The enemy of your future...Satan only has three abilities: to deceive, to tempt and to accuse.

You can defeat him with three scripturally guaranteed strategies.

Revelation 12:10-11 in the King James Version says:

“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.

The verse says that when salvation, strength, the Kingdom of God and the power of Christ come. . .the devil. . .the accuser of the brethren is cast down.

Revelation 12:10 in the Amplified Bible says it this way.

“Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come—the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out!

 

Next, let’s look at Revelation 12:11 which tells us how to overcome the devil and his accusatory comments, lies and deceptions.

“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.”

The Amplified Bible translation of Revelation 12:11 says:

“And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].”

There are three dimensions to our victory found in this verse.

First, the Blood of the Lamb.

Isaiah 1:18 in the Amplified Bible says:

“Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

As the old song says:  “What can wash away my sins. . .nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Can somebody say “Hallelujah!!”

We’re cleansed of our sins and we can walk in the light because of the blood of Jesus.

1 John 1:7 in the English Standard Version says:

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

We should SHOUT every day. . .because we’re free from sin through the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 1:7

“He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.”

We’re so blessed because the blood of the Lamb disarms the accusations of the enemy.

Second, the word of their testimony.

Yes, sharing our testimony of what God has done for us is HUGE.  Our testimony brings glory and honor to His name.  It encourages others in their faith and moves them to a whole new level of understanding.

However, it’s more than that. . .much more.

The word of our testimony attests that we are born again children of God. 

I John 5:10-11 in the Amplified Bible says:

“He who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] has the testimony [possesses this divine attestation] within himself. He who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him out to beand represented Him as a liar, because he has not believed (put his faith in, adhered to, and relied on) the evidence (the testimony) that God has borne regarding His Son.

“And this is that testimony (that evidence): God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”

3.         Loving not our own lives, even unto death.

To overcome the accuser of the brethren we must realize we were bought with a price and our life is not our own.

Galatians 2:20 says:

“I amcrucifiedwithChrist: nevertheless I live; yet not I, butChristliveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

To defeat the accuser of the brethren. . .we must first do so in our minds.

Now let’s go a little further.

In Matthew 5:25-26 Jesus says:

“Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

If we read the verse before this one, it is the story of the man who is about to make an offering to God when he remembers an offense with another.  Jesus said go make things right with the offended individual before you present your gift on the altar.

At first glance, this scripture doesn’t seem to make sense unless you are involved in a law suit but its implications are far more reaching.  

Jesus says if it’s not settled before it gets the court of heaven, the one bringing the gift is going to lose every time.  

This is a clear indication of how God looks at us when we bring on our own righteousness before the court of heaven. 

The real accuser is the accuser of the brethren…none other than the devil himself.  Therefore, Jesus says agree with your adversary.  Now, that seems very strange to us but what the Lord says is true and this is how He means it.

When we do something wrong, our carnal nature wants to rationalize what we’ve done and make an excuse.  But the truth is … no matter how good we are …no matter how ‘righteous’ we live.  It is not our righteousness that got us where we are. 

So when the enemy wants to remind us we are sinners or we’ve sinned, we remind him that our righteousness is of God and not ourselves.

Francis Frangipane, in his book ‘The Three Battlegrounds,’ says it this way:

“Satan will not continue to assault you if the circumstances he designed to destroy you are working to perfect you.” 

Isn’t that the whole reason for our trials …to perfect us into the image of the Lord?

I don’t care how good we are or how clean we live.  It isn’t our righteousness that got us here…it was God’s grace … pure and simple.

God will always uphold His scriptural principles.

I Peter 5:5 says:

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

Jesus would never say … submit yourself to the enemy … but we can never justify our sin either… we can only ask forgiveness for it and be careful we don’t rely on our own good works as a justification for deserving grace!

The devil’s been playing the blame game for centuries hoping man would try to justify himself.  Justification can only be attained when we ask forgiveness for our sins.

James 4:6-7 in the Amplified Bible says:

“But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).

7 So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.

And that, precious friend, is how we defeat the accuser of the brethren.

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS