It is not hard for the Christian soldier, if one is pure and simple in faith as one ought to be, to peer out into the world from behind the “walls” of the Church and see a world full with faithless persons and demonic spirits who are dedicated to the annihilation of personal faith, as well as the destruction of everything that belongs to the hope that is in Christ. The ugly face of these enemies, i.e. hatred for God, blasphemes and other lies and general unbelief, are not difficult to detect. Nor is it that difficult to understand the adversaries of the world and the flesh, so defined and identified are they throughout the New Testament. Much harder for the believer to understand, however, is the subtle opponents of idolatry and false religion that lurk within the walls of the Church herself and seek to smother and choke the faith out of would-be disciples.

This skulking enemy will often assume a Christian face, but underneath the religious facade lies a corrupt and rebellious spirit defiled by carnal desires and their own reasoning, a faithlessness that belies their stubborn pride and betrays the pure Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If the disciple of Christ is to be an Overcomer in all areas he must realize that such enemies from within actually exist, and that they wish to do serious harm to the true servant’s walk. During one of Paul and Barnabas’s world-wind evangelistic tours Paul was faithful to remind the disciples at every stop that we must enter into the kingdom of god by much tribulation. Acts 14 This means, among other things, that the true disciple will have to shed certain popular ecumenical beliefs and images for which he may be ridiculed and persecuted for by Christian brothers and sisters. Rev. 3:9 False doctrines and unholy beliefs are sometimes gross distortions and at other times subtle perversions of the Gospel; and having infiltrated the Church, they actively try to corrupt the faith of every believer. As Jesus noted, once they turn into Christian religious traditions, they “make the word of God of none effect”. Mark 7:13

Perversions and corruptions began to seep into the Church from the very beginning. Christ’s call to overcome them are among the major themes of His letters to the churches in Revelation. In many ways, the threat from within constitutes a greater enemy to the believer because of its subtleties, than does the great outer enemies of Satan, World and The Self. These distortions of the Gospel are viruses when unimpeded cause a total crash and breakdown. Lies undermining the Truth are a cancer trying to inject death into Life. As enemies of discipleship and even salvation, these distortions should not be underestimated. Some of the most egregious errors are noted in the letters to the churches, the sober and serious minded believer is vigorously exhorted by Christ to defend himself against these distortions and to repent wherever necessary. When one turns and heeds the advice of the Spirit, great promises of salvation and unimaginable reward are offered by Christ. We are offered kingship, crowns of glory, life itself and utopic blessings extending into eternity. But we must shun the maleficent hope in this world and our flesh. The areas of repentance and overcoming are enumerated one by one as we read through the letters.

Of course, this is a mere cursory outline of the areas of overcoming spoken of in the seven letters and explicated for our knowledge by the spiritual weaving of the embroidered fabric of Holy Scripture. In each letter Jesus says: “To him that overcometh will I (give or do)…”, and we are then told some of rewards promised to any disciple that overcomes. For example, in the first letter the believers of Ephesus were sharply rebuked by the Lord for having lost sight of their first love. Caught up in the power of faith and doing good works they had completely forgotten about glorifying Jesus and proceeding only by a knowledge of His communication of the Will of the Father to them. Their primary need of nurturing and relying on a relationship with Him so as to be able to act in faith had been forgotten. They relied on their own rational powers to follow the Will of the Father, even though they had known at one time that this was wholly and truly an impossibility. This was Christ’s warning, that if they did not rectify this sin He would discount them as a part of the Church, part of His body. This was no empty threat. Each believer’s response to the call of Christ to repent of this grave transgression was vital to their continued “membership” in the Church and, one may reasonably assume, even their salvation. Overcoming in this battle to keep Christ as our one and only love, the shepherd we heed, is therefore of primary importance to any determined disciple. Each letter concludes with “those who have ears to hear let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches”. Therefore, this dictum, excludes listening to our reasoning minds, the forces of physical law, religious pretensions or any voice other than the Spirit of Truth who speaks only what He has heard the Father say. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall HEAR, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” John 16:13  But to those who overcome Christ promises that they will not only remain part of the Church and body, but they will be given the right to eat of the tree of life in the midst of paradise. This is the promise of Utopia. Each letter in this manner makes a point of urging Christians to overcome some potentially fatal distortion of faith so they may enter into the rewards reserved for the obedience of faith. For the beautifully woven tapestry of the fabric of Scripture teaches us that faith is essential to eternal life and the rewards of the hope of glory with statements like: without faith it is impossible to please God and anything not of faith is sin.Thereby, we learn that faith is not only essential for pleasing the Godhead; it is also the crucial element in overcoming sin, sin being the summary term for the crime which we creatures of God tend to naturally perpetrate against our Creator, unless we proactively repent. “Whosoever commits sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW.” 1 John 3:4  

