Introduction

Fellow believers, today we examine Revelation Chapter 7. This is not an easy chapter to digest. However, if we follow the logical thread of victory—tracing it systematically to its source—the core theme becomes crystal clear: "Before the Great Tribulation, God Prepares His Victorious People."

When the Wrath of God Descends Upon This Earth, Who Can Stand?

At the end of the previous chapter, we find this critical question: "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who can stand?" Who indeed can stand? It boils down to a fundamental choice: do you belong to God, or do you belong to this world? If you belong to this world, you will not merely fall; you will be utterly crushed. Therefore, the theme of this chapter is a direct logical extension of the last: God is preparing His people to achieve victory on this earth.

How does He prepare them? This is God’s sovereign work. In this chapter, God is waiting for the first trumpet to sound and the seventh seal to be opened. When that first trumpet sounds, if you are still lingering on this earth, let me tell you plainly: life will be brutal. Do not make the mistake of thinking this will only affect the worldly. It will affect everyone. Who then can stand? Only those who are victorious.

Do not deceive yourselves into thinking that the calamities of these end times are man-made. They are orchestrated by God. Will God spare His own people? If you are a mere nominal Christian, do not assume you are safe from His judgment. But if you are a victorious Christian, God will surely preserve you. If you fail to be victorious, you are in a highly precarious position.

The Chinese Mingding Doctrine has never propagated the cheap grace narrative that "once you believe, you are automatically saved." That is a complete delusion. Many assume this is biblical, but it is not. Scripture warns that even under the best circumstances, one is only "scarcely saved." The entire logical framework of the Bible demands a relentless, disciplined pursuit of God.

What then does salvation actually mean? How far is salvation from victory? This has confused many. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine makes no distinction between the two: salvation is victory, and victory is salvation. Some may ask, "What if I fail to overcome?" I cannot tell you. Scripture reveals with absolute clarity the reward of the overcomer, but it remains silent on the fate of the defeated believer.

However, in the Old Testament, we see the stark reality of those believers who perished in the wilderness. Therefore, stop wasting time debating salvation without victory. Do not say, "As long as I am saved, victory does not matter." In this current age, if you are not victorious, you will be left behind to face devastating calamities.

God prepares His people for victory. If you fail, it is not because God did not provide the means, but because you refused to accept them. If you are willing to submit, victory is guaranteed. Therefore, during our time on this earth, we must ruthlessly dismantle the worldly logic within us.

Yet, even today, many remain preoccupied with trivial worldly matters. Their minds are saturated with carnal logic, pursuing transient things. How can such people expect to overcome? Do not wait for disaster to strike before you decide to pursue victory. My advice to you is simple and absolute: you must overcome at all costs. For when the wrath of God descends upon this earth, who can stand?

The Four Angels Empowered to Harm the Earth and the Sea

"After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree." (Revelation 7:1)

God has appointed four angels to govern the four winds of the earth. Currently, these winds are being held back. If they were unleashed, do you honestly think you could stand? Recently, news emerged of a massive sandstorm in Northeast China. The winds were so violent that trees were uprooted and roofs were ripped off. It was terrifying. I messaged our brothers and sisters in Harbin to ask if they were harmed. Fortunately, they were safe; power was cut, and they did not have to work. The video footage showed immense destruction.

Who can stand against such forces? If even mature trees are uprooted, what chance do you have? It is a sobering reality. How does a typhoon reach inland Harbin? Typhoons belong to coastal regions, yet it struck Harbin. Some explain it away scientifically, but the hard truth is that God governs the four winds of the earth.

These four angels have been given authority to harm the land and the sea—meaning the entire planet. No place will be safe. Winds will blow from the south, north, east, and west. You cannot predict their intensity or the devastation they will bring. Can you survive this? Wherever humanity resides, there will be no escape. These winds carry a spiritual, destructive force.

