The Overcoming Laodicean

God's people of the last time will have a special status and special divine guidance in the battle against the forces of sin. The enemy of the soul has centuries of experience in deceiving people and successfully applies his knowledge to tempt and destroy souls. It is simply impossible to resist such temptations by one's own strength.

At the same time, our generation of God's children possesses the fullness of light and knowledge of truth, which was gathered over the years at the cost of blood, sleepless nights, and constant prayers, to appear before us in all its depth without any deficiency. This truth grants to all who seek and thirst that which the soul needs and the heart demands. The Lord Himself has come to personally teach each of us knowledge that, like a hidden treasure, lies in the earth, to become the possession of all who will seek it.

After Laodicea, there are no believers whom the Lord would decide to endow with even more generous special gifts of Heaven. We are the last generation.

World events agitate people's consciousness, and many think about how to preserve their wealth, how to survive in these crisis situations, how to arrange life to be comfortable for themselves, and only a few begin to wonder what God wants to tell them?

The overcoming Laodicean is one who has accepted God's plan for the final battle and has very deep and personal relationships with Christ.

Let us examine the characteristics of the victor from Laodicea, first paying attention to the end of this message. It speaks of a person who has ears and hears what the Spirit says to the churches. He carefully listens to all the blessings of previous generations. Such a Laodicean is also tuned to distinguish God's quiet voice among the diverse noise of this world and thousands of other voices. He knows how the Spirit speaks, and being a member of God's family, he recognizes his brothers and sisters by the Spirit among a thousand other people. God unites such God's children into one team, binding them with bonds of love and friendship. These believers will endure any trial and strengthen their pure relationships forever. The hearing ear is given by God. Proverbs 20:12.

The Laodicean who overcomes receives a special divine blessing. He is given the right to sit on Christ's throne, just as Christ sat on the Father's throne. It is now very difficult to understand what this means in the Heavenly understanding, but I think it speaks of a special status that will elevate a person in God's eyes before the entire Universe.

About Satan, it is written that he dreamed and planned to obtain this throne. Isaiah 14:13-14: "You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'"

The enemy of humanity wanted to become like God in power and strength, but not in love and character.

But the Laodicean does not yearn for what was Satan's cherished dream but receives it as a reward for his desire to become like the Most High in love and character. This is possible for the believer because Christ Himself desires to make him such. Jesus strives to fill the lives of the saved with light and special gifts of His love, to reveal the entire depth of this divine quality in my heart that is accessible to human perception.

I do not understand the meaning of the throne, but I understand what love is. Interestingly, he who seeks power does not receive it and loses everything, while he who thirsts for love obtains from God both love and power and everything else he did not expect. Even knowing about such a great reward, I do not understand what it represents and do not seek to receive it. My greatest happiness is Christ, life with Him throughout Eternity, the opportunity to see His face, to follow Him wherever He may go. And if He sits on the throne and asks me to sit next to Him, I will joyfully do so, just to be near. And without Jesus, I do not need even the most exalted throne.

And in the upcoming battle, in the approaching storm, I am more interested not in the reward but in how to prepare for these events so as not to fall and not lose God's Hand. It is important for me to remain faithful until death.

And I was taught this by spending much time with Jesus, inviting Him to dinner and discussing all plans and perspectives, having communion with Him in the purity of heart in which I allowed Him to establish order. I have become accustomed to dining with Him, and He with me.

The overcoming Laodicean is one who heard the quiet voice of Jesus, heard the knock at the door of his heart and opened to the Lord all spheres of his life, allowing God's love to restore order in his soul, giving the opportunity for Jesus' blood to wash thoughts and feelings from all impurity and vice so that they become absolutely pure. This knock at the door was desired and expected, for zeal for God's gifts and the gift of repentance tuned my perception to hear and heed. And all this happened thanks to the assurance of God's love and the punishment that Jesus, by His mercy, produced in my life. A fierce struggle was waged with my old self, which did not want to surrender and accept God's judgments and reproofs, but the Lord conquered, for without Him I could do nothing. I simply chose life with Him and opened my heart to the truth, however difficult it might be for me.

And without God's wisdom, symbolized by the eye salve, I probably would not have seen anything, but I bought this light and allowed its rays to enlighten my mind, and God granted understanding of what to do, how and where to go. I began to see the beauty of God's character and gaze at it with the open eyes of my soul. And this became possible thanks to Christ's merits and His righteousness, which was first imputed to me by faith in His merits, and then became bestowed righteousness within me by faith working through love.

I see the advantage of the white clothing of God's light. When Jesus stripped me of all the dirt of my ambitions, He clothed me in the purity of God's love and faith. And this became possible through the acquisition of Heavenly wealth in the symbol of pure gold tested by the fire of Eternal love. I immersed myself in this boundless ocean of God's character to become part of His nature. I allowed myself to be reforged so that all the impurities of my nature, all my harmful habits, would be burned out by Heavenly fire and expelled from my life, so that the pure gold of God's character would shine. I began to learn to be rich in true treasure, and now I can pay with God's love to all my enemies, friends, and neighbors.

But I cannot imagine where I would have found all this if the True and Faithful Witness had not pointed me to these Heavenly goods and given His advice to acquire them.

But if I had not learned about my true lukewarm state and who I really am, I think my mind would have continued to sleep and be content with the achievements that, in my view, clothed, enriched, and made me happy. What else did I need? The light shines, the Spirit is poured out, work goes on, deeds are accomplished. But then came the Amen, the beginning of God's creation, and began to destroy all my foundations. And I saw that He was nauseated by my true state and my pride in my achievements and successes in spiritual growth.

It is frightening to imagine if I had stopped at any of these stages of development and not moved forward. I do not even want to describe the entire horror of such a state. But I also do not wish to attribute to myself anything beyond what I have received, so as not to become a hypocrite.

Look, Lord, am I not on a dangerous path...

Reflection Questions for this Chapter

1. What was revealed to you in this chapter?

2. Who is the overcoming Laodicean? Describe the characteristics of the victor?

3. How do you understand what it means to sit on the throne?

4. What motivates you to eternal life: the reward or being with Christ?

5. Why is it important to learn to hear God's voice?

6. What causes prevent you from becoming a victor? (if any)

7. Please read 1 Samuel 3:7-10; Isaiah 50:4,5; Revelation 19:10; John 16:13; Psalm 45:11; Revelation 3:21; 21:7; Luke 10:20; Daniel 7:22; Matthew 5:8; Ephesians 4:15,21 in light of this chapter.