1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Revelation chapter 12. We are in it. We're in the thick of it. Last week we got through the first six verses and this week we should make it through verses seven through 12. We'll see how far we get. 2 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:31,000 I don't have my trusty tablet with me tonight. I charged it all day and right before service I checked it and it had 11% which would probably not get me through. 3 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:42,000 So I'm going to have my notes here and I hope you don't mind me reading off some of them. But we are in Revelation 12 and this is going to describe the war in heaven. 4 00:00:42,000 --> 00:01:00,000 This is a topic that I think most people are familiar with. It's a section of Scripture I think most people are familiar with. And it's going to talk about this war that happens when Satan leads rebellious angels in a war against God. 5 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:17,000 And like I said last week, unsurprisingly, this is a section of Scripture that not everybody agrees on. It's hard to find that in Revelation. It's hard to come to a point in Revelation where most people agree on what is being said here. 6 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:38,000 So there are primarily two views about this section of Scripture. Some people believe that this war took place sometime prior to Genesis 3. That's the first view that this war happened in heaven sometime before the fall in Genesis 3. 7 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:52,000 The other view which is held by the majority of scholars today believes that the war actually took place during the earthly ministry of Jesus and it ended with his death, resurrection, and ascension. 8 00:01:52,000 --> 00:02:01,000 So let me just say a few things on this as we jump into this because I know that not everybody in here always agrees on everything that we read and interpret. 9 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:18,000 So let's just get a few things out of the way. First, the Bible never explicitly mentions when this war took place. So we should not therefore be dogmatic. Everybody tracking? Yeah? Okay? 10 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:26,000 It's perfectly within orthodoxy to believe that this war happened sometime before the fall. Your orthodox if you believe that. 11 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:36,000 It's also perfectly orthodox to believe that this war happened during the earthly ministry of Jesus. Your orthodox if you believe that. You're not going to be accused of heresy. 12 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:45,000 In fact, this means that you should not condemn people who disagree with your view on this section of Scripture. We all good on that? Yeah? 13 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:56,000 And I'll just say it like this and this applies not just to this section of Revelation but a lot of things in the Bible. You should be able to worship joyfully with people who disagree with you. 14 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:10,000 We agree on the essentials. We show grace in the non-essentials. Right? Yeah? So we all agree on Jesus. He is the one way of salvation. You cannot be saved apart from Jesus Christ. We're all good on that? Yeah? 15 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:19,000 Okay? That's the essential. There are other things that are non-essential. This falls into that. You should be able to worship joyfully with those who disagree with you. 16 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:32,000 The second thing that I would mention here at the start is that the point of this passage is not about when this war took place. It's about the outcome of the war. 17 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:48,000 Namely, the victory of Christ, the defeat of Satan, and the confidence of believers. That's the point of the passage. The whole point is not about when did this war take place. It's about what happens as a result of this war. 18 00:03:48,000 --> 00:04:00,000 So we're all good. We're tracking. Yeah? Let's dive in. Look at the first couple verses with me. Revelation chapter 12 verses 7 through 12. Revelation 12, 7 through 12. 19 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:11,000 The Bible says, Now, war arose in heaven. Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated. 20 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:23,000 And there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down. That ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. 21 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:36,000 He was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him. 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. 22 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:48,000 For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony. 23 00:04:48,000 --> 00:05:06,000 For they love not their lives, even unto death. 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. 24 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:22,000 Alright, so as we're studying this passage together, what I want to do is I want to first cover both views. Remember, one view says this war happened sometime before Genesis 3. The other view says this war happened sometime during Jesus' earthly ministry. 25 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:36,000 So let's consider that first view that the war took place prior to Genesis 3. The main reason, I think, that people hold to this particular view is because it makes sense of Genesis 3, right? 26 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:49,000 It makes sense that if Satan is going to be in the garden in Genesis chapter 3 and he's going to tempt Adam and Eve into sin, it means that he's obviously not aligned with God at that point, correct? 27 00:05:49,000 --> 00:06:02,000 And so it would make sense then for us to believe that this war happened prior to Genesis 3. That would lead to Satan being in the garden and able to tempt Adam and Eve. 28 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:16,000 However, the question that we're considering here this evening is not when did Satan fall and rebel? The question is when did the war take place? Do you see the difference there? 29 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:26,000 I think sometimes these two things get equated. The question is not when did Satan fall? The question is when did the war take place? 