The Kingdom Is Victorious!

Revelation 19:1-6 ESV After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, (2) for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." (3) Once more they cried out, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." (4) And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" (5) And from the throne came a voice saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great." (6) Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Matthew 12:20 He will not break a bruised reed, and He will not quench a smoking wick, until He sends out judgment to victory.

Luke 11:22 But when one stronger than he comes, he overcomes him. He takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and he distributes his arms.

John 16:33 I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1Corinthians 15:54,55 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"

1Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Scenario Question: Who gives us the victory? When is this victory finalized?

1John 2:13,14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1John 5:4,5 For everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rewards and Inheritance

} Inheritance and Reward are related but separate concepts with some overlap. Christians have BOTH an inheritance and a reward. An Inheritance is by BIRTH and is from the new birth as sons of God.

} 1 Peter 1:3-4 ESV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

} A reward is for SPECIAL EFFORT and is for patient endurance, obedience, suffering, diligence and effort in the Lord’s work. 2 John 1:8 ESV Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

} A King has a nobleman, who has a son and heir. The nobleman’s estate passes to the son and heir as an inheritance, just by fact of birth. It is not a reward for good behavior or special courage it is a right of inheritance. If the nobleman wins a great battle the King may give the nobleman a REWARD – such as a new title, name, honor or more land. This is earned.

} Christians may be “prodigal sons” and destroy their inheritance through grossly immoral behavior inconsistent with the Christian faith. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV (9) Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, (10) nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

} A reward is only given for excellent work, slipshod work is unrewarded and burned up
1Corinthians 3:12-15 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

} Christians may “receive their reward in full” by attention-seeking and hypocrisy: Matthew 6:5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

The Revelation Perspective

Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.

Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it .

Revelation 2:26 And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations.

Revelation 3:5 The one who overcomes, this one will be clothed in white clothing. And I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will go out no more. And I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name.

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

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death.

Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire. And those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them. For He is Lord of lords and King of kings. And those with Him are the called and elect and faithful ones.

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.

Scenario Question:

Who are the overcomers?

What are they like?

How do they win?

And how will they be rewarded?