Good Friday - OUR DEFEATED FOE

Read Hebrews 4:1-12

MEMORISE: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)

EXPOSITION

How do we triumph over the devil in everyday life? First, we need to recognise that the devil is a defeated foe. The Son of God came to undo the work of the devil (1 Pet. 3:8). The crucifixion of Christ, which looked like a great victory for Satan, turned out to be a great triumph for God, because it was on the cross that Jesus took our sins away.

The devil had thought he was stopping God's eternal redemptive programme/plan. However, his limited knowledge, being not omniscient, worked against him. He had forgotten that he would bruise the heel of the Seed of the woman, but that the Seed would crush his head (Gen. 3:15). Had he known he was only fulfilling Scriptures by instigating those people to hurry Jesus to the cross, he wouldn't have done that; he wouldn't have possessed Judas to betray Jesus. He missed it to his own eternal damnation. Glory be to God. Hallelujah!

God laid our sins on Christ, so that when our Lord bowed His head and said, "It is finished", He was referring to the plan of redemption and salvation. Then, we are to resist the devil. If we resist him, Scripture says, he will flee from us. Jesus overcame the devil not by argument, but simply by quoting Scripture (Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8,9). That is why it is so important to learn and memorise the Scripture on daily basis, as Christians, because the Bible is our daily manual for living, and the source of great power to silence the devil and keep him where he belongs (cf. Rom. 16:20).

Thanks be to God for this great immeasurable victory He has given us in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57). Neither should you reject this great Gift of God nor should you joke with it (Heb. 2:3).

PRAYER POINTS

1. Divine empowerment to defeat Satan through the power of the Word of God, is my portion today, in Jesus' name.

2. I confess it loud and clear that by the mercy of God, I will not fall by the way side, in Jesus' name.

3. Lord, by the same power of Yours that shocked the devil on Calvary, let him be shamed, defeated and relegated totally in our dear nation. Let the voice of the enemies of Your gospel be heard no more in this nation, in Jesus' name.

EXTRA READING: Joshua 21 - 22 & Acts 13

Remain blessed!