Overcomer: The Reward of the Overcomer

we are in a series called the overcomer and we started last week talking about the overcomer who is the overcomer what makes us an overcomer and how do we overcome I believe for the next two weeks I'm going to talk about the reward of the overcomer how many know God our reward you for overcoming and I'm going to preach on the seven churches of Revelation for the next few more you think you're funny don't you I'm going to preach on the seven churches of Asia out of the book of Revelation for the next several weeks I'm not going to preach through all of them today I'm going to probably split them up and preach on three today and for next Sunday we'll see where we get to today but I want to talk about the overcomer and the reward of the overcomer look at your neighbor and inform your neighborhood the overcomer has a reward come on tell them that let me do this right quick before we get into this are there any first-time guests here at 9:00 a.m. you came to 9:00 a.m. service and this is your first time being here god bless you sweetheart god bless you what we're here anybody else just lift your hands so we could say good morning right over there god bless you come on Artie T and these are for real first-time guests anybody that came to 9:00 a.m. in a deluge and a downpour how many know they're really serious about trying this place out today so we're grateful that you're here and we pray that god bless you while you're here if you'll fill out that first time connect card on your way out pastor Omari or someone from the fit team will be at the the Welcome Center in the in the lobbies on the outside as you leave and we just want to greet you serve you love you let you know we're here also I want to tell you for those of you who do social media we do have a social media presence on Facebook under redemption to the nation's church on Instagram and on Twitter and if you're on social media you should go follow redemption to the nation's church on all those platforms because daily almost we are updating it with information and resources for you and your family and so we want you to take advantage of that if you can go check those things out Revelation chapter 2 verse number 1 my subject today the reward of the overcomer look at somebody tell them now and later now and later that's what I'm gonna talk about today I'm just going to read from revelation 2 verse 1 through verse 7 and then I'm gonna preach on hopefully preach on most of that chapter to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write these things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands I know your works your labor your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil and you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and you have found them liars and you have person persevered and have patience and have labored for my name's sake and have not become weary nevertheless I have this against you you have left your first love remember therefore from where you have fallen repent and do your first works or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent but this you have that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches to him or her who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God hallelujah how many thank God that the reward of the overcomer has already been established and declared in the Word of God father I pray you help me today to teach and preach the word of the Lord I pray you bring to my mind those things that you have caused me to prepare for and I pray the anointing to teach and preach would be crowned upon this house today let them jump in this river of grace with me Oh God take us wherever you want us to go and we are grateful that by the time we reach the destination that you have intended for this message and this service people will have been liberated and free chains broken yolks destroyed sinners saved and sick people healed do it for your glory Lord we ask in Jesus name and everybody said amen and amen you can be seated in the presence of the Lord last week we laid a foundation that I believe will shape the next few weeks as we discover what it means to be an overcomer I think the fact that God calls you and I and overcomer in his word gives us at least two clues about our Christian journey we should take special note in that in the name that he gave us when he called us an overcomer because I think it suggests at least two things number one when he calls you an I and overcomer it indicates initially that there will be some sort of battle and some sort of resistance the fact that he called you an overcomer means there's something to come over I think sometimes in the kingdom of God we are afraid to teach and to preach anything that has to do with resistance challenge when the enemy tries to come against the sweet we refuse to teach that because we want people to follow Jesus because it's easy and and preachers are scared if we don't talk about how easy it is people won't follow Jesus but I'm going to tell you right now when you signed up to get saved it did not mean it would get easier it didn't mean it would get better so when he calls you an overcomer the first thing I think he wants you to clue in on I think he's trying to make sense of some of the seasons that come in our life when we are challenged under pressure and when we when we are presented with an attack in some sort from the enemy if you're going through any kind of struggle or challenge in your faith at all you should take hope today that Jesus clued you in before it happened that it would just be part of the journey there's not something wrong with you if you've ever had a struggle there's not something wrong with you if you have never had a fight in fact of the fact that he called you an overcomer is significant because had he wanted to illustrate to you that there would be no kind of warfare he would not have called you an overcomer he would have called you a good little Christian but the fact that he called you an overcoming come on come on how many know that we are more than good little Christians because if we were just good little Christians that means that our peace would never be threatened our faith would never be shaken our joy would never be jeopardized our money would never be messed with our children would never be challenged but the fact that he called you an overcomer helps you make sense of what you've been dealing with wrestling against and fighting against because it's really part of the journey when you start following Jesus but I came to tell you today not only is the word overcomer an indication of a battle it's also a reminder that the resistance Satan often presents to us is futile in nature I must say that one more time so you can catch it the resistance Satan releases against you and I times is futile in nature in other words it never works like Satan thinks it's going to work why because