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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 50

TITLE: WAR IN HEAVEN

TEXT: REVELATION 12:7-12

INTRODUCTION: (1) THERE HAS BEEN WAR IN HEAVEN SINCE THE FALL OF SATAN.

* IN THIS COSMIC BATTLE SATAN HAS ACCESS TO GOD’S PRESENCE IN HEAVEN AS THE “ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN,” DECLARED IN OUR TEXT TODAY AND ACTUALLY CARRIED OUT, ILLUSTRATED IN JOB CHAPTERS 1 & 2 AS SATAN ACCUSES JOB BEFORE GOD.

** YET ALTHOUGH SATAN HAS ACCESS TO GOD IN HEAVEN, THE DEVIL’S DOMAIN IS THE EARTH AND THE ATMOSPHERE OR AIR AROUND THE EARTH.

*** AND THAT IS WHY THE BIBLE DESCRIBES SATAN AS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD IN II CORINTHIANS 4:3&4 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ THEM).

**** BEYOND THAT IN EPHESIANS 2:2 PAUL SAID THAT SATAN IS THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR, READ IT.

(2) IN ADDITION TO THAT SATAN’S DEMON HOSTS ARE DESCRIBED AS SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES IN EPHESIANS 6:12 WHERE IT SAYS: (READ IT).

* AND THEN FINALLY PETER SAYS IN I PETER 5:8 THAT SATAN IS WALKING ABOUT (CLEARLY THE EARTH) SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR (READ IT).

** SO SATAN’S DOMAIN IS THE EARTH AND THE AIR AROUND IT AND HAS ACCESS TO HEAVEN IN HIS UNHOLY WAR AGAINST GOD.

*** NOW IN THIS WAR, SATAN AND HIS DEMONS WHO ARE FALLEN ANGELS HAVE ACTIVELY OPPOSED BOTH THE HOLY ANGELS AND GOD’S PEOPLE.

**** FOR EXAMPLE IN THE O.T. IN DANIEL 10:10-13, A DEMON SOUGHT TO HINDER THE MINISTRY OF HOLY ANGELS TO ISRAEL.

(3) IN THE PRESENT, SATAN OPPOSES THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL ILLUSTRATED IN MATTHEW 13:19, 37-39 IN THE PARABLE OF THE SOILS.

* SATAN OPPRESSES INDIVIDUALS RECORDED IN LUKE 13:10-16 AND ACTS 10:38.

** THE DEVIL USES SIN TO DISRUPT AND POLLUTE THE CHURCH AS HE DID IN ACTS 5:1-11.

*** BECAUSE OF THAT BELIEVERS ARE TO BE WARY OF HIS SCHEMES IN II CORINTHIANS 2:11, “SO THAT NO ADVANTAGE WOULD BE TAKEN OF US BY SATAN, FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS SCHEMES.”

**** BEYOND THAT WE ARE NOT TO GIVE SATAN AN OPPORTUNITY, A FOOTHOLD, AN OPEN DOOR, EPHESIANS 4:27 (READ IT).

(4) AND THEN WE ARE TO RESIST THE DEVIL AFTER WE HAVE SUBMITTED OURSELVES TO GOD, READ JAMES 4:7&8.

* AND THEN FINALLY WE ARE TO PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD IN EPHESIANS 6:11 (READ IT).

** NOW MY POINT IS WE HAVE SPIRITUAL WEAPONS IN THIS SPIRITUAL WARFARE AGAINST OUR ENEMY THE DEVIL. AND THIS WARFARE IS GOING ON EVERY SECOND OF EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY – 24/7.

*** BUT BEYOND OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES, THERE IS A WAR GOING ON IN HEAVEN AND THE HEAVENLIES 24/7.

**** AND THIS WAR IS BETWEEN SATAN AND HIS UNHOLY FALLEN ANGELS – DEMONS AND GOD’S HOLY ANGELS.

(5) AND THE WAR THAT IS RAGING BETWEEN SUPERNATURAL BEINGS IN THE HEAVENLY SPHERE WILL REACH ITS PEAK DURING THE TRIBULATION.

* AND THAT FUTURE CONFLICT WILL FIND MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL AND HIS ANGELS WAGING WAR WITH THE DRAGON – SATAN – THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS.