Many are ignorant of the sheer power of the spiritual realm, which leads to confusion. Recently, someone shared a photo of a car flipped upside down at a multi-story parking lot exit. How does a car flip in such a place? It defies physical logic. Yet, if you look closely at many such incidents, the hand of the spiritual realm is clearly at work. We see videos of vans crossing intersections, suddenly lifted into the air for no apparent physical reason.

To live by the logic of atheism is a form of foolishness. It leaves you unable to comprehend reality. Once you accept that powerful spiritual forces exist, everything becomes clear. For spiritual entities, destroying a human life is a trivial matter.

On the seventh anniversary of my father’s passing, my brother’s car plunged off a cliff. He had no logical explanation for how it happened. Later, during an exorcism, the demon boasted to me: "Do you know about your brother's car accident?" I replied, "I do. Who did it?" The demon laughed—a chilling, sinister sound.

It said, "I was passing by, saw your brother driving, and simply blew a breath at his car. It rolled right down the cliff." Demons are malicious. This is why even autonomous driving technology cannot save you; it cannot resist demonic interference. A single spiritual breath can send a vehicle off the road. That breath is a demonic wind.

Do these four angels of destruction have any connection to the horses of the Apocalypse? Though Scripture does not explicitly state it, anyone with spiritual discernment understands the reality. Why are some people destroyed by demons, while others defeat them? It depends entirely on whether you are victorious.

Make no mistake: if you are not victorious, the devil will exploit you. Stop asking if you are merely "saved." Start asking if you are victorious. Have you overcome the demonic, or have they overcome you?

When God pours out His wrath, will you stand? Some of you still harbor stubborn, rebellious attitudes. We must rely entirely on the Lord Jesus Christ, who loves us, to make us more than conquerors. The four angels are waiting.

God Seals Our Foreheads

"Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 'Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.' Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel." (Revelation 7:2-4)

When God seals your forehead, He is equipping you for victory. In secular literature, like the Chinese classic Water Margin, criminals were branded on their foreheads as a mark of shame. God’s seal is entirely different. It is a divine mark of ownership, declaring that you belong to Him.

How is this seal applied? By connecting the scriptures, we understand that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. This seal is not symbolic; it is a deposit of divine power. That is how we overcome.

There is a fundamental difference between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament has no concept of the seal of the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, the process of faith is structured: first, repentance. If you were wrong, do not be stiff-necked. Repentance separates those who acknowledge their errors from those who stubbornly persist in them.

To repent is to admit your past failure, to stop relying on yourself, and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is followed by baptism in His name. Unfortunately, many stop there. That is highly inadequate.

The fourth step is crucial: receiving the Holy Spirit. Without this, you have no power. To reduce the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a powerless philosophy is a tragedy. Some argue over whether speaking in tongues is necessary, or claim they have an "indwelling Spirit" without power. Scripture does not support this complacency. We need not waste time arguing with those who refuse to see their errors.

The complete package of faith consists of four pillars: repentance, accepting Jesus Christ as Lord, water baptism, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Is the baptism of the Holy Spirit linked to the seal? Ephesians states clearly that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is the seal of ownership. Yet, people still debate this plain truth.

How do you survive the Great Tribulation? You must have power. Consider the harsh reality: when God's wrath is poured out, how will you survive? If World War III breaks out, it will not be fought with conventional weapons, but with nuclear warheads. How will you handle nuclear fallout? The existing nuclear arsenals can destroy this planet multiple times over.

There is a telling historical anecdote. During Zhou Enlai's premiership, an American official boasted, "Our nuclear arsenal can destroy the earth ten times over." Zhou replied, "Ours is sufficient to destroy it once." Practically speaking, there is no difference between once and ten times.

In such extreme scenarios, how do you survive? You must have the seal of the Holy Spirit. There is a vast difference between the mere "indwelling" of the Spirit and being "filled" with the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit and praying in tongues builds spiritual immunity. Therefore, you must pray extensively in tongues. In our study of 1 Corinthians, we established that praying in tongues is speaking directly to God, with the Spirit interceding on our behalf.

