Faithfulness Under Pressure: The Riches of Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Knows and Understands Your Suffering

No matter what you are facing, Jesus knows your tribulation and your pain—not just as distant facts, but by personal experience. He has walked the path of rejection, slander, and suffering, and He sees every pressure you endure for your faith. When you feel crushed by the weight of the world, remember that Christ Himself has been there, and He stands with you in the midst of your trials, offering comfort and understanding that goes beyond words. [39:40]

Revelation 2:8-9 (ESV)
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.’”

Reflection: When have you felt misunderstood or alone in your suffering? How does knowing that Jesus truly understands and shares in your pain change the way you face those moments today?

Day 2: True Riches Are Found in Christ, Not Circumstances

Though the world may see you as poor or lacking, in Christ you possess a wealth that cannot be measured by earthly standards. Spiritual riches—faith, endurance, godliness, and the promise of eternal life—are yours regardless of your bank account or social status. When everything else is stripped away, Christ remains your treasure, and your inheritance in Him is secure and unshakeable. [55:11]

Revelation 2:9 (ESV)
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”

Reflection: If you lost every material possession, would you still consider yourself rich in Christ? What is one way you can focus on your spiritual inheritance today?

Day 3: God Uses Trials to Grow and Refine Your Faith

The pressures and tests you face are not random or meaningless; God is sovereign over every trial, using them to strengthen and purify your faith. Even when suffering comes from the enemy, God sets its limits and uses it for your spiritual growth, just as He did for the church in Smyrna and for Job. Trust that your present afflictions are preparing you for an eternal glory that far outweighs them all, and that God is with you in every moment of testing. [01:00:21]

Revelation 2:10 (ESV)
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Reflection: Think of a current trial or pressure in your life. How might God be using this situation to grow your faith or character, and how can you cooperate with His refining work today?

Day 4: Faithfulness, Not Success, Is What God Requires

God does not call you to be successful, wealthy, or impressive in the world’s eyes—He calls you to be faithful, even in the face of fear, pressure, or persecution. Faithfulness means holding fast to Christ, loving Him, and serving Him regardless of the cost. When you are filled with faith instead of fear, you can stand firm under pressure, knowing that your reward is the crown of life that Jesus promises to those who endure. [01:05:07]

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel pressure to compromise your faith? What would it look like to choose faithfulness over fear in that specific situation today?

Day 5: The Hope of Eternal Life Overcomes All Fear

Because Jesus is the first and the last, who died and came to life, you have the assurance that no matter what you face—even death itself—you will never be separated from God. The promise of eternal life means that the worst the world can do is temporary, but your future with Christ is secure and everlasting. Let this hope give you courage to remain faithful, knowing that Jesus is on the throne before, during, and after every trial, and that He will never fail you. [01:07:36]

Revelation 2:10-11 (ESV)
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

Reflection: How does the promise of eternal life with Jesus affect your perspective on the pressures and fears you face today? What step can you take to live more boldly in light of this hope?

Sermon Summary

In Revelation 2, the church in Smyrna stands as a powerful example of faithfulness under pressure. Living in a city that was both prosperous and deeply pagan, the believers in Smyrna faced relentless demands to compromise their faith, especially through the worship of Caesar. Yet, they refused to bow to the culture’s expectations, choosing instead to declare, “Christ is Lord,” even at great personal cost. Their story reminds us that the Christian life is often lived in a “pressure cooker” of cultural, social, and spiritual opposition. The pressures we face—whether financial, relational, emotional, or spiritual—are not signs of God’s absence, but opportunities to trust Him more deeply.

Jesus’ words to Smyrna are deeply personal: “I know your tribulation and your poverty—but you are rich.” He does not offer empty sympathy, but a promise rooted in His own experience of suffering and victory. He knows our pain firsthand, and He assures us that our true wealth is not measured by earthly standards, but by our relationship with Him and the eternal inheritance He has secured for us. The world may see us as poor or marginalized, but in Christ, we possess riches that cannot be taken away.

Suffering for our faith is not a sign of failure, but a mark of genuine discipleship. Jesus does not promise to remove all suffering, but He does promise to be with us in it, to strengthen our spiritual backbone through prayer, and to use our trials for our growth. The devil may intend our trials for harm, but God sovereignly limits and uses them to refine our faith, just as He did for Job and the believers in Smyrna. Our calling is not to be successful by the world’s standards, but to be faithful—faithful even unto death, knowing that the “crown of life” awaits those who endure.

