00:00All right, so we already covered the second part to this question was by what means do
00:09they overcome the devil?
00:10We see that in Revelation 12 verse 11.
00:13That's right.
00:14Which we covered before by the word of the Lamb and by the blood of the Lamb and by the
00:19word of their testimony.
00:20Now let me comment on the blood of the Lamb.
00:25The Bible frequently refers to the blood of Christ.
00:27We know from Leviticus 17 and 11, the life is in the blood.
00:31The blood carries the life.
00:33The blood is a carrier of the life.
00:35Now when Christ was in Gethsemane, he shed blood, but that wasn't a payment for sin.
00:38Are you following me?
00:39Because if he had changed his mind and gone back, we would still be lost.
00:43So he shed blood in Gethsemane, but that was not the giving up his life.
00:46And so when we talk about the blood of Christ, we mean the life of Christ.
00:50He has poured out his soul unto death, as Isaiah 53 tells us.
00:55And so the blood of Christ is the life of Christ lived in us, you understand, to accept
01:01that victorious life as mine through surrender to Christ.
01:05That's how we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the testimony.
01:09We have demonstrated that we will be faithful to thus said the Lord, regardless of external
01:14circumstances, the blood of the Lamb, the sacrifice of Christ, which is the life of
01:19Christ given for us and our faithfulness by his indwelling power to God's standard of
01:24righteousness, which is his law, because often the word testimony refers to the law
01:28of God.
01:29Amen.
01:30Amen.
01:31What a lot of us don't understand, obedience releases power.
01:37People ask me, how do I keep a Sabbath?
01:39By keeping it.
01:40And that sounds funny.
01:41But an attempt to obey releases power, a genuine attempt to obey brings power to obey.
01:47You don't wait for power to obey and when it comes, then you obey.
01:51Then obeying the power is released and a lot of us do not understand that.
01:55Don't wait for power, start obeying and the power works as you make a genuine attempt
02:00to obey God, because that power is God's life himself or the life of Christ.
02:04Amen.
02:05Amen.
02:06So Elder Skeet, I'm going to move on to the last question that we have here.
02:13Alan White writes in Last Day Events, page 254, paragraph three, and I quote, it is often
02:22the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality, but this is not true of the
02:30crisis before us.
02:32So what are ways God's people can practically prepare for the time of trouble?
02:40Simple.
02:41Jesus told us in Luke 16, 10, he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in
02:49much.
02:51If we're faithful to God now, excuse me, regarding the little challenges that come our way day
02:56by day, we will develop the resources, we'll develop the power through Christ to handle
03:03the big ones that are coming.
03:05He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.
03:10And he that is unjust or unfaithful in the least is unfaithful or unjust also in much.
03:15So that's a fundamental principle.
03:17Be faithful to God now in the little things, you will develop the immunity to handle the
03:21large challenge to come.
03:23The other principle is, Matthew 16, 24, I believe it is, what is a man profited if he
03:27gains the whole world and loses his soul?
03:30Make Christ your priority.
03:33Make the kingdom of God your priority.
03:36Strip secular things, which are not all bad, strip them of the high position they have
03:42held in your life and give that honor to spiritual things.
03:46Make that your priority, my listening friend.
03:49That and be faithful in the little things, that will prepare you and me to handle the
03:54terrible times that are coming and they are coming.
03:58I've heard some people say, well, just before probation closes, I'll repent.
04:01No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
04:02You won't have the capacity to repent.
04:05The time to get ready for the time of trouble is now, not when it comes.
04:10And so the two principles, one, be faithful in little duties, little things, honor God,
04:16honor God in everything, two, make the kingdom of God your priority.
04:22It was for Jesus.
04:23It was for his predecessor, John the Baptist.
04:26It was for the disciples.
04:27It was for the pioneers of this church.
04:29It must be for us.
04:32Amen.
04:33So we have to say something else.
04:38Yes.
04:39Make Bible study a priority because the deception that are coming will be so overpowering without
04:45a clear grasp of truth.
04:47We will not detect truth from error.
04:49Let me say that again.
04:51Make the study of the word of God and the practice of this word are unchallenged priority
04:57for that alone will allow you and me to detect the overpowering deceptions that are coming
05:03upon us.
05:04Amen.
05:05That reminds me.
05:06It's good.
05:07Get it.
05:08But it will not protect you against error.
05:11Are you following me?
05:12High position.
05:13They're fine.
05:14Daniel had one.
05:15Joseph had one.
05:16Nehemiah had one.
05:17They do not defend against error.
05:20The only defense against error is, thus said the Lord, studied and obeyed.
05:27Not just studied for an academic grade, studied as a way of life, studied as a source of sustaining
05:33power.
05:35Amen.
05:38So there has to be that indwelling power that comes from the word of God.
05:43There must be.
05:44You don't get drunk by smelling alcohol.
05:48You don't get drunk by taking it in.
05:50You become strong by taking Christ in, keeping him in through constant obedience to his word.
05:55That's right.
05:56That's right.
05:57This is serious business, my good sister.
06:00A lot of Christians are just going to church once a week, maybe not even that, and life
06:07as usual.
06:08Life as usual is no preparation for the time that is coming.
06:13If you want to look at the dangers of life as usual, read Luke 17, 26-30, where the days
06:19of Noah, the days of eating and drinking and marrying, giving in marriage, building, planting,
06:25whatever.
06:26That's life as usual is no preparation for the time that's coming upon us.
06:33Amen.
06:36Solemn words that we have to take in, friends.
06:39All of us.
06:40Okay.
06:41All of us.
06:42Amen.
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