JESUS WON ALL OUR BATTLES

 

A popular notion that has been accepted as a joke among Christians yet a poisonous thought in our hearts is the statement: “Even when Jesus walked this earth, He didn’t do it all.” This saying, which may sound familiar to those conversant with the Akan language, is often used as a joke. However, what we fail to understand with such expensive jokes is the fact that when an ignorant man hears it without understanding it as a “mere joke”, it becomes a foundation for the kingdom of darkness to build vital demonic doctrines that will eventually destroy the listener. How can the lie that Jesus didn’t do it all become a “joke” that amuses the Christian? How is the Christian able to open their mouth to spew out this lie and think it is funny?

John 19:28-30 (NKJV)

[28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”

[29] Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

[30] So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

The above passage is your answer for those wondering where it was stated that JESUS had accomplished all things. Everything prophesied by the saints of old—be it Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Malachi, etc.—was performed to perfection by Jesus before He could boldly shout the words, “IT IS FINISHED!”

Brothers and sisters, I know you have been told to suffer to accomplish all things as Jesus did, but I want to give you another perspective on what you thought your shepherd said.

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NKJV)

[45] Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

[46] This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

[47] Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

In the above passage, which happens to be the last words of David to Goliath before his death, David, again by the Spirit, makes available a simple truth—“NO CHILD OF GOD CAN WALK VICTORIOUS WITHOUT THE LORD’S INTERVENTION.” David was trying to make Goliath understand that the victory he would celebrate over his dead body would only be possible because the Lord had already given him Goliath. This story of David and Goliath serves as a powerful illustration of the truth that our victory, like David’s, is ultimately the Lord’s. The Lord has already given us victory over every possible problem that can be orchestrated by the smartest demon or occult power to exist today, tomorrow or centuries to come. Wait! Didn’t you read what David added, “The battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

If you need clarification at this point, then you are following. I want you to know that even David, a man under the covenant of the blood of bulls and goats, was the one who shared this insight. He understood the power he wielded as a choice member of the nation of God. If God says that victory is his, then victory is his. How much more you who is of the covenant of the blood of Jesus?

Fellow brothers and sisters, it is ignorance that would make a Christian think that it is okay to suffer for the very things that Christ has won and freely given to them. Jesus’s last words are His last words to every battle that every Christian born today, in years to come, will encounter. Am I saying the Christian is meant to be silent? No! Christians have every right and boldness to stand against anyone who wants to override their victory in Christ.

Let’s not forget what David did after making it clear to Goliath that he would be victorious. The Bible states that David began to run towards the tall, ugly thing that was scaring the whole nation of God, Israel, and the supposed strong anointed king.

Why are you running away from those family issues that have been sponsored by demonic powers over centuries when Jesus won the battle thousands of years ago?

Who told you to go and try to win the war? How are you trying to win a battle already won centuries ago?

Who deceived you into believing the lie that your long hours of prayers, several times of protruded fastings, daily Bible study, and series of praise and worship are the reasons why you would or have won a generation battle?

Who bewitched you?

What has clouded your mind?

Your Bible study, fasting, prayers, worship and praises have been keys to making you decrease so the Lord will persistently increase His authority and glory in your life. Who said that the enemy is afraid of you, a mere mortal made with clay and exists in time? The enemy is scared of the GOD who has made an abode in you, not you, the man who was once his humble slave. If your fasting, Bible study, prayers, worship, praises and giftings make you feel powerful instead of the GOD in you taking the glory, please renew your mind. Our victory is found in one person, JESUS, and the man or woman who has had intimacy with Him will always testify of His signs and wonders in and around their life.

Barrenness, madness, homosexuality, lesbianism, corruption, lying, depression, joblessness, poverty, spiritual ignorance, occultic powers, witchcraft, and demonic manipulations, among many others, all ended on the cross of Jesus. He ended their reign in the lives of His children the very moment He said, “IT IS FINISHED.” Why are you now allowing the things God defeated to conquer you again? How is a master now a slave to an enslaved person? How is Goliath now jubilating over David’s dead body? Who rewrote history?

Colossians 2:14-15 (TPT)

[14] He canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased it all—our sins, our stained soul—he deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved! Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto his cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.

[15] Then Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were his!

How is the shrill voice of a chained toothless bulldog causing you to partake in a 100m race you haven’t been tasked with? (…to be continued)

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.

