Perception

Someone encouraged me this weekend and it wasn’t expected. I heard Matt Chandler speak at a women’s conference on the book of Revelation with the purpose of deep encouragement. Those aren’t exactly what I think of together.

Revelation? Encouraging? While it is ultimately encouraging to know the one Revelation points to, I often consider it to be scary and unnerving.

Revelation was a letter which speaks of Christ’s return. It is filled with ties and references to the Old Testament. It has been relevant for thousands of years, not just relevant to those who live in the actual last years before Christ’s return— whenever that may be.

So where do you find encouragement in an apocalyptic letter written thousands of years ago?

No matter what you face in life. No matter what this world looks like. God is on the throne.

Revelation talks about many of the trials we face in this life and many trials and sufferings all Christians since the beginning of time have walked through.

Who can stand against such trials? Who can stand firm against the attack of the evil one? Those who are united to Christ. He is on the throne and we belong to Him.

When we cling to what is true and sing in the face of our enemy, he is weak. Life may get harder for you. There really is no such thing as rock bottom in this life. We don’t know what sufferings await us or the world around us.

But the ultimate reality is that day by day, our enemy is losing ground. It looks different doesn’t it? Our eyes perceive that our enemy is winning. The world is filled with sorrow. Wrong shines brighter than right. War and murder and injustice seem strong. People within churches are divided, so wrongly focused on non essential things. So many of us are distracted, not loving God and others as we should. Some days it may even look like the enemy has won.

But our perception is not reality. The war is already over. Satan is losing ground day by day. Christian brother or sister, you belong to Jesus. He already won. His church is victorious and eternal.

You may only be able to groan in your weakness and experience of life in this fallen world. I get that. I feel that sometimes too. But keep singing in the face of your enemy. Keep holding on to truth. Keep on. Read your Bible with the purpose of seeing who God is. He is a big and Holy and awesome God. You may just end up finding some encouragement in an unlikely place.

We don’t know the day or the hour of Christ’s return. But He is coming and all wrong will be made right and every tear on your cheek today will be wiped away forever. The God of Revelation is drawing you near today and the next day until He fully brings you near for all of eternity.

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