Revelation: Faith in the Fear of Faith
Revelation: Faith in the Face of Fear
Jesus is Lord: Finding Peace in the Midst of Chaos
In a world filled with uncertainty, division, and fear, we all need some good news. The kind of news that doesn't just make us feel better for a moment, but transforms how we face tomorrow. The kind of truth that anchors our souls when storms rage around us.
That good news can be summed up in three simple words: Jesus is Lord.
These aren't just religious words to recite or a nice phrase to put on a bumper sticker. These three words hold the power to change everything about how we live, how we face our fears, and how we find peace in the chaos.
The God of Order in a World of Chaos
One of the most comforting truths about God is that He is not a God of disorder, but of peace. When we look at the opening of the book of Revelation, we see a beautiful chain of command—God giving revelation to Jesus, who shares it with His servants. Even within the Trinity, there is order and structure.
Why does this matter? Because so much of what drives our fears is disorder and chaos. We worry about things spinning out of control. We fear the unknown. We're anxious about all the ways things could go wrong.
But God isn't like that. Jesus isn't like that. He is the God of peace, the God of order. And when we truly grasp that Jesus is in charge over all creation, we can begin to release our grip on the need to control everything ourselves.
The Blessing of Obedience
Revelation speaks of blessing for those who hear the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ—and obey. But how exactly are we blessed?
Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospel of John: "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40).
The blessing isn't found in merely knowing about God. It's found in coming to Jesus and receiving real life. He openly invites us to come to Him, and when we do, we discover what it means to truly live.
Jesus sums up His teaching in one command: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34-35). And how has He loved us? By freeing us from our sins through the sacrifice of His blood. He has made us to be a kingdom of priests, called to live sacrificially giving lives that put the needs of others ahead of our own.
But How Can We Obey?
This is where many of us get stuck. We know what we're like. We know our track record. Even knowing that Jesus died for our sins, we still mess up. How can we possibly live up to this calling?
Again, Jesus provides the answer: "Remain in me, as I also remain in you" (John 15:4).
Jesus invites us—broken and messed up as we are—to cling to Him like a branch draws life from the tree. He knows exactly what He's getting into with us. He wants us to grow in Him and become like Him. And we do that through prayer, through devotion to Him, through reading His Word and learning from Him.
What Kind of Leader Does This?
Think about it: What ruler with ultimate power sets His own life down to save people who didn't want Him first? What God not only sacrifices Himself but then invites those same people to stay connected to Him so they can continually benefit from His love, grace, and goodness?
Only Jesus.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. This is the character and nature of God Almighty. He is greater than any lie the enemy would have us believe. He is more powerful than any fear. He is the true and only version of love available, and He desires us.
When this truth really sinks in, what do we have to be afraid of? The God of the universe bled and died to save us. He conquered death. What else is there to fear?
The answer is nothing. Why? Because Jesus is Lord.
The Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-Discipline
When we accept Jesus as Lord, He does something remarkable: He puts His Spirit in us. Second Timothy 1:7 reminds us: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
If we remain in Him, He remains in us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in those who follow Him.
Are We Really Following?
But here's the challenging question: If Jesus is Lord, are we actually following Him?
The churches addressed in Revelation faced various challenges. Some had lost their first love for God—they were doing good things, but their relationship with God had grown cold. Others were mixing their worship of Jesus with love of the world, struggling with idols and sexual immorality. Still others had a reputation for being alive but were actually dead inside.
These are uncomfortable questions for us today:
The Mercy of Our Lord
If these questions convict us, that's actually good news. It means God is waking us up. And look at His response: He calls us to repent, to wake up, to be faithful.
This is the mercy of the One who is Lord. He's reaching out, showing grace upon grace already given. He's not trying to catch us doing wrong so He can punish us. He's offering us opportunities to turn back. He's saying, "Your loyalty has wavered. Come back."
To the One Who Is Victorious
Throughout Revelation, Jesus repeats a powerful promise to each church: "To the one who is victorious..."
Victory doesn't mean we'll never face challenges or never feel fear. It means we can face whatever comes our way with Jesus at our side. The one who is victorious will eat from the tree of life, will not be hurt by the second death, will receive a new name, will be dressed in white, will have their name acknowledged before the Father, and will sit with Jesus on His throne.
These aren't promises for some super-spiritual elite. They're for anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and who chooses to trust Jesus as Lord.
Running Home
Picture Jesus with His arms wide open, inviting us to come. All we have to do is run to Him, and we become His. We are loved. We are welcomed. We are home.
Following Jesus doesn't mean we'll never feel fear. But it does mean we can face it. It means we don't have to be controlled by the chaos around us. It means we can live with confident hope because we know who is ultimately in charge.
Jesus is Lord. Not just in word, but in truth. Not just in theory, but in reality. And when we truly believe that—when we live like we mean it—everything changes.
So the invitation stands today: Will we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Will we faithfully face whatever comes our way with Him? Will we surrender all to the One who first
surrendered Himself for us?
The God of the universe is waiting. He is waiting for you.