IN WHOSE NAME?

The only spiritual ranking or mark a Christian needs to disrupt the works of the kingdom of darkness is the person and name, JESUS.

Years ago, I heard a preacher use Acts chapter 19, verses 11 to 20, to discuss spiritual ranking when dealing with demonic powers. Per his teaching, Christians have no right to confront a demon if they haven't attained some level of maturity in the faith because the demon could overpower them, which sometimes could lead to their death if care isn't taken. He added that this was the reason for the particular office of the pastor, teacher, Apostle, Evangelist, and Prophet. Even with the offices, he stated that certain offices could only venture into the deliverance ministry if they had empowered themselves enough to deal with such issues.

Truth be told, that message was the beginning of my fear of the deliverance ministry. If we are in a church or a Christian gathering and I see a person begin to manifest, I will distance myself with the excuse that I wasn't at the right level to handle such issues. I didn't need to know the age of the demon manifesting through that person; per what I have heard, no demon came into being the very day I was born to be my agemate. I will quickly find a new space and continue with the excellent work of listening to whatever the man of God was preaching or continuing the prayer session in "peace." It even became so intense that I didn't even want to pray for anybody because I didn't want to touch the "best friend" of a demon mistakenly. (For some, this may sound funny or silly; for others, I am speaking about your problem.)

Let's dramatise the book of Acts, chapter 19, verses 11 to 20. Apostle Paul found his way to Ephesus, and, by God's mercies, he could teach the Word of God with signs and wonders in two years. While signs and wonders were becoming the norm among these groups of Christians, some ignorant people decided to use the fame to cast out demons from those afflicted. Now, the Bible makes it very clear that those who had this unfortunate encounter were sons of a man called Sceva, who was a Jewish priest. If they were followers of Paul or members of the faith, the Bible would have stated that for a better context. But the fact that it wasn't stated means that they weren't Christians. In other words, they hadn't accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour; they only knew the person Jesus based on what was happening around the followers of the Apostle Paul. They didn't know Jesus based on any revelation. They had, in one way or another, heard Apostle Paul passionately preaching about Jesus and going ahead after those preaching to command out evil spirits and heal those at the service with the same name of Jesus.

Acts 19:13, 15 (NKJV)

[13] Then, some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches."

[15] And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; BUT WHO ARE YOU?"

The evil spirit said nothing about the spiritual ranking of Apostle Paul in that utterance. All it said was, "Jesus, I know, and Paul, I know, but WHO ARE YOU?" It didn't ask them of their ranks. He didn't ask if they were colonels, generals, lieutenants or WOs in the kingdom of God. It only wanted to know their IDENTITY. In other words, which family or kingdom did they belong to in the spiritual realm? Were they of the kingdom of light or darkness? What gave them the audacity and impetus to sack them from their host? It had nothing to do with ranks. They were motivated to cast out this demon because they had seen how the followers of Paul could also preach the gospel of Jesus, healing and casting out demons with the name of Jesus without Paul. If ordinary followers could do it, why couldn't they do likewise since they were the sons of a priest?

Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV)

[15] And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

[16] He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

[17] And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

[18] they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

I know you are conversant with the above scripture, but I want to inform you that you need to read it correctly. My failure to get this truth into my heart made it easy for that pastor's message to make me magnify demons instead of my identity in Jesus Christ. Jesus asked His followers to go into the world to preach the gospel of His saving grace to all people and stated that the person or people who believe and are baptised would be saved. Jesus adds that the way to notice the person or people who have believed in Him is by a few simple signs:

1. In Jesus' name, they will cast out demons.

2. In Jesus' name, they will speak with new tongues.

3. In Jesus' name, they will take up serpents.

4. In Jesus' name, if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them.

5. In Jesus' name, they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, if we are to go by the order of the list, many of us have jumped in the order and have ignored the most crucial key to the success of all these signs- the name of Jesus. We happily speak in new tongues, and the courageous few go out to lay hands on the sick so they can recover. But I want us to go by the order listed by our Lord and Master Jesus. In the order of things, the day a man or woman accepts the life of Christ and has been made aware of the power the name of Jesus carries, demons shouldn't find comfort in their presence. At the very juncture, if they should notice a demonic activity, they have all the backing and authority in the name of Jesus to frustrate that demon and get instant results. Brothers and sisters, I didn't say after speaking in tongues for six or thirty hours; I mean that very moment, because of their new identity as a child of the God of all creation, they have all the empowerment to cast out that demon. Do you remember what David said to the giant, Goliath?

