Standing Firm in the Spiritual War: Overcoming Through Christ’s Blood and Testimony

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
We are taking a little break from our Redemptive History Survey in light of the events of this week.
[00:00:15] I think many of us have been affected in a way this week that is hard to explain.
[00:00:32] What I'd like to do is I'd like to address what is really going on here.
[00:00:38] I want to remind us of what has been going on.
[00:00:44] We think of the wicked assassination of Charlie Kirk, but
[00:00:50] Of course, he's such a public figure, all of us, and the news is all around it, a polarizing figure in our land.
[00:00:59] But the key that I think we need to remember, and though I didn't follow him that carefully, it seems clear that he was a born-again believer, that he loved Jesus Christ.
[00:01:13] And we're going to get into the text, but let me say this before we do.
[00:01:17] He was killed, as I understand it, because it's been called a political assassination.
[00:01:27] And I believe that the person that pulled the trigger would agree with that.
[00:01:33] But this is no political assassination.
[00:01:37] This is the martyrdom of a saint.
[00:01:40] This is Satan attacking the seed of the woman and attacking the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:01:48] So this is why this is particularly significant for each and every one of us.
[00:01:53] It's not just Charlie Kirk, as I mentioned in Sunday School.
[00:01:57] We hear about Charlie Kirk, but we don't hear that, I forget the number, 30, 40 Christians were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week.
[00:02:09] Why were they killed?
[00:02:12] Because they were Christians.
[00:02:17] To better understand what's taking place, not just with Charlie Kirk or those Christians, by the way, let me remind you, we received the Voice of the Martyrs publication.
[00:02:30] Here's a two that we've received that is still in the cellophane, never been opened, never been looked at.
[00:02:37] Maybe it's difficult for us to think about how hard it is for Christians in other places and we just prefer not.
[00:02:45] But we need to understand that their plight is our plight.
[00:02:52] It's the plight of Jesus Christ.
[00:02:54] And that's what we find in Revelation chapter 12.
[00:02:58] I'm going to read to you Revelation chapter 12.
[00:03:00] This is based the text for our sermon, but I want to caution you not to get bogged down in specific details.
[00:03:10] We are not here to focus on the 1260 days or where the woman flees and all of these particulars that many good men of God disagree about.
[00:03:22] What I want you to do in order to glean from this chapter what I feel the Lord would have us to receive today is to see the obvious outline that is being presented to us that we might be instructed by God's Spirit through that.
[00:03:38] So let's look now
[00:03:39] Revelation chapter 12 verse 1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars and she being with child cried travailing in birth and pain to be delivered and there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold a great red dragon
[00:04:07] Having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns upon his head and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her child as soon as it was born and she brought forth a man child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God and to the throne
[00:04:38] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
[00:04:46] And there was war in heaven.
[00:04:47] Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not.
[00:04:54] Neither was their place found any more in heaven and the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and the angels were cast out with him and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them
[00:05:22] Before our God day and night 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 therefore rejoice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the earth
[00:05:43] and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time and when the dragon saw that he was cast into the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child
[00:05:57] and to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time times and half a time from the face of the serpent and the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood and the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth and the dragon was wroth
[00:06:27] Angry, filled with wrath, the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:06:45] May God add his blessing and understanding to the reading of this, his holy word.
[00:06:55] In order to understand this passage, you have to go back to the book of Genesis.
[00:07:01] Genesis chapter 3.
[00:07:03] Before we go there, notice the main characters here in this story.
[00:07:06] We have a woman who is pregnant.
[00:07:08] She's about to have a child.
[00:07:10] And then the child is a man-child.
[00:07:14] And then there is a dragon.
[00:07:15] And what's the dragon doing?
[00:07:18] Waiting for that baby to come.
[00:07:20] And as soon as the baby comes, he's going to devour it.
[00:07:24] Who are these characters, and when is this?
[00:07:27] Anyone have a guess who the dragon is?
[00:07:31] That's pretty good.
[00:07:32] Anyone have a guess who the man-child is?
[00:07:37] Okay, and then of course the woman, and then this idea of when is this child going to be born?
[00:07:47] Well, let's go all the way back to Genesis to understand what's being talked about, but before you do, look at the very last verse in our chapter.
[00:07:54] After the devil tries to devour the man-child and fails, the man-child is taken up to heaven, and after the devil persecutes the woman and tries to get her and carry her away with a flood but fails, who does he go after?
[00:08:06] The remnant of her seed.
[00:08:12] Good.
[00:08:12] Turn back to Genesis chapter 3.
[00:08:14] In Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve have now sinned.
[00:08:19] They have eaten of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the only way they could sin.
[00:08:23] They have fallen, if you will.
[00:08:25] They've died spiritually.
[00:08:26] God has questioned Adam.
[00:08:28] Adam blames Eve, and Eve blames the devil.
[00:08:30] And then he comes to the serpent, the devil, which is the one who's in view in Revelation 12.
[00:08:37] And this is what he says, beginning in Genesis chapter 3, verse 14.
[00:08:42] And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field.
[00:08:50] Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
[00:08:56] And I will put enmity, enmity, enmity, war, right, between thee and the woman.
[00:09:04] Who's the thee here?
[00:09:06] The serpent, Satan.
[00:09:08] He's going to put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between your seed, Satan, and her seed, the seed of the woman.
[00:09:17] It shall bruise thy head, thou shalt bruise his heel.
[00:09:22] Do you think this is related to the text in Revelation at all?
[00:09:27] And then notice what happens on the next verse.
[00:09:30] Verse 16, Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception.
[00:09:36] In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
[00:09:45] Interesting.
[00:09:47] The picture of the woman in Revelation, is she having an easy childbirth?
[00:09:51] No, she's travailing with great pain.
[00:09:54] And it ties it all the more back to here.
[00:09:56] What's that talking about?
[00:09:58] Well remember, right after this curse, they have two sons.
[00:10:05] And who are the two sons of Adam and Eve?
[00:10:08] And what does Cain do right off?
[00:10:11] He kills Abel.
[00:10:12] Where did that come from?
[00:10:13] Where did that come from?
[00:10:15] There's enmity.
[00:10:16] From there on, there is an enmity between the seeds.
[00:10:20] Some people are of the seed of the serpent, and some people of the seed of the woman.
