- Christmas Is Often the Story We Didn’t See Coming. We expect Christmas to be picture-perfect, meaningful, and fulfilling—but reality often disappoints. Just like unmet expectations, disrupted plans, grief, or exhaustion, many of us arrive at Christmas carrying things we never anticipated. The “Christmas we didn’t see coming” mirrors the moments in life when we feel caught off guard and overwhelmed.
- The First Christmas Was a Cosmic Battle, Not a Silent Night. Revelation 12 reveals that Christmas wasn’t just a peaceful manger moment—it was the beginning of a spiritual war. While Luke 2 shows us the baby in a manger, Revelation 12 shows us a dragon waiting to destroy Him. Christmas was the moment heaven and hell collided, and the birth of Jesus marked the start of the battle for humanity.
- When You Didn’t Stand a Chance, Heaven Started Fighting for You. God’s response to the dragon wasn’t force—it was a baby. In our weakest, most vulnerable moments—when grief, sin, temptation, shame, or despair feel unbeatable—God was never passive. What we didn’t see coming was that heaven had already entered the fight. Christmas declares that our hopeless moments were never unseen by God.
- The Battle Didn’t Start at the Cross—It Started at Christmas. The cross finished the work, but Christmas initiated it. From the manger onward, Jesus was ruling, reigning, and interceding for us. Heaven’s fight began the moment Christ entered the world, proving that even when God feels silent, He is still active, present, and fighting on our behalf.
- We Overcome by Holding Fast to Our Testimony. If Christmas was the night heaven fought for us, it was also the moment the enemy chose to fight against us. The dragon’s greatest strategy is convincing us that God is silent or absent. But Scripture declares that victory comes through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Our testimony—that God was fighting for us even when we didn’t stand a chance—is how we stand firm, endure the silence, and ultimately win.
- When you think about “the Christmas you didn’t see coming,” what expectations were unmet this year—and how did that affect your heart going into the holidays?
- How does seeing Christmas as a spiritual battle (Revelation 12) change the way you understand the birth of Jesus?
- Can you think of a season in your life when you felt like you “didn’t stand a chance”? Where do you see now that God may have been fighting for you—even if you didn’t realize it at the time?
- Why do you think silence—when God feels distant or quiet—is such a powerful weapon for the enemy? How have you experienced that silence personally?
- What is one part of your testimony you need to hold onto—or speak out loud—during this season to remind yourself that heaven is still fighting for you?