WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.800 I'm going to invite you to Revelation chapter 12 is where we're going to be together today. 00:00:05.800 --> 00:00:13.080 Revelation chapter 12, in a passage that I find if people have read through the book of Revelation, this is one of those chapters 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:20.440 I think people highlight as one of their favorites and going through this book because of the story that's told here and the imagery that John 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:25.260 uses to really tell a beautiful story for all of us. 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:31.660 You know, we talk about when you look at the book of Revelation, this is a eschatological apocalyptic book, right? 00:00:31.720 --> 00:00:35.990 But at the same time, some people get very obsessive with putting this book on a timeline. 00:00:36.900 --> 00:00:43.670 But for us, I think what's also important to remember is that this book is relevant for God's people throughout all centuries. 00:00:43.800 --> 00:00:51.060 And so we certainly can pull from this what we need to understand in order to honor God with our lives, no matter where we find ourselves in 00:00:51.060 --> 00:00:51.710 history. 00:00:52.260 --> 00:00:59.360 In Revelation chapter 12 is one of those beautiful chapters that really reminds us of the importance of a Of a relationship in 00:00:59.360 --> 00:01:04.780 Jesus and what that means for us, especially as we think in light of where we've been together in this book. 00:01:04.800 --> 00:01:11.760 Because if you've read in chapter nine, you remember the destroyer came Satan and or Satan, depending on how you want to pronounce that. 00:01:12.220 --> 00:01:14.290 But he's come and he's unlocked the abyss. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:17.360 And out of that became this curse upon humanity. 00:01:17.600 --> 00:01:23.450 Through through this locust plague, we saw that imagery painted for us very powerfully in chapter nine. 00:01:23.700 --> 00:01:28.480 And it's almost a despairing image that's described until you get to chapter ten. 00:01:28.780 --> 00:01:34.720 And in chapter ten, you see the greatness of who God is proclaimed to us through this angelic being. 00:01:34.740 --> 00:01:36.480 Some people think it's an angel of the Lord. 00:01:36.800 --> 00:01:37.980 It may be Christ himself. 00:01:38.420 --> 00:01:41.720 Others think it's just an angel emulating the power of God. 00:01:41.940 --> 00:01:44.980 Either way, it's representing God's glory. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:51.520 And in so doing, in chapter 11, then talks about these witnesses to go out and proclaim the truth of who God is. 00:01:52.020 --> 00:01:57.000 And so no matter how dark the day may be, we're reminded the greater light we have in Christ, right? 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:58.100 The greater is he is. 00:01:58.100 --> 00:02:00.560 First John four says, he who is in you than he who is in the world. 00:02:01.540 --> 00:02:08.560 And so there's this calling of God's people to step into the power and authority that you have for Christ in Christ and proclaim that 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:14.860 in the world, right, that we're called to push back darkness as great light because we have the light, who is Jesus? 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:23.120 And so you see this image of these two witnesses in Revelation 11 going and proclaiming that which I use as a picture, really, of all of God's people, 00:02:23.160 --> 00:02:26.510 our commissioning into this world because of who Christ is and what that means. 00:02:27.340 --> 00:02:34.600 But there comes this place in our life that sometimes, as we're moving for God's glory, that darkness can feel so overwhelming to us. 00:02:35.220 --> 00:02:42.410 And we may know what the truth of God's Word says, but then we might feel like we're sort of this anomaly to what God proclaims. 00:02:42.700 --> 00:02:48.420 Like we're sort of this isolated individual that, God's truth is really relevant for everyone else. 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:52.700 But for me, in this particular situation, we might doubt that, right? 00:02:52.700 --> 00:02:58.440 Or we might just we might accept it, that the darkness is just going to have its way with us. 00:02:58.440 --> 00:03:05.480 And Revelation chapter 12 is one of those chapters that helps us consider where is God in 00:03:05.480 --> 00:03:08.720 the midst of darkness, and what's the hope that we have as people? 00:03:08.720 --> 00:03:16.000 And so we we've titled this when I feel trapped in spiritual darkness or more, we could say it more like a question what can I do when 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.330 I feel trapped in spiritual darkness? 00:03:19.160 --> 00:03:24.340 And I'm going to give you point number one in our notes, and we're going to unpack this as Revelation 12 begins to unfold. 00:03:24.440 --> 00:03:29.070 But number one is this discover your deliverance in the gospel. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:37.800 Discover your deliverance in the gospel in you know, if this is you this morning, you're like, I know I've done that. 00:03:37.880 --> 00:03:41.220 I'm very thankful that you believe that you've done that. 00:03:41.220 --> 00:03:42.280 That's that is critical. 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:42.790 That is important. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:46.660 You know, and I and I hope we're all on that page together. 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:54.320 And, for some, sometimes there's always a concern as a pastor that when people talk about the gospel What they describe may not really 00:03:54.320 --> 00:03:57.800 be what the Bible says the gospel is. 00:03:58.780 --> 00:04:06.140 And then there's also this worry that for Christians, someone might have explained to you the gospel as if it's like this process 00:04:06.140 --> 00:04:13.220 where there's these steps and then you embrace this point, there's this point you embrace, and then you did that, and now you move on with 00:04:13.220 --> 00:04:14.100 the rest of your life. 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:22.490 And I want you to know the gospel is something that should enrich our lives every day, that it's not something you believe in once, and then you move on. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:27.600 But it's something you learn to find your life reframed in every day, right? 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:29.540 Because it's new, it's active. 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:32.900 It's always transforming us in what God has done for us. 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:40.480 And so in case there's a lack of clarity in what the gospel is to us as a community, it's to understand, man. 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:41.770 God made you for a relationship. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:44.300 God made you to connect to him. 00:04:44.420 --> 00:04:46.080 That's what it means to be made in the image of God. 00:04:46.100 --> 00:04:53.160 Is this idea that different than any other creature or thing that God made, That you're made uniquely, which gives you intrinsic 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:53.610 value. 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:55.620 You're made in the image of God. 00:04:55.660 --> 00:04:56.940 Your worth is not based on what you do. 00:04:56.940 --> 00:04:57.840 It's based on who you are. 00:04:58.700 --> 00:04:59.140 Right? 00:04:59.140 --> 00:05:01.730 But we as human beings are all sinful. 00:05:02.780 --> 00:05:06.980 And in response to that, people have created religion to try to avail ourselves to God. 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:12.380 Like you can do enough good to outdo the bad, and therefore God has to love you because you've made yourself so lovable. 00:05:12.760 --> 00:05:13.370 That's not Christianity. 00:05:13.760 --> 00:05:14.370 That's not biblical. 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:15.320 That's not the gospel. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:16.700 Right? 00:05:16.700 --> 00:05:20.540 And to embrace that in any way is to reject what Jesus has done for us. 00:05:21.220 --> 00:05:25.560 Some people think they kind of embrace the cross and you add some things to it, and then that's enough. 