we're overcomers not only is the word overcomer indicative of the fact that we will have challenges and setbacks and and and frustrating seasons but the fact that he called us an overcomer reminds us that no matter how long the season lasts no matter how dark the night may be no matter how challenging the challenge may get at the end of the day built into my DNA is the ability to overcome whatever it is Satan has pondered up in an attempt to stop me it is why the writer said and I believe him that no weapon formed against us shall be able to prosper he wanted to give us a know this is sunrise he wanted to give us a name that prophesied our destiny god have mercy I said he gave us a name that prophesied our purpose and our destiny if you were a loser he would have called you a loser if you were a failure he would have called you a failure if you were a wannabe he would have called you a wannabe but he called you an overcomer because he wanted you to know whatever happens in your life it is not going to work against you if you keep your faith in Christ it will only work as a catapult to release you from glory to go look at your neighbor tell them you're sitting by an overcomer come on tell them you're sitting by and overcome come on I expect for you to win I don't expect that your life will be without a battle I just expect that in the end you're going to win I don't expect that you'll live without a battle but I expect breakthrough in every situation there are two kinds of people in this room right now there are those who are in a battle and those who just walked off the battlefield with another victory and I need the people who just experienced some kind of victory to help the people who are in the middle of a battle to understand that whatever they're going through right now it's gonna be all right if the Lord has brought anybody through anything recently if God has helped you to overcome something I need you to open up your mouth and let your neighbor know that everything is going to be all right somebody praise Him in here there are other places that talk about what an overcomer does I believe it would behoove us today to remind us not of who we are just who we are and how we overcome we did that last week but we need to be reminded of the reward now I'm gonna say something right here as I prepared for this thing this past week in the last two weeks I'm going to tell you I got under conviction sister D because I had to go back several years to find a message I had preached on heaven now let me say a few things right here growing up when you're broke busted and disgusted and you're poor from the floor up and you're cheated from the feet up come on somebody yeah rewrote that thing when you're in that shape the only thing you have to get happy about is your eternal reward and so growing up we sang songs about heaven we sang songs about heaven we sang songs about streets of gold we sang songs about rich now we're a rope and a crown and we shouted all over the church because we were happy that although we were going back to a two-bedroom flat falling apart with roofs shingles hanging off the side one day we had our mind made up we were gonna walk home streets made out of gold and live in a place that had walls made out of Jasper but there's something that crept into the church that we did not have an earthly strategy to win the world that we were living in so we began to preach about the kingdom I preached about the kingdom almost every week I preached the kingdom because the gospel of the kingdom is the message Jesus preached but I need to set something straight today no matter how good your reward is on this until you get to the other side now I believe you've been rewarded now anybody else thankful that you get rewarded now I said anybody else thankful that you get rewarded now for those who are born of God for those who keep the faith for those who walk in the word for those who walk in the spirit there is now joy there is now peace there is now prosperity there is now authority there is now an anointing in fact the Bible said in Ephesians 3 verse 20 now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think Hebrews 11:1 said now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen God will reward your life right slap somebody tell them now now now now now that's why the writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 11 verse 6 but without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a somebody said it rewarder of them that diligently seek Him look at your neighbor tell him now now now God will reward you now God's gonna bless you now God can heal you now God can deliver you now anybody told you you got away two four blood moons and three blue moons and two white moons happen before you get a breakthrough didn't read the same Bible I read my Bible tells me that now faith can have a miracle right now I can be delivered right now and step into a breakthrough right but there is not only a now reward there is a reward coming as good as his reward is on this side of heaven as good as his promise and his provision and his presence and his peace are on this side of heaven there is a greater dimension of reward that is coming for the overcomer in your future the Lord said to me this week while I was praying when you don't talk about eternal reward people lose hope don't you start living like the only reward you will ever see is the reward you have right now I want to tell you as good as now is for some of us as good as now is for some of you something better is on the way I didn't get enough up on that thing look at somebody next to you tell them I still believe in heaven if they looked at you funny grab your stuff and get up from them uh-huh go find somebody that looks like they can shout all over your purse find you somebody who's not afraid to get happy about the promise of eternal life listen to me Jack I don't care how blessed you are down here I don't care how much money you have in the bank I don't care how much insane power and persona and all of these things that this world can offer you that you may have accumulated don't ever look at somebody and judge their future based on where they are right now you may be a popper living on food stamps but one day he's gonna crown you with a crown and put a rope on you and say well done good and faithful servant you've been faithful over a little now I'll make you ruler over much my god I see my preaching today Jesus talks about this greater dimension of reward coming for the overcome the issue of future reward in the face of threat and hostility is best articulated in Revelation chapter 2 and 3 now there have been debates in church history as to who these seven churches represented some say the message is given to the seven churches of Asia were meant for the actual seven churches that existed in John's day because surely we know from history that these seven churches did cysts