People tend to live close to the Lord during difficult times.Thank God for hardship and difficulty and mountains to climb. It’s in those times we discover our strength. It takes righteous, right relationship with God to overcome painful situations.

The Seven Candlesticks-Endure to the End

Revelation 2:8-11
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

This letter is from the apostle John to the church in Smyrna where there were only a handful of people staying true to the Word of God through horrific persecution at the hands of the Roman emperor Nero. False teachers had fallen away in the persecution and a small number of Christians were left. The price of being a Christian in the first century was very high when they refused to bow to the worship of a dictator. We shouldn’t believe this could never happen today. The book of Revelation tells of a man rising to power and demanding worship of him and the acceptance of a mark to live. 

People tend to live close to the Lord during difficult times.Thank God for hardship and difficulty and mountains to climb. It’s in those times we discover our strength. It takes righteous, right relationship with God to overcome painful situations. Jesus suffered all so that we could call on Him for strength to overcome. “I Am” has been through all and died and rose to assure us that He will be with us through all we could suffer. 

Smyrna comes from the word myrrh. Myrrh was a fragrant plant used to anoint and add a sweet smell. God needs a church that will overcome the putridness of today’s society and sin and turning away from His Word. God needs a church that will emit the loveliness of love, joy, kindness, forgiveness. 

John encourages them to endure and remain steadfast to what they have been taught.

Matthew 5:12
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

1 Peter 5:10
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.