The Key to the Vanquishing of the Power of Hell — Ian Paisley

The Vision of Revelation 12

Pick up the authorized version of the Holy Scriptures in the English language. It's before you in the pew. Turn to the last book of the Bible, the book of the Revelation, and to the chapter 12 of that chapter, of that book.

The twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation. We read, Alternatively, taking your time from me, and there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon, and under her feet, and upon her head a crown of many four stars.

And she, being with child, cried, travailing in fur, and pain to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his head.

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and it cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman, which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up in unto God, and to his throat. And the woman fled into the wilderness, for she had a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand, two hundred, and threescore days.

And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought against his angels, and prevailed not. Neither was there peace found any more in heaven, and the great dragon was cast out.

That old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceived the whole world. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 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 dead.

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. God will stamp his holy word to our hearts from his very own infallible book.

Victory Through the Blood of the Lamb

Turn in your Bible to Revelation chapter 12 and verse 11. Revelation chapter 12 and verse 11. And there we read these words,. And they overcame him, that is the devil, by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.

And they loved not their lives unto the death. They overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto the death. I want to take five views of this verse and this portion of Scripture.

The Fight in Heaven

First of all, we have the fight signified. Look at verse 7,. And there was war in heaven. There was war in heaven. There have been many terrible wars. On this old mother earth of ours. The blood of both guilty and innocent have mingled on the crimson battlefields of the earth.

Dynasties and empires have had their massive powers shattered on the stricken fields of battle. But who can imagine what is recorded here in God's history of His terrible war. War in heaven. War in heaven.

Ponder it. War in heaven. Be amused at it. It seems unimaginable, but it is true. When you read the book of Revelation, you should mark every time the word heaven is used. You'll never know the book until you know the use and meaning of the word heaven in this book.

This world is beyond anything. This war in the heavens is beyond anything that has happened in the annals of the wars upon the earth. Here we have the throne of Almighty God. The holy throne of the triune holy God engaged in deathly and deadly struggle with the great usurper.

Look at what this chapter tells us. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. The fight was to free heaven from being occupied by the great usurper, the devil. Heaven must be rid of this vile prince of hell.

There is no place for the devil in paradise. The only place for the devil is in perdition. Here and there in the holy scriptures, God has revealed miraculously and supernaturally what man could never have found out for himself.

And one thing that man could never have found out for himself is this fact that there was war in the heavens. The heavens in which the birds fly and man uses for his transportation across the world is called the first heaven.

The second heaven is the heaven of the sun and the moon and the stars. The third heaven is God's domain. In all these heavens this great war raged. Many people ask questions about heaven. A questioner once asked John Bunyan about heaven.

He could not answer the question because the matter he was asked about, the scriptures were totally silent about it. So he said in reply to his curious questioner, If you live a holy life in God's time, you will go to heaven and you will see for yourself.

So just wait until you see for yourself. It was a very clever and smart answer from the old tinker of Bedford. There are things not revealed in the Bible about heaven, but there is one thing here revealed.

There was war in the heaven. The greatest of issues have always been linked to how war proceeds and who wins the final struggle. In this battle, this chapter records the entire destiny of all created things rested.

If this struggle is settled on God's victory, all will be saved. If this struggle is settled by the devil's victory, all will be lost. What a wonderful word is this in the chapter. Satan prevailed not.

He is eternally vanquished. God is the eternal victor. So much for the fight signified. I want to look for a moment at the full identifying. Notice first of all, his mask is destroyed. In Eden's garden, he masked himself in the serpent.

Here in this verse, he stands exposed. His mask is off. His disguise is shattered. He is the same old devil who deceived Eve and Adam. And God's everlasting curse is upon him. The devil is the author of evil.

The devil is the fountain of all wickedness. The devil is the adversary of all truth. The devil is the corrupter of the whole world. And man's perpetual enemy. He plants dead snares. He digs ditches. He spurns bodies.

He goads our souls. He suggests our evil thoughts. He belches out his anger. He exposes virtues. He pursues hatred. He makes vice to be loved. He sows error. He nourishes contention. He disturbs peace and scatters affliction.

Notice what the text says about him. It goes on to describe him as not only the old serpent, but he is described as the devil. Literally, the slanderer. The liar. Look at verse 10. He is the accuser of the brethren day and night before God.

What slanders the devil whispers in the ears of the people of God. What unmentionable blasphemy against the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and the brethren and sisters in Christ. He is a liar from the beginning, and a bold knot in truth.

