We Must Overcome!!!
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Text:
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Focus verses:
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
I had a disturbing dream Thursday night (6/25/21).
I was on a porch with a friend of mine over in my old neighborhood of Florida Ave. We were standing and talking and then suddenly we heard a very loud noise. It was night time and suddenly, we heard a loud noise and the sky lit up. We came off of the porch and looked up at the sky and we saw Jesus coming. He was descending down but he didn’t come all the way down to the earth. We saw what seemed to be souls ascending up into the air and we assumed that it was the dead in Christ. We began to praise God and knew that at any moment that we were going to be changed. We felt something happening and people around us started going up. We closed our eyes and rejoiced but then all of a sudden we opened them and it was dark, quiet, and gloomy. The Lord left and took the saints back with Him to New Jerusalem. But I was left behind! I started screaming and crying in horror, wondering to myself......”Why”.......why didn’t I make it. Why did I not go up when the saints went up. I cried and said it is over and I won’t have another chance to make it in.
I immediately woke up and started thanking God that it was a dream. Then I asked God, “why did I have that dream?” “are you trying to tell me something, is that dream for me?” Then God replied “that dream is for everyone I want you to tell.”
You better make sure your election is sure (2 Peter 1:10).
Don’t base your salvation off of a feeling.....just because you feel something doesn’t mean that it’s true or that you are going to make it. On the flip side, you better make sure you are alive and quickened with the Holy Ghost. (Prov 14:12-13)
Something was said in my dream that threw me off....it didn’t make sense initially. I heard a voice say “Pitch the Pitches that will result in Pitches.” I said “huh” what does that mean. When I played baseball in school I was a pitcher, I threw the baseball towards the batter. Pitch the Pitches mean throw out the things that will result in you not entering the kingdom of God. Growing up, I use to see the devil in red with horns and a pitch-fork. Throw out the things that will result in you missing the rapture and being thrown in the lake of fire!
Now you may ask or think what do I need to throw out? Well I’m glad you asked that question:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.
I want you to understand this isn’t just a fluke that showed up in scripture:
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Wait.....I got one more for you:
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
This is an interesting scripture, it is not alluding to a state of apathy where we no longer care about souls, or allowing people to continue to live in sin. This is referring to those who have made a determination that regardless of what you tell me.....I’m going to do me. Oh that sounds like today’s time doesn’t it? Preacher I don’t care what you preach.....I’m gonna still get drunk, I’m going to still shoot up, I’m going to still lie, cheat, and swindle people, I’m going to still practice sexual immorality. So the reply to that is “Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”
Why?
Because Jesus now says:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be.
Now the writer writes.....watch this:
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Testify to someone and tell them “We’ve Got To Overcome!” We gotta overcome this stuff......we’ve got to overcome the ways in us that God is not pleased with. If we are going to make the rapture.....if we are going to be saved.....WE’VE GOT TO OVERCOME! ANYBODY WANT TO BE SAVED IN HERE! ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE TO THAT CITY........ANYBODY WANT TO WALK THE STREETS OF GOLD IN NEW JERUSALEM......THEN ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR WE’VE GOT TO OVERCOME!
It’s almost midnight.....and Jesus is coming back for his church. His coming back for a sanctified church, His coming back for a blood-washed church, He’s coming back for a Holy Ghost filled church, He’s coming back for a church without a spot wrinkle or blemish. And.....
When Jesus comes, you won’t have time to get it right, you won’t have time to repent, you won’t have time to ask that person for forgiveness. We have to get ready now! You won’t have time to make yourself presentable, we gotta do right now.....matter of fact you can’t make yourself presentable.....only if you give your life to him and surrender can He make you presentable.
There will not be a second chance. We are talking about God here....God’s time is not your time. You need to get it right TODAY!
Main Text:
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev says “blessed and holy is he that taketh part in the first resurrection.” You can’t be holy if you are deliberately living in sin. The first resurrection won’t apply to you.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”
There will be two resurrections. In the first resurrection, all of the saints, the saved folk, the ones who have their names written in the lamb’s book of life our going to take part in that resurrection. In the second resurrection, is where everybody else will be resurrected and will stand before the white throne, and Jesus is going to open the books, those books are going to recount your life, every deed, every thought, every word is going to be in that book. Then there is the book of life will be open, your name is not found in that book, you will be cast into the lake of fire!
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
We’ve got to make it the first time! Testify to your neighbor and say “neighbor....We’ve Got To Overcome”
How do I make my election and calling sure? By knowing and believing that you need a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ. For whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved! Jesus died on the cross at Calvary so that you can receive forgiveness of sins. Jesus rose on the third day being the first fruit of the resurrection. If you believe that Jesus died and rose again, if you believe he died to reconcile you back to God, if you believe that because he died and rose again that if you should die, because of your faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ, you too will God raise up....then you can be saved!
When Jesus truly saves you, He regenerates you, He brings a change in your life, the old man dies (your sinful lifestyle and habits die) and you are washed by the blood of the lamb, and quickened (made alive) with the Spirit of God.
How do we overcome? The secret to overcoming isn’t based upon your fleshly knowledge, overcoming isn’t based upon your will power or your stamina. There is only one way you can overcome.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
In order for you to overcome, you have to have THE ONE that overcame in you:
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CONQUERED THE WORLD, HE IS THE ONE THAT CONQUERED THE DEVIL, JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CONQUERED DEATH, HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CONQUERED THE GRAVE......AND IF YOU GOT JESUS IN YOU, IF JESUS IS LIVING IN YOU, IF YOU LET THE LORD COME IN YOUR LIFE.......PAUL SAYS:
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Jesus says:
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Overcome what? We need to overcome the sin in our life. We need to overcome the devil and his tactics. This text in Revelation was written not to scare the church, not to intimidate the church, but to encourage the church. Matter of fact, if we were to truly study and understand the entire flow of the book of Revelation it is a book of encouragement.
Jesus tells Apostle John to write these words to the church of Smyrna “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty.” I need to stop there because I love what is written in the NLT “I know about your suffering and your poverty- but you are rich!” Then Jesus says, don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer, the devil will throw some of you into prison to test you.
Yes, the devil is going to test you because he knows his time is short. He’s going to test you because misery loves company, gonna test you because he wants to bring down as many people as possible.
But don’t be afraid of what the devil will throw your way. He’s going to try to bind and hinder you.....but don’t be afraid.
Then Jesus says “You will suffer for ten days, but if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”
Jesus was telling them essentially that some of them may even die.....but even if you face death.....remain faithful. DIE BELIEVING! Remain faithful to God no matter what.
Jesus said if you should die, don’t worry about it......I’ll raise you again and I’ll give you a crown of life.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh.......he that hangs in there......he who doesn’t give up.......he that persevere shall not be hurt of the second death.