If the twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus marks a transition in the place and position of the dragon and his angels—marks their activity, their conflict and their warfare—then the nineteenth and twentieth chapters mark a different transition. One of the most interesting concepts found within the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is that it is a book that seems to be marked with transitions and shifts—particularly shifts from what is taking place on the earth to what is taking place in heaven. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is a book that contrasts two distinct realities—the first is the reality of what is taking place upon the earth, while the second is the reality of what is taking place in heaven. The crux and underlying theme and principle of the book of the Revelation of Jesus is the alignment of what is taking place on the earth with what is taking place in heaven. In other words, the book of the Revelation of Jesus brings us face to face with the powerful truth and reality that the Lord begins the process of bringing the earth into alignment with heaven—taking the reality of heaven and manifesting it upon the earth. This is perhaps what was so absolutely incredible about the proclamations of John the Baptist and even Jesus the Christ, for both men cried out and declared that the kingdom of God had come down and was dwelling among them. When Jesus walked the earth—especially and particularly those three and a half years He engaged in public ministry—the kingdom of God was being manifested upon the earth. Through the life and ministry of Jesus the kingdom of God was being demonstrated and manifested in the earth as men and women were encountering the reality of the kingdom and what it meant to live and move and walk as citizens and servants of the kingdom. Through the life and ministry of Jesus men and women came face to face with the demonstration of the kingdom of God upon the earth—the full exercising of the dominion and authority which was originally intended for Adam when the Lord formed him from the dust of the earth and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils.

BRINGING THE EARTH IN ALIGNMENT WITH HEAVEN! This phrase serves as the complete underscore of the entire book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Even though the adversary and his angels were cast forth out of heaven and cast into the earth, that didn’t necessarily mean that the Lord wasn’t beginning to bring into alignment the earth with the reality, the demonstration, the manifestation of heaven. When the adversary and his angels were cast forth out of heaven it marked a transition in the realm of spiritual warfare and conflict, for no longer would the adversary have access or entrance into heaven. Once the adversary and his angels were cast forth out of heaven and into the earth they could never return to unleash mayhem and wreak havoc within it. When the dragon and his angels were cast forth out of heaven and cast into the earth their ability to wage war against the angelic host was forever destroyed and eliminated. I still believe with all my heart that the reason the loud voice came forth from heaven and called the heavens to rejoice was because through and with the casting down of the dragon and his angels the heavens were completely removed from the midst of them. The twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation is such a powerful portion of Scripture for it marks the complete defeat and overthrow of the dragon in heaven as a prelude and precursor to being completely defeated and overthrown in the earth. I am thoroughly and completely convinced that before the adversary could ever be defeated and overthrown in the earth he first needed to be defeated and overthrown in heaven. If the underlying theme in the book of the Revelation is bringing earth into alignment with heaven then before the adversary could be cast forth from and utterly defeated within the earth he must first be cast forth from and utterly defeated in heaven. In fact, the casting forth and casting out of the dragon and his angels from heaven was a portent and prophetic sign of what was to take place in the earth. Though the voice which spoke from heaven pronounced a great woe upon the inhabitants of the earth because the dragon had come down to them, the dragon would not remain upon the earth forever. It was true the dragon was cast down into the earth and would persecute the woman and make war with the remnant of her seed which kept the commandments of God and had the testimony of Jesus, yet the kingdom of God would come, and the will of God would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I still cannot seem to shake the words of the Lord’s Prayer when He encourages us to petition the Father for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. When Jesus includes these two petitions in the prayer He taught His disciples and followers to prayer He was teaching them something incredibly profound concerning the concept of life upon the earth. When our Lord taught us to petition the Father for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven He was teaching us an incredibly powerful truth—the truth that we must pursue in and through prayer the alignment of our lives with the reality of heaven. We must through prayer—within our own lives and within the earth itself—petition the Father to bring the earth into alignment with the fullness, the reality and the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven. We must pursue with all diligence and perseverance the alignment of the kingdom of God and the will of God on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, what takes place in heaven must take place upon the earth. There are far too many men and women who lives their lives separate and independent from the fullness, the reality and the manifestation of heaven, and have not experience the alignment of the two. In the twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we witness the casting forth and casting out of the dragon and his angels, which must be so, for thus begins the process of cleansing both the heavens and the earth from the presence and activity of Satan and his angels. When we come to the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we begin seeing a different transition take place in the earth—the alignment of the earth with heaven itself. In fact, when Jesus comes forth from heaven riding on a white horse accompanied by the host of heaven, I believe that He rode forth to bring the earth into alignment with heaven. Have you ever noticed that Adam wasn’t formed in heaven as were the angels, but was formed from the dust of the earth? Michael and his angels defeated the dragon and his angels in heaven because it was in heaven they were created, yet the dragon’s ultimate defeat would not take place in heaven but on the earth. I can’t help but see the incredible significance in Satan’s ultimate and final defeat as taking place upon the earth rather than in heaven, for his defeat began in heaven and would be carried out and culminated upon the earth. The adversary must be defeated upon the earth, for by doing so the earth is brought into alignment with heaven.

