2025 ITEROF Message Seven

Scripture reading:

Matt. 7:13-14 Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it.; Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.

I. In the issuing of the constitution of the kingdom, Christ presents two possible ways for man to live and work before God; the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and few are those who find it—Matt. 7:13-14: (Monday)

A. The constricted way leads to life, is according to the divine law, and fulfills the spiritual requirements, so as to bring in God’s chosen people, to be the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to accomplish God’s economy for the building up of the Body of Christ—Rom. 1:9.

B. The more we are restricted, the more we are regulated; the more we are regulated, the healthier we are; to be vital means to be healthy.

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II. We must remain on the way of life, the line of life, by enjoying Christ as the tree of life in the flow of life, to be maintained in life so that we may grow in life for God’s building in life—John 10:10b: (Tuesday)

A. We remain on the way of life by living and serving according to the principle of life and not according to the principle of right and wrong.

B. We remain on the way of life by eating Jesus through pray-reading and musing on the Lord’s word and by exercising our spirit to supply the word, which is spirit, into others—John 6:57, 63; Eph. 6:17-18.

C. We remain on the way of life by abiding in Christ as the tree of life in the flow of life under the headship of Christ and according to His divine nature—Rev. 22:1-2.

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III. The way ordained by God for the church is the way of Philadelphia; the way ordained by God is the constricted way that leads to life—Rev. 3:7-8: (Wednesday, Thursday)

A. The overcomers in Philadelphia are characterized by their brotherly love; among them, love is effective, so that they shepherd others according to God, cherish others with the pleasant presence of God, and nourish others with the healthy teaching of God’s economy—1 Pet. 5:2; Eph. 4:11; 5:29.

B. For the spreading of His recovery, the Lord uses the key of David to open doors; but Christ also uses the key of David to subjectively open the door of our inner being so that we may be transformed and built up as pillars in the temple of God—Rev. 3:12.

C. The overcomers in Philadelphia keep the Lord’s word in His unique New Testament ministry, and this word brings them to a real appreciation, treasuring, and enjoyment of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the precious Person who is their life and their everything—Rev. 3:8; 2 Cor. 11:2-3.

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IV. Once Philadelphia falls, it becomes Laodicea—Rev. 3:15-18: (Friday)

A. In the Lord’s eyes, Laodicea is characterized by being lukewarm and by spiritual pride; there was a time when the Lord was merciful to them, and they remember that history, but today they have lost that reality—Rev. 3:15-18.

B. If we are to continue on the way of Philadelphia and avoid becoming Laodicea, we must learn to humble ourselves before God—Matt. 5:3; Isa. 57:15.

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C. He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne—Rev. 3:21-22. (Saturday)

OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING

Reading the verses in each day.

Reading the main points in the outlines.

Pray-reading the verses:

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and few are those who find it—Matt. 7:13-14.
And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—Gen. 2:9.

Word of Appetizer

In the issuing of the constitution of the kingdom, what are the two possible ways Christ presented for man to live and work before God?
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
The broad way, which leads to destruction, is according to the worldly system to satisfy the natural taste, to gain the crowd, to maintain man’s enterprise, and to accomplish man’s undertaking. The constricted way, which leads to life, is according to the divine rule to fulfill the spiritual requirements, to bring in God’s chosen people, to be a testimony of Jesus Christ, and to carry out God’s economy for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Spiritual Burden

In the Lord’s recovery, we must walk in our spirit. Walking in our spirit restricts us to live the normal Christian life and makes us living and healthy believers who walk on the way of life for God’s building.
We must remain on the way of life, on the line of life, by enjoying Christ as the tree of life in the flow of life, being kept in life, and growing in life for God’s building in life.

Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting

The Revelation of the Truth

In the issuing of the constitution of the kingdom, Christ presented two possible ways for man to live and work before God—“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and few are those who find it.”
The way ordained by God for the church is the way of Philadelphia. The way ordained by God is the constricted way that leads to life.
Once Philadelphia falls, it becomes Laodicea.

The Experience of Life

The more we are restricted, the more we are regulated. The more we are regulated, the more we are healthy. To be living means to be healthy. Paul desired to admonish every man and teach every man in all wisdom that he might present every man full-grown in Christ. Paul did not depend on miracles but worked much more in the way of “every man.”

Spiritual pride comes from past history. They were rich once, and they think that they are still rich today. The stories of the past are remembered today, but the life of the past is lost.

Practice and Application

We must remain on the way of life, on the line of life, by enjoying Christ as the tree of life in the flow of life, being kept in life, and growing in life for God’s building in life. We remain on the way of life by living and serving according to the principle of life, not according to the principle of right and wrong. We remain on the way of life by eating Jesus through prayer-reading and musing on the Lord’s word and by exercising our spirit to minister the word as the Spirit to others.
The way ordained by God for the church is the way of Philadelphia. The way ordained by God is the constricted way that leads to life.

PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK

Day 1

T1 In the Spiritual Realm, We Need to Be Trimmed; to Be Trimmed Is to Be Restricted (Matt. 7:13-14)

(Using the example of a tree bearing fruit to explain that the more restricted we are, the more regulated we become; the more regulated we are, the healthier we become.)

T2 The Apostle Paul Did Not Perform That Many Miracles; He Was a Man Who Constantly Labored (Col. 1:28-29; Acts 20:19-20, 31)

(Please illustrate that we should not expect to do a great work or become a great person, but simply live a normal, ordinary life, always entering the narrow gate and walking the narrow way.)

Day 2

T1 There Are Two Lines Running Through the Entire Bible—the Line of the Tree of Life and the Line of the Tree of Knowledge (Gen. 2:9)

(Please illustrate that these two lines begin in Genesis, continue through the subsequent books of the Bible, and finally reach their destination.)

T2 The Bible First Warns Man to Stay Away from the Line of Knowledge and to Remain on or Return to the Line of Life (Rev. 22:1-2)

(Please illustrate that we who have been redeemed are necessarily on the line of life, but our living and work may be on the wrong line.)

Day 3

T1 The Church in Philadelphia Had “a Little Power” (Rev. 3:8)

(Please illustrate that what pleases the Lord is not how strong we are, but that we use this little bit of power to the best of our ability.)

T2 The Church in Philadelphia Did Not Deny the Lord’s Name (Rev. 3:8)

(Please illustrate that the restored church has no denominational title, only the unique name of the Lord Jesus Christ.)

Day 4

T1 The Pillar Built into the Temple of God Has Three Names Written on It—the Name of God, the Name of the City of God, and the Lord’s New Name (Rev. 3:12)

(Please illustrate the spiritual significance of the name of God, the name of the city of God, and the Lord’s new name.)

T2 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom…He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)

(Please illustrate that the New Jerusalem is the enlarged and expanded God.)

Day 5

T1 Laodicea Is a Degraded Philadelphia (Rev. 3:14, 16)

(Please illustrate how Laodicea was formed.)

T2 The Lord’s Counsel to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:18)

(Please illustrate that, first, the Lord counsels the church in Laodicea to buy “gold refined by fire,” and what its spiritual significance is.)

Day 6

T1 The Lord’s Counsel to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:18)

(Please illustrate that the Lord counsels the church in Laodicea to “buy white garments and put them on…,” and what its spiritual significance is.)

T2 The Lord’s Counsel to the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:18)

(The Lord also counsels the church in Laodicea to buy eyesalve from Him to anoint their eyes so that they may see, and what is its spiritual significance?)