The Devil Among Us?

In the book of Revelation, we read about the great battle between good and evil. More specifically, it is between the devil and his army, and Michael who leads God’s angel army. The good news is that God won, and the devil and his angels were hurled down from heaven to the earth. The bad news is that the devil and his angels now roam the earth as a result.

Scripture: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” – Rev. 12:9-12

Observation/Application:  
There is so much that we can learn from these verses that I barely know where to start. A couple quick points:

First notice that the devil was defeated by an army. It say that, “They” triumphed – they, a group, a team. A great principle to remember and apply in our lives is that there is power in numbers. Jesus even built a team or twelve. Truly we can do all things by the power of God that lives in us. But we are also told to go and make disciples. We are instructed to love our neighbors as ourselves. God’s first spoken Words to Adam were, “Be fruitful and multiply.” – (Genesis 1:28). There are so many verses in the Bible that reference the importance to our relationship with other people. Let us be reminded that together we can accomplish much.

The next thing I notice is that we are to rejoice because God claimed the ultimate victory. God loves us so much that He sent his one and only Son to walk on this earth with us, to die for us, and rise from death and the grave for us. By His sacrifice our sins are forgiven, our naughty list is wiped clean, sin no longer defines us, and the devil has been defeated forever.  Through Christ, the devil is under our feet, and we have a clear path to heaven. Jesus made a Way, and shows us the Way. Let us rejoice!

Something else worth noticing is that we are instructed to take heed. In verse 12 we receive a warning, “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” – (Rev. 12:12) For us, this is like a big street sign along the side of the road that says caution, slippery road ahead. It is a flashing yellow light telling us to be cautious, dangerous situation ahead. “The enemy comes only to steal and kill and destroy”. – (John 10:10).  Let us be reminded that the enemy is here to do us harm, and that he is filled with fury.

How do we overcome the devil and his schemes. We can do this by the power of one name – Jesus. “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.” Jesus holds the ultimate authority over the devil, and we can have victory in our lives by the power of the blood of Jesus. We can have power in our lives by our words and our testimony.” “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” – (Proverbs 18:21). We can have power in our lives by putting God first, and loving Him above all else. 

When it comes down to it, God wants to bless us when we put God first, and seek Him first. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – (Matthew 6:33)  And John 10:10 says that, “Jesus has come so that we may have life, and have it to the full.” That’s why Satan was cast from the heavens, and why Jesus came to defeat him once and for all. God doesn’t want to live in fear, but in victory. As we are created in God’s image, we too are created to be victorious. We are not created to be naive, where we can be ruthlessly slaughtered. No, we are created to be wise to the attacks of the enemy, and to be ready. He wants us to be armed with the Word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit our great Helper. 

As we go through life, let us not forget the significance of this great battle noted in Revelations. Let us be reminded that God’s army wins. Let us be reminded that Jesus won. Let us understand that God always wins.  Let us realize that God has not planted the spirit of victory in us, not fear. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7. And when we face life’s great battles, we too can win by the grace and power of God and the Holy Spirit, through Jesus. And in the end, we will have great victory too. 

If you are facing a large battle right now, my hope is that you are encouraged. For the larger the battle, the greater the victory. And with God on our side, we are sure to be victorious in the end. With God on our side, we cannot lose. “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” – (Romans 8:31)

Have a great day!

Prayer:  
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word today. Let it refresh us, restore us, renew us, enlighten us, and transform us from the inside out. Fill us with your goodness. Let us not walk in fear, but with a spirit of victory. We know that you created us in your image, and that we too are given the spirit of victory through Jesus. Let us seek you first Lord. Draw us closer to you. Guide our every step today. Let your light shine bright in us. Bless the work of our hands, for your glory, in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Image courtesy of: MeckiMac

Photo By MeckiMac

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