He Who Overcomes

Revelation is a pretty awesome book. There is so much more to it then we often realize. I recently heard someone say that we should look at it as a love letter from God, and it inspired me to go back and read it again. I read the first three chapters and was already blown away. You know how you can read the same Bible verses over and over again and find things you've missed? It's amazing what the Spirit can reveal to us.

Chapters 2 and 3 contain the letters to the seven churches. There's a lot of really good stuff in each of the letters, but what really hit me were the promises at the end of each one, the rewards given to "he who overcomes." These rewards are easily glossed over when skimming through the book to the "good stuff" (crazy apocalyptic things happening, which are super interesting, of course), but when I started to read through it my spirit just went "HOLD ON...WHAT???!!" after these two chapters. God is promising us some seriously amazing things here!

First, I just want to say that I firmly believe that God has given us tremendous gifts for right now. I saw a Bill Johnson video last night and he made a great point about this - God promised us gifts that would really be useless in Heaven: dominion over death, commissions to cast out demons and heal the sick...none of that will be necessary in the next life. That's for right now. We have authority over all the earth right now. And that's amazing...but a different topic.

I brought it up because I think that these verses are a little different. The promises here don't seem to be for our earthly lives; they follow a theme of things given at the end of time, as Jesus returns and God's kingdom replaces the old earth. Which makes sense, given the book it's in, but look at what He's giving us:

1. "...I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God." (Rev 2:7)

Well, okay. The tree of life. As in the tree that was kept from Adam and Eve, that would give us eternal life and eliminate any thought of death, sickness, disease, headaches, hangnails...all of that gone. We know we have that promise, but when you think about it...even if all of the other promises of God weren't there, if this were it, it would still be worthy of rejoicing and praising God. What more could we ask for? But God gives us more.

2. "...will not be hurt by the second death." (Rev 2:11)

This goes along with the last one, just from a different angle. It's important to remember, though, that getting life means avoiding death. And not just death, but the second death - the eternal suffering of being removed from God, horrible beyond imagination. In a short, simple sentence, Jesus tells us, "Yeah, don't worry about that. That's not for you." What a release it is to know that we are already spared from this fate, a fate we originally deserved.

3. "...I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone, which no one knows but he who receives it." (Rev 2:17)

Whoa. I'm not sure of all of the implications of this verse, but it sounds awesome. The hidden manna I take to be the bread from heaven that Jesus mentions (John 6:50), which again mentions the whole "not dying" thing. The new name is "better than that of sons and daughters...an everlasting name which will not be cut off." (Is 56:5). (I'm getting these cross-references from my Bible, I really don't have it memorized that well). This name will be more than just a label; it will be our very identity, the truth of who we are in Christ. I can't imagine what it will be, but won't it be awesome to have the fullness of who you are handed to you by God Himself?

4. "...TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star." (Rev 2:26-28)

We've been given authority of this type for this life as well, but this takes that authority a step further; we will rule over the nations with a rod of iron. Does this mean judgment? Are we judges? I don't know how far this goes...I welcome comments from those who have had the opportunity to study it more. But it does say that we will have authority in the way Jesus has received authority from His Father...and His Father gave Him the right to judge. Oh, and we get the morning star, too. That almost seems like an afterthought in this verse, but this is Jesus (Rev 22:16). He gives us Himself. Wow.

5. "...will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels." (Rev 3:5)

Jesus will be our advocate. He will stand up for us and lift up our name as worthy of the book of life. We're not worthy, but He'll do it anyway. And as the One who died for us, who took on our punishment in advance, He's the only One who has the right to do this. We will be clothed in white, pure, clean, unblemished, and accepted into God's Kingdom as if we were blameless and holy all of our lives.

6. "...I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God and My new name." (Rev 3:12).

A pillar in the temple; as in, a permanent fixture. Aren't the best times of our lives when we're in that temple, when we're worshiping and enter His presence? We can access a form of this on earth, but then we inevitably have to enter the world again, to battle with all of the sin that resides here. Jesus says that we will not leave the temple anymore. We never have to leave His presence again (not to mention the fact that it will be intensified beyond comprehension because we'll be right there with Him). What an uplifting thought! And He will write God's name on us, and the name of the new Jerusalem. We will be designated as a part of God's city, permanent citizens of God's Kingdom, and no one can take that away from us.

7. "...I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Rev 3:21)

Here's where it really becomes clear - we get to be with Jesus. We will sit on His throne just as He does, inheriting the power and authority that comes with it. Jesus did this; He overcame more than we'll ever have to, and was rewarded with the throne of God. We just need to overcome a tiny portion of what He faced, and we will be given the same honor.

There's so much more to talk about here than can be covered in a blog post, but my point is - these are fantastic things. And God has given them to those who overcome. Those who believe in spite of everything the world throws at them, who stand strong and fight past sin and temptation and the corruption of others, and  win our war against satan and his army by choosing God and remaining steadfast. We overcome.

So don't see problems in your life as obstacles in your way, as things to slow you down, as unfair burdens that are put in place to keep you from succeeding. These are opportunities! Opportunities to defeat the enemy, to add to your treasures in heaven, and to declare yourself as "one who overcomes" and accept the beautiful promises of Jesus Christ.