in John's day others believe that the seven churches written of here in Revelation 2 and 3 represent the church throughout different periods of history and where whatever you believe whether you believe that the message to the churches was looking looking at it through a historic lens of reality or a prophetic lens of of Church through that throughout the ages no matter how you look at Revelation 2 and 3 and the messages of the Church of messages to the seven churches of Asia here's what I want you to know no matter what you believe you have to evaluate your own life in light of the passage in other words when you read revelation two and three you need to see which church your life can relate most in fact that's the pastor of this place I have to look at the messages to the churches of Asia Minor here in Revelation 2 and 3 and I have to ask myself the question which church do we look most like I don't like this kind of thing I know but we got to find the parallels in our lives to the lives of those living here in Revelation 2 and 3 the text before us today is a portion of the messages Jesus wanted to share with the seven churches I'm only going to preach three of them today and the rest of them next week but we need to see what Jesus said to each of these churches there is one common thing that he said to all seven and it is this phrase I know your works look at somebody tell them God knows come o tell them God knows God knows what we are doing you may hide it from system McGillicuddy you may hide it from your Sunday school teacher you may hide it from your spouse you may hide it from your family and friends but I want to tell you God knows what kind of works we are involved in and the first church that Jesus begins to speak to and I think it is interesting that in the the passages to the churches he doesn't just speak to the church the Bible said to the angel of the church and the word angel in the Greek means messenger and it is almost a conclusive thought in in theological circles that he is not just something to an angel but the word messenger could mean someone who's speaking to the church and most people believe it is the pastor of the church to the pastor of the church at Ephesus why would God operate in that order because God has set his kingdom in apostolic order God could come down and put a put on skin or send an angel to preach a message but that's not the economy or the kingdom of God God put apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers in the earth to communicate with the church on behalf of God's heart that's why people don't understand when you hear a message you don't like if they're a praying man or woman of God you should never get mad at the deliverer of the mail I'm just a mailman come on somebody I didn't write the letter this morning I'm just delivering the mail when's the last time somebody delivered a bill to your house and you chase that mail cart down the road and told him you didn't want what he gave you I'm gonna know if you get a bill you've got to pay the bill it's amazing to me how people can flow from church to church until they find a mailman they like really it's not the mailman that needs to that needs addressing God is trying to talk to you if you've been to 12 churches and keep getting the same message and you don't like it odds are it's not the mail men that are the problem you need to deal with your business I didn't get no help right there but how many believe it's true Jesus comes to the to the angel to the pastor to this to the preacher at the Church of Ephesus now watch this there's a message in this thing right here for us and we need to hear what the Lord is saying to every church and see if God is saying it to us this morning to the angel to the pastor to the communicator to the messenger of the Church of Ephesus write these things God first talks about who he is and then he talks about the good things that the church and emphasis has going forward now this is a leadership principle everyone should take with you before you rebuke people you should honor them for the good things they're doing oh come on in here somebody I said before you rebuke people for the foolishness in their life you should honor and celebrate the good things they're doing that's just good leadership before he rebukes them he honors them for the good things they have in their church and he tells them in verse number two I know your labor you're working hard I know your patience I know you do not put up with those who read I know you tested those who say they are apostles and are not and you have found them to be liars you have persevered you have labored and not become weary if we stop right there emphasis would have stuck his chest up they would have started a church growth conference they would have started telling people how they arrived but Jesus has something to do in the church at Ephesus he said I have one thing against you there is a threat to the church at Ephesus and this is the threat that you lose your passion and your zeal I'm ready to preach right here you lose your passion and use your zeal he said it like this he said you have lost your first love you left it that's what it literally means in the Greek lost is not a good translation if your Bible said you lost your first love is not a good translation a better translation is you left it that's why I get amused when people say can you lose salvation no it's not like car keys but you can't walk off and leave the one who saved you I'm not getting no help right here no no we don't just lose our first love we leave it and go off trotting away with something else we lose that love we had when Jesus first saved us does anybody remember when you first got saved does anybody remember how you wanted to go to church yeah does he might remember how you wanted to read the Bible can you remember when you wanted to pray can you remember when he was just really you were really had over heels in love with Jesus and then somehow in the journey you can shaded and you get mad and you get bitter and you start second-guessing and you get cynical and you get skeptical and now you come to church really because you don't want to go to hell not because you love Jesus I want to tell you today that if you lost your first love it begins to show and how you demonstrate your passion and your zeal for God if people gotta beg you to come to church and beg you to praise when we get here and they can open your Bible and beg you to give you need to take inventory of your priority and you need to say God I need to fall back in love with you all over again I don't love you like I used to love you I don't want your luck I used to want you and I need you to hear me and forgive him forgive me and help me get back to you preaching so hard today because he said if you don't get this mess right I'm gonna remove your influence I will take your lamp out of the lamp stand what he's saying is the