Some people do not pray in tongues themselves, yet they arrogantly dictate what is or is not genuine. This is nonsense. Scripture contains no such restrictions. Praying in tongues and being filled with the Spirit are exercises of pure faith. Consistent prayer in tongues builds immense spiritual strength.

God seals our foreheads, but the number is strictly limited: only 144,000. Do not waste energy debating the literalism of this number. What we must recognize is the hard truth: the number of overcomers is small. Do not harbor the illusion that the victorious will be a vast majority.

In the end times, before the Great Tribulation, the number of overcomers is small. You must ensure that you are counted among them.

Consider the Exodus. Out of an army of 600,000 men who left Egypt, how many actually entered the Promised Land? Only two—Joshua and Caleb. The rest perished in the wilderness because they failed to overcome. A ratio of two out of 600,000. Imagine how many nominal Christians must be sifted to produce 144,000 of such caliber.

A small number of victors does not indicate a flaw in the system. Olympic champions are always few. Let me analyze this clearly for you. Why are there twelve tribes—Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, and so on? Do not be distracted by the names.

What is a tribe? When Israel left Egypt, they did so as organized tribes. God called them "the hosts of the Lord." In the Book of Numbers, they were counted systematically, tribe by tribe. They were not a disorganized rabble; they were a structured military force.

The tribes mentioned in this chapter have nothing to do with physical genealogy. They represent the organizational structure of God’s army. Just as Israel was organized by division and clan, the Church today must operate under strict spiritual discipline and order.

This brings us to a critical question: are you within the established structure, or are you a rogue agent? If you operate outside the local church, wandering aimlessly, your spiritual survival is highly in doubt.

Which division do you belong to? If you claim to belong to Midian or Amalek, you are outside God's ranks. You must know your alignment. Are you in the regular army, or are you a collaborator with the enemy?

From the beginning of Revelation to Chapter 7, the focus is consistently on the victorious church. The church is a structured army. I urge you to become disciplined soldiers within this structure. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine is designed to produce elite soldiers. It is designed for absolute victory.

Have you noticed that among the twelve tribes, the tribe of Dan is missing? Because Dan migrated to Jordan, by the time we reach the Book of Revelation, the tribe of Dan is gone. Ephraim is also gone, replaced by Joseph. There is a subtle revelation here: during the Exodus, the tribe of Dan existed, but in Revelation, it vanished. Do these tribes still exist today? Not necessarily.

Only those among the twelve tribes who can fight actually count. Only those who overcome are sealed, making you elite soldiers of Jesus Christ in the spiritual realm. Why must we build a victorious, fighting church of elite soldiers? Because you must count. Victory gets you into the Promised Land, securing your place in the official ranks. God sealed these tribes here. How many tribes are left now? We simply do not know. May God have mercy!

What is the connection between the concept of victory, God's seal upon you, and your life? It is about your faith! If you are a person of faith, you believe in Jesus Christ and you believe in God's Word. Do not believe your own words. Many brothers and sisters prefer to believe a bunch of rubbish short videos. Can these short videos make you victorious?

Many brothers and sisters give thumbs-up to these short videos. Giving a thumbs-up means you agree with that rubbish. But is that the Word of God? No, it is your own word. You think it fits your own ideas, but does it align with God's will? Can it lead you to victory?

Sometimes, when I watch those short videos, my heart goes cold. The value systems they transmit are either animalistic or satanic—the value system of Mammon. Rarely do I see a short video conveying God's value system. You may like those videos, but what does liking them prove? It proves absolutely nothing!

What does victory mean? It means believing solely in the Word of God! Otherwise, how can you overcome? You may highly agree with those short videos, but can that rubbish bring victory? Is it God's Word? Let me tell you, there is always a reason why people are bound. People seek empathy and validation through short videos, and in the end, they ruin themselves.

