Revelation 12:7-9 - We fight a defeated enemy

Now we see a war in heaven. Why is there so much trouble on the earth? Because Satan has been thrown out of heaven and cast on to the earth.

Michael is the angel who leads the fight against Satan. Michael is mentioned in Daniel (Dan 12:1) and is the one who fights on behalf of Israel. That chapter speaks of the end times and says there will be times of great trouble. You see, Revelation is not an odd book, but entirely consistent with the rest of Scripture. 

Note that it is Michael who leads the fight, who initiates it. Not Satan. Satan is the one who is reacting, and all his efforts are in vain. Satan, and all his demons, were not strong enough to keep their place in heaven. They have lost their battle in the heavenly realms.

Satan is identified as the ancient serpent, the one who deceived Eve. He is the one who leads the whole world astray. In John's time he saw the world being led astray. The Jewish authorities continued to oppose the church. The Roman empire continued to demand worship. Today we see the world continuing to be led astray.

It is this defeated enemy who has been hurled down to the earth. We need to realise that we fight a defeated enemy. This is not to minimise the horrors that he can perpetuate, we must never do that, and if we ever did events would soon bring us to our senses. But he is a defeated enemy.