light that you put off I'm not gonna let you have that influence anymore how many churches have lost their influence because they've lost their passion Holy Ghost help me preach today oh yes yes yes there was a season when they had revival there was a season when sinners got there was a season when preachers preached under the power there was a season when worshipers didn't have to be dead to worship God there was a season when it wasn't about the pails and the whistles in the light in the smoke in the night Soundsystem know there was a season when we would have church up under a tent strung up with some lights and we didn't have a sound system and we barely had a stage but what we did have was a fervent fire burning in our soul for the things of God but over time fire wings did we lose that passion and we lose that zeal and we get like those nine lepers you heard me we get like those nine lepers who get cleaned up but don't turn around I don't know about you but I plan on praising him all the way and when I get to heaven I'm not gonna stop there I'm gonna put on a new body and never get tired while I praise Him I'm gonna praise him at the ages roll there are some people there are some people who come to church and they think church is nothing more than a social organ organization where they meet new friends and they connect with new people that is certainly a very important part of being in the community of faith but I'm gonna tell you right now this is not just about connecting with new people and finding friends if you go to a place where they don't worship Jesus if you go to a place where they look at you funny when you cry I'm telling you you better stay away you need to find a place that believes is alive and well and is worthy of worship worthy of praise you can look at me or join me but I will bless the Lord at all times his praise will always be in my mouth because I remember when he saved me and I never want to lose my love the threat in this this modern church thing that we're fighting is that we lose our passion in our zeal and we just chill just chill just just chill out don't take all of this you know why this don't take all this passion it don't take all this seal it don't take all this sweating and Hollerin and such it don't take all this dancing but the token can you please can you just settle it down sir cuz you know this spinning thing that you've been doing here the problem is you came thinking we walked up on the stage for you but the church only is symbols for an audience of one how yes yes yes we have to be with each other yes yes yes we have to put up with each other yes yes yes but if you don't like me it's all right Facebook holy religion cool me off and say thank you thank you for making me whole thank you for turning me around my god somebody please the threat of the Ephesian churches that they were going to lose their tenacity their passion and their zeal jesus said if you overcome the threat I'm gonna give you the ability one day to eat from the tree that means for every time I thought about cooling off for every time I thought about just kind of going through the motions for every time I almost lost my faith for every time I thought I'll just close through the kingdom but I made up my mind no no no I'm gonna keep the fire burning every time you decide to keep that passion alive oh god I'll fill him in here today every time you stir up that zeal on the inside every time you say no to the world and you get into them and you get into the presence of God I want to tell you every time you do that God is opening up an entrance for you to one day stand up under a tree call the Tree of Life and to pick fruit from that tree you're gonna eat from it and rejoice in it because for eternity you will have a life and have it more abundantly look at your neighbor say neighbor I got a reward in my future I'm not gonna lose my passion you can talk about me but I'm not gonna lose my praise you can rely on me but I'm not gonna lose my worship you may talk about how crazy I look at how funny I am but one day I'm going to walk into a kingdom that there'll be no Sun or moon for the Lamb of God will be the light of that City and I'm gonna feast at the Tree of Life because God is going to reward the overcomer I'm not just worshiping for what I get down here I'm worshiping coz of where I'm going Wow I said I'm worshiping for where I'm going you know let me fix something I'm moving on but I got to hurry I think people think sometimes heavens gonna be like our worship services you know start at 9:00 it's gonna take good fast song or two to get me warm few people yawning crazy people jumping that ain't how heaven is gonna be you will not find an order of service in heaven there is only one order in heaven worship worship worship worship worship worship preacher no no preacher the preachers will be worshippers in heaven no apostles the Apostles the Apostles will be worshippers it will be impossible that the Apostles will be worshippers in heaven profits will be worshipers in heaven there chefs will be worshipers in heaven in fact if you don't get to heaven apostles better worship now preachers better worship now bishops better worship now don't you lose your fight don't you lose your passion don't you lose your zeal keep your praise you might fall out of style but keep your praise your polyesters might run out of style but keep your praise come on somebody uphill bottoms not beat might not be in anymore but keep your praise come on come on yes your stilettos might not be in anymore but keep your praise I don't care if you wear a weave or extensions if you wear perfume or cologne come on somebody if you were after shave but it don't matter to me just keep your praise keep your worship keep your keep your soul Thank You Holy Ghost keep your so I don't you sing [Applause] without zeal Christianity one day you go eat from the tree of life I remind you that the Tree of Life was in the garden of God in Genesis had Adam eaten from that tree he would still be alive but instead he ate from another tree the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and when you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil your mind becomes open to the possibility of sin you eat from the tree of life you'll never have to worry about sin but you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and all of a sudden you have a decision to make and man made a decision to eat from the wrong tree but in heaven God's going to redeem that thing and we're not going to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil we're gonna eat from the tree that brings eternal life I still believe that tree is growing I believe according to the book of Revelation it will bear fruit all season every season it'll never wilt and it'll never die that's why I will never wilt and will never die because forever we will be sustained by the nourishment of eternity we will breathe