedding ceremony.
· The bride entered into a time of preparation and waiting including washings, wearing of a veil, undistracted devotion and great anticipation. This is a time of ritual washings to symbolize her separation from her former life and her new life with her beloved.
1. Read the following verses and write down what they say to you about our betrothal to Jesus.
· John 15:19
· 1 John 4:10
· 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
· Jeremiah 32:38-41
· Luke 22:20
· John 14:2-3
· Matthew 25: 1-12
After an undisclosed time, the wedding ceremony takes place.
· The grooms father decides when the son may return for his bride
· Groomsmen run ahead of the groom announcing his arrival
· Unmarried friends (virgins) of the bride would provide light for the groom if he came at night, and accompany the bridal party to the wedding ceremony.
· Bride is lifted up and carried to the ceremony
· Both the bride and the groom worn white garments
· After the ceremony the bride and groom would go away together for 7 days to consummate the marriage
2. Read the following verses and write down what they say to you about our wedding ceremony with Jesus.
· Matthew 25: 1-12
· Revelation 19:7-8
· Isaiah 61:10
· Mark 13:32-33
After the 7 days, the couple and their guests share in the wedding feast.
3. Read the following verses and write down what they say to you about the wedding feast.
· Matthew 22: 2-14
· Revelation 19:9
· Revelation 22:17
· Luke 12:35-38
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