Simple Keys to Understanding the Book of Revelation — Part 6
The overcomers will experience greater rewards, greater privileges, greater authority, and greater responsibilities than other believers. Jesus clearly stated this in each of His letters to the seven churches in Asia recorded in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
Overcomers will qualify for higher ranks in the Kingdom of God. Other believers who do not qualify for the overcomer ranks will fill lesser ranks in God’s Kingdom.
Your eternal position in the Kingdom of God is being determined now by the choices you make.
This truth that individual believers will be rewarded with differing levels of responsibility, authority, and privilege in God’s Kingdom is found throughout Scripture.
In Daniel chapter 12, the angel spoke to Daniel about the end time rewards of believers and unbelievers:
“Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”—Daniel 12:2-3 (AMP)
Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, but what about those who are *not *so wise? They may not shine so brightly. Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever, but what about those who do *not *lead many to righteousness? They may have a different level of glory.
In this and many other passages, Scripture teaches us that there are differing levels of rewards and differing levels of glory for believers in God’s Kingdom.
The passage in Daniel 12 speaks of believers shining like stars. Stars often represent individual believers in Scripture. Paul uses that analogy in 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 (AMP) to describe the different levels of glory for believers in the Kingdom of God:
“There are also heavenly bodies [sun, moon and stars] and earthly bodies [humans, animals, and plants], but the glory and beauty of the heavenly is one kind, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is a glory and beauty of the sun, another glory of the moon, and yet another [distinctive] glory of the stars;*** and one star differs from another in glory and brilliance.***
So it is with the resurrection of the dead.”
In Rick Joyner’s book, The Final Quest, he describes encounters that he experienced in the heavenly realm. In the last chapter, titled The Overcomers, Rick makes his way from the outskirts of Heaven closer and closer to the throne of God. As he nears God’s throne, he encounters those who are in the highest ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord told Rick that these are the Overcomers who had served God faithfully on Earth. Rick described them sitting in thrones that were all a part of the Lord’s throne. This is exactly what is described in Revelation 3:21 (NKJV):
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Many of the thrones that Rick saw were occupied, but many were still available. Then the Lord asked Rick if he was worthy to occupy one of these thrones of the Overcomers. In that moment, Rick knew that he had been given the opportunity in life to contend for the greatest reward that God offered, and he had failed! Desperate, but hopeful, Rick replied that he was not worthy to occupy a seat among these overcomers.
The Lord responded by asking if he *wanted *that seat. Rick responded wholeheartedly that he did! The Lord gave him hope that it was not too late for him.
It is not too late for you, either!
Do you want one of the overcomers’ thrones? Do you have a heart to contend for the greatest prize in heaven and earth? There is no greater reward than to be numbered among the Overcomers in God’s Kingdom.
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”— Revelation 21:7 (NKJV)