[00:10:24] Some people are truly going to follow the Lord and have a heart circumcised after Him, and some do not.
[00:10:29] And there is a hatred and an enmity all the way through history leading up until the very end, which of course Revelation ends up with.
[00:10:38] But the idea here is Satan is looking, he's ready to devour the seed of the woman.
[00:10:46] Well, who's the woman?
[00:10:49] People say the church, some people say Israel, some people say Eve.
[00:10:53] Certainly there's a connection between Eve here in Genesis 3 and Revelation 12, right?
[00:10:58] And does not Satan want to kill the son as soon as he's born?
[00:11:03] Let's kill Abel.
[00:11:05] Immediately.
[00:11:06] immediately and Eve kind of understands this look what happens later in chapter 4 after Abel after Cain kills Abel then they have another child what's his name Seth and look what she says about Seth in Genesis chapter 4 verse 25
[00:11:31] And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth.
[00:11:38] And look what Eve apparently said.
[00:11:41] For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
[00:11:52] She didn't say, oh, well, I guess Cain's the seed.
[00:11:55] Cain is the seed of the serpent.
[00:11:57] Abel was the seed of the woman.
[00:11:59] Now, Seth is going to be the seed of the woman.
[00:12:02] You see, these seeds are going all the way through.
[00:12:04] And Satan is always attacking the woman and her seed, and always looking to destroy the seed, beginning with Abel.
[00:12:17] And then by the time you get to chapter 6, there is a confusion and a perversion of the races.
[00:12:23] The descendants of Cain, which are seen as wicked, and the descendants of Seth, which are seen as more godly, begin to intermingle, and the seed, if you will, there's a perversion.
[00:12:34] And so what does God do?
[00:12:36] I'm going to wipe out all of humanity, and he does so with the flood, with the exception of Noah.
[00:12:44] Of course, a descendant of Seth, and he alone was found righteous in God's sight, and so the seed is preserved.
[00:12:52] But the devil is constantly, the picture in Revelation, I believe, is not just one particular time in history.
[00:12:59] Certainly we'll see that in a moment where it's magnified, and it comes to a head, if you will, but it's all the way from the very beginning of Adam and Eve having Cain and Abel, all the way to the end of time until Satan is destroyed.
[00:13:14] and and it starts yes there right after the garden but it continues on satan is constantly making war and fighting against the seed against god's people and before notice why because he's afraid of the seed of the woman why because it says you you will bruise his heel he will bruise your head that's a fatal blow
[00:13:40] I got to look out for this seed, right?
[00:13:43] And so Satan is continually trying to destroy the seed.
[00:13:48] Interestingly enough, in the natural realm, God singles down after Noah, and now the population of the world comes back.
[00:13:55] He singles down the promised line to Abraham.
[00:13:58] And through Abraham, the seed's going to come.
[00:14:00] But there's a problem.
[00:14:01] What's that?
[00:14:02] Sarah is barren.
[00:14:04] She's never had a child, and she's past the age of childbearing.
[00:14:07] Satan is happy.
[00:14:09] Ah, but praise God, God does a miracle, and Sarah has a child, Isaac.
[00:14:13] But then there's a problem, because Isaac grows up, and he has a wife named who?
[00:14:19] Rebekah, and Rebekah just happens to be barren.
[00:14:22] Satan's happy, the seed's going to stop.
[00:14:23] Well, God opens the womb, and here comes Jacob.
[00:14:28] Jacob and Esau.
[00:14:30] By the way, Esau is of the wrong seed.
[00:14:32] He goes against Jacob.
[00:14:33] Anyways, Jacob's favorite wife is who?
[00:14:38] And that's the least favorite wife.
[00:14:41] He's got Rachel and Leah.
[00:14:42] And Rachel just happens to be barren.
[00:14:47] Satan's happy again.
[00:14:49] And by the way, God opens Rachel's womb and comes forth what son?
[00:14:57] And Joseph is the beloved of the father.
[00:15:00] And so all of a sudden, everybody hates Joseph.
[00:15:05] Is that just because Joseph was the beloved?
[00:15:08] Satan, I believe, is pushing all of the brethren to hate Joseph because Satan's afraid Joseph is the seed.
[00:15:15] I believe that.
[00:15:16] And they do everything they can to kill him.
[00:15:18] By the way, in the story of Joseph in the Bible, you'll find the most complete
[00:15:22] foreshadowing and type and prophetic picture of the life death bell resurrection of Jesus Christ anywhere in the Old Testament and of course Joseph is not ultimately that seed it is going to go through Judah
[00:15:38] And you'll find out later that through the line of Judah there are different things that take place.
[00:15:45] We'll see that in a moment.
[00:15:45] But before you get there, remember Israel is now in Egypt 400 years because there was a famine and Joseph provided for them.
[00:15:54] But by the time 400 years have transpired, are the Israelites living large in Egypt?
[00:16:02] Not at all, they're slaves in subjection.
[00:16:05] And as a matter of fact, they've multiplied so much that the Egyptians' leaders, Pharaoh, gets nervous.
[00:16:12] And in Exodus chapter 1, what does he decide to do?
[00:16:17] Kill all of the male Israelite children.
[00:16:20] I wonder where that idea came from.
[00:16:23] Destroy the seed.
[00:16:25] But praise God, Moses was able to still live and even be brought up in the very palace of the one who decreed that all the Israelite boys should be killed, right?
[00:16:36] What the devil means for evil, God means for good.
[00:16:38] Not only is the seed preserved, but Israel is delivered from slavery and bondage.
[00:16:43] They go into the land, they have a kingdom, but as we know, they fall into sin.
[00:16:48] And when you get down to a certain point,
[00:16:50] Time in Judah of great depravity, King Ahaziah dies, and some woman who wears the pants in the family, got to watch out for those, she decides she's going to be queen.
[00:17:05] And what does she do?
[00:17:06] Talk about wickedness.
[00:17:08] Talk about satanic.
[00:17:09] Satanic.
[00:17:10] You can't get more satanic than this.
[00:17:12] In order for me to control things, I will kill every one of my grandchildren.
[00:17:18] I will be the leader.
[00:17:20] There will be no pretender to the throne.
[00:17:23] I mean, the love a grandmother has for her grandchildren, slaughter every last one of them.
