CHRIST’S
VICTORY
SATAN’S DEFEAT, OUR LIBERTY
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
“He that believeth on the Son, hath Everlasting Life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36). “And ye know that He (Jesus Christ) was manifested to take away our sins. And in Him is no sin. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3: 5, 8):
“Therefore being justified by FAITH, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for ungodly. But God commendeth His LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, CHRIST died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom.5:1,6,8,9)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath CHOSEN us in Him before the foundation of the world, that you should be holy and without blame before Him in love:
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His GRACE, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In whom we have REDEMPTION through His BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace,” (Eph.1:3-7)
JESUS CHRIST GAVE HIMSELF FOR US!
More than 600 years ago a young soldier kissed his wife and children good-bye, saying, “Today I give my life for my country!” An army of 2000 Austrian soldiers had crossed the border into Switzerland intent upon conquest. The defenders were being pushed back in retreat, when Arnold Von Winkelried, dashed boldly into the Austrian ranks shouting, “Make way for liberty. Make way for freedom!”
With his bare hands, he seized as many enemy spears as he could reach. As he fell, pierced by the spears, he created a gap in the Austrian ranks. The Swiss, who were buoyed and invigorated by Von Winkelried’s great courage rushed through the opening and won the battle in hand-to-hand fighting!
Nearly 2,000 years ago a young man was nailed to a Roman Cross on a hill called Golgotha, outside Jerusalem’s city walls! The Jewish Messiah, who’s coming had been foretold by Hebrew prophets hundreds of years earlier, was on a divine mission to redeem fallen man through His death and resurrection!
Just before He died on the cursed tree, Jesus of Nazareth cried out: “Tetelstai”. That word comes from the Greek verb ‘teleo’ which has three essential meanings: “to finish something, to bring something to an end; to fulfill something; to pay that which is owed.” Jesus of Nazareth had finished His work of Redemption. He had ended Satan’s power over the human family. He had fulfilled every O.T. Scripture about the Jewish Messiah! And He had had paid for the sins of mankind for all who will receive Him as Saviour and Lord! Jesus was shouting: “Make way for freedom! Make way for liberty!”
Before His Trial by the biased, judgmental, and unfair Sanhedrin, Jesus was invited to read the Scriptures in the Nazareth synagogue. He asked for the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read from the 61st. chapter, which specifically foretold His coming! “And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4: 17-19).
THE YEAR OF JUBILEE!
Jesus was referring to the ‘Year of Jubilee’ that was observed every 50 years in Israel, at which time slaves could be redeemed, prisoners freed, and property returned to the original owners! The ‘Year of Jubilee’ began with the blowing of a trumpet, immediately following the ‘Day of Atonement’.
Jesus fulfilled the ‘Day of Atonement’ when He died on the cross as God’s Pascal Lamb, as well as the ‘Year of Jubilee’ when He poured out the Gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, to inaugurate the ‘Gospel Age’!
The “acceptable year of the Lord” was a type of the Gospel Age that began on the ‘Day of Pentecost’ when the Church was born! Since we are still living in the ‘Year of Jubilee’, sinners can be forgiven, sick people can be healed and those who are captives of Satan can be liberated!
Jesus said: “And ye shall know that truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8: 32, 36).
LUCIFER’S TREACHERY & MONUMENTAL FALL!
An enemy had invaded planet earth in a wicked, blasphemous maneuver that caused the tragic fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and plunged the human race into a dizzying downward spiral that leads to perdition and hell! The high – ranking, rebellious archangel Lucifer had led a revolt against Almighty God – his creator - in an unprecedented and blasphemous revolt fuelled by pride, jealously and unholy ambition!
Together with one-third of the holy angels whom he had cajoled into joining his rebellion, the ‘evil turncoat’ was soundly defeated and cast out of Heaven by the archangels Michael and Gabriel and other loyal angels of God! Isaiah details Lucifer’s treachery and fall thusly:
“How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to Hell...” (Is.14: 12-17).