The seal mentioned in the Bible is of paramount importance. God sealed us with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must trust in Jesus Christ, repent continuously, and let Jesus Christ rule and reign over us. Do not hold back any private reserves. Whatever private reserve you keep represents an area of defeat; it means you want to be your own master.

If you insist on being yourself, you might become a "once-in-five-thousand-years" kind of person. But if you trust in Jesus Christ, you could become a "once-in-five-hundred-years" person. Isn't a once-in-five-thousand-years person great? So unique, so one-of-a-kind. How could such a person not overcome?

John the Elder saw that God sealed us to prepare us to charge through the Great Tribulation and survive God's wrath! When God's wrath descends upon this world and these disasters strike, even the seven trumpets—which are not yet the seven bowls—will be more than enough to deal with. The seven bowls will be completely unbearable. We will certainly go through the seven trumpets. Only when the seventh trumpet sounds will we be caught up in the air to meet the Lord. What about those left behind? They have only one path left: martyrdom!

The Victorious People Throughout the Generations

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Revelation 7:9-12)

In his vision, John the Elder saw these people coming before the throne of God, a multitude beyond counting. Yet earlier, it was said there were only 144,000—a miserably small number. Do you find this strange? It is not strange at all. Throughout the generations, many victorious people have walked through the Great Tribulation.

They clothed themselves with Jesus Christ and washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. But in the end times, there are only 144,000. This may not be a literal number, but rather a representation of the organization of God's army. 144,000 is not a large number. This gives us a critical, life-and-death revelation: you must fight your way in!

"Wearing white robes and holding palm branches"—do you know what this means? Holding palm branches signifies victory. Wearing white robes means being clothed with Jesus Christ, with our transgressions washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. Do not make the mistake of thinking victory is something you achieved on your own. It is given by God. God fights and wins the battle ahead of you; you merely follow. That is all there is to it!

Victory is not about fasting, chanting, or self-cultivation. It requires you to trust in Jesus Christ and believe in God's Word, not in short videos! You may like those short videos and agree with what they say, but that is not God's Word—it is likely the talk of demons.

The victories of past generations serve as our model. This is precisely why God showed this vision to John when he wrote Revelation. The victorious people of all generations wear white robes and hold palm branches. Through Jesus Christ and the Lord who loves us, we are more than conquerors.

Therefore, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. This means that if you simply trust in our God, He will make you victorious. It is not difficult at all. What is difficult is that people refuse to trust. Is trust hard? Yes and no. Why is it hard? Because it does not align with our internal logical system. We desperately want to be ourselves, but God does not want us to be ourselves. Being yourself is pointless; being in Jesus Christ is what matters.

There are many victorious people throughout history. They have set an excellent example for us: trust in God! Did God seal them in the past? Absolutely. And He seals them again now to prepare them for the coming Great Tribulation.

These Are the Ones Who Have Come Out of the Great Tribulation, Washing Their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?" I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:13-14)

This elder is quite interesting. He asked, "Who are these in white robes, and where did they come from?" John replied, "Sir, you know." Then the elder said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation." Let me tell you, going through tribulation is highly beneficial. Without tribulation, there is no battle and no victory. If a person goes through this, they wash their robes clean in the blood of the Lamb.

Remember, if a person goes through tribulation and still maintains their faith in God to cross over, that person must value eternal glory. If you go through the Great Tribulation but your eyes are still fixed on the trivial matters of this earth, you will never make it through. Therefore, we must demolish worldly things.

Why wash and make the robes white in the blood of the Lamb? It means to clothe yourself with Jesus Christ. It is not by your deeds, but by your faith. Therefore, experiencing tribulation is a tremendous grace. To still trust in God in the midst of tribulation—how excellent that is!

Without tribulation, people become foolish. "Man thrives in hardship and perishes in ease." Therefore, we need demons to shake things up. It makes life difficult, but then people realize how desperately they need to be clothed with Jesus Christ. If we rely on ourselves and establish our own righteousness, we are finished. Those who establish their own righteousness end up in a miserable state.

