The 12:11 Strategy

“And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” – Revelation 12:17

Have you ever wondered why living for Christ can be so difficult at times? Have you ever wondered why there are trappings, obstacles, and fences attempting to keep you from pressing in? It is possible that there is a spiritual dynamic at play described by the events in Revelation 12.

Certainly there is something eschatological when John pens the words we find in Revelation 12, but there could also be something historical and present. For instance, the child born to the woman is undoubtedly a messianic reference to Christ, who is caught up – is this an ascension reference? We quickly are moved to a cosmic battle in the heavenly realm. Michael is caught up in a great conflict against the dragon that results in the Devil’s defeat and exorcism to the earth.

Enraged by his utter defeat, Satan takes up a strategy to make war against the faithful at every corner and upon every opportunity and so re-engages his warfare against the woman, quite possibly a reference for Israel and the church. We find in our text above that Satan makes war with the woman’s offspring. More particularly, he also wars with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

We should take note that to take up the testimony of Jesus Christ is to be marked. We are marked for salvation, but also marked as a target of Satan’s warfare. He is always at war – historically, present, and in the future – with the faithful of God who cling to Christ. Thus, it is to no surprise that when Christ is better known in the material spheres around us that the spiritual dynamic intensifies in conflict. So, as we fast and as we pray, I recommend we employ the
strategy given to us in this chapter: “The 12:11 Strategy“.

This is the strategy that prevailed in the cosmic battle in heaven, and I argue also enables us to prevail as those who hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is a three pronged approach:

Apply the blood of the Lamb to you heart this day. This is the part of the strategy that Christ has already accomplished through his death upon the cross. We simply receive and apply.

Do not be ashamed of the word of your testimony. Rather, proclaim unabashedly who you are in Christ and what He has done for you.

   Declare the gospel in your life on a daily basis and proclaim His truth with great audacity.

Do not love your life. The more we love our lives here the less we love our lives to come. The more we seek this world’s treasures the less we love the treasures in heaven. For where our heart is, there will be our treasure also.

So I say to you, do not love your life! For it is in this act that you will truly find life.

This Wednesday, we will engage “The 12:11 Strategy” to war and prevail in spiritual warfare. Let us come shod with the armor of God to do battle and intercede, to prepare for fasting and to lift each other in prayer. This is the time for the church to rise up in prayer and prevail with mighty intercession. We thank the Lord Jesus Christ for His blood which is our victory! But let us not stop there! If we are to engage in mighty prevailing prayer, let us truly make our house
a house of prayer.

Beginning Sunday, January 10 – Sunday, January 31, I invite you to sign up for time in the prayer room from 7 am to 9 pm every day from January 10 – 31 as we fast and seek the Lord. You can sign up for one block, or several blocks of time. You can sign for several blocks in a row as well. Families can sign up for intercession. Let us cover the
house of God and the community of Cary in prayer for the remainder of
this month.

Please sign up for prayer slots at signup.carycog.org

As a note of courtesy, please close the prayer room door when occupied and open the door when exiting so all know when the prayer room is occupied and when it is open.

Finally, Aubrey and I will miss you all this weekend as we travel to Ohio with our daughter, Naomi, who is to have a much needed surgery. Please be in prayer for her, as she will be hospitalized for up to a week after surgery for recovery. In our absence, know that we think, love, and pray for CaryCOG. We will miss you earnestly. Also, please lean into the Lord and press into His presence. God is doing something wonderful in our midst, and I think we are catching glimpses
of His work. Let us be like Moses and ask as he did, “show us your glory!”