Introduction
So
far in this course we have considered who our enemy is and the basic
tactics that he uses. Our next step is to consider the wonder of the
person and work of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is important that we realise
just who he is and what he has done in respect of Satan.
On
this page about Jesus, we simply consider who he is and what he has
done. In the next page we'll consider his activity today in more
detail as we consider the work of the Holy Spirit, the “executive arm”
of Jesus today.
1.
Who Jesus Is
It
is vital that we fully understand just who Jesus is.
In
Hebrews 1:1-4 we see he is:
- God's
son (v.2),
(Title)
- heir of
all things (v.2),
(Position)
- co-maker
of the Universe (2),
(Activity)
- exact
representation of God (v.3), (Appearance)
- sustaining
all things (v.3),
(Present Activity)
- making
purification for sins (v.3), (Past Activity)
- seated
at God's right hand (v.3), (Present
Position)
- much superior
to angels (v.4)
(Overall Position)
i.e.
He
- has
the same attributes as God the Father
- has
become heir of the whole world
- helped
to make everything
- exactly
represents God
- is
all powerful and all knowing, sustaining the world
- deals
with all sins by his death
- now
sits at his Father's right hand
- is
far superior in every way to any angel
Remember
just who and what Satan and demons are: created beings, angels.
Jesus,
therefore, as creator and sustainer of all things is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH
greater than Satan and all his demons.
Make
sure you maintain this perspective!
2.
Jesus' Activity - an overview
It
is good to constantly reiterate the truth of who Jesus is and what he
has done and IS doing. If we are not absolutely clear in our minds about
these things, we should go through these notes again and again and even
memorise these truths.
In
the great plan and purpose of God, Jesus:
2.1
Past History
- came
from heaven
- lived
on earth
- taught
widely
- healed
the sick & raised the dead
- cast
out demons
- was
falsely tried & crucified
- took
our sins on the Cross
- rose
from the dead
- ascended
into heaven
2.2
Present Experience
- draws
people to God
- heals
& delivers
- moves
in affairs of world to bring about God's purposes
- prepares
the church for his second coming
2.3
Future Activity
- will
return to earth, being seen by every person
- will
take his followers to be with him
- will
vanquish the enemy
- will
judge every person
3.
Details of Jesus' Activity
To
help us take in these things, the following is a more detailed list
of what Jesus did:
3.1
Jesus left his glorious position in heaven to come to earth
Jn
17:5 / Jn 6:38
- Jesus
didn't just come into being when he was born on earth; he had existed
throughout eternity with the Father in heaven
3.2
He put aside his glory and lived in human frailty
Phil
2:7
- In
heaven he had been the glorious Son of God in full splendour. He put
aside all that to come down to earth and wear a human body.
3.3
He was tempted in EVERY way we are, but he DIDN'T give way to sin
Heb
4:15
- Jesus
lived an ordinary human life with the same sort of human body, had
human emotions, and lived among the same sort of people, and therefore
faced the same temptations we face in our lives; he understands us!
- Yet
he didn't succumb to any temptation and didn't sin.
3.4
He came in perfect obedience to his Father in heaven
Heb
10:7 / Jn 5:19
- Despite
the pressures of living in a human body, at all times he sought the
wishes of the Father in heaven and did all he was told to do, even
though that was sometimes incredibly difficult
- His
rule was “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Mt 26:39)
3.5
He allowed the Holy Spirit to minister through him to heal the sick,
deliver the demonised, raise the dead, and generally counter the works
of Satan on earth.
Lk
4:18,19 / Mt 11:4,5
- His life
was one of selfless giving, despite frequent tiredness and constant
demands of people on him, he poured out God's love in power
3.6
He was plotted against and falsely tried
Acts
4:27 / Isa 53:3,8 / Acts 2:23
- Because
of his total goodness, the self-centred, godless and unrighteous attitudes
of those who should have known better, made them vulnerable to the
promptings of the enemy and they rose up against him.
