FORERUNNER SCHOOL OF MINISTRY WES HALL

STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The Perseverance of the Saints

I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus (Rev.1:9) I. THE BOOK OF REVELATION: AN END TIME MANUAL FOR OVERCOMERS A. The Book of Revelation is a call for the church to overcome in the midst of the darkest hour of human history as the rage of Satan, the wickedness of man and the temporal judgments of God are released on the earth in fullness during the final 3 years of human history before Jesus returns. Many people avoid reading the book of Revelation because they either do not understand it or they are offended by the activity of Jesus as he releases judgments upon the earth at the end of the age. Rightly understood, however, this prophecy is designed to fill us with great hope and confidence in the victory that the church will enjoy both in the midst of the Great Tribulation and for 1000 years afterwards as we rule and reign with Christ. The Book of Revelation does not picture the people of God escaping the great tribulation through secret rapture as is commonly taught. Nor does it picture the church defeated by the devil or offended with the temporal judgments of Christ that will be released at the end of the age. In contrast, Revelation paints a picture of a glorious bride, victorious in the midst of great trouble and worshipping her heavenly Bridegroom. During the final 7 years before Jesus returns, the church will undergo unparalleled tribulation, which will be cut short by the return of Jesus himself (Matt.24:22). However, the picture is not of a Bride that is simply enduring this trouble while she waits to be rescued by her Heavenly Bridegroom. To the contrary, this time of great trouble is the churchs most glorious hour in which she shines in bright righteousness, and partners with the Lord in releasing His judgments against unrighteousness (see e.g. Rev.5:8-10; 8:3-6; 15:2-8). The Lord will use this time of trouble to purify his Bride and cause her to shine with His glory and righteousness. The book of Revelation is the story of the ultimate triumph of the saints over all her enemies. At the end of the story, Jesus does not come to deliver a defeated, bedraggled bride, but a people, which has made itself ready to meet its King. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (Rev.19:7-8)
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F.

Studying the book of Revelation is not an option for believers. It provides us with essential information to prepare us to persevere through the greatest season of tribulation the church has ever known. A threefold blessing is promised to those who read, hear and keep the things which are contained in this book. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near (Rev.1:3)
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As we enter into understanding of the message of Revelation, we will be empowered to overcome in the midst of tribulation as God brings us into agreement with His plan and His purpose. Those who overcome will be those who remain faithful despite the fierce assault of the enemy in the end-time because they know their God
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Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering (Dan.11:32-33) II. THE THREE FOLD ASSAULT OF THE ENEMY IN THE END TIMES The book of Revelation describes three primary ways in which the devil is seeking to defeat the church in the end times and three primary means by which the church overcomes this assault of darkness against the church. It is important that we understand not only what our weapons are, but also the nature of the assault that is coming against us. The Bible says that the enemy is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (openly) (1 Pet.5:8-9), but it also says that he comes as a wolf in sheeps clothing (Matt.7:15) (deceptively). III. ASSAULT #1: SEDUCTION .."Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."(Rev.17:1-2)
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for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world (2 Tim.4:10) Jesus told us that at the end of the age, the love of many would grow cold because of lawlessness and deception (Matt 24:11-12). The book of Revelation describes the culmination of lawlessness in the description of Babylon the Great a wealthy city that will exercise global influence at the end of the age (Rev.17:15,18; 18:3,7,23; 19:2). In contrast to the New Jerusalem which is pictured as a Bride (Rev.21-22), Babylon is described as a harlot who seduces the nations of the earth to participate in the sinful luxury she offers, yet her ultimate destiny is permanent destruction. She will exert her influence in three primary ways, seeking to seduce the nations with promises of wealth, power and pleasure.

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1.

The Seduction of Wealth

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For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury (Rev.18:3) The end time Babylonian system will create many opportunities for great wealth. The desire for wealth is closely linked to the desire for power (independence from God) and control over our circumstances. It is described by Paul as a great snare that results in the destruction of those who fall into it. Jesus said it was impossible to serve both God and money (Matt.6:23-25). those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Tim.6:9-10). 2. The Seduction of Power For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived (Rev.18:23) In the worlds eyes wealth is power. The most powerful men on the earth are also the richest men on the earth. Those with both money and power become independent of God and feel able to act however they please free from constraint. "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." (Gen.11:4) 3. The Seduction of Pleasure
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The kings of the earthcommitted fornication and lived luxuriously with her (Rev.18:9)

The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you (Rev.18:14)

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Those with wealth and power will be able to live however they please. The City of Babylon will offer every conceivable legitimate and illegitimate pleasure in abundance and immediate satisfaction. In Babylon people will not experience unsatisfied cravings. They will be able to enjoy the fruit that their souls long for. Gross immorality and sexual perversion will be acceptable behavior. C. In Babylon, the devil seeks to counterfeit the permanent, though as yet unseen, rewards of the age to come, with passing pleasures of sin. As with Jesus in the wilderness temptations (Matt.4; Lk.4), he seeks to offer us shortcuts to what God has already promised us (wealth, power, pleasure) yet they are not shortcuts at all since the promise is an illusion that will be cut short (Rev.18:7 cf. 18:10,14,19; 19:1-4). The message of Revelation is designed to give us understanding of our permanent heavenly citizenship and the greatness of rewards for those who endure and overcome, so that, unlike Esau, we might not surrender our birthright for a pot of stew that will not last for more than a few moments (Gen.25:29-33). Understanding the true nature of earthly wealth, power and pleasure and the ultimate destiny of the wicked will keep us from saying yes to this powerful seduction.
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And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities (Rev.18:4-5) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world (1 John 1:15-16). Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4) IV. ASSAULT #2: TRIBULATION A. Those who are not seduced by the pleasures of this age, will suffer great tribulation at the hands of unbelievers, culminating in a fierce attack by the Antichrist and his world empire during the final 3 years before Jesus return (known as the Great Tribulation). Many believers will die during the greatest tribulation the world has ever known (Matt.24:21).
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And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev.12:17)
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It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome (kill) them (Rev.13:7)

