DEFEATING THE DEVIL

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.  (Revelation 12:11)

In the twelfth chapter of Revelation, we find war in heaven.  This passage has a prophetic interpretation.  The swirl of events seen here involve the consummation of the age.  However, there is also a perpetual implication.  Throughout the history of the planet, there has been a conflict between light and darkness, between God and the Devil.  Yet, our focus is upon the practical illustration.  Daily we do battle with the enemy of our souls.  Contained in this text are spiritual truths that will enable us to defeat the Devil. 

We can overcome Satan by THE CRUCIFIXION OF THE LAMB. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb….”  In Eden, God pronounced the curse upon sin.  Still, I remind you, that where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.  So on the heels of the curse, God decreed the cure for sin.  Genesis 3:15 presents the first prophecy of Messiah.  It reads, “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”  At Calvary the old Serpent plunged his venomous fangs into the heel of the Seed of woman, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus was bruised for our transgressions, but in so doing, crushed the Serpent’s head.  Christ’s victory is our victory.  We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.   Plead the blood.  The blood of Christ has purchased us and preserves us. 

We defeat the devil by THE CONFESSION OF THE LIPS.  It says, “they overcame him . . . by the word of their testimony….”  This Word referred to is the Word of God. Paul calls it, “The Sword of the Spirit” in Ephesians 6.  Jesus put the Devil to flight in the wilderness by the word of His testimony, as He uttered this response to each temptation, “It is written….”  We store the Word in our life and then speak the Word with our lips.  Words can be weapons of destruction when tongues are controlled by Satan. But words can also unleash the power and blessing of God when the mouth is mastered by Christ.  Remember how Jericho fell with a shout!  So will the strongholds of Satan crumble before the power of a positive confession rooted in the Word of God. 

We can defeat the Devil by THE COMMITMENT OF THE LIFE, for “they did not love their lives to the death.”  That’s total commitment.  What power there is in a life yielded unto God!  The stoutest demon trembles at the sight of a saint whose gaze is fixed on heaven, with the world behind his back, whose mind is consumed with Christ, whose ears are sensitive to the Spirit’s still, small voice, and whose feet are set on the highway of holiness.  How can the Devil threaten such a person?  He can say, “I’ll take your possessions!” But having surrendered it all to God, we have nothing to lose.  Satan can rave, “I’ll destroy your family!”  If like Hannah with Samuel, we’ve given them to God, we’re persuaded that He is able to keep that which we’ve committed unto Him against that day.  Satan can say, “I’ll take your health!” However, we realize our body is a lump of clay in the hand of the Divine Potter to shape as He sees fit. Therefore, we do not fear.  This is victory!