[00:17:30] And she almost does it.
[00:17:32] And here's a problem because the messianic line and the seed has to go through those children.
[00:17:38] She decrees, slaughter each one.
[00:17:39] Wicked Queen Athaliah.
[00:17:42] And she almost does it.
[00:17:44] If it wasn't for my little friend Jehoshabah.
[00:17:47] Oh, Jehoshabah.
[00:17:48] I wanted to name my daughter Jehoshabah.
[00:17:50] I never did get that.
[00:17:52] But maybe a granddaughter.
[00:17:53] Anyway, Jehoshabah saves the line, steals baby Joash, the only one of the sons that Athaliah and her butchers missed, and hides Jehoshabah and Joash for six years hidden.
[00:18:07] And then a certain point is brought forth as king.
[00:18:11] And so the seed is preserved.
[00:18:12] Satan tried to destroy the seed, continues to try to destroy the seed.
[00:18:16] And so Satan is, all throughout history, he's sitting there trying to destroy and devour the seed.
[00:18:22] You see?
[00:18:23] That's that picture.
[00:18:24] That's that enmity.
[00:18:25] That's that hatred.
[00:18:26] That's that murderous, satanic bloodlust that continues against the people of God.
[00:18:35] And then, of course, when we come to Jesus' birth,
[00:18:38] Right?
[00:18:39] That's exactly what happens because here's Jesus getting ready to be born and who does Satan use to try to kill Jesus?
[00:18:46] Herod.
[00:18:48] Oh, wise man.
[00:18:49] Yes.
[00:18:50] Tell me where the Messiah is born so I can go worship him too.
[00:18:54] Yeah, right.
[00:18:56] You know what he wants to do.
[00:18:58] They don't tell him.
[00:18:59] God warns them to depart back in another way.
[00:19:02] And so what does he do?
[00:19:03] He goes and kills all of the men children of Bethlehem.
[00:19:07] This seems like the same story going over and over again.
[00:19:10] Well it is!
[00:19:11] Because that spiritual war has been going from the garden and will not end until the Lord returns.
[00:19:17] And that's the war that we're in right now!
[00:19:21] And that's why you saw what you saw this last week.
[00:19:26] We need to understand it.
[00:19:29] If you're born again, you're not just a bystander.
[00:19:35] You're in this womb, and you need to be prepared.
[00:19:39] And that's why we're talking about this today.
[00:19:43] And so, this continues on.
[00:19:46] Remember, the woman is travailing with child, and so the woman
[00:19:53] Perhaps people say, well, that was Israel because Christ came from Israel.
[00:19:57] I think it's good to see the woman as the true people of God.
[00:20:01] Because the devil is always fighting the true people of God.
[00:20:06] He's fighting Abel before there is an Israel.
[00:20:09] There's no Israel at the time of Abel.
[00:20:12] And he's fighting the church today.
[00:20:14] So he continues to fight the true people of God.
[00:20:19] and this is the case that we see there is a satanic and here's the thing by the way these people that pull the trigger these people that do these wicked things these people are not born again and they don't understand what they're doing but they still do it and i'll show you why in just a moment but before we get there think about uh pastor andy uh opened us up with a call to worship from psalm 2
[00:20:47] Psalm 2.
[00:20:48] The sun is going to rule with what?
[00:20:52] A rod of...
[00:20:53] Remember that, yeah, Psalm 2, a rod of iron.
[00:20:57] Real quickly, let me just read to you a section there.
[00:21:00] This is a prophecy a thousand years before Jesus is born.
[00:21:04] Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?
[00:21:08] What are the people doing?
[00:21:10] What are the heathen, the people who don't know God?
[00:21:12] They are imagining a vain thing.
[00:21:14] They're raging.
[00:21:15] What are they raging against?
[00:21:17] The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord.
[00:21:23] and against his anointing.
[00:21:25] Against Christ.
[00:21:27] Against Christ.
[00:21:29] No wonder if they're against his people.
[00:21:34] Is God worried?
[00:21:36] Is God concerned?
[00:21:38] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh.
[00:21:42] He shall have them in derision.
[00:21:45] What the devil means for evil?
[00:21:47] Time and time and time again we see proved in history God means for good.
[00:21:53] The very satanic attacks of Joseph's brethren on Joseph were the very way that God saved the whole nation of Israel by delivering them into Egypt and Joseph sustaining them with food and sustenance.
[00:22:11] Praise the Lord for His sovereign ways.
[00:22:14] Later in Psalm 2, he says, verse 6, Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
[00:22:21] I will declare the decree.
[00:22:22] The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
[00:22:27] That's applied actually to his resurrection by the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts.
[00:22:31] ask of me and i shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance of the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel christ is sovereign he is king he will reign and he will rule we see the church is persecuted the church is attacked the church is sought to be destroyed and this is actually happening in heaven we see that in revelation 12 it says there was a war in heaven
[00:23:01] Michael and his angels fighting against Satan and his angels and Satan and his angels could not prevail and they're cast out upon the earth.
[00:23:08] There is a spiritual war going on in the background all the time.
[00:23:12] and that's why Paul tells us that we have to be ready that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and rulers of darkness spiritual wickedness in high places we have to be ready that we walk in the flesh we war not after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds these are satanic things and so we need to understand that there is a war in heaven and that war is brought to earth turn back to Revelation chapter 12
[00:23:42] After Satan is defeated in heaven, what happens to him?
[00:23:46] He's cast down to earth.
[00:23:49] When does that happen?
[00:23:51] That's a hard one to answer, right?
[00:23:52] Because he's already fallen when he comes to the garden, right?
[00:23:55] He's wicked.
[00:23:57] But Jesus says, I saw Satan fall like a boat of lightning.
[00:24:02] And so Satan, his kingdom is further pushed back, if you will, the kingdom of darkness, when Jesus gives power to his disciples to cast out devils.
[00:24:11] and and then of course the mighty death blow of christ upon satan at the cross and his death bill and resurrection and of course ultimately that is going to end up on the last day but in the meantime when this war is in a sense brought to earth turn back to uh revelation chapter 12 satan and his angels are cast out to earth now a lot of people want to put this at the end of time maybe there is an application there but i think it's already here in the sense
[00:24:40] The spiritual world is all around us.
