God is not looking for people who will just tiptoe over the line into heaven. He is looking for over comers. People who fight and speak up for Him and bring many daughters and sons into the kingdom.

Revelation 3:11 NIV
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
We must be vigilant that our minds and hearts are centred on Christ and the crown. The crown is not some gaudy, worldly golden trinket, but a life of sacrifice and service for the King of Kings. It is the crown of sacrifice.

As we fight the fight of faith, we overcome in the power of the Spirit and the crown is won. For God’s people this is a life long conflict and will require every part of our being, human and renewed, and will involve suffering of some kind. The Christian life is no easy dander up the road to heaven, but takes place in a battle field. There will be fear, failure and injuries, but The King himself fights with us. We have all the armour and the holy boldness that comes from the daily testing of the Spirit’s power as we fight in His name. The King himself fights alongside, so that we can learn His skill and His moves in the battle.

No saint who has been redeemed from the slavery of sin and the dark forces of the evil one, can ever ultimately fail. Christ has promised His victory is also ours, and the power of His shed blood can never loose its potency to save. So we go forward in His might.

“Not by might or by power but by my Spirit”
No earthly strength or might can ever separate us from our Lord and God. The over arching power of the Holy Spirit cannot be thwarted, we overcome in His power. There is no other power like His.

“Should all the hosts of death and powers of hell unknown, put their most dreadful forms of rage and malice on. I shall be safe, for Christ displays superior power and guardian grace.” Isaac Watts
We can fight with confidence that He will bring me through the day, whatever that day is like, to face the next one in the knowledge that we overcame yesterday. Day us built upon day.

As time passes and we find out more and more of that strength, so our faith and confidence in the Lord grows. The further we fight on the battlefield, the greater should be our exploits and we rejoice in the power of our mighty Saviour to be victorious. Victory is sealed and when the time comes, we enter heaven with those glorious crowns to fall at His feet with total joy…

Lord, may this be true for those who love you with true hearts.