“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last – salvation and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated/overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12: 10-11).
The devil is not a symbol or legend; he is very real. Originally Satan was an angel of God, but through his own pride, he became corrupt and was cast down (Isaiah 14: 12-17). The devil is God’s enemy, and he constantly tries to hinder God’s work, but he is limited by God’s power and can do only what he is permitted to do (Job 1: 6- 2:8). He actively looks for people to attack (1 Peter 5: 8, 9). He likes to pursue believers who are vulnerable in their faith, who are spiritually weak, or who are isolated from other believers.
We are living in the last days, and Satan’s work has become more intense. Even though the devil is very powerful, as we can see by the condition of our world, he is always under God’s control. God has to permit the devil for him to do his work in this world. And Jesus has complete power over Satan- He defeated Satan when He died and rose again for the salvation of everyone, and one day Satan will be bound forever, never again to do his evil work (Revelation 20: 10).
Believers can easily fall into Satan’s traps, who is eager to accuse them before God day and night (Revelation 12: 10). In highligting this role of Satan, the writer of Revelation is reflecting an Old Testament understanding of Satan as a heavenly prosecutor (Job 1: 6-12; 2: 1- 7; Zechariah 3: 1); but in the New Testament, Satan, as the ‘prince of this world’ tempts believers to sin and disobey God (John 12: 31; 1 Peter 5:8). He even tempted Jesus Christ during His earthly life and ministry (Matthew 4: 1-11). One of the reasons God allows Satan to work evil and bring temptation on the world is for those who pretend to be Christ’s followers to be weeded out from Christ’s true believers.
The Bible makes a definite call on God’s people to overcome a multitude of things: Satan, sin, the world, the flesh, and the fallen human life. Those who love the Lord Jesus sense a corresponding echo within, calling them to live an overcoming life. In order to live the life of an overcomer and be rewarded as an overcomer by Christ at His second coming (Rev. 22: 12), we must first believe in Christ’s divinity by confessing that Jesus is the Son of God. This faith (1 John 5:5) thus becomes the basis, the foundation, of an overcoming life. Nevertheless, simply believing does not guarantee that at the end of our life’s journey we will receive an overcomer’s reward. While all overcomers are believers, not all believers, though they are eternally saved, will be overcomers. Believing is only the initiation into the overcoming life.
Following this initial step of believing, is the Lord’s lifelong call to all His believers to live and serve Him faithfully that they may be qualified to receive the overcomer’s reward. Every believer receives eternal life as a gift (Romans 6: 23) through faith, not by works (Eph. 2:8). However, in Revelation 2 and 3 there is a further call to the churches for overcomers with the promise of a reward for faithfulness. This is the same reward promised in 1 Corinthians 3: 14 to the believers whose life and work passes through the testing fire at the coming judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3: 15; 2 Cor. 5: 10). First Corinthians 3: 15 tells us a believer can still be saved, yet suffer the loss of this reward. He forever keeps the free gift of God, eternal life (John 10: 28), but he may lose the prize Paul spoke of in Philippians 3: 4: “I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward.” This prize is the wedding feast of the Lamb with His overcoming believers (Rev. 19: 7, 9), who will rule and reign with Christ in His heavenly kingdom for a thousand years.
The hope of our calling – actually, God’s hope in calling each of us- is that all His believers would also be overcomers, those who love Him supremely and daily choose to live by Him and unto Him. Romans 5: 17 promises, “Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” May the Lord gain our loving response to His call for overcomers!
Have a peaceful week, the travails of the world notwithstanding knowing that as Jesus Christ has overcome the world, you too shall overcome (John 16: 33).
Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon
S. Igein Isemede.