The Accuser is Cast Down (Rev 12:10-16)

 

"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" (vs10).

 

1. No condemnation
2. None but Jesus
3. Nothing but good

No More Accusations (Rev 12:10)

The good news begins with “no more accusations”, the “accuser of our brethren is cast down”, so that sins punished, no matter how vile and evil they are, makes way for BLESSINGS of God.  Get this straight: you believers are worthy of the best of God, because the best of God, Jesus Christ - the best He could give - has died and risen again (Rom 8:31-34).  He is accepted, so all believing on Him, obeying Him, and trusting Him for salvation, shall be blessed of God justly.

Justification or worthiness is NOT by Christ and you, but Christ only.  If Christ is your cause of blessing, then you have the petitions you desire.  Do not put blessings out of reach until you grow and become better; that’s working (John 17:17). Blessings are yours freely, brought down by the Son, GIVEN by the Father, and fulfilled by the Spirit; it has NOTHING to do with you.  Believe, and it will be in you.

“Loved Not Their Lives Unto the Death” (Rev 12:11)

We love Christ because He loves us.  He covenanted, but more than that, He PUT love into our hearts by FORGIVENESS, so that we deny ourselves for Him, willingly serving Christ. The blood is powerful in the forgiven, for we are amazed at the goodness of God, but more than that, His love PRODUCES power and thankfulness that wasn’t there - it is not a human response; it is God working by the gospel to give life by the knowledge of pardon, life that loves Christ more than everything, and lays down everything to follow Him to the death (Eph 3:19-20).  This life is mandatory, but it comes only by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony: the VICTORY of Christ, for me (Rev 12:11).  These two things - (1) the OUTSIDE of us success at Calvary (2) the justification we have by faith only - are the things that produce service, love, and peace.  We will give up anything but the Son of God, because this is what God does INSIDE of everyone that He gave up His Son for.

“The Earth Helped The Woman” (Rev 12:12-16)

God helps the church overcome her sin, afflictions, and troubles. It is NOT that life is easy and Satan is kept from afflicting us; it is that we have help.

Satan leads us to sin, and we are BETTER by forgiveness, grabbing a Ruth out of Moab.  It isn’t that we’re all that we should be, but loving us as we are, He makes us into His image, and He produces good by every trial.

Satan is not a renegade, overruling God’s plans, and doing things that He must fix later.  No matter how he rages, Satan is God’s ambassador for good, for ALL THINGS work together for GOOD to them that love God (Rom 8:28).  He didn’t ordain that we’d be destroyed, only afflicted to repentance.

Do not doubt the success of your soul, just cast it upon the mercies of blood redemption and covenant promises, knowing Christ will do you good.  You will endure to the end; you SHALL be saved.

For the Elect's Sake

Recently, I read the excerpt from a religious group’s plea for Christmas money and kudos from the community.  Someone wrote:

"Dear ______,

I have two young children, ages 3 and 16-months. Without your help I don't think they would have a Christmas. God gave me a Christmas miracle this year and it was you! Thanks again. May God Bless you!"

If this is your desire, then you have the reward of men, but no saved person wants to be another person’s miracle at Christmas; we want you and others to have Jesus Christ and see Him, so we preach the gospel with, “God save” on our minds, obeying Christ, so that you can be saved - “Therefore I endure all things for the elect‘s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory“ (2 Tim 2:10). This starts with the person PREACHING Christ to you, and it moves into you preaching, supporting, living for, and DYING so that others know Him too.  Our love to God by the forgiveness He gives is ALWAYS expressed by our love to men.  Find a HOT church for the gospel, and you’ve found people who love God, not in word, but in deed and truth. And, without this zealous love, the profession, for whatever is not of faith will not produce love, is a sham, and it is not to be taken seriously.  God gives us SUCH warm views of inability and wickedness, and yet such cooling and calming knowledge of Jesus Christ, that by pardon, we DO His will, not from human power and guilt, but from the Spirit by the forgiveness He gives, so that trusting Christ FOR our lack of love is how love is increased in us (1 John 4:19; 1 John 1:9). Those who have no love, who don’t LIVE to save others, also have no faith, say what they will.