Redeem the Time to Him Who Overcomes — Stephen Kaung

Will you please turn to the book of Revelation, Revelation chapter one. We begin with the first three verses. Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show to his bondman what must shortly take place.

And he signified it, sending by his angel to his bondman John, who testified to the word of God and a testimony of Jesus Christ, all things that he saw. Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things written in it, for the time is near.

The Sevenfold Call to Overcome

Then will you please turn to chapter 2 verse 7. Chapter 2 verse 7. He that has an ear, let him hear what a spirit says to the assemblies. To him that overcomes, I will give to him to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.

And this to him that overcome is repeated seven times. And finally chapter 12 verse 11. Chapter 12 verse 11. And they have overcome him by reason of the blood of the Lamb, and by reason of the word of their testimony, and have not loved their life even unto death.

May we have a short word of prayer. Lord we do want to thank thee for the privilege of being invited to thy table. What can we say? Thou has loved us to the uttermost. Thou has given thyself so totally to us.

Lord we thank thee for the greatness of thy redemption. We thank thee for the privilege of knowing thee. We thank thee for the privilege of being together again. We commit this time into your hand, and trust thy Holy Spirit to do his work for the glory of God.

In thy precious name we pray. Amen. The book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Not only the last book in the Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact the whole Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ.

And there is a special blessing given in that book for those who read and for those who hear. This morning brothers and sisters I would like to share with you on the word that has been repeated seven times.

To each church there is this word. To him that overcomes. The Apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus. He was in his old age the only remaining of the twelve original Apostles.

He was serving the Lord to the churches in Asia Minor. But in his old age for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus he was exiled to the island of Patmos. It was a small island. Maybe there was a mine in it.

And he was exiled there to work in the mine. But on the Lord's day he found himself free. So I suppose he must be sitting on a rock looking towards Asia Minor because in a good day you can see the outline of the coast of Asia Minor.

I suppose he must be thinking of the churches in Asia Minor that he served before he was exiled. And while he was looking and maybe meditating he heard a voice behind him like a trumpet. So he turned back to see that voice and he saw what we call the Patmos vision.

He saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the lampstands walked one like the Son of Man. This was the vision he saw on Patmos Island. He saw seven golden lampstands. And these seven golden lampstands are explained to us in the Bible.

They represent the seven churches in Asia Minor. Now, of course, we know there are more than seven churches in Asia Minor at that time. For instance, Colossians is not there. Hariapolis is not there. But God purposely chose seven churches in Asia Minor.

Of course, we know there were actual churches in Asia Minor at that time. And these were their conditions during the end of the 21st century. But Revelation being a book of prophecy, I believe we can safely say these seven churches also represent the churches throughout the centuries.

And brothers and sisters, we are living at the end of the time. This is the beginning of the 21st century. How much nearer must be the coming of the Lord. And to each church, whether its condition was good or whether its condition was bad, there is the same calling, the call to overcome.

To each church, our Lord Jesus gave a revelation of himself. It is as if he gave his revelation and commit that revelation to that particular church. We know that our Lord Jesus, he is the fullness of the Godhead.

We cannot fathom how full he is. He is the fullness of grace, fullness of love, fullness of faith, fullness of everything. But to each of the churches, he reveals a part of himself. As if he tells us that he is the fullness of the Godhead.

There is no church on earth that can contain all his fullness. Each may be able to testify a part of the fullness of Christ. And when only you put all together, you begin to see the fullness of Christ.

Whether the church has failed or whether the church is successful, the last call is the same, the call to overcome. So brothers and sisters, we believe this is the last call of God to his church, the call to overcome.

Overcomers Through the Ages in Revelation

If the seven churches in Asia, in chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, stands for the churches of God towards the end of the first century. Then century after century, we find the same call remains.

If you go through the book of Revelation, you will find that in chapters two and three, there is the call to overcome. It represents the call to God's churches during the end of the first century. But when you come to chapter seven, the later part of chapter seven, you find there were countless people, clothes in white, and they were praising God.

We think they represent the overcomers in the churches throughout the centuries. But when you come to chapter 12, we have a man child, and we believe that represents the overcomer towards the end of the age.

And as you look on, you will find overcomers even during the great tribulation, because they were people martyred for God, and they will be overcomers, and they will sit in the thrones. So dear brothers and sisters, you come to the chapter 19, you find the marriage of the Lamb, and we believe it is the bride is composed of the overcomers of the ages.

Until you come to chapter 21 and chapter 22, the new Jerusalem, the great consummation of all the works of God in the Old Testament time and the New Testament time, nothing is lost. So this is what we find in the book of Revelation.

We believe that we today who are living at the nearest, what shall I say, of the coming of our blessed Lord. And the same call has come to us, call to overcome. God has a supreme will, and that is the reason why he created.

He loves his Son so much. He wants to give his Son everything. He wants to make his Son the heir of all things. In other words, that everything will show a part of the glory of his Son. But he also knows, because he is the one who knows the end from the beginning, he knows there will be problems and trouble, not only with the angels, but even with man.