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I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (Rev.17:6) B. Many of those who are not prepared to endure tribulation will turn away from Christ out of offense because they cannot make sense of why God would allow negative things to happen to them (even though both Jesus and the apostles clearly taught that persecution and tribulation is the lot of all believers (Matt.5:10-12; 24:9; Lk.21:12-19; 2 Tim.3:12). Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life (Rev.2:10) C. The book of Revelation is a gift to the church to prepare us in advance: 1. To inform us that the Great Tribulation is part of Gods end-time plan to purify the church and bring her forth without spot or wrinkle. (Rev.2:10;5:8-10; 6:9-11;7:914;12:11;13:9-12;14:12;19:6-9). We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer (1 Thess.1:4-5) 2. To encourage us that those who endure until the end will receive great rewards. (Rev.2:7,10,17,26-29; 3:5,11-12,21)
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He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son (Rev.21:7) 3. To give us confidence that God is in control in the midst of suffering and martyrdom. (Rev.1:8,10,17-19;2:8;4-5; 15:3-4;16:5-6,15;19-20; 22:20) behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last (Rev.22:12-13) V. ASSAULT # 3: ACCUSATION the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night (Rev.12:10)
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Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him (Zech.3:1)

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A.

Satan is described as the accuser of the Brethren. One of his primary strategies against Gods people throughout the history of mankind has been to plant lies (accusations) in the hearts of believers concerning Gods character and the value of redeemed humanity to God. These lies are designed to infect our hearts with accusation and offense against God so that we will draw away from God in anger and bitterness. Rev.12:10 reveals that the enemys accusation is unrelenting (day and night) Accusations about Gods Character 1. His Love and goodness In the midst of suffering, the Devil wants us to believe that God is not a God of love. If He loved us, why would he allow his people to suffer? Why would he allow righteous people to die? Why would he not want us to enjoy all the pleasures that the world has to offer? Has God indeed said, "You shall not eat of every tree of the garden' (Gen.3:1) 2. His Power and Sovereignty If God is all-powerful, why does he allow bad things to happen to good people? Does He not have power to deliver people from trouble? Perhaps he doesnt have as much power as we think? Does the devil has as much power as God? Perhaps world events are outside Gods control. 3. His Perfect leadership of human history The Devil tries to convince us that God is not in control. He wants us to believe that there is no plan to establish Gods kingdom on the earth, and, even if there is a plan, God does not have our best interests at heart. He has not thought through his plan and is not able to bring it to pass. These accusations will increase as we see global leadership unified in the person of the Antichrist who will even be given power to prevail against the saints (Dan.7:21; Rev.13:7)

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Accusations about our value to God (Zech.3:1-10) One of the primary ways in which the enemy seeks to accuse believers, is to plant lies in our hearts about our value before God. He wants us to believe that we are not worthy to come before God and we will never inherit any of the promises because of our sin. He wants us to cause our hearts to despair and give up by telling us that God does not accept us and the blood of Jesus is insufficient to atone for our sin.

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VI.

THE THREE FOLD VICTORY OF THE SAINTS 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 (Rev.12:11) The book of Revelation provides the strategy by which we will not simply endure the great trouble of the end times but by which we will also be victorious in the midst of it. Revelation gives picture after picture of the saints overcoming in the end times to give us confidence that Gods threefold strategy for victory will work. A. The Blood of the Lamb 1. The shed blood of Jesus is our greatest weapon to confront the accusation of the enemy that we have no value to God. It is proof of His great love and commitment to humanity. It is through His shed blood that we come confidently into His presence and are assured of our right standing before Him. Because of His shed blood we have confidence that He is worthy to administrate Gods end time plan perfectly. It is because of the value of His shed blood that we have confidence Jesus will return to claim His Bride, and that we will reign with Him on the earth. It is because of His shed blood that we have confidence to endure suffering, patiently, as He did, because of the joy set before us. "You are worthy to take the scroll (rule the earth), and to open its seals (administrate Gods end time plan); for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,10And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev.5:9-10) 3. Those who overcome are those who are confident in the great love that Jesus has for them. They know that He shed His blood for them and they are worthy and valued before Him. They have confidence in His faithfulness to perfectly complete everything He has promised.
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The Word of their Testimony The Word of our Testimony is the declaration through our words and actions of the truth of who God is and what He has said He will do. It is as we agree with the truth of Gods word that we overcome the seduction and lies of the enemy. Agreement with what God says about His Power, His Plan and His Promises, demolish the lies of the enemy.

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Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Heb.10:19-23). C. They did not love their lives to the Death 1. The saints will overcome because they willingly give their lives for the sake of something greater than this world. They are not living for the present and have nothing to lose. The enemys strategy can only work if our home is in this age. The Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 shows us a picture of a people who had set their hearts on pilgrimage (Ps.84). This world was not their home and the coming Kingdom was a greater reality to them than the passing pleasures of this life. Death was not the end, only the beginning thus, when suffering came, they did not draw back in fear and offense, but embraced it in joy. They were a people who lived for eternity.
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But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37"For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him."39But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.(Heb.10:39)
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Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage. 6As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools.7They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion (Ps.84:5-7)

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