Is Victorious in Your Future?

So much about the future seems so uncertain right now. Could our future hold “greater persecution, revival, a great falling away, or great tribulation”? What’s in store for those who prepare? As I hope to show you–victory awaits those who prepare.

“To a burdened, benighted world, crushed under the weight of its own wickedness,” I don’t know how hard it may get, but I can tell us what Jesus said:  But whoever perseveres until the end will have life. … But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.” Mat. 24:13. Those who endure or persevere —come what may— will be victorious. Go through Revelation 2 & 3 and you’ll find 7 times the Risen Christ says,  “to the one who is victorious…”  

7 things Essential to Our Preparation 

1. “Love me like you used to.” Rev.2:8

Jesus commended the Ephesian church for their hard work and perseverance, their endurance through hardship. They had “hung in there” and “gutted it out,” but somehow they’d lost the joy and delight of fellowship and the presence of the Lord himself.  How do we get it back? Practice the presence of the Lord. Take time daily to be still in His presence in good times and bad times, no matter how overstuffed your to do list may be. 

2. “Hang in there:” Rev.2:10 

 Pundits predict, “Something big is coming.” “You can feel it. Everybody can. The next twelve months are going to be a wild time –  like nothing any of us has ever seen.” How will you respond to the chaos? The saints at  Smyrna were about to go through terrible persecution. It’s happening real time with thousands of Christians facing jail, beatings, and even martyrdom. 

“Something big is coming…”

Andrew Brunson was on the World Prayer Network not long after he was released from a Turkish prison in 2018 after 735 days. “Prepare to be hated,” he told us.” Christians are now a minority. Heart preparation is absolutely essential. If you find yourself bogged down by problems, pain, or perplexity, you need a fresh infusion of strength to get up and keep going.

Don’t stop short. Don’t quit. Keep going. You’re near the finish line. Let each new victory propel you forward, closer to the goal.  Stand firm in faith—the very faith Jesus has given you to make you an overcomer.

Never give up!

3. “Don’t be deceived:” Rev. 2:14 

Pergamum was a “deceived church” marinating in the wickedness of a satanic city. She became very “open-minded” (tolerant) about new doctrines not wanting to offend anyone. She said she loved the Word (“hidden manna”) but seemed to have a taste for every nuance of doctrine that comes along. Dangerous distortions of the truth lead to sexual immorality.  Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Craig Groeschel in Soul Detox, said we’re immersed in the cultural hot tub having the time of our lives not realizing that the water temp is increasing daily.  We’ve become “acclimated to a toxic environment full of poisonous influences,” without realizing we have scalded our souls. We’ve become scarred and desensitized to right and wrong, good and evil, what is life-giving and life-draining. And it happened one degree at a time.  How do we ever get back?

“Tolerance has been elevated above truth.”

We must get back to Truth  with a capital T—the tried and true truth of God’s holy Word. It’s not just a starting point; it’s the final authority when it comes to matters of faith and doctrine!  Don’t go running off after the latest spiritual fad. It only muddies the water Prov.25:26. 

“How muddy is your water right now?” “Is your well polluted by all the cultural toxins seeping in, or does your spiritual well draw on the Living Water as its pure, thirst-quenching source?” 

4. “Take sin seriously:” 2:20

Thyatira tolerated relationships with people who appeared spiritual but were living a double life. They no longer took sin seriously. “When truth is sacrificed on the altar of tolerance, it might seem as though everybody wins, but in reality everybody loses.”

God calls us to a higher  standard than tolerance.

It’s called Truth, and it’s always coupled with grace.  Grace means “God treats us better than we deserve.” Truth means “I’ll be honest with you no matter what.” As we marinate in the cultural hot tub, we need discernment and discretion.

We must quit making excuses for our sins. Mistakes are things we do because we don’t know better; sins are things we do when we do know better” (C. W. Ruth ). Don’t confuse the two! “Not many people continue long, sinning every day and repenting every night; for pretty soon their sinning will stop their repenting or their repenting will stop their sinning” (Bud Robinson). 

Jesus came to save us from our sins, to redeem us, and make us a part of the family of God. Christ died to save us from our sins, not to accept them. He loves us too much to leave us lost in our sins! We can only hope that as someone said, “The hand of God that spanks is softened with the cushion of mercy.”

 What sin so easily besets you? The one thing that most frequently trips you up? The one you’re most prone to? Or to which you are most exposed, from habit, age, or circumstances?” It takes discipline and perseverance to run this race that is at times more like a boxing and wrestling match. 

In our SS class  last Sunday, we were sharing praises and prayer requests. Kathi spoke up.  “I have a confession to make…”  she said, her voice trembling. All heads turned to the corner of the classroom where she was seated. You could have heard pin drop on the carpet!  “Confess your sin one to another…” she quoted from Scripture.  She hadn’t been tithing. “I repented,” she said confidently, “and God gave me victory over something that had been defeating me!”

No more excuses

It’s times to say, “No more excuses!”  Take sin seriously. Repent of every known sin. Stop every doubtful habit even if it’s not sin. If it hinders your walk with Christ in any way, give it no place in your life! 

5. “Wake up!” Rev. 3:2

Sardis wasn’t just asleep; she was dead! She had a reputation of being alive, but when the Risen Christ checked, He found no pulse!  Whatever vibrancy she had was gone!  Sardis had lost its hold on Christ.  Communion with Christ had ceased. Their Christianity was dying out.

Their spiritual life was almost extinct, but Jesus saw a dying ember among the ashes, and with His breath He fanned it into a flame. The Body of Christ needs a Spirit infusion.  Mouth to mouth resuscitation to get living and breathing again.  Ask for it!  To get to victorious in 3:5, Jesus tells them in 3:4 what they had to do. 

6. “Go on the offense.” Rev.3:8 

 But the Holy and True One said, “I am placing before you an open door…”Take action. Walk through it. Advance. Go on the offense. Move out!  The enemy may try to slam the door but I won’t let them! “No one will take your crown!” You do not walk alone!

You have kept my command to endure patiently, so I’m going to spare you further testing of your faith! Keep progressing!  Take it to the next level! Press forward through the “open doors” God has set before you. Don’t stay in a rut. Look for the next door God is opening. Yes, walk through the ones He’s already opened! 

7. “Fan the flame:” Rev.3:15

To be victorious we must stay on fire!  Laodicea had cooled down. They had lost their fire. They had become distracted with riches, pleasures, and success. To stay on fire we must ruthlessly eliminate distractions! 

Here’s a suggestion. Turn off talk radio. Or social media. Turn off the radio and talk to God during your commute. Take a silent retreat? You need a space to get some peace and quiet. If you live in a busy city it’s not easy. Or if you’re a parent of little children, it might only be 10 minutes during nap time. Find your quiet place.  “We dare not face people or problems until we face the Lord” (Chic Shaver).

Fall in love with the Word of God like never before.

Dan Bohi passionately reminds in a Facebook reel that “The No.1 necessity for the people in the Body of Christ in 2024 is to fall in love with the Word of God like never before.  We can’t have a casual relationship with it. It’s the only thing that will sustain us in the days to come. The world is shaking (everything that can be shaken will be shaken according to (Heb.12:26-28) but the Word remains forever!

If we want to stay on fire and be included among the victorious, we must not just get through the Bible, but get the Bible through us!  God’s Word strengthens our relationship with God. Victory is ours in every situation. The direction we need to walk in victory comes through our relationship with Him.  He’s already overcome what we are trying to overcome! 

It’s time for the people of God to act on the Truth of God’s Word.  Let this Book take root in your heart.  Let it influence every aspect of your life!  We are not powerless. His power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Pet. 1:3).