Revelation 22 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 22.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/22/1/s_1189001

Meditate on verse 6.

 

And he said to me, "These Words are faithful and true,"

 and the LORD, the God of the spirits of the prophets,

sent His angel to show to His bond-servants

the things which must soon take place.

 

As a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, you, like John, have had the privilege of seeing things that are already taking place and will continue to happen.  It is encouraging to know God is in charge.  You have also had the privilege of knowing Jesus better as you observed Him in this book.  Notice His “I AM” statements in this final chapter:

 

·      “I AM coming quickly” (v. 7).

·      “I AM coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to render to every man according to what he has done” (v. 12).

·      “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (v. 13).

·      “I AM the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (v. 16).

·      “I AM coming quickly” (v. 20).

 

Jesus says three times in this chapter, “I AM coming quickly” (vs. 7, 12, 20).  As His faithful bond-servant (vs. 3, 6, 9), tell others He is coming soon.  As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray for them using the words from Revelation 22:3-4, 14, 17, and 20.

 

“LORD, make ____________ Your bond-servant who will serve

You and see Your face.  Put Your name on their forehead. 

Let them wash their robes so they have the right to the

tree of life and enter by the gates into the city.

 LORD, let them come.  Let me invite them to come. 

They are thirsty.  May they wish to take the water

of life without cost.  LORD, You are coming quickly.

Amen.  Come, LORD Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Revelation 21 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 21.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/21/1/s_1188001

Meditate on verse 4.

 

He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes;

 and there will no longer be any death; there will

 no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;

the first things have passed away.

 

Can you imagine the day when there will be no more death, pain, sickness, crying, depression, anxiety, weariness…in your life?  God says when He creates the new heavens and earth, those painful things from your past will not be remembered or come to your mind (Isaiah 65:17).  And Jesus says you won’t even question Him about any of those things (John 16:23).  How glorious it is through the blood of Jesus to overcome everything that wants to overcome you (v. 7)! 

 

In the midst of this life on earth, which can be very difficult, keep your eyes fixed on the Lamb.  Let Him shed His light on your situation, revealing His glory in the good times and the bad.  Keep in mind a day is coming when you won’t remember or wonder why bad things happened today. 

 

Pray Revelations 21:7-8 and 27 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let __________ and me overcome and inherit You!

 Be our God!  We want to be Your children!

 Because of You, we are not cowardly, unbelieving,

 abominable, murderers, immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,

and liars, whose part will be in the lake that burns

 with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 

LORD, please let __________ choose You, so they will not

experience the second death.  Let their names be

 written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

Revelation 20 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 20.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/20/1/s_1187001

Meditate on verse 6.

 

Blessed and holy is the one who

has a part in the first resurrection;

over these the second death has

 no power, but they will be priests

 of God and of Christ and will

 reign with Him for a thousand years.

 

What a foundational chapter for understanding death and resurrection!  There are two deaths and two resurrections.  Christians experience only one death—that physical death when you get to leave your earthly body to be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).  For those who do not know Jesus, there are two deaths—the one when their physical body dies, and the one when their names are not found written in the book of life, and they are condemned to eternity separated from God in the lake of fire (vs. 14-15).

 

Christians will be in the first resurrection when Christ returns to earth with those who belong to Him (v. 6; 1 Thessalonians 4:14).  Those who do not know Jesus will experience the second resurrection when they are judged according to their deeds then thrown into the lake of fire (vs. 12-15).

 

It seems like an easy choice—follow Christ and die once, being in the glorious first resurrection, or deny Christ and die twice, being in the dreaded second resurrection.  To be clear, you want no part in the second death and the second resurrection.  Tell those you love what Revelation 20 says about death and resurrection.  As their faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray for them to be in the first resurrection, using the words from Revelation 20:6.

 

“LORD, please make ____________ a blessed

and holy one who has a part in the

first resurrection.  Let the second death

 have no power over them.  Make them

Your priests, God, and let them reign

with You, Christ, for a thousand years.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Revelation 19 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 19.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/19/1/s_1186001

Meditate on verses 9a and 17. 

 

Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are

invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'"

 

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying

to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God.”