00:05:25.960 --> 00:05:29.740 But to add anything to what Jesus has done for us is blasphemous to the price he's paid. 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:37.800 Or the real gospel is to understand, I didn't do anything to rescue myself, that really the only thing I've done is 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.620 the sinning which separates me from God. 00:05:40.280 --> 00:05:42.020 And there's nothing I can do to take that away. 00:05:43.340 --> 00:05:50.400 But Christ did it for me that while I made for relationship with God and my sin has made God distant from me that God 00:05:50.400 --> 00:05:51.260 didn't give up on me. 00:05:51.260 --> 00:05:54.600 He pursued me with his own life by dying on the cross for my sins. 00:05:54.980 --> 00:05:58.440 He took on his behalf what I owed as my sin debt. 00:05:59.460 --> 00:06:05.400 And Jesus liberates me at the cross by paying for my penalty of sin. 00:06:05.900 --> 00:06:08.120 And so for the call of every person. 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:08.400 It's this. 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:13.370 It's this place of surrendering yourself as Jesus has given his life for you. 00:06:13.900 --> 00:06:15.700 It's to understand Jesus paid it all. 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.800 And so therefore come to God and acknowledge I'm sinful and therefore I need rescued. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.290 Lord, I need what you've done on my behalf. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.420 And we ask God to rescue our soul, to save ourselves. 00:06:25.440 --> 00:06:26.720 That's that is the gospel. 00:06:26.740 --> 00:06:33.900 Now for some of us, for some of us, we might have that point in time where that message completely clicked. 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:40.780 And we know the date and the place we were, where we surrendered our lives to the freedom that only God could bring. 00:06:41.960 --> 00:06:42.060 Right. 00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:49.140 But and some of us may understand what the gospel is, and we're not sure exactly when that happened, but we know our life is life is surrendered to the Lord because of what he's done for 00:06:49.140 --> 00:06:49.500 us. 00:06:50.140 --> 00:06:54.310 And wherever you're at, I hope you're in one of those places where you might have your date pinpointed. 00:06:54.700 --> 00:06:57.710 You may not, but you know Jesus is the way, the truth and life. 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:02.940 Jesus is that salvation to bring you into relationship with God, which is what you've been created for. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:04.060 You don't earn that. 00:07:04.060 --> 00:07:05.420 Christ has done that for you. 00:07:06.380 --> 00:07:13.520 And so for a believer, not only do we find ourselves in that once and understanding, I need this liberation. 00:07:13.520 --> 00:07:16.000 I can't do this in and of myself. 00:07:16.020 --> 00:07:17.320 Only God can rescue me. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:25.660 But then every day I get the opportunity to wake up and say, and this is a new day, that I get to walk in that liberation because of who God is and 00:07:25.660 --> 00:07:27.300 continuing to be my rescuer. 00:07:28.320 --> 00:07:28.460 Right? 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:32.320 He is forever mine and belonging to me in this way. 00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:40.050 And when I when I think about that gospel picture, something interesting happened this past week that I really appreciated. 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.030 And this is, I think, even making some attention on social media. 00:07:44.460 --> 00:07:46.200 But and I'm going to flash up a picture. 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:47.530 And I don't want this to trigger anybody. 00:07:47.760 --> 00:07:47.980 Okay. 00:07:47.980 --> 00:07:48.720 One way or the other. 00:07:49.080 --> 00:07:51.200 But I want to show you this for a minute, and. 00:07:51.280 --> 00:07:51.740 And I want you to. 00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:58.960 I'm not going to make a political statement here, but I but I do I do want to highlight something something I think that was so 00:07:58.960 --> 00:08:05.220 precious in the inauguration in this image. 00:08:05.980 --> 00:08:11.360 You see this lady that kind of grabs your attention there, this lady in red, this mystery lady in red. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:11.800 No, I'm just kidding. 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:15.620 Whoever this lady in red is right here, she is in this moment. 00:08:15.780 --> 00:08:23.240 And one of the things that really stands out to you is you recognize this lady is dressed a little different here she is on a stage with millionaires, millionaires 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:23.960 and billionaires. 00:08:23.980 --> 00:08:31.180 And she's probably wearing something that any middle class person can purchase at a local department store if those 00:08:31.180 --> 00:08:32.340 things even exist anymore. 00:08:32.340 --> 00:08:34.140 But you can go and like this. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:38.140 You see all the people around her and they're definitely wearing some high end clothing here and here. 00:08:38.140 --> 00:08:40.919 She is in just a regular red sweater. 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:42.320 And you get to know this lady. 00:08:42.340 --> 00:08:47.080 This lady's name is Beverly, and she claims to be a believer in Christ. 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:51.120 In fact, she's wearing a cross as she's standing here on Inauguration Day. 00:08:51.420 --> 00:08:59.020 But what's what's really interesting about Beverly is that Beverly also was a lady who wrestled with addiction, and 00:08:59.020 --> 00:09:03.940 she's had some demons in her past, and she's fought those demons, and she's given her life to the Lord. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:07.060 And but Beverly is definitely a woman. 00:09:07.060 --> 00:09:10.940 That was contrasted here to everyone else that was on the stage and just her presence. 00:09:10.940 --> 00:09:12.120 It was apparent, right? 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:17.600 Like there's something different about her than everyone else, and she doesn't really fit the mold of what was on that stage. 00:09:19.220 --> 00:09:26.260 But the reason she was allowed to be on that stage is because she was there to support her son, and her son is the 00:09:26.260 --> 00:09:27.460 vice president, JD Vance. 00:09:28.380 --> 00:09:35.660 So if you know anything about if you've ever heard JD talk about his upbringing or, watching any of the debates or whatnot, you've heard him tell the story of his mother's 00:09:35.660 --> 00:09:38.260 battle with addiction and things, how she's overcome that. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:46.160 But here's this woman who's on this stage, not necessarily because she earned the position per se, but she has every right to be there 00:09:47.420 --> 00:09:50.660 because of who her son is, and she's there to support her baby. 00:09:52.060 --> 00:09:59.340 And when I when I looked at that image, my heart gravitated to this because this is this is the gospel, right? 00:09:59.340 --> 00:10:01.120 This is what redemption looks like. 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:09.220 The same thing is true for you and for me, that when it comes to being before the presence of God, we're not there because we're worthy to be there, or we've earned the position to be there. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:10.880 We're there because of the son. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:19.140 He's given us the reason to lift our heads, because he's paid the price for us to have that relationship with 00:10:19.140 --> 00:10:20.320 him to be there. 00:10:21.060 --> 00:10:25.900 Now, I would say a little bit of breakdown from this picture to where we are is that, she's here. 00:10:25.900 --> 00:10:29.360 She is just an just average common attire of the day. 