** AND THAT WILL BE THE BIG IDEA AND THEME OF THE VERSES WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY WITH RESPONSE TO THIS HOLY WAR IN HEAVEN.

*** IN LIGHT OF THAT, I’VE TITLED THE SERMON TODAY, “WAR IN HEAVEN.”

**** AND UNDER THAT THEME WE’LL LOOK AT 3 MAIN POINTS. NO. 1 THE CLASH IN HEAVEN, VV. 7&8; NO. 2 THE CONQUEST OF SATAN AND HIS ANGELS, V. 9; AND NO. 3 THE CELEBRATION IN HEAVEN AS A RESULT OF THE CONQUEST, VV. 10-12.

(6) SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE CLASH, THE CONQUEST AND THE CELEBRATION UNDER THE TITLE OF “WAR IN HEAVEN.”

* AND WITH THOSE POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 7 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE CLASH. LOOK AT REVELATION 12:7 PLEASE.

I. THE CLASH, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW WAR BREAKS OUT IN HEAVEN WITH MICHAEL AND HIS ANGELS ON ONE SIDE AND THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS ON THE OTHER.

* AND WE DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHEN IT WILL TAKE PLACE, BUT WE KNOW WHEN IT DOES, THERE IS ONLY A “SHORT TIME” LEFT FOR SATAN ON THE EARTH ACCORDING TO V. 12 OF THIS CHAPTER.

** AND CERTAINLY THE CONTEXT REFERS TO THE END TIME WHEN SATAN WILL NO LONGER BE THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN AS HE IS NOW, PLUS WE ARE IN THE LAST 3 ½ YEARS OF THE TRIBULATION LOOKING BACK TO V. 6 WHICH WE STUDIED LAST WEEK.

*** AND PUTTING THOSE CONTEXTUAL TRUTHS TOGETHER, IT APPEARS THAT THIS HAPPENS AT THE MID-POINT OF THE TRIBULATION AND WILL BE WHAT KICKS OFF THE WORST PART OF THE TRIBULATION, THE GREAT TRIBULATION, FOR THE DEVIL IS THROWN DOWN TO THE EARTH HAVING GREAT WRATH ACCORDING TO V. 12 OF THIS CHAPTER.

**** HE WILL BE VERY ANGRY AND EVEN MORE FOCUSED TO WREAK HAVOC.

1. NOW THE QUESTION CAN BE ASKED AT THIS POINT, WHO IS MICHAEL? WE KNOW WHO THE DRAGON IS FROM OUR STUDY LAST WEEK AND MORE WILL BE REVEALED ABOUT HIM TODAY IN OUR STUDY.

* AND WE KNOW THAT THE DRAGON’S ANGELS ARE FALLEN ANGELS – DEMONS AND THAT MICHAEL’S ANGELS, HIS ANGELS ARE HOLY ANGELS.

** BUT WHAT ABOUT MICHAEL?

*** WELL, MICHAEL, WHO’S NAME MEANS “WHO IS LIKE GOD” IS MENTIONED FIVE TIMES IN SCRIPTURE.

**** AND THESE 5 REFERENCES GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HIM.

2. FOR EXAMPLE IN DANIEL 10:13 HE IS CALLED “ONE OF THE CHIEF PRINCES”; WHILE IN DANIEL 10:21 HE IS CALLED “MICHAEL YOUR PRINCE.”

* THEN IN DANIEL 12:1 HE IS NAMED AS “THE GREAT PRINCE WHO STANDS GUARD OVER THE SONS OF YOUR PEOPLE” AND DANIEL’S PEOPLE WERE THE JEWS.

** SO MICHAEL IS A CHIEF PRINCE, A GREAT PRINCE IN GOD’S HOLY ARMY WHO PROTECTS ISRAEL IN A SPECIAL WAY IN THE PLAN OF GOD, THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL.

*** NOW IN THE N.T. IN JUDE 9 MICHAEL IS IDENTIFIED AS “THE ARCHANGEL” THE ONLY ONE IN SCRIPTURE.

**** AND THEN THE 5TH REFERENCE TO MICHAEL IS V. 7 OF REVELATION 12, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT NOW.

