1) “Therefore” signifies a transition that is the result of something that has occurred previously. In verse 11 the battle has been fought and the believers have overcome. The overcoming in verse 11 gives rise to the experience in verse 12. The opposition in verse 11 has become a celebration in verse 12. Things have shifted and changed for the better. Expect there to be positive transitions to happen for you in 2012.
2) “Rejoice” is the watchword for 2012. To rejoice is to ‘joy all over again’. There is about to be a restoration of rejoicing in the Body of Christ. You will not just have reasons to rejoice, you will have a resource for rejoicing. You will be able to overcome anything and enjoy your victory, not just plan for the next battle.
3) “Ye heavens” refers to the spiritual atmosphere. One of the most crucial tasks of every believer is to set a heavenly atmosphere. When we praise God and rejoice over Him, we are apprehending the atmosphere. Nothing overcomes the negative like rejoicing. This year, do not give up control over your atmosphere. Jesus stayed in charge of his atmosphere. Keep your surroundings heavenly.
4) “And ye that dwell in them” describes the position of the believer. We are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). Our citizenship is in heaven and our authority comes from above. Exercise your spiritual authority. Refuse to be bullied by earth-bound burdens. Live on earth as it is in heaven. God’s government is superior to any government in this world.
5) “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and sea!” is a warning of monumental implications. “Woe” means a judgment or a curse given. It is announcing the ruin of people living “of the earth and of the sea”. The earth represents man’s dominion. The sea represents man’s influence. Those persons who are depending on the rule and reign of men and their systems will find themselves living in a curse. The only way to avoid “woe” is to live heavenly. We are told to, “set your affections on things above”, not on the things of this earth” (Colossians 3:2). We are in this world, not of it.
6) “For the devil is come down unto you” announces the personal evil we must face as we live in this world. The good news is that our enemy must be downgraded before he can come against us. The devil is “come down”. This is what we must remember. The devil is come down. He is not exalted. He is not in the place of power. He is demoted. He was demoted from the heavenlies. His trajectory for eternity is downward. His destiny is the bottomless pit and the lake of fire.
7) “Having great wrath” is the temperament of evil. The devil wants to destroy all that he can while he can. The devil is consumed by his hate of God. His intense anger is directed at those on earth. There is no protection or salvation from the wrath of the devil without the blood of the Lamb. The wrath of the devil is his greatest joy. The devil wants to undermine the plan of salvation. This year you must win souls to Christ. The wrath of the devil is one of the greatest reasons for urgency in evangelism. There are people dying every minute. So many, too many, will die without Jesus. That is the devil’s greatest joy.
8) “Because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” reveals the motivation for this end-time assault against all that God wills to do in the world. The devil knows that his evil is temporary. What he does today, he cannot do always. The devil is on a schedule set by the Sovereign God. This epoch of end-time evil must come to an end. God has decided how things will end. His decision is to deathly defeat the devil. That is your victory!
The 12:12 Revelation ultimately proposes that God wants us to overpower, overcome and be overjoyed. Commit this year to overpowering, overcoming and over-joying everything that seeks to hinder your 2012 God-goals.
Prayer Everywhere's Blog 