Through Jesus, we have victory!!

These verses pretty much say it all: Beware of religious tradition of men that isn't according to the Bible. The fullness of God is in Christ. We find salvation by repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and infilling of the Holy Ghost. And we find victory over the devil through Jesus!

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 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 shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." - Colossians 2:8-15 KJV (Acts 2:38)

The Day of Atonement, the day in which the sins of Israel were pushed forward another year, was observed this year by Jews around the world beginning on the evening of October 11th, shortly before sunset, concluding after nightfall October 12th.

The Day of Atonement is called Yom Kippur in Hebrew. It means, “day of the lot”, named for the casting of the lot to determine which goat was offered in the Temple and which one was set free. This ritual ended when the Temple was destroyed in 70AD.

"And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness." - Leviticus 16:7-10

It is interesting that the complete book of Jonah is read in the afternoon service. It is said it is read for its timely message on the importance of repentance and prayer.

Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that there would be only one sign given to it, and that would be the sign of the prophet Jonas (Jonah). Jesus compared His death, burial, and resurrection to Jonah in the whale.

"But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

“The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." - Matthew 12:39-41 KJV

The book of Hebrews speaks of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and Christ.

"But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: ... But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ... So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." - Hebrews 9:7, 11-12, 28 KJV

While the Old Covenant never removed sins, but pushed them forward another year, we now find a complete removal of our sins by the offering of Jesus.

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28

We find this by obeying the gospel as preached by Peter on the Day of Pentecost.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

Part 2 of the Comforter…the Defense Attorney

We find satan, “the accuser of our brethren,” is also referred to as the Prosecutor. While satan accuses us of our sins, God’s Spirit acts as our Defense Attorney. Defense Attorney (“counsel for defense”) is a meaning of the Greek word translated as “Comforter.”

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." - John 14:16-18 KJV

Jesus explained to His disciples that “the Spirit of truth” that was within His human vessel that “dwelleth with you,” “shall be in you.” Jesus revealed that His Spirit would come to them. “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." - John 16:7 KJV

But first, Jesus needed to pay the price of death for our sins – which was His purpose in manifesting Himself in flesh and blood. “For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."  At the cross, His purpose was fulfilled. Jesus departed from them by death. On the third day, He rose from the dead. Forty days later, He ascended to heaven in bodily form.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." - Acts 1:3-5, 9 KJV

On the Day of Pentecost, the promise Jesus made to His disciples - that He would not leave them comfortless, He would come to them - was fulfilled when Jesus poured out His Spirit on all those gathered in the upper room.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 KJV

Jesus gives us His Spirit not only for power to resist sin, but also as our Defense Attorney to "plead His blood," reminding satan – the Prosecutor - that when we are baptized in Jesus name the blood of Jesus washes away all of our sins leaving satan nothing to accuse us with!

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

Comforter Part 1

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." - John 14:18

Jesus comforted His disciples with the promise that He would never leave them nor forsake them. Though He would die and be buried, on the third day He would rise again.

"To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:" - Acts 1:3

When He departed from His disciples up to heaven forty days after His resurrection, He reassured them again that He would come to them in an even greater capacity, in “not many days hence.”

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." - Acts 1:4-5

"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." - Acts 1:9

On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus came to His disciples as He said He would. The Father that was in Christ doing the works, would now dwell in His disciples.

Before when Philip had asked Jesus to show them the Father,

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." - John 14:9-10

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." - John 14:15-17

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." - John 14:18

Next: Part 2 of the Comforter… the Defense Attorney

David the psalmist, shepherd, giant killer, king of Israel and man of God wrote, "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes" (Psalm 101:3).

We must guard our eyes by what we choose to look at, for through our eyes the world has access to our mind.

Prayer and Revival 

Jesus has given us the privilege to be part of His kingdom by our obedience to the gospel. 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ... And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." - Acts 2:38, 42  

The battles we fight for the kingdom of God are not against people but against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Our weapon is prayer.  

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." - 2 Corinthians 4:3-4  

We can pray and by the power of God and by the authority of His name Jesus, principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world are dismantled and rendered powerless. Minds that have been blinded by the devil are opened to receive the gospel, and there is revival.

The Gospel is a message of mercy –

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." - Romans 1:16 KJV

Our Father, the Creator of the universe, made Himself a temple of a human body to be born, to walk among His creation, to die on a tree, and to rise from the grave the third day.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ... But he spake of the temple of his body." - John 2:19, 21 KJV

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28 KJV

As the final sacrifice for our sins, He made peace between Himself and humanity.

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." - Colossians 1:20 KJV

We receive God’s mercy by obeying the Gospel.

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:" - 2 Timothy 1:10 KJV

The Gospel is obeyed by repentance, water baptism in Jesus name for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV