Sep. 14, 2025

We Win! (14 Sept. 2025)

Introduction - The news we viewed this week on our news sites was made very shocking by the assassination of the young, conservative Christian activist Charlie Kirk. Doubtless, a small shock wave of fear hit many Christians as we realized what happened and wondered “could this happen to me?”  Frequently occurring news accounts of the persecution of Christians in foreign countries where whole congregations are killed doesn’t add to our fearlessness.  How are we to minister in a world which seems to be more hostile than ever? Just stay home and out of public places so a sniper can’t shoot us?  No!  There are at least 27 references in the King James New Testament using the phrase “fear not.”   We have fear bred into us as part of our old nature from the fall of man.  We all know what that feels like.  Jesus wants to be free us from all fear and to replace it with love for Him.  

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19We love, because He first loved us. NASB

Concerning martyrs (those killed for their faith) it is difficult for us to understand how they could be so courageous as to give up their lives knowingly.  

Revelation 12:10-11 “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. NASB

They probably knew something, through the Holy Spirit, which we can know today.  Here’s a view of what they never had a chance to read, because the Bible had not yet been written.  This Scripture would refer not only to the saints in the Revelation, but to all martyrs of all time.  Here’s what I mean, a passage written about the Jewish Christians, who were saved and lived sometime after the resurrection of Jesus, but before 70 AD, when the destruction of Jerusalem occurred:

Luke 21:8-19  And He said, “See to it that you are not misled; for many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not go after them. 9And when you hear of wars and revolts, do not be alarmed; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then He continued by saying to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, 11and there will be massive earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrible sights and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, turning you over to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of My name. 13It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. 14So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 15for I will provide you eloquence and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to oppose or refute. 16But you will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death, 17and you will be hated by all people because of My name. 18And yet not a hair of your head will perish. 19By your endurance you will gain your lives. NASB

The testimony of Dr. Mary C. Neal, which I refer to often in sermons and Homegoing services, perhaps illustrates this loving care even through the transition from life to death and gives us an idea what our real sensations will be like if our life is ever taken in martyrdom.  Keep in mind that her story was from a kayaking incident, not any spiritually-commissioned job the Lord had given her.  It is detailed in her book, To Heaven and Back.

Dr. Neal was on a family vacation with friends on the Fuy river in southern Chile.  She went over a waterfall and her kayak got stuck at the bottom of a waterfall.  Realizing that the force of that water would not allow her arms to release her from the Kayak, she quickly prepared herself to drown, something she greatly feared.  To her amazement, none of that occurred.  Instead, she felt a distinct physical sensation of the protection of arms around her.  She could observe what was happening to her body as it was slowly sucked out of the kayak, but she felt no pain, cold water, or anything we’d associate with the agony of dying.  This was a total surprise to her.  Moreover, she saw her body tumble down the river and felt that her spirit was being freed from a cumbersome, heavy shell.  She popped through the surface of the water and met 10-15 fellow human saints who escorted her to a beautiful heavenly hall which she knew was her home.  After she entered the hall, saints came back to her and told her that her mission was not complete and that she should return.  She reluctantly returned as they escorted her back, was extracted from the remote jungle and brought back to the States where she underwent months of surgery and healing. She is still a practicing surgeon today and has given hope to many people about what happens after death by writing two books and sharing her story on major TV stations and the internet.  

God probably did something similar for Stephen, who was stoned by angry Jews in Acts 7:

Acts 7:51-60 “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, and you have now become betrayers and murderers of Him; 53you who received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”  54 Now when they heard this, they were infuriated, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind. 58When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep. NASB

It’s inconceivable that He was allowing Stephen to be stoned, letting Him see Jesus at God’s right hand, and giving him the mental ability to ask God to forgive his official Jewish executors, without giving him the same sort of painless death transition He gave to Dr. Neal.  In contrast to what we see happening to the body from our limited earthly vantage point, it is probable that all the deaths of those who are in Christ are painless transitions like Dr. Neal’s.  

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones. NASB

Conclusion - 

Hebrews 2:15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. NLT

Death never wins over us.  It is the last enemy to be removed from the human experience, true, but even in this lifetime, it never wins. It can’t keep you in fear.   It has no more “sting.”  If we accept His word and the testimony of His saints, we can live completely free of the fear of dying!  We win!