Last week, the final question was, “Using Revelation 18, in what way does Babylon relate to today?”

• She is a principality (Revelation 18:7)
• She rides upon the back of politics and rulership (Revelationn 17:9)
• She sits over the systems and nations of the world (Revelation 17:15).

In Revelation 18:11-19), we can also see several areas where Babylon has its influence:

• Precious metals
• Fashion/clothing
• Forestry
• Construction
• Perfumes, inscense 
• Food
• Shipping (v19)
• Labor
• Blood (17:6)

The church is God’s resistance against the immoral, ungodly world system (Babylon). We are the called, chosen and faithful who are “with the Lamb” (Revelation 17:14). Still, what does that resistance look like? Do you think that the church (as it looks today) can content with Babylon? To take things a bit further, do you think the condition of your local church could stand and contend? 

Please understand: Your private prayer life alone, will not contend with Babylon. You are no match for the world’s systems. However, WE are. As a unified  church, we are able to pull souls out of the fire, and dismantle the impact of the enemy for millions of souls. 

Here is what is needed to contend with Babylon:

• God looks for intercessors…TOGETHER (Ezekiel 22:30, Isaiah 59:16). In Acts 2:1, when waiting for the promise of the Father, the disciples came together to pray. In Acts 4:23, when Peter and John were arrested, the disciples came together to pray. When Peter was arrested again in Acts 12, the disciples came together to pray (v12). 
• God looks for a unified church…TOGETHER, and we cannot be a unified church with a “I am the church” mentality. This mindset undermines the gathering, which is holy. You cannot contend with Babylon by fighting alone. If you try, you will lose by getting sucked into the system, and you will have no one to hold you accountable. The church is God’s household. I mean, the specific household or ministry where you gather (see: 1 Timothy 3:15, Matthew 18:17). Remember, there is the church, universal. Then there are churches. We are members of the body of Christ, and gather as churches who should “forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). 
• God looks for people who “love not their lives”…TOGETHER (Revelation 12:11) Question: What do you think that looks like, for you? 
• God looks for people who are “zealous for good works”…TOGETHER (Titus 2:11-15) and who overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). We fight with the good works that we do as the church. We resist, letting our light shine for the sake of people’s souls (Matthew 5:16).
• God looks for people who will preach the gospel…TOGETHER (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Our pushback is in our preaching! It is the thing that the world despises most. They tell us “don’t preach to your kids” and , “don’t impose your religion upon others.” They have cultural norms agains “proselytizing” at work and in the public square. They will tell you not to wear your religion on your sleeve. No…wear it. There is a whore of Babylon that does not want to to speak of the gospel. She influences the hearts of men “who will not endure sound doctrine.” They will recieve teachers, but not fathers. They want teaching without accountability. But, this is not so with us. We are those who will preach the gospel to contend with Babylon, no matter the cost.