July 30 – The power of our testimony

But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.   (Revelation 12:11  NET)

Jesus’ death on the cross was a game changer, defeating the devil and paying the price for our sins.  No longer did people have to make animal sacrifice after animal sacrifice in an attempt to wash away their sins, when the blood of animals could never really cleanse anyone’s conscience.  No longer did a curtain separate common people from the holy presence of Almighty God, and no longer did God dwell in a building, but in people’s hearts.  The blood of the Lamb cleanses us from all impurity and makes us acceptable to God, so that whenever He looks at us He sees the innocence and perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  So yes, we overcome Satan — the ancient serpent, the huge dragon, the devil — by the blood of the Lamb.

But it’s not enough to believe in what Jesus did on the cross and claim Him as our Lord and Savior.  When our faith is real, our lives will be transformed and we will have a testimony to tell.  It is impossible for a person to believe in that great act and walk away unchanged, but when that change occurs an amazing thing happens, we unmask the devil and everything he’s doing in our lives, revealing who he really is — that he is weak and that God is strong.  The changes that occur in our lives, both physical and spiritual, bring glory to God and shame to Satan, and make the invisible God visible to everyone around us.

But we cannot forget that a testimony has to be communicated.  A testimony is not a testimony unless the person who received it tells others, unless he boasts about what God has done for him.  Whenever a miracle happens, that miracle does not only belong to us, it belongs to the world.  We are not supposed to keep silent about it even if we are shy, we hate speaking in front of crowds, or we have a sneaky feeling that we might “jinx” ourselves if we speak about it out loud.  Giving our testimony is one further step in overcoming the devil, and establishing that miracle as a permanent part of our lives.

So remember, there are two things that overcome Satan…