The Prophet Ezekiel also chronicles Lucifer tragic fall in the 28th chapter of his book! And JESUS confirmed Lucifer’s defeat and delegated divine authority and power to His disciples over the Evil One: “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
“And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightening fall from Heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10: 17-19). The Bible says: “Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist in the faith….” (1 Peter 1: 8-9).
JESUS PROCLAIMS LIBERTY TO CAPTIVES!
The archangel Lucifer - guardian of God’s throne and worship leader in Heaven – sinned through his desire to be worshipped, and pride because of his beauty and wisdom! He was cast out of Heaven and became the enemy of God and man, and the world’s leading terrorist! Jesus said: “The thief (Satan) cometh not but for to steal, kill and destroy. I am come that ye might have life and more abundantly.” (John10: 10).
The Bible says: “He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil is the servant of sin and the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3: 8).
What are the WORKS OF THE DEVIL? By studying the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, we get our answer: Jesus preached the gospel, forgave sinners, dispelled fear, brought peace, healed the sick, fed the hungry, cast out devils and raised the dead! He opposed sin, fear, disease, death, poverty, and the devil!
FEAR – Jesus dispelled fear! He brought peace to those who were troubled. He said: “Be of good cheer; It is I; be not afraid” (Matt.14: 27); “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27).
The Bible says: “God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. (2 Tim.1:7); “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18).
SICKNESS, DISEASE, DEATH – Jesus healed the sick and diseased. And He raised the dead! These three are lumped together because sickness and disease is incipient death. It is death on the installment plan! Although there are some sicknesses that are brought on through accidents and personal neglect and abuse of oneself, yet all the cases recorded in the Bible that Jesus healed, were a direct or indirect result of Satanic intrigue and oppression!
The Holy Spirit states: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and HEALING ALL THOSE WHO WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL, for God was with Him.” (Acts 10: 38). There was no sickness, disease or death in the Garden of Eden, prior to the fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve!
There is an exception, however, where a baby was born blind for the purpose of Jesus giving him sight, so that God could be glorified thereby! (John 9: 1-3). This falls into the category of ‘God’s Sovereignty’ in all things and similar to the “hardening Pharaoh’s heart” so that his rebellion could be used to bring glory to God through the deliverance of the Children of Israel!
Similarly, Judas’ transgression and demon possession fulfilled prophecy, with predestination playing a part. We must keep in mind that God – knowing the end from the beginning – understood these men were arrogant and rebellious and would go down that road regardless!
JESUS PERFORMED SO MANY MIRACLES that St. John wrote: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written everyone, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” (John 21: 25, 26). Interestingly, the two largest categories in the US Library of Congress are respectively, the Civil War and Jesus of Nazareth!
Blind Man Healed: Matt.9: 27-30; John 9: 17. Lepers Cleansed: Matt.8: 3, Luke 17:14; Paralytic Cured: Mark 2: 3-12. Hemorrhage Stopped: Matt.9: 20-22. Deaf and Dumb Cured: Mark 7: 32-35. Dead Raised to Life: Matt.9: 18, 19, 23-25.
POVERTY – Jesus was very concerned about the plight of the poor! He halted a funeral procession where a widow was about to bury her only son, and in a show of unprecedented power raised the young man from the dead!
Why did Jesus do this? He cared for the poor and seeing a poor widow about to bury her only son – left with no economic support - had compassion on her. By raising her son from the dead, He had solved her financial problem! “Now when He came nigh to the gates of the city (Nain) behold there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
“And when the Lord saw her, HE HAD COMPASSION ON HER, and said unto her, Weep not. And He came and touched the bier (coffin): and they that bare him stood still. And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, arise. And he that was dead sat up and began to speak. And He delivered him to his mother.” (Luke 7: 12-15)
On two occasions, He multiplied loves and fishes to feed the hungry multitudes. (Matt.14: 15-21; 15: 32-33). And He gave us the key to economic success and financial prosperity: “Give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, filled up, pressed down, shaken together and running over, shall men give unto their bosom.” (Luke 6: 38).
