What Jesus HAS Done!!

Live and Rest in it!

6/27/2002

Ohhhh, how we want Jesus to find faith when He returns! The kind of faith that believes His Word is true and holds onto it. The next time you’re tempted to be snappy with somebody, prideful, boastful, selfish, or impatient, fearful, lazy, gluttonous… I beseech you in the name of Jesus to reckon yourself dead to sin. … He made a public spectacle of satan, humiliating him before the hosts of Heaven and the people of the earth. He knocked out satan’s teeth, and now he has nothing but gums to bite with. He drove satan right into a place of powerlessness, rendering him harmless. “We reckon and declare that these things are true!” The ability to speak that way with a clear conscience, confirmed by God in the Holy Spirit, is based on our willingness to believe what Jesus has done and is doing. Nothing more. “This is the work of God, to believe on the One whom He sent.” “The spirit of prophecy is a testimony of Jesus.” Let that testimony reign in your heart. Let it well up in every attitude and every word that comes out of your mouth.

Let your mind be transformed and renewed by the Promise and Person of God in the face of Jesus Christ, high and lifted up, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! “He’s my Security, He’s my Hope, my Fortress, my High Tower, my Rock, my Door, my Way, my Truth, my Life, my Good Shepherd.” He’s the Light of the world—Jesus of Nazareth. Glory to His Name!! Let it reign in your heart. Let it fill your heart and mind, saturating you in every circumstance, and like Nathaniel, you too will see the Glory of God. You too will see angels ascending and descending to the Throne of God and the footstool of God. As you believe the promises that are “Yes” and “Amen” in Jesus Christ, you’ll see things like that—incredible things! Don’t let sin reign in your mortal bodies. Sin no longer has mastery over you! Why? Real simple answer: JESUS, the Christ of God; Friend, Brother, and King.

One response to the above:

It is wonderful and exciting to know that Jesus has “made a spectacle of satan,” but I believe that we cannot say that he no longer has any teeth. We are getting onto dangerous ground if we propagate that satan has no power. Look at the millions of lost, dying and deceived people in the world today that are living under the power and influence of satan. I know we don’t focus on satan, and that our focus is on Jesus, and rightly so, what he has done for us.

He has overcome satan, and given us the power and ability to overcome satan, but I believe that it is dangerous to declare that he is a toothless old lion, when in the word he is described as a prowling, roaring lion. I know that you have been to Africa, but I am not sure if you have ever seen a lion, young or old. Even when they’re old, they are still dangerous creatures, and not some tame circus cat that you can play with any way you like. He is dangerous and has power and is fighting to retain control in the world.

Let us always be aware that satan is out there prowling around looking for someone to devour. One of the main principles of warfare is, “Know your enemy.” When you know his tactics, then you can win. If you ignore your enemy, he will sneak up and take you from behind when you least expect it. Let us never lose sight of the fact that satan is a prowling, roaring, teeth-baring lion, not a defeated, tame pussycat.

Reply:

Hi…. Thanks for your note. : ) Actually, you’re kind of overreacting, but I understand. The point really is that satan’s ONLY power, as in the Garden of Eden, is to be “the Father of Lies.” The free Gift of God in Christ Jesus is, “He who is IN you is greater than he who is in the world,” and “to all who BELIEVE, Rivers of Alive Water gush forth from the inner man”—“springs in the desert.” The “power” of satan is in his LIES. If we believe him rather than Jesus, we GIVE him power over our lives, and influence over the world around us. YES, he has “power,” but only “delegated” power, as is very clear in the book of Job and in the life of Jesus.

RESIST the devil and he WILL flee. How much “power” does one have who MUST “flee” if he is resisted? Truly NONE that we do not give him. Martin Luther once woke up in the middle of the night to find satan over his bed, drooling and snarling... and said, “It’s only you,” and rolled over and went back to sleep. THAT is the place of a true Believer, as you must know if you have experienced His Life in you. That is why Romans 6 (the topic under discussion in the short piece you read) was written by Father as it was. Sin HAS NO DOMINION, unless fear, sensationalism, giving honor to satan, superstition, or unbelief in the Life and Love and Power of God rob us of our Fellowship with Him. Satan MUST flee, according to God. Tell that to a Bengal tiger in a village in India! So, I’m sure we’re in agreement, and it’s just all communication issues.

It is EXTREMELY important that His People not miss the point that was in that short note, while OF COURSE satan can “give you all the kingdoms of the world” (sounds like some form of “power” to be sure) as he offered Jesus—IF we give our lives to him by living for our own flesh. But all of that ENDS abruptly when we Believe God, rather than satan. He THEN has NO POWER. “The prince of this world has come, but he has nothing in me,” and now in this Covenant: “Christ IN you, the hope of Glory.” Those with the Spirit “WILL NOT continue to sin” for “the Son of God was manifest to DESTROY the devil’s works.” “God’s Intent is NOW, through the Church, to make known His manifold Wisdom to the principalities and powers,” and against HIS Church the “gates of Hell will not prevail.” How powerful is he, if he CANNOT prevail? Not so. It’s all about whether we GIVE him power or not—which is quite unlike a physical lion or tiger or hippo. Give Glory to GOD…

“THIS is the victory that OVERCOMES the world—even our FAITH.” No fear and no condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus. That is the Good News.

Are we together on this, my friend?

Love in His Love,