[00:24:42] And notice what happens.
[00:24:44] It says in verse 13, And when the dragon saw, Revelation 12, 13, that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child.
[00:24:53] Who did I say the woman was?
[00:24:57] The people of God.
[00:24:58] The church.
[00:24:59] Whether it was in the Old Testament Israel or New Testament church, Gentiles, Israel, and one.
[00:25:06] He persecutes the church.
[00:25:08] Amen.
[00:25:09] He does.
[00:25:10] And notice, and the woman is given an escape, if you will.
[00:25:15] The serpent tries to destroy the church.
[00:25:19] The earth helps the church, if you will.
[00:25:21] God does.
[00:25:22] And then finally, verse 17, And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:25:33] Who's that?
[00:25:34] Who's the devil trying to make war with today?
[00:25:38] If you're a true believer, you could raise your hand.
[00:25:41] Satan is doing all he can to fight you.
[00:25:43] But does that mean that we should be afraid?
[00:25:46] No, because we have the upper hand.
[00:25:48] How?
[00:25:49] Well, of course, in 1 John it says, Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
[00:25:54] The spirit of the Holy Spirit is far greater than the spirit of Antichrist, of the devil.
[00:25:58] But look what it said earlier in the chapter, chapter 12.
[00:26:01] After Satan is cast out into the earth,
[00:26:04] Notice verse 10, And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of our Christ.
[00:26:13] For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
[00:26:18] And they, those of us who Satan accuses, the remnant of the seed of the woman, and they overcame him.
[00:26:25] Who overcomes who?
[00:26:27] We overcome Satan.
[00:26:28] How?
[00:26:29] By the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, by the blood of Christ, by the word of God engrafted in our hearts.
[00:26:37] And notice, and they love not their lives unto the death.
[00:26:42] That's the picture of a true Christian.
[00:26:44] He said, okay, if I have to give my life for Christ, no problem.
[00:26:49] You say, well, it might be a little problem, Pastor Joe.
[00:26:52] You love not your life to the death.
[00:26:54] This is the picture of a Christian.
[00:26:57] Now, we have believing Christians in Africa, in the Middle East, in China, and they say Amen.
[00:27:03] But most Christians in America are more interested in escaping the Tribulation than they are in dying a martyrdom death for Jesus.
[00:27:11] Folks, most Christians are not called to die for Jesus.
[00:27:14] That's why Jesus dies for us.
[00:27:16] But we are called to live for Him.
[00:27:18] And let me tell you, you will never live for Jesus Christ until you are ready to die for Him.
[00:27:26] If you're not ready to die for Him, you will never live for Him.
[00:27:31] We're too comfortable in America.
[00:27:34] Amen?
[00:27:37] It's true, isn't it?
[00:27:40] Lord have mercy.
[00:27:42] Lord have mercy.
[00:27:44] The devil persecutes the church.
[00:27:46] He goes after those that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:27:51] Paul says in 2 Timothy 3, verse 12, he says, Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
[00:28:00] He didn't say every Christian.
[00:28:03] No, no, just go to that church that, you know, has nice music and tells you how much Jesus loves you and go home.
[00:28:12] and you're a good Christian.
[00:28:14] All that live godly in Christ will suffer persecution.
[00:28:18] Why?
[00:28:18] Because your godly example exposes their wickedness.
[00:28:25] I think that's what happened with Charlie Kirk.
[00:28:28] He was too good at what he did.
[00:28:30] He made them incensed and mad.
[00:28:32] Why?
[00:28:33] Because from what I've seen, he simply pointed out the truth.
[00:28:36] He let them expose themselves.
[00:28:38] They couldn't stand it.
[00:28:40] Why does Cain kill Abel?
[00:28:41] Go back and read in 1 John.
[00:28:43] Because Abel's works were righteous and Cain's weren't.
[00:28:47] And by that righteous godly life, that light, you're exposing wickedness and they can't stand it.
[00:28:54] And so they have to destroy it.
[00:28:56] That's satanic.
[00:28:58] And that's what we've seen this week.
[00:29:01] But it's nothing new, brothers and sisters.
[00:29:06] You have to understand too, unregenerate people, people who are not born again, they don't understand this or believe it.
[00:29:12] Why do they generally do what they do?
[00:29:14] Pastor Joseph is a nut.
[00:29:16] We know that.
[00:29:16] He can preach all of that stuff and believe all that stuff and act.
[00:29:20] He's half Iraqi anyways.
[00:29:21] Who knows about him?
[00:29:22] As long as he's got 70, 80 people in that little church of his, who cares about Pastor Joseph?
[00:29:28] But if Pastor Joseph starts to have millions and millions listening to him and maybe he starts to be a political force and maybe he starts to help conservatives win elections somehow and engage younger people with the truth, now he's a problem.
[00:29:48] Let's kill Pastor Joseph.
[00:29:50] Let's get rid of Pastor Joseph.
[00:29:52] Let's throw him in prison.
[00:29:53] Because unbelievers don't understand this spiritual war.
[00:29:57] All they understand is money, power, control, politics.
[00:30:03] That's it.
[00:30:05] And if you are a Christian,
[00:30:08] And you're just simply spiritual, reading the word, and you're not involved in the public square and all that kind of stuff, generally speaking, they leave you alone.
[00:30:14] You're just an idiot.
[00:30:16] That's what they say.
[00:30:16] You just need a crutch.
[00:30:18] Old Pastor Joseph's a nut.
[00:30:19] But once you engage in the area of the world, look out, brother, because you're getting into their territory.
[00:30:28] It's money.
[00:30:29] It's time.
[00:30:30] It's control.
[00:30:31] It's power.
[00:30:32] That's all they got.
[00:30:33] They have no clue what's going on afterwards.
[00:30:35] They have no clue of the spiritual world, most of them.
[00:30:38] We understand there's demon-possessed people and all that, but that's very small.
[00:30:42] Let me give you an example.
[00:30:44] Turn with me to Acts chapter 19.
[00:30:46] You heard of the epistle to the Ephesians.
[00:30:50] God did a great work in the church in Ephesus.
[00:30:54] Many people came to Christ, but
[00:30:58] There was a lot of trouble there.
[00:31:00] In Acts chapter 19, look what happens.
[00:31:02] Paul, God is doing special miracles by the hands of Paul.