So that's why his Son offered himself to be the Lamb. The Bible tells us he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Even though our Lord Jesus as the Lamb crucified on the cross in the first century, beginning.

And yet you find in God's mind, he is a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. That is the love of God. So brothers and sisters, today we are called to be overcomers. Now what do you mean by overcomers?

The Christian Calling to Overcome

Overcomers are those who are able to respond to God's call. You are put in a situation, and in whatever situation you may be, God calls you to overcome. To overcome your surroundings, your circumstances, all the things that will happen in your life.

That temptation that the enemy tries to tempt you. The world, God wants you to overcome all these things and overcome for Christ. That you may bring all things in your life to the feet of Jesus. That everything in your life will stand out for Christ.

Not for yourself, but for Christ. So the call is urgent. Brothers and sisters, we are living in this time. I feel we are living in a very important time. The Lord is coming. It may happen anytime. Anytime.

Suddenly, all over the world, some people disappear. But those who will be disappeared are those who overcome. Those who will receive to heaven. To be the ones to welcome our Lord Jesus into this world.

The Woman, the Dragon, and the Man Child

So as we read the book of Revelation, we find in chapter 12, there is a great vision. And this great vision is the time that we are now in. In the great vision, he saw a woman. And the woman clothed with the sun.

This is the woman of the ages. He is clothed with the sun. And who the sun may be, except Christ. So in other words, this woman is related to Christ. And then you find with the moon under her feet. The moon represents the law.

He is related to the dispensation of the law too. And then, upon his head, her head, a crown of 12 stars. That represents the patriarch time. Like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and so forth. So in other words, this is a woman of the ages.

But at that time, he represents the church. At the verge of the coming of the Lord. And she is with child. And travail in birth. Now that is one great vision. And then another vision. He saw a dragon.

And I suppose we all know the dragon represents. It represents Satan, the enemy. Now the dragon was before the woman. If the dragon represents Satan, you know the church has been his enemy. Because the church is used by God to bring the end to come.

The church is called by God to defeat God's enemy. We often say, for God to destroy Satan is very easy. He just say a word and it shall be done. But that doesn't give glory to God. So God used man, a little lower than angels, to defeat his enemy and his plan.

So the woman has been an enemy of the church ever since. But strangely, you find the dragon was before that woman. But he didn't seem to care about the woman. She was waiting for the child to be born.

Now why is it so? Because the church, in a sense, has lost its testimony. The church is almost like in the hand of the enemy. The church is not able to defeat the enemy. And was defeated by the enemy.

So he didn't seem to care about the church in the last days. But he knew one thing. He knew that the child that was to be born will be his end. So his interest was over that child to be born. He waited there for the child to be born.

Wanted to swallow the child. Now if he can do that, he will postpone his days longer or even forever. Now who is that child? People who study the Bible give us different interpretation. But I would like to share with you just what I believe may be the most correct one.

Some people say the child represents Christ. It cannot be. Because this child, when he was born, he was immediately raptured to heaven. But our Lord Jesus, when he was on earth, after he was born, he was not immediately raptured back to heaven.

He lived on earth 33 years. So we think it cannot be Christ. Now if it's not Christ, then who the child will be? By reading chapter 12, you find the child is a collective term. In other words, the child is just one person.

The child represents one kind of people. Because when you read chapter 12, verse 11, and they have overcome him. By reason of the blood of the Lamb, and by reason of their testimony, and have not loved their life even unto death.

So the child is a collective term. It represents the overcomer at the last time before the coming of the Lord. Again and again we will say, we are living in that time. So dear brothers and sisters, this is a very important time.

The Lord is coming. It depends on when the child is born. The last group, I wouldn't say last, but almost the last group of overcomers must be born before the coming of the Lord. Because as soon as the child was born, he was raptured to heaven.

Now why? What happened after he was raptured to heaven? It is as if heaven is waiting for the child. Everything seems to be waiting until the child is born and raptured. The dragon is not able to touch the child, for the child has been raptured to heaven.

Now we all know by the Bible that the first heaven, that is our air surrounding us, is the headquarter of Satan and the fallen angels. But this child, because he has overcome, so he can go through the air and touch heaven.

This child represents the overcomers at our time. Brothers and sisters, do you want to be among the wreck? Are you ready for it? This child is able to go through Satan's headquarter and reach heaven. That represents in there they have overcome.

The Tribulation, the Rapture, and Satan’s Defeat

So in our lives, it is important, brothers and sisters, sometimes some people say, as long as my two feet will be within the door of heaven, I am satisfied. But will God be satisfied? He can only be satisfied if he can see us going through the air, reaching heaven, to be the welcoming party for the coming of the Lord.

Isn't it wonderful? When the child is raptured to the throne, immediately you find something happened. There was war in the air. Michael and his angels will fight against Satan and his followers. And Satan will be thrown down from heaven upon the earth.

In other words, the air will be cleared. Now why? Because we know at the coming of the Lord, the first step, he will come from the throne to the air. So that's why the air has to be cleared. And then the Lord, with the overcomers of the last age, will come from heaven to the air.

