Introduction: Are you FAILING or PREVAILING? Although at times we may “FAIL,” ultimately we were meant to “PREVAIL”! Do you feel like a FAILURE? Has sin worn you down? Do you keep tripping and falling? How can Christians CONQUER bad habits? Here is JESUS’ last message to John to the Church then, but also now! Read on.

1. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by not BACKSLIDING! (Rev. 2:4–8) – “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.”

First, look at where believers were FAILING.

What are the first works? Perseverance and patience are marks of the Church of Ephesus. Evidently, those Christians got complacent and apathetic — a not-caring attitude, which is easy to fall into today. So instead of FAILING, the Risen Lord designed for them to be PREVAILING!

Do you see the phrase “faithful unto death”? It literally means willing to die for your faith! That PREVAILING crowd will not see the second death. Do you want to be known as a CASUAL CHRISTIAN or a COMMITTED CHRISTIAN?

3. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by not yielding to Satan’s THRONE! (Rev. 2:17) – “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

Will you substitute a White STONE — acquitted — instead of sitting at Satan’s seat — THRONE? Spiritual warfare is inevitable for every follower of JESUS. With that being said, PREVAILING instead of FAILING is our challenge. Will you be an OVERCOMER?

4. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by staying in the WORD of God and the WILL of God! (Rev. 2:26) – “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.”

False teaching is everywhere. Misinterpretation of Scripture floods our churches along with social media. Peter, Jude, John, Jesus, and Paul all warned us. So PREVAIL instead of FAIL as you understand, and more importantly, obey the Bible!

5. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by PARTING from their PRIORITIES! (Rev. 3:5) – “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

It appears the Church had abandoned its WORK, its WITNESS, and its WATCH, and desperately needed to return! FAILING instead of PREVAILING was the sad indictment by our Lord to the dead but dutiful Church of Sardis. What would our risen Lord say about the churches today?

6. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by staying TRUE to the TRUTH! (Rev. 3:12) – “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.”

Crowns were ready to be rewarded to these FAITHFUL believers. Wouldn’t that be worth it? Are you staying TRUE to TRUTH by TRUSTING?

7. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by staying on FIRE! (Rev. 3:21) – “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Being lukewarm makes Jesus sick to His stomach. Yet being a faithful witness (Rev 3:20) will facilitate PREVAILING instead of FAILING. Staying prayed up, confessed up, and filled up with JESUS will ensure every Christian is RED HOT in an ICE COLD world!