Discover Prophecy-5 The War Behind the Wars - Part 1 by David Asscherick

we have a lot of information to cover tonight and I'm not just whistling Dixie so I hope does everyone have the study guide you're going to need that and you have a pen okay you might want to flex your wrists and stretch your fingers and do all of that if you didn't get a study guide raise your hand and we'll have our Usher's bring you one should say number five the war behind the wars part 1 the war behind the wars part 1 we're going to begin with the word of Prayer and we're going to dive right in at top speed let's begin Father in Heaven please as we spend this time together this evening we are anticipating a blessing not just because of a man hardly father in fact tonight we're asking that you will bless in spite of this man we ask that you will open our hearts as we open your word and may we understand with clarity and with biblical accuracy the war that is taking place behind the wars we ask this in the name of our Savior your son Jesus Christ let everyone say Amen let's go directly to our study guide the war behind the wars it says reading the first paragraph there we live in an age in which sadly war is what everyone common all war is ugly the loss of life and resources from war is inestimable even so called just Wars leave a trail of residual suffering and death that extends beyond the punishment directed toward the offender the pain and despair created stretches for years and decades into future generations in the last 150 years this planet has witnessed the most deadly and terrible Wars ever we spent a little time talking about that the other evening in our signs of the times survey it goes on yet as horrific as these war wars were and are they are comparatively insignificant to the first war ever fought this first war had the most terrible ramifications and consequences in fact all wars since that war are the direct result of the first war worse yet that first war is still being what is that everyone fought and the battle is intensifying not abating in order to understand the book of Revelation we must grasp the profound significance of this first war it really sets the backdrop for the entire book this is exactly what we will attempt to do in this lesson we will discover that we are all very involved in this great war the war behind the wars now the last time we were together we looked at this individual named Lucifer and exalted angel who by his own choice by his own what everyone choice became Satan or Satan the fallen foe you remember that the word Satan comes from a transliteration of the hebrew word soutane it means enemy or adversary one who is against we made that remarkable statement might have sounded a little shocking to you we said God did not create Satan rather God created Lucifer and Lucifer by his own choice became Satan now if that makes sense I want you to say Amen now the book of Revelation as we have already discussed contains four hundred and four verses a full two hundred and seventy of those are taken directly from the what everyone Old Testament that's more than two-thirds it means if we're going to understand the book of Revelation we have to remember those keys that we learn in our opening presentation key number one the book of Revelation rests upon the broad foundation of the Old Testament the what everyone Old Testament and who is the focus of the book of Revelation remember that Jesus Christ it's a revelation of Jesus Christ that's exactly right and so tonight what we're going to try and do is understand one of the most pivotal important chapters in all of Revelation now you might be saying wait a minute we're studying the book of Revelation we should start in chapter 1 verse 1 we've already said this but it probably bears repeating the book of Revelation is not organized chronologically there are chronological elements but for the most part the book of Revelation is order organized mmm matically that is topically or along themes and many scholars and commentators agree that probably the chapter more than any other chapter that really sets the tone and the theme of the book of Revelation is Revelation chapter 12 and that's why we're beginning there so open your Bibles to the last book of the New Testament the wonderful sometimes mysterious book of Revelation you'll notice we're moving quite fast because we have a lot of information to cover tonight Revelation chapter 12 now we're going to do something here a little unusual I'm going to read the entire chapter through the reason we're going to do that is it's going to give us an airplane view of what to expect in this chapter there are 17 verses and as we read through it I want you to allow your mind to try and grasp use your imagination to try and grasp the profoundness of the imagery and the amazing fantastic images found there we're in Revelation chapter 12 beginning in verse 1 now I will read quite quickly but you can follow along there it says now a great sign appeared where everyone in heaven a woman clothed with the Sun and the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of twelve stars notice the Sun the moon and the stars verse two then she being with child cried out in labor and in pain to give birth and another sign appeared in heaven behold a great fiery red what every one dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadem's on his heads his tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up to God and to his throne then the woman fled into the wilderness there she has a place prepared for her by God that they should feed her there 1260 days just very quickly that is one of the most important time elements in all of the Bible we'll spend more time on that later verse 7 and war broke out where everyone in heaven Michael and his angels fought with the Dragon and the dragon and his angels fought but they did not prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any