THE REWARDS OF AN OVERCOMER PART II
Please open your Bible to Revelation 21:7 as we continue our series on the eternal rewards of heaven with today’s message, “The Rewards of an Overcomer Part II.”
Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. NKJV
THE AUTHORITY OF A PROMISE KEEPER
The Bible overflows with magnificent promises, and in the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ the ultimate promise keeper, reveals seven of the most awe-inspiring promises found anywhere in scripture. These seven promises are very special. They are given by Jesus Himself as special rewards for those who overcome.
Last week we found that an overcomer believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and as the only way of salvation, and that God will reward all who overcome. But these seven promises are on a whole different level of rewards for those who overcome.
But first, does Jesus Christ have the authority to make these promises?
In Revelation 1:8, Jesus said… “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” NKJV
There is nothing before the Alpha and there is nothing after the Omega. That means Jesus is the beginning and the end of all things. When He says… who is and who was and who is to come… He is literally saying He is eternal and unchangeable and… as the Almighty, His authority is boundless and unlimited. He is the eternal King of kings and Lord of lords. He holds all power in heaven and earth. Because of who He is, He has the authority to make these promises and keep them. How great is His authority? He says…
Revelation 1:17 …I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. NKJV
In my book, the fact that He has the keys of death and hell makes Him the absolute highest authority in all the universe. Again… because of who He is, He can say…
Revelation 22:12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
One of the great rewards Jesus will be handing out at the Judgment Seat are special rewards for those who overcome. In Revelation 2-3, Jesus made seven magnificent promises of great rewards that are reserved for those who are faithful to overcome.
Seven times, Jesus said I will… I will… I will… These promises are His promises and He will not fail to fulfill any promise to reward anyone who is an overcomer.
CONDITIONS OF THE PROMISES
Before we dive into this, you must first understand that as glorious as these promises are, and as much as we want these rewards, we cannot receive them until we first meet the specific conditions of that promise which is to overcome. These promises are very special and the Lord wants all who overcome, to have them. With that understanding, let’s look at these magnificent promises of rewards that Jesus will give to those who overcome.
THE FIRST PROMISE: THE TREE OF LIFE
The first promise is revealed to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:7…
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 from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” NKJV
To understand why this promise is so significant, and the rewards it offers, we first need to understand the background.
The Christians of Ephesus experienced great temptations and suffered difficult times under Roman rule. Jesus greatly commended them for their work, faithfulness and for preserving with patient endurance to not compromise their faith to worship Caesar.
Ephesus is a picture of a church devoted to Jesus. But even though they did all of these things, they forgot the most important thing of all; they were no longer in love with Jesus. They knew the Lord, and they served the Lord, but they were not in love with the Lord. They knew the Lord, but they had fallen away in their love for Jesus.
To be in love with Jesus is to desire Him above all things. To love Jesus is to seek His presence. It is to love His word and to have a hunger to walk with Him and honor Him and please Him in all that you do. You obey Him because you love Him. You honor and serve Him because you love Him. This was missing in their lives, and that same spiritual apathy to love Jesus is missing in the church of America.
Many Christians know Jesus, but they are not in love with Jesus. Jesus warned the church of Ephesus that if they did not repent and return in their love for Him, they would be severely judged, and that same judgement is for all who forget their love for Jesus. This is why Jesus said…
Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. NKJV
If your love for Jesus has faded, Jesus calls you to repent and return to Him with a heart of love. If you have fallen away in your love for Jesus, now is the time to repent and call on the Lord to fill your heart with a deep abiding love for Him. You do not want to stand before Jesus at His judgment seat and hear Him say, you served me, but you did not love me. That would be a tragedy! What does it mean to love Him?
To love Jesus is to fear Him more than you fear the world
To love Jesus is to love Him with all of your might and understanding
To love Jesus is to honor Him with a godly and righteous life that turns away from sin
To love Jesus is to glorify Him in all that you do
To love Jesus is to be thankful for salvation and eternal life in His kingdom of glory
For those who repent, and overcome their spiritual apathy and return with a heart of love, Jesus promises a great reward. Listen to this great promise for those who overcome…
Revelation 2:7 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which
is in the paradise of God. NKJV
Jesus said… To him who overcomes… This great promise is for only those who overcome spiritual apathy, and love Jesus with all their heart. It is for those who overcame worldly temptations that would compromise your love for Jesus. It is for those who rather die in their love for Jesus, than to
gain the false riches of the world. Only those who overcome in their love for Jesus can meet the
condition to receive this great promise.
THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE…
In this great promise… Jesus says… To him who overcomes I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Some may look at that and wonder what kind of promise is this?
First, The Tree of Life is in the paradise of God, which means this Tree of Life is located in a very special place called the garden of God. This Tree of Life is probably the same Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, and… there is no other tree like it in all of God’s kingdom. The Tree of Life represents eternal life and a very special fellowship with God.
Second, only Jesus Christ has the authority to give permission to eat from the tree of life and He gives this promise to those who overcome and whose hearts are full of love for Him.
I think this garden of Paradise with the eternal Tree of Life in the center will be one of the most unique spots in God’s kingdom, and it is reserved only for those who love God so much, they overcome the world. Only those who overcome the world and are faithful to love Him will be allowed to enter this special place.
