“Revelation: The Blessing & The Warfare” by Katie Taylor

Revelation: The Blessing & The Warfare

by Katie Taylor

“BLESSED is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3 NIV

Have you ever been comforted in a scary movie when someone tells you it has a happy ending? Or do you ever flip to the last chapter of a book so you can know what is going to happen?

In the last book of the Bible, this epic story we’ve been placed in, God calls those of us who take John’s prophecy to heart “blessed.” However, if I’m honest, I’ve been confused, overwhelmed and scared by the book of Revelation. Until now, that is!  And while I still have questions, I cannot thank Bible Study Fellowship enough for their passion for sharing God’s word across the globe and their courage to teach this amazing, challenging book. The study of Revelation blessed me beyond words and I want to invite you into that blessing.

Revelation changed my perspective on relationships, justice, eternity and most of all – Jesus. Understanding the end of the story has reframed the struggles of the present. The book can be summed up in two words: “Jesus wins!” That said, we have an enemy who wants to keep us from believing this victory. I have tried to capture this by writing a Screwtape Letter on Eternity. For those of you who haven’t read the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, please do! It is a brilliant take on spiritual warfare. It is written from the perspective of Screwtape (who reports to the Father down Under) to his demon in training, Wormwood.

At first read, this perspective can seem creepy, but the purpose is to expose the real lies of the enemy and remind us of the beautiful Truth. I hope you can relate.

A Screwtape Letter ~ On Eternity

Dear Wormwood,

You are doing a great job with your humans and turning them away from our Enemy, God. Well done, my friend! It’s time you learn about our strategy on eternity. This is a critical topic because God has set eternity in their hearts. We need them to believe that eternity either 1) doesn’t exist or 2) that it exists in a false way.

If they’re with Him, eternity is in Heaven. If they believe in Heaven, do your best to paint it falsely. Continue with the fluffy clouds and boring worship. Heaven is of course their deepest desire, so we have to disconnect them from it and transfer that desire elsewhere.  Allure them with earthy treasure and keep heavenly treasure as vague as those puffy clouds.

Make them believe that eternity operates like this world, where we reign, and that true justice is never really coming. Limit their search for justice to politics and laws of the land. 

Blind them to the reality that each person has an eternal destination. When they know this, they work harder for the Enemy. 

And, our most important strategy – do not let them read the book of Revelation! When our Enemy says “blessed are those who read,” it is a sure order to keep them away. Go hard after their leading teachers and make them afraid to teach it. Trap them in the details. Make them argue about the parts they weren’t intended to understand yet. Because, if these humans can get their minds around eternity and actually start living as if it’s real, we’re done.

So, you need to take images out of Revelation, twist them out of context and make them believe the book is more about our power than our loss of it. Make them afraid that judgment is coming to them, not us. If they understand what’s actually going to happen to us, they may never listen to you again!

Also, limit their understanding of Jesus to the cross; never let them see him on the throne. Don’t let them visualize him in that terrifying moment when he comes back. We want them to see Jesus’s power as relative to the world, not as overcoming it. Instill a fear that they will be punished and terminated in the end, not that we will. Whatever you do, keep them from getting to those last chapters. I can’t even talk about those.

We’ve made great strides in using Revelation to confuse them into questioning the entire truth of the Bible. Keep it up! And keep them away! Because, Revelation unlocks the real eternity, and that’s game over for us, my friend, if it sinks in their hearts. 

Eternity is in them, Wormwood, and Heaven awaits them. Don’t let them see it, hope for it, or Hell forbid, operate as if it’s true. Our time is limited. Make them think theirs is too. Let’s get to work!

Screwtape

Have you experienced this warfare? Do you live with the true end in mind? Have you avoided digging deep into Revelation? I pray that you will be BLESSED by the powerful living hope unlocked in the last book of the Bible. I pray you will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to read, study, treasure and teach it!

I came to BSF’s study for head knowledge, and line by line, word by word, Revelation changed my heart. I was on a plane alone last month when turbulence came and was not scared for a second of dying! Praise the Lord!

No matter what we see with our eyes today or what the enemy whispers about eternity, we can be filled with unshakeable hope. Our destiny is to live forever, completely restored to all that our Father originally intended for us. When we know how the story ends, we can live differently; we can live blessed. Jesus wins and eternity with him awaits us!

*I highly recommend BSF’s study of Revelation (and any of their studies) next time it comes around. Please reply in the comments with teachings or studies of Revelation in our city you recommend.

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Tags: Bible Study Fellowship, eternity, Huntsville, Katie Taylor, Our City On A Hill, Revelation, Soul Food, The Screwtape Letters