“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father” (Revelation 2:26-27 ESV).
Acts 2:42 identifies four spiritual disciplines that characterized the ancient church at Jerusalem: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (NIV). With this in mind, we can highlight four key areas of focus in the early church: prayer, Bible study (the apostles’ teaching), communion (breaking of bread), and regular church attendance (the fellowship).
These four spiritual disciplines relate to our text from Revelation 2:26 in an important way. You see, these disciplines can help us overcome any spiritual obstacle and conquer the challenges that threaten to undermine our relationship with Christ. If we prayerfully seek God’s motivation in these four areas, we should be well equipped to avoid the spiritual trap that ensnared those who opted to follow a spiritual impostor in the church at Thyatira.
Jesus also ties His commands to a promise: “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations…” (NIV). This portion of Scripture points to a future where Jesus will exercise direct, personal authority over all things. When that time arrives, He will also establish positions of authority for those who are serious about following Him now. The knowledge that Jesus will entrust His followers with these responsibilities in the future should influence the way we live for Him in the present.
Nevertheless, there is a better reward waiting ahead: “I will also give him the morning star” (Revelation 2:28 NIV). This reference holds great significance, for Jesus will later refer to Himself as the “morning star” In Revelation 22:16. So Jesus will not only offer the gift of responsibility and authority; He will also give us the gift of Himself.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:29 NIV).
These messages aren’t restricted to a few churches from the distant past; they are intended for anyone who is willing to listen and learn from them. For instance, we should not allow our love for God to grow cold like the church at Ephesus. We should not fear the reprisals of those who challenge us for our commitment to Christ, as we saw in Jesus’ letter to the church at Smyrna.
We must ensure that we do not permit false teachers to flourish within the church, as was the case with the church at Pergamum. Finally, we should not compromise and call it “tolerance” like the congregation at Thyatira. Instead, we should prayerfully consider Jesus’ messages to these churches and apply these lessons in our lives.