JESUS UNVEILS SEVEN GIFTS FOR THE VICTORIOUS
_______________________________________________________
The apostle John writes the Book of Revelation while in exile on the island of Patmos. In this book, he shares his spectacular vision of meeting the glorified Christ in heaven. Jesus asks John to write down His divine messages to the seven churches of Asia.
After each message, Jesus adds a promise, a gift, to those who are victorious. These incredible promises are for all believers for all time. These promises are for us… if we stand victorious to the end.
Who are the victorious? The ones who prevail, who conquer, who overcome. Those who do not fall away from following Christ… who are not deterred by the temptations of the world… who do His will and loyally endure to the end. These conquerors will be rewarded by God and will receive the crown of life.
Jesus gives us seven eternal promises…
“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:7
The gift of immortality in Christ – Adam and Eve were barred from entrance into paradise when they disobeyed God and fell for the temptation of Satan. For whoever eats of the Tree of Life in paradise will live forever. We are promised this gift of life everlasting in Christ.
“The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.” – Revelation 2:11
The gift of security in Christ – The second death, spiritual death, is absolute exclusion from God for all eternity. This second death will not touch believers for we are tapped into the Source of eternal life. We will have the crown of life to forever secure us.
“To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” – Revelation 2:17
The gift of treasures in Christ – Jesus, the Bread of Life sustains us. We eat of His eternal manna and will never die. The shining stone bears a new name for us… one that will encompass our true character once we are complete and glorified in Christ.
“To the one who is victorious and does My will to the end, I will give authority over the nations… I will also give that one the Morning Star.” – Revelation 2:26, 28
The gift of authority in Christ – We will one day share in Christ’s anointed and sovereign Lordship over all. Jesus, our bright Morning Star, gives Himself to the overcomers, the conquerors. He will be our neverending Source of light and joy.
“The one who is victorious will… be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge that name before My Father and His angels.” – Revelation 3:5
The gift of Christlikeness – As believers, we will one day be clothed in our glorified and imperishable bodies … transformed into the likeness and purity of Christ. Our names, written in the Book of Life with indelible ink, mark us as being eternally His.
“The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from My God; and I will also write on them My new name.” – Revelation 3:12
The gift of eternity with Christ – Our eternal home in heaven will be in the temple of God… the New Jerusalem. We are ensured of our citizenship in heaven forever. Christ will write His name upon us as we enter into His full glory. We will bear the seal of the redeemed and belong to Him forevermore.
“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with My Father on His throne.” – Revelation 3:21
The gift of glorification in Christ – The highest honor is to live and reign with Christ forever. We will be exalted and glorified with Him. We will eternally be in the presence of our Lord.
Let us then not be deterred from the path before us. Let us follow Jesus wholeheartedly, for He is the One in whom our hope rests. In Him we are more than conquerors. We have these eternal promises, these precious gifts, from our Lord to encourage us on our spiritual journey. We can look forward to our crown of life and eternity in His blessed presence.