1 Samuel 17:45 (NKJV)

[45] Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

Even David, under the covenant of the blood of bulls and goats, knew the secret to every battle between a Christian and the agents of darkness. He didn't go before that giant who had years of experience in the name of his numerous fasting, long hours of prayers, series of worship and praise sessions, giving, etc. He went before that thing, calling itself a giant and well-trained warrior in the name of the Lord.

Reading the book of Acts chapter 19, verses 11 to 20, I could trace the victories in the working of signs and wonders by the people of Ephesus based on the understanding that the Apostle Paul brought about their identity in Christ through his epistle. They knew and understood that they were seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, far above all principality, power, might, dominion, and every name named, not only in this age but also in what is to come. They knew it, and that was their reality daily.

What is the issue that looks like a mountain or a giant before you? Can you take the challenge to boldly step into the place of prayer this week to confront it in the name of our Lord and Master, Jesus?

I can only assure you of victory because that name, JESUS, never failed in the life of any man or woman who has held onto it.

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.

WHOSE CHILD ARE YOU?

 

1 Samuel 17:55-56 (NLT)

[55] As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “I really don’t know,” Abner declared.

[56] “Well, find out who he is!” the king told him.

Let me give a context for the above scripture by dramatising the first chapter of Samuel, verse seventeen.

The Bible records a mighty battle in ancient Israel, popularly known as David vs. Goliath. It was one of those weird battles for Israel because, in this battle, the opponents didn’t want the entire army to attack each other but wanted them to select one strong man in their camp to stand against their champion. In other words, the champion of Israel against that of the Philistine. Though this would have been easy for Israel to do, the problem was that the champion of the Philistines wasn’t the height of the average Israelite (1 Samuel 17:4-7). How could this be fair in their sight?

Already exhausted by the thought of his height and how he was well-built to be called a warrior, the cheat of a giant goes ahead to resound his proposal to Israel. Goliath said, “Why are you all coming out to fight? I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!”

When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. How did the once-powerful Israel, who used to be feared by all because of the numerous wonders of their God, get to this point? What happened?

Anyway, while that was happening on the battlefield, there was a young man called David whose three elder brothers were on the battlefield. His father, Jesse, had called him from the field while shepherding their flock to come and get some provisions and deliver them to his brothers on the battlefield. Like every good last-born who was proud of the efforts of his big brothers, he journeyed to the battlefield and met his brothers. As he exchanged greetings with his brothers and a few friends of his brothers who he knew from their neighbourhood, Goliath’s voice resounded the proposal to Israel again. (Let’s not forget that Goliath had recited the proposal for forty good days. In other words, he shouted his proposal each day for over a month, more than four weeks.) Without hesitation, the Israelites quickly began to hide behind each other as if they would disappear by looking away. “Ah! Why are they running? Aren’t these the so-called selected warriors to fight for Israel? What is happening?” David thought to himself.

Like every inquisitive young man, he quickly tries to get a good look at Goliath and shakes his head. “Is that the thing you people are running from? What is on the table for the man who can slaughter that thing?” David asked without batting an eye. The men couldn’t believe they heard this from the young man whose brothers were terrified. The eldest brother immediately tagged David as proud, but David only insisted on knowing the offer on the table for that thing’s head. They told him and later took him to King Saul because of his audacity. 

After a brief discussion with King Saul, who wasn’t ready to make him take that risk because he was too young and ill-trained for war, David’s story of how he fought bears and a lion while shepherding ordinary sheep one way or the other convinced King Saul to take a gamble on David. I say a gamble because King Saul knew what was at stake for the whole of Israel if this young man lost this battle, but again, this was the very young man who was skilful in the whole of Israel to play an instrument for an evil spirit to leave him. Who was he to doubt him now? David couldn’t be boldly speaking if he didn’t have anything or someone he relied on.