30 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:37,000 And the two do not have to happen at the same time. All Christians believe that Satan rebelled against God and was fallen prior to tempt and Adam and Eve. 31 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:47,000 We all agree on that. In order to tempt them into sin, he must have already rebelled in some capacity against God, otherwise he wouldn't be leading people into sin. 32 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:55,000 All Christians agree on that. However, that does not mean that the war must have taken place at that same time. 33 00:06:55,000 --> 00:07:06,000 It is entirely possible that Satan rebelled and was a fallen angel without him also leading an army against God in a war at that same time. 34 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Do we see how that's possible? One does not necessitate the other. 35 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:18,000 And so many angels rebelled with Satan at that time. And we read in Jude chapter one verse six, 36 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:24,000 and the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority but left their proper dwelling, 37 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:31,000 he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day. 38 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:38,000 Now, I believe that this speaks of angels rebelling against God and joining Satan pre-Genesis three. 39 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:44,000 We know that fallen angels were present throughout the Old Testament. You can see evidence of that in the Old Testament. 40 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:52,000 However, again, the question that we're considering is not when did Satan rebel and when was he fallen? 41 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:57,000 The question is when did the war in heaven take place? 42 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:07,000 And so this view says that it took place before Genesis three, and that makes sense of Genesis three because he ends up tempting Adam and Eve into sin. 43 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:16,000 However, I believe that a war in heaven during the earthly ministry of Jesus not only makes the most sense of Revelation chapter 12, 44 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,000 but I also think it makes the most sense of scripture. 45 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:26,000 And so when we're interpreting a passage like this, remember that scripture interprets scripture, right? 46 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,000 We have to let the Bible speak for itself. 47 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:38,000 And when we're considering a passage like Revelation chapter 12, it's important to look at all of scripture and see how it sheds light on this passage. 48 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:48,000 And so I just want to put a number of things before you to show you why I believe this war took place during the earthly ministry of Jesus. 49 00:08:48,000 --> 00:09:02,000 So first, consider the fact that in verse number eight, the Bible says that the result of Satan's defeat is that there was no longer any place for him in heaven. 50 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,000 Did y'all notice that in verse eight? 51 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:11,000 It says that Satan and all those that rebelled with Satan and waged this war against God in heaven. 52 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,000 Once they were defeated, the Bible says there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 53 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,000 It means that heaven was barred for them. 54 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:30,000 They were no longer allowed entrance into heaven because before this, what Satan did is Satan used to go to the throne of God and accuse God's people to God's face. 55 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,000 This is what he did. 56 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 The Bible says that he is the accuser. 57 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:41,000 And so Satan would go before God and he would be throwing out all these accusations against God's people, calling on God to do something about this. 58 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:51,000 But once he's defeated, he loses his right to come to heaven and appear before God at his throne to accuse God's people. 59 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:56,000 And since this is the case, if it happened prior to Genesis three, then here's my question. 60 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,000 How do we make sense of which book of the Bible? 61 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,000 Job. 62 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,000 That's the big issue, right? 63 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,000 Because what do we read in Job chapter one? 64 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:13,000 The Bible says that the sons of God, who were the angels, and Satan used to go back and forth between earth and heaven. 65 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:17,000 And what did Satan do when he got to the throne of God? 66 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:18,000 He started accusing Job. 67 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,000 He started questioning him. 68 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:26,000 He started calling God out and saying, hey, the only reason that Job loves you is because you bless him. 69 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,000 But if you were to take stuff away from him, then he would curse you. 70 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,000 That's an accusation against Job and his character. 71 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,000 He's saying, Job only loves you because you're good to him. 72 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:38,000 But if bad things started happening to him, he wouldn't love you anymore. 73 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:44,000 But if there was no longer any place for them, then it means that Satan should have never been allowed in heaven. 74 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,000 He would have not had the ability to come before the throne of God. 75 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:56,000 I think that is a big marker in the case for this happened during Jesus' earthly ministry. 