The term “determined disciple” may seem redundant, for by definition how can a disciple (disciplined-follower) be anything but determined. But in Christ there are many who wish to follow, yet do not overcome sufficiently to keep pace with the voice and step of Christ. Any Christian with even limited experience knows that the roster of the body of Christ is full of those who start out with joy but then stumble, backslide or malinger instead of cleaving to God whithersoever He goeth. All truly born-again Christians want to follow but many fail because they are not willing to pay the price of discipleship. The cost, in the example of the Ephesians, is that they be willing to cast off all desire for power and recognition; that they forsake even their “love” of doing good and the heady rush enjoyed from the power of faith. Instead, they must seek the grace of God so the they may have the sentence of death working in them at all times, letting God have the glory and being delivered from the myriad troubles that beleaguer even the purest soul of faith, and certainly beset every disciple who walks closely in the wake of Christ. They will know that every disciple who lives godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3:12, Gal. 5:12

As they had once been aware, the true disciples at Ephesus were being engaged in letter to do all things for the glory of Jesus and to let Him be the head and be given preeminence in all things. As Paul had advised every disciple he taught and everywhere he went “that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

In all cases of repentance and thus, overcoming, we are required to judge ourselves and those we are formed together with, Church or Separated Ones, to make up a body suitable for the habitation of the Spirit of Truth. Christ must be the head, we the body. In this age of Ecumenical hopes it is regarded as an un-brotherly thing when we judge our coming together as the Separated Ones, but as the Scriptures make obvious, it is not only right to judge within the Church it is our duty and to our peril if we do not. We owe it to ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and to Jesus Christ. The wisdom of the letters of Revelation hang on this fact. We must make judgment about who we hang around with, who we join ourselves to. If Christ is not the head of the body of which we are part, we must sever our connection, make judgment, and move to more obedient pastures where Christ is permitted to be the Good Shepherd. We must be willing to turn when judgment has been made to us by the Spirit of Truth. But we must listen intently to hear His voice, for it is only the voice of the Spirit which speaks exclusively and purely only what He hears from the Father. We are told also that if we judge ourselves we shall not be judged later with unbelievers and those of flimsy faith. “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” 1 Cor. 11:31-32

Second, we are told to judge wrongs within the Church. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Rom. 14:13 Finally, we are told this about the necessity of being judges within the Church. “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” 1 Cor. 6:3 Paul also says we have no business judging the world, but we do have need to judge what goes on in the Church. He tells us to separate from unholy brothers and sisters. “But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?” 1 Cor. 5:11-12  In short, it is our obligation to judge, not the world, but to carefully and righteously judge according to God’s word about the proper doctrine and conduct of faith in the Church. We must overcome all unrighteousness, even as it is in the Church.

Jesus is judge in Revelation and nowhere is He more direct and forceful with the Church than as His appearance in Revelation chapters 1‑3 exhibits. In chapter one He stands as the great wise judge of eternity, His legs bright and burnished and His eyes afire with judgment and truth. It is the real and eternal Jesus symbolically displayed before our eyes to give us spiritual understanding about a part of His Divine eternal presence. In chapters two and three He imparts His judgments and discernment with crystal clarity to the Church. His judgment is pure and undefiled. In each letter He truly and faithfully cites the Church’s sin of omission or commission, urges them to repent and act, then pronounces judgment on those who fail to heed His warning and holds out the promise of reward for those who do heed and hear what the Spirit is saying the Churches.

