"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." - Romans 16:20 KJV

God is the “God of peace” because He made peace between humanity and Himself by putting on a body of flesh and blood so He could pay the price of our sins against Him. God made peace between us and Him, where before there was division from sin.

"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.

“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works [This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions], yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight [As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault]:

Notice – the next verses begin with “IF”.

“If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled [but you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it], and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature [all over the world] which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" - Colossians 1:20-23 KJV [brackets contain NLT translation]

God can only present us “holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight” - no longer separated from Him by our sins and without a single fault “IF” – yes, the Bible says “IF” we “continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it,” not moving away from the hope that is in the gospel, which Paul preached all over the world. We must first of all REPENT of our sins, we must be BAPTIZED IN JESUS NAME for the remission of our sins, and we must be FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. This is how God can “present us holy and blameless” standing before him “without a single fault.” (Romans 6:1-13, Acts 19:1-7, Romans 8:1-9).

To be continued…

Justified

We can try and justify our self before others, but we cannot justify our self before God. To justify is "to declare to be righteous, to pronounce righteous." (Vine’s)

Our own self-righteousness is like a filthy rag.

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." - Isaiah 64:6

Yet, God loves us so much that He robed Himself in flesh so that He could shed His blood as the required sinless sacrifice that could justify us before Him.

"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." - Romans 5:8-9

When we apply His blood by obeying the gospel by repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus, and receiving the gift of the infilling of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, we are made right before God.

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

We are justified when we are washed in the name of the Lord Jesus by baptism. We are sanctified by the Spirit of our God when we receive the gift of His 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

After His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus was with His disciples for forty days.

"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

There is significance that it was 40 days between His resurrection and His ascending up to heaven.

The number 40 is significant throughout the Bible. It is said the number 40 represents transition or change; the concept of renewal; a new beginning; a lifting of a spiritual state. We can see this throughout the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.

We can see that after we receive the Holy Ghost, we begin a lifelong transition of perfecting from the old life we lived to our new life in Jesus. Our new birth, of water and of the Spirit, brings a “new beginning.” This time period after we have been born again and when we see Jesus is a “lifting of a spiritual state.”

We follow Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection by our repentance and turning our back on sin, by getting baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus, and by our receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance. (Acts 2:38, Acts 2:4)

Just as Jesus had a 40-day interim between His resurrection and ascending to heaven, we too have this 40 day interim symbolically between our receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (our resurrection) and when we meet Jesus in heaven (our ascension to heaven) (1Thessalonians 4:15-16).

Just as Jesus was a witness of the power of His resurrection to those close to Him as well as great multitudes (1Corinthians 15:3-8), we too are witnesses to family and friends and many others of the power of the Holy Ghost in our life, that gives us resurrection from our old life to a new life in Jesus (1Corinthians 6:9-11).

Paul speaks of this 40-day period when Jesus was a witness that He had been resurrected:

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

“And that he was seen of Cephas [Peter], then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once… after that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time." - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 KJV

Jesus told His disciples before He poured out His Spirit on the Day of Pentecost that they would be witnesses of Jesus with the power of their new resurrected life. Just as He had been a witness after His resurrection.

"But 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 all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." - Acts 1:8 KJV

This promise of the Holy Ghost is for us and all that Jesus calls!

This is what Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost when Jesus first poured out His Spirit:

"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

You may be in the midst of trials and problems, or you may be in the midst of blessings. For those in trials, keep the faith.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." - 1 Peter 4:12-13 KJV

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV

For those that are in the midst of blessings, be careful to maintain your work for the Lord. We do not know what hour Jesus will come for His church. It is not time to ‘kick back’ but rather to be about our Father’s business. There are those around us that have not yet obeyed the gospel. (Acts 2:38)

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" - 1 Peter 4:17-18 KJV

"Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." - Matthew 25:13 KJV

"And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

“And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" - Luke 12:16-20 KJV

The Power to be Witnesses

Acts 1:8 But 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 all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

How can we be a witness of Jesus? What are we witnesses of?

We are witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus and the power of His Holy Ghost in our life! (Acts 1:8).

Jesus died for our sins on the tree. When we repented of our sins and were buried in water baptism in Jesus name, our sins were washed away by His blood. (1 Peter 2:24, Revelation 1:5, Acts 2:38).

We are witnesses of the power of His blood and the change it made in our life when we were baptized in Jesus name. Then Jesus gave us the power of His Holy Ghost so that we can overcome sin, walking daily in His Spirit. (Acts 4:7, Romans 1:16, 1 Corinthians 4:20, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 1 John 4:4, Galatians 5:16, 25, Ephesians 5:18).

This is how we can be witnesses for Jesus. It is because of our changed life through Jesus – from living a life of sin to living a godly life for Him – that we are a witness. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-9, 1 Thessalonians 2:8-12).

Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

"And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

“Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD." - Job 1:8-12 KJV

Job’s children, servants, livestock and animals were all destroyed, yet he blessed the LORD.

"Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

“In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly." - Job 1:20-22 KJV

Then the Lord allowed satan to afflict Job’s body with boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.

"And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life." - Job 2:4-6 KJV

Next his friends came to comfort him, but instead of comforting him, they seemed certain Job must have sinned to bring such calamity upon himself.

This appearance of Job’s accusatory friends seems to be a final thrust of satan to cause Job to sin against God by unforgiveness.

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth,

"To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 KJV

When Job prayed for his friends, there was a turning point in Job’s trial and test. At probably the lowest point Job had experienced in his whole life, yet he found forgiveness in his heart for his accusers.

"And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." - Job 42:10 KJV

Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon translates the words and the LORD “turned the captivity” as and the LORD “restored Job to his prosperity.”

"So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters... And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job... After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days." - Job 42:12-17 KJV

Take the step to complete victory!

Jesus took the step. The step He took was one of bitter suffering that led to an excruciatingly painful death.

The step that Jesus wants us all to take is the step to stop bad habits and worldly life styles. Jesus died a physical death, to pay the debt of our sins and bring us His grace and mercy. What Jesus wants of us is not a physical death, but to become dead to SIN.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." - Romans 6:1-9

This is our step to victory – and our flesh doesn’t like to let go of those habits!

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus struggled with His flesh. It didn’t want to die.

And our flesh does not want to die to sin!

Jesus’s flesh said, “Let this cup pass from me.”

"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." - Matthew 26:39

When was Jesus’s first step to victory over His flesh?

When He said, “Not as I will” - the will of His fleshly nature that we all have - but rather, “Thy will be done” - the will of God that was inside the fleshly body that He dwelt in among us.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:1, 14

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." - Hebrews 4:15

"He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." - Matthew 26:42

And that is what we need to decide - not my will, but Jesus - thy will be done!

This is the first step to the victory that Jesus led the way in - victory over the flesh.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." - 1 John 2:15-17

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." - 1 John 5:4

How are we born of God?

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." - John 3:5

How are we born of water and of the Spirit?

"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." - Acts 2:38

This is how we have power to overcome our flesh and the world. With the authority of the name Jesus, and by the power of His Spirit, the Holy Ghost. We can say, “Thy will be done.”

"But 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 all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." - Acts 1:8

Our victory over our flesh and the world has our final victory over the grave when the trumpet sounds.

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." - 1 Corinthians 15:20

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep [go to the grave], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ... But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, 57-58