3. AND HERE THE OTHER HOLY ANGELS ARE IN A SENSE UNDER HIS COMMAND, FOR HERE HE LEADS A GREAT ANGELIC HOST; THEY ARE SO UNDER HIS COMMAND AS TO BE CALLED “HIS ANGELS.”

* SO MICHAEL IS LEADING GOD’S HOLY ARMY AGAINST THE DRAGON’S UNHOLY ARMY IN THIS WAR IN HEAVEN.

** AND THE REPETITION OF THE PHRASE “WAGING WAR” AND “WAGED WAR” IN V. 7 EMPHASIZES THE FURY AND FORCE OF THIS BATTLE.

*** THIS WILL BE NO SMALL SKIRMISH, BUT AN ALL-OUT BATTLE AS THE TIME IS DRAWING NEAR FOR CHRIST TO RETURN TO THE EARTH AND ESTABLISH HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM.

**** SO THIS WAR IN HEAVEN AT A FUTURE TIME WILL BE INTENSE AND IN THIS CLASH OF THE TITANS, SATAN WILL LOSE, LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 8. NOW ALL OF THE DEVIL’S ATTEMPTS TO OPPOSE AND BATTLE GOD THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE FAILED, AND SATAN WILL LOSE THIS FINAL ANGELIC BATTLE.

* FOR IT SAYS HERE IN V. 8 THAT THE DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS ARE “NOT STRONG ENOUGH” TO DEFEAT MICHAEL AND HIS HOLY ANGELS UNDER GOD’S AUTHORITY AND POWER.

** IN FACT, SATAN WILL SUFFER AN OVERWHELMING DEFEAT, FOR V. 8 ALSO SAYS “THERE WAS NO LONGER A PLACE FOUND FOR THEM IN HEAVEN.”

*** NOW WHAT DOES THAT PHRASE MEAN?

**** WELL, EVERY INCH OF HEAVEN WILL BE THOROUGHLY CLEANSED OF HIS PRESENCE, EVERY INCH OF HEAVEN WILL BE THOROUGHLY SCOURED AND ALL THE UNHOLY ANGELS PERMANENTLY CAST OUT.

1. MEANING THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO GOD’S PRESENCE, SPECIFICALLY SATAN WILL NEVER AGAIN ACCUSE BELIEVERS BEFORE GOD’S THRONE IN V. 10 OF THE CHAPTER.

* AND MOST LIKELY, SATAN WILL NO LONGER HAVE A PLACE FOUND FOR HIM IN HEAVEN IN THE SENSE HE WILL NO LONGER BE THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR IN EPHESIANS 2:2.

** HIS UNHOLY WORK AND THE DEMON’S UNHOLY WORK WILL BE LIMITED TO THE EARTH. THERE WILL BE NO LONGER ANY HEAVENLY ACCESS.

*** SO SATAN AND HIS UNHOLY ANGELS LOSE THIS CLASH OF THE TITANS WHICH LEADS JOHN TO IDENTIFY GOD’S CONQUEST OF SATAN IN TERMS DESCRIBING HIS CONQUEST OF SATAN AND HIS CHARACTER.

**** SO LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE CONQUEST.

II. THE CONQUEST, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW AS A RESULT OF HIS DEFEAT, THE GREAT DRAGON AND HIS ANGELS WERE THROWN DOWN FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH.

* NOW THIS CONQUEST OF SATAN AND HIS ANGELS IS NOT MAKING REFERENCE TO LUCIFER OR SATAN AND HIS ANGELS FIRST EXPULSION FROM HEAVEN IN ISAIAH 14:12 THAT I TALKED ABOUT LAST SUNDAY IN V. 4, AS SATAN FELL THROUGH HIS PRIDE AND WAS BOOTED OUT OF HEAVEN WITH A THIRD OF THE ANGELS, NO LONGER A PART OF GOD’S HOLY MOUNTAIN AS GOD’S MOST POWERFUL CREATED BEING, NO. 2 UNDER GOD THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT.

** AND THIS FIRST FALL FROM GOD’S HOLY MOUNTAIN APPEARS TO BE ALLUDED TO BY CHRIST IN LUKE 10:18 WHERE HE IS SPEAKING TO THE SEVENTY HE SENT OUT: AND HE SAID TO THEM, “I WAS WATCHING SATAN FALL FROM HEAVEN LIKE LIGHTNING.”

*** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO OUR TEXT, WHAT WE HAVE IN REVELATION 12:9 IS SATAN’S SECOND AND PERMANENT EXPULSION FROM HEAVEN.

**** AND THIS THROW DOWN OR CONQUEST OF SATAN IS REPEATED AT THE END OF V. 9 IN TALKING ABOUT SATAN AGAIN AND HIS ANGELS.

1. THE PHRASE “THROWN DOWN” IS USED 3 TIMES IN THE NAS TRANSLATION TO EMPHASIZE GOD’S CONQUEST OF HIM AND HIS DEMONS, HE WAS CAST OUT, HURLED DOWN TO THE EARTH.

* AND THIS IS SATAN’S SECOND AND PERMANENT EXPULSION FROM HEAVEN, NOT HIS ORIGINAL FALL.

** BUT ALSO NOTICE IN V.9, SO THAT THERE WON’T BE THE SLIGHTEST MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE WORK AND PERSON WHO HAS BEEN AGAINST GOD AND HIS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE AGES, A FOURFOLD DESCRIPTION OF THIS GREAT DRAGON THAT LEAVES NO DOUBT AS TO IDENTITY AND WHAT HE DOES.

*** NO. 1 HE IS CALLED “THE SERPENT OF OLD” IDENTIFYING HIM AS THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN THAT EMPHASIZES HIS SUBTLETY AND TREACHERY.

**** HE IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT DISASTER TO MANKIND IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, MANKIND’S MOST ANCIENT AND WILY FOE.

2. NO. 2 THE DRAGON IS CALLED THE DEVIL WHICH LIT. MEANS SLANDERER, THE ONE WHO DEFAMES, THE ONE WHO ACCUSES FALSELY, THE FALSE ACCUSER.

* NO. 3 THE DRAGON IS CALLED SATAN. AND SATAN IS A HEBREW WORD THAT MEANS “ADVERSARY”, ONE WHO OPPOSES.

** AND OF COURSE HE IS GOD’S ADVERSARY AND OUR ADVERSARY, OUR ENEMY, OUR UNHOLY OPPONENT.

*** AND THEN NO. 4 THE DRAGON IS DESCRIBED AS THE ONE “WHO DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD.”

3. AND THE VERB DECEIVES LIT. MEANS TO LEAD ASTRAY, TO MISLEAD, TO LEAD AWAY FROM TRUTH, TO LEAD INTO ERROR, TO SEDUCE.

* AND THIS VERB IS A PRESENT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE IN THE GREEK AND THE PRESENT TENSE INDICATES THIS IS THE DRAGON’S HABITUAL, CONTINUAL ACTIVITY.

** AND THE OBJECTS OF HIS DECEPTION ARE THE WHOLE WORLD.

*** MEANING THE WORLD OF UNBELIEVERS, THOSE WHO HAVE NOT THROUGH SOVEREIGN GRACE TURNED TO CHRIST IN REPENTANT FAITH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EARTH’S POPULATION AT THIS TIME AS THE CHURCH HAS BEEN RAPTURED OUT OF THE TIME OF TESTING ON THE WHOLE EARTH – REVELATION 3:10 (READ IT).

**** SO THE EARTH DWELLERS, THE UNSAVED OF THE WORLD, THE VAST MAJORITY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY SATAN, AS HE REACHES THE PEAK OF HIS DECEIVING WORK IN THE TRIBULATION HOUR.

4. AND HERE IN V. 9 THIS SUPERNATURAL BEING CALLED THE GREAT DRAGON, THE SERPENT OF OLD, THE DEVIL AND SATAN AND THE GREAT DECEIVER IS CAST DOWN, THROWN DOWN IN DEFEAT.

* AND THOSE IN HEAVEN ARE TOLD TO AND WILL CELEBRATE SATAN’S CONQUEST. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE CELEBRATION.

III. THE CELEBRATION, (READ V. 10)

A. NOW AS JOHN BEHOLDS SATAN AND HIS ANGELS BEING CAST FROM HEAVEN, HE HEARS A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN SAYING: “NOW (AS A RESULT OF SATAN BEING DEFEATED IN THIS COSMIC WAR) THE SALVATION, AND THE POWER AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS CHRIST HAVE COME.”

