Overcomers

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
    and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
    that they were afraid to die. (Rev 12:11)

Last week my friend and brother in Christ, John Munro, died.

It was no ordinary death because John was no ordinary guy.

I first met him at my Bible college in Birmingham where we shared lectures and prayers and fellowship.

John was a man with an array of talents.  An olympic plumber,  a first class gymnast,  worship leader and preacher,  and much more besides. And yet he walked in what seemed to be extreme humility.

He always struck me as being a little serious and very concerned with doing the right thing.

If I am completely honest,  I doubted his sincerity at times,  because he made such an effort. It didn't always seem natural but considered and,  from my naive and youthful perspective,  laboured.

A while back our church did a series on Daniel,  and our pastor observed that Daniels battle with the lions was possible because of his efforts to live Godly in the little things.  His prayer life and observance in diet etc proved to be training ground for the bigger challenges of the den of lions.

It is a fallacy to think we will stand on the day of big challenges when we cannot stand in the face of the mundane.

I see that now in John's early days at college.

John was a faithful man.

John was diagnosed a while back with the degenerative MND.

I had lost touch with him until a couple of years ago but reconnecting,  I discovered that John, whose preaching ministry had spanned the twenty years since I last spoke to him,  was now unable to speak or move and was reliant on a ventilation machine to sustain his life. 

But through the wonder of modern technology,  he was able to type,  one letter at a time,  using a reflective dot.

And as I reached out tentatively to him, I was filled with shame at my neglect and awkwardness,  but I wondered how I might encourage him.  What on earth could I say to give him hope.

I need not have worried.

John did not need my help.

He had made a decision that come what may,  he would not hold anything against God for his condition,  because how could he question the love of the one who shed his blood for a sinner like John.  A sinner like me.  A sinner like us.

I asked him how he worshiped. With no voice,  knowing how he had loved to sing.

How did he worship,  I asked?

How?

His answer blew me away.

How do I worship? He answered.

In spirit and in truth.

And John was victorious.  All the way up till they turned off his ventilator last week.

He was in his forties,  leaving two children and a loving wife.

I choose to share his story with you because John lived these verses.

He overcame the Devil.

Yes with the blood of the lamb.

He knew his saviour.  His sin was taken away.

But John also overcame with the word of his testimony.
Those little choices he made in the early days,  to be consciencious about being righteous.
That paid off in spades.

But when the crap hit the fan,  his confession was good.  He only praised and did not curse God.
He died daily,  and though he could not walk he carried his cross better than anyone I know.

Yes,  he did not love his life so much as to shrink back from death.

And finally he has enterd his rest.
Say today with John,  that you will make the good confession,  with your mouth and with your life.

I will say of the Lord he is my refuge,
I will say of the Lord he is my strength,
I will say of the Lord he is my shelter,
My hiding place,

Amen.