 

What a stark contrast of two suppers taking place at the end of time—the marriage supper of the Lamb and the great supper of God.  Which one will you and those you love attend?  It is really important to take God’s Word to heart, knowing a day will come when every human ever created will either say, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,” or they will experience His wrath (vs. 1, 17-18). 

 

Tell others what you are learning in Revelation, especially those who have not yet accepted God’s invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, praying for them to accept before it is too late.

 

Praise the LORD with the words you will say at the Lamb’s supper from Revelation 19:1-3, 6-7, 11, 13, and 16 as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong

 to You, my God, because Your judgments are true and

righteous, for You will judge the great harlot who is

 corrupting the earth with her immorality,

and You will avenge the blood of Your bond-servants

on her.  Hallelujah!  Her smoke will rise up

forever and ever.  Hallelujah!  For LORD God Almighty,

 You reign, and the marriage of the Lamb will come.

 Let ___________ and me make ourselves ready as Your bride.

Because You are Faithful and True, the Word of God,

King of kings, and LORD of lords, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Revelation 18 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 18.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/18/1/s_1185001

Meditate on verse 14.

 

The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all

 things that were luxurious and splendid have passed

away from you and men will no longer find them.

 

Can you imagine a day when there will no longer be stuff to buy?  Jesus gave John a vision of all the merchants on earth mourning and crying because they are no longer making any money off of people buying their stuff (v. 11).  Can you imagine a day when “cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives” will no longer exist (vs. 12-13)?  When that day comes will you rejoice, or will you cry because there will no longer be a reason to go shopping?

 

Examine your life.  Are you investing in stuff that will be destroyed in the wrath of God, or are you investing in things with eternal value—people and God’s Word? 

 

Pray Revelation 18:4-5 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let ____________ and me heed the command

 to ‘Come out of Babylon the great.’

Do not let us participate in her sins.  Keep us from

sins that pile up as high as heaven.

Thank You that You remember our

 sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34).

Because of Your blood, Lamb of God, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Revelation 17 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 17.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/17/1/s_1184001

Meditate on verses 15-17.

 

And he said to me, "The waters which you saw

where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes

and nations and tongues.  And the ten horns which you saw,

and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will

make her desolate and naked and will eat her flesh

 and will burn her up with fire.  For God has put it in

 their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common

purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the

 beast, until the Words of God will be fulfilled.”

 

Much is revealed in this chapter, and a most important revelation is that God is in charge of the beast, kings, peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues; they will execute His plans. 

 

Hear what God told the prophet Isaiah:

 

"Remember the former things long past, for

I am God, and there is no other; I

am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring

 the end from the beginning, and

from ancient times things which have not

 been done, saying, 'My purpose

 will be established, and I will

accomplish all My good pleasure.’”

—Isaiah 46:9-10

 

Take confidence in God that His purpose for you and those you love is established; live for Him to accomplish all His good pleasure in your life.

 

Pray Revelation 17:14 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Lamb of God, Your Word says the beast

 and ten kings will wage war against

You, but You will overcome them because

You are LORD of lords and King of kings,

and ______________ and I will be with You because

we are the called and chosen and faithful. 

Lamb of God, please let ____________ be with us, too.

In Your name, Jesus~” 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Revelation 16 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 16.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/16/1/s_1183001

Meditate on verses 5-7.

 

And I heard the angel of the waters saying,

 "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O

Holy One, because You judged these things;

for they poured out the blood of saints

and prophets, and You have given them

 blood to drink. They deserve it."

And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, O LORD God, the

Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."

 

Seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls—God’s judgment poured out on mankind who refuse to be covered by the blood of the Lamb.  Since the beginning of time, Satan’s desire is to delude the minds of humans, so they question and deny the authority of God.  “Did God really say…” (Genesis 3:1).  And, now you see the end results of the devil’s schemes: humans, the crown of God’s creation, covered in His wrath, blaspheming Him instead of repenting so as to give the Almighty glory (v. 9).

 

Genesis 3 and Revelation 16, tragic bookends of God’s Word for those who believe Satan’s lies and follow the created rather than the Creator.  Let these chapters motivate you to tell others the truth about Jesus.  Pray for God to give them ears to hear. 

