Thurs Devo: Heaven's war

Who is the ruler of Heaven?

Who is the ruler of this world right now?

Revelation 12:7-12    ⁷ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. ⁸ But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.
¹¹ They triumphed over him
    by the blood of the Lamb
    and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.
¹² Therefore rejoice, you heavens
    and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
    because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
    because he knows that his time is short.”

Knowing Satan rules this world, helps explain a lot of things, doesn’t it? Remembering this, reminds me not to pursue or look for earthly success and security. It is deceptively alluring. It will all be short-lived. I think Satan uses it to distract us from focusing on God, His promises, and His truths. As powerful as Satan is, his time of rule will end. He’s already been defeated!


How will you and I rejoice in God’s power over Satan, and pursue eternal success and security? We may need to first ask for God’s help to identify areas where we have fallen for Satan’s deception and lies. Then, we can triumph over Satan, in God’s power!

Alice

Thurs Devo: What's Success?

How do you define success? Who’s standard do you use? Your bosses, your peers, your family and friends, or your own? It’s so hard not to view success by the standards of others.

What about when it comes to sharing the truths of God with others? Do you and I gauge our effectiveness or success by the response of others? I think I often do. After a conversation, I will try and think of what I failed to say or mention that might have helped the other person respond differently. It’s not bad to self evaluate so that I can learn from my experiences, but God’s the ultimate judge of success. He doesn’t rate success by the responses we get or the outcome, but by our obedience to Him.

Look at the example of the two witnesses that will prophesy at the end of time:

Revelation 11:3-7     ³ And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” ⁴ They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” ⁵ If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. ⁶ They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.

Death doesn’t seem like a result of success but of failure! The witnesses certainly won’t convince the beast or many of earth’s inhabitants to turn to God. Even with all the power God gives them, people will choose not to believe. Their success in God’s eyes isn’t measured by the response of others, but by their faithfulness to speak the truth. They “finished their testimony” as verse 7 says and completed the job God gave them to do.

Do you and I feel like failures when it comes to influencing others for Christ? How can you and I remember that obedience is success and not the response to our obedience (or outcome), just like with the two witnesses?

Alice