Bulletins - Cornerstone Independent Baptist Church (Enola, PA)

Introduction
Turn to Revelation 13:1-7
We are turning to a passage of Scripture wherein John is describing the circumstances of the Tribulation.
What is the Tribulation?
It is a future event where for seven years, God will pour out His final judgment on earth, both to judge the great wickedness of mankind and to prepare the earth for the 1000 year reign of Christ.
The church of God - all believers of the present age, all of us who are under the new covenant that Christ established as He went to the Cross - will not be here during the Tribulation.
For one, it makes no sense that God would pour out His judgment on Christ’s bride.
Secondly, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 indicates that we will be caught up to be with the Lord before the judgement of God begins to fall.
Revelation 13 provides a description of two beings that will rise to prominence during the Tribulation. The first beast is described in verses 1-8. This is the antichrist. He is Satan’s counterfeit of Jesus and will be the worldwide dictator during the Tribulation.
The second beast is described in verses 11-18. He is the False Prophet. He is Satan’s counterfeit of the Holy Spirit and will serve as the head of the world religion that worships Satan and his antichrist.
Our text is Revelation 13:7, but let’s get the context by reading verses 1-7.
Read Revelation 13:1-7
Question: what does verse seven indicate about the Antichrist?
During the Tribulation, all of humanity will be on one of two sides: either they will be for God or they will be against God. Verse seven indicates that the Antichrist will go to war against the saints of God and he will win!
Next slide here:
Overcome: to carry off the victory, come off victorious
The Antichrist is going to prevail over the people of God!
What? Why?
If that weren’t enough, notice what verse seven says. John indicates that God will give the saints over to this defeat. The beast will not overcome the Tribulation saints apart from God allowing it to happen!
What on earth? That should really make you pause and scratch your head a bit.
Isn’t God all-powerful?
Isn’t God all-knowing?
Doesn’t God care about His children?
Didn’t Christ win the victory at the Cross? Didn’t He defeat sin, death, and the grave?
So why is God going to allow the Tribulation Saints to be subdued in this conflict with the Antichrist?
No one wants to go into a battle knowing that they are on the losing side. Why would God allow this?
Application: sometimes God allows his saints to fight losing battles so that He can have greater glory in winning the war.
Sometimes God allows defeats so that we rely on Him for even greater victories.
Sometimes God allows weakness so that we rely on Him for even greater strength.
2 Corinthians 12:9–10 KJV 1900
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Do you have enough faith for God to tell you, “no”?
I was asking God to do something specific this past week and as far as I can tell, it looks like God said “no” to that prayer, or at least to my timeline.
Do you have enough faith for God to tell you, “no”?
But Christ will win at last:
Revelation 17:14 KJV 1900
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Introduction