In order to force the accuser from his position of rulership over the world and to hurl him into the earth we must overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. We must overcome him by the word of our Spirit-empowered-and-guided testimony.

Also, we must overcome him by loving not our lives to the death.

The death signified here is the removing of King Self from the throne of our personality and the placing of King Jesus on that throne.

The means God has provided so we may die the death to self is the cross of Christ. Our self-will must be crucified with Christ. We must be sharers in, partakers of, His sufferings. We must be conformed to His death on the cross.

If we are not willing to die in this sense, Christ cannot live in us. If Christ does not live in us, the accuser cannot be wrenched from his place of dominion over the world and thrown into the earth by Michael and his angels.

By no means whatever can the people of the churches of Christ overcome the ancient dragon. Only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah can overcome the huge, fiery-red dragon.

When the ministries of the Christian Church, the Body of Christ, begin to travail, Christ is formed in the Church. As Christ is brought forth in the personalities of the saints He is caught up to the throne of God in preparation for that Day when He will be revealed with and in His saints.

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:3,4)

Christ is our life. Our life in the present hour is in Christ at the right hand of God.

As soon as Christ has been formed in the members of His Body and then caught up to God, the authoritative Word of Divine judgment can be pronounced against Satan. The direct result is that to Michael and his angels will be issued the power of God to force Satan and his angels from the thrones of spiritual dominion over the earth.

When the Church of Christ attempts to destroy the works of Satan in its own wisdom and strength, nothing is accomplished in the heavens. Until the strong man is bound it is impossible to invade his home.

The Christian Church possesses neither the wisdom nor the power to bind the strong man, Satan, the accuser of the brothers of Christ. Therefore the Church must enter deep travail, as a human mother enters the valley of the shadow of death in order to bring forth a child. The Church must enter the travail of death to self-will and self-seeking.

When the Church is "living," little of eternal value is accomplished in the spirit realm; and it is the spirit realm that controls the world, the material creation. When the Church enters travail in the Spirit of God, dying to its own life in order that Christ may be formed, the Divinely authorized Word of judgment issues from the throne of God in Heaven.

To be continued.