In the Vine Podcast
Mondays with Mel: Jesus, the Amen
(upbeat music) - Welcome to our newest segment Mondays with Mel on In the Vine Podcast. These episodes, Melissa will be taking the opportunity to get creative, sharing biblical insight and teaching, hosting new guests and more. Stay tuned, and if you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to show your support, and like, share, and subscribe. Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Mondays with Mel with your host, Mel. Today, I am so grateful to be back in the studio with you guys. I'm going to talk to you about a phrase that has been living on the inside of me for like the past week and a half. But before I do that, I want to just shout out Shekinah for stepping in in my stead when I miss the episode last week. She did so good, she's so freaking cute. And so, she did a video and posted it on our YouTube channel and a little short version of it on our Instagram where she gave some updates about In the Vine, and she also gave a very encouraging word that I think is very timely, and our handle on both Instagram and YouTube is inthevine.connects. And while you're there, make sure that you like, share, and subscribe. So with that being said, the phrase that I'm going to talk to you about is actually found in the book of Revelations. And now, I know I say this often, but the book of Revelations is one of my favorites. And so today, I don't know that I've ever shared my heart as to why. And so I just, today, honestly, you guys, the fact that I'm filming this episode is truly the grace of God. I had determined to not do it. And the reason why I say that is because of that, I just really want to just speak from my heart to you today. Not that I don't, but today is just going to be a little bit more genuine, a little bit less rehearsed. And so this phrase in the book of Revelation, the reason why I love it so much is because back in 2021, I was going through this really dry season with God. I was focused in on school. I was locked in and locked in network. And so God, my relationship with God, I kind of just gone into the back burner. I would hardly pray. I would hardly read the word. And when I did, it was begrudgingly, it was an exciting. And it's not a very good place to be in as a Christian. So once I got my degree in December of that year, I was like, I took like about a week off and I was like, all right, I need to just really press in into my relationship with God. And I need to reignite my passion for him once again. And so what happens in those times, I don't know if you're like me, but it becomes really overwhelming because there's so much material. There's so many voices out there that you can listen to. There's so many perspectives. There's so many books, even in the Bible. And so it gets really overwhelming, trying to determine where to start, right? And so that's why it's so important to us, the Holy Spirit. And so two things happened during that time. I was going to Tuesday night Bible cities still do, by the way. And our leader, Pastor Robino, who was talking about Paul. And so Paul, I don't know if you guys know, but Paul in the Bible, he's described as a Pharisee of Pharisees. So in modern terms, he would be like a pastor of pastors, a theologian of theologians. So he was very well versed. He was an intellectual man. He was very intelligent. And the story is that Paul one day, he was, and this is biblical, he was saying this, he came to a group of people and he gave like an awesome, I guess, lecture. He was talking about Christ and all these wonderful things. And he used his intellect, right? To try to win the people over. But at the end of his speech or lecture, the people were like, oh, that's cool. Like what you're saying is very intriguing and well considerate. So the people didn't come into the elimination of Christ, right? And so then Paul, in first Corinthians chapter two, verse 22, he says he's writing to obviously the church in Corinthian and Corinth, sorry. And he was like, I resolved to know nothing among you, except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was like, bingo, that's it. That's all that matters. That's what I need to focus on. That's what I need to embrace these next few months. And then another night, he, Paul Sir Rob was talking about the book of Revelation. And he was like, yeah, the book of Revelation is the revelation of Christ. And so now I was like, ding, ding, ding. For sure, like I need to start reading the book of Revelation. And one of the reasons why I'm so passionate about it is I've heard people say, so this is not a speculation. I've literally heard people say this, that it's scary for them to read this book, because there is a peeling back of darkness, and there's a peeling back of Satan in a way. But at the same time, there is a revelation of Jesus, the resurrected King. And I am just, I'm so fascinated by the throne room. I'm so fascinated by heaven. I'm so fascinated with having that drop to your knees, get on your face, encounter with God, where you can just see him high and lifted up. As the book of Revelation says, the train of his role filled the temple, and there's elders casting their crowns, and there's seven spirits burning in front of a throne, and the floor is like sapphire, and his eyes are like flames. And to me, I'm just so drawn in by that. And so going through this dry season, I was like, I need to read this book. And I've read the book before, right? But never through that lens. And that's what happens when you read the book of Revelation, you can't read it through the lens of condemnation. There's no condemnation for those that are in Christ. You need to read it through the lens of love, through the lens of victory, through the lens of Jesus Christ, the resurrected King. And all of a sudden, when you do that, you realize that the book of Revelation is your past, your present, and your future. And all of a sudden, you become excited, and I did become excited. I fell madly back in love with Jesus, and it just ignited me once again. And the first chapter, what it says is, this is the, and I'm paraphrasing, okay? 