Monday, December 17, 2012

The Reason for our Advent Joy is the certain victory of the Church.



(Rev 12:12) Therefore 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."

Did Satan quit after Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth? Does he ever give up? Does he surrender? Listen to what John says:
Joy in heaven – Jesus has come and the accuser is thrown out of heaven.
Woe on earth – the devil has come to us.   
Satan cannot attack Jesus anymore. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, he no longer has a job as accuser. So what does he do? He attacks the church on earth instead. 

In this light, consider what the Revelation says to us in verses 6 & 13:
(Rev 12:6,13) The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of.....  When the devil saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male Child.

The woman, the church of the Lord, remains under attack.  The Church is under attack, but God protects her. The Church is under attack since the ascension until the return of Jesus, but God protects her always.   

This is why we look forward to the return of Christ.  To finally end the attack. To finally set us and all of his creation free from any oppression by evil.   Let’s take courage.  The reason for Satan’s fury is that he knows his time is short.  And he knows he was defeated by the Child - both in Bethlehem and on Calvary and in heaven!  "He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short" (Rev 12:12). 

And we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus! Because God protects us and cares for us.
This is the reason for our Joy! We are safe in the hands of our Lord.

We celebrate the birth of the Child as people who were set free - as people who look forward to the wedding feast of the Messiah!  We celebrate with gladness as victors in Christ should do! 
We are under the protection of the Child - now and always!

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