Satan can no longer accuse us before the throne because Christ has made us perfect.
Hebrews 10:14
For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Jesus declared that satan fell from heaven after the disciples went out to preach the kingdom of God.
Luke 10:18
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
In Luke 4:5-6 Satan declares that the nations are his. This was before the death and resurrection of Jesus.
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5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
The nations of the world had not heard about Jesus until the gospel was spread by the apostles. Now they can choose not to be deceived by Satan anymore because the gospel was preached to the whole world.
We are told that the gospel is preached to the whole world in Colossians 1:23
23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Titus 3:3-7 shows us that we were once deceived but now the Holy Spirit has saved us.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Colossians 1:24-27
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
Paul states above that a great mystery has been revealed which is Christ in us. This mystery was hidden for ages and generations but now satan is bound from deceiving us if we choose because of the gospel which reveals this mystery.
Ephesians 3:2-11
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In Ephesians 3:1-11 Paul teaches us that he is to reveal a mystery that was kept from past generations which is that the gentile nations are also heirs together with Israel. This mystery was revealed by the Holy Spirit through the gospel. It was hidden in the past ages but now it is to be made known to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms.
Matthew 16:15-20
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
In Matthew 16:15-20 Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ the son of God. Jesus then tells Peter that He will build His on church on Himself and hell will not overcome it. Peter is given the keys to heaven and told that whatever he binds or loosed on earth will also be bound and loosed in heaven. The church also has this same power we have the same Holy Spirit. This shows us that the binding is spiritual and so is the loosened from our sins. I think this shows us that the great chain in Revelation 20:1 is the power of the Holy Spirit through the spreading of the gospel through the church.
The 1000-year reign of the saints
I believe that the 1000-year reign starts as each individual Christian dies and it is not limited to the ones who were beheaded. If we take the 1000-year reign literally in Revelation chapter 20 then only the saints beheaded will come back to life and reign. Stephen the first martyr would not come back to life and reign because he was stoned to death either would Peter who was crucified. John, who this vision was given to, would not reign either as we believe that he died of natural causes, but Paul would come back to life and reign because he was beheaded. The literal interpretation would not make sense in this case.
I believe that this resurrection in Revelation chapter 20 shows us that we will reign with Jesus after death, and it was given to encourage the church.
When are we resurrected?
I believe that we are spiritually resurrected when we accept Jesus as our savior and also resurrected when we die as Christians as Paul taught below in
Romans 6:3-13
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
Paul also taught us that we are already alive with Christ in the first spiritual resurrection even when we were dead in sin and that we have been (past tense) raised up with Christ in
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 10:14
For by one sacrifice, he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Jesus declared that satan fell from heaven after the disciples went out to preach the kingdom of God.
Luke 10:18
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
In Luke 4:5-6 Satan declares that the nations are his. This was before the death and resurrection of Jesus.
.
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
The nations of the world had not heard about Jesus until the gospel was spread by the apostles. Now they can choose not to be deceived by Satan anymore because the gospel was preached to the whole world.
We are told that the gospel is preached to the whole world in Colossians 1:23
23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
Titus 3:3-7 shows us that we were once deceived but now the Holy Spirit has saved us.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Colossians 1:24-27
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
Paul states above that a great mystery has been revealed which is Christ in us. This mystery was hidden for ages and generations but now satan is bound from deceiving us if we choose because of the gospel which reveals this mystery.
Ephesians 3:2-11
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In Ephesians 3:1-11 Paul teaches us that he is to reveal a mystery that was kept from past generations which is that the gentile nations are also heirs together with Israel. This mystery was revealed by the Holy Spirit through the gospel. It was hidden in the past ages but now it is to be made known to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms.
Matthew 16:15-20
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades] will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
In Matthew 16:15-20 Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ the son of God. Jesus then tells Peter that He will build His on church on Himself and hell will not overcome it. Peter is given the keys to heaven and told that whatever he binds or loosed on earth will also be bound and loosed in heaven. The church also has this same power we have the same Holy Spirit. This shows us that the binding is spiritual and so is the loosened from our sins. I think this shows us that the great chain in Revelation 20:1 is the power of the Holy Spirit through the spreading of the gospel through the church.
The 1000-year reign of the saints
I believe that the 1000-year reign starts as each individual Christian dies and it is not limited to the ones who were beheaded. If we take the 1000-year reign literally in Revelation chapter 20 then only the saints beheaded will come back to life and reign. Stephen the first martyr would not come back to life and reign because he was stoned to death either would Peter who was crucified. John, who this vision was given to, would not reign either as we believe that he died of natural causes, but Paul would come back to life and reign because he was beheaded. The literal interpretation would not make sense in this case.
I believe that this resurrection in Revelation chapter 20 shows us that we will reign with Jesus after death, and it was given to encourage the church.
When are we resurrected?
I believe that we are spiritually resurrected when we accept Jesus as our savior and also resurrected when we die as Christians as Paul taught below in
Romans 6:3-13
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.
Paul also taught us that we are already alive with Christ in the first spiritual resurrection even when we were dead in sin and that we have been (past tense) raised up with Christ in
Ephesians 2:4-6
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