The story of Polycarp, the aged pastor of Smyrna, challenges us to consider what it means to be faithful in our own context. Whether or not we face outright persecution, we are called to stand firm, to love and pray for those who oppose us, and to measure our worth not by what we possess, but by who possesses us. In every trial, we are reminded that our future is secure, our inheritance is guaranteed, and our Savior is on the throne. Whatever we are going through, we are ultimately coming to Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus Knows Our Suffering Intimately Christ does not merely observe our struggles from a distance; He has experienced rejection, slander, and pain Himself. His knowledge of our tribulation is personal and empathetic, offering us comfort that we are never alone in our trials. When we feel crushed by the pressures of life, we can look to the One who has walked the same path and promises to walk with us still. [39:40]
2. True Riches Are Spiritual, Not Material Though the world may see us as poor or insignificant, our true wealth is found in Christ. Spiritual riches—faith, endurance, godliness, and the hope of eternal life—are treasures that cannot be measured by bank accounts or social status. The question for every believer is whether we live as though Christ is our treasure, even if everything else is stripped away. [55:11]
3. Suffering Is a Test with a Purpose Trials and persecution are not random or meaningless; they are allowed by God for our spiritual growth. The devil may seek to destroy our faith, but God uses the same circumstances to refine and strengthen it. Every test has a limit set by God’s sovereignty, and every hardship is an opportunity to trust Him more deeply and to grow in Christlikeness. [58:33]
4. Faithfulness, Not Success, Is the Measure of Victory God does not call us to be successful, wealthy, or impressive by worldly standards—He calls us to be faithful. Whether in life or in death, our victory is found in steadfast loyalty to Christ, even when it costs us dearly. The crown of life is promised to those who endure, and our faithfulness today prepares us for eternal reward. [64:21]
5. Our Hope Is Anchored in Christ’s Resurrection and Sovereignty Jesus is the First and the Last, the One who died and came to life again. No matter how fierce the opposition or how deep the suffering, He remains on the throne, sovereign over history and our individual lives. Our hope is not in escaping trouble, but in the assurance that Christ has conquered death and secured our future with Him forever. [67:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:37] - Ministry Opportunities and Prayer Training
[32:09] - Living in a Pressure Cooker Culture
[38:47] - Jesus Knows Our Tribulation
[39:40] - The Meaning of Suffering for Christ
[41:39] - Persecution in Smyrna and Today
[43:25] - The Power and Necessity of Prayer
[44:32] - Poverty and Ostracism in Smyrna
[49:31] - Responding to Slander and Accusation
[52:19] - Spiritual Riches in Christ
[55:11] - Measuring True Wealth
[55:55] - The Purpose of Suffering and Testing
[58:33] - God’s Sovereignty in Our Trials
[63:22] - Faithfulness Under Pressure
[67:36] - The Hope of Resurrection and Eternal Life
[68:31] - The Example of Polycarp
[71:27] - Invitation and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Revelation 2:8-11 (ESV) — > “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’”

Observation Questions

What specific pressures and challenges did the church in Smyrna face according to Jesus’ words in Revelation 2:8-11?
How does Jesus describe the true condition of the Smyrna believers, even though they were poor by worldly standards?
What does Jesus promise to those who remain faithful, even in the face of suffering or death?
According to the sermon, what does it mean that Jesus “knows” their tribulation? Is it just head knowledge or something more?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus does not promise to remove the suffering from the Smyrna church, but instead tells them not to fear and to remain faithful?
The sermon says that suffering is not a sign of God’s absence, but an opportunity to trust Him more deeply. How does this perspective change the way a believer might view trials?
The world saw the Smyrna Christians as poor and marginalized, but Jesus said they were rich. What does this reveal about how God measures value and success?
The story of Polycarp was shared as an example of faithfulness. What does his response to persecution teach us about the kind of faith Jesus calls us to have?

Application Questions

The sermon described our culture as a “pressure cooker” for Christians. What are some specific pressures you face in your daily life to compromise your faith or values? How do you usually respond?
Jesus says, “I know your tribulation and your poverty—but you are rich.” In what ways do you struggle to believe that you are spiritually rich, even when life feels hard or you feel overlooked?
The pastor said, “Prayer is that conduit that unleashes the power of God in our lives that allows us to go through that suffering.” How has prayer helped you endure difficult times? Is there a situation right now where you need to lean into prayer for strength?
The sermon challenged us to measure our worth not by what we possess, but by who possesses us. What are some ways you are tempted to measure your value by worldly standards? How can you remind yourself of your true worth in Christ this week?
Jesus calls us to be faithful, not necessarily successful by the world’s standards. Is there an area of your life where you feel pressure to “succeed” in a way that might compromise your faithfulness to Jesus? What would it look like to choose faithfulness over success?
The story of Polycarp shows someone who stood firm even when it cost him everything. Are there relationships, jobs, or situations where you feel pressure to hide your faith? What is one step you could take to stand firm in your faith this week?
The sermon said, “Whatever we are going through, we are ultimately coming to Jesus.” How does remembering your future hope in Christ help you face present difficulties? Is there a specific trial where you need to shift your focus from the problem to the promise?