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:35.460 But when you think about what your relationship with Jesus is, we come to God with a sin debt. 00:10:36.300 --> 00:10:43.440 And sometimes we like to think that the way God has worked in our life as he's taken our negative bank account and he's put it back to zero balance, and now 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:44.280 it's up to us. 00:10:44.680 --> 00:10:46.520 But that's not the way the gospel describes itself. 00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:49.050 It's not that God took your negative debt and made it zero. 00:10:49.640 --> 00:10:55.080 It's as Ephesians one says, he's given you all the riches in the heavenly places that you are. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:11:02.040 You are sons and daughters of the King, and the wealth of the Lord has made known to you the richness of Christ in you. 00:11:02.780 --> 00:11:09.820 That's the gospel picture that we get to walk in that freedom every day, not because of anything that I'm doing, but each day I 00:11:09.820 --> 00:11:16.080 wake up, I step into that identity because of what Christ has done and continues to do for me. 00:11:16.680 --> 00:11:24.000 So there's this liberation that no matter the darkness that is around me, to understand the significance of that identity, because 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.840 this woman on stage, she could wear what people might think about her, but that's not why she's there. 00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:31.020 Right? 00:11:31.040 --> 00:11:34.500 And her reasoning for being there is a different identity than that. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:38.560 Or her identity is because of the son or her son. 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:40.500 And the same is true for us. 00:11:40.580 --> 00:11:43.680 It's this question of where do you find your merit as a human being? 00:11:44.980 --> 00:11:48.600 Is it this religious performance of what you think you do makes you matter? 00:11:50.020 --> 00:11:54.420 Or is it the worth that God has already given to you by making you in his image and remaking you at the cross? 00:11:55.580 --> 00:12:02.700 And in Revelation, chapter 12 starts with that story for us to help us understand through this incredible imagery who 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:08.360 we are in light of who God is, to discover your deliverance in what the biblical gospel is. 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:15.620 And so let me read this to you, it says, and a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:18.240 her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:24.050 And she was pregnant, and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 00:12:24.340 --> 00:12:31.340 And another sign appeared in heaven, behold, a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on his head seven 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:38.610 diadems, and his tail swept down a third of third of the stars of heaven and cast them into the earth. 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:42.230 And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth. 00:12:43.180 --> 00:12:48.300 And so second half of verse four, that when she bore her child he might devour it. 00:12:49.180 --> 00:12:54.470 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. 00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:57.620 But her child was caught up to God and to his throne. 00:12:57.920 --> 00:13:01.070 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she was a. 00:13:01.540 --> 00:13:07.630 She has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1260 days. 00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:12.540 Now you might look at that and think, now how is this connected to the gospel, right? 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:15.300 It's certainly powerful imagery. 00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:22.720 And here you are, a pregnant lady giving birth and a dragon with seven heads and ten horns trying to devour. 00:13:22.780 --> 00:13:25.170 That is a that is an incredibly interesting moment. 00:13:25.560 --> 00:13:27.540 No matter what your thoughts are. 00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:34.860 This passage, John, is it's very rich with Hebrew motifs 00:13:34.860 --> 00:13:36.020 and what he's saying here. 00:13:37.060 --> 00:13:44.260 But when you think about this imagery, I think it's just it's important to identify, the Bible does this over 00:13:44.260 --> 00:13:51.440 and over and especially in the book of Revelation, just rich pictures for us that when just as John is writing, the idea of 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.880 what he's saying here is just you can see it, right? 00:13:54.880 --> 00:14:02.020 It's this is a very powerful and the early church had this way of as God would give us these stories throughout the 00:14:02.020 --> 00:14:05.680 Old and New Testament to capture these stories in art. 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:13.150 In fact, if you study early Christianity, you discover that the way the story of Christianity was often told and biblical, 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:19.580 different biblical stories and accounts that the church would draw these illustrations or these mosaics. 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:26.300 And part of the reason they would do this is because most of human history, people were by and large illiterate. 00:14:27.500 --> 00:14:31.310 And in fact, if you go back before the Gutenberg press invented in the 15th century. 00:14:31.340 --> 00:14:34.000 The percentage of our population that could read. 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:37.800 Always fluctuated somewhere, usually between about 12 to 20%. 00:14:37.920 --> 00:14:40.980 Never, never really higher than 20% until the printing press. 00:14:41.680 --> 00:14:44.560 So the majority of population was typically illiterate. 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:52.520 And so the way that stories were told in the early church would paint pictures of gospel imagery and share 00:14:52.520 --> 00:14:59.820 that with those around them through things like mosaics, you can go back and see all sorts of early church history or even think of maybe the Sistine Chapel. 00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:07.600 I mean, the point of that is to tell the story for people that could not read some of the images that I have, I love, I have the one 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:14.780 on the right of my office at home and upstairs, but some people are necessarily big fans of the 00:15:14.780 --> 00:15:19.300 left because they feel like it deals more with the veneration of Mary than than the importance of Jesus. 00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:26.160 But I want you to understand how imagery is important to really being able to share gospel picture. 00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:29.820 Like on the left, you see this image of Eve. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:37.320 And one of the reasons you know that is one she probably don't have any clothes on, but also she's got a, she's got a fruit in her hand and 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:40.080 she's got a serpent wrapped around her leg. 00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:46.960 And if you know the story of the Garden of Eden and she rather than believe God's truth, she bought into the lie of Satan. 00:15:47.540 --> 00:15:49.680 And she ate of the fruit that destroyed her. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:57.300 And so her expression on her face is one of lamenting and sorrow, because she knows the results of her decision, and the serpent that's 00:15:57.300 --> 00:15:59.560 wrapping itself around her because it wants to kill her. 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:07.520 But in the same chapter where the serpent deceives, there's also the promise that God gives that a woman will give birth to a child, and 00:16:07.520 --> 00:16:13.500 that child will crush the head of the serpent, though he will suffer a mortal mortal wound with the biting of his heel. 