'Cause I don't have it in front of me. It says, this is the revelation that God gave to Jesus of himself so that he could give it to the churches so that we would know the things that must take place. That to me is astounding, right? This is, just picture it, just picture God the Father, bring in a scroll to Jesus and saying, hey, here's a revelation of you that you need to give to the churches. That to me is so profound. And so in the first few chapters, well, a little bit more context. So the person that's having this encounter is the Apostle John. And he's having this encounter with Jesus, and he's being tasked with writing this whole revelation down. And in that, Jesus commands him to write letters to the angels, okay? Imagine writing letters to angels, that is crazy. To write letters to the angels of seven churches. I hope I got that number right. And so to each of those churches, something important to know is that Jesus introduced himself differently to each and in every one of those letters. And so the one with the phrase that I keep hearing is found in is the one to the church of Laodicea. Now, I'm not gonna break down the letters because this teaching is not about the letters. It's more about this verse. And the verse is found in Revelation chapter three, verse 14. And in it, it says, and to the angel of the church and Laodicea, write, the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. So another way that we can read this is the words of Jesus, the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. To me, it's so profound because Jesus is the Amen, and then it says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. So what is he faithful to, and what is he a witness of? He's faithful to God and he's a witness of God. So when Jesus says that he's the Amen, he's the Amen to the report of the Lord. So the phrase that I kept hearing on the inside of me was Jesus, the Amen. Now I wanna give you the context of where and when I was listening to that phrase, okay? So as you guys know, in our first season in the vine, the girls and I, we each did a personal interview and we each gave our testimony and we talked about what God has done in our lives. And so you guys know that, for those that have listened to mine, you know that I'm believing for America of healing. And this is something, by the way, that God has already done. I'm just pressing in for the manifestation of it. And so I, as I'm waiting for this promise, and I'm sure you guys can maybe identify with this. So I'm not sure 'cause it depends on you. But what happens when we're believing for something, there's a direct counter attack to that belief, to that promise. And so the counter attack for me is getting sick. And so, for a couple of months now I've been, I've been going through this attack and about, I don't know, maybe a week and a half ago, it really culminated at a point where I was like, this is it, this is it. Like there's no, that there's, there's just no way that this is gonna continue to happen. And when I tell you guys that the joy of the Lord, the fact that we chose that for this season of in the vine podcast, it couldn't have been any more God than any, I don't even know how to finish that. But it was just such a God thing. But in the midst of that, in pressing into the joy of the Lord, we've experienced the direct counter attack for that. But at the same time, I've gotten into this place with the Lord. And it's not a perfect, right? It's not perfect because we still live in the flesh, although our goal and my personal goal is to be spiritually minded, not carnally minded. And so, I've gotten to this place with God where I can wholeheartedly say that whatever happens, I still rejoice in Christ because he has made a way for me. As I've mentioned before, Revelation says, "May the Lamb receive the reward of a suffering." And there's other scriptures I think it might be, I think it might be in Hebrew. No, it's Second Timothy, actually. Paul's talking to Timothy and he tells him, if we suffer with Christ, then we reign with him. If we die with him, then we live with him. If we deny him, then he denies us. If we just, it's this, if, then, if, then. And so, to me, if I suffer with Christ, then I reign with Christ. And of course, that doesn't mean that I just let life have its way with me. It doesn't mean that I just let the enemy have its way with me. I fight and I send up. And I do what I need to do, just like you do what you need to do, right? And at least I hope. And if not, then today's the day that you draw the freaking line in the sand, just the way that I have drawn that line in the sand. And I've realized that at the end of the freaking day, no matter how bad things get, I win because I'm in Christ. I win because Christ has won. It is the finished work of the cross. And so there's nothing. There's absolutely nothing that can separate me from the love of God. And yeah, it doesn't mean that we, all right, except that all of a sudden I stop feeling pain. It doesn't mean that all of a sudden I stop going through sadness and happiness and all these things that life brings, but it means that it's all in purpose. Job and the Bible, it says, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. He says, though he slay me, though I will praise him. And so to me, it's just like dude, like my life is a living sacrifice, a drink offering poured out for Jesus, right? For the sake of others. And so to me, it's like, okay, if God can be glorified through me, then whatever happens, I'm just gonna trust that it is for God's glory. It's for his kingdom. And so that has really pissed off the enemy. And that has truly been a test in the season. And so anyway, back to, I promise you, I'm telling you guys this for a purpose and it's not boasting in me. Honestly, this is Christ, the only one that could get me to this point. When you see Christ and you see him high and lifted up, you'll do anything because he's done everything and he's given everything. And so I was in this place, right? And suddenly I was, I got hospitalized. And I just remember that I wasn't, I wasn't moved like with the bad report. I just wasn't moved because I believed the report of the Lord. And I remember I was just still happy and I was still joyous and obviously not jumping off the walls and not like doing the most, but I was still just, I had peace and I had assured