To The One Who Conquers

Revelation 2-3 (The Seven Church Letters)

1. The Church is under attack!

a. This world is undergoing a dynamic shift due to a spiritual and cultural war.

b. While it seems that we are quickly entering the last days, that which the Church is experiencing now is nothing new.

2. In Revelation 2-3 Jesus wrote to seven churches in Asia. (Ephesus; Smyrna; Pergamum; Thyatira; Sardis; Philadelphia; Laodicea)

a. The early Church was experiencing the same issues that we are experiencing today!

b. In each letter Jesus addressed things that the Church either needed to conquer or had already conquered.

c. Each of the 7 letters in Revelation 2-3 commands the recipients to “hear” and “conquer.”

3. That is what the LORD wants to address today: To The One Who Conquers

I. Putting Our Potential Into Practice

A. Our Potential In Christ Jesus

1. (Romans 8:35–39, ESV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. NOTHING has the power to separate us from Christ’s love!

a. The enemy knows he can’t get Jesus to quit loving us, so he tries to get us to pull away from Jesus.

b. Jesus enables us to go through any circumstance or spiritual attack and not pull away from Him!

(1) Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

(2) “through” = διά (1223), “by, by means of,” when followed by the genitive case, is instrumental.

(3) In other words, “we are more than conquerors by means of him who loved us.”

3. “More Than Conquerors” reveals our potential in Christ; it’s time to put our potential into practice!

B. Defining “Conquer” And “Conqueror”

1. “Conquers”

a. This is found in each of the 7 letters in Revelation 2-3

b. nικάω (nikao, 3528), means to conquer, overcome, and prevail and is translated “conquering” and “to conquer”

c. In each case the Greek word is in the Present Tense; which speaks of a continuous action! (Keep conquering!)

2. “Conqueror”

a. ὑπερνικάω (hupernikao, 5245), “to be more than conqueror” (huper, “over” + nikao), “we are hyper-conquerors”

b. (Romans 8:37, NASB95) But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

3. Jesus isn’t referring to a single act of conquering; He is speaking of a lifestyle of conquering!

C. A Conqueror Doesn’t Always Appear To Be Conquering

1. ILL. Jesus on the cross; Jesus’ victory wasn’t revealed to the disciples until His resurrection.

2. There are times when the enemy looks like the ultimate conqueror.

a. (Revelation 13:5–7, ESV) And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

3. The final victor isn’t truly revealed until the battle ends!

II. We Are In A Battle

A. Jesus Addressed Several Issues That Christians Must Conquer

1. A Dying Love

a. The Christians in Ephesus were commended for their works; but their works were done without fervent love.

(1) (Revelation 2:4, ESV) But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

b. Abandoned: ἀφίημιi aphiemi = to stop doing something (implies complete cessation); to give up, to stop, to quit.

(1) Some English words used to translate this Greek word reveals how serious it is! Leave; divorce; neglect; permit

c. We must guard our first love for it is one of the things Jesus values the most, and too often is abandoned first!

d. The love we have for Jesus should be growing greater as we follow Him, never diminishing.

e. Zealous, fervent, first love must be guarded, nurtured, and maintained. We must not settle for less; Jesus won’t!

f. Conquer whatever is killing your first love! A 1st love for Jesus is the key to all that follows in the rest of the letters.

2. Fear of Suffering

a. The Christians in Smyrna were fearful of suffering.

b. No one likes to suffer! But, if we are fearful of suffering for Jesus we will not be faithful in living for Jesus!

c. Love is the key: (1 John 4:18, ESV) There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

3. False Teaching & Teachers

a. Some of the Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira had embraced (or tolerated) false teaching and teachers.

b. Jesus came with a sword, not to destroy them, but to set them free! Let the Word set you free!

4. Spiritual Lethargy & Lukewarmness

a. The two churches in Sardis and Laodicea had reputation of being great churches, but looks are often deceiving!

b. (Rev 3:2-3) You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up ...

c. (Rev 3:17) For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

5. All these things were acceptable to the churches 2000 years ago and they are still acceptable today; but not to Jesus!