The nineteenth and twentieth chapters of the book of the Revelation of Jesus. Christ are actually quite remarkable when you take the time to focus on what is taking place. In the nineteenth chapter the apostle John sees heaven opened and a white horse emerging with the rider upon it called Faithful and True. It’s in the nineteenth chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ that we finally begin to see the conflict, the chaos, the struggle, the battle and the warfare that had so gripped and plagued the earth begin drawing to a close. When the white horse is seen emerging from heaven He is accompanied by the armies which were in heaven who followed Him upon white horses and clothed in fine linen. When the apostle John sees heaven opened and the Rider on the white horse emerge with the armies of heaven it marks the beginning of the alignment of the earth with heaven itself. Christ comes forth out of heaven riding on a white horse accompanied by the armies of heaven in order to judge and make war. What an incredibly powerful concept this truly is—the concept that there is coming a moment when Christ will emerge from heaven riding on a white horse and accompanied by the armies of heaven to judge and make war upon the earth. When the Rider on the white horse emerges with the armies of heaven it is a powerful sign and portent that a different type of war is about to break forth upon the earth. When the Rider on the white horse comes forth from heaven accompanied by the armies of heaven it marks the beginning of the end of the conflict, the chaos, the warfare and the battle upon the earth, as the days of the beast and the false prophet are drawing to a close. In fact, when the Rider on the white horse emerges from heaven accompanied by the armies of heaven the first victory that was won was over the beast and the false prophet as they were both captured and cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur and brimstone. WHEN THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE EMERGES FROM HEAVEN IT IS A SIGN OF JUDGMENT AND WAR UPON THE EARTH. When heaven is opened and Jesus rides forth on a white horse accompanied by the armies of heaven it marks the beginning of the demise and destruction of the beast and the false prophet, and ultimately the demise and destruction of the dragon.

If the twelfth chapter of the book of the Revelation marks a dramatic transition as the dragon and his angels are cast forth out of heaven into the earth, then the nineteenth and twentieth chapters mark an entirely different transition. In the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of the book of the Revelation we witness the wrath and warfare of the dragon upon the earth draw to a close and their time upon the earth coming to an end. In the twelfth chapter we witness the dragon and his angels being cast forth out of heaven and into the earth, while in the thirteenth chapter of the book of the Revelation we witness the emergence of the beast from the sea and the beast from the earth. With the emergence of these two beasts the earth is thrust into a completely different realm of chaos, conflict and warfare as the dragon himself will give unto the first beast his great power, his authority and his throne. The beast and false prophet are permitted to wreak havoc upon the earth for a period of forty-two months, yet eventually their time would come—the time when they would be captured and cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur and brimstone. It is important that we pay close attention to these particular chapters in the book of the Revelation for they mark the earth final being brought into alignment with heaven. As surely as heaven itself was cleansed and purged of the activity of the dragon and his angels, so too would earth also be cleansed and purged of the activity of the dragon and his angels. These two chapters should stand as an incredible source of hope and encouragement as they mark the end to the conflict which has existed upon the earth for millennia. When fire comes down from heaven outside and around the beloved city as recorded in the twentieth chapter it marks the final destruction of the dragon and his reign of terror upon the earth. WHEN THE RIDER EMERGES FROM HEAVEN ON THE WHITE HORSE IT MARKS THE CAPTIVITY AND CASTING FORTH OF THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET! WHEN FIRE COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN IT MARKS THE SEIZING AND CASTING FORTH OF THE DRAGON INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.

I have spent much time writing of the conflict and warfare that exists and is present upon the earth, and the main focus of everything I have written is concerning Satan’s last stand within our lives as represented and manifested in the apostle John recording his last stand in all of history. I can’t help but be reminded of the popular movie trilogy The Matrix—particularly and specifically the second and third installments in the trilogy—for that which the inhabitants of Zion were looking for was the end to the war. The second and third installments of this trilogy focus on finally bringing the war and conflict between man and machine to an end, and ultimately destroying the Matrix itself. In the third installment there is a final battle that takes place between Agent Smith and Neo as they fight on the street with rain pouring down upon them. Everything that transpired in the second and third installments are centered upon the end to the war and the prophecy that foretold it. The reason I bring up this concept of the Matrix is because the book of the Revelation stands as a powerful prophecy concerning the end of the war and conflict which exists and has been raging upon the earth for centuries. The apostle John witnessed the final end to the war and conflict that had raged upon the earth as the dragon would be cast alive into the lake of fire after first being cast forth out of heaven into the earth and being sealed up within the bottomless pit for one thousand years. Consider what those thousand years would be like for the saints of God as the beast and the false prophet had been cast into the lake of fire, their armies were devoured with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sits upon the white horse, and as the dragon was bound and sealed within the bottomless pit for one-thousand years. If one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day than the thousand year reign of Christ along with His saints in the earth might represent the final one-thousand years of history upon the earth, and quite possibly the Sabbath rest. The book of Genesis begins with the Lord working and creating six days, while resting on the seventh day which He Himself made holy. It might very well be said that those thousand years which the saints lived and reigned with Christ upon the earth mark “the seventh day”—the Sabbath if you will—as the earth is granted a full Sabbath rest from the conflict, the chaos, the struggle and the warfare that had so plagued it.