It behooves the sincere, determined, disciple of Christ to take serious any place in Scripture where Christ exhorts His follower to overcome. To overcome means: to conquer, render helpless or overwhelm. Any one of those three meanings can apply to Christ’s warnings and exhortations throughout the fabric of Scripture. This means the disciple should seek with care the meaning of each and every admonition. What are the spirits of Balaam and of Jezebel? How can the church of Sardis have a name of being alive and yet really be spiritually dead? How should one keep the word of God’s patience? Who are the Nicolaitanes? Why does Jesus hate them? What do all these, and more, things mean and how do I overcome them?

We must sincerely ask the question. Sincerely we must wait for the Spirit’s pure answer.

The disciple of Christ, who is he, what will she be like? The disciple is an overcomer in Christ. The disciple must be an overcomer in all ways, must search for these answers and stand fast against them while fostering and teaching the sound doctrines of truth. Then, and only then, will his election, as Peter says, be made sure.

Some Facts About The Letters to the Churches

---

FORM OF LETTER TO EACH CHURCH

---

1. Letter addressed to the ANGEL (strictly speaking means: messenger or servant, in this case archetypical human ministers) of the Church.

2. Christ addresses each letter with specific attributes of His Divine omnipotence – specially pertinent to the faith of that church.

3. He makes note of their “Works”.

4. Critiques their spiritual condition. Gives criticism and commendation.

5. Issues warnings and urges each church to be sure to overcome those things that are dangerous to their standing as church/believer and their life eternal standing in and with God.

6. All churches and individuals, regardless of commendation or criticisms must overcome in some fashion. Christ gives promises of eternal glory to those who are overcomers.

7. In conclusion: exhorts each believer, each “angel” (leaders and ministers) and church in general: “he that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

---

CHARACTER PROFILE OF ARCHETYPE CHURCHES

---

Each under the care of its particular ministers

• Ephesus Do not forget your first love.
• Smyrna Keep patience and the testimony of the Lord no matter what, even to death.
• Pergamum Resist the work of those who would laud themselves over the sheep in a false priesthood or authority, and reject all mingling and mixing with the world and the seduction of the love of money.
• Thyatira Flee idolatry and the Jezebel spirit of fornication (in the spirit), mother worship and false prophecy.
• Sardis Do not reject the Holy Ghost and become a walking dead person.
• Philadelphia Be sure to accept the little worldly strength you have and wait on the Lord with great patience.
• Laodicea Become zealous, drop the spiritual arrogance and pride and let the Lord in your heart.

---

PROMISES TO OVERCOMERS CHURCH BY CHURCH

---

EPHESUS OVERCOMERS PROMISED: fulfill our perfect divinely given human nature. To eat of the tree of life which stands in the midst back in the garden. Standing next to and nullifying the effects of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

SMYRNA OVERCOMERS PROMISED: A crown of life, perfectly fulfilled life, all that it promises; & will not be hurt by the second death, never to be spoiled or threatened adversely about life again.

PERGAMOS OVERCOMERS PROMISED: will eat of the hidden manna (the mysteries of God’s kingdom); a white stone and new name which no man knoweth but he who has it. (Accepted and a “mystery” himself).

THYATIRA OVERCOMERS PROMISED: power over the nations, rule them with a rod of iron and break into pieces. And given the “morning star”.

SARDIS OVERCOMERS PROMISED: white raiment, not blot his name out of the book of life and will confess his name before the Father.

PHILADELPHIA OVERCOMERS PROMISED: to vindicate your faith, keep from hour of temptation and Great Tribulation, make a pillar in the temple of God, go no more out, write the name of God, the name of the city of my God which is New Jerusalem which comes out of heaven, and will write upon him my new name.

LAODICEA  OVERCOMERS PROMISED: I will sup with him, you will sit with me in my throne.