76 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:03,000 The second thing I want you to consider is the fact that five times in the verses we just read, 77 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:10,000 the Bible says that Satan was thrown down or that he came down to earth. 78 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,000 And the question is, well, when did this happen? 79 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,000 Well, according to Jesus in Luke chapter 10, you remember that chapter? 80 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:23,000 Jesus sends out 72 disciples and then the 72 disciples, they come back and in Luke 10, 17 through 18, 81 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:32,000 the Bible says the 72 returned with joy saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name. 82 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:40,000 And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 83 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:49,000 So in Jesus' own judgment, the way that he saw it was the news of his redeeming work brought an end to Satan's accusations in heaven 84 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:56,000 and the victory of Christ on earth resulted in the defeat of Satan in heaven. 85 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:02,000 Furthermore, Jesus says again in John 12, 31, now is the judgment of this world. 86 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:07,000 Now will the ruler of this world be cast out? 87 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:14,000 The same phrase that's used in Revelation chapter 12 to describe what God did to Satan as a result of his defeat. 88 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:20,000 God cast him out of heaven, he threw him down, and Satan has come down to the earth now. 89 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:26,000 So Jesus foresaw his death being the final blow to Satan's rebellion. 90 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:34,000 No longer would Satan be able to accuse God's people to his face because Jesus was set to atone for all their sins 91 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,000 and make his accusations null and void. 92 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,000 And here's something I want you to really pay attention to in Revelation chapter 12. 93 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:48,000 It's really interesting how the war in heaven is a reflection of what Jesus is doing on earth. 94 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,000 It's actually a mirror image of each other if you pay attention to it. 95 00:12:52,000 --> 00:13:00,000 As Jesus preached the gospel and healed people and cast out demons, and as people began to follow him on earth in heaven, 96 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:08,000 Michael and the angels started winning the war against Satan and all those who rebelled with him. 97 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:18,000 And so Jesus accomplished the victory on earth and God sends Michael to secure or to enforce that victory in heaven. 98 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,000 So that's another mark in the column. 99 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,000 But then the third thing that I want you to consider is verse 10. 100 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,000 Pay attention to verse 10. 101 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:33,000 The Bible says, and I heard a loud voice in heaven saying now, so pause real quick. 102 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:38,000 Now this is right after the defeat of Satan and all those rebellious angels. 103 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,000 So the war has ended at this point. 104 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:48,000 And after the war has ended, this voice in heaven says, now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God 105 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:59,000 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 God. 106 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,000 So as I said, this is at the end of the war. 107 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:11,000 The statement that we're hearing here from the voice in heaven makes hardly any sense if this war took place prior to Genesis three. 108 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:20,000 Because at that time you could not say that salvation or the kingdom of God or the authority of Christ had come at that point. 109 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:30,000 In Jesus' first sermon in Matthew chapter four, his very first sermon, Jesus said, repent for what? 110 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,000 The kingdom of God is at hand. 111 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,000 That was when Jesus was inaugurating the kingdom into this world. 112 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:42,000 And then notice too that Jesus' authority in heaven and earth comes after his resurrection. 113 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:47,000 We remember the first verse of the Great Commission in Matthew 28, 18. 114 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:55,000 The Bible says, and Jesus came and said to them, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 115 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,000 When did this happen? 116 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,000 After the resurrection, right? 117 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:09,000 Jesus has already resurrected and after his resurrection is when he says, because of this resurrection, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 118 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:16,000 So his authority comes after the resurrection, not prior to Genesis chapter three. 119 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,000 The fourth thing I want you to consider is verse 13. 120 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,000 Look at verse 13 with me. 121 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:31,000 The Bible says, and when the dragon's soul that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 122 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,000 Everybody tracking there? 123 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:38,000 After he had been thrown down, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 124 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:47,000 So last week in our first study of Revelation chapter 12, we said that the woman was all of God's people throughout all time. 125 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:51,000 And that the child who was born was who? 126 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,000 Jesus. 