[00:31:07] I mean, you know, this is where you get this handkerchief thing.
[00:31:10] Send me your very best gift and I'll send you a handkerchief and you'll be healed or whatever.
[00:31:15] But I don't think Paul ever had a TV ministry and asked for money like that.
[00:31:19] But those miracles were taking place with Paul.
[00:31:25] And so he was so successful in God's eyes that so many who were into paganism and false worship, the key worship there in Ephesus was of the goddess Diana, that they brought their books and magical arts and different things of their paganism and they had a great big book burning because they all came to Christ.
[00:31:45] Now, nobody seems to really care that much.
[00:31:48] Paul's preaching some new religion, so what?
[00:31:51] Ah!
[00:31:52] But there's a problem.
[00:31:53] Take a look in Acts chapter 19 verse 23.
[00:31:59] And the same time there was no small stir about that way, for a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, and brought no small gain unto the craftsmen.
[00:32:15] whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
[00:32:22] Moreover, you see and hear that not alone in Ephesus but almost all throughout Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods which are made with hands.
[00:32:34] So that not only this our craft is in danger, to be said it not, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshipeth.
[00:32:48] And when they heard these things, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians!
[00:32:54] What's going on here?
[00:32:56] He says this Christian thing is not good for business.
[00:33:00] If everybody converts to Christ, nobody's going to want to worship Diana.
[00:33:04] Who's going to buy our Diana, you know, whatever, claymation, silversmith thingamajigs?
[00:33:11] Nobody's going to want to buy these things.
[00:33:13] We're going to be poor.
[00:33:14] What are we going to eat?
[00:33:15] This is bad for business.
[00:33:16] Let's do something.
[00:33:19] They're not born again.
[00:33:20] They're not spiritual.
[00:33:21] They could care less, really, about Diana.
[00:33:23] As long as the money kept pouring in, they wouldn't be upset at all.
[00:33:27] All of a sudden,
[00:33:30] the money's not coming look what happens and so there's a great riot in the city and and the whole city is filled with confusion and and they're getting ready to lynch Paul why because those guys are afraid they're going to lose their money and at the very end one of the magistrates comes in he straightens them out he says hey we can't do this and by the way this is what he says look at the end of this story verse 38
[00:33:57] Wherefore, the magistrate says, if Demetrius and the craftsmen which are with him have a matter against any man, the law is open, and they are deputies.
[00:34:06] Let them plead one another.
[00:34:08] And so he said, look, who is there fighting for Diana?
[00:34:12] Because, oh, they're all saying, oh, Diana, Diana, the god of the Ephesians, oh, for two hours.
[00:34:19] Where are the priests of Diana?
[00:34:21] Not one shows up.
[00:34:23] Where are the spiritual, you're hurting our spiritual mores, not one cares.
[00:34:29] Who's the one stirring this up?
[00:34:30] The people who are going to lose money.
[00:34:35] Charlie Kirk, he might have got Trump elected, let's kill him.
[00:34:39] Doesn't have anything to do with Christianity.
[00:34:41] It does, it does have everything to do with Christianity, but they can't see that.
[00:34:46] Where you're going to have problems is when true believers and their faith inserts them in an intersection of what the world considers important, and now that's a problem.
[00:34:58] You find that here in Ephesus.
[00:35:00] You find that in many stories.
[00:35:02] Daniel.
[00:35:03] Daniel, you can pray to Israel three times a day till the cows come home.
[00:35:06] We could care less.
[00:35:08] but once we're trying to figure out some kind of accusation against Daniel to get him out of the way because none of us can ascend in the government because this Daniel seems to know everything and the man is perfect he never does anything wrong what can we do what can we do ah let's get let's get Darius or whoever to make a decree that nobody can be worshipped for 90 days Daniel will do that prayer thing and we'll get him in trouble and throw him in the lion's den
[00:35:34] They can care less that he's praying to the true God.
[00:35:37] They have no spiritual bone in their body.
[00:35:39] All they care about is power and control.
[00:35:42] And that's Charlie Kirk.
[00:35:43] Charlie Kirk apparently had a solid Christian faith.
[00:35:47] And he was killed not for his solid Christian faith, but because of his conservative values, because he's pro-Trump, and because there are people that hate that.
[00:35:56] That just absolutely hate that.
[00:35:58] They don't understand this has anything to do with Jesus Christ, or religion, or the Bible, or anything.
[00:36:03] All they know is that this is causing me angst because this is affirming a political view that I don't like and I can't stand it and I hate it and he's against transgender and he's against this and that and therefore he's wicked and he must die.
[00:36:19] All the while Satan's in the background.
[00:36:26] But most people have no clue whatsoever what's going on.
[00:36:31] All that is, is Satan standing before the woman, ready to devour the child.
[00:36:38] We have to recognize that that is what is really going on.
[00:36:42] That is what we are facing.
[00:36:43] And what did they do to Jesus?
[00:36:45] As long as Jesus stays up in Galilee, as long as he stays up there and preaches to a few old ignorant people, he's no problem.
[00:36:55] Once he shows up to Jerusalem and starts, you know, getting in on our game, that's a problem.
[00:37:00] We don't want that.
[00:37:02] Once everybody starts calling him the Messiah and stops listening to us, we might lose control.
[00:37:09] This Jesus is becoming a problem.
[00:37:11] Look in John chapter 11 real quick.
[00:37:13] John chapter 11 verse 45.
[00:37:16] You'll see this very clearly.
[00:37:18] Why did they kill Jesus?
[00:37:22] You know, was Satan involved?
[00:37:27] His fingerprints are all over it.
[00:37:30] but most of those people didn't think i think i'll do satan a favor i'll kill jesus why did they kill jesus they hated him why'd they hate him they were envious they were jealous they were afraid he was in their minds taking away their power their control their authority and for an unbeliever that's all you have right and so look in john chapter 11 verse 45
[00:37:58] Then many of the Jews, after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, the church grows.
[00:38:04] A lot of people coming to Christ now.
[00:38:06] Oh, this is a problem.
[00:38:08] Who is cornerstone?
[00:38:09] Oh, that's that weird church that gets in trouble all the time.
[00:38:11] But if God blesses us with true revival, do you want that?
[00:38:19] But look out.
