How to Overcome the Devil

In the previous article, I explained that for witchcraft to work against you, a door— really sin—must be open. Many believers don’t realize that the spiritual battles we face are often easier to overcome than we think. We simply need to understand the rules of engagement, which are clearly outlined in the Word of God.

Let’s look at a powerful scripture:

Revelation 12:10–11 (KJ21)
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, “Now have 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, who accused them before our God day and night.
11 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.”

This verse prophetically reveals how the saints of God overcame the devil. If this is how they overcame, then it’s how we must overcome too.

Misunderstanding the Scripture

Many quote this verse, especially during testimony services, saying, “We overcome the devil by testifying.” While well-intended, that’s not the full meaning of the passage.

The word testimony is used in different ways throughout Scripture. For example:

Exodus 25:16
And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

Here, testimony refers to the Word of God. But in Revelation 12:11, the Greek word used is marturia, which means evidence given (judicially or generally). In verse 10, the word accuser comes from the Greek kategoreo, which means to bring a legal charge or accusation—the role of a plaintiff.

✅ Definition:
A plaintiff is someone who initiates a lawsuit before a judge, seeking a legal remedy. In this passage, Satan is the plaintiff, bringing charges before the Judge of Heaven based on our sins.

The Courtroom of Heaven

Once we understand that this is a heavenly courtroom scene, the verse takes on deeper meaning.

The devil, as accuser, does not lie to God. He lies to us, yes—but in God’s court, only truthful charges stand. He presents real sins we’ve committed as evidence against us, demanding judgment.

So what’s our defense?

What Does “The Word of Their Testimony” Really Mean?

In this context, the testimony is not merely a spoken praise report. It is our legal evidence, our confession, and our response to the charges brought against us.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

💡 Pull Quote:
“Confession is the key. The blood of Jesus is not applied to unconfessed sin.”

This is how we overcome: we confess our sins. The saints overcame the devil because they confessed, and the blood of the Lamb was then applied, cleansing them from all sin and canceling Satan’s case.

Why Satan Fights Your Confession

The moment you sin, the devil rushes to accuse you before God. But his strategy doesn’t stop there. He also tries to convince you not to confess. He says things like:

“You’ve failed too many times.”
“God is tired of hearing from you.”
“You don’t deserve forgiveness.”

Why? Because he knows the moment you confess, his case is lost.

No matter how much evidence he presents…
No matter the severity of the sin…
if you confess your sins, the blood of Jesus wipes it all away.

Something to Think About

Here’s a question to consider:

How do you know when the devil has accused you before God?

We’ll explore that in the next article.

Until then, stay in the Word and stay ready—because victory over the devil is already written.