* NOW THIS LOUD VOICE IS NOT IDENTIFIED. BUT THIS PHRASE IS A COMMON PHRASE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS “A LOUD VOICE” IS USED 19 TIMES IN MY BIBLE.

** AND WHOEVER THIS LOUD VOICE IS AT THIS TIME IS SOMEONE IN HEAVEN, FOR IT SAYS, A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN.

*** AND THIS LOUD VOICE DECLARES VICTORY, VICTORY THAT WILL COME AS A RESULT OF THIS VICTORY.

**** AND THOUGH THE TRIBULATION HAS APPROXIMATELY 3 ½ YEARS LEFT, THE VICTORY IS CERTAIN, IT IS FUTURE, IT LOOKS FORWARD TO THE CONSUMMATION THAT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED IN ACTUALITY, THOUGH IT HAS IN PRINCIPLE.

1. FOR THE CAUSE OF THE COMING OF SALVATION, POWER AND THE KINGDOM IS THE THROWING DOWN OF THE DRAGON FROM HEAVEN.

* AND HERE THE DRAGON IS CALLED “THE ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN.”

** AND THIS LOUD VOICE SAYING “OUR BRETHREN” MOST LIKELY IDENTIFIES THIS PERSON AS A GLORIFIED SAINT FOR AN ANGEL OR CREATED BEING IS NEVER DESCRIBED AS OUR BRETHREN, ANGELS ARE FELLOW SERVANTS, BUT NOT BRETHREN.

*** BUT WHOMEVER, THIS VOICE IDENTIFIES SATAN AS ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN.

**** AS ONE WHO STOOD BEFORE THE LORD DAY AND NIGHT TO ACCUSE.

2. AND THE WORD “ACCUSES” IS A WORD USED FOR LEGAL OPPONENTS IN A COURT OF LAW AND SATAN UP UNTIL THIS THROWING DOWN, HIS BEING CAST OUT OF HEAVEN HAS BEEN THE ACTIVE ACCUSER BEFORE THE BAR OF HEAVEN OF THE BRETHREN – CHRISTIANS.

* AND SATAN MOST LIKELY UP TO THIS TIME WOULD POINT OUT OUR FAULTS, OUR WEAKNESSES, OUR SIN AND OUR FAILURES BEFORE GOD, IN A SENSE LIKE HE DID WITH JOB, AND WHY WE SERVE GOD.

** BUT BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BRETHREN, I JOHN 2:1&2A SAYS: (READ THEM).

*** AND OUR ADVOCATE, OUR DEFENSE ATTORNEY, THE ONE WHO PLEADS OUR CAUSE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND HE TURNS TO SATAN AND SAYS THEY ARE MINE.

**** I’VE BOUGHT THEM, I PURCHASED THEIR SALVATION BY MY DEATH AND I AM THE SATISFACTION FOR THEIR SINS, THEIR PRACTICE IS UNHOLY, BUT I AM HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS AND WE ARE DECLARED RIGHTEOUS THROUGH FAITH IN HIS FINISHED WORK.

3. AND JESUS HAS NEVER LOST A CASE! HE IS OUR HOLY ADVOCATE TO THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN.

* AND SPECIFICALLY, BRETHREN IN V. 11 WILL BE TALKED ABOUT THAT MOST LIKELY BECAME MARTYRS DURING THE TRIBULATION. LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 11. NOW THE CELEBRATION IN HEAVEN CONTINUES AT THIS FUTURE TIME, SPEAKING OF A FUTURE EVENT IN THE PAST TENSE BECAUSE OF ITS CERTAINTY.

* AND JOHN SEES VICTORY. FOR THE WORD OVERCAME IS THE GREEK WORD NIK-AH-O FROM WHICH WE GET OUR ENGLISH WORD NIKE.

** AND THIS WORD LIT. MEANS TO CONQUER, TO BE VICTORIOUS, ONE WHO WINS A CASE.

*** AND SPECIFICALLY THE VICTORS HERE CELEBRATING IN HEAVEN ARE MOST LIKELY TRIBULATION MARTYRS FOR “THEY DID NOT LOVE THEIR LIFE EVEN WHEN FACED WITH DEATH” AT THE END OF THIS VERSE.