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:16.960 And she knows that Mary in this picture is that one. 00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:23.980 That's why she's touching her womb, and Mary's as if hugging her, and consolation, knowing there's still hope because of 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:24.820 what Jesus has done. 00:16:24.820 --> 00:16:26.840 Very rich gospel imagery. 00:16:26.900 --> 00:16:28.860 And you And you see kind of the idea of the Garden of Eden there. 00:16:29.420 --> 00:16:36.700 And then when you turn to the that next picture, you see that really the fulfillment of that through the cross of Christ, because that child has come and 00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:38.360 he's given his life for us. 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:46.360 And I love this picture, because what's tacked on the cross is the law of God, the old covenant and the old covenant is 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:51.540 really what pointed to our fallen nature, our sinfulness. 00:16:51.540 --> 00:16:56.300 It's not our liberation, but it's a reminder of why we fall short. 00:16:56.580 --> 00:17:01.020 And Jesus nailed it to the cross by fulfilling the old covenant demand for us. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:06.150 In Hebrews chapter eight verse 13 is saying, he obliterated the old covenant law to introduce the new covenant. 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.119 So while the law might condemn us, Jesus at the cross has freed us. 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:11.420 That's why it's nailed to the cross. 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:18.020 And then you see the power of God made known in his people, because there's the picture of the temple with the veil torn and behind. 00:17:18.020 --> 00:17:25.060 That's the ark of the covenant, where God was to rule and to reign, but that his presence is now no longer in the temple, but rather because 00:17:25.060 --> 00:17:29.130 the veil is torn us this image because of the cross that God dwells with his people. 00:17:30.100 --> 00:17:33.980 Rich imagery to think about the gospel expression. 00:17:34.020 --> 00:17:37.940 And this is what John's doing for us in Revelation chapter 12. 00:17:38.060 --> 00:17:39.710 Now, I do find this rather interesting. 00:17:40.060 --> 00:17:42.300 The dragon's tactic. 00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:46.440 Satan is referred to as a wise serpent, but I don't think he's always wise. 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:53.820 There's a little bit there's something about him that has to be a little bit stupid when you read when you read this, because I, when I look at this, I think just 00:17:53.820 --> 00:17:58.700 common knowledge should be anyway, there are certain things in life you don't mess with, right? 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:05.880 And one is, if I just thought about my top five this week as I was reading this, I'm like, I definitely don't mess with like, hungry 00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:06.700 bears. 00:18:06.760 --> 00:18:08.070 That's a that's the one I avoid. 00:18:08.540 --> 00:18:13.670 Or sometimes I don't know if you ever watch those people that kayak in the Pacific Northwest with orcas. 00:18:14.260 --> 00:18:17.300 I don't know what those dumb people are thinking, but you don't. 00:18:17.300 --> 00:18:18.580 Great white sharks and orcas. 00:18:18.580 --> 00:18:19.800 You don't kayak with those, right? 00:18:19.940 --> 00:18:21.230 That's not a good idea. 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:23.980 Or I have a phobia of birds, I don't. 00:18:24.260 --> 00:18:25.240 Birds are weird to me. 00:18:25.260 --> 00:18:26.180 I don't want to get near birds. 00:18:26.860 --> 00:18:28.000 I want to avoid those terrorists. 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.110 I don't want to make terrorists angry. 00:18:30.060 --> 00:18:30.100 But. 00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:35.080 But most important, the crowning of it all is like, I don't want to mess with pregnant women, right? 00:18:35.080 --> 00:18:36.440 Like Satan. 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:38.320 I don't know what he is thinking here. 00:18:38.320 --> 00:18:38.520 Right. 00:18:38.520 --> 00:18:40.480 But that's what's happening in this story. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.960 You see this woman, that's pregnant. 00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:50.800 But then if you think as this story unfolds and you're seeing here she is in pregnancy, pregnancy. 00:18:50.820 --> 00:18:54.540 But not just that she's giving birth, she's giving birth. 00:18:54.540 --> 00:18:56.740 And this has got to be the most vulnerable moment. 00:18:57.020 --> 00:19:01.440 I mean, you can't do anything in this moment other than than have the child. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.120 And so Satan knows this. 00:19:03.120 --> 00:19:09.150 He's capturing this vulnerable moment in order to seize the opportunity. 00:19:10.520 --> 00:19:13.340 And his intentions have been clear to us. 00:19:13.340 --> 00:19:14.750 He is known as the destroyer. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.110 We read that in chapter nine. 00:19:17.300 --> 00:19:24.640 And could you imagine being the child as you come into this world, the first thing you see, a seven headed dragon with ten horns like this 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.260 is a terrible situation to be in. 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:35.080 And really, this can be a picture of the turmoil in our own spiritual state in life. 00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:38.820 We can look at chapter nine, chapter ten, chapter 11 and be in agreement with that. 00:19:38.820 --> 00:19:41.550 Step out into this world and want to live for God's glory. 00:19:41.660 --> 00:19:49.720 But our experiences can feel like this moment, completely vulnerable darkness 00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.620 around you. 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:52.100 What do you do? 00:19:54.020 --> 00:20:01.240 And the idea of the gospel becomes important for us to understand, to enrich the soul, even in the darkest of days, knowing who 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:01.740 we are. 00:20:03.580 --> 00:20:03.780 Right? 00:20:03.900 --> 00:20:08.220 You may identify as a Beverly in the way that you've come to Jesus, and I think all of us are. 00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:12.920 But you have the ability to stand. 00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:16.260 And the reason you get to stand is not because of who you are, but because of who he is. 00:20:17.260 --> 00:20:24.360 And so when you look at this is this is the motifs that are being painted in these first few verses that as he's talking 00:20:24.360 --> 00:20:28.120 about this woman I want you to see in the very first verse, he refers to it as a great sign. 00:20:29.360 --> 00:20:31.210 This is a significant sign to understand. 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:34.000 He's saying to us, right. 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:41.180 And part of understanding this sign is to understand that the prophetic fulfillment of this woman who would bring a deliverer from the seed of 00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:47.800 the woman, not from the seed of the man, they would become born of a virgin, a child who would bring the liberation for all of us. 00:20:47.820 --> 00:20:48.490 Who was the Messiah? 00:20:49.840 --> 00:20:49.980 Right? 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:57.260 In Genesis chapter three, verse 15 and 16 is painted that picture that the Messiah would crush the head of the serpent. 00:20:57.300 --> 00:21:02.820 And when you read throughout the Old Testament over and over again, Israel is described as a pregnant woman. 00:21:02.820 --> 00:21:05.640 This that imagery continues to be talked about, even Jesus. 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:09.390 In Matthew chapter 24, it talks about the idea of birth pains. 00:21:10.260 --> 00:21:17.760 And so there's this there's this motif of this picture of this woman who ultimately would bring about the great 00:21:17.760 --> 00:21:18.620 deliverer. 