Trusting in His Ultimate Reward

Revelation 2:10

Don’t fear those things you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to be tested; you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, & I’ll give you the crown of life.”

True wealth resides in true trust.  Those amazing saints with peace in the middle of life’s storms are true examples of trusting in the Lord.  One of the enemy’s strategies is to cause spiritual “shortsightedness” to any and everyone.  When our focus is just on things in our immediate view/desire, we will become vulnerable to sin’s snares.  The deceitfulness of instant gratification in exchange for eternal life, has become too familiar.  Our tendency is to choose what we know we can have right now, rather than what we can’t “see”: eternal life.  The Bible is littered with stories of this common compromise.  From the dissatisfied 5000+ multitude who ultimately rejected Jesus after He fed them (John 6), to the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32), and also Judas, who sold out Jesus (Salvation) for 30 pieces of silver (temporary riches—Matthew 26:14-16).  One of the most familiar lessons of the compromise of our ultimate reward is the story of Esau & Jacob. Esau couldn’t see the wealth of his inheritance because he was blinded by his temporary hunger.  So, he sold his “Birthright” which was his position as the first-born” for a measly bowl of stew.  Esau let his starvation steal his salvation!

Genesis 25:31-33

Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”  And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so, what is this birthright to me?

Our birth-right as children of the most-high God is for life and that more abundantly; however, our hunger for the things of this world can seem more valuable than that which is unseen.  Trusting in our Father’s ultimate reward for life was best demonstrated by Jesus Christ.  When the Lord was tempted by the enemy in the wilderness, He was offered an opportunity to either eat (make some bread) or die. Jesus’ response of trusting in His Father’s word over worldly bread may not seem like a wise decision, immediately; however, when we trust in God’s word, whether it makes sense or not, the eternal reward is far more valuable than the temporary relief.  Hananiah, Mishael, & Azaria (AKA Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego) also exemplified God’s eternal reward over temporary relief when they chose the fiery furnace over idol worship.  Their power-words of holy defiance & trust have echoed through the annals of time:

Daniel 3:1-18

…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the golden image which you have set up.”

Messages

3rd     Salvation over Starvation

10th   Countenance over Confusion

17th   Purpose over Prosperity

24th   Authority over Anxiety