IN A FIGHT FOR OUR SOULS! We are in a life-and-death fight with Satan for our souls. He is our number one enemy. He wants to take us out. He is sly. He is cunning. He is deceptive. And he has a very large army working for him. How can we possibly win? 

Our march orders for the present day come from the three angels’ message of Revelation chapter 14. Their message makes up the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Their messages are the present truth for our time. Thus, we are studying the messages surrounding these three angels as it relates to the gospel and the present truth, truth as it relates to our time.

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Asking God for Help

Father, give us the wisdom we need to understand the message as it relates to today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Yes, we are in the middle of a life-and-death battle. Revelation 12:17 tells us that:

17 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).

The problem is that we are no match for Satan and his army of evil angels. We are outnumbered, and we are fighting against incredible odds. Satan’s attacks are vicious.

But no need to lose hope. I am here to tell you the end of the story. In the end, Jesus wins this war. Satan Loses, and Jesus wins!

The core of this battle is outlined in Revelation 12. Therefore we look at it to give us a better understanding of Revelation 14 and the messages of the three angels found in Revelation 14.

Revelation 12 describes a cosmic war between good and evil. It paints snapshots of a dramatic scene that begins in heaven. This fight, this battle, started in heaven and will end here on earth.

The episodes in Chapter 12 take us through time, starting from the opening scene of Satan’s rebellion down to his attacks on God’s people on earth in the end times.

Revelation 12:7–9 describes this cosmic battle between good and evil.

7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,

8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7-9)

Some might ask, how was it possible for a war to happen in heaven?

It has to do with free choice.

Freedom of choice is a fundamental part of God’s government, both in heaven and on earth. God did not create robots with artificial intelligence to do as he programmed them to do.  He created being both in heaven and on earth and gave them the freedom to choose.

 We were created in the image of God; therefore, like him and all the other created beings, we were given the ability to make moral choices.

God made both angels and humans free to choose between good and evil. Our freedom to choose is connected to our ability to love.

Now, what do you think would happen if God removed our freedom of choice? Then we would not have the ability to choose to love.

You see, Love, as some may think, is not something that can be forced or coerced. Love is a free choice. It is an expression of our free will. Every angel in heaven had to choose between responding lovingly to God’s love or turning away from God and responding to selfish pride.

This is what the book of Revelation shows us. It demonstrates that we each must make a choice between God and Satan in the end times. In earth’s final war, everyone must choose between good and evil.

As expressed in Luke 11:23, it is up to us to choose between following Jesus or fighting against Him.

23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

With the war in heaven, every angel made a choice. They either chose to be on Jesus’ side or Satan’s side. They chose either Jesus’ side or Lucifer’s side in the war in heaven.

We, humans, must make that same choice between God and Satan in the end times. What’s more, our choice, in the end, will be irrevocable. The choice will be up to us! It will not be reversed.

Everyone must answer these questions:  Whom will you be loyal to? Whom will you worship? Whom will you obey?

If you choose to be on Jesus’ side, Revelation 12 is a bearer of good news. It gives us hope: It tells us that Jesus wins in the war between good and evil.

So if it is your desire to be on the winning side, then all you need to do is choose to follow Him. He is the winner in this cosmic battle between good and evil.

God has given us the sacred and costly gift called the freedom of choice.

We have been given the freedom to choose, but what did we do with this gift? We chose sin and evil.

However, Jesus, knowing that it would lead Him to the cross, gave us free will anyway.

2 Timothy 1:9 tells us that Jesus decided to die for us before time began.

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Timothy 1:9)

 Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to endure the evil assaults of His enemy. He died for us. What did his death do for us? Find out Day 3, Satan’s Attack.

Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

 7902 Wheatly Street

Houston, TX 77088

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