THE ART OF WAR (PART 1)
Rev. 12:1-17
Sermon Objective: We are not ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11) and knowing his character, strategy, and tactics equips us for victory.
Supporting Scripture: Genesis 3:13-15; Psalm 41:11, Psalm 103:9-12; John 8:44; Romans 8:31-39; 2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:10-18; Colossians 2:15; 1 Peter 5:7-9; 1 John 5:4
SERMON INTRO
General George Patton of WWII fame was a great student of the history of warfare. During the battles of North Africa, Patton’s troops and tanks were engaged in a series of attacks and counter-attacks with the German Panzer Divisions under the command of General Erwin Rommel, generally considered the greatest battlefield commander ever. Patton’s forces did not fall for one of Rommel’s traps, and in fact, successfully counter-attacked and defeated the Germans. Patton watched the battle unfold, and at the moment he saw the battle turn, he stood up in his staff car and cried out, "Rommel, I read your book I read your book" He was referring to Rommel’s book on warfare. Patton had learned Rommel’s strategy, had planned his moves accordingly, and defeated him.
A few years back I read the book, “The Art of War.” The book is over 3,000 years old and was written by the Chinese general, Sun Tzu. It is still studied and utilized for its military tactics today. One of the principles that Sun Tzu addresses time and again is, “If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.”
Patton knew that. And so did the writers of the Bible. Just as Patton read books to know his adversary (Rommel) we, too, must read “The Book” if we are to know ours. Satan has written no books, but God has exposed the enemy’s schemes in order that Satan might not outwit us. As 2 Cor. 2:11 tells is we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices. Rev. 12, which is right in the middle of John’s apocalypse, is dedicated to exposing our enemy. Here we learn much about his character, motivations, strategy, and tactics.
There are some things about chapter 12 that I need to clarify before moving on. Understanding how any passage fits within the larger context of its book is essential if we are to properly grasp its purpose. So, allow me to chase a rabbit for a moment because it will be important as we move on in the book.
[1] Chapter 12, like the book of the Revelation as a whole, is NOT about the end of times. It addresses the end of times but it is about the reader’s time and place; the here and now. The mention and descriptions of the end of times is intended to serve as an eschatological vision that empowers the church for faithfulness and endurance.
[2] Chapter 12, like The Revelation as a whole, is about the church and its role within society (the world). It is not about Satan as much as it is about how the Church is to act in response to the enemy. Chapter 12 envisions a church that will be courageous enough to resist the powers of the day while embodying the peace and message of the Gospel (v.11).
[3] Rev. 12 in particular is part of an interlude that spans from chapter 12-15. You may recall I referred to this section much like a symphony with movements, or a drama with antagonists, protagonist, and a climax. It sets the stage for what is to come (chapter 13-15) by giving us the background necessary to look behind the veil and see a greater reality … a parallel universe if you please. These chapters conclude the trumpets which evaluate human history from the perspective of the supra-natural’s activity and influence (in contrast to the seals which showed human history from the perspective of human activity / influence and the bowls which show human history from the perspective of God’s activity).
[4] Chapters 12-15 are crucial to the internal/structural integrity of the book. Until one’s understands that they are giving us a peak “behind the veil” (i.e., apocalypse – revealing) and giving us a clearer grasp of the unseen enemy at work, we will not understand the narrative. Nor can we understand the purpose of “The Revelation” as a whole. There is a sense of which chapters 12-15 explain everything else that is happening in John’s Apocalypse.
Now – back to your regularly scheduled programming.
REV. 12:1-17
1A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The 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.
10Then 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 Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11They overcame 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.
12Therefore 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."
13When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
SERMON
May I quote Sun Tzu again? “Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.”
He also said, “Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.”
Our enemy would love for us to be naïve and uninformed. But God has made sure this is not the case.
Let’s take some time to identify some specific character traits, motivations, and tactics of our enemy, the Devil. By doing so, we will be armed (equipped) to engage in the spiritual battle that we must inevitably fight.
1. OUR ENEMY IS REAL
First and foremost we must come to grips with the fact the Satan is a real, living entity.
According to the Barna Research group (April 2009) 6 out of 10 Christians in America (59%) do not believe Satan is a real entity. They believe he is simply a symbol of evil. Another 8% aren’t sure what they believe about Satan.
There is no support for such a theology in the Bible. Throughout the Scriptures our enemy is identified as real … just as real and you, me and God Himself.
In fact, one of the first “disclosures” you find in the Bible is the reality of the tempter … the evil one. It is referred to here in Revelation 12 as well. The dragon’s remote past is defined by the term “ancient serpent” (v.9), which links him to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). That is why we read Genesis 3:13-15 earlier. In fact, Genesis 3:15a can serve as an outline this chapter: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman / and between your offspring and hers.”
John identifies the dragon repeatedly (v.9) as the ancient serpent, the devil (compare 2:10) and Satan (compare 2:9, 13, 24; 3:9). Everything in this account implies that we are to take him serious. In fact, to downplay his reality is a prescription for disaster.
C S Lewis wrote a book called "Screwtape Letters." It is the imaginary account of a senior demon giving the benefit of his experience to his young nephew who is also an apprentice named Wormwood. In one of the letters from Screwtape to Wormwood he gives the following advice: "A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all. ... You see the idea? Keep his mind off the plain antithesis between true and false." (New York: Bantam Books, 1982, p. 27).
