Lesson 255

Hope for tomorrow gives resolve for today. Jesus Christ is coming back again. Count on it! I just don’t argue about “when” He will return. I simply teach those I disciple: “Live as if Jesus will return today. But be prepared to endure persecution and suffering, no matter what we may face tomorrow.”

But how do we know if Christ is really our first love? Especially when we are tested by doubts, fears, temptations and feelings of God having abandoned us? The answer, of course, is John 14:21—we know we love our Lord when we choose to know and obey His Word, no matter our feelings; no matter the cost. That’s what will make you—and keep you—a “walking, 24/7 revival” in your personal world. The Holy Spirit’s power will light up your life and use your testimony as an example to draw others to the Lord Jesus. Just look at what God is planning for those who love Him as we look at chapters 19 and 20 in God’s “Recipe For Revival”, the Book of Revelation.

CHAPTER 19

MY REVIVAL KEY
• The Shout Of God’s Triumph  (May this final shout of triumph be in your heart and mouth each day—when times are good or bad. God is sovereign over His universe and over His child—you!  Jesus never changes! Memorize the words of worship that are underlined.)

 “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Revelation 19:6)

• Here Comes The Bride  (Is there anything more beautiful than a wedding? God is preparing a very special wedding for His Son—and those who love Him will constitute the bride. That’s you and me—hallelujah! So, let’s live today with hearts of purity and spiritual robes of His righteousness.)

“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. And 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. Then he said to me, Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, these are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)

MY REVIVAL KEY
• A Lesson In Humility  (In your service for God, never touch the glory that is only due to Him. Don’t let the devil or men—no matter how sincere people are with compliments—inflate you with pride. Learn and live the lessons in these verses that I treasure: John 15:5; Romans 7:18; Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 4:7 and 8:12; Galatians 6:3.)

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, see that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

• The King of kings and Lord of lords  (Here He comes—the real Jesus—alive forevermore. This time He does not come as a servant to die, but as King of kings and Lord of lords to reign through eternity. Let Him reign today in your life by spending quality time in His Word and reminding someone today that God loves them.)

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)

• When Men Become Food For Vultures  (Never be fooled by the proud and powerful who live lives of luxury today but have no heart to seek the Lord. Live each day for Christ by loving Him and others. At His coming, you will be God’s child forever—not meat for the vultures).

“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.” (Revelation 19: 17-18)

• The Enemy’s Misguided Attack  (Satan is an evil spirit—and real. So is his demon army. That is why you and I must learn to resist his strategies, temptations and attacks by using against the devil the Name of Jesus and the Word of God. Satan’s end will soon be here—but those who resist him and choose Jesus will live forever.)

“And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.  Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:19-20)

CHAPTER 20

• Satan’s 1000 Year Fall  (Jesus Christ defeated the powers of darkness through His death and resurrection. Now Satan’s evil madness is almost over as an angel throws him into a pit that has no bottom—for a 1000 year fall into the darkness that evil deserves.)

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:1-3)

MY REVIVAL KEY
• The Martyrs’ Vindication  (Many men, women and children have died as martyrs for Jesus through the centuries. They looked so weak to those who killed them. But now look who rule with Christ! Those who died for Him now stand in triumph with Him.)

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4)

• Lucifer’s Terrible End  (It’s all over for Satan. His days of tempting and tormenting the world are ended forever in the lake of fire. But even today, you have God’s authority to resist Satan in Jesus’ Name and watch him flee in defeat!)

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

• No Place To Hide  (So much evil takes place today hidden behind covers of darkness. God, of course, sees it all. The day is coming soon when those who choose sin will find no place to hide.)

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.” (Revelation 20:11)

MY REVIVAL KEY
• The Only Book That Matters  (I have written several books. Others have written millions and millions of books. But they are only books—written by little men like me. One Book only is authored by God—the Bible. And the only book that really matters is God’s Book of Life. If you have repented of your sins and trust Jesus alone for your salvation, your name is in that book. And, if we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us day by day, He will give us boldness to witness to others so that their names will also be recorded in the Book of Life.)

“And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

In our next lesson we will conclude God’s Recipe for Revival.