 

Do you know people who already behave like those in Revelation 16, blaspheming God when things are bad?  Pray for them to repent before it is too late, using Revelation 16:9, 11, and 21 as their faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, please let _____________ stop blaspheming

 Your name.  Let them repent and give You glory. 

Let them stop blaspheming You, God of heaven,

because of their pains and sores.  May they

repent of their deeds.  Let them stop

 blaspheming You, God, before the

plague becomes extremely severe.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Revelation 15 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 15.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/15/1/s_1182001

Meditate on verses 2-3.

 

And I saw something like a sea of glass

mixed with fire, and those who had been

victorious over the beast and his image and

the number of his name, standing on the

sea of glass, holding harps of God.  And they sang

the song of Moses, the bond-servant

of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

"Great and marvelous are Your works, O

LORD God, the Almighty; righteous and

 true are Your ways, King of the nations!”

 

Thankfully, Jesus included lots of worship throughout the vision He gave John because arrogant, blasphemous beasts can wear a person down (Revelation 13:5-6).  Not surprisingly, even as we write these devotionals for Revelation, real-life “beasts” are speaking blasphemies about the Bible and a stand we took for God’s Word.  Persevering for the cause of Christ is exhausting; that is why it must be done in God’s strength and not our own.  Worshiping the One who gives the strength is vital for being victorious in Jesus. 

 

Revelation 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, and 15 contain beautiful worship verses.  Praise Jesus with them.

Praise Him with Revelation 15:2-4 as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“Great and marvelous are Your works, O LORD

 God, the Almighty!  Righteous and true are Your ways, King

 of the nations!  Who will not fear, O LORD, and glorify

Your name?  For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come

and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have

 been revealed.  Make us victorious over the beast

and his image and the number of His name.

By the power of Your name, Lamb of God, LORD Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revelation 14 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 14.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/14/1/s_1181001

Meditate on verses 9-10.

 

Then another angel, a third one, followed

 them, saying with a loud voice, "If

anyone worships the beast and his image,

and receives a mark on his forehead

or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine

 of the wrath of God, which is mixed

in full strength in the cup of His anger; and

 he will be tormented with fire and

 brimstone in the presence of the holy

angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

 

As you read Revelation, you may be thinking, “Wow, this sounds like things happening today!”  Recently, a high-ranking government official, who is a Christian, said, “Do not feed the beast.”  His wise advice was given for a situation where believers were persecuted by nonbelievers.  Do not focus on Satanic beasts; God will take care of them.  Focus on those who need Jesus because you know how the story ends; those who do not know Him will be put into the wine press of the wrath of God, and they will be tormented day and night (vs. 10, 19-20).  You have the eternal Gospel (v. 6).  Share it with others before it is too late.

 

Pray Revelation 14:6-7 and 12 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You have given ___________ and me the

eternal Gospel to preach to those who live on

the earth and to every nation and tribe and

 tongue and people.  LORD, help us preach it!

Let __________ fear You and give You glory because

the hour of Your judgment is coming.

We worship You who made the heaven and

the earth and sea and springs of waters.

Give us perseverance.  Help us keep Your

 commandments and our faith in You, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Revelation 13 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Revelation 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/rev/13/1/s_1180001

Meditate on verses 1 and 11.

 

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having

 ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were

 ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth;

and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

 

Thankfully, we have God’s Word, so we can be aware of Satan and his tactics.  In this chapter, God shows us how the dragon and the two beasts attempt to mimic the Trinity.  The dragon gives the first beast his power and throne; together, they work with a second beast who looks like a lamb but speaks like the dragon (vs. 2, 11).  Do not be deceived by this evil trio; only God is Three in One. 

 

A day is coming when the beast who speaks like the dragon will deceive those who dwell on the earth, and they will be marked as belonging to him (vs. 14-17).  Have you been marked by the Holy Spirit, proving you belong to God through the blood of the Lamb?  If you have an ear, hear what God reveals to you in this chapter, sharing it with everyone in your realm of influence (v. 9).

 

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray Revelation 13:8 over those who need Jesus. 

 

“LORD, do not let __________ be one of those who

 dwells on the earth and worships the beast.

 LORD, please let their name have been written from

the foundation of the world in the book of

 life of the Lamb who has been slain.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell