Introduction: Are you a FAILER or PREVAILER? 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 the Church:

 

1. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by not BACKSLIDING! (Rev. 2:4–8) – First, look at where believers were FAILING. “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.”

What are the first works? Perseverance and patience are marks of the Church of Ephesus. Evidently, the Christians got complacent and apathetic—not caring. So instead of FAILING, the Risen Lord designed for them to be PREVAILING!

 

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Rev. 2:7) OVERCOMERS is an interesting word. The word is νικάω, which literally means conquer, prevail, or even get the victory. Do you see PREVAIL?

 

2. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by SUFFERING! (Rev. 2:10–11) – “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison… be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life….. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

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.

 

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?

 

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. Bad interpretations of Scripture. Peter, Jude, John, Jesus, and Paul all warned us. So PREVAIL instead of FAIL as you 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, WITNESS, and WATCH, and desperately needed to return! FAILING instead of PREVAILING was the sad indictment by our Lord.

 

6. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by staying TRUE to 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?

 

7. PREVAILING instead of FAILING by being 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 will make Jesus sick to His stomach. Yet, being a faithful witness (Rev. 3:20) will facilitate PREVAILING instead of FAILING.

 

Conclusion: What more can we say except “let’s PREVAIL—‘overcome’—instead of FAIL!”

Love y’all,

Dr. Randy Reese