7 Promises for those who Overcome

#7. Reigning with Jesus.

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

And they [the four living creatures around the throne] sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain and, with your blood, you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’

They overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; (Rev 12:11)

There is a statement in the Old Testament in Joshua 21:22 & 1Kings5:4 they had “peace on every side”. This happened when Israel was at its zenith and the people of God were at their obedient best. Joshua and Solomon enjoy the rest and peace created by God. A true sense of shalom. This shalom happens when God is placed at the centre of social, cultural, political and religious life. They had learned to rely on God for everything. As God reigned in their lives so they reigned upon the earth.

Jesus is encouraging the church in Laodicea to wake up and start to take their faith seriously. These guys were just half-hearted ‘neither hot nor cold’. The church had become self-sufficient pleased with its own competence. Even in this indifferent state, Jesus is offering them the ultimate promise.

Amongst all the other amazing blessings that come to those who remain faithful and overcome temptation, difficulty and spiritual attack, this next promise is the most fulfilling and all-encompassing. Jesus will grant, to those who overcome, the right to sit down with Jesus on His throne.

We gain a fuller understanding of this when we look at the book of Hebrews and read:

Heb 1:3 - The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

Heb 8:1 - Now the main point of what we are saying is this: we do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven

Heb 10:12 - But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

Heb 12:2 - For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God

In Hebrews, the author is saying that sitting down means there is no more work needed to be done. Jesus’ work is finished. When we come into the presence of God at the end of our time, or and the end of all time we shall be invited to sit down with Jesus on his throne of completed work. Jesus’ blood was the ultimate and perfect sacrifice. Jesus links his overcoming with the right to sit down on the Throne and he links our overcoming with the same right to sit on Jesus’ throne with him. We are not deposing Jesus but we are reigning with Him with the authority that he gives us.

In this age, we have a work to do: to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus. There will be a time when that is done and our work shall be done and we can sit down with Christ as he sat down beside the Father at his Ascension and took his place on His throne.

However, at the same time, there is a reigning we can enjoy right now.

Ephesians 2:4-7 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

When we died to ourselves and rose in Christ we are seated in the heavenly realms with Christ Jesus. Therefore we reign over this current age through faith in Christ. This is why we have the authority to heal and to operate in the spiritual gifts.

So there we have it. Promises for you as you remain resilient in the face of opposition.

Seven Promises for you as you Overcome the world (external) the flesh (internal) and the Devil (spiritual).

You will:

1. Have access to the Tree of Life

2. Not be Hurt by the Second Death

3. Have Hidden Manna (provision), A White Stone and a New Name (permanence)

4. Have Authority over Nations and a Star!

5. Be dressed in heavenly Clothes, Walking with him, Recognition

6. Be a Pillar in the Temple in heaven

7. Reign with Jesus

Remember Jesus is available to help you in your times of greatest weakness.

Have a blessed and promise-filled week.

Fraser