Lesson 93. If You Open to Me, I Will Open to You

The Word of God contains a great many promises from God. They can all be divided into conditional and unconditional promises.

Unconditional promises will be fulfilled at the time appointed by God. They do not depend on my faith in them, on my conduct, or on my new birth. Their fulfillment depends only on the dates and times established by God. Such promises include the beginning of the time of judgment, the Second Coming of Christ, the millennial kingdom, the pouring out of the seven last plagues, the judgment of the wicked, and the final destruction of sin.

God’s conditional promises are intended to accomplish a particular work if I, or we, fulfill the conditions stated in the promise itself. For example, we read in Matthew 7:7–8: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

God’s care for me is constant and unconditional. My heart beats regardless of my conduct, and my body knows what it must do and how to do it without consulting me. The air on Earth continues to contain the balanced mixture of gases necessary for my life.

But everything concerning my salvation from the power of sin depends on my choice and the decision of my will. God does not simply distribute the blessings of salvation, but waits until I see them, understand them, and desire to receive them. I must earnestly ask Christ for certain gifts. And there are some things I will never be able to receive, even if I plead for them. This happens when God sees that such a gift would harm my soul.

In the message to Laodicea, the Lord promises to grant His throne to those who overcome. I once thought that this promise rightfully belonged to me simply because I had been born again during the Laodicean period. I could not even imagine anything else.

When I read 1 John 5:4–5—“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”—I understood that I was an overcomer. But when I began to study the message to Laodicea more deeply, I realized that my faith was not sufficient for me to be an overcomer in the last days. I need to understand and fulfill the conditions described and offered by Christ in this message. I cannot bypass them and claim the title of overcomer while using outdated weapons. The Lord will not bless me with His gifts against my will or in response to my ignorance and unwillingness to devote time to understanding this message. Either I study, accept, and fulfill everything He offers and become an overcomer, or I decide that I can conquer everything without His weapons and conditions and, as a result, lose the battle and forfeit all the promised blessings.

What, then, does it mean to be an “overcomer”?

This word must be understood correctly. If I remain only on the defensive, successfully repelling the enemy’s attacks, I will never become an overcomer; I will merely be defending my soul on my own territory. An overcomer is one who goes on the offensive, risks his life, seizes the enemy and takes him captive, conquering new territory. After the victory, he continues to control the situation by establishing his authority in the captured territories.

If I do not have the weapons necessary for victory, I may win a couple of battles, but in the end I will lose the war. For the enemy of souls is a highly skilled warrior, and his army possesses modern weapons beyond anything I can imagine.

The Lord knows whom we are fighting, and therefore He has provided in advance for every detail of this great controversy. He guarantees victory to everyone who accepts His full armor offered to Laodicea.

When Jesus asks me to open the door, He assures me that He will come in and sup with me, and I with Him.

What an interesting strategy. We eat supper and enjoy a friendly conversation, while at the same time great victories are taking place in my heart. My mind is cleansed, my heart is refined, my spirit is revived, my house is purified, and my will clings to my dear Friend.

And our friendship does not end there. The more time we spend together, the more interesting our conversations become. Then, at a certain point, my Lord leads me to an open door, opens it even wider for me, and invites me to enter. I look at His actions in amazement. Jesus once opened a door for Philadelphia, but it was buried beneath the clutter of busyness and indifference and was lost from sight. Yet the Lord assures me once again that He is the Door for His sheep and invites me to enter.

Amazing opportunities of infinite love open before me: a boundless ocean, endless light, joy, and peace. I ask, “Why is such mercy shown to me, a sinner?” and I see my own door standing open for Jesus. I begin to understand something. Our relationship has already progressed so far, and I have clung so closely to Jesus, that the Lord has decided to initiate me into the depths of His love, revealing the beauty and power of His character. How fascinating! I could never even have imagined such a thing. Christ Himself introduces me to the world of His soul, and I see a love so pure that I marvel at its perfection. Although this door had always been open to everyone, only the chosen could enter it—those who had opened their own doors.

I look upward and see the windows of Heaven, which are also open to pour out blessings upon God’s obedient and faithful children.

And I understand that with such a Friend it is impossible to lose. He truly is the Victor. I saw many evil people try to strike the ocean of love. It yielded beneath their blows, then later came crashing down upon them from above, engulfing the victims of sin in its waters and offering them the opportunity to begin a new and pure life. But many fled in fear, frightened by the crystal clarity of its vast expanses. I saw streams of water pouring through the windows of Heaven, carrying away the wicked and filling the homes of the righteous with joy. How harmoniously everything was arranged! What great victories love achieves!

Why is this beauty of love hidden from our eyes, so that only a few can see it? Yet this is the very essence of the great controversy: each person must decide for himself on whose side he will wage war. Love respects my freedom.

When I buy from Christ what is offered to me, I gain all Heaven with it. When I let the Lord into my house and open my doors to Him, I show the entire unseen world Who is the Master of my life and to Whom my soul belongs. We enter into a marriage relationship with Christ, and He has no secrets from me. He opens Himself to me completely. But what a wretched man I am! How can my limited mind comprehend and receive all this beauty and power? Only God can reveal and convey all this to me.

I enter the open door and want to remain there. But the Lord gently tells me that it is not yet time: not all souls have yet been taken from the enemy, and the banner of Love has not yet been established in every territory. There is still work to be done and the final victory to be won. I agree and put on love. My mind is immersed in its life-giving waters and absorbs its strength and authority.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!

I put on love. What an interesting weapon it is! I must learn to use its power and capabilities. It is an entire science that I have yet to comprehend.

1. Did you hear anything new for yourself in this lesson?

2. What does an “open door” mean in my house and in Jesus?

3. How can I become an overcomer?

4. Why does only the overcomer receive the reward, rather than everyone who took part in the spiritual war?

5. What does spiritual warfare look like in real life?

6. Who is the loser, or the one who is defeated, in this war? Why is it better not to be one of them?

7. Please read Ephesians 6:10–13; 2 Corinthians 10:3–6; Revelation 3:7–8; 21:7; and John 10:7–10 in the light of our lesson.