What Does Revelation 12:11 Mean? Overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony

They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death (Revelation 12:11). 

What does this verse mean?

Please read prayerfully below to see these holy, perfect and all powerful words of God from verse eleven, along with verses nine and ten for context.

"The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death" (Revelation 12:9-11). 

Verse eleven says that "they overcame". Who is meant by "they"? The preceding verse tells us that "they" is "our brothers"... in other words, Christians. It does not say elite brothers. It says brothers. Satan accuses all the brethren. All the brethren overcome Satan. Verse eleven says that they overcame Satan because of the Lamb's blood and because of the word of their testimony. 

One Condition for Overcoming

According to 1 John 5:5, the one who overcomes is "he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God". 

• "Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5).

Their is one condition for overcoming... Belief, faith in Christ.

Blood and Testimony

Revelation 12:11 stated, "They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony..."

Confession (testimony) is the result of true belief:

• "But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke'. We also believe, and therefore we also speak;"  (1 Corinthians 4:13).

And from Romans, confession (testimony) is the result of true belief:

• "⁹ if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed." (Romans 10:9-11). 

"Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed" shows that there is one condition for salvation, belief. This is belief in the blood of the Lamb. Verse ten reveals that a supposed "belief" that will not confess, is not salvific belief. It may be "faith without root" (explained in subchapter 2.6). But a supposed faith that will not confess would be "faith without works"... a dead faith that will not save (James 2:14-26, especially verses 14 and 26). 

That faith and faith alone is the sole condition for eternal life is amply shone, from the scriptures, in the appendix (A1), titled "How to Become a Christian".

I will repeat the passage for your convenience:

• "The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for  the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death" (Revelation 12:9-11). 

The authority of Christ, the throwing down of Satan and our testimony are connected. In verse ten, we know that the authority of Christ came because the accuser (Satan) has been thrown down. Notice the word "for" in verse ten.

Through the crucifixion and before the ascension: 

• Satan was thrown down, 
• the authority of Christ came and 
• we were told to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-19). 

The last three verses of the Gospel of Matthew state:

"Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen" (Matthew 28:18-20).

Making disciples is connected with the authority granted to Christ. He has authority to send them. Some translations include the word "Therefore" at the beginning of verse nineteen.

Promises to "He Who Overcomes"

In the book of Revelation are seven messages to seven churches (Revelation 1:9-3:22). 

All seven messages end with a different promise to "he who overcomes". 

Portions of each of the seven promises for "he who overcomes" are as follows:

• "eat from the tree of life which is in the Paradise of my God"
• "won't be harmed by the second death (Lake of Fire, 20:14)"
• "a new name" which no one knows but you and God (intimacy)
• "authority over the nations"
• "I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life"
• "will write on him" the name of God, God's city (New Jerusalem) and Jesus's new name (intimacy).
• "sit down with Me on My throne"

See Revelation 2:8, 11, 17, 26 and 3:5, 12, 21, respectively.

The rewards of overcoming are... eternal life reigning in intimacy with God. 

As we saw above, there is one condition for overcoming. That condition is faith that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5 above). All who truly believe will bear testimony of Jesus (Romans 10:9-11 above).