THE DEVIL, YOUR ADVERSARY, HAS BEEN DEFEATED

Today's topic gives us a vivid phrase picture of the permanent victory we have in Christ. We have overcome the Devil, our adversary through Christ and I'm excited about the victory we have in excess over him and his minions. However we must be willing to exercise this victory in our lives from time to time.

Reference: Revelation 12:11 New Living Translation (NLT) "And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die."

Our words of testimony empower us in conquering the Devil. It is an on going procedure as long as we are here on earth. It stirs up the lion in us. The power of our testimonies boasts about the unlimited abilities of the Christ resident in us. Although we are overcomers in Christ, in our daily lives, we still have to exercise our victory, because the devil is still going around targeting and accusing the brethren. No wonder the Bible says, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).

If indeed we have the victory, why must we be alert and of sober mind? It is so that Satan will not outsmart us, for we are familiar with his evil schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV). Although he's been defeated, we must be aware of his crafty wiles. The Devil is full of wiles and we must be acquainted with the means of overpowering his plans and wiles. This is what the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony do for us. First, the blood of the Lamb had taken away the sin of the world, and so the accusations and wiles of the enemy have no atom of effect or power over the born again Christian.

Second, the words of our testimony are so powerful because they are based on the finished work of Christ. They bear witness to our Christian victory. When we testify of God's goodness and mercy upon our lives, such testimony becomes a powerful weapon that destroys all the plans of the evil one and puts him where he belongs - under our feet. The question is how much do you value your testimonies? How often do you testify of His faithfulness? Did you know that every time you testify with your mouth, you're exercising the victory of Christ over the enemy?

In our referenced verse, the later expression reads, "And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die." This means that nothing moved them. In Acts 20:24 (KJV), Paul said, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." Every true Christian can get to the point in faith where nothing moves them. This is because, on the cross of Calvary, the spirit of fear has been dealt with and when talking about our heritage in Christ, fear is not part of this heritage. 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NLT) reads, "And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us."

Fear is a spirit from the world. It is never given to us and it has nothing to do with us. So we did not inherit the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). Therefore the expression here, "And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die", means that they were superior to the fear of death. They couldn't entertain such thoughts because they have devoted their lives so much to God that they loved Him beyond anything their earthly life could offer. When you understand the quality of the Zoe life you've been given in Christ, and the power of God's presence in your life, the spirit of fear itself becomes afraid of you. This is the intelligence and understanding they have, "And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die."

Every born again Christian manifests Zoe (The God kind of life) and carries the atmosphere of His presence in their world. You are equipped with the power of God for everyday living. Therefore you must remove the fear of men and that of death far from your heart, because the father of all fears, the Devil, who is your adversary, has been defeated and his powers rendered ineffectual over two thousand years ago. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 2:13-14; Romans 8:37; 1 John 5:4–5.

Exuberant Declaration: The victory of Christ is resident in my spirit because I overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb. My confidence in the words of my testimony concerning God's goodness is unwavering. The sum total of Christ's victory and wisdom is working mightily in me. My faith-filled declarations are a description of the victory of Christ that releases into my life, every beneficial inheritance I have in Christ. Hallelujah!