the breath of eternity my god there won't be no smog in heaven come on somebody won't be no green regulations in heaven we will breathe the air of eternity and live second church the church at Smyrna everyone says Smyrna when you say Smyrna I hope you see the word myrrh hear the word myrrh in Smyrna Smurf no no don't say it somebody's there somebody said Smurf no that's no that's it smyrna mur it's the place watch it's the place of bitterness it's the place of persecution the threat to the church at Smyrna was the threat of persecution watch and physical harm I'm not gonna get much help right here because in modern day church our persecution is our neighbor working beside us at our cubicle talked about us on Facebook this is so much pain stop it's embarrassing it's embarrassing that the United States of America has a church people who are so sensitive that they don't come back to church when somebody says the least little thing about him because they got hurt and you got brothers and sisters over in China who can't come outside with the Bible unless they're beaten and flogged in the City Square come on somebody we're raising an anemic puny limp wristed Church I'm telling you right now we're in a blessed nation and we're in a place where people have fought for our freedom so that we could come to this house this morning and worship the Lord but you better take full advantage of it while you can because we are not promised that in our future there won't be some sort of antagonism or opposition to those who are worshipping Jesus and I'm telling you right now there are people all over the world this morning who live under the threat of persecution and harm it's called martyrdom and history tells us that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the early church the church doesn't thrive when it is most celebrated the church thrives when the devil tries to run her out of business and he threatens to destroy her with physical harm we don't know how to respond to messages like this we don't know how to respond when we are told that people are persecuted for the name of Jesus because most of us in this room have never been persecuted for the name of Jesus but I'm gonna tell you right now they're still killing people all over the world every day that we live because they refuse to say and recant their faith in Christ and the church at Smyrna watch what he says to them the church at Smyrna he reminds them he says I'm the last the one that was dead and have come back to life I know your works your tribulation and your poverty I love this he says in the eighth verse I know your pie verse 9 pardon me I know your poverty and then in quote in parenthesis he says but you are rich see listen I believe got a bless the church I believe the church can be blessed financially how many believe got a bless the we're blessed financially say then I believe God blesses the church financially but there are some people listen there are some people who look and say because the church isn't wealthy that the church isn't rich jesus said that miss said the whole thing in order silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give unto thee you've got to know what you have and what you don't have you got to know what you're rich in Jesus looks at them and says you think you're poor but I say you're rich because a church with faith in spite of tribulation is a wealthy Church a church that has an inheritance that is laid up in a place where muffin dust cannot corrupt and the thief cannot break in to destroy and steal may I tell you today that no matter how broke and insufficient and how little you feel like your life is in terms of a financial expression I want you to know that you are still rich if Christ is king of your life and he is going to not only take care of you now he's going to take care of you says you said you're poor but I say you're rich watch this of those who say there are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you may be tested and you Jesus is saying this to the church you will be tested for ten days he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches verse 11 he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death the threat of the Smyrna church was that they were being persecuted threatened and almost harmed and Jesus says if you will overcome that threat what is the threat when you are persecuted what is the threat when you are threatened for your life the danger is that you bail out and renounce Christ in the name of saving yourself in this life what I think is most interesting I'm gonna read this I wrote this down I really believe I'm supposed to read this today what's interesting about the church at Smyrna is that church history tells us that one of the Apostle John's disciples his name was Polycarp everyone say Polycarp Polycarp was a disciple of John and became the bishop of Smyrna he pastored this church in Smyrna what is not written in the Bible is a portion of history about this man named Polycarp but it is found in the catalogue of church history those who were there the day this happened wrote it and it has been preserved and passed down from generation to generation and I wanted to read a short portion of the testimony of polycarp's martyrdom and death as Polycarp was being taken into the arena a voice came to him from heaven and said be strong Polycarp and play the man no one saw who had spoken but our brothers who were there heard the voice when the crowd heard that Polycarp had been captured there was an uproar the proconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp on hearing that he was he tried to persuade the old man to apostatize his faith in christ saying have respect for your old age swear by the fortune of caesar repent and recant swear urged the proconsul reproached christ and i will set you free he said to the old man Polycarp responded eighty-six years I have served Jesus and he has done me no wrong how can I bless them my king and Savior now the proconsul respond to protons so responded I have wild animals here I will throw you to them if you do not recant call them Polycarp replied it is unthinkable for me to recant from what is good to turn to what is evil I will be glad though to be changed from evil unto righteousness if you despise these animals said the proconsul I will have you burned you threatened me he said with fire which burns for an hour and it is then extinguished but you know nothing of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly why are you waiting bring on whatever you have done sound like a chicken to me it was all done in the time that it takes to tell the crowd collected the wood and bundles of sticks from the shops and from the public baths when the POW was ready Polycarp took off his outer garment undid his belt and to take off his sandals something he was not used to as the faithful already always raced to do it for him each wanting to be the one to