DEMONS AND SATAN – Jesus cast out demons from those who were tormented, sick, diseased and possessed! He liberated them from satanic tyranny, oppression, and subjugation! (Mark 8: 28-32; 9: 32-33; 15: 22-28). Not only did He cast out demons, but through His vicarious death for us and glorious resurrection, JESUS DESTROYED SATAN by rendering him powerless and unable to harm those who trust in our blessed Lord Jesus!
The Bible says: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy Him that had the power of death, that is the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb.2: 12-15)
Satan has absolutely NO POWER over blood-washed, Spirit-filled believers who trust in Jesus Christ as Saviour, Lord, and Deliverer! When Jesus shed His precious blood for our sins, He stripped the devil of all his authority over those who believe!
The ‘Evil One’ cannot cross the BLOOD-LINE! Jesus Christ has defeated him totally and we are redeemed, justified, purged, saved, covered, and protected by the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord!
The Bible says: “God hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son: In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn (No one is before Him. He is first in rank) of every creature:
JESUS CHRIST IS THE CREATOR!
“For by Him (God the Son) were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: All things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
“And He is the head of the body, the CHURCH: Who is the beginning (He is the alpha, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell.” (Col.1:13-19). What does “the firstborn from the dead” really mean?
Jesus was the first to die and be resurrected, never to die again. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Later, he had to die again. Jesus cannot and will not die! He lives forever as the Glorified Son of God and Saviour of all who believe!
The Bible says: “…Who (Christ Jesus) being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God (He was God the Son): But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: “And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil.2: 5-11)
The Bible says: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened (made alive) together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” (Col 2: 13-15)
The analogy employed here is of a GREAT KING returning to his Capital City, after defeating his enemies. Loyal subjects line the streets to cheer on their victorious Majesty! With the enemy king and his leading officers in chains running behind his chariot, he leads a triumphant procession of his mighty men of war. In his chariot is the ultimate ‘spoils of war’ – the armour and crown of his prisoner!
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Jesus is the conquering King! He defeated His adversary, the devil, and made a show of him openly. He made a spectacle of Satan when He defeated him totally through His vicarious death to atone for the sins of the entire world! And He did it publicly!
An audience in three worlds beheld His victorious death and resurrection and Satan’s total defeat. The angels saw it and shouted for joy. The demons witnessed it and screamed in terror! And the people saw it and glorified Almighty God!
The Bible states that Jesus spoiled demonic principalities and powers, making a show of them publicly, triumphing over them, in it. Three worlds witnessed Satan’s utter defeat at the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ: Heaven, Hell, and Earth! In Matthew’s Gospel there are three divine laws that Jesus gave to believers to be used in the battle between good and evil, right and wrong and God versus Satan! These spiritual laws, when used in faith and sincerity, guarantee a divine hearing and an answer to prayer!
THE LAW OF BINDING AND LOOSING!
Jesus stated: "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 18:18). I call this the 'Law of Binding and Loosing'. Christ has given us the LEGAL RIGHT to use His Name with authority and power ‘over and against’ evil spirits of sin, fear, sickness, disease, and Satan himself.
When we “bind” him and his agents in Jesus’ name, the power of Heaven comes into operation and renders him powerless in the lives of those to whom we are ministering salvation, healing, and deliverance! When we "loose" people from their evil habits, diseases, fears and oppressions in Jesus' Name, the power of God in Heaven comes into operation and looses the people from their bondages!
It’s like the
principle of remote control. Alberta Hydro has one or two central power
stations that cover the entire province.
When the lever is pulled or the button pushed to cut off the power in a
certain area or the entire province, it is done so by remote control!
