Revelation 12:9-11 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
Part of God’s plan in the future is not only the redemption of the heavens and the earth and the installment of Christ’s kingdom on earth, it also includes the judgment of Satan and the vengeance of God’s people upon him for their martyrdom. In this passage, which is a partial judgment against our enemy, the devil is cast out of heaven along with the rebellious angels. He is called many things in today’s reading: dragon, serpent of old, Devil, and Satan. The title that describes him in a different but most fitting way is “accuser of our brethren.” We are told that he accuses God’s people day and night. We are also told how we can overcome him. There are three keys to that victory:
1. The Blood of The Lamb. There is nothing for us to do here. This is a divine work by the Son of God. The blood of Jesus secures access for us into the presence of God. The blood of Jesus washes away our accusations and our sins. We are forgiven and recipients of eternal life. The devil cannot do anything about that either. It is a work forever settled in heaven.
2. The Word of Our Testimony. What say ye? Our testimony plays a critical role in our victory. We must speak the word of the Lord out of our mouths and tell of the great things God has done.
3. They Did Not Love Their Lives To The Death. This part of the verse is literal in the book of Revelation. People gave their lives for the cause of the kingdom. However, Jesus told us in the gospels that if we wanted to save our lives we needed to lose them. Kingdom living is selfless living. It is putting first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). It’s dying out to our own desires and fulfilling the will of God in our lives.
We are called to live victoriously. You have “overcomer” written all over you and your future. Live like one, talk like one, and experience the power of God that can help you conquer the enemy.