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OVERCOMER'S REWARDS 1. Who is an over comer? You are! I John 5:4-5 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (NIV) I John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (NIV) 2. Eternal life in heaven. Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (NIV) John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (NIV) 3. Will not be hurt by the second death. Rev 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (NIV) Rev 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. (NIV) Rev 21:8 "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (NIV) 4. Some of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name on it. a. Will understand deeper truths of God. Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. (NIV) b. Free from the guilt of sin and a new name. The white stone, with a new name engraved upon it. This white stone is absolution from the guilt of sin, alluding to the ancient custom of giving a white stone to those acquitted on trial and a black stone to those condemned. The new name is the name of adoption: adopted persons took the name of the family into which they were adopted. None can read the evidence of a man's adoption but himself; he cannot always read it, but if he persevere he shall have both the evidence of sonship and the inheritance. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary) 5. Authority over the nations and the morning star. a. Authority over the nations. Rev 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations-- (NIV) Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (NIV) b. The morning star - ability to understand endtime prophecies. Rev 2:28 I will also give him the morning star. (NIV) 2 Pet 1:19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (NIV) 6. Will be dressed in white and will not have his name blotted out of the book of life. Rev 3:5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. (NIV) 7. Will be made a pillar and will have a new name. Rev 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name. (NIV) a. Will be made a pillar in the temple of God. Revelation 3:7-13 PP28 (1.) He shall be a monumental pillar in the temple of God; not a pillar to support the temple (heaven needs no such props), but a monument of the free and powerful grace of God, a monument that shall never be defaced nor removed, as many stately pillars erected in honor to the Roman emperors and generals have been. (2.) on this monumental pillar there shall be an honorable inscription, as in those cases is usual. (from Matthew Henry's Commentary) b. Pillar will be inscribed with the name of God, the new Jerusalem, and Jesus' new name. 1. The name of God - The God whom he served. 2. The name of the new Jerusalem - Or the church. Also will have inscribed the works that were done to further God's kingdom. 3. Jesus' new name - The name of the believer's Commander-in-Chief whom the believer served under. 8. The right to sit with Jesus on his throne. Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. (NIV) 2 Tim 2:12 if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; (NIV) DON'T GIVE UP! |