Every building has a master
switch that can either activate or de-activate all power to that building,
by flicking it on or off.
That's how it works in
God's Kingdom as well. We use the Name
of Jesus to bind Satan and his evil works and to liberate the people from his
power! At that moment the power of Almighty God begins operating on our behalf,
through the workings of the Holy Spirit!
God's power is universal, so therefore, the use of Jesus'
Name in “binding and loosing” can affect people world-wide,
through our faith and prayers! Here is the question: “What would God desire us
to bind, and secondly, who or what would God want us to loose or liberate”? An in-depth look at His earthly ministry gives us the answer!
When He walked here among us, He was opposed to these things: sin, fear, sickness, disease, death,
poverty, and demons! And He loosed
people from those evil, negative powers and situations! Since He has not changed, He continues doing
these things! And that is exactly what
He desires us to do as well!
A DESPERATE NEED IN THE CHURCH!
What is desperately needed, however, is powerful ‘Intercessory Prayer’. Revival does not come by rebuking the devil, however, but by seeking God’s face in prayer and intercession!
Intercessory prayer will cause the Holy Spirit to strive with people who are in the need of salvation and deliverance! Our intercession for the lost, will impact their lives as we touch God on their behalf, and the devil will be compelled to loosen his grip on them!
The Bible says, “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; Then will I hear from heaven, and will heal their land”. (2 Chron.7: 14). This text does not include “binding the devil” as a pre-requisite for Revival, but, seeking God does!
Again, rebuking the devil does not bring revival but seeking God in earnest prayer with fasting moves the hand of God on our behalf! Spiritual warfare is more than words spoken into the air, directed towards unseen demons in some city of the world! Spiritual warfare is to put on the whole armour of God and preach the gospel of Christ, in our homes, on the streets, in the market place, from our pulpits, over the airwaves and on the internet!
It is to share and live the gospel with such power and potency that those whom come in contact with us will be convicted of their sins, convinced that they need the Lord and converted from their evil ways!
Spiritual warfare
is to pray and intercede until our hearts are right before God and the
anointing is on every word we speak and action we initiate, in the precious
Name of Jesus!
Spiritual warfare is
liberating people by the power of the Holy Spirit and casting out demons in
Jesus' precious Name, from those who are vexed, oppressed, and possessed!
Spiritual warfare is to fast, pray
and give to God's work until we are totally sold out to the Lord and receive
His compassion for the perishing, humility of spirit and holiness of life!
When we fast and pray - like Daniel - God will send us the answer, and also dispatch angels, if necessary! By boldly taking the gospel to Satan's slaves in love and power will get the job done! We must confront Satan and cast him out of those with whom we have contact!
We are not fighting an illusory enemy, so we must be definite and confront him directly when he gets in our way! If he gets in the line of fire as we advance with the gospel, we have the right to command him in Jesus' Name, to leave! The Bible says: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you". (James 4: 7).
Jesus said, "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth". (Acts 1:8)
Don't let
self-styled leaders in the church get you off the main track onto a side spur
which only excites but does not get the job done! Let’s get back to the basics of old-fashioned
holiness, dedication, consecration, prayer, fasting and preaching, with
personal soul winning and we will see genuine Bible revivals again!
Remember, Bible Revivals are born in times of intercession and prayer, on our faces before God! Revival comes from God and has nothing to do with the devil! To rebuke the devil does not bring revival, but earnest prayer brings the answer from God! Daniel found that to be true! After he had fasted and prayed for three weeks, God sent Michael and Gabriel to wrestle with Satan, and deliver His message to His servant! Let's take a lesson from this old gospel hymn:
CLEANSE ME!
“Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Saviour, know my thoughts, I
pray:
See if there be some wicked way in me:
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin:
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame:
Grant my desires to magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine:
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender: Lord, in me
abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee:
Send a revival - start the work in me:
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need:
For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead.”