00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:21.830 And you see this deliverer described for us in verse five. 00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:29.540 He says he will rule the with the nations with a rod of iron, which is this picture 00:21:29.540 --> 00:21:32.050 of Psalm chapter two, verse seven and nine. 00:21:32.360 --> 00:21:38.020 Psalm chapter two is this prophetic sign delivering to us the importance of who the Messiah will be. 00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:41.240 And so it's saying, this is who the Messiah is. 00:21:41.360 --> 00:21:45.340 And he's come for us and to rescue us. 00:21:45.340 --> 00:21:48.120 And then and he goes on to describe that he's been caught up to God's throne. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:55.160 And so by the time you get to the end of verse five, you have encapsulated in that really the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, that the child has been born, the 00:21:55.160 --> 00:21:59.170 child has accomplished, he has conquered, and the child is ruling and reigning. 00:22:01.040 --> 00:22:08.500 And so this woman becomes this important picture, and she's described as this with this sun above her, the moon below her, and these 12 stars, 00:22:08.800 --> 00:22:15.900 which goes back to the book of Genesis, chapter 37, when Joseph had this image of how God would continue 00:22:15.900 --> 00:22:18.360 to work through the children of Israel. 00:22:18.360 --> 00:22:20.700 And those 12 stars represent the 12 tribes. 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:25.450 But now, through this Messiah who is to be born, he's the he's one that's greater than Joseph. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:32.780 And we've looked at in the book of Revelation how 12 represents the people of Israel in the Old Testament. 00:22:32.800 --> 00:22:38.410 We saw that described and also in the New Testament it's described as God's people through the apostles. 00:22:39.600 --> 00:22:46.800 And so here you have this imagery of really all of God's people encapsulated in this woman because of this Messiah who would be this ultimate 00:22:46.800 --> 00:22:47.580 deliverer. 00:22:48.700 --> 00:22:51.030 But it's not to miss the fact that there's still an enemy. 00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:52.560 Right? 00:22:52.560 --> 00:22:59.400 And so there is this dragon whose desire is to meet you in the most vulnerable of moments, to destroy you. 00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:03.430 And there's this specific way it is referring to this Messiah. 00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:04.040 Right. 00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:08.220 The dragon's desire is to stop the mission of the Messiah, to rescue his people. 00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:09.340 But. 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:10.520 But the Messiah has been victorious. 00:23:11.120 --> 00:23:11.240 But. 00:23:11.340 --> 00:23:12.220 But on a greater degree. 00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:13.140 Agree. 00:23:13.400 --> 00:23:17.620 I want you to know that wrapped up in this picture of the Messiah is also all of us. 00:23:18.300 --> 00:23:25.020 Because if this Messiah is destroyed and his mission is thwarted, not only is the Messiah taken away, but so is all of our hope. 00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:30.240 And that's what the dragon desires to do in each of our lives. 00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:35.040 To destroy your hope, right? 00:23:35.040 --> 00:23:39.500 To not watch you become who God has made you to be in him. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:48.300 And so this moment is important, and especially to understand his intentions, as it says in his life, he's one 00:23:48.300 --> 00:23:51.940 with seven heads and ten horns. 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:54.760 And this idea of seven is the number of completeness. 00:23:55.640 --> 00:24:02.600 And we see again and again how the Satan tries to mimic Jesus in the way that he lives his life. 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:07.520 But he's he does so but denies the greater power that is God himself. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:09.700 He wants to deceive. 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:11.000 He wants to lure. 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:11.200 He lure. 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:15.200 He wants to pretend like his kingdom is like God's kingdom, only better. 00:24:15.280 --> 00:24:20.610 But as you come to understand him, you realize God is the true seven, the one that really is complete. 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:23.000 But here's Satan that's mimicking this. 00:24:23.040 --> 00:24:30.340 And what's interesting when you look at Satan, and we'll see this play out throughout Revelation as we move forward, is that the city of Rome 00:24:30.340 --> 00:24:32.520 was known as the City of Seven Hills. 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:40.760 And so this number seven very much connects to the idea of a fallen, broken Babylon, a kingdom that will 00:24:40.760 --> 00:24:43.340 not sustain before the presence of a glorious God. 00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:47.350 And so seven is representing his rulership. 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:50.480 The idea of horns is a demonstration of power. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:56.800 Leaders are often seen throughout the Bible as one reflected as people of horns or people of power. 00:24:57.820 --> 00:25:01.820 So we're talking about Satan here as a ruler with power. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:07.220 But it's also critical to understand how does that power make itself known? 00:25:07.320 --> 00:25:10.520 How does it how does is that power impacting me? 00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:16.400 And can it impact me if I have position in Christ? 00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:19.260 Because his desire is to destroy. 00:25:19.300 --> 00:25:26.680 But you see, at the very end of this verse that this woman, she fled to the wilderness and the picture of wilderness is very much conjuring 00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:28.320 up the Exodus story. 00:25:29.260 --> 00:25:36.440 Remember in the Exodus story, in the book of Exodus, God's God's people were slaves in Egypt, but God set 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:38.000 them free in liberation. 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:42.340 And they went into the wilderness only for them. 00:25:42.340 --> 00:25:47.200 The wilderness didn't work out the way that it should have, because they walked in disobedience, and because of that they wandered. 00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:55.860 And so in this passage, there is now painted a greater a greater wilderness of liberation for us when we find 00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:58.640 and discover the true freedom that we have in Jesus. 00:25:59.420 --> 00:26:03.280 And so this woman is prepared and says she's nourished for 160 days. 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:05.360 And we looked at this number last week. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:11.100 So I don't want to dive in great detail of detail of it, but this is a repeating of Daniel chapter nine, verse 24 to 27. 00:26:11.280 --> 00:26:15.280 And if you remember Daniel nine, this was a picture of the greatest jubilee. 00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:19.340 And for Israel they celebrated years of jubilee every 49 years. 00:26:19.860 --> 00:26:22.930 And a year of jubilee was a place of healing and restoring. 00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:25.200 It's a healing and restoring of the land. 00:26:25.280 --> 00:26:29.990 It's a healing of restoring of people as debts were forgiven, slaves were let free. 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:35.400 And so Israel saw this holistic healing of this jubilee. 00:26:35.520 --> 00:26:38.120 But in Daniel, there's more than just a jubilee described. 00:26:38.280 --> 00:26:39.620 It's the ultimate jubilee. 00:26:40.360 --> 00:26:42.010 Daniel talks about these 70 weeks. 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:43.880 Each week represents seven years. 