surety in my heart that God was and has already come through. And so on the inside of me, all I kept hearing was Jesus the Amen. And it was in the thick of it. And what was happening, it wasn't like an angry thing. It wasn't like a defeated thing. It was, there's a scripture in Isaiah 52 that says how beautiful are the feet of those who carry the gospel. And it says bringing the news of God's deliverance. And it was like that kind of voice that's coming over the hills, just proclaiming that God was coming and that God was coming to deliverance. So all I kept hearing was Jesus the Amen, Jesus the Amen, Jesus the Amen over and over and over again. And it moved me and it kept me and it settled me because I'm like, yes, Jesus is the Amen. And so one thing about that word Amen, you know, we hear it all the time. We hear it all the time. We say it all the time. After our prayers when somebody's preaching good, we say amen. And the thing about that word is it means so be it. So the word Amen is not an acknowledging word, right? It's not a word that you say just to like, I am acknowledging what you're saying. It's actually a covenantal word. It's a word that let's say if I say you're healed and you say amen, you are saying so be it. I am in agreement with what you said. It is the truth. It is faithful. The words that you said are faithful. And so I'm coming into agreement with that. And so Revelation 3 14, Jesus the Amen. And right after it says that he is the faithful witness. And so that means that he is the covenantal word of God's faithfulness. Oh, that is so profound. That is so, he is literally the signature at the end of the contract. When God has spoken a word to you, Jesus is the Amen for that contract. He is the Amen of everything. He is the Amen. And so when I kept hearing Jesus the Amen, Jesus the Amen, the Holy Spirit was testifying about the promise and the covenant that God had made with me. And so today, I honestly, I just proclaim Jesus the Amen in your life, that you would hear it in the same profound way that I heard it on the very inside of me. It was like this echo chamber that's all I kept hearing for days in and out of the days. It was like a song that stuck in your head, but this it was even better. It was the truth that was living in my spirit. Now, a fact that I want to say about the Word of Amen is that it's closely related. In the ancient Greek, it's closely related to the word for belief. And so when you're saying Amen, you're also proclaiming that you believe. And when Jesus is the Amen, he believes because he's a faithful and true witness. I mean, in Proverbs chapter eight, it's talking about that spirit of wisdom, being at creation and rejoicing at creation. And so that is Jesus, right? Rejoicing at our creation, testifying about the goodness of God in his faithfulness. And so one of the meanings of the word Amen is to trust, to believe. It means Amen, so be it, to be established, to be faithful, to be carried, to make firm. And so there's a scripture, again, the second Corinthians has just been the book for this past, which is crazy, 'cause I'm not really setting it, but there's just so much depth in those books. But anyway, so second Corinthians 20, it says, for all the promises of God. So let's just say all the covenants of God, all the words that he's giving you, all the contracts that God has given you, find their yes in him, which is Jesus. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. So profound. The promises of God are yes in Amen. And so what I wanna draw out from that scripture is, for all the promises of God, find their yes in him. So what's interesting about the word in, right? I don't even know why I thought to look at that word. It's such a common word. It's such a, we would think there's nothing special about that word. However, this word has a connotation of resting. And so we utter our Amen in him to the glory of God. And last but not least, what I want to leave you guys with is a cool little fact. So have you ever thought about the last word in the Bible? I think you know where I'm headed with this. In the last word in the Bible, the book of Revelation, we know it's the last book of the Bible, but the last word of the last book in the Bible is Amen. It's so good. It's so good. I think the entire verse says the grace of God be with you, with you all or something like that. And then it says, Amen. It's almost as if Jesus says, "I am the contractual agreement. I am the binding word. I am the binding one to this contract from Genesis all the way to Revelation. In me is the confirmation that God is going to do everything that's written in this book. So with that being said, you guys, I just say amen over the promises that God has fulfilled or has promised in your life. Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up. There's no amendment to the word. There is no clause to the word, except obviously if we sin. It's solid. It's a firm foundation. And so today, I hope this really encouraged you guys. I'm so grateful to be back and I'm so grateful to have your attention for this moment. I really pray that it encouraged you. Please let me know if you're on YouTube, make sure you like, comment and share, subscribe. And if you're on Instagram, make sure you drop us a comment and let us know what you thought. And I really wanna start hearing testimonies for you guys, whether directly or indirectly to in the vine. I would really love to hear how God is moving in your life because we are extremely encouraged by those things. So thank you so much for tuning in. We love you, we bless you and we honor you. And the mighty name of Jesus, amen. - Thank you for listening. If you liked this episode or we answered any of your questions or you have a question that you would like to be discussed in future episodes, let us know in the comments or share on social media. And don't forget to visit our website for more information about our upcoming events and be sure to hit subscribe so you won't miss out on the amazing content and guests we have lined up for you. Shalom and God bless. [BLANK_AUDIO]
I'm back! Tune in this episode to hear about the confirmation to your promise and some insight into the word AMEN! Make sure you subscribe, comment, like, and share!