And they overcame by the Blood and their Testimony
- Ofon Ufot
- Aug 26, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 2, 2024
“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation chapter 12: 10 – 12, NKJV Bible.
In the last few years I have witnessed to God’s power and love, as He has given me the ability and have shown that the power to overcome is given to us by Christ through His Holy Spirit. That was the reason Christ said when He is gone, He will not leave us as orphans but will send His Spirit, the Comforter. Therefore, the above scripture says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, which is the finished work of Christ on the cross. Through His death we have salvation in His name, and by His resurrection; the power to overcome. Our guarantee of salvation is when God imparts the Holy Spirit into us which seals us as belonging to God and keeps us till Christ’s return.
Our testimony is prove of what the Lord has done and is doing in us through the Holy Spirit that bears witness with our spirit that we are His children. Not because someone else said so, but because the Holy Spirit has confirmed us as being right with God. When Israel left the wilderness and crossed over into the Promised Land, one of the requirements for serving the LORD in the land was their testimony. It was the story of what God did when He saved them from Egypt and went with them throughout their journey in the wilderness, and led them into the Promised Land. It was to be a constant reminder of God’s love and power.
Believing in Christ and in His saving power is what takes us from sinners to salvation if we confess our sin and repent of it. The work of the Holy Spirit progressively takes us from infanthood in the LORD to adults who are able to live free from sin, having overcome various temptations and trials that the enemy has brought our way and also learning from the various testing from God. We can never know God and remain the same year after year with no significant change or transformation. We must submit to His discipline.
Therefore, we cannot overcome without salvation which is in Christ and by our testimony we confirm the power of God which is at work in us. Also the work of the evil one is exposed, as the power is eroded and brought into the open.
Unfortunately, we sometimes overlook the power of a person’s testimony not realizing that it exposes the work of darkness and promotes the power of God. Testimonies are prove of God’s power and work not just in the believers life but in the world. The Holy Spirit being the Spirit of prophesy as well as the Spirit of Truth. The Teacher who leads us into every truth must be welcomed as we come together in worship. We cannot claim to have spent several years in the church or in studying the scripture and have not heard the voice of the Holy Spirit as He teaches and guides us, because the truth is found in John 10 verse 27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Failure to hear and recognize the voice of the Father will cause us to follow the enemy. With our ears and hearts, we hear His voice. Also in the Old Testament God says He gives dreams to His prophets, foretelling what is to be in the future so that when it happens man will not take credit for it or attribute the knowledge to some pagan god.
As believers, with our hearts open, we hear our Father speak as He guides us, while revealing His purposes. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14 :17. We must be careful of false teachers who teach otherwise, for God by the Holy Spirit reveals Himself to whoever He chooses. The gods of this world are either dead or idols and cannot reveal themselves in a meaningful way. Jesus died and resurrected bodily and lives forever.
Another point that must be raised here is that Jesus’s body did not see corruption; in other words it did not rot in the grave. Therefore the image on a cloth that is often presented and which is claimed to be that of Christ is questionable as humans are capable of using manipulations for selfish ends. I am not a scientist but the Spirit says it cannot be our LORD. We do know that money speaks. Deception can also prevent a person's salvation, which is the enemy's greatest desire. We must free our minds from things that can hinder our faith and hold on to the truth that helps us overcome. My work is to be a witness, and I can boldly say it is not Him. I have been permitted to see Him face to face. If anyone seeks to teach anything which is not in the gospel, it should be rejected.
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29 :29, NKJV.
We must guard the truth of God and keep to the revealed knowledge and wisdom of God and flee from knowledge which are based on false religions or worldly knowledge. It does not matter how many people reject the truth of God or accept certain knowledge which is not of God, Truth remains truth. For God will not change His mind to please the world. Once He has spoken, His word stands firm and those who change it do so at their peril. Studying other religions in order to introduce the same concept into Christianity to make it more acceptable is an open door to destruction and condemnation.
“When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, “How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.” You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” Deuteronomy 12:29 – 32.
When we teach comparative religion in our Bible colleges and seminaries, is God pleased with us? Are we taking in things that block our hearts and minds from hearing from God? God wants His children to hear His voice. He wants to show Himself to us and see our faith grow, but we must steer clear of beliefs and teachings that are an abomination to God.
All the testimonies I shared in A Chosen Witness have been as God directed me in dreams and visions. Some have been in day to day contact as He has spoken to me directly. As His coming becomes nearer and Satan being aware of how little time he has is employing every means to deceive and lure people into destructive lies. He is also working hard to control those who have not given their lives to Christ. Possession means that he forcefully takes over, taking control of the mind and using the individual for his destructive purposes. He can change a person’s nature or emotion in line with his plan. This is the time to accept Christ and let Him take control of our lives. He is able to keep us from sin, for a life of continuous sin makes us slaves to Satan.
Our enemy may be more power than us but our power is not in us but in Christ who gives us the victory. The cross of Jesus is where the battle was fought and won. All it requires is faith in Him who overcame so that we may also overcome. With the Holy Spirit in us, no power can take us away from Christ and all He asks is that we endure every trial for His glory. He calls us to stand firm and trust in Him whatever we face. If our focus is placed somewhere else we will fall at the slightest trial as the ploy of the enemy is to use things against us.
Jesus said that He came to do the Father’s will. For us to have victory, we must seek to obey the LORD and do His will.
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is He who came by water and blood-- Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. ” 1st John 5: 4-8, NKJV Bible.
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