 In the Old Testament the children of Israel were instructed to rest on the Sabbath—rest from their labors—as the Sabbath was made holy by the Lord. Additionally, the children of Israel were instructed to rest every seventh year and to let the ground rest after being worked for six years. The Lord promised the children of Israel that they would work for five years, yet during the sixth year the Lord would provide such an increase that it would sustain them during the seventh year in which the earth needed to remain fallow. On the seventh day and during the seventh year the children of Israel were to rest from all their labors as the seventh day was holy, consecrated and set apart unto the Lord. If one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day then I am convinced that these thousand years as recorded in the twentieth chapter of the book of the Revelation mark the most significant Sabbath ever upon the earth as both the saints and the Son live and reign together upon the earth. The conflict and struggle upon the earth ends when the saints of God are living and reigning with Christ upon the earth—the original design and intention of the Lord upon the earth. There has been talk of the course of history following the pattern of the six days of creation, as the seventh day in the book of Genesis is compared with and connected to the one thousand years which Christ and His saints live and reign upon the earth. It has been said that just as there were six days in creation, and just as one day is as a thousand years, there will be six thousand years of labor and toil upon the earth before the final one thousand years will be characterized by rest—rest from conflict, rest from strife, rest from warfare, rest from chaos, rest from turmoil, rest from suffering, rest from temptation, rest from battles and the like. What an incredible powerful concept this truly is—that the thousand years which Christ will reign upon the earth with His saints will be a period of tremendous rest from all labor, toil, conflict, strife and warfare. How absolutely amazing is the concept and thought that it is actually possible to rest from all conflict, all strife, all chaos, all warfare, all battle and the like. Within the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of the book of the Revelation of Jesus we see Jesus Christ riding forth from heaven on a white horse and ultimately being seated upon a throne in the earth joined by the saints of God who lived and reigned with Him. Satan’s last stand is directly connected to the saints living and reigning with Christ, which is the ultimate goal and objective of the Lord within the earth. You were formed within your mother’s womb and created to live and reign with Christ—a reality which can be experienced in the present and in the here and now.

 This marks the conclusion of everything I have written concerning Satan’s Last Stand: The Fear and Fury of His Ultimate Defeat. I have taken a considerable amount of time writing about his activity in the earth from the time of Adan and Eve in the Garden of Eden to his final stand as recorded in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. I have examined his activity during the days of Noah, in the life of Job, in the life of David, in the life of Joshua the high priest, in the lives of Judas and Peter, and in the lives of Ananias and Sapphira. All of this represents six thousand years of conflict, strife, chaos and warfare that has been present upon the earth as the ancient serpent has been unleashing his reign of terror ever since he beguiled Eve in the garden of Eden. The entire premise of this has been to emphatically and boldly declare to countless men and women that what they are presently experiencing within their lives—regardless of how difficult and severe it might be—is nothing more than Satan’s final stand within their lives. Satan’s last stand as recorded in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is incited and attempted because he knows he stands defeated—both in heaven and upon the earth. Pause for a moment and consider how incredibly marvelous and wonderful that thought is—the thought that the devil is not only defeated in heaven but upon the earth. The devil was defeated in heaven by Michael and his angels, and is defeated and overcome in the earth by the sons and daughters of God. Satan’s last stand within your life and within my life is one final attempt to destroy us, for he knows that he has but a short time and that his destruction is both imminent and certain. It is imperative that we recognize Satan’s activity within our lives and that we engage, resist and fight against it. As surely as there is coming a period in human history when the saints of God will live and reign with Christ upon the earth, so too there can be a tremendous rest within your life and my life—a rest that comes when the adversary is once and for all defeated, overthrown and cast down within our lives. Heaven was able to experience this rest when Satan and his angels were cast forth out of heaven and cast into the earth, and that rest was a prelude and precursor to the rest that would be experienced upon the earth. Oh let us this day engage the adversary with everything that we have knowing that the adversary stands defeated, cast down and overthrown. Furthermore, let us acknowledge and anticipate a rest that can be experienced—a rest from all conflict, all strife, all chaos, all labor and all warfare. OH that we as the saints and servants of the Most High will rise up in these Last Days and take up our taunt agains the adversary and remind him of his ultimate demise and destruction in the lake of fire. OH that we would rise up and lay hold of our destiny as sons, servants and saints of God—living and reigning with Christ. Let us rise up in these Last Days saints and servants of God for the time is drawing nigh. There is absolutely no time or space for us to shrink back in warfare as the children of Israel did when they shrank back in fear instead of going up and taking possession of the Promised Land. There is absolutely no time or space for us to shrink back in worship as the children of Israel did in the wilderness as the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai to speak with and encounter them. Let us move forward with everything that we have and truly lay hold of worship and warfare in the earth while it is still called day.