I witnessed a very tragic case. It grieves me, but I do not know what to do. A very famous individual suffered from lymphoma, colon cancer, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. He suffered every conceivable affliction. Yet, despite all this, he never thought he was wrong. He always believed he possessed absolute truth and then offered all kinds of absurd explanations. Is this not the disease God inflicted upon the Egyptians? It is a miserable existence!

Sometimes I share this with my co-workers, and they say, "You cannot speak of this. Not only is it useless, but he will hate you for it, because he does not view this as a curse." Why did it end this way? Because he believed he possessed absolute truth. Is that not self-righteousness and establishing one's own righteousness?

Therefore, we must seek God's righteousness. That is what it means to wash our robes white in the blood of the Lamb. But too many people establish their own righteousness, believing they possess the truth and wanting to be their own masters. Should I address this in my pastoring? If I leave it untouched, we can remain brothers and sisters. But once I touch it, it becomes a fierce battle. It is a painful reality.

Therefore, to overcome the Great Tribulation means to wear white robes and hold palm branches. We have many flaws. How I long for our brothers and sisters to wear white robes and hold palm branches! We must stop relying on ourselves and stop establishing our own righteousness. At no point should we seek validation through our own petty efforts; instead, we must find our validation solely through the precious blood of Jesus Christ!

Someone might ask, "Pastor, what should I do?" Engrave God's Word deeply upon your heart. Let God's Word be the foundation of your survival. If you must seek validation, let it be in Jesus Christ. In fact, pastors are often worse; they love to establish their own righteousness, believing they possess absolute truth. Someone might say, "Pastor, when you speak like this, it sounds like you think you possess absolute truth!" No. I often feel like a single hair on nine oxen, a single drop in the ocean. I do not claim to possess absolute truth.

Those who suffer from constant illnesses are undoubtedly being disciplined by God. God has already sent you many signals, yet you persist in establishing your own righteousness. That in itself is experiencing God's wrath. Many think of it as grace. If so, go ahead and experience more of it! But I refuse it. I prefer to have less of this kind of "grace," because it is not grace—it is wrath! When people establish their own righteousness, they falsely believe their robes are white. In truth, we must have a heart that trusts in Jesus Christ, rather than establishing our own righteousness.

The Victorious Will Dwell in God's Presence

"Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,' nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; 'he will lead them to springs of living water.' 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'" (Revelation 7:15-17)

Once you overcome, you will surely live in God's presence. This is the perfect union between God and man! If you look at things with carnal eyes, what do you see? You will be confused, wondering why those who do not overcome seem to live so well. That is because you do not look far enough, long enough, or deep enough. You are spiritually blind.

If you examine closely, you will find that those who try to win not through Jesus Christ, but through the logic of Cain and Lamech, end up in a miserable state. You only see that they bought big houses, live comfortably, and eat and drink well. Is this not a fatal delusion?

When God's wrath is poured out on certain people, do you think that is good? If you observe carefully, or if you could take a walk through their reality, you would realize it is completely meaningless. The most meaningful thing for a human being is to live in God's presence—walking with God on earth, and dwelling with God in heaven.

"They serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Why are there still tears? Because of the struggle to overcome. It is extremely difficult to overcome without shedding tears! Without experiencing tribulation, a person's faith is often sham. When everything seems fine, and you live a comfortable, carefree life, what is there to overcome? Our brothers and sisters must understand: God has sealed us. Therefore, we must have faith in God. This faith means believing in God's Word and desiring His presence. That is the crux of the matter.

We are living in this very era. God wants to seal us to prepare us for victory. I encourage you to try this: no matter how broken or corrupt you are, you must learn to have faith and receive the victory of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul said, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Why must we overcome? Because by overcoming, we can charge through the tribulation. Victory is always the best choice! We will conclude our Bible study here. May God bless you all!

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