NO. 2 - THE LAW OF AGREEMENT!
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 18:19). There is great power in prayer and especially united prayer. When two or more join in concerted, corporate prayer, Jesus said, “It shall be done for them of My Father which is in Heaven”.
Believers can join in times of tragedy, danger, sickness and epidemic for prayer and intercession! I call this the 'Law of Agreement'! According to our Lord Jesus, any two people agreeing in fervent, believing prayer will bring an answer from our Heavenly Father. When Jesus Christ said, "Again, I say unto you" or "Verily, I say unto you", it was very important. Everything Jesus said was important, but when He used these terms He was adding a special emphasis!
Why?
Using the word "Again",
He was stressing something He had previously told them. And the term "Verily" means "certainly". “By
using these words, He was emphasizing their validity and importance! I want to
stress the importance of His words, because by and large the ‘Church World’ has
almost dismissed them! WHAT A SHAME!
Let us grasp His Words and never let them slip from us! Jesus said: "Again I say unto you.” He had told them before but He was reminding them again, just before leaving, of this important exercise of faith! If two of you - that could refer to any two people anywhere agreeing together in faith, for any specific request. Jesus declared: "It shall be done for them of My Father who is in Heaven". (Matt. 18:19)
The word
shall, is mandatory and absolute. It is concrete! It will happen as He said, when we ask in
faith believing! He can make our
impossibilities possible if we totally put our trust in Him!
The third law in this portion of Scripture is the 'Law of His Presence'. Miracles happen when the presence of God is in our midst. And we know He is present, when we gather in His Name, worshipping and praising God! Wherever we are gathered in Jesus' Name, we are guaranteed that He is there!
Jesus stated emphatically, “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them”. (Matt. 18:20). It is His Mighty Presence that brings healing by the power of the Holy Spirit!
IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS!
“Do you have any rivers you think are un-crossable?
Do you
have any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible.
So why don’t you ask Him? He’ll do it for you!
“Faith in God can move a mighty mountain,
Faith in God can
calm a troubled sea,
Faith will make a
desert like a fountain,
And faith will bring the victory.
“Faith in the Father, and faith in the Son
Faith in the Holy
Ghost; these three are One
Demons will tremble
and sinners awake,
Faith in Christ
Jesus will anything shake!
So have faith in God,
Have faith in God,
Have faith my friend, in God.
Whatever is facing us now or in the future, God is greater than our needs. He will meet our every need for body, soul or spirit!
JESUS HAS NOT CHANGED!
Jesus is still against sin, fear, torment, sickness, disease, poverty, and demon spirits! And all things are possible through Jesus Christ if we truly believe it! (Mark 9: 23). Finally, Jesus Christ promised: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee". (Heb. 13:5). In the literal Greek, Jesus used a double imperative to make His point clear. He said, "I will never, no never leave thee; I will never, no never forsake thee."
The Bible says: “Again, He reassured His disciples and all believers for all times, with these words: "...and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world". (Matt. 28:20). These three great laws tell us that:
(2) We
can free (loose) Satan’s slaves by
using Jesus’ Name, and God’s power in Heaven will liberate them.
The Bible says, “...For this PURPOSE the Son of God
was manifested that He might destroy the works of the DEVIL.”(1 John
3:8)
Come back with me to that memorable hour at the Nazareth synagogue when Jesus revealed His identity and the purpose for His coming into this sin-cursed world: “And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:16-21)
When Jesus stated, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears”, He was declaring Himself the Messiah! That prophecy was foretelling the coming ‘Gospel Age’ which would fulfill the type - ‘The Year of the Jubilee’! Once a year on the great ‘Day of Atonement’, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies with a basin of blood and stood in the very presence of Almighty God. He sprinkled the blood (a type of the blood of Jesus) on the mercy seat!
When he had finished his
ministration, the people who were prostrated on their faces outside, rejoiced because God had accepted the
sacrifice and forgiven their sins for another year!
