How to Defeat the Fiery Red Dragon (satan)
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (Revelation 12:11 NKJV)
The Apostle John, once one of the youngest of Jesus’ disciples, now having outlived them all, had been banished to the Isle of Patmos for his ongoing proclamation that Jesus was the Messiah. While on that island, which on clear days would allow him to see his homeland of Ephesus in the distance, Jesus revealed Himself to John in unique and powerful visions and words. Parts of that revelation John was forbidden to even write about; but the rest he scribed and distributed to the seven churches under his pastoral care. This was “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Chapter 12 gives an overview of all of time and history, as it relates to mankind. Satan is portrayed as a fiery red dragon, whose rebellion and pride caused war to break out in heaven. He and one third of the angels were cast from heaven to earth, where he remains to this day, “roaming about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
The first part of the chapter tells of a woman who had “on her head a garland of twelve stars” – the woman represents Israel (12 tribes). In much pain, the woman gave birth to a Child (Jesus), whom the dragon sought to kill. The Child, however, was destined to rule the nations, lived out that purpose, and was caught up to heaven (death, burial, resurrection, ascension).
The dragon continued to persecute the woman (now “spiritual Israel,” which includes the Church) for many generations.
There are two lessons that I take away from my reading today:
1. Like it or not, I am at war. War is not merely an interruption to life, it is the norm of life. Satan does not rest, nor does he have any level of compassion. He ruthlessly and mercilessly persecutes God’s people.
2. Jesus has provided for my victory. Like young David, who faced and conquered Goliath, I can and will triumph over the enemy in my life.
Here’s how we fight and win:
1. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus’ blood eradicated sin’s grip on me. My past does not hold me in bondage. Satan cannot condemn me where God has redeemed me.
2. They overcame him by the word of their testimony. When I declare the good works of God to others, I am defeating the enemy. And when I declare THE WORD of God (the greatest testimony), I am wielding the Sword of the Spirit and causing demons to flee!
We don’t hear this one taught on very often.
3. They overcame him by being willing to lay down their lives for their Savior. It’s one thing to live for Jesus; it’s another thing to die for Him. None of us knows exactly what we would do if faced with such persecution that our lives were at stake. However, the more I realize what Jesus did for me, the more I want to give my all to Him, including my life, if necessary.
Sure, we face difficulty, hardship, and persecution in this life. We are, after all, in a war. But we overcome.
Earthly life is a fleeting breath. Eternal life is our reward.
Father,
Grant your people boldness, courage, and peace as we fight the fight of faith.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
When Is the Last Time You Were at REST?
And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the Lord, who had set them apart to be holy. (Ezekiel 20:12 NLT)
Ezekiel prophesied in a day when God’s people were living in complete rebellion against God. Through Ezekiel’s words and actions God called out to His people, warning them of the self-destructive path they were on.
Amidst the warnings, God also gave Israel hope. If they would turn back to God, He would deliver them, redeem them, and restore them.
One of the areas of disobedience had to do with them not observing God’s sabbath days.
The principle of the Sabbath goes far deeper than merely not working on a particular day. In fact, if that’s our understanding of sabbath, we will see it as a burden to bear and a rule to keep.
Sabbath is both God’s gift to us, and our gift to Him.
True Sabbath is our willful pursuit to rest in and trust in God as our only Source of life.
When is the last time your SOUL was at rest? …not that all areas in your life were perfect, but that you had come to a place of quietness and stillness before God and allowed His peace to sustain and refresh you?
One of my favorite lines in one of the most popular passages of Scripture says:
He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. (Psalm 23)
You may or may not be able to take time off of work. You may or may not be able to press pause on life. But you can – and you MUST – allow the Shepherd to bring you to places of peace and rest.
Father,
Today I pray for my brothers and sisters in the faith. I pray that those reading these words will know Your presence today – that they will enter the Secret Place to know and hear Your voice.
Give them words of promise. Dispel the darkness. Infuse them with Your joy and peace. Lead them to green pastures and still waters.
Restore their souls.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Why Deep Wisdom Is Hidden
Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant. (Mark 4:10 NLT)
One of Jesus’ most well known parables was the story of a man who sowed seed. Some seed fell by the wayside, where it was immediately devoured by birds. Some seed fell on stony ground, where it had initial growth, but was scorched because of it’s shallow root system. Some fell among weeds, which choked out the word. And some fell on good soil, and was productive and fruitful.
Jesus told this story to a large crowd of people, gather at the sea. However, He did not tell the crowd the meaning of the parable. He simply told them the story and let them identify their own conclusion and application. It was only when His disciples, and those who followed Him, asked for the meaning of the parable that Jesus told them what it meant.
There are truths that cannot be caught in a crowd.
Deeper levels of understanding come when we pursue Jesus, asking Him for greater insight. General instructions come to the crowds, but specific revelation and personal application comes only when we “seek Him with our whole heart.” This type of wisdom only comes through a personal, intimate, ongoing relationship with Jesus.