[00:38:21] Because if he does, what's going to happen, Pastor Henry?
[00:38:24] Will the devil say, oh great, there's a revival at cornerstone?
[00:38:28] They say, oh wow, there's a revival at Cornerstone.
[00:38:30] I'll show up.
[00:38:33] Look out.
[00:38:34] This is what happens.
[00:38:35] So now all these people are coming to Christ with this great miracle, undeniable, of the resurrection of Lazarus.
[00:38:41] And then look what happens here in John chapter 11 verse 45.
[00:38:44] Then many of the Jews, which came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
[00:38:49] But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees and told them what things Jesus had done.
[00:38:54] Then gathered the chief priests and Pharisees.
[00:38:56] Listen to the reasoning of these people.
[00:38:58] and said what do we for this man doeth many miracles if we let him thus alone all men will believe on him and the romans shall come and do what take away both our place and nation in other words the romans will take over we won't get to control things anymore we won't have any control at all we'll just be no men nothings so what are we going to do i know let's kill him
[00:39:26] And then Caiaphas, although he's not a believer, the Holy Ghost speaks to him, and this is what he says, verse 49, And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest the same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
[00:39:43] And this he spake not of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
[00:39:56] now listen verse 53 listen then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death what did he do wrong he was too popular too many people are following him he's going to upset the balance of political power he's going to take away maybe our opportunity to rule
[00:40:24] We're not going to be calling the shots anymore.
[00:40:28] I know.
[00:40:28] Let's kill him.
[00:40:31] Same thing.
[00:40:33] Same thing.
[00:40:33] Jesus is okay as long as he's spiritual.
[00:40:35] But once he becomes a threat to what unbelievers really care about, power, control, authority, and money, that's a problem.
[00:40:42] That's what happened with Charlie Kirk.
[00:40:46] But is Charlie Kirk sad now?
[00:40:53] Praise the Lord.
[00:40:54] He overcame them with the blood of the lamb and the word of his testimony and loved not his life to the death.
[00:40:59] Did he ever have any death threats?
[00:41:03] Did he know that he was under the threat of being killed?
[00:41:08] He said, well, you know what?
[00:41:10] I don't, for my own sake, I better not go.
[00:41:16] What does Jesus say about the Christian life?
[00:41:19] Matthew chapter 17.
[00:41:21] Remember,
[00:41:23] Jesus at a certain time tells Peter and the disciples look I'm getting ready to go to Jerusalem Matthew chapter 17 and he says it's going to be there's going to be problems in Matthew 17 he says that he's going to go to Jerusalem there's going to be is going to be
[00:41:52] The chief priests are going to, I'm sorry, it's chapter 16.
[00:41:57] In chapter 16, this idea that he's going to be persecuted, that he's going to be killed, that he's going to be, verse 20 and 21, Then charged he his disciples, 1620, they should tell no man that he was Jesus Christ.
[00:42:16] From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, the scribes, and be killed and raised the third day.
[00:42:25] And what does Peter do?
[00:42:26] Peter takes Jesus and starts to rebuke him.
[00:42:29] Not a good idea.
[00:42:31] And what does he say?
[00:42:33] He says, Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee.
[00:42:38] Sounds like the American prosperity gospel.
[00:42:40] We're not supposed to die.
[00:42:41] We're not supposed to suffer.
[00:42:43] We're not supposed to get even sick.
[00:42:44] We're supposed to all have Rolls Royces and Jets and be completely healthy and have millions and millions of dollars and all live to be 120 years old.
[00:42:52] Didn't you know that?
[00:42:54] That's kind of what Peter's saying.
[00:42:56] No, you're the Messiah.
[00:42:57] You can't die.
[00:42:59] What does Jesus say about such thinking that prevails?
[00:43:03] Even if it's not a word of faith church, or a church that is about prosperity, or a church that is about the health and wealth gospel.
[00:43:10] It's so many churches today.
[00:43:12] Let me just give you a little something to encourage you, sprinkle you with a little bit of scripture, and send you off with my blessing.
[00:43:19] Go out on the lake and have a nice time.
[00:43:23] This is not Christianity!
[00:43:25] It is a horrible, horrible, wicked, twisted facade that I think, quite frankly, Christ would spit out as he did the Laodicean church he threatened.
[00:43:40] A lukewarm religion.
[00:43:42] Jesus says, get thee behind me, Satan.
[00:43:47] Who's working?
[00:43:48] Satan has been working, even in the church.
[00:43:51] Yes, Pastor Joseph, even in the church.
[00:43:55] To devour the man-child, to keep him from the cross in this case.
[00:44:01] Notice, he says in verse 24, he tells Peter, you savor the things that be of men, not of God.
[00:44:08] Verse 24, if any man will come after me, is that us?
[00:44:12] Any woman?
[00:44:13] Any man?
[00:44:14] Let him do what?
[00:44:15] First, deny himself.
[00:44:17] Second, take up his cross.
[00:44:19] What does it mean to take up the cross?
[00:44:21] That means you're going to die, right?
[00:44:25] They wrote an article about us in the newspaper.
[00:44:27] It went all over the nation.
[00:44:29] We had on the sign, come and die with us.
[00:44:32] But underneath it, in letters this big, Galatians 2.20, which says, I'm crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, that not I, you know.
[00:44:40] They put in the newspaper, come and die with us.
[00:44:43] They left out Galatians 2.20.
[00:44:47] In other words, we're some kind of cult that's going to, you know, the juice is coming out here in just a minute, right?
[00:44:53] Yeah, Jim Jones.
[00:44:54] No, no.
[00:44:55] Come and die with us.
[00:44:57] Is that a seeker-friendly church?
[00:44:59] Come here and be crucified.
[00:45:02] We'll have public crucifixions at 1045 a.m. at Cornerstone.
[00:45:06] Come!
[00:45:07] We have a cross measure just for you.
[00:45:10] You think we'll get a lot of people in for that?
[00:45:14] Pastor Ed, you say, well, I'm going to have to find another church.
[00:45:18] Either he or I are going to have to go, right?
[00:45:22] But the point is, this is what Jesus says.
[00:45:24] He says, if any man comes out of the land and denies himself, take up his cross and follow me, right?
[00:45:29] And notice, whomsoever will save his life shall lose it.
[00:45:35] Isn't that what the whole American society is about?
