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. 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. 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. 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.”
Revelation 12:9-12
Here we have the results of the crucifixion and the resurrection. Satan was cast to earth so that he could never go to heaven again to accuse us like he did Job. The accuser has been cast down so that he can only accuse us to each other not before God. We are able to overcome him by the testimony we have in the blood of the Lamb and by not loving our lives more than the Lamb. Now heaven is rejoicing to be rid of the trouble-maker. Here on earth it is a different story. We are the ghetto of the universe where Satan and his angels are quarantined. We are under his intense attack because he knows that his time is limited.
The result of God’s limiting Satan is that we are left to overcome him until the end of his time. This is good news for the universe in general but bad news for those of us who have to live in his neighborhood. God has not thrown a bully that we cannot stop into our lives. No, He has given us tools to build a great life that doesn’t end here. He has given us weapons to defeat the enemy of our soul so that we do not need to live in fear. We have only to stand in the strength that He has given us.
Lord Jesus, thank You for the abilities and implements we need to build and defend our lives. Help me to be aware of you will and movement so that I can lead Your people effectively. Provide the skills, focus, materials we need to build Your kingdom in our region. Bless Your church with the knowing that You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
Keeping The Neighborhood Clean,
Pastor Jason
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