00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:45.290 It's a total of 490 years. 00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:52.360 And when you read the book of Daniel, you discover the very end of those 490 years didn't come to complete fruition. 00:26:53.740 --> 00:27:00.740 And so John is now describing the tail end of Daniel's final portion of this last week and saying that last 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:03.990 liberation now is being made known because of who Christ is. 00:27:05.500 --> 00:27:12.820 So for us, this is this gospel enriching story of freedom in the Lord because 00:27:12.820 --> 00:27:13.920 of what he's done. 00:27:14.350 --> 00:27:17.700 That's why we deserve to be where we are, not because of what we've done. 00:27:19.080 --> 00:27:27.600 So that point number two, then it helps us in this way to stop reviving what has been defeated, to 00:27:27.600 --> 00:27:30.270 stop reviving what has been defeated. 00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:39.170 So the important point is you get into verse seven then is to recognize in this next section that Satan, 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:43.400 even though he's been defeated, he's still fighting. 00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:46.740 His days are numbered. 00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:48.600 He's been defeated, but he's still fighting. 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:56.260 However, when we're made aware of his tactics, we rob him of his opportunity to war against us. 00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:59.600 And so verse seven starts to tell us this story. 00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:01.780 It says, now war arose in heaven. 00:28:01.780 --> 00:28:09.000 Michael and his And his angels fighting against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:12.440 and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:18.840 And the great dragon was thrown down the ancient serpent, who was called the devil, and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. 00:28:19.020 --> 00:28:22.520 He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:28.860 If you had any question whether or not the dragon was actually Satan, it very clearly tells you in verse nine, it gives them all the all of his titles. 00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:31.380 Here you can recognize who he truly is. 00:28:32.620 --> 00:28:39.860 But I want you to see one one very important phrase that John tells us here about the dragon as this cosmic 00:28:39.860 --> 00:28:46.320 battle has taken place in heaven, in this spiritual warring with Michael and the angels. 00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:46.500 Right. 00:28:46.560 --> 00:28:54.020 It says in verse nine and verse eight, the very beginning of this verse, that Satan was defeated, not 00:28:54.020 --> 00:28:58.760 it's going to be defeated, but has been defeated, right? 00:28:58.760 --> 00:29:03.980 So victory has been has been declared over him because of what Christ has done. 00:29:05.080 --> 00:29:06.180 Satan has been defeated. 00:29:07.560 --> 00:29:08.220 However. 00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:17.620 We, as those who find ourselves in Christ, can revive what has been defeated by empowering 00:29:17.620 --> 00:29:20.850 him through through what it tells us in verse nine and ten. 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:29.100 Verse nine and ten, even though he's been defeated, we see in these verses that he still desires to work in our in our lives and destroy what Jesus 00:29:29.100 --> 00:29:30.720 has accomplished for you and for me. 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:39.150 And the way it says that he does this, the first thing it says to us, verse verse nine gives us the first point and verse ten builds off of verse nine. 00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:46.280 But it says to us that the great dragon was thrown down the ancient serpent who was called the devil, and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:54.320 Satan's desire to destroy what God has accomplished is seen through deception, right? 00:29:54.340 --> 00:30:01.440 He desires to twist the truthfulness of the gospel Support so that we will buy into some sort 00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:02.020 of lie. 00:30:02.100 --> 00:30:04.940 That is not really what the gospel is, right? 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:11.740 That we wouldn't understand, that we deserve to be on that stage, not because of us, but because of the Lord. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:19.480 And so he wants to pervert that, whether it be by simply adding religion to it, something that might look good but still deny the power of what 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:25.000 Christ has accomplished, or just subtle perversions of the truth. 00:30:26.340 --> 00:30:29.720 And sometimes when Satan comes in to deceive, sometimes it might look very obvious to us. 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:32.020 Other times it could be subtle to us. 00:30:32.100 --> 00:30:34.280 But his desire is made clear. 00:30:34.280 --> 00:30:36.620 He wants to destroy, right? 00:30:36.620 --> 00:30:39.900 He wants to devour through the picture you saw of the child. 00:30:40.580 --> 00:30:47.660 And so the importance of the truth becomes critical for us, because it's that foundation that we find our basis to 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:49.500 walk in who God is. 00:30:49.940 --> 00:30:54.570 And throughout church history, we've seen time and time again where people have attempted this. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:02.200 Whether it just be saying something that's wrong or even trying to do things like to change the Bible. 00:31:03.100 --> 00:31:08.540 Now let me just tell you, in case anyone's concerned, the Bible has been changed through textual criticism. 00:31:08.560 --> 00:31:10.220 Manuscripts we have today. 00:31:10.300 --> 00:31:15.360 I think it's easy to determine that the Bible that you have today is the Word of God, right? 00:31:15.360 --> 00:31:20.780 But when you go back through history, you can see individuals who have warred against God's Word. 00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:23.540 And for you and for me. 00:31:24.580 --> 00:31:32.160 I think it's important to recognize that if you have a God who agrees with everything that you think, you probably don't have God as 00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:39.250 much as you have an image of God that you've conjured up for all of us, we should expect that if we follow the one true God, 00:31:39.260 --> 00:31:41.400 there is something about my life that is contrary to him. 00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:48.450 And rather than make God bow down to me according to what I want, that my heart would bow down to him according to what he wants. 00:31:49.620 --> 00:31:53.820 I mean, when you wrestle through God's Word, you should be wrestling with your understanding of who God is. 00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:55.480 Like God, there's what I what I think. 00:31:55.480 --> 00:31:58.210 But then there's what your word says, and there seems to be a disconnect there. 00:31:58.520 --> 00:31:58.960 Help me. 00:31:59.080 --> 00:32:02.160 Help me understand who you truly are. 00:32:02.360 --> 00:32:09.760 As I as I go through your word, there are some people that when they have approached God's Word, you can go see these images on the screen at the Bible 00:32:09.760 --> 00:32:11.360 Museum in Washington, DC. 00:32:12.080 --> 00:32:14.980 But there are some people as they approached God's Word because they don't like it. 00:32:15.640 --> 00:32:17.120 They just take stuff out. 00:32:18.540 --> 00:32:20.980 And one of those is pictured there on the left. 00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:22.840 That's actually Thomas Jefferson's Bible. 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:27.660 Thomas Jefferson didn't really like passages that proclaimed the deity of Jesus. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:32.400 And so when he would read the Gospels, he would take a razor blade and he would just cut it out. 00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:34.840 That was his way of understanding Jesus. 