Love letter to the church in Philadelphia: The bride with little strength

One test of a person’s endurance is their strength to stand in difficult times. Imagine a bride with little strength, there is a likelihood of giving up when the times are hard. The letters to the seven churches show us how the Lord deals with us based on our relationship with Him. In each of the letters, the Lamb addresses issues that are specific to the church. The letter to the Lamb’s bride in Philadelphia reminds us that even with little strength, we can still live for the Lord. Jesus introduced the letter to Philadelphia this way: “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:7‬). The Philadelphia church, also located in modern-day Turkey, is currently a tourist site not a church. In fact, Turkey is not even a Christian nation anymore. Why did the Lamb begin this letter by introducing Himself as the one who is holy and true and holds the key of David?

I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ‭‭(Revelation‬ ‭3:8‬)

In introducing Himself this way, Jesus reveals to the church his authority and holiness. He is the one who can open what no other person can shut and vice versa. There is none like Him in power and sovereignty. Then Jesus continues to say that, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” ‭‭(Revelation‬ ‭3:8‬). Even in their weaknesses, the Philadelphia church kept the word of the Lamb and did not deny Him before men. At Philadelphia, Jesus identified a group of people “who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.” (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:9‬). Thus, there were people who opposed the church and the message of the gospel in Philadelphia.

The opposition from these so-called Jews could have made life unbelievable for the church. But Jesus admonished them that, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation‬ ‭3:10‬). Jesus then admonished the church concerning His second coming, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation‬ ‭3:11‭-‬13‬). The promise for the victorious believers was to encourage the Philadelphian believers that their endurance would be worth it. The Lamb was going to establish those that are victorious (pillar in the temple of my God). The Lamb does not force them to obey the words of this letter. He calls them to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The letter to the Philadelphia church should remind us that even in our weakness, the Lord is able to work through us. Knowledge of this should encourage us to magnify our Lord and not exalt our weaknesses. The apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan that tormented him. According to Paul, “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:8‭-‬10‬). Be encouraged that even at your lowest point, Jesus is with you. His grace is sufficient to keep us going even in the midst of life’s challenges.

Renew your strength with physical training

I work from home and that means that I sit for eight hours a day. I thought working from home would be fun but it really is not. Before the global pandemic came, it would usually take some sort of exercise to get to work. Whether you walk, drive or take public transportation, there is an initial waking up, taking a shower, preparing lunch (if you do),  walking around and finally getting to work. For those who walk or cycle to work, the few minutes exert metabolic actions and make them healthier. These days, most people working from home just wake up, wash down (if they do) eat whatever is in the house and sit at their workspace for hours. Periodic lunch breaks still take one to the kitchen and back to the workspace. Then after work, there is the likelihood of sitting to watch TV or cooking or just calling for takeout delivery and back to bed. If such a lifestyle continues for a few months or years without proper schedules for bodily exercise, one is likely to suffer from the lack of exercise and physical activity. 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

In fact, sitting down is hard work and if your body doesn’t get rid of all the calories we accumulate in the day, it will reflect on your general appearance. You might look healthy on the outside, but inwardly,  you will be so stressed, tired, and constantly battle with fatigue. Our daily schedule doesn’t seem to make it any easier to have a schedule for fitness such as going to the gym, home fitness sessions (paid or free), taking a walk, running, skipping, swimming or any other physical activity that helps to put the body in shape. One Bible verse that has been a sort of encouragement to me recently is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” All things include physical training for our general well-being. You do not have to do much. A walk through your neighbourhood will go a long way to help those tired limbs. Skipping helps the whole body to be in motion, raising your hands up and down while you dance to your favourite gospel song exercises your feeble hands. 

When we understand that the little benefit of physical training ultimately has eternal value (because we can worship God better when we are fit), we will strive to strike a blow to our bodies to make it subject to us. Paul, using the allusion of athletics for self-discipline among believers, noted that: “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”(1 Corinthians 9:26‭-‬27)
If our aim is to get the ultimate prize of salvation, we should also aim to daily renew our strength. After all, Isaiah 40:20 admonishes us that, “those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Our inner strength for our spiritual battles comes from the Lord, but to run physically and not grow weary, we need to train the body for that.