[00:45:38] Health insurance, not that you shouldn't have it, but prolonging your life.
[00:45:43] If there's a scare of a .005 chance you might get an infection, don't go to church.
[00:45:50] Give up your religion, right?
[00:45:53] For whoever will save his life shall lose it.
[00:45:56] But whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
[00:46:02] Are you ready to lose your life for Christ?
[00:46:07] In 2 Timothy chapter 1, the Apostle Paul is in jail in Rome.
[00:46:13] And probably that's the last imprisonment after which he is martyred.
[00:46:17] The Apostle Paul, by tradition, we understand, was martyred.
[00:46:20] He was killed for his faith.
[00:46:22] And notice what he tells Timothy while he's in jail.
[00:46:25] Oh, Timothy, do whatever you can not to be in jail.
[00:46:28] Oh, jail is rough.
[00:46:29] You don't know.
[00:46:30] Oh, be sure.
[00:46:32] Run as far away as you can.
[00:46:33] And if you mention Jesus, don't mention it too loud.
[00:46:37] You might get in trouble like me and end up in jail.
[00:46:39] Is that what Paul says?
[00:46:41] Paul's in jail ready to be offered and notice what he says second Timothy chapter 1 verse 6 wherefore I put you in remembrance and stir you up the gift of God that is in thee by the putting on of hands he says for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind
[00:47:00] be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of god who has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his purposes in grace which was given us in christ jesus before the world but now is now made manifest by the appearing of our savior jesus christ who hath abolished death
[00:47:27] and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
[00:47:32] The devil wants us to be afraid.
[00:47:34] You know, pastor, we got all these people coming now for this Bible in 31 days.
[00:47:41] Maybe we should cancel it, you know.
[00:47:44] After all, look what's happening, right?
[00:47:49] If it's your day to go, it's your day to go.
[00:47:51] We have a safety team.
[00:47:52] We take precautions.
[00:47:54] We use wisdom.
[00:47:55] we will not be silenced we will not fear we will walk in faith and if we are killed for our faith how better of a death can you possibly conceive or contrive in your mind if you're truly a christian because after all you would be in good company because by the way he didn't die a cold he didn't die a cancer
[00:48:23] He willingly stretched forth his hands for you and for me as the quintessential martyr that made Christianity and eternal life possible for all of us.
[00:48:36] And of course, so many followed in his steps.
[00:48:38] You think of Stephen, you think of many others.
[00:48:41] And by the way, real quickly, Stephen was a martyr.
[00:48:44] And that word martyr is only in the Bible a few times.
[00:48:47] In the King James Bible in English, there's a place in Acts chapter 22 verse 20.
[00:48:52] But the word martyr actually comes from the Greek, and the word is martyrian, or it depends on the form, martyrian.
[00:49:02] And martyrian
[00:49:04] In Greek, you know what it means?
[00:49:07] Witness or testimony.
[00:49:10] And that's where we get the English word martyr.
[00:49:13] And so you'll find that Greek word used in many places for witness or testimony.
[00:49:18] That's the word we get martyr for.
[00:49:20] So here's the question.
[00:49:22] Do you witness for Christ?
[00:49:24] Is your life a testimony for Christ?
[00:49:27] What's the Greek word behind that?
[00:49:29] Martyr.
[00:49:31] Are you a martyr for Christ?
[00:49:33] We've run out of time, and I have so many more passages, but I'm not going to share them all.
[00:49:37] I'll just share a couple more.
[00:49:40] Look here with me in Philippians chapter 1.
[00:49:44] Philippians chapter 1, verse 12.
[00:49:48] We find the Apostle Paul is in prison again.
[00:49:52] He wrote a lot of letters in prison.
[00:49:54] Sometimes Christians have very productive ministries in prison.
[00:49:58] In Philippians 1, verse 12, look what he says.
[00:50:01] But I would you should understand, brethren, that the things which happen unto me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel.
[00:50:08] He's in prison.
[00:50:09] Oh, but it's over.
[00:50:10] No.
[00:50:11] He says, by the way, the fact that I'm in prison hasn't stopped the ministry.
[00:50:14] As a matter of fact, me being in prison and under house arrest in Rome, I've been able to share Christ with all kind of people that I wouldn't have been able to before.
[00:50:21] People even in the palace and all.
[00:50:24] It's really, it's all fallen out in a way that's actually good.
[00:50:28] And that's an interesting thing that we've heard of before.
[00:50:32] Turn to Romans chapter 8, verse 28.
[00:50:36] Some of you should know it.
[00:50:37] I hope many of you do.
[00:50:39] Romans 8, verse 28.
[00:50:41] And we know, as Christians,
[00:50:43] That all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.
[00:50:50] Was the assassination of Charlie Kirk a good thing?
[00:50:52] No, it's a wicked thing.
[00:50:54] It's satanic.
[00:50:54] It's from the pit of hell.
[00:50:56] But is God going to use it for good?
[00:50:57] You better believe it.
[00:50:58] He already has started.
[00:51:00] And it's going to continue to be used for good because He promised that to who?
[00:51:04] To those who love Him, verse 28, and are called according to His purpose.
[00:51:08] Why?
[00:51:08] Because, verse 29, For whom He did foreknow, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
[00:51:16] Born over whom He did predestinate, them He also called.
[00:51:18] Whom He called, them He also justified.
[00:51:20] Whom He justified, them He also glorified.
[00:51:23] And so, we look at all of these problems, all of these persecutions, assassinations, murders, wickedness,
[00:51:28] Hatred, people celebrating the death of a man who's simply sitting on the chair talking to people and trying to engage their minds and hearts and spirits and yet they celebrate his slaughter.
[00:51:38] What shall we say to these things?
[00:51:40] Paul says.
[00:51:41] If God be for us, who can be against us?
[00:51:43] He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
[00:51:49] Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?
[00:51:52] Not Satan.
[00:51:53] He's been cast down.
[00:51:54] He was the accuser of our brethren who accused us day and night.
[00:51:57] But he's no longer there to accuse us because Christ is now our advocate.
[00:52:01] He's cleansed us in His blood.
[00:52:02] He's washed us with the water of the Word of God.