00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:39.200 He was recreating in his mind the Jesus he wanted rather than who Jesus really was. 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:42.410 The one on the right is known as the Slave Bible. 00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:44.600 It was published in, I believe, in England. 00:32:45.840 --> 00:32:53.260 But when slave owners would think about giving, let's say, God's word to their slaves, one 00:32:53.260 --> 00:32:57.700 One of the things they were concerned about is they could get passages that talk about freedom and liberation. 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:05.960 And so rather than get those ideas in their mind, they actually ripped out pages of the Bible and republished the Bible in a more condensed way and 00:33:05.960 --> 00:33:07.060 gave them a copy of that. 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:15.890 And there is power in the Word of God to understand who we are through the truth that he proclaims 00:33:17.280 --> 00:33:17.960 to embrace it. 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:20.580 I mean to read it like a child and just pretend. 00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:27.880 Pretend, no matter where you've come from to just each day, open it up and say, Lord, teach me who you are, I am. 00:33:27.960 --> 00:33:30.480 I am just a canvas for you to paint your truth on. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:32.440 And through eyes like a child. 00:33:32.520 --> 00:33:34.500 Just rediscovering God again and again. 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:41.450 This passage reminds us that Satan has been defeated. 00:33:41.540 --> 00:33:48.420 But we can empower what's been defeated by letting deceit, deception creep into our hearts in our lives. 00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:53.050 And then it goes on from there that the other way that we can empower that deceiver. 00:33:54.740 --> 00:34:02.040 Verse ten it says, and I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, now the slave and the power of the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his 00:34:02.040 --> 00:34:03.240 Christ have come. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:08.360 For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 00:34:09.080 --> 00:34:10.100 And they have conquered him. 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:12.350 Let me just stop right there and let me just say this. 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:18.460 Look, it's saying in this verse, God's power and glory and kingdom have been made known. 00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:23.239 And while that's true, there's also the accuser of the brethren who accuses day and night. 00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:26.030 And the picture here is one of a courtroom. 00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:34.900 And the idea is this, that you're put on trial and you're standing before the judge, and 00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:39.370 there's one who is accusing you, and the one who is accusing you is Satan. 00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:44.590 And the way that he's accusing you, one is getting you to forget the truth of the gospel. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:51.320 But then he's drumming up your past, your guilt and your shame, and he's throwing it on you right now. 00:34:52.100 --> 00:34:55.090 And as he's asking the question, what are you going to do about that? 00:34:55.120 --> 00:34:56.489 You're not worthy to be here. 00:34:56.540 --> 00:34:58.020 Don't you know what you've done? 00:34:58.260 --> 00:35:00.240 You shouldn't be standing on this stage. 00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:06.420 How can you, as a person with your past, even think that there's even a possibility that God cares about you or that God wants you? 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:13.620 It's those sort of things throws on us over and over and accuses us and we as human beings, we can panic 00:35:13.620 --> 00:35:17.160 in that moment because, well, nobody wants their pride hurt, for one. 00:35:17.160 --> 00:35:24.200 But also you've been exposed and our tendency as human beings, we want to either do one of 00:35:24.200 --> 00:35:24.860 two things. 00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:30.640 Try to hurry up and cover it up, pretend like it's not there, maybe talk about all the good things we've done, even though people might be aware of those bad things. 00:35:30.640 --> 00:35:31.960 Yeah, that might have happened, but. 00:35:32.040 --> 00:35:37.710 But look at all these things or we want to justify it. 00:35:37.720 --> 00:35:41.260 Yeah, but and we try to pretend like it wasn't that big of a deal because. 00:35:41.700 --> 00:35:45.800 Well, if you only knew why I did what I did, it justifies my behavior. 00:35:46.720 --> 00:35:48.220 But the But the truth is, you still did it. 00:35:50.600 --> 00:35:56.020 And so when we get before those moments and we feel exposed, our tendency is to kind of panic. 00:35:56.360 --> 00:35:59.900 And we look at ourselves like, what was I thinking and why did that happen? 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:01.420 And how could that be? 00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:03.730 And we look deeper and deeper in ourselves and you spiral. 00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:09.840 But the problem with that is you're looking deeper and deeper in yourself. 00:36:11.780 --> 00:36:16.160 The problem with that is you've lost perspective on the answer. 00:36:16.160 --> 00:36:18.020 It's not you in defending you. 00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:21.200 It's Jesus and what he's done for you. 00:36:22.740 --> 00:36:29.080 So rather, rather than run away from the accusations Satan has against us, we just acknowledge it. 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:32.020 I mean, that's what the cross of Christ is about. 00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:36.180 I'm not here to put on a front God. 00:36:36.220 --> 00:36:40.180 And before you, I don't even have to because you already know what I've done. 00:36:41.120 --> 00:36:42.330 And you died for me anyway. 00:36:43.380 --> 00:36:47.500 So why do I have to defend myself against anybody because you've already been my defense. 00:36:48.720 --> 00:36:51.220 You've already shown up and covered my sin. 00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:54.990 You've already liberated me and brought me freedom in you because of your grace. 00:36:55.920 --> 00:37:00.640 And so when Satan hurls accusations against you, we get to look back at them and say, yeah, buddy, and you don't even. 00:37:00.720 --> 00:37:02.120 You haven't even named half of it, right? 00:37:02.120 --> 00:37:06.140 Like, not only have I done that, but if you only knew, right? 00:37:06.160 --> 00:37:11.530 Listen, I'm not in this list to try to impress you with me because my life has already been transformed by him. 00:37:12.220 --> 00:37:18.570 So when those accusations come against us, what we do in that next moment is critical to understanding where I really am in the gospel. 00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:27.000 Because if my reaction is to try to defend myself, it's to say, man, I'm not even looking at the right place because it's not about me, but 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:28.360 about what he's done for me. 00:37:29.120 --> 00:37:37.060 But I take the opportunity to resurrect what's been defeated by taking the lies of the enemy through the deception that he's taught me, rather 00:37:37.060 --> 00:37:39.080 than embracing the gospel that frees me. 00:37:40.620 --> 00:37:45.760 And so when we think about this idea of spiritual darkness and that oppression of the enemy. 00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:47.120 It's to remind ourselves. 00:37:47.120 --> 00:37:47.640 Wait a minute. 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:49.420 He's already been defeated. 00:37:49.420 --> 00:37:51.150 And who I am in Christ is what matters. 