touch his skin this is how good his life was but when they went to fix him with nails he said leave me as I am for he that gives me strength to endure the fire will enable me not to struggle without the help of your nails so they simply bound him with hands behind him like a distinguished Ram chosen from a great flock for sacrifice ready to be an acceptable burnt offering to God he looked up to heaven and prayed O Lord God Almighty the father of heaven he said father father of your beloved and blessed son Jesus Christ by whom we have received the knowledge of you the god of angels powers in every creature and of all the righteous which live before you I give you thanks that you count me worthy to be numbered among your murders sharing the cup of Christ and the resurrection to eternal life both the soul and body through the immortality of the Holy Spirit may I be received this day as an acceptable sacrifice as you the true God have predestined revealed to me and now fulfil then the fire was lit and the flame burned furiously we who were privileged two witnesses saw a great miracle that day and this is why we have been preserved to tell the story this is an Church history those there witness that the fire shaped itself into the form of an ark like the sail of a ship when filled with the wind and formed a circle around the body of Polycarp inside it he looked like his flesh would never burn it looked like baked bread or gold and silver glowing in a furnace and we smelt a sweet like frankincense or some other precious spice and because he would not die in the fire the proconsul ordered the executioner to grab a spirit and stab him in the side and so they did he would not burn in the fire so they killed him with a sword that day I'll tell you this although he died once he did not die twice hallelujah ah Pino Moody said for every man that is born once he will not twice but for every man who was born twice he will only die once what that means is those who are born of a woman and then born of the Spirit they will only taste of the first death that's when this body dies but they will never taste of the second death because death has lost its sting in the life of a child of God your Bible said that when those who die and overcome the threat of persecution and physical harm in the face of the threat when they stand for Christ they may die and breathe their last on this side but when they wake up the Bible is clear he himself the Lord of glory will crown them with a crown of life and he will never let the second death touch them the last church is the church at Pergamos and the church at Pergamos you have to understand that in the city of pergamus there was the first temple dedicated to caesar and the city of pergamus became the great promoter of the cult of Caesar and the problem in pergamus is that they began to compromise pergamus was such an amazing place and it was an amazing city but there were people that crept into the church at Pergamos with false doctrine and the threat to the church at Pergamum was the doctrine of balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans say the doctrine of balaam said the doctrine of the Nicolaitans now the doctrine of balaam the Bible tells us and is very clear is a doctrine watch of sexual immorality and idolatry we have sexual problems that are floating around in the church perversion in the house of God version in the house of God I'll preach this thing if I gotta go through seven microphones salary the doctrine of balaam is it's okay to indulge in the left of the flesh in fact if you go back to the book and the story of Balaam found in the Book of Numbers you will find that Balaam was bought by Balaam to curse the children of God when he couldn't curse him but had to bless him later on in the Bible we are told that the way that he tried to destroy the people of Israel since he couldn't curse them he introduced them to come from us he tempted them with idolatry and sexual fornication and promiscuity I want you to hear me I'm not gonna go crazy deep into this but the church needs to get purified from sexual perversion I didn't say that sinners sinners are sinning that's what sinners do but the church not be a place where sexual perversion can hide out and manifest you can't sing I am the seed of Abraham on Sunday morning and then run around with some little strumpet the office on Monday and talk about how your holy unto the Lord at some point you gotta get rid of that secret lover at the Red Roof Inn you got a purify your ass you gotta get your hard drive Church you can't live with the world listen if you can't shout over holiness I don't know what you're shouting about anyway at some point we gotta let and holy laughs we're all human we're all weak that's just you don't want me to get into how this was really going in pergamus it got weird it got so perverse they were arranging sexual encounters through the church yeah we want to be relevant isn't that deception see let me tell you something about relevance relevance has never demonstrated by your ability to join the people who are struggling with Kruk with what Christ called you to overcome that's not how you demonstrate relevance oh we're relevant we're gonna do what the world does so the world makes us so the world accepts us in the world the world accepts who we are and we're able to influence them you are deceived you've not influenced people by doing what they do you influence people by living a life they really desire to live that have covered it up by the weakness that they are demonstrating might I remind you that you are called to live holy lives above reproach God is watching the world is watching Jesus dad not so that we could cope with sin but so that he could conquer it power to overcome where sin does about Christ does much more abound Nikolay Niko to overcome that's the body they were conquering don't miss this they were conquering the body the doctrine of the Nicolaitans was to merchandise and take advantage of manipulate and molest the people of God leadership taking advantage of the followers and we see this happening all the time and you know what Jesus said about it I hate it I that's a strong word admit Jesus didn't say he was bothered by it he didn't say oh that just kept me up last night he said I hate it and the church at Pergamos was compromising and watch they had leadership that were taking advantage of the people well you need to go to the booth you got to go to the booth to tell somebody what you did you you gotta go get permission before you marry somebody you gotta you gotta go consult people listen I got nothing wrong with being submitted to to leadership I believe there's wisdom and in in seeking out counsel from godly people but when you have domineering dominating leadership that molest the hearts of the people and most of the time they do it for filthy lucre you know what filthy lucre is it's a King James way of saying you