Heavenly War
(Rev 12: 7~11)
1 Samuel says, 'The battle is the LORDs.' This means that there are heavenly affairs behind the scene of the earthly battles. In order to wage a good heavenly war, we need to know its reality and the nature of our enemy, Satan, who is ready to fly at us. Who is he?
1. Satan is defeated. Verse 7 depicts a heavenly war. There is a war we humans dont know. The Bible definitely shows us the reality of a spiritual world made by God, who breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of the man that he made in his image. But we fail to see it because of our spiritual blindness and feel desperate when facing an incomprehensible trial. Revelation 12 describes this dangerous being, the very source of all disasters. Satan was one of the most outstanding angels. Yet, daring to be equal to God, he was hurled to the earth for his rebellion against God. Later Satan tried to devour the baby Jesus. However, Christ defeated him through his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus strategy was the diametrical opposite of Satans being crucified for his handiwork. Satan can never understand the wisdom of this self-sacrificial love. Not power but love wins the war. We need to wage our war, knowing that Satan is a loser. When we dont know that everything is a spiritual affair, we are a loser. We have just one choice whether Satans man or Christs agent. Theres no DMZ between the two. Watching us wage our war in the name of Christ, as his agent, Christ will actually fight for us.
2. Satan is the accuser and seducer of us all. We are all sinners, falling short of the glory of God, children of Satan, a born liar and murderer (Jn 8:44). Satans name means an accuser. His business is accusing us of cruelty, slyness, lies, hatred and murder. Without being ruled by God, we are to be under Satans reign. We need to see our sinful nature before God in the midst of our trials. Yet Satan keeps accusing us, instilling a guilty conscience in us, in order to block the way to Gods grace. Thus our sin drives a wedge between God and us, who were created by God to enjoy his abundant grace. Our life problems are bound up with heavenly issues. They cant be resolved by focusing on an earthly agenda. How can we expel the great accuser and seducer of us all?
3. We should listen to Gods voice. Theres no other way than this. We should take the message of Gods salvation, heavenly kingdom, and Christs power as Gods loud voice. What should we listen to in a practical way? We need to listen to Gods voice through our enemies by meditating on the Word. Through trials, God actually helps us meditate on the Word and be separated from the world. Meanwhile, we need to ponder over Gods kingdom while noticing our enemies accusation and stick to the heavenly kingdom, empowered by Christ. Even the unprecedented persecution of Israel by Rome was actually from Gods providence for the sake of world evangelism. By praying for our spouse or boss despite his persecution on us, we will be able to evangelize the world.
4. We need to wage our heavenly wars by the power of the little lambs blood. Michaels victory was Christs. When we accept Jesus and show His glory in the midst of our trials, we can defeat Satan. By converting our trials into our mission, we can overcome disgrace. By regarding our trials as the theme of our life, the Scripture as our textbook, and the Holy Spirit as our tutor, we can be a master of evangelism, spiritual fostering, and counseling. This is the A to Z of the heavenly wars. The temporary peaceful session of our life is our recharging time to prepare for another war. The war leads us to prepare for life. Satan constantly attacks us because we are Gods children. Notice that we fall over trivial things. Those who bother us are actually the agents that God sent for our training. May God bless us to wage our heavenly wars on earth, looking only to God with our spiritual eyes wide open.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven (Rev 12:7ampsim8).
