Overcoming The Accuser
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:10-11
There is a vast difference between a good reputation and a godly testimony. A good reputation (image) is something we build by the sheer force of our own willpower, stamina and physical might, and can be quite useful in this present world.
On the other hand, a godly testimony is that which only God, in His love, mercy and grace, can give to the chiefest of sinners.
Is it possible to have a train wreck of a reputation, while at the same time, being in possession of a godly testimony? I believe it is. Consider king David, who committed sufficient mistakes and sins to completely and permanently ruin his own reputation many times over.
However, David had an indestructible testimony, in that God called him a man after His own heart. In Christ Jesus, God offers us a shatterproof, impeccable, eternal testimony, and this testimony is our salvation, sanctification and blessing by grace through faith by the power of the gospel of Christ.
You see, a good reputation can be demolished in a matter of seconds, but a testimony can never, ever be destroyed, because a good reputation is the work we do, but a godly testimony is God’s work in, for and through us.
No one ever overcame the accuser (Satan) by the power of the deeds of the Law or a reputation of good, moral, clean living (consider the trials of Job).
Not a single piece of the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11-18) has anything to do with a good reputation, and everything to do with Christ’s finished work on the cross.
The Word of God says that they overcame him (the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.
The blood of the Lamb is the word of our testimony because Romans 5:9 says: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”