Revelation 12:10-12. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
Satan and his demonic minions aren’t trying to win. For sure they know that they never will – he knows his time is short. The goal of Satan, in his evil insanity, is to destroy as many people as he can along the way to his demise. How? By reminding God of every bad thing we ever do. By accusations. He accuses them day and night before our God. Accusations that destroy our faith in the grace of God. Accusations that make us feel guilty even though we are righteous. Accusations that seek to make us impotent in God’s kingdom and keep us sidelined until the end of time.
How do you win this kind of spiritual and psychological war? Christian, how do you defeat Satan the accuser? How is the great war of the ages won in heaven and in our hearts? The answer might surprise us (but shouldn’t).
It’s faith.
No, not faith in your own good deeds, your moral uprightness, your virtue, righteousness, or religiosity. And not faith in faith – believing more or trusting “fully.” Not hope without an object.
Faith IN the blood of the Lamb.
Trusting that we are sprinkled clean by the sacrificial blood of Christ our Lamb that was slain. The blood of the Lamb that removes all guilt, all shame, all debt, making us white as snow. The blood of the Lamb that brings with it all the gifts of son-ship with God the Father. The blood of the Lamb that consecrates us to God, giving us purpose, motivating our service unto God. The blood of the Lamb which is the very life of Christ. The life of Christ that we are IN and that is IN US.
And faith BY the word of our testimony.
Our testimony? Yes, the simple stating that we trust in Christ alone. Not the tale of our own efforts and applications. Not the story of transformation and change that we so often tell of our own overcoming of some sin or addiction. Rather, the testimony that Christ alone has done it. He has saved me by his blood. And now my life belongs to him. And now I am not afraid to live and I’m not afraid to die.
This is the death blow to the Accuser. This is the testimony that alone will shut his mouth and cause him to flee – Christ died for me! Christ lives in me! Now get behind me, Satan!
Yes, for now, the cosmic war still rages. The Dragon is still loose. Wounded? Yes. Desperate? Yes. Accusing? Yes. He prowls around seeking to destroy us, and in so doing to destroy God’s plan.
But his is a lost cause for we are in Christ. We have been given Jesus’ resurrected and indestructible life. We have conquered Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. We can have real joy in the midst of this great battle, for our dwelling is no longer the earth and sea but ours are the heavenly places, for we are seated with Christ at the right hand of God. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! That’s us! That’s “to live is Christ.”
You
Can you hear the accusations of Satan? What is he saying about you in front of God?
You in Christ
How does the blood of Christ and the word of your testimony respond?
Christ in you
How can you rejoice in Christ’s victory today?
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Playlist: Overcome.
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To Live is Christ 