Revelation 4:1-5

God is in Control

Chuck Swindoll has said that...

One of the marks of spiritual maturity is the quiet confidence that God is in control...without the need to understand why he does what he does.

How good do you think God governs the world?

Do you think he did a good job before this day?

Do you think he’ll do a good job after this day?

Then how good do you think he’ll do this day?

Many times as believers, we too wrestle with the problems we face, not realizing that God has been with us all the time. For this to be our hope we must realize God is in control.

As Corrie ten Boom has said...

Don’t bother to give God instructions; just report for duty.

Revelation 4:1-5

The New King James Version Chapter 4

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

It is important to realize throughout these next few chapters that the victory of the Lamb and his exaltation to a place of authority occurs not at the end of the book but has already been achieved at the cross.

These people whom Revelation was originally written for were those who were going through struggles in the world.

Who is in control? Who will gain the victory in those battles of your life?

Our purpose is to find Jesus already victorious and see that God is in control.

Someone has said...

Joy is that deep settled confidence that God is in control in every area of my life.

How do we know that God is in control?

I. God rules from heaven (1)

Revelation 4:1 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.””

II. God’s rule is sovereign (2)

Revelation 4:2 “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”

III. God rules in majesty (3)

Revelation 4:3 “And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.”

IV. God’s rule is trustworthy (4) Revelation 4:4 “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.”

V. God rules in power (5)

Revelation 4:5 “And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”