Did you know that "salvation" or "Sozo" in Greek means "saved, healed and made whole"? Jesus is our salvation, the One who saves us, heals us and makes us whole!
Because I want to do what I see Jesus doing, just as He did what He saw the Father doing, I asked the Holy Spirit to show me what Jesus was doing today? Immediately the Spirit drew me into the account of what Jesus did with the demon possessed man in Matthew 8; a testimony of how Jesus cast out a legion of demons into a nearby herd of pigs, freeing the man of all of his afflictions and causing an uproar in the community.
It is a testimony of the authority of Jesus over the powers of darkness. But that was not the reason the Spirit drew my attention to the story, He was highlighting a very important timing indicator found in this event. You see, as Jesus approached the man the demons afflicting him recognized who He was, and they became very afraid! Before Jesus could even address the mans condition the demons gave their presence away and blurted out; “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
There is something in this verse that is incredibly vital to our understanding of what it means to "destroy the works of the devil". It is the understanding of God's divine timing.
The demons know the word, and they tremble! (James 2:19) Why? Because they know that when Jesus returns to the earth that they will be cast into hell and receive the just punishment for their rebellion. They understand "the appointed time" of this judgment and demonstrated that in their questioning of Jesus. But here is what I want us to see, because it has the power to radically transform the way we walk on this side of eternity.
Jesus lived in full submission to the will of His Father and knew that one day every knew would bow and every tongue would confess Him as Lord, whether on earth, in heaven or under the earth. That day in which the demons cried out for mercy was NOT the appointed time of their judgment! But this is what I want us to recognize, Jesus still drove them out of the man and exercised His authority so that healing and deliverance would come before the appointed time of judgment.
I believe that many of us have wrongfully relegated physical healing and deliverance to a time that is found after the return of Jesus. But Jesus demonstrated that it was the Fathers will to do that before the eternal kingdom is established. Jesus did it all the time and He commanded us to do the same:
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. - Mark 16: 15-20
As the writer of Hebrews says; "Today" is the day of our salvation. Today is the day that we are commanded to demonstrate the Kingship of Jesus through the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead and setting free those held captive in prisons of demonic oppression!
As the writer of Hebrews says; "Today" is the day of our salvation. Today is the day that we are commanded to demonstrate the Kingship of Jesus through the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead and setting free those held captive in prisons of demonic oppression!
May you and I be filled with faith today to take Jesus at His word and exercise this incredible gift whom He called the Comforter. For the same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave is alive inside each one who has called on the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. His power over sin has made us alive with Christ and has also endued us with power from on high. Power given for the express purpose of giving testimony to the resurrection of Jesus!
Let me close with this final thought. If the power of the resurrection is only demonstrated at the time of the resurrection, of what good is that power to all of those who are perishing? What will it benefit our friends and neighbors for us to rise up from the grave on that glorious day and finally demonstrate that His power is real, only to have them perish in the eternal flames?
Jesus gave us the power to drive out demons, heal the sick, restore sight to the blind and calm the storms so that we would give testimony to the living truth, that He has overcome the evil one and led the captives in captivity.
Bless you as you inquire of Jesus as to what His good and perfect will is for you today.
Jon
No comments:
Post a Comment