It was ever the intention and design of God to save a people for the glory of his grace and to exalt a chosen race of redeemed sinners to the place of highest honor and dignity in the universe, making them the sons of God. As it was ever God's intention to save an elect people, it was ever his intention to save them in Christ, by the work of his Son as their Substitute. From old eternity, God in infinite wisdom determined to create a world and a race of men from whom he would save a chosen multitude, for the praise, honor and glory of his own great name, because it was his pleasure to do so.
1. God, in the counsel halls of eternity, ordained Christ to be the Representative, Surety, Mediator and Covenant Head of His People (Pro. 8:23-26; Isa. 49:8).
2. The Lord God purposed to Create Man in the Image and Likeness of Christ, The Mediator, who would come into the world to save his own elect in the fullness of time (Gen. 1:26; Col. 1:15).
3. God ordained the fall of this entire race through Adam, so that he might magnify his own love and grace in the redemption of his elect by Christ, the Second Adam (Gen. 2:17).
NOTE: We do not suggest for a moment that God caused the fall, or compelled Adam to sin. But we are not among those foolish men who suggest that the sin and fall of our father Adam took God by surprise! The fall of Adam, like everything else was ordained, predestined and sovereignly overruled by God for the eternal salvation of his elect and the glory of his own dear Son (Rom. 98:28; 11:36).
4. And God ordained from eternity to exalt these chosen, redeemed sinners to the place of highest honor, making us the sons of God, perfectly conformed to the image of his own dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29-30).
All the angels of God were created to be ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to God's elect, who shall be the heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14). Though the angels were a higher order of beings by creation, God made them the servants of his elect, who would be made higher than all creatures by his redemptive, saving grace. This place of servitude was unbearable to Lucifer, the son of the morning. In great pride and arrogance, he led a rebellion against the throne of God, and drew with him one third of the heavenly angels (Isa. 14:12-14). All of this happened before the world was created. But God's throne was not shaken. His purpose stood fast. As soon as the Triune God began to execute his great plan, as soon as he created the world and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden, Satan began a warfare against Christ, the promised Man Child which has not yet ceased. (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 12:4).
Though when Christ came he conquered the old serpent, the serpent's rage has not ceased. Though his doom is sure, the dragon's rage is not abated. Christ, the Man child, has been raised up to the throne of God, forever out of Satan's reach. Therefore, the malicious foe of God, our adversary, the Devil, has turned his rage upon the church, God's elect people upon the earth.
We are no match for our enemy, he is wiser and stranger than us. But we have the promise of God that just as Christ overcame and conquered him, so shall we (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20). In our text this evening, John heard the praises of those glorified spirits in heaven who have already overcome the serpent's rage, and he tells us how they did it. "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death."
Proposition:All who follow Christ shall overcome and conquer Satan.
Divisions:Here John plainly tells us four things about all the saints of God in heaven.
I. The first thing I want you to see is implied rather than stated in our text – These Saints Of God In Heaven All Fought The Same Warfare That We Fight.
We tend to think of these men and women who have gone before us as people of another race, endowed with graces beyond our reach, capable of mightier deeds than we can perform, adorned with godliness we can never attain. Artists like to paint the ancient saints with holos. But they were men just like us. The cares of the world made furrows in their brow just as they do us. Grief turned their hair gray, just like it does ours. They were all men and women of like passions with us.
A. These Saints In Heaven Were Once Assaulted By Satan Just Like You Are.
Children of God, the path in which you walk has been walked by many before you. Though all of us are individuals, there is a remarkable sameness in our experiences. Paul had a messenger of satan, sent by God, to buffet him, just like all the saints before him and like all the saints after him. (II Cor. 12:7).
1. The trials, cares and heartaches of this world have all been endured by our brethren before us – (Job).
2. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life have been violent enemies to God's saints in all ages (David – Ps. 51).
