Adventure Day 35 - 3/28/09

Last Sunday in my sermon, I made the statement that often when the church is experiencing revival, Satan mounts a counter insurgency to minimize his losses. A heightened level of spiritual warfare often accompanies revival. The same is true on a cosmic sense as well [Read Revelation 12:1-17]. In our Adventure text today, the Apostle John uses figurative language to describe how Satan launched a counter-offensive at the First Coming of Jesus (v. 5), and how he is still at war with "...all who keep God's commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus," (v. 17) "...knowing that he has little time" before the Second Coming of Christ" (v. 12).

How do we stand against such a Satanic offensive? [Read Ephesians 6:10-20] The secret is clearly revealed in Revelation 12:11 - "They have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...." Ultimately, Satan cannot conquer God's people because the Lamb has shed his blood for them, and because their trust is in the Word on which they base their testimony, even unto death.

And tho' this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
the prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him -
his rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure: one little word shall fell him.
- Martin Luther, 1483-1546

Satan's wrath may endure for a time,
God's blessing to his faithful ones endures for eternity...

God's Peace!
Pastor Paul