FIRST JESUS

I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:12 (MSG)

Then He said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. ²⁵ What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? ²⁶ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

LUKE 9:23-26 (NIV)

THIS IS HOW WE OVERCOME.

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

REVELATION 12:7-11 (NKJ)  

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

REVELATION 12:11 (NKJ)

1. WE OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb …

REVELATION 12:11 (NKJ)

He has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom realm of his beloved Son. For in the Son all our sins are cancelled and we have the release of redemption through his very blood.

COLOSSIANS 1:13–14 (TPT) 

The law says that almost everything must be made clean by blood, and sins cannot be forgiven without blood to show death.

HEBREWS 9:22 (NCV)

For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes, but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us.

1 PETER 1:18–19 (TPT) 

The BLOOD REMINDS YOU OF WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE.

2. WE OVERCOME BY THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY

 … and by the word of their testimony …

REVELATION 12:11 (NKJ)

All of you set free by God, tell the world! Tell how he freed you from oppression.

PSALM 107:2 (The Message)

Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.

PSALM 107:2 (NLT)

… The man who had been possessed by the demons begged Jesus to let him go along. But Jesus said no. “Go home to your friends,” he told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful he has been.”

MARK 5:18-19 (LB)

Then the woman left her water jar and went back to town. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Do you think he might be the Christ?” So the people left the town and went to see Jesus.

JOHN 4:28–29 (NCV) 

… But one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind before, now I see.

Every time you testify, you remind the enemy that he DID NOT WIN.

3. WE OVERCOME BY REFUSING TO LOVE THIS LIFE MORE THAN JESUS

… They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.

REVELATION 12:11 (TPT)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own,^j as you continually surrender to my ways. ²⁵ For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep.

MATTHEW 16:24–25 (TPT)

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

EPHESIANS 6:19-20 (NIV)

We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony …. And we refuse to love this life more than Jesus.

4. OVERCOMERS KEEP STANDING UNTIL THE END

Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

MATTHEW 24:12-13 (LB) 

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

JAMES 1:12 (The Message)

So don’t lose your bold, courageous faith, for you are destined for a great reward! You need the strength of endurance to reveal the poetry of God’s will and then you receive the promise in full.

HEBREWS 10:35–36 (TPT) 

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

1 CORINTIANS 16:13 (NLT)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 TIMOTHY 4:7 (NIV)

The enemy (Satan) doesn't have to make you deny Jesus if he can simply make you quit following Him.

They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.

REVELATION 12:11 (TPT)

Victory doesn't begin with us. It begins with the Lamb.

Plain, Simple, Powerful — First Jesus

I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who He is; then Jesus and what He did — Jesus crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 (MSG)

The Way of the Cross

Quitting Is Not An Option — Grief, Gold, and Glory

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. John 17:15 (NIV).

In His hands, not a tear, an ache, or a moment of suffering need be wasted; He can invest even our suffering with eternal purpose. — Joni Eareckson Tada

The Man Who Quit

I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has His eye on each of you! 1 Peter 1:1-2 (MSG).

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. …And he went outside and wept bitterly. Luke 22:60-62 (NIV).

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.1 Peter 4:12 (ESV).

A Living Hope

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV).

Grief, Gold, and Glory

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV).

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6 (ESV).

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:10 (NIV).

So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire. 1 Peter 1:7 (ESV).

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver… and refine them like gold and silver. Malachi 3:3 (NIV).

Because He Lives

He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV).

“It’s interesting to note how many times after His resurrection Jesus introduced Himself to people by asking them questions. Good Friday had left a mess, and Jesus was systematically dealing with the consequences of chaos in the lives of His friends by provoking them to respond to His presence.”

Pete Greig - God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer

1.         To Mary — In Pain

He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’ Jn 20:15 (NIV). 

Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned towards Him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’). Jn 20:16 (NIV).

2.         Two to Emmaus — In Confusion

"They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. …Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognising Him. He asked them, ‘What are you discussing together as you walk along?’" Luke 24:14–17 (NIV).

Beginning with… He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. Luke 24:27 (NIV).

They urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us.’ …So he went in to stay with them. Luke 24:29 (NIV)

3.         Disciples — In Doubt

He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Luke 24:38 (ESV).

Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas… John 20:26–27 (ESV).

Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe. John 20:27 (NIV).

Thomas said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ John 20:28 (NIV)

4.         Peter — In Guilt

Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold… Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. John 18:18 (ESV).

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. John 21:9 (ESV).

Simon son of John, do you love Me? John 21:16 (NIV).

Under Pressure

2 Corinthians 4:6-16 - (NAB)

“For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ. But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 - (KJV)

"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed..”

2 Corinthians 4:6 - (NIV)

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts….”

Matthew 14:16-20 - (NIV)

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied.."

Philippians 3:10 - (KJV)

"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings..”

2 Corinthians 12:9 - (NIV)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 - (NIV)

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

2 Corinthians 4:17 - (NIV)

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.