Satan loves all unbelief; even unbelief in him. As long as he can keep you unaware of His tactics and reality he has the advantage.
1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
1. Our enemy is real
2. IF OUR ENEMY CANNOT “CAPTURE” YOU THEN HE WILL SEEK TO PARALYZE YOU (V. 12)
Jesus suggests that Satan ultimately loses any battle he wages with those who follow Him (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22) but Satan still has the ability to trip us up and render us ineffective … to neutralize us.
Make no mistake about it – the danger he poses is real. And one of the subtle yet most effective ways he sidetracks us is to get us to concentrate on ourselves rather than on the victorious God who equips us. Verses 10-13 give us some powerful insight.
10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “… For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame 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. 12Therefore 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."
I know I addressed this issue two weeks ago (Christmas Sunday) but it hit a nerve with some of you and you need to grasp the depth and height of this Good News. SATAN IS QUITE CONTENT TO GET YOU TO LOOK AT YOURSELF RATHER THAN AT THE VICTORY THAT IS YOURS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE TESTIMONY OF YOUR FAITH. YOU SEE, HE AS A MASTER MANIPULATOR AND ONE OF HIS MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IS … GUILT.
If he cannot capture you then he wants to paralyze you with accusations. It’s his claim to fame. That is how he is described here. That is what the word “devil” (v. 9) means … accuser / slanderer. And that is all He is doing is slandering you and accusing you. Or, if he has effectively neutralized you, you will begin slandering yourself! He is a good teacher.
To quote from the “Screwtape Letters” again, “Tortured fear and stupid confidence are both desirable states of mind.”
How many of you choose not to serve God courageously and boldly because of guilt? You think you’re not good enough. You think serving now with the past you have makes you a hypocrite. Some of you won’t join the church because you don’t feel worthy. Some of you won’t serve God because you don’t feel worthy. Some of you won’t share your faith because of your past. Some of you live with a nagging reminder of your sin and sinfulness.
LISTEN TO ME!!! That is not God inflicting you with shame and guilt (or motivating you thereby) … that is the enemy! And anybody else who does that to you is a tool of the devil! When God shows you your sin God also shows you his grace, offers you pardon, and empowers you to move beyond it. Your Heavenly Father doesn’t want you wallowing in your past. He does not keep your sins in a jar so he can use them to remind you and manipulate you on another day. God throws your sins into the sea of forgetfulness.
Psalm 103:9-12 says: “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
LISTEN TO ME! Jesus Christ washed your sins away. Only the enemy brings them up and throws them in your face … and that he does “day and night. You must forgive yourself, and claim Christ’s blood. You CAN live in victory. HERE, IN THE PASSAGE THAT MOST CLEARLY EXPLAINS SATAN’S CHARACTER, MOTIVES, AND STRATEGY, WE SEE GOD ASSURING YOU OF FORGIVENESS AND VICTORY.
Seize it!
I hope you caught it (v. 10-11) … he can’t accuse you before God anymore. Jesus’ blood washed away any indictments he can bring. Jesus’ blood is more powerful than your rebellion and sin. So since Satan cannot slander you to God he slanders you to yourself. Since he cannot affect your eternal destiny he will affect you time here on earth.
But, in Christ, you have the victory! You no longer have to be a victim to the law of sin and death. I want you to take Romans 8:31-39 seriously.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Brothers and sisters … it is time for you to get over yourself. It is time for you to get past your sin and live above the schemes of the enemy.
WRAP-UP
Well, there is more but it will wait until next week.
1. Our enemy is real
2. If our enemy cannot “capture” you – then he will try to paralyze you (v. 12)
The job of the church is not to impact the church, but to impact the world. It’s like a huddle in a football game. 70,000 people don’t pay $50.00 a ticket to watch the team huddle. What if you went to a game and for 2 ½ hours you watched 11 men stand in a circle and talk? That’s not what you pay for!! 70,000 people pay $50.00 a ticket to see what difference the huddle makes. WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS, HAVING CALLED THE PLAY IN SECRET, DOES IT WORK IN PUBLIC? The challenge for the church is not what we do when we call our Sunday morning huddle, but what we do when we break our huddle and head to our Monday morning assignment. When Satan lines up against us, what difference does it make that we are Christians?
(Special thanks to Rev. David Salisbury of Hohenwald, Tennessee for this idea)
As I told you in my “prologue” this chapter is not so much about Satan as it is the church. God believes in his church and believes it will be victorious. In fact, he guarantees it! And one tool that we have in winning this spiritual war with Satan is living in faith and faithfully!
1 John 5:4 says, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
This is vital. It is our path to victory. Trusting God and relying on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
COMMUNION
And it is an appropriate place for us to pause and celebrate Christ’s redemption with communion. The voice in heaven shows us the future of the church in 12:10 & 11: “10Then 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 Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame 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.’”
Once more from Sun Tzu, “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.”
Father, we are grateful to be called your children and indeed we will follow you everyday, everywhere, and in every way. We will “not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
We eat this bread of your body and drink this cup of your blood as a testimony of our dependence on you for salvation and as a testimony of our allegiance.
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
