Revelation Chapter 18 Verse 1

• It’s interesting to me that John see’s another angel and he describes that angel as, “having great authority.”  How is that seen is what interests me.  I mean you can see great hair or great kicks (shoes)…you know something outward, but how is it that he “sees” great authority?  So I dug a little bit.  That word for authority in the Greek actually hints at judicial power, governmental authority…the power of justice in a way and then I thought of who John is and where he is and where he’s been for the past 18 chapters…
• And I understood.  Homeboy has been in the spirit man.  All the way from Chapter 1 when he was one on one with Jesus through chapters two and three while Jesus walked him through church history and then from chapter 4 on, meta tauta on, he’s been in the spirit, watching the scene unfold from heaven and so now, something heavenly takes place and he immediately, even with his eye’s, he even can “see” power! 
• Well it’s the same with us!  We spend our days enthralled in this world, concerned with what shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we wear, what shall we do to keep us entertained…and the power of heaven shows up…and we don’t see it.  We miss out, we’re ripped off…why?  Because we don’t have eyes for it.  John does.  And so can we!  How?  Put down that money maker man and take up that power man! 
• I know you gotta make money.  I know you gotta get that house, land that job, impress that boss, you gotta “be, all that you can be” but I’ma tell you now…you get all that and miss the power of God in your day, and you’ve gotten nothing.  How many opportunities of ministry did you miss this week?  The truth is, we don’t know because we missed them…but I tell you, sometimes I think back upon my days and I see things that I didn’t see then…20/20 hindsight type of stuff and it causes me grief…because I missed out man…the power of heaven, great authority, and I didn’t see it…and folks went un-resecued, unserved, and the Lord was grieved…all because my heart was to get mine…to be all that I can be…I gotta know by faith that all that I could ever be…is to be used by God man…nothing greater.
• And notice the earth is illuminated by this angel.  This word actually hints at revelation…like the veil of a bride being lifted…he’s about to show folks the fruit of all their getting’ theirs…as the physical Babylon, the condition of the world filled with self worship, the great harlot, falls…

Revelation Chapter 18 Verse 2

• Notice John says, “he cried mightily with a strong voice.”  So cool, so profound here.  So many say they can’t “hear” God and we see a glimpse of why…they first have not “seen” Him.  See that?  John first see’s the power, the authority, the governmental precedence…and how does he see it?  By being heavenly minded man…and so after first, primarily, power plant stuff here…after seeing, now he hears the power man!  Mighty and loud!!!  I’ll prove it…look at Hebrews 12:14-17!  Can you hear me now?
• And what do you mean a “prison for every foul spirit?”  Well that’s just the discussion we had.  Every demon wasn’t created a demon…they were angels man…and by their self seeking they choose to fall from heaven thinking, “God You’re high and You’re truth but I’ma just go and get mine…put You second,” and now notice, where did they go?  Hell?  Don’t think so. 
• Revelation 12:4 tells us where they went.  To the earth.  And what did their self seeking get them?  Same thing it will get us, prison.  You think things are better on earth for them?  No rest, no peace, no joy, no home, no father…such is the condition of the lost man, lost woman…such is the condition of the carnal Christian man…choosing the physical, the temporal, the things of the earth over the things of God. 

Revelation Chapter 18 Verses 3 – 4

• Now comes a long dissertation from heaven.  It begins in verse 4 and takes us all the way through verse 20 as John simply hears now a voice from heaven.  And just a minute, before we get into what the voice says, notice…the pattern continues.
• John, in the spirit, heavenly minded, tuned to the things of heaven man…see’s great authority…great power…and look there is great peace and rest when we see the power of God in our lives…that we’re not on our own…well I gotta work twice as hard, I gotta plan out how this is gonna go down to the very smallest of details, I gotta make sure everything is just right man and get all the risk out!  No!  All you need to do is draw near to God! 
• You’re leaching all the adventure out of your life!  Trust in God!  Draw near to Him.  Make Him primary.  “Well it’s just a season.  I gotta just accomplish this and then I’ll get back to God being el numero uno…” while you’re life resembles el nino!  Oh the faithlessness in carnality man…but not John.  John ain’t working for the next promotion, he’s not checking facebook every ten minutes to see if someone “liked his comment,” he’s not preoccupied with that which will ultimately cease…he’s focused on God man…he’s heavenly hearted…and he see’s great heavenly authority, then he hears…right?  Verse 2…but notice he see’s and then he hears…in other words he’s looking at the angel…he can see the angel with his eyes…but wait there’s more…
• More revelation.  More truth in your life man.  More reality of eternity when you go this far with God because this time he hears WITHOUT his eyes!  BOOM!  Love it!  God is good man!  See the pattern?  Heavenly minded…actually being real about worship, actually putting God first and then power is perceived, sensed, felt…that’s inspiring.  Then you see it, then you hear it…then even though you can’t see…which speaks of trials…you still hear.  Awesome!
• Ok now into what he actually hears.  First, a call to those who would turn to God during the tribulation.  Those that are hiding out.  Haven’t taken the mark…scrounging up whatever food they can because without the mark they can’t buy or sell…the voice from heaven speaks to them (see the trial by the way?).  And what does the voice say, “hold on, He’s coming.”  “God see’s all that is transpiring and the final judgment is at hand.”  “Hang in there.”  “It looks like they are prospering now in their rejection of truth and embracing of the one world religion, one world government, on world leader, the AntiChrist…they’re about to get theirs…don’t think upon their lavish meals wishing you could get a plate because their condemnation is at the door.”