As This teaching is extracted from the book 'Eagles Fly High!' it does not have a background component to its specific presentation.

You may read the complete book, downloadable at

http://www.wwj.org.nz/eaglepts.php

to fully grasp the context within which it was written.

"To him who overcomes I will give the right to eat from the tree of life." (Revelation 2:7)

Talking about re-establishing the relationship that Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden before their "4F" exercise! (forbidden fruit feasting fiasco) Now we know that Jesus re-established that relationship, but only what is called "positionally", (done but not yet fully lived out by us), when he died on the cross. It has not yet been worked out, because we have not fully overcome (that word seems to keep coming up!) our natural sinful nature yet.

As we do overcome that nature, by completely submitting to God’s will for our lives, the promise says we will be restored to that closeness of relationship that Adam and Eve originally had with their Father God.

Wouldn’t that be amazing!

Some individuals have come a long way towards attaining this promise and we are all being called to it. However, it will be fully attained by the overcomers. The first reward.

"But wait, there is more", to use the words of all the most successful direct marketing adverts we see on the telly!

Do you want to participate?

"He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." (Revelation 2:11)

Two deaths? That is what it says. Death one. When we die. Easy! But death two? When all the dead, who have been raised for the final judgement, are judged.

The final judgement determines our eternal future – eternal "life" with Jesus, or eternal "death" of torment in the lake of burning sulphur. If you know the ferocity with which sulphur burns, it is not an experience to be recommended!

Death then, is linked with judgement. The interesting concept here, not understood by many Christians, is that everyone, Christians as well as non-Christians will be judged.

Now this was a new thought for me! I need to check this one out! How is this possible?

I thought that because Jesus had died for my sins that I, as a Christian, would not be judged. Well that is obviously not correct. You are wrong again David! So what are the facts?

a. Non Christians: Will be judged on Judgement Day, which is at the end of the 1000-
year reign of Christ on the earth.

b. Christians: Are divided into 2 categories.

i. Ordinary Christians: On Judgement Day along with the non Christians.

ii. Those Who Will Reign With Christ (i.e. Overcomers and Martyrs)

The method of judgement of these people is quite different. For they are those who are prepared to let God work in them, to change them, during their lifetime. This is generally described as becoming mature sons in Christ. This concept of letting God work in us now, judge us now to avoid later judgement, is expressed in.....

So to be an overcomer we are required to subject ourselves to God’s judgement in our lives now, to fix up all those areas that God progressively shows us are not as He desires them to be. By applying God’s judgement to our life now, we will not have to face the second death, the final judgement.

We will consider the promises made to overcomers in the next 2 churches, those in Pergamum and Thyatira.

As we now start to get into the detail of our study we can start to see the progressive nature of both God's revelation and His rewards.

There is so much more to come over the next 3 weeks.

WINDOWS

The ancient window looked very much like a fisherman's net, and was used in warm middle eastern countries. It was formed of reticulated work, and highly ornamental. They also had hinges which allowed them to be open or shut. On very hot days then sun is kept out while the air is let in through the trellis openings.