Page 44 - The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 12:11
And they overcame [the devil] by of the blood of the Lamb and by of the word of
their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.

Many prophecy teachers today understand this verse to be one more evidence that a
great martyrdom will take place in the last days, and that many Christians will be killed for
their faith. Yet not all overcomers die as martyrs. The apostle John who penned these words
did not die as a martyr, but he will surely be found among the overcomers. There is
something more than a natural death being spoken of here, and Yahshua revealed to His
disciples what it is.

Matthew 10:38-39
“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who
has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

Losing one’s life is clearly linked here to taking up the cross. Taking up the cross is not
speaking of outsiders killing the saints, but rather it speaks of the saints putting to death
their own flesh with all of its carnal desires. Not all believers have, or will, face persecution
from without to the extent that they are killed for their testimony, yet ALL saints are called
to take up the cross and put the flesh to death.

Galatians 5:24
Now those who belong to Christ Yahshua have crucified the flesh with its passions
and desires.

Is it not clear that when the Spirit reveals to John an image of a great harlot riding
upon a beast, that this harlot has not crucified the flesh? This is why John wrote that the
beast would eventually turn on her and consume her with fire and eat her flesh. The death
that all overcomers must die is not physical martyrdom, but a daily dying to the desires of
the flesh and to the willfulness of man’s soul. Yahshua brings further insight to this matter
with the following words:

Matthew 16:24-28
Then Yahshua said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life
shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. For what will a man
be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man
give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His
Father with His angels; and will then recompense every man according to his deeds.
Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste
death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

I would like to point out a great deceit that has occurred in this hour, for I have never
heard a single preacher or prophecy teacher share what I will share here. There has been
much wrangling over what the last sentence here means. What did Christ intend when He
said, “there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see
the Son of Man coming in His kingdom”? I have heard many theories, and all of them have