Praise the LORD!
Here in the United States of Denominations it can be very hard to grasp the meaning of a victorious church. I feel quite certain that just about every church probably feels that they are a victorious church. The true answer to that, I must say, would come in having the understanding that the building is NOT the church but rather it is each individual that forms the body of the church. So now we must ask, do we as an individual feel victorious? Have we, as an individual and part of the body overcome the world?
I was doing a study recently on Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These two chapters cover 7 letters to 7 churches that were in the area of Asia Minor which is in what we know as Turkey today. I had read through these chapters quite a few times prior and had felt that the LORD was showing me the importance in overcoming. I began to tell people, " I am pretty sure that Jesus told one of the churches in the Book of Revelation that you must overcome." Being busy in many other areas of life and many other studies I did not have time to really dig into to these two chapters but that tugging of the importance of overcoming never left me. Finally, just about 2 months ago, I made time to really slow down and digest what the Spirit was saying to the church.
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith;
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
I was shocked to see that Jesus had told not just one church, as I thought it was, but had actually told ALL 7 churches that they must overcome. I reread the scriptures over and over to see if what I was now seeing was correct and sure enough it was. I also noticed that near the end of each letter to all 7 churches He said, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith;.... How many of us can be guilty of not always hearing EXACTLY what the Spirit is saying to the church?
I see it to be a most critical mistake to miss what is being said to the church here. When you look at the condition of the families in the United States and other countries that have been destroyed because of sin, it gives much better understanding of why we need to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. I agree that it is JESUS and our faith that gives us the victory ,BUT at the same time, if we do not overcome our own sin, it will have effects on us and our families.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him; and he can not sin,
because he is born of God
A simple study of what the Spirit has said to the 7 churches in Revelation chapter 2 and 3 will surely show us the importance of being an overcomer. Only 2 of the 7 churches were victorious churches. The 2 victorious churches were Smyrna and Philadelphia. Smyrna was a poor and persecuted church although the LORD was sure to remind them they were rich even though they were poor.
Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)...........
The other victorious church, Philadelphia, was an amazingly victorious church! Although Smyrna was also victorious, Philadelphia just seems to be the kind of church that God gave the power to crush the head of the wicked one and rejoice in the victory!
Some say that these 7 churches represent 7 milliniums that the churches will go through but even with my best efforts I could never make it fit that kind of puzzle. What I have seen though, is that each individual as the church, can find themselves in any 1 of these 7 churches at anytime if they are not careful!
Which church are you in?
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times; and riseth again:
but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!
God bless you!
and be sure to tell someone on the job about JESUS!
If you have not read "The Ten Minute Tribulation" click here to get it now!
Here in the United States of Denominations it can be very hard to grasp the meaning of a victorious church. I feel quite certain that just about every church probably feels that they are a victorious church. The true answer to that, I must say, would come in having the understanding that the building is NOT the church but rather it is each individual that forms the body of the church. So now we must ask, do we as an individual feel victorious? Have we, as an individual and part of the body overcome the world?
I was doing a study recently on Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These two chapters cover 7 letters to 7 churches that were in the area of Asia Minor which is in what we know as Turkey today. I had read through these chapters quite a few times prior and had felt that the LORD was showing me the importance in overcoming. I began to tell people, " I am pretty sure that Jesus told one of the churches in the Book of Revelation that you must overcome." Being busy in many other areas of life and many other studies I did not have time to really dig into to these two chapters but that tugging of the importance of overcoming never left me. Finally, just about 2 months ago, I made time to really slow down and digest what the Spirit was saying to the church.
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith;
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
I was shocked to see that Jesus had told not just one church, as I thought it was, but had actually told ALL 7 churches that they must overcome. I reread the scriptures over and over to see if what I was now seeing was correct and sure enough it was. I also noticed that near the end of each letter to all 7 churches He said, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith;.... How many of us can be guilty of not always hearing EXACTLY what the Spirit is saying to the church?
I see it to be a most critical mistake to miss what is being said to the church here. When you look at the condition of the families in the United States and other countries that have been destroyed because of sin, it gives much better understanding of why we need to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. I agree that it is JESUS and our faith that gives us the victory ,BUT at the same time, if we do not overcome our own sin, it will have effects on us and our families.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him; and he can not sin,
because he is born of God
A simple study of what the Spirit has said to the 7 churches in Revelation chapter 2 and 3 will surely show us the importance of being an overcomer. Only 2 of the 7 churches were victorious churches. The 2 victorious churches were Smyrna and Philadelphia. Smyrna was a poor and persecuted church although the LORD was sure to remind them they were rich even though they were poor.
Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)...........
The other victorious church, Philadelphia, was an amazingly victorious church! Although Smyrna was also victorious, Philadelphia just seems to be the kind of church that God gave the power to crush the head of the wicked one and rejoice in the victory!
Some say that these 7 churches represent 7 milliniums that the churches will go through but even with my best efforts I could never make it fit that kind of puzzle. What I have seen though, is that each individual as the church, can find themselves in any 1 of these 7 churches at anytime if they are not careful!
Which church are you in?
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times; and riseth again:
but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!
God bless you!
and be sure to tell someone on the job about JESUS!
If you have not read "The Ten Minute Tribulation" click here to get it now!
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