127 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Yeah, it's the Sunday school answer guys. 128 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,000 Jesus, just say it when you don't know the answer. 129 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,000 That's always right. 130 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,000 So Jesus is the child who was born. 131 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,000 So here's my question. 132 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:09,000 If Satan pursued the woman who had given birth to Jesus, how would that make sense prior to Genesis chapter three? 133 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,000 Jesus had not been born on earth at that point. 134 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,000 He was existing because he has always existed. 135 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000 He is eternal, but his birth was promised in Genesis three 15. 136 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:27,000 But how could Satan pursue the woman who had given birth to Jesus if she had not given birth to Jesus at that point? 137 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,000 It wouldn't make sense in that context. 138 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:41,000 One final thing I want you to consider on this topic is I want you to consider how the people, how God's people are called to fight against Satan. 139 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,000 In verse 11, pay attention to verse 11 very quickly. 140 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:49,000 It says, and they have conquered him being Satan the accuser. 141 00:16:49,000 --> 00:17:01,000 They have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives even unto death. 142 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,000 All of them did. 143 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:04,000 Yeah, that's right. 144 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,000 Yeah, and we'll actually get to that in a minute, Doug. 145 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:14,000 But notice this, the way that God's people overcome the accuser is by what? 146 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,000 The blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. 147 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:26,000 If this happened prior to Genesis three, then this verse would not be true until Jesus' ascension. 148 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:32,000 Because you couldn't overcome him by the blood of the lamb or the word of their testimony. 149 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:39,000 Jesus had not lived his earthly life, died, resurrected and ascended back to the Father in heaven. 150 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:43,000 And so that would be absolutely impossible prior to Genesis three. 151 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:52,000 So for all these reasons, I believe that this war that took place in heaven makes the most sense, not only in the context of Revelation chapter 12, 152 00:17:52,000 --> 00:18:00,000 but in the context of all of Scripture when you read it together, that this war took place during the earthly ministry of Jesus. 153 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:11,000 And with his death and resurrection and ascension came the victory in heaven and Satan was cast down to the earth where he has been ever since, 154 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:20,000 because he has been barred from heaven and is no longer allowed to go to the throne of God and accuse God's people to God's face. 155 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:28,000 We see here that again, I don't want to get hung up on this, but the point is not when did the war happen? 156 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,000 The point is what happened as a result of the war? 157 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,000 And there are some wonderful truths for God's people in this passage. 158 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:45,000 And the first thing I want to just point out to you is that we overcome the accusations of the accuser by the blood of the lamb. 159 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:53,000 And that's not just something that's written in Scripture to just be there for a verse for you to quote or put on a coffee mug. 160 00:18:53,000 --> 00:19:05,000 That's something for you to internalize and actually utilize in your day to day life, because I think we all know what it's like to face accusations. 161 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:13,000 I think we know what it's like to face accusations of our own conscious and also of even the accuser. 162 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:20,000 I think everybody in here can relate to this where you have had the enemy remind you of sins from your past. 163 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,000 Anybody relate to that? Okay, good for you for showing your hands. 164 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,000 But yeah, me too happens all the time, right? 165 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Where Christ has saved you and He's made you this new creation and done this great work in you, but the enemy loves to come and say, 166 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,000 yeah, but do you remember when you did this? 167 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,000 Do you remember when you were like this? 168 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,000 Do you remember what you used to love and how you used to talk to people and treat people? 169 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,000 The accuser still loves to accuse us. 170 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:51,000 And all of his accusations used to be based on the law. 171 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:57,000 He would go before the throne of God and he would shout at God and he would say, 172 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,000 do you see how your people fall short? 173 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,000 This is what you've said in your law. 174 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,000 This is what you've demanded. 