1. NOW THESE TRIBULATION MARTYRS IN THIS CONTEXT, “THEY” DID NOT HAVE VICTORY BY MEANS OF INCANTATIONS, REPEATING PHRASES AND FORMULAS, OR BY BINDING OR REBUKING SATAN.

* THESE BELIEVERS OVERCAME SATAN BECAUSE OF, BY THE LITTLE PREPOSITION DIA IN THE GREEK, LIT. THROUGH, BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, NO.1 AS THE PRIMARY AND FIRST MEANS.

** AND THE PHRASE “BLOOD OF THE LAMB” MAKES REFERENCE TO THE BLOOD OF CHRIST WHICH IDENTIFIES HOW CHRIST PURCHASED THEIR VICTORY, BY HIS SACRIFICIAL SUBSTITUTIONARY, ATONING DEATH.

*** AND BLOOD IS SYNONYMOUS WITH DEATH, FOR WHEN CHRIST SHED HIS BLOOD, HE DIED ATONING FOR THE SINS OF PEOPLE HE WOULD ACTUALLY SAVE.

**** AND FORGIVENESS, REDEMPTION AND JUSTIFICATION COME THROUGH THE BLOOD, THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS, READ EPHESIANS 1:7, ROMANS 5:9, MATTHEW 26:28 AND HEBREWS 9:22 AND HEBREWS 10:4.

2. AND SO THE PERFECT LAMB WOULD DIE TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS. AND OVERCOMING COMES THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, READ I JOHN 5:4&5.

* SO VICTORY IN JESUS FOR ALL BELIEVERS AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF TRIBULATION SAINTS AND MARTYRS CAME THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB.

** BUT ALSO THERE IS A SECOND WAY THAT IS SECONDARY THAT IS A RESULT OF GENUINE SAVING FAITH, BECAUSE OF, BY, THROUGH, DIA AGAIN, BECAUSE OF “THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY.”

*** AND CONTEXTUALLY THIS PROBABLY IS RELATED TO THE LAST PART OF V. 11, “THEY DID NOT LOVE THEIR LIFE EVEN WHEN FACED WITH DEATH.”

**** IN OTHER WORDS, THE FRUIT OF BEING WASHED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WAS A WILLINGNESS TO REMAIN TRUE TO THEIR TESTIMONY, THEIR WITNESS OF CHRIST, THEIR TESTIMONY WILL NEVER WAVER.

3. DESPITE ALL THE PERSECUTION DIRECTED BY SATAN, THEY GAVE A FEARLESS TESTIMONY AND FAITHFUL TESTIMONY EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH.

* THEY LOVED CHRIST MORE THAN THEIR LIVES AND DID NOT DENY HIM!! WHEN THE CHOICE HAD TO BE MADE, THEY CHOOSE DEATH OVER LIFE, FOR DEATH WOULD LEAD THEM INTO THE FULLNESS OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST.

** AND THE REASON FOR CELEBRATION OVER THE VICTORY CONTINUES IN V. 12. LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 12. NOW V. 12 CONCLUDES WITH A FINAL NOTE OF PRAISE, OF CELEBRATION.

* FOR V. 12 BEGINS WITH THE WORDS, “FOR THIS REASON” OR THE WORD “THEREFORE” DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU HAVE.

** AND THE REASON, THE THEREFORE TAKES US BACK TO THE REALITY THAT SATAN WILL BE THROWN DOWN AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS COMING.

*** AND FOR THAT REASON HEAVEN IS CALLED TO REJOICE, TO BE GLAD, TO BE JOYFUL!

**** BUT THAT JOYOUS NOTE IS FOLLOWED BY A WARNING THAT IS SOBER FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN ON THE EARTH AT THIS FUTURE TIME.

1. WOE TO THE EARTH AND THE SEA, LIT. THE INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD AT THIS TIME.

* THE REASON BEING, BECAUSE THE DEVIL WHO HAS BEEN CAST DOWN TO THE EARTH WILL FOCUS ON THE REMAINING INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH.

