Know your enemy (A call to prayer)
21/08/2022 - Matt Destry
Things are not how they should be, and things are not always as they seem. Who is behind the evil in our world? Why do we always fight each other? Today we explore the existence of evil, the devil’s ultimate defeat, and how the woman and her child from Revelation 12 relate to each one of us.
Revelation 12
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I 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 has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
The Bible doesn’t shy away from naming things – once something is named, it can be dealt with
a/ Opposer
b/ Deceiver
c/ Accuser
The war in heaven: Evil does not get its way!
His head has been crushed
He has been kicked out of heaven
His time is short!
How to overcome:
1/ Blood of the Lamb – trust in Jesus’s work
2/ Word of testimony – tell your story
3/ They loved not their lives unto death – spiritual resilience
Know your allies
Angels / Creation / Wilderness
Exodus 19:1-6
On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”
Questions
1/ What are the areas of consistent and persistent sin in your life? How might Jesus’ freedom and your own testimony be able to break that cycle?
2/ Who do you talk to about the challenges in your life? Do those people bring accusation and deception or grace and truth?
3/ Where has your in-built desire for comfort dulled the edge of your discipleship? How might you deny yourself the things that are easy (rage, laziness, pride, greed) to pick up the things that are hard (forgiveness, diligence, humility, generosity)?