175 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,000 They have not done a single thing that you have required of them. 176 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,000 They have continually gone astray. 177 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:20,000 If you were good, if you were just, you must condemn them and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. 178 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:27,000 But now, and that's the good news, some of the sweetest words in Scripture and Ephesians 2, 179 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:40,000 but God, since he sent his son to die for us and paid the penalty for our sins, 180 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:45,000 the father prosecuted the son to the fullest extent of the law, 181 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:53,000 so that we who were covered by his blood could be set free and cleansed, 182 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:59,000 so that even though Satan is on earth now, you know he still loves to shout at heaven, 183 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:05,000 loves to shout at God, and the beauty of what this passage is telling us 184 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:13,000 is that all of the accusations that he still throws heavenward, they no longer apply to us at all. 185 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 The case has been closed. 186 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:22,000 It's if you imagine a courtroom and the judge has just pronounced the final verdict and said, 187 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:28,000 the case closed and the prosecuting attorney keeps trying to argue and fuss and rave and shout, 188 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,000 and the judge says, the case is done. It's over. 189 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:35,000 My verdict has been issued and I'm not going to go back on it. 190 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,000 And that's the good news for us. Do you see how good that is? 191 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:42,000 It means that no matter how many times Satan accuses you, 192 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:49,000 no matter what sins he likes to bring up or how many times from your past he likes to draw your attention to, 193 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,000 none of it matters to God anymore. 194 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:58,000 The Bible says in Hebrews that God remembers our sins no longer. 195 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,000 That's not to say that he literally forgot them. God doesn't forget anything. 196 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,000 It means he chooses not to remember them. 197 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:10,000 He knows what we've done, but because of Christ, he chooses not to remember those things. 198 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,000 And so he says to the accuser, that case has been closed. 199 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:21,000 They have been set free. They are covered by the blood of my own son. 200 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,000 And that is good news for us. 201 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:29,000 I just want you to understand what a comfort that is, especially in our moments of weakness. 202 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,000 When our faith is weak and our standing before God, 203 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:41,000 I want you to understand it's still secure because our standing is not based on the strength of our faith. 204 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:49,000 Thank the Lord, but our standing is based on the sufficiency of the sacrifice. 205 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,000 Now, is that not good news for you this evening? 206 00:22:52,000 --> 00:23:01,000 That your standing before God has nothing to do with the strength or the clarity of your own faith. 207 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,000 That's good for me because I have weak moments. 208 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:09,000 I have moments when I'm barely making it and my faith is weak and I am just crumbling 209 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:17,000 and I'm reminded that my faith, my standing before God, it is not based on how strong my faith is 210 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,000 or how clear my faith is in a moment. 211 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:23,000 It is based on the sufficiency of Christ. 212 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,000 I like the way D.A. Carson, one of my favorite theologians, 213 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 he has a great way of explaining this. 214 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,000 This is totally his, so I'm just going to read it to you. 215 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,000 I'm just going to read it verbatim because it's too good not to. 216 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:42,000 He said, picture two Jews by the name of Smith and Brown. 217 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:46,000 Really Jewish names, but Smith and Brown. 218 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:51,000 And he said, the day before the first Passover there in Egypt, 219 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,000 they're having a little discussion in the land of Goshen and Smith says to Brown, 220 00:23:55,000 --> 00:24:00,000 boy, are you a little nervous about what's going to happen tonight? 221 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:04,000 Brown says, well, God told us what to do through His servant Moses. 222 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:06,000 You don't have to be nervous. 223 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Haven't you slaughtered the lamb and dobbed the two doorposts with blood? 224 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,000 Haven't you put the blood on the lentil? 225 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:14,000 Haven't you done that? 226 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,000 You're already in your pack to go. 227 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,000 You're going to eat your whole Passover meal with your family? 