When he failed to wear King Saul’s armour to pass the army vibe check, Saul knew he had to fully trust the young man, David, to fight this battle his way. David quickly grabbed the sling and stones he had mastered as a shepherd and went before Goliath. While he walked boldly to face the thing that was making a mockery of his God and people, every single person knew he was the sacrificial lamb that was going to enslave them in a few minutes. Some shook their heads in shame because they weren’t bold enough to take the step, and others just pitied him for foolishly offering himself to the Philistine giant.

When Goliath finally heard that the champion of Israel was heading to the battleground, he quickly came out to see the supposed “weakling” he would destroy so that his people would revere him and his generation forever. He gets to the battlefield with his war accoutrements and finds a tiny human before him. “Are these Israelites joking with me?” Goliath thought to himself. Looking at Israel and then at David, Goliath asked, “Am I a dog that you come at me with a stick?” Out of anger and disgust for such disrespect, he cursed David by the names of his gods and said, “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!”

Before I get to the exciting part, let me quickly touch on verses 55 and 56 of the same chapter. Although they seem to come after what had transpired between David and Goliath, the Bible clearly states that it occurred between King Saul and Abner, the Commander of the Army, while David was heading to the battleground to face Goliath. King Saul could not understand the SOURCE OF DAVID’S BOLDNESS. King Saul needed to know if it had anything to do with his father or lineage. Doesn’t it intrigue you to find that question also being asked Jesus when he boldly spoke, confronted demons and healed the sick? It was the same for the Apostles when the Sanhedrin saw their boldness. The Sanhedrin thought the apostles’ boldness was because they had been with Jesus; they didn’t know that the apostles were boldly speaking, confronting demons, and healing all kinds of sickness because they had received the Spirit of God—the same Spirit as Jesus.

It was on the battlefield that David made the answer clear to Goliath. It was unfortunate that King Saul couldn’t hear it. David had only one Source in his life, and when Goliath had the guts to question that Source, he confronted Goliath with the authority of that Source. David said, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies-the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today, the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

The Bible states that David began to run towards Goliath after boldly drawing the battle lines. The battle wasn’t between Israel and the Philistines—no! The minute Goliath cursed David with his gods, it immediately became a war between the God of Israel and the gods of the Philistines. (I believe the Philistines had forgotten that the God of Israel had already defeated them and made a mockery of their gods, especially Dagon, the day they mistakenly placed the Ark of God in the temple of Dagon (1 Samuel 5).

Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I know you have heard and repeated the prophecy of Zachariah to Zerubbabel, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him!” These are not mere words; they are the truths we must boldly hold onto daily. 

I know the demons from your father and mother’s house have been around for thousands of years, but I want you to know, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” I understand that the signs of you repeating the same generational errors are clear and can’t be denied, but I want you to know, “Anyone who is in Christ is a new Creation.” David could have chosen to shut up and walked away the minute his brother called him proud, but he knew who he was and who was behind him. If David took those bold steps with God based on a covenant of the blood of bulls and goats, how much more you, whose covenant was made with the blood of the Son of God? Why have you decided to shut up for those demons to be victorious in your family? Don’t you know the one to whom you belong? Who said you have to be a giant like Goliath to win the battle against Goliath?

Jesus won the battle years ago when He, the Son of God, nakedly died on that disgraceful cross and rose from the dead. Jesus took the keys and handed them to us to wave at the enemy each passing day to remind him of his defeat, yet we weep and accept the error as a must-have reality. Who bewitched us? You have the keys to walk out of that generation of diabetic patients, generation of untimely deaths, generation of failed marriages, generation of failed businesses, generation of unwarranted debts, generation of abusers, generation of people with an addiction, etc. Carry those issues to God in the place of prayer, and begin to disconnect yourself by making it clear to the enemy that you are of a different kingdom. Say it consistently until it is your default understanding of your identity. We may have come from a so-so-and-so family, but we are disconnected from their attachment to the kingdom of darkness. From today, as children of God bought with the blood of Jesus and transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, we only accept into our lineage what God has said concerning us. We can’t be a specimen for the works of darkness from that lineage. We only speak and live by the dictates of the kingdom of light for that lineage. We refuse their demonic realities and only accept into our lineage the realities of Christ in Jesus’ name. 

Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, God didn’t place you in your family by mistake. You are an answered prayer for a generation. Stay with God, and you will see God’s mighty hand transform the family through you.

Remain in the blessings of God as you remain in Christ.

MD.