** AND HE IS FULL OF WRATH, HE WILL HAVE GREAT WRATH, HE IS FILLED WITH FURY.

*** AND THE WORD TRANSLATED WRATH OR FURY LIT. MEANS INTENSE RAGE, A VIOLENT OUTBURST OF RAGE.

**** JOHN PHILIPPS WROTE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION AND I QUOTE: “SATAN IS NOW LIKE A CAGED LION, ENRAGED BEYOND WORDS BY THE LIMITATIONS NOW PLACED UPON HIS FREEDOM. HE PICKS HIMSELF UP FROM THE DUST OF THE EARTH, SHAKES HIS FIST AT THE SKY, AND GLARES AROUND, CHOKING WITH FURY FOR WAYS TO VENT HIS HATRED AND HIS SPITE UPON HUMANKIND.” (END QUOTE)

2. AND BELOVED SATAN’S FURY, HIS INSANITY, HIS RAGE WILL BE ALL THE MORE VIOLENT BECAUSE HE KNOWS “THAT HE HAS ONLY A SHORT TIME.”

* LIT. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIBULATION.

AS I WRAP UP THINGS: (1) BELIEVERS WE REJOICE TODAY IN THE FACT THAT SATAN IS A DEFEATED FOE AND WE TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT HIS ULTIMATE DEFEAT IS CERTAIN.

* ONE OF MY FAVORITE HYMNS WRITTEN BY MARTIN LUTHER TITLED, “A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD” HAS A VERSE THAT SAYS THIS:

** THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS GRIM (SPEAKING OF SATAN)

WE TREMBLE NOT FOR HIM;

HIS RAGE WE CAN ENDURE,

FOR LO, HIS DOOM IS SURE;

ONE LITTLE WORD SHALL FELL HIM.

*** AND I THANK GOD FOR THAT TRUTH AND THOUGH SATAN’S DOOM IS SURE, IT HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE YET. HE IS A DEFEATED FOE, BUT AT THIS TIME AN ACTIVE CLEVER DANGEROUS FOE.

**** AND ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPONS IS DECEPTION AS HE IS THE DECEIVER OF THE UNSAVED WORLD.

(2) AND TWO QUICK APPLICATIONS OF THIS AND I’LL PRAY. FIRST HE DECEIVES UNSAVED PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE CHRISTIANS.

* AND THEY BOLDLY SAY I’M A CHRISTIAN AND I’M READY TO DIE, AND MANY ARE DECEIVED IN THAT THINKING EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO FRUIT OF SALVATION IN THEIR LIVES.

** AND THEY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY THEIR QUOTE “GOOD WORKS” OR RELIGION, OR THEIR PROFESSION THAT THEY ARE ON THE NARROW WAY TO HEAVEN WHEN THEY ARE ON THE BROAD ROAD TO HELL.

*** I ASK EVERYONE TODAY LISTENING, WHAT EVIDENCES ARE THERE OF SAVING FAITH IN YOUR LIFE? DO YOU KEEP THE WORD OF CHRIST’S TESTIMONY AND DO NOT LOVE YOURSELF BY DENYING YOURSELF FOR CHRIST AND ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR HIM?

**** EXAMINE YOURSELF WHETHER YOU ARE IN THE FAITH TODAY.

(3) NO. 2 AND FINALLY, CHRISTIAN, TRUE BELIEVER AND FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, KNOW THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD, OF DOCTRINE, OF THEOLOGY THAT YOU PRACTICE DISCERNMENT AND ARE NOT DECEIVED BY FALSE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS.

* DON’T BE DECEIVED BY LUST, BY MONEY, BY THINGS, BY FAME. LIVE FOR CHRIST TOTALLY, NOT THINKING MORE HIGHLY OF YOURSELF THAN YOU OUGHT AND NOT CALLING WRONG RIGHT AND RIGHT WRONG. ALLOW YOUR WORLDVIEW TO BE DETERMINED BY THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S WORD AND DON’T BE DECEIVED BY SIN. WE HAVE THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD AS THE PRECIOUS REMEDY AGAINST SATAN’S DEVICES AND WILES.

** MAY WE BE SANCTIFIED THROUGH GOD’S TRUTH AS THE GRID WE RUN ALL OUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS AND DECISIONS THROUGH.