Do you see that verse 10? Mark it carefully. That is the center verse of the whole of the book of Revelation. And its centrality spells out exactly the total message of the book of Revelation. Which is, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accuses them before our God day and night. If you look carefully at this particular passage, you will find also he is called Satan. Satan means adversary.

Opponent. The unrelenting enemy of God. Let's look further into this chapter. And you will find not only his mask destroyed, and his task is now described. What is this task? He never stops his damning of the precious souls of man.

He is the busiest person in the destruction of the souls of man in the whole world. And look how he succeeds. He puts the church to sleep when it should have been sowing the seed of the gospel. He makes the saints whirling when they should be weeping over lost souls.

He has rejoiced in the mild confusion he has caused. And his aim is to hurt Christ by hurting the mystical body of Christ on earth. The church of the firstborn ones whose names are written in heaven. He is a monster of hell.

He shall eventually be damned forevermore. And I would say today, God hasten that day when the devil's work of damning man will be finished forever. Not only is his mask and his task described, but his cast is demonstrated.

He was cast out into the earth. In verse 4 of this chapter, he has already been cast out of heaven. Darn he must go and into the bottomless pit. He must descend for a thousand years of imprisonment. Revelation 20 and verse 3.

And then into the lake of fire forever. Revelation 20 verse 10. Cast out. That sums up God's wrath. But finally, we not only have his mask destroyed and his task described and his cast demonstrated. But we have his last declared.

What is the end of the devil? He is overcome. At times man hath thought that the devil was overcoming. But they were not taught of God. Someday when the jigsaw is completed in the eternal land of heavenly brightness.

We shall see the purpose of all that happened. And that our sovereign God planned it all. Worked it all out. And dotted every I. And stroked every T. For the destruction of the devil forevermore. We are reminded of the words of Cooper.

The great hymn writer and poet. Blind unbelief is sure to err. For such a death as thine. God is his own interpreter. And may that joy be mine. Through life. Though life be woe. And death be pain. To feel that he will make all plain someday.

And so he will. We'll then bless the hand that guided. And bless the heart that planned. When thrown where glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's. Turn with me again to this passage of scripture. And we not only have the fight signified.

The Devil's Wrath and Weapons

And the foe identified. But notice we have the fury intensified. Look at Revelation 12. And verse 12. Therefore rejoice ye heavens. And ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth. And of the sea.

For the devil has come down unto you. Having great wrath. Because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Power is the power of the blood red dragon. And in his final days. His fury against the church of Christ.

And against the people of God. Will be intensified. The greatness of the devil's wrath. Is the sure prophecy. That the return of the Lord is near. The tougher vileness of hell. And its darkness. Only proves the fact.

That the time is short. And that our Lord Jesus is at hand. The greatness of the devil's wrath. Is the sure prophecy. Of the near return of our Saviour. Satan has many weapons. Which he uses to display.

And operate his fiendish fury. Fear is a weapon of the devil. It causes God's people to tremble. By the injection of fearful thoughts. And fearful suggestions. Which at the end of the day. Can never be substantiated.

Such dreads. Lead many a child of God. In chains and darkness. Remember the key of faith alone. Can open the door of the hideous prison. Of castle doubting. Affliction is a weapon of the devil. Let us all learn a lesson.

From the sufferings of Job. Death is used by the devil. To frighten those who leave the path. Of trusting their Saviour. Fear it not. Do not fear death. Do not fear hell dear child of God. Your friend Jesus.

Holds the keys of hell. And of death. Do you think. He will lock away his children. In the prison that he controls. Never. Christ keeps us. Or we would never be kept. The fury of the blood red dragon is all around us.

With ever increasing malignity and venom. The armies of hell. Are attacking the church of God. But as the fury of Satan musters. The fire of God is kindled. To overthrow it. Look at Revelation 20 verse 9.

Fire came down from God out of heaven. And devoured them. That is the obituary notice. Of the fury of the devil. Almighty King of Kings. These tyrant lusts. Drag the old dragon of his throne. And all his.

That is the cry. That we need to offer to God. Day after day. Turning again to this chapter. I see the feet rectified. They overcame him. By the blood of the lamb. And by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives.

Overcoming by the Blood, Testimony, and Love

Unto the death. As you read history. On many occasions it would seem. That the church of Jesus Christ. Was going to be slaughtered. And its end had come. Rome the city. In which so many saints of God were slaughtered.

Was inebriated with their blood. The church of Rome the Bible declares. Was drunk with the blood of the saints. And of the martyrs of Jesus. Revelation 18 .24. And in Rome was found the blood of the prophets.

