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Formula For Victory
Reprinted from The Carolina Messenger
David R. Pharr
The theme of Revelation is
victory. To each of the seven churches there
is a special promise to "him that
overcometh". For example, "To him
that overcometh will I give to eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the
paradise of God" (2:7). Satan's
attacks may be through persecutions,
temptations, false doctrines,
discouragements, or lukewarmness. Only by
overcoming these things can we enjoy the
heavenly city (21:27).
Chapter 12 shows that the issue of
redemption has been settled in heaven (12:7-10).
Now the battle for the souls of men is being fought on
the earth (12:12). Satan has not given up. The
conflict continues and people are as surely lost today
when they are defeated by the devil's weapons of
temptation, error, and complacency as they were when
they long ago surrendered to the threat of
persecution. How can we overcome? What is the formula
for victory?
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and
by the word of their testimony; and they loved not
their lives unto the death (12:11).
The formula for victory has three ingredients:
- "The blood of the Lamb."
Men are powerless to overcome, sin without His
blood. Only in the death of Jesus is there victory
over sin's damning debt.
- "The word of their
testimony." This is the gospel. Only by the
gospel can men believe and obey that the blood might
be applied. The victory of the church is in the
preaching of the word.
- "They loved not their lives
unto the death." This is personal commitment.
Only when men are fully committed to Christ can they
have the eternal victory. Jesus said, "If any man
come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and
wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple"
(Luke 14:26).
Our modern tragedy is that we
want to rejoice in the blood of Jesus and feel
confident in our knowledge of gospel truth, but too
often we lack the kind of commitment described in
Revelation 12:11. It is a strange irony that we
spend so much effort just trying to get people to
attend services when the Lord is calling for people
who love not their lives unto the death.
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