In a world filled with uncertainty, division, and fear, we all need some good news. The kind of news that doesn't just make us feel better for a moment, but transforms how we face tomorrow. The kind of truth that anchors our souls when storms rage around us.
That good news can be summed up in three simple words: Jesus is Lord.
These aren't just religious words to recite or a nice phrase to put on a bumper sticker. These three words hold the power to change everything about how we live, how we face our fears, and how we find peace in the chaos.
The God of Order in a World of Chaos
One of the most comforting truths about God is that He is not a God of disorder, but of peace. When we look at the opening of the book of Revelation, we see a beautiful chain of command—God giving revelation to Jesus, who shares it with His servants. Even within the Trinity, there is order and structure.
Why does this matter? Because so much of what drives our fears is disorder and chaos. We worry about things spinning out of control. We fear the unknown. We're anxious about all the ways things could go wrong.
But God isn't like that. Jesus isn't like that. He is the God of peace, the God of order. And when we truly grasp that Jesus is in charge over all creation, we can begin to release our grip on the need to control everything ourselves.
The Blessing of Obedience
Revelation speaks of blessing for those who hear the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ—and obey. But how exactly are we blessed?
Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospel of John: "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40).
The blessing isn't found in merely knowing about God. It's found in coming to Jesus and receiving real life. He openly invites us to come to Him, and when we do, we discover what it means to truly live.
Jesus sums up His teaching in one command: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34-35). And how has He loved us? By freeing us from our sins through the sacrifice of His blood. He has made us to be a kingdom of priests, called to live sacrificially giving lives that put the needs of others ahead of our own.
But How Can We Obey?
This is where many of us get stuck. We know what we're like. We know our track record. Even knowing that Jesus died for our sins, we still mess up. How can we possibly live up to this calling?
Again, Jesus provides the answer: "Remain in me, as I also remain in you" (John 15:4).
Jesus invites us—broken and messed up as we are—to cling to Him like a branch draws life from the tree. He knows exactly what He's getting into with us. He wants us to grow in Him and become like Him. And we do that through prayer, through devotion to Him, through reading His Word and learning from Him.
What Kind of Leader Does This?
Think about it: What ruler with ultimate power sets His own life down to save people who didn't want Him first? What God not only sacrifices Himself but then invites those same people to stay connected to Him so they can continually benefit from His love, grace, and goodness?
Only Jesus.
He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. This is the character and nature of God Almighty. He is greater than any lie the enemy would have us believe. He is more powerful than any fear. He is the true and only version of love available, and He desires us.
When this truth really sinks in, what do we have to be afraid of? The God of the universe bled and died to save us. He conquered death. What else is there to fear?
The answer is nothing. Why? Because Jesus is Lord.
The Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-Discipline
When we accept Jesus as Lord, He does something remarkable: He puts His Spirit in us. Second Timothy 1:7 reminds us: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
If we remain in Him, He remains in us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in those who follow Him.
Are We Really Following?
But here's the challenging question: If Jesus is Lord, are we actually following Him?
The churches addressed in Revelation faced various challenges. Some had lost their first love for God—they were doing good things, but their relationship with God had grown cold. Others were mixing their worship of Jesus with love of the world, struggling with idols and sexual immorality. Still others had a reputation for being alive but were actually dead inside.
These are uncomfortable questions for us today:
- Do we truly love God, or are we just Christian consumers looking for what we can get?
- Are we mixing our loyalty to Jesus with loyalty to other things?
- Does our faith look alive on the outside while we're dead on the inside?
The Mercy of Our Lord
If these questions convict us, that's actually good news. It means God is waking us up. And look at His response: He calls us to repent, to wake up, to be faithful.
This is the mercy of the One who is Lord. He's reaching out, showing grace upon grace already given. He's not trying to catch us doing wrong so He can punish us. He's offering us opportunities to turn back. He's saying, "Your loyalty has wavered. Come back."
To the One Who Is Victorious
Throughout Revelation, Jesus repeats a powerful promise to each church: "To the one who is victorious..."
Victory doesn't mean we'll never face challenges or never feel fear. It means we can face whatever comes our way with Jesus at our side. The one who is victorious will eat from the tree of life, will not be hurt by the second death, will receive a new name, will be dressed in white, will have their name acknowledged before the Father, and will sit with Jesus on His throne.
These aren't promises for some super-spiritual elite. They're for anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and who chooses to trust Jesus as Lord.
Running Home
Picture Jesus with His arms wide open, inviting us to come. All we have to do is run to Him, and we become His. We are loved. We are welcomed. We are home.
Following Jesus doesn't mean we'll never feel fear. But it does mean we can face it. It means we don't have to be controlled by the chaos around us. It means we can live with confident hope because we know who is ultimately in charge.
Jesus is Lord. Not just in word, but in truth. Not just in theory, but in reality. And when we truly believe that—when we live like we mean it—everything changes.
So the invitation stands today: Will we trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior? Will we faithfully face whatever comes our way with Him? Will we surrender all to the One who first
surrendered Himself for us?
The God of the universe is waiting. He is waiting for you.
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