“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Re 12:10-11 AV)
We have to be reminded of two things. First, we are not defeated. If satanic forces are making our lives miserable, they are only doing so by the permissive will of God. Just like the Devil’s attack on Job, God restrains satanic activity to our breaking point. There is nothing they can do that God cannot contain. When Job went through his trial, God was with him even though he could not sense it. When Job faced his trial, God would not permit the Devil to take his life. This would suggest the Devil could have if permitted to do so. Being refused the ability of death, God was making a statement that Job would survive and even thrive. God is always in control. We also must remember the means by which we overcome. The blood of Christ covers all our sins. Those that we have committed and those yet to be committed. There is nothing we have done or will do that the grace and mercy of God will not absolve. The Devil may accuse all he wants. But the sins are gone! Hallelujah! The manner in which we hold that faith is also important. The testimony of our relationship with God is a major factor. Our profession of faith matters. Others take the word of testimony to mean the Word of God. That works too. Christ used the scriptures to defeat Satan in Matthew and Luke chapters four. The evidence of victory is not loving our lives unto death. In other words, if Satan is defeated, we don’t care if we live or die because we know we have a place in heaven, which he can never take away! Glory!
As Satan gets an advantage, faith becomes our strongest ally. Although the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, we must believe this. Active faith cannot undo faith exercised in the past. If we have repented and trusted Christ in the past, no amount of faithlessness in the present can undo that choice. We are saved! Living in that truth by faith seriously hinders the Devil’s influence over us. Consistent testimony that we are children of God, or disciplined meditation in the word of God around relevant passages of scripture, seriously does the Devil’s desires some damage. We do these two things in and by faith. We testify we are children of God because of the word of God. We read the Bible as the very voice of God, who speaks to us through the words contained therein. Believing Satan has no power over us takes his power completely away. What is the evidence? Our eyes and desire are on the heavenly and not the earthly.
To love one’s life unto death means to esteem highly and be completely content with one’s life. Or, more specifically, the attempt to attain such a state. Those who love their lives unto death strive to attain the perfect life wherein nothing can bring a state of disappointment or discontentment. That pretty much summarizes the entire world. Even the carnal saint desires the same thing. Those who love not their life unto death accept adversity, trials, and correction as part of life. They may even accept them and welcome them as a necessary part of growing in Christlikeness. They may even welcome them as God’s perfect will and the means by which they may glorify God. Jesus tells us that a state of liberty from Satan is possible. In fact, it is guaranteed. The Devil has no power other than what the LORD permits. He gives us the means by which we can overcome. The result is eyes pointed toward eternity, knowing our struggles are only temporary.
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