took their money by deceit I don't know who I'm talking to and maybe you're watching me online on Monday morning I want to tell you that these people in these pews and those people in Europe you sir are not your people you are not the Good Shepherd you are the sub Shepherd I am a sub Shepherd he is the Good Shepherd and he is the one that laid down his life for the Sheep we are not Harling and they are not our possession they belong to Jesus and I'm going to tell you right now if you've been in a place where they dominated and domineer and controlled your life and told you you would never be and told you you had to give this amount of money to get a miracle and you had to get a blessing I came to set you free and to tell you jesus paid it all your sins have already been dealt with your blood has already covered it you may be broke you may not have a penny to give the day I'm gonna preach to you the gospel anyway because it's all free he's already paid for it and we need to be liberated from this garbage you give a hundred dollars for two minutes you give five hundred dollars how prophesy for four minutes you give me fifteen hundred dollars I'll be your best friend on Facebook I'm telling you it's rubbish it's rubbish you have no ability to set people free accept Christ's work through you sir accept Christ's work through you ma'am there is no bondage you should not be addicted to any man except the man Christ Jesus don't give to a nonprofit you got it you caught it three seconds late but he called it hallelujah here's the deal I'm not talking about having an obstinate arrogant spirit as it regards Christian leadership because if they're truly leaders the Bible is very clear you should make their life and their ministry a joy ain't nothing more depressing to a pastor than honoré Church people who okay well i'll quit there i was about to deliver myself hallelujah woo ain't nothing more discouraging to pastors than to have to hustle hassle struggle stay up late at night worried into the wee hours of the morning over carnal church members is that okay I feel better but at the same time church people family members of this house should never feel like they're dominated Nicolaitans it keeps the legends in bondage to a conquering personality I didn't come to be a lid I came to tear lids off of your life somebody's listen to me right now and the leadership over your life is a lid leaders are not supposed to be lids they're supposed to remove them so that you can grow up in Christ how many times have I seen a pastor squelch the gift of a younger man or woman in their congregation because of their own the pastor's own insecurities and when you start shelving people and controlling their lives because you're nervous they may take your place well I tell you I know how to get it quiet and tight I've watched it happen elder I've watched young giftedness I'm talking about anointed princes and princesses in the kingdom young men and women who are just ready to be released and I've watched preachers insecure preachers shelve them and stifle their gift it's called self-preservation and the only way to protect my future is to make sure I put everybody with a future out of business it's the doctrine of the Nicolaitans jesus said don't miss this you've got to overcome that sexual immorality you've got to overcome that idolatry you've got to overcome that controlling thing in the house of God and if you overcome it watch the reward this is a little different he said I'm going to give you a white stone and the world why do I want a white stone hidden manna is God's promise to take care of you when everybody else is hungry look at somebody tell them neighbor I'm not getting hungry I'm not gonna get hungry because I'm gonna do the will of God that's why Jesus said when they come to him Lord you gotta get something to eat you're looking awful feeble and weak you hadn't eaten in a few days he said hold on I have food you don't know about my food is to do the will of the one who sent me hey can I tell somebody in here before I go change my clothes that if you do the will of God you'll never go hungry if you'll do the will of God you'll never be without if you do though I once was young and now I am old and never have I seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for manna you'll never have to beg for food if you do the will of God he'll bless you coming in he'll bless you going out he will bless you in the city he will bless you in the field there is a reward for the overcomer for those who put one foot on the doctrine of Balaam and the other foot on the throat of the Nicolay of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and say I'm gonna live holy I'm gonna strive to walk the right way I'm gonna live on that straight and narrow path god this is all fashion preaching but I'm telling you right now if we'll get back to pleasing God you'll open up the windows of heaven and pour out man and nobody knows where we got it from and how we're sustained we won't lose our way we'll keep our joy a white stone with a new name I'm done with this whenever they had banquets in the in the New Testament the way they issued it was like a ticket a ticket to a banquet was given in the form of a white stone you know they didn't print tickets they have ticket printers back then so they take a stone and they're covered in this white chalk and they'd write a special name on it whoo and when you came up to the banquet house all you had to do was give them the stone and you got into the banquet I love it too I love it because you know there are a lot of people who tried to keep you out of some banquets there are a lot of haters that have tried to keep you out of places of of influence and priority and an opportunity but what the Lord is telling us here is that if we'll if we'll overcome the threat of them of the immorality and the emperor in the end the perversion and the sexual immorality and this foolishness that's happening in the name of Christian leadership he said I want you to know that I am preparing a banquet hallelujah I tried to get certain people to come but they wouldn't come so now I went out and sent out a decree to the highways and the hedges and I told everybody no matter where they came from no matter their birthright or the nation they were born to and no matter the color of their skin I'm preparing a banquet and I'm going to sit down with those who are the redeemed and forever we're going to receive the bread and the wine at that new covenant supper and Jesus himself is going to feed those who have overcome you have a white stone and when you walk up to that banquet table [Applause] why don't you touch somebody tell them neighbor I've got a banquet appointment I've got a seat at the table you may not like me but you can't keep me out you may know my past but it won't keep me up hell I've been washed in the blood of the Lamb I may not be what I used to what I'm