3. And all of God's saints have constantly been engaged in a deep, never ending warfare in the inner territory of their own souls (Ps. 73; Rom. 7; Gal. 5:17).
Can you picture that great multitude which no man can number around the throne of God? They are all glorified now. But not one came up to the city of bliss without his battle scars. Not one of them sailed to glory in an unshaken vessel. Not one of them took his throne unchallenged. Before they enjoyed their conquest, they all endured their conflicts.
B. Though Constantly Assaulted By Satan, These Saints Of God All Resisted His Assaults.
They all fought the good fight of faith. No one overcomes an antagonist without fighting with him. Victory does not come to passive, indifferent men. Before we can take full possession of our inheritance, the Canaanites must be driven out of the land. (See Eph. 6:13-18).
II. Secondly, I want you to see that These Victorious Saints In Heaven All Had The Same Weapons That We Have.
They had two weapons. And these two weapons are really one: the blood and the word. "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.
A. The Blood Of The Lamb Was Theirs.
They went to Christ by faith and received the atonement he accomplished. Appropriating the blood to themselves by faith, they were cleansed of all sin and cleared of all guilt. The blood of the Lamb, precious and powerful as it is, is of no value to anyone until it is appropriated by faith. But once we take the blood with the hand of faith and sprinkle it upon the doorposts and lintel of our hearts, salvation is ours and victory is sure.
1. The blood of the Lamb, according to verse 10, gave these saints all they needed.
2. These men and women overcame the terrors of satan's accusations and the power of his temptations by the blood of the Lamb.
According to Jewish tradition, satan accuses God's elect all day and all night long, every day and every night, except on the day of atonement. On the day of atonement he is silent. But the fact is better than the tradition. The atonement of Christ shuts the accuser's mouth forever, for his atonement is an everlasting atonement.
a. The blood of the Lamb silences satan's accusations in the court of heaven.
b. The blood of Christ silences the accusations of satan in the court of conscience.
Let us ever cling to the cross of Christ. Then we are beyond the reach of the old serpent's venom. The serpent may hiss at us, but he can never bite us. The lion may roar, but he cannot devour.
B. The Other Weapon By Which These Saints Overcome Satan Was The Word Of Their Testimony, The Preaching Of The Gospel.
This is the only weapon of God's church today. If we would overcome the power of satan in the world and in the hearts of men, we must do so by preaching the gospel. Gospel preaching is the battering ram by which we attach the gates of hell. (Rom. 1:16-17; I Cor. 9:6).
1. Satan's power is broken in the hearts of men only by gospel preaching.
2. Satan's power is broken in the nations of the world, only by gospel preaching.
3. Satan's power is broken, even in the hearts and lives of God's elect, only by gospel preaching.
4. I cannot go on without noting this fact: "The Word of Their Testimony" always has to do with "The Blood of The Lamb."
Gospel preaching is the preaching of the blood of the Lamb. Where there is no blood, there is no gospel. And where there is no gospel there is no preaching. This is the weapon by which we do battle. We preach the blood of the Lamb.
III. Thirdly, I want to call your attention to the fact that All These Saints In Heaven Fought In The Same Spirit As We Do.
"They loved not their lives unto the death." I almost worded my third point like this. "They all fought in the spirit in which we should." But that would not be accurate. This is not just the spirit, which God's people seek. This is the spirit in which God's elect live. Those who follow Christ "love no their lives unto the death." The spirit described by these words implies five things –
V. Briefly, let me show you one more thing in our text. These Saints In Heaven All Overcome As WE Shall.
Though the enemy is strong, and though the battle was long, they all overcame, and so shall we (Rom. 16:20; Rev. 3:21).
Blessed, sovereign Lord Jesus, I ask that tonight you will graciously demonstrate your dominion over the prince of darkness. Break satan's power in the hearts of men. And graciously encourage your dear children, some of whom are in the thick of the battle this hour. Make every true believer confident of his conquest over satan by the power of your grace.
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