00:37:51.580 --> 00:37:54.940 And then I have every opportunity to stand before the presence of God. 00:37:55.280 --> 00:37:57.430 Not because of who I am, but because of who the son is. 00:37:59.680 --> 00:38:04.980 And that is not only liberating for me, but for everyone around me. 00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:10.130 And so that's why it says in verse verse 11, it says, and they have conquered. 00:38:10.720 --> 00:38:11.150 Look at this. 00:38:11.400 --> 00:38:12.010 And how do they conquer? 00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:16.620 They conquered him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. 00:38:18.260 --> 00:38:21.220 They conquered him because of the price Jesus has already paid. 00:38:21.480 --> 00:38:24.220 And they have clung to that as their identity. 00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:31.370 That is their witness, that when the accuser comes against them and they're standing before this judge, they're saying, you want to know why I'm free? 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.840 It's because of Jesus. 00:38:33.860 --> 00:38:35.740 And so in verse 12, then this is why it starts. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:43.180 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in But woe to you, O earth and sea, 00:38:43.180 --> 00:38:45.180 for the devil has come down to you in great wrath. 00:38:46.680 --> 00:38:49.360 Yeah, yeah, he can have his way for you in you. 00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:51.920 If you don't have your identity where it's intended to be found. 00:38:53.160 --> 00:39:00.300 But if you're in Jesus every day, you step in the richness of the gospel with the heart of rejoicing to be 00:39:00.300 --> 00:39:00.980 in his presence. 00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:05.640 Because the wealth of heaven is made known in you because of him. 00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.860 You have this relationship with Christ. 00:39:09.160 --> 00:39:12.060 So I need to give you this last point and end. 00:39:12.060 --> 00:39:14.610 So therefore stand confident in God's provision, staying confident in God's provision. 00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:16.320 And you see this here at the very end. 00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:21.420 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down on the earth, he pursued the woman who had been given birth to the male child. 00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:28.880 But the woman was given these two wings of the great eagle, so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness to the place where she is to be 00:39:28.880 --> 00:39:31.210 nourished for a time, times, and half a time. 00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.630 That's the picture of Daniel again. 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:40.260 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the flood, but the earth came to came to the help of the woman, 00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:44.760 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river, and the dragon had poured from his mouth. 00:39:44.780 --> 00:39:51.880 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who kept the commandments of God 00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:53.470 and hold the testimony of Jesus. 00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:56.170 And he stood on the sand of the sea. 00:39:56.340 --> 00:40:02.200 I love that in because Jesus we know Jesus is the rock, but Satan is the one standing on the sand and that will pass away. 00:40:03.120 --> 00:40:06.960 But here in this picture, it's this image of saying this woman has been made free. 00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:09.000 In fact, she's mounted on wings of eagles. 00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:13.440 And it's indicative of Isaiah 40 verse 31, which says this. 00:40:13.700 --> 00:40:16.490 And they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:40:16.980 --> 00:40:19.340 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:40:19.340 --> 00:40:21.120 They shall run and not be weary. 00:40:21.400 --> 00:40:23.320 They shall walk and not grow faint. 00:40:25.040 --> 00:40:28.680 It's saying, no matter how much the enemy might try to come against you, God is your deliverer. 00:40:28.840 --> 00:40:29.340 He's your rescuer. 00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:30.980 You can see this through the picture of the flood. 00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:38.790 The flood came to try to destroy this woman, but God swallowed it up Because of who he is. 00:40:40.080 --> 00:40:47.240 You know, as I I'm going to close with this as we think about this really gospel story for us and moving in the midst of a 00:40:47.240 --> 00:40:48.730 of a world of darkness. 00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:54.050 If you don't identify with a Beverley guys, I know that you may not want to call yourself Beverley. 00:40:54.300 --> 00:40:55.170 So let me give you a different picture. 00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:56.480 How about we call you Brian? 00:40:57.220 --> 00:40:58.660 And that's the name of this guy on the screen. 00:40:58.700 --> 00:40:59.470 This is a guy named Brian. 00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:01.560 And if you know anything about Brian, this is Brian. 00:41:02.660 --> 00:41:09.300 Brian Welch, who was lead guitarist for the band called Korn in the 1990s, early 2000. 00:41:09.740 --> 00:41:12.620 They were a wildly popular heavy metal rock band. 00:41:13.600 --> 00:41:20.930 But in the climb of their fame and all the wealth that they achieved, Brian was an individual that was struggling deeply, 00:41:21.840 --> 00:41:24.410 so much so that he had serious bouts of depression. 00:41:24.900 --> 00:41:32.240 He was an addict on methamphetamine, his relationship with his daughter was falling apart, and in desperation he 00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:38.690 cried out to God for help and one of one of his friends invited him to worship with his local church. 00:41:38.760 --> 00:41:40.920 And Brian went and he heard about the grace of God. 00:41:42.160 --> 00:41:44.780 And he went home that day, and he started to read God's Word. 00:41:44.820 --> 00:41:52.180 And he got to Matthew chapter 11, verse 28 that says, come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and 00:41:52.180 --> 00:41:53.070 I will give you rest. 00:41:54.360 --> 00:41:57.640 Now I want you to know by talking about Brian, I'm not telling you to go get all your theology from Brian. 00:41:57.640 --> 00:41:59.510 I have no idea the depth of Brian's theology. 00:41:59.740 --> 00:41:59.900 Okay? 00:42:00.980 --> 00:42:06.940 But when Brian read that passage, he dropped to his knees before the Lord and he cried out that the Lord would rescue him. 00:42:08.180 --> 00:42:10.860 And Brian said, in that moment his life was changed. 00:42:12.200 --> 00:42:15.360 And from that moment he actually left the band in. 00:42:15.700 --> 00:42:23.000 And all the advantages he had from a worldly means and he focused on his new faith in the Lord and reconciling his relationship 00:42:23.000 --> 00:42:24.100 with his daughter. 00:42:25.040 --> 00:42:25.780 And Brian went on. 00:42:25.880 --> 00:42:32.340 On the left hand side is a picture of him, where he's standing at some signing of a book that he wrote that he titled Save Me From Myself. 00:42:32.420 --> 00:42:34.790 And there you see him with him with his daughter in that picture. 00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:41.900 But I think this is an incredible, an incredible reminder for us of what the gospel is. 00:42:43.560 --> 00:42:46.050 And we don't come before God because we're worthy. 00:42:47.640 --> 00:42:49.500 We come before God because he's worthy. 00:42:50.840 --> 00:42:55.300 And the devil's intention is to destroy us, no matter Christian or not. 00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:57.200 He wants to devour us. 00:42:57.200 --> 00:42:58.600 He wants to deceive us. 00:42:59.700 --> 00:43:00.920 He wants to accuse us. 00:43:02.600 --> 00:43:05.120 But who Jesus is our liberation. 00:43:06.200 --> 00:43:13.680 And we discover that when we walk in its richness, not only do we refrain from resurrecting the what's been defeated, 00:43:13.700 --> 00:43:18.630 but we walk in the provision and richness of who God is.