Title: Losing the Battle/ Topic: Perseverance

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 42; Jeremiah 43; Jeremiah 44; Psalm 48; Revelation 13

Scripture: Revelation 13:7-10
7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Observation: "Greater is He who is within you than he who is in the world"
(1 John 4:3-5 ); "Resist the devil and he will flee from you"(James 4:7). These are promises that we rely on, but God says there will be a period of time where the saints will have no victory over Satan in the physical realm. Satan will have power to motivate earthly powers to imprison, torture and kill us. God warns us of this and tells us we will have to patiently endure with faith through these times. Why does God allow this? I have some ideas but I honestly don't know with certainty. The "why's" don't really matter anyway. We must trust God that what He allows is for an ultimately good purpose.

Application: The bottom line is to stay close to Jesus through everything. Good times, bad times, all times. The end game is that we get to spend eternity with God in a perfect environment where we will never have to suffer pain ever again. I'd rather go through a short time of hell on earth than an eternity of hell and suffering away from God and anything good. Since those are the only two choices, I choose the former. Jesus wins!

Prayer: Thank you Lord for warning us of what is to come so that we aren't caught by surprise. Even now we have trials that we must endure with patience and faith. I thank you for calling me to know you, for saving me, and for walking closely with me as I choose to walk closely with you. You are absolutely wonderful.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.