How to defeat a beast

Revelation 15:1-4

Our church lost a beloved saint this weekend. She lived on earth for more than one hundred years. We have young adults today who remember her as a Sunday school teacher. That's how long she served--for as long as she could. Over the last month or so, she became more vocal in worship. Oh, yes, she was there every Sunday--except for a couple of weeks after she fell. Lately, you'd hear her voice after a prayer or song or during the sermon. "Holy, holy," she would say. We always marvel at what the mind holds on to as we age. For our dear sister, it was her faith that never faded. Several people have told me they weren't sure what she was saying at first. Once they realized, it made complete sense. For a person who loved her God and served however she could, of course praise would be on her mind. As we hold on to our faith in Jesus, we see how our faith in Jesus has carried us. The trust we give to God isn't for a season of life. It's certainly more than a Sunday obligation. Our faith in the Lord delivers us and makes us victorious for eternity. In Revelation 15, in what appears to be a "sea of glass mixed with fire," John sees "those who had conquered the beast." These are the people whose faith remained steadfast, even in the face of persecution. They defeated the beast by remaining faithful to the Lamb. And that's how we live into the story of Revelation. We remain faithful. We keep "holy, holy" in our hearts so that our focus remains on the One who gives victory over sin and death. The beast looks scary and might seem in control. How could, for example, a 102-year-old woman conquer the beast? Easy. All it takes is for the faithful to stay faithful all the days of their life. Stay blessed...john