Imagine being a part of a select group of great men and women who faced great obstacles and overcame the world because they loved God more than they loved their own lives. For those who love Jesus, and overcome the world, this is just one of the great promises awaiting you in His kingdom of glory.
THE SECOND PROMISE: THE CROWN OF LIFE
The second promise is the Crown of Life which we recently looked at in regard the crowns of heaven. However, there are some special promises that come with this crown.
Revelation 2:10 …Be faithful until death, and I (The Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings) will give you the crown of life. 11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” NKJV
There are two promises here; there is the promise of eternal life, and the promise of the crown of life. When you believe in Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, you meet the condition for the first promise, which is eternal life. Jesus said in John 3:16, all who overcome and by faith choose to believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God has eternal life.
The second part of the promise is the Crown of Life, which is a very special crown reserved for those who love Jesus so much they remain faithful to Him during times of trials, suffering, and even death. Jesus said, be faithful until death… We may lose our lives here, but we will live forever in God’s great eternal kingdom of glory.
If the Lord tarries, it is very possible that Christians in America will experience persecution, prison, loss of property, and perhaps death. However, for those who overcome suffering and persecution because of their love and faith in Jesus Christ, Jesus promises us the Crown of Life. The Crown of Life is one of the great rewards of heaven, and all who see your glorious Crown of Life will know that you were one of those who overcome in the trials of persecution, mockery, and ridicule and even death because you remained faithful to the end and you loved Jesus more than your own life.
THE THIRD PROMISE: THE HIDDEN MANNA AND A WHITE STONE
The third promise is revealed through the church of Pergamos.
The church of Pergamos faced difficult conditions on at least two fronts. They lived in a society
that worshiped false gods, including Caesar, and they also faced false teachings that said God would
not judge Christians for sinful living. These same conditions are also happening to the church in America.
Our society is becoming more evil and anti-God and is demanding the church to compromise and to accept what God calls evil, as good. We live in an ungodly society that worships the false gods of this world, rather than the one true God of heaven and earth.
The sad point is that church in America has become a worldly church and many have turned away from the true gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ to the preaching of a false social gospel that says everyone is saved and that God will not judge sinners.
Yes, we live in the world, but we cannot be like the world and participate in the world’s sins. We are called to a higher life and that is to follow Jesus Christ. How does the Bible describe worldly living? The answer is found in Galatians 5…
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV
This is how the world lives, but this is not how believers are to live. We are to overcome the world and live godly lives that honor Jesus Christ. But how do we overcome worldliness and live godly lives?
Colossians 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him… NKJV
To be an overcomer that gains the great rewards of heaven, you must overcome the world by putting off the sins of the world and put on Jesus Christ as found in Colossians 3:12…
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put-on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. NKJV
As America continues down a slippery path, we must not compromise our faith and witness in Jesus. We must not imitate the world. Instead, we are to put off the sins of the world, and put on the righteousness and truth of Jesus Christ.
For those who love Jesus and through faith overcome the world, Jesus says…
Revelation 2:17 …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
This unique promise is reserved only for those who overcome the world and stand firm in their love for Jesus Christ. However, I know you’re thinking… hidden manna? White Stone? A new name?
What’s the big deal?
First, consider there will be many people in heaven, but not everyone will have the privilege to receive this special promise of hidden manna and a white stone with a new name. In our limited, earthly wisdom, it’s hard for us understand the magnitude of this promise. For example, what is promise of hidden manna?
In John 6, Jesus said He is the living manna that came down from heaven, and as our living manna, He is the word of God that feeds our souls. In His kingdom, those who overcome the world and held onto the truth of Jesus Christ as the bread of life will have a special opportunity to feast with Jesus and to eat of His living manna that will last forever.
What about the white stone? In the days of Jesus, a white stone was given to a very select group of people. Their names were carved on the stones to show their status, and were used as an admission ticket for special events that could be used again, and again.
In heaven, I believe this white stone will be a distinctive reward that will allow you special access to Jesus personal presence that will not be available to everyone. For example, perhaps this white stone that has your name carved into it, will allow you to special meetings of fellowship with Jesus at the Tree of Life, where He will reveal some of His hidden manna.
This white stone may not seem like much, but in heaven, these white stones are highly cherished and will be seen as great treasure. I believe these stones will glow with the glory of God. They will be uniquely carved out with a special name that God has for you. It will be a special name because you are an overcomer, who loved Jesus more than you loved the world. The gift of these stones will forever represent your position and status and your eternal inheritance.
Those who carry these white stones will be known across the expanse of heaven as those who overcome the world and were faithful to Jesus. How do we overcome to receive these precious white stones and heavenly manna?
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ… NKJV This is the life we are called to live that overcomes the world…
IN CLOSING
In closing, Jesus says to every believer, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” To him who overcomes, I will give the fulfillment of these promises…
If you want to do well at the judgment seat of Christ and reap the great rewards of heaven, you must be an overcomer. And to be an overcomer you cannot compromise with the sins of the world. And very importantly, you must understand that the cost of being an overcomer may include the loss of your life, because an overcomer loves Jesus more than they love their own life. But the rewards of these great promises are beyond our ability to imagine, and they are reserved for anyone who loves Jesus and overcomes. Remember these words of Jesus…
Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also. NIV
It is my prayer that your heart is for the Lord and that you are storing the treasures of your heart in
God’s great eternal kingdom of glory. Even so, Come Lord Jesus!