And there will be great rejoicing in the heavens. But what happened on earth? If Satan was thrown upon the earth, and also from the Bible we know, the Antichrist and the false prophet will also appear.

So with the tree of love, evil upon the earth, what can you expect but the great tribulation? So this is where we find the three and a half years great tribulation. Brothers and sisters, those who live in the last age, Christians, who are not overcomers, they have to pass through the great tribulation.

The object of Satan at that time will be the Christians that are still on the earth, and the Jews. With the Jews it is the Jacob's trouble, but God has already put his seal upon some of them, and he will keep them.

But the remaining Christians still have to go through the great tribulation. I believe, brothers and sisters, you don't want to be among them. But so far as God is concerned, God has given his people another chance.

For in the great tribulation, there will be overcomers coming out of it. There will be some who are faithful to the Lord, who will be beheaded for the testimony of Jesus. And these will be overcomers through the great tribulation.

And they will sit on the throne and reign with Christ. So you see the love of God. We may miss the chance, but he will give us another opportunity. He wants all of us to be overcomers. And then after the great tribulation, then you will find the rapture of the remaining of the church.

Those who have died in Christ Jesus, they will be raised from the dead. And those who are still living through the time, if you read carefully 1 Thessalonians 4 you will find it is said, and those who are still living on the earth.

It shows that there are those who are no longer living there. They have been raptured alive already. So those who have died through the ages, the overcomers and the overcome, they will all be awakened, all be resurrected.

And those who are still living upon this earth after the great tribulation, they will be raptured together, but where? Not to the throne, but to the air. And that is where the whole church will be there.

The Judgment Seat of Christ and the Millennium

During that period, what happened on the earth? There are no more Christians there. That is where the Bible tells us the seven vows. The wrath of God will be upon this earth. And what happened in the air?

That is where we find the judgment seat of Christ. Brothers and sisters, thank God. We who believe in the Lord Jesus, we will not be judged at the great white throne judgment. One day God will set up His great white throne.

And He will judge according to what everyone has done upon this earth. But brothers and sisters, it is a judicial judgment. It is a judgment of eternal life or eternal death. But those whose name is on the book of life will not be there, will not be judged.

Christ has judged for us on Calvary's cross. And He has delivered us from the great judgment, judicial judgment, eternal life, eternal death. So we thank God that we will not be judged anymore at the great white throne.

But that doesn't mean we as Christians will not be judged. We will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. I believe you have to have some understanding of the custom of the East. Because in this country we have small families.

But in the East, in the old days, we have big families. I came from a big family. Four generations living under one roof. Not only my grandfather and my grandmother, my uncles, my father's family. We all lived in that one house.

We were married and came back and dwelt together. Big families. That was what you find in the Bible background. I went through big families. I knew the blessing as well as the curse. You know, my grandparents took care of everything.

My grandfather paid for everything. He paid for all our school things. He paid for all our weddings. He paid for all our food. And my grandmother took care of the whole family. Our food, our eating, everything.

So people living in such a big house had nothing to do. And if you have nothing to do, what will happen? Gossiping. That's a big family. But brothers and sisters, God loves big families. He wants us to be with Him.

So there will be the judgment seat of Christ. It is not a judgment of life or death. It is a judgment of reward or punishment. A family judgment. Only family members can attend that meeting. The head of the family will sit on a lifted place called bima.

And the whole family will gather in that room. And the head of the family will declare among his sons or grandsons who has brought glory to the family. They will be praised and rewarded. But who has brought the family to be under curse.

They will be punished. Not eternal death. But they will be disciplined. Brothers and sisters, we don't like discipline. Especially in our time. We want to be ourselves. We want to be free. But discipline is necessary.

It is good for developing a good character. So those who have brought disgrace to the family of God. They will be disciplined. Not eternal death. But discipline. During the time of the millennium. A thousand years.

But only those who are faithful to the Lord. They will rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years. Brothers and sisters, this is what we find in the scripture before us. So hopefully, on the one hand we will be attracted by what the Lord has promised to us.

That we will be faithful to him. And be among the rank of the overcomers. I hope that when that day comes every one of us here will disappear. No one will be left. But if any should be left, woo to you.

Thank God you have another chance. So you see the love of God. Brothers and sisters, my last word to you in this conference is Be ready. Dear Lord, we want to thank thee for thy boundless love towards us.

How can we rebuild against that love? Lord, pray that every one of us here this morning will yield to thy great love. And enable all that thou hast wrought for us and prepare for us. We will be ready in each and every one of us here.

Lord, we want to glorify thee. As we have expressed ourselves during the Lord's table. Lord, pray that everyone here this morning will give themselves to you. Allow you to work out our full salvation in all of us.

Lord, it is our blessed hope that we may see thee face to face before the great tribulation shall come upon this earth. May thy peace be with all the brothers and sisters we ask in thy precious name. Amen.

Let's give some Kairos time for the Lord, a few minutes.