Revelation 20:4-5

4 Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years.

• Notice that John sees that we have thrones and that we have been given the authority to judge. 
• Do you not know that the saints (the believers) will [one day] judge and govern the world? And if the world [itself] is to be judged and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try [such petty matters] of the smallest courts of justice? 1 Corinthians 6:2
• This will be the time when those who have been empowered to believe are raised up from the dead. The dead who have believed are raised up first, then those who are still living. 
• In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed). 1 Corinthians 15:52
• For this we declare to you by the Lord’s [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death]. 1 Thessalonians 4:15
• We will rule right along with our Lord. We will do this because we are one with Him.
• Because we are members (parts) of His body. Ephesians 5:30
• Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. 1 John 3:2

 

5 The remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

• Those who have not been chosen to be the Bride of Christ and have died are not raised up from the dead right when Jesus returns. They will be raised up later to be judged, and according to the Word, judged by Jesus and us.
• I just want you to think for a moment here on how you will judge on the day that the dead are raised at the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ? When there are people standing before you and there is either eternal life as a guest in our Kingdom or there is destruction in the Lake of Fire? Do you really believe that you will condemn people to the Lake of Fire after they have just been raised up from being punished in Hades? Do you really believe that you will condemn a person to be destroyed in the Lake of Fire when you will be sitting there solely based on Grace and not on any works that you did? Forgiveness will abound on that day and we will be empowered by our Father to be the ones who are giving it!
• But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15