228 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,000 The other one replies, well, of course I've done that. 229 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:29,000 I'm not stupid, but it's still pretty scary when you think of all the things that have happened around here recently. 230 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,000 All the plagues, the flies and the river turning to blood, he said it's pretty awful. 231 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:39,000 And now there's this threat of the firstborn being killed and you know it's all right for you because you've got three sons, 232 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:43,000 but I've only got one and I love my Charlie. 233 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,000 And the angel of death is going to be passing through here tonight. 234 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,000 He says, I know what God says. 235 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,000 I put the blood there, but it's pretty scary. 236 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:54,000 I'll be glad when this night is over. 237 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,000 And the other one responds, bring it on. 238 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,000 I trust in the promises of God. 239 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,000 So that night, the angel of death swept through the land. 240 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:11,000 Which one lost his son? 241 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,000 Neither. 242 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:21,000 Because death doesn't pass over them on the ground or the intensity or the clarity of the faith that is exercised. 243 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:28,000 But on the ground of the blood of the lamb, that is what silences the accuser. 244 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:34,000 He says the blood silences the accuser of the brothers as he accuses us before God. 245 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,000 He silences our consciences when he accuses us directly. 246 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:43,000 How many times do we ride in agony asking if God can ever love us enough? 247 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:52,000 If God can never care for us enough when we have done such stupid, rebellious, sinful things after being a Christian for even 40 years. 248 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,000 And he says, what are you going to say? 249 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:56,000 Oh God, I tried hard. 250 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:57,000 You know, I did my best. 251 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,000 It was a bad moment. 252 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,000 No. 253 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,000 He says, I have no other argument. 254 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,000 I need no other plea. 255 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:10,000 It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me. 256 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:17,000 It's not the intensity of our faith, but the object of our faith that saves. 257 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:19,000 And that's a good word for us tonight. 258 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,000 Is it not? 259 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,000 I mean, that is perfect for Revelation 12. 260 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:29,000 That is something I hope that you will take with you and that you will internalize and that you will rejoice in. 261 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,000 That it is not the intensity or the clarity of your faith. 262 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,000 It is Jesus alone that saves. 263 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:47,000 The second thing I want you to take away from this passage is that Christians conquer not just by the blood of the Lamb, but by the word of their testimony. 264 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,000 I mean, you can think about it like this, right? 265 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:53,000 Satan is embarrassed that he's been defeated. 266 00:26:53,000 --> 00:27:01,000 He is absolutely embarrassed that he's been defeated and he won't word of his defeat to remain as quiet as possible. 267 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:13,000 But when Christians go around proclaiming the victory of Christ and the forgiveness that is in Christ, Satan's power is greatly diminished in this world. 268 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:22,000 We are proclaiming that Satan has been defeated and that Christ is victorious and the world needs to know this. 269 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:32,000 And this impacts people more than you might actually understand, because you might have some friends and unbelieving family members who are burdened by sin. 270 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:38,000 And their minds have been darkened by the ruler of this world. 271 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:45,000 And they think that they have no hope, they think that their life is doomed, and that it's always going to be this way. 272 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:51,000 And do you know how powerful it is for you to come along and say, yeah, but let me tell you what God has done in my life. 273 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:56,000 Let me tell you where I was just 10, 15 years ago. 274 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:04,000 And let me tell you about the work that God has done in my life and all the work I've seen him do and all the transformation he's brought about my life. 275 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:11,000 I'm a totally different person. I'm not who I used to be. And it is because of Jesus. 276 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:18,000 Do you know the power of your testimony and how powerful it can be in the lives of people who are struggling? 277 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:22,000 People who think that they could never change or that God could never love them. 278 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:26,000 I mean, I've seen it personally with Brian Huffstetler. I have seen it. 279 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:31,000 I mean, he is one who absolutely felt like God could never love him. 280 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:35,000 He had done too much that was too wrong. He was unforgivable. 281 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:39,000 And now look out. I mean, he's a great man of God. 282 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,000 He is a pillar of faith. He does good works for the kingdom. 283 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:52,000 And I have seen him go into prisons and I have been right next to him when he is witness to people and he has told them, brother, I was right where you were. 284 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,000 I was behind those bars. 285 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,000 But look at what Jesus has done in my life. 286 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:01,000 I've seen that give people hope. 287 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:05,000 And so don't discount the story that God has given you. 288 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,000 It can be a powerful witness in people's lives. 289 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:17,000 And that's how we overcome the accuser is by not just with the blood of Christ, but sharing the testimony of the work that God has done in our lives. 290 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:26,000 And the third and final thing I want you to take away from this passage is that Jesus gives us the power to endure suffering 291 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:30,000 and even embrace death itself. 292 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:33,000 Look again, if you would to verse 11. 293 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:43,000 It says of God's people that they loved not their lives, even to the point of death. 294 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:47,000 And I think about the great martyrs from Christian history. 295 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:51,000 I mentioned some of them recently in a sermon I preached. 296 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:57,000 You think of so many people who have died for their faith in Jesus. 297 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:02,000 You think of Polycarp who was burned at the stake for refusing to deny Christ. 298 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:11,000 You look at John Elliot who was willing to be killed by cannibals just for the chance to tell other people about Jesus for the first time. 299 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,000 People like John Husby and burned alive at the stake. 300 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,000 People like Saint Andrew. 301 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:21,000 I mean I think of people who even risked their lives and put their lives on the line for Christ. 302 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:29,000 Think about John G Patton who went to the New Hebrides and people warned him, you're going to be eaten by the cannibals. 303 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,000 The whole island was filled with cannibals. 304 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:35,000 If a foreigner came to that island they killed you and they ate you. 305 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,000 And people warned him, you will be eaten by the cannibals. 306 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:46,000 And he said, I'm either going to be eaten by worms or I'll be eaten by cannibals. 307 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,000 But I have to go. 308 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:52,000 How do people have that kind of faith? 309 00:30:52,000 --> 00:31:04,000 How can someone be at the point where they are saying I am willing to die a gruesome death for the sake of Jesus Christ 310 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:09,000 and making sure that the word of the gospel goes forward? 311 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:18,000 It is by knowing for a fact that your trust is in the one who has died and come back to life. 312 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,000 Who holds the keys to death in Hades. 313 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:28,000 Who lives today and promises his people life beyond the grave. 314 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:33,000 When you begin to think about it like that then death can't even hurt us. 315 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:40,000 It's just a blink on our way to eternity with God. 316 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:47,000 God's people love not their lives even to the point of death. 317 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:52,000 It means for Christians today that we are going to suffer in this life. 318 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,000 Some of us will suffer physically. 319 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:00,000 Some of us will suffer intellectually and we'll be mocked for our faith. 320 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:08,000 Some of us will suffer emotionally and have to endure great pain and loss in this life. 321 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:13,000 Some of us may even be killed for our faith. 322 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:26,000 And yet the person whose faith is anchored in Christ alone can say even so it is well with my soul. 323 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:33,000 It's not because we're strong but it's because our faith is in the one who holds all things in his hands. 324 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:37,000 And he has promised good for his people. 325 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:45,000 That's why this passage is so comforting because it tells us that Satan is a real enemy. 326 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:52,000 And he is really here on earth and he is angry because the Bible says here he knows his time is short. 327 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:56,000 He is raging against God and his people. 328 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:04,000 And yet even in the face of the greatest enemy God's people have ever known, Christians are unfazed 329 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:10,000 because Christ has won the victory for us and we get to share in that victory. 330 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:23,000 Gene McKinney, how about a word of wisdom?