Overcome by the Blood

The last book of the Bible, Revelation or The Revelation of Jesus Christ, does exactly what the title implies, it reveals Jesus. No matter what else you believe this book is about, it undeniably shows us many facets of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Chapter‬ 12, verses 10 and 11‬ in The Passion Translation read:‬‬‬‬

“Then I heard a triumphant voice in heaven proclaiming: “Now salvation and power are set in place, and the kingdom reign of our God and the ruling authority of his Anointed One are established. 

“For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accused them day and night before our God, has now been defeated —cast out once and for all! 

“They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.” ‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬Who is “they” in verse 11?  We are they - the saints, the ones who have been relentlessly accused (verse 10). We have been accused of things we have done and not done. 

What did we do?  We “conquered him completely”. Conquered. Overcame. Defeated him. Triumphed.

Who did we conquer? The accuser - satan; the devil; the ancient serpent.

Look at verse 11: We completely conquered the accuser… How? By the blood of the Lamb.

How do we use the Lamb’s blood to conquer? 

 1 Corinthians‬ 10:16‬ tells us.‬:‬‬ “For when we pray for the blessing of the communion cup, isn’t this our co-participation with the blood of Jesus? And the bread that we distribute, isn’t this the bread of our co-participation with the body of Christ?”  TPT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬The symbols of Jesus’ body and blood are not dead. When we receive the bread and juice by faith, with our hearts open, we intentionally receive the blessing and presence of communion. We become participants in the reality and substance of Jesus’ sacrifice made for us. We are literally applying Jesus’ blood to our body, soul and spirit.

So far, we have discovered: We completely conquer the accuser by applying the blood of the Lamb to every part of our lives through communion.

Read verse 11 again. “They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony.” Some versions read “the word of our testimony”.

I can’t speak for you, but my testimony doesn’t have anything to do with good things I have done or how hard I have worked. My testimony is completely about what Jesus has done for me by His blood. Read either way, it is the testimony of Jesus.

Hebrews‬ 12:24 ‬talks about it. ‬‬‬‬

“And we have come to Jesus who established a new covenant with his blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat; blood that continues to speak from heaven, “forgiveness”, a better message than Abel’s blood that cries from the earth, “justice.”” ‬ TPT‬‬‬‬

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My testimony is that I have not received justice but forgiveness! The blood of Jesus speaks forgiveness; it speaks freedom; it speaks healing; it speaks wholeness; it speaks purpose.

Revelation 12:11 continues: “They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.”

We know it is human nature to cling to life. If they did not cling to their own life, whose life did they cling to? They (we) cling to the life of Jesus. The life and death and resurrection of Jesus is the source of eternal life.

Galatians‬ 2, verse 20 puts it this way: ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me – we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me and dispenses his life into mine! TPT

Many believers throughout time have faced the choice between their physical life and Jesus.

However, most Christians in the western world will never face that choice. While this verse applies to natural death, I believe it also applies to the death of our selfishness, pride, lust or anything else that keeps us from embracing God’s best for our lives. 

Make this word personal by saying this recap of what we learned out loud daily.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬I completely conquer the accuser by applying the blood of Jesus to every part of my life through communion and by sharing my testimony of forgiveness instead of justice. I cling to the victorious life of Jesus and the process of securing His plan for me.