Praise the Lord for
this holy Season of Lent. The Church around the world and around
the corner is preparing for Palm Sunday and the Victorious
Resurrection Sunday. May Jesus, the Lord of the Church, continue to pour
upon all of us His great power and grace to live with a great sense
of victory and hope. I spent some time yesterday visiting with dear
friends, reminiscing about our Lord's faithfulness and mercy. I stopped
by to see the Release time children and the staff yesterday. Praise
the Lord for the way the Church is ministering in the Name of Jesus around the
corner and around the world.
Our daughters who live in Washington went to watch the Duke Basketball play on Wednesday at the ACC Tournament. The tournament is being held in Washington, DC this year. Watching the game in person was a fulfillment of a lifelong dream for both of them. Sunita and Laureen went, along with Asha, and Sunita admits that she shamelessly used her baby's cuteness to help her get to meet a couple of people who included Coach K's wife and David Robinson (former NBA player. All our daughters have been Duke University basketball fans from their teen years. Praise the Lord for the simple and sweet gifts the Lord lavishes us with.
During this season of Lent I am reflecting on the Cross on which the Prince of Glory died. Colossians 2:15 declares that “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” To “disarm” someone means to take from them the means by which they might hurt you. For example a man with a gun is not disarmed until the gun is taken away from him. As long as he has the gun (and sufficient ammunition), there is potential for big trouble. When Jesus died on the cross, he took the weapons out of the hands of the demons, and he publicly humiliated them. Picture the Roman legions returning from a successful war. As they enter the city, vast throngs of woman and children line the streets. On and on they march, a seemingly endless parade. Then come the victorious generals, each one accompanied by singers, dancers, and musicians. Finally at the end of the procession you spot a long line of weary, dirty, emaciated men. Their hands are tied, they shuffle one after another. They are the defeated soldiers, now brought back to be displayed as proof of Rome’s invincible power.
When Jesus died, something stupendous happened in the spiritual realm. Although it was invisible to the naked eye, it was seen by all the angels and the Old Testament saints. They watched as Jesus entered the infernal regions and disarmed the “bad guys” - the powers of darkness - one by one. Then he marched them in full view of his Heavenly Father so that every created being would know that he had won the victory.
In other words, although demons have great power, they have been disarmed and cannot harm us unless we “re-arm” them by our sinful compromise. Though they attack us, if we will use the “shield of faith” provided for us, every fiery dart will be quenched. Some Christians live in unnecessary fear of the demonic realm because they have never understood the victory Christ won for them. On the other hand some believers suffer oppression because they nurse wrong attitudes and dabble with evil. That’s like giving the devil a loaded gun and saying, “Why don’t you go ahead and shoot me?” He will always be glad to oblige.
It is written that as a result of the cross Satan’s doom is now guaranteed. In John 12:31 Jesus declares that “now the prince of this world will be driven out.” In John 16:11 he adds that the “prince of this world now stands condemned.” We learn of Satan’s final end in Revelation 20:10, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur.” There he will be tormented “day and night for ever and ever.” Lo! His Doom is Sure
At the cross Satan was disarmed, disgraced and defeated. The words of Martin Luther tell us what this means:
And though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.
What is that “one little word” that brings the devil down? It is the name Jesus. He fought the fight, he stood his ground, and on the cross he utterly defeated Satan, and proved it by rising from the dead.
In Christ,
Brown
https://youtu.be/_9oIJUK8QLA
No comments:
Post a Comment