Scripture:
“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.”” (Revelation 12:10 ESV)
Observation:
Very interesting and encouraging descriptions of Jesus here. This is something to remember and call to mind!!
Application:
Revelations can be so very confusing at times; Dragons, angels, something with 7 horns, bunches of heavenly entities of all kinds of descriptions, etc., etc. What do they all mean? Sometimes I have to just read over them because I haven’t the foggiest—which is OK. I don’t have to sweat or wring my hands because I don’t get it. Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV is my fallback scripture on things like this: ““The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” But, in the midst of mysterious prose comes a clearly stated declaration: Salvation, power, and the Kingdom of God have come in the authority of the Christ! The Accuser has been overcome, thrown down and defeated. This wasn’t said in conversational tones—it was triumphantly shouted “a loud voice!” So, I am sitting here writing this. Gotta say: there is a racing of my heart writing about this. As I think even ever so briefly on this section of Scripture—I stir. Something is going on inside. I am setting my jaw; face like flint, my mind is on the things above, etc., etc. Truth: Doesn’t happen all the time. Happens more when I am regularly in the Scriptures and trying to wrestle with them. I want to know and feel and grip the ebb and flow of His Word. There is something living and active in the Scriptures—it will stir when we ask for stirring.
Prayer:
Father, as I read this the next day I realize how fragile my convictions can be. I am not stirred as much Tuesday as I was Monday. Goes to show me that my “affections” are fickle and that the Word of God is stable. I ask, call on Your Name, to firm up my heart with the unchanging Word—make my heart fertile ground so that underneath the Word’s authority I make fruit of my life and fully speak of your Gospel in every occasion.