3.7
He was beaten, tortured and crucified by Satan's agents and was railed
against by the demons hordes but never responded wrongly
Mt
27:26-30 / Psa 22:12,16 (prophetic insight into the mind of the crucified
One)
- Every
violent expression of sin was turned upon him and he received it all
in his body.
- Every
violent expression in the spiritual realms was turned upon him and
he received it in his spirit.
3.8
He took our sin upon himself on the Cross
2
Cor 5:21 / 1 Pet 2:24 / Isa 53:12
- As
he hung on the Cross, it was as if all your individual sins, deserving
punishment were laid on Jesus, as if to say “Here are the reasons
you are hanging here taking this punishment”
- In
that sense it was, in God's eyes in eternity, as if they were transferred
from you to him.
3.9
He descended into hell to complete his punishment
1
Pet 3:18-20
- Although
this is a somewhat obscure and difficult passage that has caused problems
for commentators, it would seem to indicate Jesus' descent into hell
- While
his body was put to death, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, he
was able to go in his spirit into the prison world of the spirit,
hell.
- If
hell is the ultimate punishment, then it would seem logical that if
Jesus was to take the full punishment for our Sin, it would be necessary
for him to be separated from his Father and descend to the place of
ultimate separation, before he was raised again.
3.10
He rose from dead as proof of who he was
Acts
2:24 / Acts 17:31
- The
resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate proof that he was who he said
he was.
3.11
He ascended into heaven to rule at his Father's right hand
1
Pet 3:22 / 1 Cor 15:25 / Eph 1:20-22 / Psa 110:1
- see
also the following for Jesus seated with the Father: Mk 16:19, Acts
2:33, 5:31, 7:55, Rom 8:34, Phil 2:9, Col 3:1, Heb 1:3, 8:1, 12:2
- see
also the following for Jesus ruling: Eph 1:22, Heb 2:8
3.12
He is now IN THE PROCESS of putting everything in subjection under his
feet
1
Cor 15: 24,25 / Eph 1:19-22
/ Eph 2:6,7
- As
he reigns at the Father's right hand, Jesus works out the Father's
will on earth, continuing to do the things he started doing, but now
through his church
- This
means Jesus reigns or rules or brings the father's will through the
church which is a gradual process.
3.13
That process will be complete when he comes as conquering king
Rev
19:11-17 / 1 Thess 4:16,17 / Mt 24:27,30,31
- The
end is quite clear; Jesus will return in glory and all will see him
coming
- At
that point, we who are on earth will be caught up to him
- He
will then deal with his enemies once and for all
3.14
He has decreed that Satan's end will be in the lake of fire
Rev
20:10
- This
is the last reference to Satan in the Bible
- This
is what God has decreed his end is to be
- In
the meantime He uses him for His purposes as He will.
4.
Jesus & Satan
In
respect of Satan, Jesus came:
4.1
To destroy his works
1
Jn 3:8b
4.2
To take away Satan's grounds of accusation
Col
2:14,15 / Rom 3:28 / Heb 9:28
- We
are saved by believing Jesus, not by following rules
- Satan
thus can't accuse us of failing to keep the rules
- Jesus
died for our failures, so Satan can no longer accuse us
4.3
To take away the fear of death (by his resurrection) that Satan
uses
Heb
2:14,15
- Because
we have a future in heaven, we no longer have to fear death
4.4
To release His Spirit to us to give us:
- Wisdom
to overcome Satan's wiles
- Power
to counter Satan's works
to
earn the right to judge Satan in eternity and reclaim the world back
to
himself at the end.
(see verses above.)
WARNING!
Many
Christians relish the facts about Satan and his demons, but the content
of this Page is THE most important Part in the whole Warfare series.
Please go back over the notes on this Page and ensure you fully understand
them, so you can apply these truths in the midst of warfare, to maintain
a right perspective.