Revelation 12:11 NKJV And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Revelation 19:10 NKJV And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
- For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy
- And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony
- A testimony is prophecy.
- It enables expectations to rise.
- Expectations about the Goodness of God.
- Sometimes our hearts are not as hopeful as we would like it to be.
Job 7:19-21 NKJV How long? Will You not look away from me, And let me alone till I swallow my saliva? [20] Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself? [21] Why then do You not pardon my transgression, And take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, And You will seek me diligently, But I will no longer be.”
- Even David went through these tough times.
Psalm 6:2-3 NKJV Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. [3] My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O LORD-how long?
- How long?
2 Peter 3:8-9 NKJV But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
- First of all, we have to completely trust Him
- Matthew 10:16 NKJV “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
- Trusting in ourselves brings on a curse.
- We have a shepherd.
Psalm 23:1 NKJV The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- Born for such a time as this.
- Mordecai tells Esther
- God doesn’t give you anything that you can’t deal with.
- He trains my hands for battle
Psalm 18:34 NKJV He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
Psalm 144:1 NKJV Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle-
Ephesians 6:12 Voice We’re not waging war against enemies of flesh and blood alone. No, this fight is against tyrants, against authorities, against supernatural powers and demon princes that slither in the darkness of this world, and against wicked spiritual armies that lurk about in heavenly places.
- Go through the valley
Psalm 23:4 NKJV Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Cross, Step 1
Ephesians 2:2 NKJV in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
- Resurrection, Step 2
- Ephesians 2:10 NKJV For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- Be a blessing
Ephesians 4:1 NKJV I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
- We Overcome by testimony
John 15:26-27 NKJV “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. [27] And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
- bear witness is testify.
Ephesians 4:23 NKJV and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,