The disciples tapped into the deep waters of Jesus’ wisdom, the results of which were life changing. The good news is that Jesus is always ready and willing to reveal deep wisdom to us when we ask.
Father,
I don’t want to just be a passive listener, lost in a crowd. I choose to actively pursue You, to spend time with You each day, to listen to Your words, and seek for the deep wisdom that You promise to those who seek You diligently.
Your Word promises that I will KNOW the truth, and that truth will set me free!
In Jesus’ name, amen.
The Battle
Praise the Lord, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle. (Psalms 144:1 NLT)
We often think of David as a young shepherd – and he was; but David also grew into a fierce warrior. His victories in battle were impressive and innumerable.
Some of the earliest beginnings of David’s combat training came in the form of a lion and a bear, both of which had made attempts to kill the sheep. Armed with his slingshot, David defeated each of these foes – and credited The Lord for the victories.
Later, in one of David’s most renown conquests, he took down the Philistine giant named Goliath, cutting off his head with his own sword.
David’s life was marked by battles. He fought at nearly every stage of his life. And God gave him tremendous favor and great victory at every turn.
I am convinced that we are in a battle everyday. Earth is the battleground for the conflict between the kingdom of satan and the kingdom of God.
There is coming a day – a glorious day, when the Commander of Heaven’s armies will return to exact vengeance on satan and his demons, putting a final end to the war of the ages. Every knee will bow; every tongue will confess: “Jesus is Lord!”
But until that day, we are in the trenches, fighting. We are hard pressed, but not defeated. We may suffer loss, but we hold fast to our hope. We may even become weary, but His strength is perfected in us all the more.
David knew that life would bring its share of battles; but he also knew that God would train him to be equipped for every one of them.
The good news is that God doesn’t just train us to fight; He trains us to win.
I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ my Lord.
No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.
The Lord is my strength and song, and has become my salvation.
The battle is The Lord’s.
Father,
Thank You for accompanying me in every battle I face. You have trained me. You are with me. And You are my victory!
Today I walk in victory, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Can Your Instincts Be Trusted?
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. – 1 John 3:20-22
Last night my son was playing the drums for our youth service. He is naturally gifted musically, so he picked up on the drums quickly a few years ago; however, he is still honing his skills and is not yet fully confident, particularly when a song demands specific dynamics and unique rhythms.
During the pre-service rehearsal I walked up to him and said: “Trust your instincts.” Then I watched as he mentally struggled through the inward awkwardness of knowing how the song SHOULD sound, while feeling as though he couldn’t pull it off.
Later, during the service, I watched and listened as my son “threw caution to the wind” and trusted his instincts. The song was powerful, and it boosted his confidence in Himself and in the Lord.
I have found that, as a man of God, I can often trust my instincts. I have been walking with the Lord for nearly my entire life. I am far from perfect – very far indeed; but my heart has never been far from God. Therefore, I have learned that I can often trust my instincts and be confident. (By the way, confidence does not come naturally to me, so I have really had to learn this from the Lord.)
On the other hand, there are times when I cannot trust my instincts at all. When my soul becomes swayed by circumstances, or is being deceived by the enemy, I cannot always trust what my mind thinks, what my emotions feel, and what my will desires.
The Apostle John was a pastor of pastors – and elder statesman of the faith, whose influence was far-reaching and whose love for others was deeply sincere. The primary theme of his writings centers on the love of God being received by, and expressed through the body of Christ (the Church).
John spoke often of the heart.
The heart, according to the Old Testament Prophet, Jeremiah, is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Yet, we also know that, through Jesus Christ, our mind, will, and emotions are being renewed day by day. The fact is, sometimes you can trust your heart, and sometimes you can’t.
John revealed a key to understanding this principle. He said (in essence) when we are walking in righteousness, refusing to sin, we have greater confidence. That confidence allows our faith to grow and stand strong to believe for big things!
But, when we succumb to temptation and choose to sin, we lack confidence and our faith begins to waver. In fact, our heart begins to condemn us. We feel unworthy. we stop praying. We choose not to go to church. We slip into the background – not because we don’t love God, but because we are under the weight of condemnation.
Friend – if that is the case in your life right now, let me share with you the truth that will set you free:
For is our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
One of the subtleties of sin is that it destroys you from the inside out. It takes away your confidence. Jesus knows all about your stuff. In fact, that is precisely why He came to earth – to live the life that you couldn’t live, in order to give you hope that you didn’t have.
Jesus has already forgiven you. The question is, have you received His forgiveness?
Pray this prayer with me:
Father, You know everything about me, including my sin. Today I confess my sin to You, knowing that You have already forgiven me. Right now I receive Your love, Your acceptance, and Your forgiveness. Lord Jesus, heal my heart; strengthen my faith; help me to walk in freedom and confidence with You everyday. Fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Learn how to “walk in the Spirit” everyday, so that you will not “walk in the flesh.” Your confidence in the Lord will grow, your prayer life will be powerful and effective, and your times with the Lord will be marked by worship and joy.
Satan wants you to live alone in shame; Jesus wants you to live in fellowship and in freedom.
Pastor Dale Jenkins 