Gospel Testimonies

Who Are the 144,000 Overcomers and How Can You Become One?

Those familiar with the Bible will all know that the Book of Revelation prophesies that 144,000 overcomers will arise in the last days, and these overcomers will receive God's protection during the great disasters. Revelation 14:1 prophesies, "And I looked, and, see, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's name written in their foreheads." Revelation 7:14 prophesies, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The "an hundred forty and four thousand" spoken of in the Scripture are the overcomers God will make. They are all those who have undergone great tribulation and stood witness, and they are those commended by God who can enter the kingdom of heaven. Many people believe that good behaviors such as working and expending themselves for the Lord, suffering and paying a price, and refusing to deny the Lord's name even during persecution, tribulations, or in prison, mean that they can become overcomers, and when the Lord comes they can be raptured up before the throne of God. But have we ever considered whether this is the right perspective? The Lord never said in the Bible that overcomers could be made from such a pursuit, so what exactly are the 144,000 overcomers mentioned in Revelation? We will fellowship on this now.

What Is an Overcomer?

Who Are the 144,000 OvercomersRevelation 14:4–5 says, "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." Revelation 7:14 says, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." God says, "Those whom God refers to as 'overcomers' are those who are still able to stand witness and maintain their confidence and devotion to God when under the influence of Satan and while being laid siege to by Satan, that is, when they find themselves amidst the forces of darkness. If you are still able to keep a pure heart before God and maintain your genuine love for God no matter what, then you are standing witness in front of God, and this is what God refers to as being an 'overcomer'" ("You Should Maintain Your Devotion to God" in The Word Appears in the Flesh). "Those who are made complete before the disaster are submissive to God. They live reliant on Christ, they bear witness to Him, and they exalt Him. They are the victorious male children and good soldiers of Christ" ("Chapter 13" of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh). We can see from these biblical prophecies and from God's words that the overcomers are those who follow the Lamb's footsteps closely. These people have gained the truth as their very life, their corrupt dispositions have been cleansed and changed, and they no longer commit sins or resist God. They are unswervingly honest and loyal to God, they do not lie, and they are without blemish. They work and expend themselves for God with a pure heart, free from any kind of bargaining or adulteration. They make no demands of God and ask for nothing in return; all they do is to repay God's love. In the performance of their duties, they are able to exalt God and bear witness to Him, be in accord with Him, and bring others before Him. No matter what trials and tribulations they encounter, they are always able to remain steadfast in reading God's words and performing the duty of a created being. They are without complaint, they obey God until death, and they bear beautiful and resounding testimony to God. Only these people are the overcomers in God's eyes.

When we check ourselves against God's requirements for the overcomers, though we may now appear to suffer a little on the outside and have some good behaviors, and though we may not betray the Lord under the cruel tortures inflicted on us by the CCP, what we cannot deny is that our corrupt dispositions have not yet been purified or changed. We still cannot overcome the myriad temptations of Satan, nor do we have hearts of submission and reverence for God. For example, although we can dedicate ourselves entirely and preach the gospel everywhere we go, our motivation is to have a peaceful home life, to receive the blessings of getting into the kingdom of heaven and gaining everlasting life in return. The second our desires are not fulfilled or some catastrophe befalls our family, we blame God, we regret what we have expended for God, and we may even abandon God altogether. Despite refusing to sell out the church after being arrested and imprisoned, some people later capitalize on this, exalting themselves before others and taking credit for achievements before God. Moreover, in our interactions with others, the moment something begins to infringe upon our own interests, we cannot help but tell lies and deceive others. These are just a few examples. Without having our satanic corrupt dispositions purified, we are still capable of betraying God and resisting Him at any time and place, so how could we possibly be overcomers? In fact, if we merely rely on our ability to work and toil, our refusal to deny the Lord's name when arrested and imprisoned, and being able to stand witness through the atheistic government's persecution, this can only be called having some true faith in God. However, our corrupt dispositions have not changed, we lack true understanding of our own corrupt nature and essence, and we are not yet people who obey God, who fear God and shun evil. We are not up to the standard of the 144,000 overcomers spoken of in the Bible. So how should we pursue to be made into overcomers by God before the great disasters?