“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” – Revelation 12:11

Revelation 12 celebrates the coming of Jesus and the defeat of Satan. It commemorates the casting out of the devil from God’s presence. He can no longer make accusations about God’s people before the throne of God. Think carefully about the implications of this… The devil can never speak lies and accusations against you to God! However, he can certainly make trouble on earth, whispering lies and accusations against you to yourself. That’s exactly what he does. He lies to the followers of Jesus, trying to get us to believe things about ourselves that aren’t true. Trying to stir up feelings of guilt and shame in our minds that would cause us to draw away from the Lord.

Don’t believe those lies about yourself! Remember what this verse says defeated the devil… The blood of the Lamb and the testimony of your life as a follower of Jesus. Satan’s defeat was sealed at the cross. When Jesus, the eternal Son of God, gave Himself over to die on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, Satan was defeated. Why? Because now God’s people are forgiven, made holy, adopted into God’s family, and united with Christ living in them. The death and resurrection of Jesus guaranteed the devil’s defeat. Though he can certainly do scary things, he has no power compared to the infinite power of Jesus, the Lamb of God. He has been conquered by the blood of the Lamb.

The devil is further humiliated by the testimony of those who devote themselves to Jesus. Those who live lives of faithful obedience. Those who choose the Lord over comfort, convenience, or safety. The devil is a loser. He certainly can be effective in whispering lies to people, but God doesn’t listen to him at all and neither should you. The devil is a loser. He was crushed by Jesus at the cross. The devil is a loser. He can tempt and he can frighten, but he can’t overcome or erase the testimony of those who hold firmly to Lord Jesus. Be wary of the devil’s lies and tricks, but trust the infinitely greater power of Christ Who lives in you! #FollowJesus

“The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
– Revelation 11:18

For God’s people, the images and prophecies of Revelation should not be something to fear. Rather, we should be looking forward to the day when God’s final judgment will begin to unfold on the earth. The seventh trumpet will usher in God’s wrath upon all those opposed to the coming of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. That wrath will be awful to witness and worse to experience. Those who aren’t in Christ are absolutely right to be afraid of it, for it will be terrible and there will be no escape for them.

However, it will also usher in God’s reward of those who have embraced Jesus as Lord throughout all of history. Our bodies will rise in glory and our souls will be reunited with them. Christ’s judgment of His flock will be beautiful and joyous to experience. Unending rewards will be given to everyone who loves and follows Jesus. It doesn’t matter how famous or anonymous they were in the eyes of the world. How famous or anonymous you are in the eyes of the world. All God’s children are known and loved by Him. All Christ’s followers are precious to Him. All will be praised for their faithfulness and rewarded for their service to King Jesus.

And then…. all creation will be renewed. The destruction, disaster, and devastation that we’re so used to will no longer exist. The earth will once again be the way God made it to be. Perfect. Free of disease, chaos, drought, famine, contamination, pollution, cruelty, and pain. The earth will no longer be cursed for our sins but will be the temple of God’s presence as Jesus and the Father live on the earth, lighting up the new Jerusalem for all believers to enjoy forever. In Christ, the future is not something to fear but to celebrate. #FollowJesus

“When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.”
– Psalm 94:18-19

The question isn’t whether you will experience difficulties, doubts, fears, and worries in your life. The question is whether you’ll face them alone or with God as your ever-present strength and comfort. We live in a fallen world that is thoroughly infected and affected by human sin and its consequences. And so, every person who lives for any meaningful amount of time will experience ups and downs, highs and lows, cares and concerns, struggles and successes, failures and triumphs.

However, we don’t have to face them in our own limited strength and abilities. When we unite ourselves with Christ by putting our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive not only forgiveness and eternal life. We receive the wonderful promises that God will neither leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). That Jesus will certainly be with us all of the days until He returns (Matthew 28:20). That we are in Him and He is in us (John 17:21-23). That the Holy Spirit of God seals us and lives in us (Ephesians 1:13-14).

When you think you can go no further and can endure nothing else, God’s steadfast love will strengthen you. God’s grace will sustain you. God’s love will renew you. When worry, fear, and doubt overwhelm your heart and mind, God invites you to cast your burdens on Him (Psalm 55:22), to lay your anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7), and to give every fear, every worry, and every doubt to Him in prayer with thanksgiving because He is listening with love (Philippians 4:6-7). May God’s supernatural peace, love, and strength fill you in every situation you face, no matter how difficult! #FollowJesus

“They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
– Revelation 7:16-17

This is the promise to every follower of Jesus who holds firmly to their faith, no matter the cost. Though there may be humiliation, suffering, and persecution for the sake of Jesus here on earth, those who hold fast to Lord Jesus will experience peace, love, and joy that never ends in His presence. The Lamb of God Who sacrificed His life for your sins will be your loving Shepherd. God the Father will be your Comforter. He will wipe away the tears and pain of earthly suffering, leaving only joy and love, grace and mercy, awe and wonder.

Physical deprivation will one day end. Even if your faith in Christ costs you your health, wealth, comfort, shelter, status, or freedom on earth, you will have all those things in unimaginable abundance throughout eternity. To accept Jesus’ invitation to take up your cross every single day isn’t easy. It is costly. But the rewards are endless! Yes, Jesus called you to die to yourself every day here on earth as you follow Him. But you will live in Him forever afterwards. That’s a trade everyone should be happy to make! What the world would deny you for faithful obedience to the teachings and commands of the Bible will be yours forever in Christ. #FollowJesus

“They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” – Revelation 6:10-11

In the midst of suffering, injustice, and persecution it can be hard to understand God’s perspective and plan. Our thirst for justice and vengeance can become so overwhelming that we grow impatient with God’s plan. We may even be tempted to wonder if God has a plan…

God has a plan!!! He is all-wise, all-knowing, and all-powerful. He sees all of time from beginning to end. He knows what is the absolute best time and way for everything. His judgment will come at precisely the right moment. This can be hard to accept because it means some believers will suffer for their faith in Jesus Christ. That might even include you! However, God knows their (your) suffering, comforts them (you) in their (your) suffering, and has given ironclad promises that His perfect and eternal justice will come. Those who abuse God’s people will pay for their sins.

When you’re in a hard season that leads you to question God’s timing and justice, turn your mind toward His comfort instead. You aren’t going to figure out the answers to the mysteries of the universe and God’s timing. But you can certainly find and experience God more deeply. Trust that His plan is best and that He alone understands the best timing for all things. Rather than wrestle with questions beyond your pay grade, find your perfect rest in the Lord. Draw near to Him and enjoy His comforting love and presence. Enjoy the purity and holiness you’ve been given in Him as a gift of grace through faith in Jesus. #FollowJesus and rest a little longer!