321. He Who Overcomes

“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7.

There are many trees in the Paradise of God—including the tree of knowledge. One can eat from all of the trees, and among soulish people knowledge will be abundant. Priests and pastors crowd around the trees of knowledge, from which they obtain their livelihood. But no one has access to the tree of life except those who overcome. You can plainly see and hear this in practice when you watch the way religious leaders react to the light of life—even to the point of hating and persecuting it. And to this they are appointed because they reject the chief cornerstone in their spiritual building. This is as true today as it was in the time of Christ.

“He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Verse 11.

The second death is the lake of fire. In the areas where we do not overcome, we will be hurt by the second death. In the rapture we will not appear perfect and whole. Our respect of persons, covetousness, unfaithfulness in preaching the Word, etc., will be burnt up because these cannot endure the fire of judgment, and thus we are hurt by the second death.

None of what was lost can be regained—not for all eternity—because the second death has robbed us of it. See how extremely vital it is for us to overcome! To overcome we must be able to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches, and we must obey. Through the least unfaithfulness we hurt ourselves, while the smallest faithfulness is rewarded. We will take the works we have done with us as an eternal inheritance, but the works that we should have done, but did not do, are gone forever. Thus we are hurt by the second death. When we now walk in the obedience of faith, we will take with us all the works that God had prepared beforehand for us that we should walk in. In this we will be perfect and complete in all eternity. Here I am speaking about those who walk in the way of God and take up their cross daily. The ones who habitually sin do not overcome even for a single day. For them everything will be consumed by the second death, even if they find forgiveness. Such people are saved naked, as through fire. None of their works pass over with them to the other side. They are utterly and completely damaged by the second death, the lake of fire.

“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Verse 17.

The hidden manna is given to everyone who is obedient to the Word and the Spirit. The hidden manna gives vitality and life. The white stone is the rock-hard faith that is given to all those who overcome. The stone is white (pure) and hard. Only the person who receives that stone will feel at one with it. The same name is given to the person and to the stone, for it is his faith. No one else can know the name on the stone.

“To him I will give power over the nations, He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels.” Verses 26 and 27.

Human self-will is hard, and it needs a rod of iron, an iron-like government to crush it. When Christ rules, everything and everyone must bow under His will. The rod of iron will smash denominationalism, which is of Satan, because there will be one flock and one Shepherd. All arrogance and respect of persons shall be dashed to pieces by the rod of iron. They that overcome have already allowed themselves to be dashed to pieces by the Spirit’s rod of iron in this life; therefore, in the coming life they can be given power over the nations.

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Rev. 3:5.

“And to her (the bride) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Rev. 19:8.

White garments are the result of obedience to the faith according to the promptings of the Spirit. Those who overcome must necessarily receive white garments. To overcome means to conquer your own will and nature so that God’s will is allowed to rule in your life. And yet people deceive themselves and others by saying that Jesus has overcome and done God’s will for us so we do not have to. No, no! Jesus lived in God’s will in order to open a way for us, a new and living way through the veil, which is His flesh. On this way we are given some of the hidden manna to eat, and we receive the white stone and the rod of iron with which to rule the nations. Faithfulness and patience along this way give us white garments and the right to walk together with Jesus in them. When we live in this way, God will never blot our names out of the Book of Life. Our new name written on the stone is our guarantee of this.