Sermon Clips

There really is tremendous pressure to believe what other people believe, to live like other people live, and to think like other people think. The world wants us to go along to get along. There’s pressure to compromise our convictions, our character, even our conduct. And the truth is, if you’re going to live a biblical life, if you’re going to hold to a biblical worldview, you’re gonna be in a middle of a pressure cooker. [00:33:14] (22 seconds) #PressureToStandFirm

He wants us to know that no matter what we’re going through, when we belong to him, all we have to do is look to him because he has gone through everything that we’ve gone through. Have you ever been rejected? Have you ever been despised? Have you ever been slandered? Have you ever been hated? Well, so has Jesus. [00:39:06] (18 seconds) #JesusUnderstoodRejection

We can’t stop praying. We can’t. We are the moral minority in this country now. And we’ve got to have a spiritual backbone that if our elected officials will not pray and lift up this country to almighty God, we’re required to do it. We’re required because we believe in prayer. [00:43:47] (21 seconds) #PrayerIsOurDuty

If you are a child of God today, regardless of your economic status, you are rich, and the inheritance of God is going to be yours one day. No matter what you go through, this church in Smyrna, no matter what they went through, they would not deny Jesus because they looked to that eternal glory that was theirs, that was promised to them, and they kept on going. [00:54:19] (23 seconds) #RichInFaithNotWealth

Adrian Rogers once said, if you want to know how rich you are, add up everything that money cannot buy and debt cannot take away, and that is how rich you really are. So the question is, how do you measure your spiritual worth? You don’t measure it by your bank account, your status, or your possessions. See, real wealth is spiritual. It’s in faith and endurance and in godliness and eternal reward. [00:54:56] (26 seconds) #TrueWealthIsSpiritual

Paul is telling us in that scripture that we must intentionally lay hold of the future and impose it on the present. Live your life through the lens of what’s coming, of what we are coming to. Friend, if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus today, you are coming to Jesus. [01:03:04] (19 seconds) #LiveWithEternalFocus

How do you come out victorious no matter how great the pressure is? Well, Jesus tells the church, be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Now, I’m glad that Jesus said, be successful and not handsome. I’m glad that Jesus said, be faithful and not successful because not all of us are successful. I’m glad that he said, be faithful and not brilliant because some of us struggle with brilliance. I’m glad that Jesus said, be faithful and not wealthy because some of us would never have the money to make it. But Jesus said, be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. [01:03:51] (49 seconds) #FaithfulNotSuccessful

When you’re under pressure, you’re going to be full of one of two things, fear or faith. When you’re fearful, you are full of fear. When you’re faithful, you are full of faith. And that’s why grace under pressure will always begin and end with how much faith you put in Christ Jesus. The question is, what are you filled with? Are you filled with fear or are you filled with faith? [01:04:57] (25 seconds) #FaithOverFear

If you are faithful even unto death, you will never experience the second death. The first death is physical. That’s separation of the Spirit from the body. But the second death is the separation of the Spirit from God. You see, why don’t Christians have to fear the second death? Because if you’re born twice, you only die once. But if you’re born once, you’re going to die twice. And that second death is eternal separation from God. [01:06:47] (32 seconds) #FaithfulToAvoidSecondDeath

Polycarp was a contemporary of John. He was the pastor of the Smyrna church, and he embodied the Smyrna Christian mentality. He was faithful, and he was fearless. When he was 86 years old, he was brought before the emperor for the purpose of worshiping Caesar and rejecting Jesus Christ. The emperor said to Polycarp, reject the Lord Jesus, say Caesar’s is Lord, deny Christ. I will set you free. And he looked at this emperor straight in the eye, 86 years old, said, 86 years I have served him and he has never wronged me. How can I then blaspheme the king who has saved me? [01:08:38] (38 seconds) #FearlessFaithLikePolycarp

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does spiritual wealth look like in trials?

How does Jesus demonstrate understanding of pressure?

What is the significance of the number ten days?