gonna be who I used to be but I'm gonna sit down at that table somewhere at that table an apostle named Paul with scars on his back will sit there with me somewhere at the table a king named David will be seated somewhere at that table the father of many nations Abraham will be seated somewhere in that great grand glorious banquet there'll be an angelic host singing the song of the our rib they'll sing holy holy holy but at some point in that banquet I believe the king will put a pause button on the strong of the angels and he wouldn't like those who've come out of darkness into his marvelous light to sing a song that angels cannot sing the angels can sing worthy the angels can sing holy but the angels cannot sing redeemed we're the ones who he died for we're the ones who we overcome for and because he overcame we shall overcome somebody give him praise all over the street somebody praise him my god praise him hallelujah we were come up raise up for the reward just as soon as my feet touched Sian just as soon as I get there gonna lay down my heavy burdens be shouting glory glory just as soon so we're getting ready to go in just a minute I'm gonna give an altar call first for people who need to overcome there's some precious Souls in this place today who heard about Jesus and know about church but you haven't been born again and you know you haven't been born again because nothing has changed on the inside and today he's gonna change you the first step to being an overcomer is to be born you get born of God by trusting in his son John chapter 1 tells his he that is born of me from above was not born of flesh and blood but was born of the spirit and the perfect will of God if you're in this room today heads are bowed eyes are closed I need intercessors pray oh Jesus I know it's 9 a.m. and it's raining real hard outside and many people probably coming at the 11:45 service and some who won't even come at all cause of a rainstorm and I understand all that but I believe somebody walked in this room today not right with God not ready for heaven heart full of sin mind with no relief a conscience that's heavy because you came out run you see if you're in this place then you'd say pastor Kevin pray for me I need to get right with God I need to give Jesus my heart I'm counting to 3 for you and I want to pray with you this morning if that's you I say three lift your hands so I can pray 1 2 3 lift your hand right now yes sir yes ma'am god bless you god bless you thank you yes ma'am god bless you yes ma'am God - yes sir just keep your head bowed eyes closed [Music] Kevin's a real place heaven is a real place [Music] Evans not a figment of my imagination heaven is the fulfillment of the reward of God for hizmet and today I want you to know Jesus came so that you could overcome I want you to look at the person now on your left and right you don't know who lifted the pan you don't know who ask for prayer but you may be in this room today and you may say pastor Kevin I lifted my hand or I should have in just a second your neighbors gonna ask you a question and the question is this do you need someone to go to the altar and pray with you and if you do if you need Jesus to rescue you if you lifted your hand or do you know you should have when your neighbor asks you if you need someone to go pray just nod your head yes they'll come with me and I'll meet you right here and we're gonna pray and you're never going to be the same ask your neighbor please on your left and right do you need someone to go pray with you if you lifted your hand or you should have god bless you young man as you're coming this morning thank you for coming anyone else who's coming today anyone else who's coming today I want to give my heart to Jesus come on thank you for coming thank you for coming god bless you Neels live in diga god bless you god bless you come on come on hey know if we're gonna praise Him that's really praise him Bible said angels go crazy over one anybody else I saw a few more lifted hands come on thank you for coming sweet honey if you should have lifted your hand or you dead lift your hand and you want to get right with God come on come come stand with me right now come help me he'll just come over here and help me if you don't mind would you stretch your hands toward them and pray for them this morning [Music] we thank you God we thank you God pray for like you wanted someone to pray for you the day you give your heart to Jesus hallelujah grace [Music] [Music] now I want all you overcomers to lift your heads up right now and receive the grace of God to overcome every threat every struggle every trial come on lift your hands high you're an overcomer you're an overcomer here you're an overcomer it's not up for debate it's not up for discussion it's not up for grabs it's already decided then God keep your faith in God thank you for coming sweetheart god bless you god bless you another one came somebody praise God praise Him come on mrs. family the family's growing you by livestream you may be watching me right now and you may wonder can he save me through livestream he'll save you by the blood if you'll believe the word I preached today he'll save you right there where you're standing right there where you're sitting wherever you are just say this prayer do Jesus forgive me of my sin come into my heart and save me I repent Lord and I'm asking you to forgive me today and I receive your newness of life in Jesus name I'm saved amen amen if you prayed that prayer I want you to share it with our message system there on our Facebook livestream and I want you to let us know so that we can continue to pray for you listen on your way out you're gonna go out there left and right I bought something for you this week how many remember now in laters [Music] I've got just some now and laters for the road when you eat them every time you eat them I pray that you'll remember you're a route you're rewarded now and you're gonna be rewarded later somebody give him praise all over this house listen listen Wednesday night you don't want to miss it how many were here this past Wednesday night it was heaven on earth how many would agree with me be here this Wednesday were in a special season of miracles and you don't want to miss it let these pray go to your left and right if you'll exit we got another whole crowd coming in I love you I'll see you Wednesday night 7:00 p.m. go in the goodness of God [Music]

Channel: Redemption to the Nations Church

Views: 1,171

Rating: 4.652174 out of 5

Keywords: chattanooga, tn, tennessee, kevin, wallace, kevin wallace, deven, deven wallace, highland, park, highland park, rsm, redemption, redemption to the nations, rttn, rttn church, church, God, Jesus, spirit-filled, spirit, Holy Ghost, pentecostal, love, overcomer, reward, overcome, now and later, now, later

Id: D-umI-7ODvw

Length: 74min 21sec (4461 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 17 2018