AND THEY OVERCAME SATAN 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. – Revelation 12:11
I have written a myriad of articles about this world’s present Biblical tribulations, the coming Great Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the End of this Age. Now, I am presenting a Biblical Answer: What must our response be if we are to endure to the end to be saved!
There is a war which has been raging in the heavens for untold centuries. Isaiah 14:12-14 tells us of Lucifer being cast out of heaven. Daniel 10:12 tells of the Angel Michael at war with Kingdoms of Persia, and Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
There have been wars and deadly personal conflicts on earth, even before recorded history. The Old Testament of the Bible tells of numerous wars and Holy wars. All of these wars and conflicts have been leading us to the great and ‘final battle’.
The book of Revelation tells of a coming war, the final war, that will be fought both from the Heavens and on the earth. It is known as the war at Armageddon. Revelation 16:12–16 is the record of what will happen toward the end of the tribulation, when an angel pours out the sixth bowl of judgment on the earth, which marks the mid-point of the Great Tribulation.
Revelation 19:11–20 records a final battle which occurs during the period of Christ’s second coming. Jesus will return as ‘the conquering Christ’, and will defeat the forces of the Antichrist. This is a description of the Battle of Armageddon as mentioned in Revelation 16.
These wars on the earth are a ‘reflection’ or a result of the wars being waged in the heavens. These wars are both distinctly separate, yet they are mysteriously one and of the same.
WHAT IS SEEN HAS NOT BEEN MADE OUT OF THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE – Hebrews 1:3
How can this be? Reading Hebrews 1:3 we discover that it is “By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.
Again, in 2 Corinthians 4:18 we read that, “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Finally, Hebrews 1:1 tells us, “Now faith is the certainty of things expected, the proof of things not seen.”
What does this have to do with you and me?
We have read about or have heard about these wars, but until we are touched by them, they are just distant tragedies in the minds of most people. But listen dear friend, there is a war coming, and it is already on the horizon, spilling over the borders of heaven and onto the earth, sweeping toward you like a swelling wave with the destructive fury of a terrifying tsunami.
Jesus warns, in Revelation 12:7-12, that this “war in heaven, with Michael and his angels, waging war with ‘the dragon’. The dragon and his angels will wage this war, but they will not prevail, and there will no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon is to be thrown down, that is the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he is thrown down to the earth, and his angels are thrown down with him. Then John 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 brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one 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, you heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
It is difficult to imagine a war being fought in heaven which is also being played out on earth. The final battle will be fought by Jesus and the armies of heaven. It is a mystery that while all of this comes to pass on the earth, it has already taken place in the heavens. Jesus is already the conquering King and Satan is the vanquished foe. But we must still endure this battle in our earthly existence.
Just as mysteriously, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Our battle is fought by being strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Our battle is fought with the full armor of God. We will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil by having belted our waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on our feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all of this we take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And we must take the helmet of salvation and wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
We will engage this battle with our fervent prayers and requests; praying at all times in the Spirit. With all this in view, we must stay alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH
John 18:37,says, “Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days!
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST BRING A SWORD
Matthew 10:34, Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Verse 35 For I came to TURN A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; Verse 36 and A PERSON’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.” This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days!
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST FULFILL THE LAW
In Matthew 5:17 , “Jesus said, “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.” This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days!
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST CALL SINNERS
Mark 2:17 says, “And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days!
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST PROCLAIM HIM SAVIOR OF THE WORLD
John 12:47 , Jesus says, “If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” In a very real sense, This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days, lifting the Name of Jesus, telling others and leading them to Him.
LIKE JESUS, WE MUST CAST FIRE & BRING DIVISION UPON THE EARTH
Luke 12:49 , “Jesus says, “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! Verse 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Verse 51 Do you think that I came to provide peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather to create division;” This, too, is our calling and our method of resistance in these Last Days!
“WHAT HE REALLY MEANT?”
John 14:12, “Jesus says, “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. Verse 13. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Verse 14. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
This is what the Bible says. It is the method and model of Jesus. This is our calling and our duty. Please, brothers and sisters, anything less is failure.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
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