HE DIED TO SET US FREE

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 09 June 2012

Hi all,

Today we look at Jesus’ victory over Satan on Calvary. Satan’s objective since the fall was to murder anyone who could threaten his power and authority. He tried to eliminate Jesus shortly after He was born. He escaped to Egypt with Mary and Jacob. During His ministry, Satan tried to kill Him without success. Then Jesus passively allowed Satan to do his worst. Satan made Jesus die in the cross. Satan thought he’d won. Three days later, the resurrection revealed that His death on the cross was Jesus’ greatest victory! It’s why we are free!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

PO Box 1694, Randpark Ridge, 2156, South Africa.

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 09 June 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	HE DIED TO SET US FREE
Have you heard of the man who never was? You are probably fully acquainted with the movie made and distributed in the late 1950’s. It’s the story of one of the greatest deceptions on the 20th century. Certainly it’s one of the greatest hoaxes the Allies “sold” to the Germans in WW2. Both sides knew that there were only two places the Allies could land in Europe. Calais or Normandy. Calais was the shortest distance between England and France. The other was the beaches of Normandy. Only the Allies knew where. Planning for the invasion had been on the go for something in excess of a year before D-day. It was to be the greatest invasion of anywhere in history. The logistics and planning left nothing to chance. They knew that they would only get one chance to invade. General Rommel, one of the great German Generals was in charge of building a huge Atlantic Sea Wall. The Germans were determined to beat the Allies and drive them back into the sea. Furthermore, the German army was formidable. It was perhaps the greatest fighting machine of WW2. When the Allies decided to land in Normandy, it was essential to trick the Germans into thinking that the real attack would be via Calais. Somehow they had to convince Hitler and co that Calais is where it would take place. The Allies used every method they could scheme up to convince Hitler that Calais was the place they would attack. One of the schemes was “The Man Who Never Was” A corpse was carefully chosen and given a false identity. This “man” would carry a “secret message” meant for Allied eyes only. It was essential that this “man” appeared to be absolutely authentic. German counter intelligence were not fools. The corpse had to provide overwhelming evidence that Calais was where the Allied attack would take place. The hoax was an unqualified success. The Christian parallel with this story took place in and around Jerusalem when Jesus Christ was taken, tried, condemned to die and crucified on Calvary. After the fall and in Genesis 3:15, Satan was told that a man would one day come and defeat him. From that day on, Satan did everything he could to destroy all young male children who might grow up and be a threat to him. Examples include the death of male infants in Egypt. The murder of boys under three on Herod’s order when Jesus was born is another example. After He was born, Satan did everything he could to eliminate Jesus. He never quite got it right. Then, suddenly Jesus appeared to become passive. He allowed Himself to be taken prisoner, mercilessly beaten, mocked and abused. He even allowed Himself to be crucified. Satan was ecstatic. I’ve beaten Him he thought. He didn’t beat me. I’ve won! Of course, Jesus’ passivity was necessary. He had to convince Satan that if he killed Jesus, he would be victorious over God. Three days later, Jesus was raised from the dead. Satan had taken the bait hook, line and sinker. The tables were turned around. Not only did he lose to Jesus, but every man, woman and child in Satan’s clutches could no longer be kept there against their will. Paul wrote to the Colossians 15 “He took away the weapons of the powers and authorities. He made a public show of them. He won the battle over them by dying on the cross. Colossians 2:15 NIrV Satan was hoaxed. If he’d understood, there would have been no crucifixion. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 The good times of the wicked are short-lived; godless joy is only momentary. Job 20:5 MSG 15 I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel." Genesis 3:15 GW 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Luke 22:53 ESV 14 Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Hebrews 2:14 NLT 15 He took away the weapons of the powers and authorities. He made a public show of them. He won the battle over them by dying on the cross. Colossians 2:15 NIrV 8 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. 9 Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9 MSG 7 So obey God. Stand up to the devil. He will run away from you. James 4:7 NIrV 12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. Psalm 37:12-13 ESV 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 NLT 10 Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulphur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10 NLT	Satan thought that he had won the day when Adam fell. But God knew all about it. He’d planned for it as well. He knew that it would happen when He created time. He’d thought through the scenarios. All would work out fine. He even knew about it when Lucifer was made. That someday in the future, He would be disobeyed. I wonder what was in His mind when Satan came to be. Although He was expecting it, it was a tragedy. He knew He’d cast out Satan and his demonic host. But on the day that Adam fell, I think that touched Him most. The problem with omniscience is; nothing’s a surprise. Perhaps He thought that it would be a “blessing in disguise”. But as we look around us at all the death and sin, It’s difficult to realise the choice was up to Him. Because He knows the ending; He’s known right from the start, That all of this would happen. That sin would tear apart, The “fabric” of creation. But still He went ahead. The final outcome will exceed the comments men have said. I think it is a little bit like looking at the price, Our local bank has quoted us. The interest isn’t nice. But when the debt has been discharged and when the bond is paid, The difficulties that we have had, were really there to aid, Us with that first decision; it’s surely worth it all. No longer will that creditor be authorised to call! Perhaps I am mistaken. With God, there’s no mistake. No matter what may happen and all the time it takes, We’ll join Him and acknowledge that He had got it right. In spite of all the wickedness with which He had to fight. We get a little sample when looking at the cross. What Satan thought was victory became his greatest loss! They were celebrating; the Son of God’s was beat! But very soon He changed their victory into defeat. He spoiled their principalities; their powers put on parade! They were a “public spectacle” and openly displayed. It was His greatest triumph. The cross had done it all. He died to give us liberty; He has made void the fall. His life blood had been poured out. He died to set us free Satan has been vanquished on that cross at Calvary. Jim Strickland  Written 9th June 2012