Overcomers listen to God

Topics: divine revelation, triune God, voice of God

I. Listen to Divine revelation

* We must be diligent to unveil the truth of the holy Scripture!

1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:1-3).
2. For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it (Hebrews 2:1).

II. Listen to our triune God

* We live victoriously by faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

1. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father?to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen (Revelation 1:4-7).
2. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).

III. Listen to the voice of God

* We must clear the noise of this world to listen carefully to God!

1. I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea" (Rev. 1:9-11).
2. The Lord will surely bless you . . . if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 15:4b, 5a).

Sermon by Pastor Rod Akins, February 11^th, 2024

Life group flow and discussion questions

Overcomers listen to God

An important Guideline of Life Groups: Discuss as a Life Group how you can "test the spirits" to see whether they are from God and not be deceived by the voice of our adversary (1 John 4:1-4).

Getting Started:

1. What do you think it was like for John to have experienced the vision of Jesus Christ while on the island of Patmos?
2. Why do you think that Jesus mentions the overcomers in each of the seven letters to the seven churches?

Discussing Truths:

1. How important is it that we become overcomers (John 6:33; 1 John 5:4, 5; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7)?
2. What are some practical things we can do to overcome temptations?
3. Why is it essential that we pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth when we are reading and studying Scripture (John 16:12-14)?
4. Does the fact that all three Persons of our Triune God are involved in communicating to us, inspire greater boldness for the gospel?
5. When have you sensed the Holy Spirit's nudging to call someone and your obedience met a special need that person was going through?
6. How is "the seven Spirits who are before His throne" (Revelation 1:4) best understood?
7. What does it mean to you that Jesus "loves us and released us from our sins by His blood - and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father" (1:5, 6)?

Now What? Application:

1. Make a daily plan to be still and quiet and hear from God through His Word, through prayer and through biblical meditation.
2. How will you be ready for Jesus' return and not shrink back (Hebrews 10:37-39)?