Introduction

If you’ve ever felt the sting of being misunderstood for loving Jesus, if you’ve ever sensed a shadow trying to smother your song, you’re in good company. The Bible is honest about that ache. It doesn’t gloss over the grit. It names the Enemy. It speaks of a dragon. It recognizes that there is pressure and pushback on everyone who holds tight to Jesus and practices faithful obedience. That admission doesn’t diminish our hope; it sharpens it. It reminds us that the presence of conflict does not signal the absence of Christ. It signals the preciousness of your faith.

I want you to picture a kitchen table at dusk. A candle flickers. A Bible lies open. Your heart is worn thin from the week—worn thin from decisions, from disappointments, from news alerts and nagging worries. And right there, the Spirit whispers, Keep going. Keep confessing Christ. Keep walking in obedience. Keep trusting that your quiet “Yes, Lord” carries thunder in heaven. Our Father sees. The Lamb knows. Your faithfulness in the small things—prayer before panic, truth before trends, surrender before stubbornness—matters. It matters more than you can measure.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” That sounds heavy, and it is. But it’s also holy. It means our lives are no longer chained to the shifting whims of this world. It means we belong to a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, to a King who has already conquered. We are not auditioning for God’s affection; we are acting from it. And because of that, we can face a fuming dragon with a faithful heart. We can stand when the wind howls. We can sing when the night lingers. We can obey when it would be easier to hide.

Some days obedience feels like lifting a piano with one hand. You know what Jesus wants, you want it too, but the weight of worry, weariness, and woundedness presses hard. On those days, remember this: obedience is not loud, but it is luminous. It may not trend, but it tells the truth. It might be quiet, but it’s not quaint. Heaven hears it. Hell hates it. And your brothers and sisters are helped by it. When you confess Jesus with loyal obedience, your life becomes a lighthouse for struggling saints and searching souls. It tells the watching world that Christ is worthy, Christ is near, and Christ is enough.

We’re going to look at one strong sentence from Scripture—one sentence that speaks straight to our struggles and our stamina. It doesn’t flatter us. It fortifies us. It reminds us who’s against us, but more importantly, who is for us. It places our daily decisions in a cosmic context and calls us to courageous perseverance. Before we read it, let me ask: Have you sensed a battle around your Bible reading? Have you faced friction when you’re faithful? Have you felt the fatigue of doing right when wrong feels easier? Those aren’t random frustrations. They are the rumblings of a real war. But take heart: you are not alone, and you are not without armor. God’s Word will steady your steps and strengthen your spine.

Here is the passage:

Revelation 12:17 (KJV) And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This is the scene behind the scenes. There’s anger, there’s war, and there’s a faithful remnant. Notice what marks them: they “keep the commandments of God” and they “have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” That’s not complicated; it is costly. That’s not flashy; it is firm. Those words will guide us today as we lift up three simple, shining banners over our hearts: - We confess Jesus with loyal obedience. - We obey God as the evidence of our witness. - We persevere when the dragon makes war.

Friend, you are not crazy for feeling pressure. You are called. You are not abandoned in the struggle. You are attended by the Spirit. Your obedience doesn’t earn God’s love; it echoes it. Your confession doesn’t create grace; it celebrates it. And your perseverance doesn’t produce victory; it practices the victory Christ has already won. So take a deep breath. Square your shoulders. Lift your chin. Your Savior is steady. Your Scripture is sure. Your standing is secure.

Let’s pray together.

Father, we come to you as children who need courage, as servants who need strength, and as saints who need stamina. Thank you for Jesus—our Champion, our Shepherd, our Savior—who has crushed the serpent and holds us fast. When the dragon rages, grant us grace to keep your commandments with glad hearts. When fear whispers, let your Word be louder. When weariness weighs us down, lift us with your Spirit. Give us loyal obedience, a clear confession of Christ, and persevering love that lasts through the long night. Speak, Lord, and steady our steps. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Confessing Jesus with Loyal Obedience

John gives us a clear picture. There is a people who “keep the commandments of God” and who “have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Two marks. A mouth that names Jesus. A life that keeps what God says. This is how faith shows up when the pressure rises. This is how love for Christ takes shape in the open.

“The testimony of Jesus Christ” is not a vague idea. It is a bold and tender word about a real Person. It means we say who Jesus is and what He has done. We say He is Lord. We say He died for sins. We say He rose and reigns. We say He will return. We say it with calm courage. We say it when friends ask why we live the way we do. We say it when a door opens in a hard room. We say it at the table and in the office and on the street. This witness is personal. It is also public. It comes from trust in His name. It rests on His cross and His empty tomb. It stands on Scripture. It grows as we read, pray, and sing. It sounds like plain words: Jesus saved me. Jesus is worthy. Jesus is better than my fear. That is the “testimony” the text speaks of. It is a steady witness that points away from self and toward the Son. It keeps the spotlight on Him. It says, in many simple ways, “Jesus is mine, and I am His.”

There is pushback against that kind of speech. Some will roll their eyes. Some will work to make you quiet. Some will try to twist your words. The answer is steady truth with a gentle tone. Clear words. Clean heart. Open Bible.

“Keep the commandments of God” speaks to the shape of our days. “Keep” means guard, treasure, and practice. It means we do what God says because He is good and wise. It touches every part of life. We tell the truth. We honor our father and mother. We keep marriage vows. We turn from lust. We refuse greed. We put away lies. We forgive fast. We do not curse those who hurt us. We pray for them. We care for the poor. We give with glad hearts. We rest when God says rest. We do our work with clean hands. We speak with grace. We do not cut corners. We refuse revenge. We refuse to harm our neighbor. We love the church. We keep short accounts. We confess sin and make things right. This is not a sprint on one hard day. This is a long walk of many small steps. The world may call it odd. The text calls it faithful. This is how loyalty looks when lived in a body. It is costly at times. It is also full of quiet joy, because God’s commands are good.

The reason this matters is right in the verse. The enemy hates the mix of witness and obedience. A tongue that says “Jesus” and a life that does what God says make a clear target. Yet the very things the enemy hates are the things that help the church stand.

Notice how the two marks stay together. The verse does not split them. The people of God speak of Jesus and they keep His Father’s commands. These are not two teams. These are two hands of the same body. One hand points. One hand builds. Our witness gives the reason for our ways. Our ways give weight to our words. When we confess Jesus and practice what God has said, our faith has a sound and a shape. Neighbors can hear it, and they can also see it. Children can learn it, and they can also copy it. Tired saints can take heart from it. Doubters can test it. This is how the church shines in hard times. Simple words about a strong Savior. Simple acts that match those words. Day after day.

So how do we practice this when there is pressure? We begin the day with Jesus in view. We read a few lines of Scripture and hold them in mind. We set simple prayers on our lips: Help me. Guide me. Keep me honest. We prepare a few clear sentences about our hope in Christ so we can speak when asked. We gather with the church, because we need help. We are baptized if we have not been. We take the Supper. We sing with the saints. We accept correction from trusted friends. We repent fast when we fall. We make a plan for weak spots. We tell the truth at work even when it costs. We refuse to pass dirty links or dirty jokes in a thread. We speak peace when a room is tense. We bless those who talk down to us. We name Jesus with kindness when someone opens the door a crack. We teach our kids by letting them see our repentance and our joy. We bless our neighbors in practical ways. We keep good habits on normal days so we are ready on hard days. We ask the Spirit to make us brave, clear, and clean. We keep going when the path feels long. We keep speaking when the air feels thin. We keep doing what God says, because He has spoken and He is near.

Obeying God as the Evidence of Witness

Revelation 12:17 points to a people you can spot ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO