Word for Wednesday: Revelation 12:7-12

Welcome to The Word for Wednesday meme! Each week, you're invited to post a scripture that has touched your heart, whether it's an old favorite, new light from the Holy Spirit, or something you're pondering.

If you'd like to participate and share what God has written on your heart, use Mr. Linky below to let us all know you've posted. And your comments would be most welcome.

Admittedly, some of the Bible can be confusing. Some passages are open to interpretation. Some issues are not directly addressed, and must be discerned. Therefore, where we have passages that are clear and unequivocal, we would do well to heed them. The passage that contains our blog header is one of great clarity, and I will address it today.

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then 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, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time." (Revelation 12:7-12)

There is a great spiritual battle raging around us, but most who claim to be Christians, despite moutains of biblical documentation, won't talk about it. "If I can't see it or touch it, I will ignore it," they seem to say, perhaps believing that ignorance is bliss.

Others acknowledge the spiritual battle, and will talk about nothing else. In fact, most churches that engage in so-called "spiritual warfare" have fallen prey to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. Their "ministries" give glory to satan and the men he has deceived, instead of to our God and His Christ.

Both positions ignore the simplicity of the above passage. The spiritual battle is real. Satan lives to deceive the whole world, and he's currently enjoying great success, even among Christians, in part because we ignore God's Word and His clear, simple three-point plan to overcome.

• the blood of the Lamb There are churches today that deny the atonement, even deny that we are sinners. Some say that sin is irrelevant, because God loves us too much to send anyone to hell. And there are those who say that hell isn't even real. On the other side, there are those who think that they are "good enough" and certainly better than a lot of people. They say that there are many paths to God. Because He is just and judges the intentions of the heart, they think that their good intentions or their good works will save them. God help them all. The only salvation available to any man is found in the finished work that Jesus did on the cross, and the only way to avail ourselves of it is on our knees. Our good works are indeed like filthy rags, and our intentions matter not unless we have been born again by the Holy Spirit.
  

• the word of their testimony Have you ever gotten to know someone, then months or even years later, you were surprised to learn that they were Christians? As James would say, "these things ought not to be this way." If you are not proclaiming to the world what Jesus has done for you, if you refuse to testify on His behalf, you are denying your Savior. Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

• they did not love their life even when faced with death Last fall, a dear sister in the Lord passed on after a long battle with cancer. She was only in her forties, leaving behind a much-loved husband and two young children. She had every worldly reason to want to live. Yet in the end, particularly the day she passed, everyone who saw her was amazed at the peace in her heart. It filled the room. She was not cursing God for her fate, she was submitting her life into His hands to do with as He pleased. She is one who would never compromise the gospel or sell out to avoid unpleasantness or pain. Would that we all could learn from her example.

For this reason, rejoice, O heavens
and you who dwell in them.
Woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has come down to you,
having great wrath,
knowing that he has only a short time.