And of the saints. And all that dwell on the earth. What an indictment. You see these victors. Had the blood of the lamb of God. Except the blood of Christ. Becomes our very own. We will perish. We have received.

Paul says. The atonement. The atoning blood. By this blood we are saved. There is no salvation. From the devil. But by the blood of Christ. If you know the blood of Christ. In cleansing. Then you will also experience.

The blood of Christ in conquering. The blood is our salvation. Strength out of weakness. The blood is our authority. To speak in Jesus name. The blood is the very might of God. There is nothing more almighty.

Than the almighty blood of the lamb. The word of the blood is the might. The word of our testimony. Is the message. The love of Christ. Is our motivation. Notice the trinity that is here. They overcame him.

One. By the blood of the lamb. Two. By the word of their testimony. Three. By loving not their lives unto the death. What a triumph. When we behold hell and death and sin. Vanquished by that dear blood.

And how pricey it was. That Jesus shed for me. And we see the man. That groaned and died. Sit gloriously by the father's side. We'll shout the power of Jesus blood. Let me conclude by drawing your attention.

The Final Defeat of the Devil

To the finality glorify. The devil is overcome at last. The total and absolute putting down forever. Of the power of the serpent. The beast and the false prophet. The final advent. But yet the unfinishing advent.

Of the unchallenged reign of God. The triune God of Israel. Verse ten. I heard a loud voice. It echoes through the unthinkable sum. Of the years of the old eternity. Before creation was ever heard of.

It echoes through all the millenniums. Of the time man has been. And it will re-echo and re-echo forever. In the heaven of heaven. It comes from heaven. It's not earthly. But heavenly. It's not human.

It's divine. It is not soft. But it is light. It tells of salvation. Salvation by the free grace. Of God alone. It tells of strength. Strength. Strength which cannot weaken. Or fail. It tells of the kingdom of God.

And of power. Do you notice what it says in verse ten? Now is come. Salvation. And strength. And the kingdom of God. And the power of Christ. Great God. How infinite thou art. What worthless worms are we.

Let the whole race of creatures bow. And pay their praise to thee. Thy throne eternally just stood. Air, seas, or stars were made. Thou art the everlasting God. Where all the nations dead. Eternity with all its years.

Stands present in thy view. To thee there's nothing old appears. Great God. There's nothing new. Our lives through various scenes are drawn. We're vexed with trifling cares. While thine eternal thought moves on.

Thine undisturbed affairs. Great God. How infinite thou art. What worthless worms are we. Let the whole race of creatures bow. And pay their praise to thee. And today I bow. And upon my lips are the words of this text.

They overcame him by the blood of the lamb. And by the word of their testimony. This is God's master plan of victory over hell. May God dedicate us. To using the power of the blood. To using the word of our testimony.

Not only the power of the blood. And the word of our testimony. But our undying love for Christ. And not for the world. The flesh. And the devil. My doctors told me that I needed to swim again. So I started to swim again.

I haven't been in a pool or in the sea for 17 years. But I went down and got into a pool and started to swim. And the Lord said to me. I haven't brought you here to swim. I've brought you here to witness.

And each day that I have been swimming. I have a great witness. With all sorts of people. The first day I was gone. There was an elder gentleman like myself. We were like fools among the young people that were swimming.

And when we came out we exchanged views together. I discovered that this man was a boy I went to school with. And we sat and talked. And I had the great joy of talking to him about the Lord. A young man I met on another day.

And I said young man how is it with your soul? He said Mr. Paisley I know what you're talking about. All my people are Christian. Pray for that young man. That the prayers of his friends will be seen.

You can overcome the devil by the word of your heart. Speak for Jesus. Speak for Jesus. Speaking about Jesus. For that's the way that the devil. God give us a love for this Lord Jesus. That nothing will keep us from loving Him.

Farewell to the world. Farewell to its pleasures. Farewell to the things that console me. Give me Jesus. Jesus only. I possess a cluster rare. He's the fairest of ten thousand. He's the rose. If you don't know him.

Dear unbeliever. Meet him now. He's in the pew there. Put out your hand of faith. And grasp his nail pierced hand. Oh Lord Jesus save me. And he'll do it. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord.

Shall be saved. Lord bless thy word. Write it upon our hearts. And may we love thee and serve thee as we ought. We thank thee. That the crowning day is coming. And we thank thee. That the devil will be finished forever.

And we will be in heaven. Singing the songs of Moses. And of the Lamb. Keep us. Bless us and help us. For Jesus' sake. And everybody say. Amen. God bless you all.