Introduction: Revelations 12. 10, 11
-- This passage tells us that Satan accuses the brethren night and day, but that he can be overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony, and by not holding to our fleshly life. In this, we can gain some understanding on how to overcome temptation and accusation laid on us by our enemies of the flesh and the devil. Many of our trials are due to yielding to our own flesh. If we will work the Word as outlined in this scripture, we can break the chain of self-induced trials.

FIRST, THE WORD OF THE COVENANT
--Notice in the Revelation passage, the first thing in overcoming the accuser is the blood of the Lamb. God has:
(1) spoken to us by His Son--Heb. 1. 2,3
(2) sworn to keep His Word--Heb. 6. 12-20
(3) written it out, and even
(4) given His own Son for you, and,
(5) His Son today, intercedes, that you might be blessed and be able to overcome all your enemies. Everything is in place for your total victory.
--All of God's promises and power are available to you because the blood of Jesus causes the covenant to be operating on your behalf. The covenant is the agreement of God to bless you.

It's like this: There is electric power in the circuits of your house. It is there operating right now. When you plug in to it, you get results according to the appliance that you plug in. You plug it in because you have been taught that power is there, and you expect results.

So first understand, that although you might see lusts and weakness in yourself, if you look away from self and see Jesus, you see your total victory before God. It is based on God's covenant promises in Jesus, not on your experience. You look to Jesus, not to yourself.
--First, hear and believe the Word in the face of your weakness. Then, as you continue in this way of hearing in faith, believing for victory as you hear, you will experience victory in due time.
--The first step is to know that because of Jesus, you areblessed and an overcomer. "These things have I spoken [the word] unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16. 33).
--The next step is to plug the appliance in to that power that is already there.

PLUG INTO THE WORD
--We see in the passage in Revelation about how the brethren overcame the accuser, is that it is "by the word of their testimony".
--What you confess does make a difference. Paul said it like this: "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [Gk. "that Jesus is Lord"], and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation [deliverance]" (Rom. 10. 8-10) (italics and bracketed information added for clarity).
--You "plug in to the Word" by the confession of your mouth.

Let's call the appliance you need to run a TV--Temptation Victory. The way you plug in a TV, a Temptation Victory, is by confessing some Word regarding that. The Word is the "sword of the Spirit", the weapon the Spirit uses to get the victory (Eph. 6. 10, 17, 18). Be bold to speak out the promises and provisions of the Word in the face of temptation, weakness, trials, and failure.

Keep speaking the Word. The Word has the power to change you and your experience from battered, bruised, and even beaten, to a victorious soldier. This is part of fighting the good fight of faith. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed [confessed] a good profession [confession] before many witnesses" (1 Tim. 6. 12) (bracketed inserts added).

POWER OVER THE FLESH
--Lastly, notice in our passage in Revelation about how the brethren overcame the accuser, was that "they loved not their lives unto the death". So, by knowing their place in the covenant through the blood of Jesus, and by confessing that Word out of their mouth, they now experience the power of God's promises to overcome "self", even to the point of that self "dying".
--Paul told the Galations to "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal. 5. 16). You could read it like this: "Be walking in the things the Spirit is leading you to do, and you will be ceasing to do the things the flesh is wanting you to do." It didn't say to first put the flesh down, then walk in the Spirit. No. That's works. Grace is this: Begin doing the things the Spirit is leading us to do, and the flesh will lose it's power.
--So, what is the Spirit leading us to do?
(1) He is always pointing us to the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf--the blood covenant. He leads us to read and remember the Word of promise.
(2) He is always leading us to confess the Word of promise on our and on other's behalf.
(3) He is always leading us to overcome evil with good. In the face of temptation to evil, choose to do good. For example: When you see a girl or a guy, and you are tempted to hold a lingering look, take that temptation to evil and turn it to good by speaking a blessing toward them in the name of the Lord. If you fail, run to Jesus with it, repent, and call on the Lord. Keep doing this until there is clear victory as a lifestyle.
(4) He is always leading us to be utterly dependent, through prayer, upon Himself--His Word, His Spirit, and His power and timing, to confirm His Word with power. This is where praying with the Spirit (in your tongues prayer language) and with understanding comes in. We are told to be "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Eph. 6. 18). You can read that, "Be praying always with all kinds of prayer energized by the Holy Spirit, both with tongues and with your understanding". That is in harmony with what Paul said in 1 Cor. 14. 15, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also".
(5) He is always leading us to give ourselves to God in worship, praise, and thanksgiving. Paul went on in 1 Cor. 14. 15 and said, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding". It is always God's will for us to worship Him and give Him thanks.
(6) He is always leading us to be faithful and wise stewards of the time and resources that He gives us, and to be faithful to fulfill our places of responsibility such as our family, our job, and our schoolwork--"this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" 2 Thes. 3. 10.
--When we are busy doing the things the Spirit is leading us to do, we give less time to the things the flesh wants to do. As we grow in the power of the Spirit, the flesh loses it's power.

Conclusion:
-- "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10. 13). Jesus is the way to overcome temptations, trials, accusations, and condemnation.
(1) Be hearing His Word.
(2) Be confessing His Word
(3) Be following after the things the Spirit is leading you to do.
(4) Be persisting in doing this, never giving up.
In this way, be overcoming the accuser of the brethren who accuses night and day, and be growing in the power of the Spirit.
--Now, GO, tell the good news to others. Don't dwell on yourself, your weakness, your failure or your trials. Get your eyes on Jesus. You are more than a conqueror in Him. GO. Give Jesus to others today.                                                                                                                       Sun.12-20-98