Overcome

Victory in Jesus  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  45:40
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Introduction: Do you ever feel like something is working against you? Like bad luck follows you or the cards are stacked against you? You can’t win for losing?
Does it seem like someone very powerful is trying to hold you down or defeat you? There is a very good reason for feeling that way at we have an enemy that walks about seeking whom he may devour. Revelation 12:1-17 is a stark reminder to the people of God that we have an enemy that is the source behind the evil in the world. The devil is ultimately defeated, but he’s not going down quietly. Although he is defeated, he wants to create as much chaos as possible with the time he has left. The people of God are his target.
The good news is this; no matter what he throws at us we will overcome. Not even death can defeat us, because we have overcome through the life, death, resurrection and eternal life of Jesus Christ. Let’s take a moment to look at Revelation 12:1-12
Revelation 12:1–12 NKJV
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days. 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 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. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
This morning I want us to notice some of signpost of our victory and Satan’s defeat!

The Sign of Promise

Verse 1 & 2 introduces a character. A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland with 12 stars. And she is pregnant and ready to deliver.
Who is this woman? Some say it is Mary and to some degree it is, but the picture in scripture is Israel. The Jewish nation or people that were elected through God’s promise to Abraham. The nation God formed through Abraham. Notice how this description sounds like the vision Joseph had in Genesis 37:9-11
Genesis 37:9–11 NKJV
9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” 10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
In the Old Testament Israel is portrayed as a traveling woman. Isaiah 26:17-18
Isaiah 26:17–18 NKJV
17 As a woman with child Is in pain and cries out in her pangs, When she draws near the time of her delivery, So have we been in Your sight, O Lord. 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
Micah 4:10 NKJV
10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
Well what’s the point that God is making through John to the churches? Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan. He made a promise to Eve, confirmed it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, established it through Moses and Joshua, and fulfilled it by Mary. Galatians 4:4-5
Galatians 4:4–5 NKJV
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Christ’s birth is a sign of promise and a sign of victory. Listen to this text: Romans 8:31-32
Romans 8:31–32 NKJV
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
When the devil is on your heels and you don’t know if you can take another step remember that God came to you in the person of Jesus Christ.

The Signpost of Power

I want you to get the picture that is painted in Revelation 12:3-6
Revelation 12:3–6 NKJV
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Here is a dragon standing before a woman ready to give birth. Now, we are smart enough to realize that a pregnant woman and a child are no match for a dragon.
This dragon is great, powerful, evil, and deceptive. He none other than the devil, Satan, the serpent of old.
Dr. Ed Hindson said that this is no ordinary monster, but the monster of all monsters.
Don’t miss the monster’s plan. He wanted to devour the child. We see this in Matthew 2:16
Matthew 2:16 NKJV
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
Why did Satan fear this child so badly? This child held the power to destroy Satan’s legal hold on the earth. If this eternal God dies as a human being then Satan’s agreement with Adam is null and void.
What happened? John gives the part of the Gospel we rarely share. The ascension! What is he saying by this? Jesus lived, died, rose again, and ascended to the Father, and reigns.
When Satan is busy condemning you, remind him that he has no power over you. Jesus has overcome!

The Signpost Unseen

Something very interesting happens in verses 7-12. A war breaks out, a spiritual war between angels and demons. Why then?
The death and resurrection of Jesus legally regained dominion over earth. It was the spiritual equivalent Yorktown, Appomattox, D-Day, or VJ Day.
When Satan’s dominion was legally broke a spiritual war ensued and Satan fell.
We didn’t see all of that, but we see the evidence. Satan can’t accuse us before God because he lost his legal authority to come before God.
Verses 13-17 reminds us that Satan’s attention has turned to spiritual Israel and her offspring — us.
Isn’t it interesting that a signpost of victory is the fact that we have to deal with Satan?
How do we fight this defeated foe?
The blood of the lamb
The word of our testimony.
Complete surrender to God.
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