The Assurance of God’s Deliverance
The hairs of your head are numbered and you are of more valuable than many sparrows. If you refuse to give up on God, the church of Christ and insist for your deliverance, you will be fully delivered in due time. If you refuse to visit evil altars, no power can keep you in bondage. If you would embrace the Word of God believing His instructions, admonitions and counsels, you will be delivered from the devil, his agents and all their problems. God is saying to you today:
‘Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom’ (Luke 12:32).
‘And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God’ (Acts 20:22-24).
You are God’s little flock and it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you not only deliverance here on earth but His kingdom in heaven. The enemy may have taken over you, bound you spiritually and carried you away far into their kingdom. God has promised to deliver you. They may have taken you away from all your helpers, destroyed your flesh, shared your destiny in the witchcraft coven, but God said He will deliver you. Therefore, trust in the LORD your God with all your heart.
Enduring Trials and Receiving the Crown of Life
No matter how poor you are or how strong your enemies are, God will surely deliver you. You may not know how God would deliver you or where His help would come from. That should not be your worry. What you need to do is to embrace His Word of promise and deliverance. That was what believers in Smyrna did. The woman of Zarephath and others did the same. Prophets in our time may prophesy negative things concerning you; doctors may deliver their death verdicts but trust in the LORD with all your heart. That was what happened to Hezekiah but he prayed, reminded God of His promise of freedom, and deliverance and God delivered him from death.
Paul faced similar circumstances but all his enemies surrendered in the end. You may need to get a copy of one of my books titled 21/40 Nights of Decrees and Your Enemies will Surrender. When Paul was about to go to Jerusalem, many negative voices rose up against him. True prophets at the time were prophesying against his proposed journeys but none of those prophecies moved him. All he decided was to focus on his calling and the mandate Jesus gave to him. God delivered him. He feared none of those things prophesied against him.
Whatever trouble or problem you find yourself in now is a brief, passing and temporary one. It will be over in a little while. Storms may be severe. But it will be short if you would fix your gaze on Jesus. It could be death, but remember that Christ has taken away the stings of death and we may no longer die for nothing. Even at the point of death, be faithful and steadfast. If it is to bear a cross, endure to the end. Carry the cross and follow Jesus. If it is trial in the face of deceits and betrayals of this world, believe God and ignore every distraction. Keep the faith, which is the only thing that Christ requires from you. The battle is about to end. There is a sweet assurance and blessed hope waiting for you ahead. Be strong!
The major reason Jesus commended the church at Smyrna was for their passionate determination and commitment to the truth, true worship and faithfulness unto death. He assured them of his support, deliverance and crown of life. In His words, He said,
‘I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan’ (Revelation 2:9).
‘Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death’ (Revelation 2:10-11).
James also put it this way –
‘Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?’ (James 2:5)
The omniscient Lord of lords assured the church in Smyrna of His richness because of their faith in Christ even in their poverty. This speaks volume of the genuineness of their faith, love and spiritual life. They were poor physically but rich in the favor and love of God. They had little material things but were very rich in the gift of the Holy Ghost and knowledge in the things of God. They were rich in consolation and hope in Christ. God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to become heirs of His kingdom. The church in Smyrna was sure of God’s promise because they loved God.
Holding Fast to Faith for Eternal Victory
If you would endure to the end by following Christ all the way even in times of hardship, He will surely enrich you. Jesus will bless you with right utterances, wisdom and knowledge from above as it is written:
‘That in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 1:5-7).
‘And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible’ (1 Corinthians 9:25).
With these, you will no longer lack anything. Your gifts, talents and testimonies will not be in vain. Jesus will bear witness to them. In the end, when you would have fulfilled your purpose on earth, you will make heaven and inherit all things according to God’s promises. You will obtain an incorruptible crown. Paul put it this way –
‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him’ (James 1:12).
Paul is an example of one who made it and received a blessed hope. He fought a good fight of faith, finished his course and kept his faith. The sweet assurance from Christ to the saints in Smyrna is that if they could continue in their faith to the end, they would not regret it. Paul saw the revelation of the glory of God upon him at the end of his life and that was why he did not give up.
Christ could have seen that some believers in Smyrna were about to give up. If that is your situation now, please dear child of God, do not give up. There is a crown laid down for you at the end of your trial. There is a deliverance attached to every problem and satanic attacks you are facing. Jesus will not watch you suffer in vain or without reward. Every battle you have fought, the ones you are fighting and will ever fight for Christ’s sake has a crown attached to it. No one has ever followed Christ to the end and failed to be rewarded. You will be rewarded, blessed and fully delivered.
‘Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown’ (Revelation 3:11).
’Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
’And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
’And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire’ (Revelation 20:6, 14, 15).
Hold onto your faith to the end so that you will not lose the crown of life. You may be helpless now, poor and despised by the people of this world as useless but before Christ, you are rich, cherished and blessed.
Those that overcome will inherit all things according to His promises. These are people that will overcome suffering, oppositions, persecution, and reproach and still not give up. Jesus wants you to overcome your present problems and triumph. Even if any of us should die keeping the faith, nothing has been lost. Any attempt of the enemy to make you deny Christ, reject it even at the point of death. Take a solid stand for Christ always. As there is life beyond the present life, so there is a death beyond the present death. He who is born twice and remains faithful to the end dies only once, but he who is born once, an unbeliever or backslider will die twice. Therefore, even with threats from Islamic militants, the ISIS and their likes, remain loyal and faithful to Christ to the end. Those that overcome will not have any part in the eternal death, but punishment of the unsaved or backslider is in the lake of fire. Is your name written in the book of life? Have you been born again? If not, do so now, repent of all your sins, confess them, forsake them and embrace Christ. He is the only one that can deliver you from the devil, his agents and all problems of this life. This is the blessed hope and sweet assurance from Christ.