[00:52:05] and now we are clothed in the fine linen and righteousness of the saints before God we have been justified we've been sanctified to be God's children the very sons and daughters of the Most High no it says who is he that condemneth verse 34 it's Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us right now Jesus is at the right hand of God praying for you and then we have a prayer meeting and two or three people show up
[00:52:36] Let me tell you, Jesus is there.
[00:52:39] And if you're not there, you're missing out.
[00:52:41] Jesus is praying now.
[00:52:43] Praise God he doesn't say, you know, there's lots of other things.
[00:52:46] My favorite program's coming on.
[00:52:49] I think I'll watch TV.
[00:52:52] Thank God Jesus doesn't take breaks from his intercession for you and for me at the right hand of the Father.
[00:53:01] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
[00:53:04] Does that assassin think that somehow he has sent Charlie Kirk into a separation from his God?
[00:53:11] Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, or sniper rifle?
[00:53:18] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long.
[00:53:22] We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[00:53:24] But nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[00:53:28] For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, no other created thing, can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[00:53:51] So we want to end where we began.
[00:53:54] Pastor Joseph, I was looking at Pastor Andy.
[00:53:59] Pastor Andy wouldn't make this mistake like me.
[00:54:02] Pastor Joseph, aren't we preaching Revelation 12?
[00:54:06] Yes, you're right.
[00:54:07] Please forgive me.
[00:54:08] We're going to end there.
[00:54:09] Back to Revelation 12.
[00:54:13] Pastor Andy has much better notes than I do.
[00:54:20] In Revelation 6, there's the fifth seal is open, and you see those souls that have been beheaded for the testimony of Christ, and they cry out under the altar, How long, O Lord?
[00:54:30] How long does thou not avenge our blood on the earth?
[00:54:33] And there's a voice that says, Just wait a little while.
[00:54:36] Here is some white robes.
[00:54:39] It's coming.
[00:54:40] It's coming.
[00:54:40] Just wait.
[00:54:41] It's coming.
[00:54:42] And of course it is going to come.
[00:54:44] And we find that it does come.
[00:54:49] If you look at Revelation chapter 19, because at the end of 12, the story is not finished.
[00:54:55] The end of 12, Satan is wroth, the dragon, and he's going after who?
[00:54:59] The remnant of the seed of the woman who keep the commandments of God and also who have his testimony, right?
[00:55:09] Okay, and notice Revelation 19 is the end of Satan, or almost.
[00:55:15] The Lord returns, and how does he return?
[00:55:18] Revelation chapter 19, we'll just read this part, verse 11.
[00:55:24] and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true in righteousness he doth judge and make war his eyes were as a flame of fire on his head were many crowns and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood his name is called the word of God and the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen white and clean and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword with which he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with what?
[00:55:55] A rod of iron.
[00:55:56] Have we heard about that?
[00:55:57] How about the man-child?
[00:55:59] How about Psalm 2?
[00:56:01] He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God, and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
[00:56:14] And you'll find that at the end of this chapter he destroys the beast and the false prophet.
[00:56:19] In the beginning of chapter 20 he throws Satan himself, the dragon, into a bottomless pit and binds him there.
[00:56:26] Satan is defeated and ultimately will be cast into the lake of fire this is the end the end is a good thing but I want to I want to encourage you with this right now that's the end Christ wins and if you're in Christ that means we we win but I want to encourage you we're not there yet so where are we remember the last verse of chapter 12 of Revelation and the dragon verse 17 was wroth with the woman
[00:56:53] and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:57:05] That word testimony in the Greek would be what?
[00:57:09] Martyrion.
[00:57:11] The word from which we get martyrdom.
[00:57:14] Who does Satan hate?
[00:57:16] The ones that have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
[00:57:19] What was the testimony of Jesus Christ?
[00:57:22] He sealed it with his blood.
[00:57:25] If you're really of the seed of the woman, you keep God's commandments and you have that martyr spirit.
[00:57:35] If any man come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.
[00:57:40] He who loves his life will lose it.
[00:57:43] He who loses his life for my sake will keep it unto life eternal.
[00:57:51] Praise God.
[00:57:51] In the end, Christ defeats the devil.
[00:57:58] And we win.
[00:57:58] Amen?
[00:58:00] And what does that victory look like?
[00:58:02] Just a very brief picture.
[00:58:04] This is it.
[00:58:05] Revelation 2.
[00:58:06] Pastor Andy preached on it a few weeks ago.
[00:58:11] If you're going to overcome, how are you going to do it?
[00:58:14] By the blood of the Lamb, by the word of His testimony, and loving not your life to the death.
[00:58:21] but here it is finally he said well praise God Christ is reigning he's got a rod of iron hallelujah isn't that wonderful he overcomes but what about us who are his seed Revelation chapter 2 look there with me if you would at verse 26
[00:58:41] And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.
[00:58:52] Who's that?
[00:58:54] Every believer who overcomes.
[00:58:56] As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father, and I will give him the morning star.
[00:59:06] And what is the morning star?
[00:59:08] Or who is the morning star?
[00:59:10] Jesus Christ who loved you who gave himself for you greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world this fight continues our brother is a martyr our brother now is is not able to be touched anymore by the devil and one day
[00:59:25] In the meantime, we have been endued with power from on high.
[00:59:29] We're called to walk the walk of Jesus Christ, to fight the good fight of faith, to trust clothed in the blood of the Lamb, to keep the word of his testimony, and to walk that Christian life, being crucified with Christ, having the testimony of Christ himself, living for him because he died for us.
[00:59:50] And loved us and gave himself for us that we might give our life to the fullest.
[00:59:56] He died for us.
[00:59:59] Is it too much for him to ask you and me to live for him?
[01:00:03] To God be the glory.
[01:00:04] Amen.
[01:00:05] Amen.
[01:00:06] Praise the Lord.
[01:00:11] We are going to sing our final hymn.
[01:00:13] I believe this is very appropriate.
[01:00:16] In a time when people say, you know what?
[01:00:18] Maybe you shouldn't be quite so boisterous about Christ.
[01:00:22] Maybe you shouldn't be out on the airwaves.
[01:00:24] Maybe you should kind of curtail the message.
[01:00:26] Folks, it's time to stand up.
[01:00:28] Stand up for Jesus.
[01:00:29] Amen?
[01:00:30] Let's stand and let's sing number 616 to the glory of God.