Every fifty years, the Israelites celebrated the ‘Year of Jubilee’, at which time all prisoners were freed, slaves were released, debts were forgiven, and property and inheritance reverted to their original owners! The Bible records: “Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the JUBILEE to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
“And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a JUBILEE unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
“In the year of this JUBILEE ye shall return every man unto his possession and in the JUBILEE it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him.” (Lev. 9, 10, 13, 28b, 54
The trumpet could not sound in the fiftieth year to usher in the ‘Year of Jubilee’ UNTIL the ‘Great Day of Atonement’ had been completed! Jesus read the prophecy and then unequivocally stated, “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears”! What was He saying? He was declaring Himself the “Lamb of God” that would die for the sins of Israel and the world and fulfill the Great Day of Atonement, and purchase our salvation!
He would then personally usher in the YEAR OF JUBILEE when all Satan’s slaves would be released, sinners would be forgiven, the sick would be healed, evil spirits would be driven out and the people would be delivered!
Jesus died on the cross and arose from the dead, meeting the demands of divine justice. Fifty days later, He ascended into Heaven and poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2: 1-4)
At that moment, the Church was born, and the YEAR OF JUBILEE BEGAN! Praise God, we are still living in the ‘Year of Jubilee’ and there is deliverance for all who desire to be free from Satan’s enslavement!
CALL UPON THE LORD!
Call upon His Name today, believe His gospel and receive Jesus Christ into your heart and life. And He will make you totally free, my friend! We will recover all if we have faith and boldness to pursue the enemy and bind his evil force, casting him out and forcing him to acquiesce. He must give up, hand over the spoil he has stolen from us and make his retreat!
Jesus said: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler (Satan) of this world is coming, and he hath nothing in Me.” (John 14: 30); “Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject to us in Thy name.” And Jesus said unto them, “I beheld Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10: 17-19).
“When Jesus had received the vinegar, He cried, It is finished and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.” (John 19: 30). Jesus spoke in the Greek language when He cried out from the cross. The word He used was ‘tetelestai’! It comes from the Greek verb teleo, which has three essential meanings: To finish or complete something, to bring something to an end; to fulfill something; to pay that which is owed!
Our blessed Lord had finished the work His Father had sent Him to do. Redemption was complete. The fountain for sin and uncleanness had been opened. (Zech.13: 1). In repentance and faith a dying thief cried out to Jesus: “Remember me Lord when you enter into Your kingdom”, and Jesus replied: “Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 43)
There are a total of 332 Old Testament Scriptures that refer to the Coming Messiah. Jesus fulfilled them all. There are 61 major prophecies, all of which Jesus fulfilled to the letter! Not only does history prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah because of all the fulfilled prophecies, but Science also makes that same claim.
Dr. Peter Stoner states, that according to the ‘Law of Probabilities’ for any other person outside of Jesus Christ to fulfill just 8 of the 61 major prophecies that our Lord fulfilled, he would have one chance out of 10 to the 17th power! In order that we may begin to understand that huge number (1,000,000,000,000,000,000), Dr. Peter Stoner gives us this analogy:
You would have to cover the great State of Texas with millions, billions, trillions, quadrillions and septillions of silver dollars until every square foot of ground had a two-foot blanket of silver dollars. Put a mark on one silver dollar and stir in into the immense mass of other silver dollars.
Then, blindfold a man, give him a walking stick and invite him to dig, touch and walk as far as he likes foe as long as he desires. The first silver dollar that he holds in his hand as the winner, however, must have the mark on it!
There is only one Saviour, Healer and Deliverer and His name is Jesus the Christ of God, who suffered, bled and died for our sins and was raised again for our justification! (Rom.4: 25). “JESUS saith unto Him, I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ME.” (John 14: 6)
Jesus invites you, my friend: “Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11: 28). “Now unto Him who can keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 24, 25)
