Overcoming by the Word of Our Testimony
I. THE CALL TO BE OVERCOMERS (REV. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 12:11; 15:2; 21:7)
2 I saw…a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the Beast (Antichrist), over his image and over his
mark…standing on the sea of glass… (Rev. 15:2)
26 He who overcomes, and keeps My works…to him I will give power over the nations... (Rev. 2:26)
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His
throne. (Rev. 3:21)
II. HOW DO WE OVERCOME? THREE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS FOR VICTORY
10 For the accuser of our brethren (Satan), who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11
And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their
lives to the death. (Rev. 12:10-11)
A. Blood of the Lamb: our basis of victory is the fact of Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
1. At the cross, Jesus defeated Satan in paying the full price that we may be received by the Father, blessed with the
indwelling Spirit and empowered with authority to use His name.
15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them (before heaven and hell), triumphing
over them in it (His resurrection). (Col. 2:15)
2. We have received the righteousness of God as a free gift because of the work of the cross.
17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new….
19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them…21 For He made Him who
knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:17-21)
B. Did not love their lives to death: we set our heart to obey Jesus’ will regardless what it cost us. We pursue
100-fold obedience to love God in the specific details of our life assignment.
62 No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom. (Lk. 9:62)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me… (Jn. 14:21)
C. Word of their testimony: to hold our confession of faith. Our testimony is what we believe and speak about Jesus,
His plans and our life in His grace.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering… He is faithful. (Heb. 10:23)
1. Loyalty to Jesus’ truth: allegiance to His views of salvation, justice, End-Time plans, etc.
2. Enforcing Jesus’ victory: exercising Jesus’ authority and refusing Satan’s lies to operate
III. WE MUST HOLD FAST TO OUR CONFESSION (WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY )
10 With the heart one believes…and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (victory)…?" 17 So then faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:10, 17)
12 Fight the good fight of faith…to which you…have confessed the good confession… (1 Tim. 6:12)
18 According to prophecies…concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. (1 Tim. 1:18)
14 Let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses…
16 Come boldly to the Throne of grace, that we may…find grace… (Heb. 4:14-16)
IV. REVELATION OF OUR SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY IN CHRIST
A. We need revelation of our spiritual authority that is based on relationship with Jesus. The power and benefits that
Jesus received as an “exalted Man” are given to the Body of Christ (v. 23).
17 Give to you the spirit of…revelation…18 that you may know…19 the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who
believe…20 which He worked in Christ when He…seated Him at His right hand…22 He put all things under His (Jesus’)
feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him… (Eph. 1:17-23)
B. We have been raised to sit with Jesus in heavenly places, thus are given access to God’s Throne. Our prayers in God’s
will reach His Throne and find approval resulting in the release of power.
6 Raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ... (Eph. 2:6)
C. Authority is delegated power. A police officer stops a car by the authority of the government, not his physical
power. We use our authority against Satan who seeks to steal, kill and destroy God’s blessing in our life (by fear,
addictions, sickness, emotional or financial oppression, etc.).
10 The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (Jn. 10:10)
D. Our problems are often the result of several factors working together including psychological issues (our mindset,
belief systems, life choices), physiological issues (diet, alcohol, chemical, etc.), sociological issues (what others do to
us) and spiritual (demonic attack).
E. Using our authority in Christ removes added pressure that demons bring to our problems, thus, making it easier
to solve physiological, psychological, and sociological problems.
F. Satan’s attack against us will continue if we accept it instead of challenging it with our authority.
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:7)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith… (1 Pet. 5:8-9)
10 Jesus said to him (Satan), "Away with you, Satan! For it is written…" (Mt. 4:10)
V. GOD GAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE EARTHY REALM TO MAN
A. God gave authority over the earth to Adam as the chief representative of the human race. God created humans
in His image and then gave us His Word to release His will on earth.
26 God said, "Let Us make man in Our image…let them have dominion…over all the earth…28 Be fruitful and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…every living thing that moves on the earth." (Gen. 1:26-28)
B. David understood that God entrusted the authority of the earth to humans.
4 What is man…? 5 You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works
of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet (Ps. 8:4-6)
C. The responsibility for the earthly realm has been given by God to people on earth. God allows us to determine
some of the quality of our life according our actions and words (Rom. 5:12-21).
16 The heavens…are the LORD's; the earth He has given to the children of men. (Ps. 115:16)
D. Jesus gave Peter as the representative of the Church, the authority to open and shut doors in the spirit realm in such
a way that it would affect events in the earthly realm. Doors are open and shut in the spirit realm by believers on earth
speaking God’s Word. We can affect the heavenly realm by loosing angelic activity and binding demonic activity, etc.
19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom…and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven (spirit realm) and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Mt. 16:19)
22 Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. (Mt. 21:22)
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. (Jas 5:15)
VI. GOD’S POWER IS RELEASED IN THE EARTHLY REALM BY SPEAKING IN FAITH
A. The Gen. 1 principle is that the Spirit moves in response to the speaking of God’s word. In Genesis 1, the
darkness and the Spirit were both present. The Spirit did not create until God’s Word was spoken by Jesus
(Gen. 1:2-3; Col. 1:15-18).
B. The world is governed by words in both the spirit and natural realm. God taught Adam to have dominion over
the earth in the same way God did by speaking words. There is an anointing of life on God’s word and a spirit of death
on Satan’s. Our words affect our spirit as well as the spiritual atmosphere around us and in the cities that we pray for.
63 The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (Jn. 6:63)
C. Words release life or death to us and our families, etc. What we do not know can kill us. The saying that “Sticks and
stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is not true.
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue… (Prov. 18:21)
D. Our words are powerful in causing either faith or fear to grow. As our heart and words agree with God’s will, we
release God’s presence. If our words agree with Satan’s accusations, we give room to his power. Many have “faith” in
the devil’s accusing and lying words.
E. Jesus resisted Satan by speaking God’s word (Mt. 4:4-10.) The power of God’s Word in our mouth is significant.
This is God’s method of releasing His power. We decree Jesus’ word to demons that attack us and to angels who obey
His word even from our lips (Ps. 103:20; 91:11).
F. Faith does not come by asking but by “hearing” the Word. The way our heart “hears” the best and most is when
the Word comes from our own lips. The most powerful words that affect your life are the words you speak. Your spirit is
most sensitive to the words that you speak.
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)
G. Paul quoted Ps. 116:10 to establish the necessary principle of speaking the Word with our mouth.
13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe
and therefore speak. (2 Cor. 4:13)
H. Negative words in our mouth lead to a negative mindset which leads to negative emotions which lead to negative
decisions which lead to negative character then negative consequences.
6 Let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable
in all his ways. (Jas 1:6-8)
I. The war of words determines who has dominion in our heart. Whose words do you allow to take root in your
heart? The Devil tempts us to think and speak contrary to God’s truth.
J. Jesus fights by the sword of His mouth or by speaking His word over people.
16 Repent, or I will come to…fight against them with the sword of My mouth. (Rev. 2:16)
K. Jesus taught us to speak to the mountains.
23 Whoever says to this mountain, “…be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt…but believes that those things he says will
come to pass, he will have whatever he says. (Mk. 11:23)
L. The Lord told Moses to speak to the rock, rather than interceding for water.
7 The LORD spoke to Moses, 8 "...speak to the rock…it will yield its water." (Num. 20:7-8)
M. The Lord will not release His purpose outside of partnership with His people. The Lord told Moses to divide the
sea, rather than interceding for it to divide.
15 The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me?.. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea
and divide it…” (Ex. 14:15-16)