B. Jesus Has Provided What We Need To Put Our Potential Into Practice (The Foundation of a Conqueror)

1. A revelation of Jesus (In each letter Jesus reveals Himself in ways that will help the recipients conquer that which is conquering them!)

a. Ephesians: (Rev 2:1) Jesus is in the midst of His Church.

(1) The Ephesians were losing their 1st love; meditate on Jesus who, because of His love, never gives up on us!

(2) If your love for Jesus is diminishing ... look to Jesus as He reveals Himself to you; it will renew your first love!

b. Smyrna: (Rev 2:8) Jesus died but came back to life

(1) The Smyrna Christians were fearful of suffering; look to Jesus who suffered but was victorious over it all!

c. Pergamum: (Rev 2:12) Jesus has the sharp two-edged sword (the Word!)

(1) Many of the Pergamum Christians had been deceived by false teaching/teachers; look to Jesus, the Word! (b) The Church which doesn’t teach the Word is on the road to deception!

d. Thyatira: (Rev 2:18) Jesus has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like bronze (He really sees and is not moved!)

(1) Many of the Christians in Thyatira were tolerating the ministry of Jezebel! (b) Look to Jesus who is discerning and stable; He sees through every deception and is not moved!

e. Sardis: (Rev 3:1) Jesus has the fullness of the Spirit and the Church angels at His command.

(1) The Church in Sardis looked alive but was dead! Look to Jesus who has what you need to wake up and live!

f. Philadelphia: (Rev 3:7) Jesus has the key of David (authority) and sets before us an open door!

(1) The Philadelphia Christians would continue to conquer and hold on to what Jesus had given them, not because they were powerful, but because they looked to Jesus who was making the way for them! (b) In essence Jesus said, “If you want to continue to conquer keep holding on to what I have given you.”

g. Laodicea: (Rev 3:14) Jesus is the faithful and true witness.

(1) The Laodicean Christians were full of pride; spiritually “lukewarm” and self-deceived! (b) If you want to know the truth about yourself ... look to Jesus; He’ll tell you the truth and give you hope.

2. The leading of the Spirit

a. Each letter tells the recipient to “hear what the Spirit ways to the churches”

(1) The Spirit is saying what Jesus is saying! Listening to the Spirit is listening to what Jesus is saying.

b. The Holy Spirit always uses the Word when He speaks to me; especially that which I’ve memorized.

c. If you want to conquer you first must listen!

3. The Body of Christ

a. Jesus was in the midst of the 7 golden lampstands (churches) and had the 7 stars (angels) in His hand. (2:1)

b. You can’t conquer alone! (Jesus didn’t address these letters to individuals, but to His Church!)

III. Conquerors Are Rewarded!

A. Only Conquerors Are Rewarded

1. While there will be some in Heaven who did not conquer, there will be none rewarded who were not conquerors.

2. (1 Corinthians 3:15, ESV) If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

B. Each Letter Promises A Different Blessing To Those Who Conquer

1. (Revelation 2:7, ESV) To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

2. (Revelation 2:11, ESV) The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

3. (Revelation 2:17, ESV) To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

4. (Revelation 2:26–28, ESV) The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.

5. (Revelation 3:5, ESV) The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

6. (Revelation 3:12, ESV) The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, 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 from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

7. (Revelation 3:21, ESV) The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

C. The Conqueror’s Reward Is Given In Eternity

1. The reward isn’t given for a single act of conquering, but to those who live a lifestyle of conquering.

2. In other words, Jesus is calling His followers to live a conquering life!

Conclusion:

Those who do not conquer will be conquered.

Live according to who you are in Christ! MTC! A conqueror’s reward is before you!

In Christ I am more than a conqueror, therefore I will conquer anything that gets in the way of my love relationship with Him.

I am “more than a conqueror” because I have been conquered by the love of Christ!