law longer verse nine notice carefully there is one word that occurs three times and verse nine see if you can pick it up so the Great Dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him did you pick the word up what is it cast verse ten then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down there it is again verse 11 and they overcame him him being Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death verse 12 therefore rejoice o heavens and you who dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time verse 13 now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth it is five times he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child but the woman was given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time times and half a time from the presence of the serpent so the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood but the earth helped the woman and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth verse 17 the climax of the entire chapter and the dragon was enraged with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ can you say Amen I mean a very very powerful chapter now look at your study guide and what we're going to discover here is that there are essentially five major elements in Revelation chapter 12 that is five major elements that if we can understand these elements we can get our hands and our fingers wrapped around what is being communicated here in this pivotal chapter the first thing that we are introduced to is the woman the what everyone the woman remember she was standing on the moon she was clothed with the Sun and she had a garland of stars upon her head what does a woman represent in Bible prophecy a woman in Bible prophecy well there are several passages that we could look at just very quickly you can write these down I will quote them for you second Corinthians chapter 11 verse 2 the Apostle Paul says I have espoused you as a chaste virgin to Christ in other words the New Testament church he says was a woman in the Old Testament Jeremiah chapter 6 verse 2 the Prophet Jeremiah says I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman so in both the Old Testament and the New Testament God's people were symbolized by a woman by a what everyone a woman what we find in Revelation is that a pure chaste woman would represent God's true people or God's true church and a harlot woman would represent an unfaithful or an untrue church if that makes sense everyone say Amen we've already seen a powerful pivotal interpretive mechanism here an interpretive device a woman represents God's people but we go on the second element is the wily dragon notice that this dragon is described as being a hideous creature having seven heads and ten horns he's a hideous grotesque creature contrasted with the beautiful chastity and sublimity of the woman that we saw there in verse one the next element that we are introduced to of course the dragon is Satan according to verse 9 you can read that Revelation chapter 12 verse 9 so the Great Dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and who everyone Satan the next element that were introduced to is the war look at verse 7 this verse is almost hard to believe it's very difficult for us to understand it says and war broke out in Afghanistan I mean that wouldn't be surprising at all would it and war broke out in Afghanistan war broke out in the Middle East oh yeah we've heard that before but notice what it says there was war in heaven I mean of all places for there to be war war in heaven now here is a critical point I want you to make a note of this on your study guide there notice that this war begins in heaven but this war finishes on earth did you notice that transition look at it there verse 7 says war broke out in heaven but then jump down to verse 17 the dragon was enraged with the woman who's the woman it's God's people the church and went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ that is a critical point that we will exploit further as we get into our study this war began where everyone in heaven but this war will be finished where everyone right here on earth the third element is the war now the fourth element is one that's not mentioned exactly by name but it is there look at verse 11 how is it that God's faithful people overcome the dragon and overcome Satan verse 11 they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb who's the lamb everyone Jesus Christ behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world that's what John the Baptist said when he was standing up to his waist in the muddy waters of the River Jordan behold the lamb of God that word lamb occurs 26 times in the book of Revelation and every time except one it refers to Jesus Christ who that probably got your curiosity up you're going to go and try and find the one that doesn't refer to Jesus I'll give you a hint it's in Revelation chapter 13 but the weapon by which we use to overcome Satan is not our hands it's not our strength it's not our fists it's the blood of Jesus Christ can someone say Amen notice it says in the rest of that verse and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death revelations weapon is the cross of Jesus Christ and the Christ of that cross will spend more time on that in our next lesson the fifth element is the winners hallelujah the devil is not the victor in the final analysis there are many times today when the devil definitely gets the upper hand there are many times today when it appears as though the devil wins the battle but here's the good news though he may win a battle here and there he is not going to win the war can someone say Amen God is going to finish what he started you see that there in verse 17 and the dragon was enraged the old King James says wroth it means absolutely totally furious with the woman that is the true people of God and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus now notice there at the bottom of your study guide it says what does a woman represent in Bible prophecy you tell me what it is it's a church or if you prefer the people of God I sometimes don't say the church and the reason for that is a woman was also a representative of God's people in the Old Testament but really the church is more of a New Testament phenomenon I prefer to say God's people the winners will be God's faithful people now if we can understand these five elements the woman who is she the dragon who is he the war what's it all about the weapon how do we employ that weapon and the winners who in the final analysis will overcome this will really help us to get our fingers wrapped around this monumental and pivotal chapter I'm on page 2 now of the study guide the two supporting text there that you would write down our number 1 2nd Corinthians 11:2 and Jeremiah 6 2 literally we could give another 20 text to show that a woman in Bible prophecy represents God's people on earth but that should suffice according to verse 9 what does the dragon represent everyone Satan that's right and more than any other chapter in the book Revelation chapter what chapter is it 12 describes the great battle that is waging between the forces of light and darkness good and evil this chapter pulls back the curtain that separates the scene from the unseen and enables us to see what is going on behind the scenes in order to grasp revelation as a whole we must understand this chapter many scholars and commentators agree that this chapter represents the focal point the pinnacle of the entire book of Revelation now let us go to the Eden to Eden subheading in the beginning as we've already discussed everything was good very good can you say amen to that we spend time on that our last time together we looked in it and it says seven times they're in Genesis 1 God saw that it was good that it was good that it was good that it was good etc etc so in the beginning it was very good now here's something absolutely remarkable if you take your Bible and hold it up just like this why don't you do that hold your Bible up just like this now to the uninitiated the Bible looks like a single book but it's not a single book as a matter of fact the Bible is more like an encyclopedia than a single book there are how many books in this Codex 66 books 39 in the Old Testament 27 in the new now here's something remarkable this is a very powerful interpretive device if you go this side that is the Genesis side the first two chapters of the Bible Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 we find a perfect God in perfect communion with a perfect people in a perfect environment that's Genesis 1 and 2 before the entrance of sin again a perfect God in perfect communion with a perfect people in a perfect environment no sin can you say amen to that but here's something that's absolutely remarkable if you go to this side of your Bible and you go this direction that is the revelation side the last two chapters of the Bible depict the very same thing a perfect God in perfect communion with a perfect people in a perfect environment in other words on this side of the Bible you have Eden you have what everyone Eden and on this side of the Bible you have Eden restored Eden what everyone restored and so in a very real way these two Eden's function like bookends you know how that is when when you have a whole line of books and you don't have a wall or something to stack them up against you have a bookend on this side and a bookend on this side and that's what we find on either side of these 66 books here in the Bible a perfect God in perfect communion with the perfect people in a perfect environment and here on the revelation side the very same thing a perfect God and perfect communion with the perfect people in a perfect environment now that makes sense say Amen so everything in between these two Eden's is God trying to get his people back from where they fell does that make sense they began there and they will be restored there go to your study guide the Bible is more easily understood against the backdrop of the original state of man and this planet that's what you'd write in there as contrasted with the fallen state of man and this planet in the beginning before the entrance of sin we see a perfect couple in a perfect communion with a perfect God that's what you'd ride in there this is described in Genesis 1 and 2 the couple lived in the Garden of Eden significantly when we move from the first two chapters of the Bible to the last to Revelation 21 and 22 we find the very same thing namely a perfect people in perfect communion with a perfect God now the next paragraph says note the following diagram the left line the left vertical line would represent Eden you can write that there Eden the right line the right vertical line would represent Eden restored and so just as we have two on either side of the Bible we have Eden and even restored so to here on our diagram Eden on the left even restored on the right the cross in the center symbolizes the death of Jesus Christ that rescues believers from the downward spiral of sin can someone say amen to that tracing a line downward toward the cross from the left represents man's downward spiral into sin selfishness and death then tracing a line upward from the cross to the top of the right line symbolizes man's potential recovery if the salvation secured for him or her on the cross is personally received that's what you'd ride in there personally received beloved never forget this you will be saved as an individual you will be saved because of a personal relationship with God because of a what every one personal relationship you can't go to heaven on the coattails of your spouse can someone say Amen neither can you go to heaven on the coattails of your family sometimes I ask people I say how long have you been a Christian and they'll say I was raised a Christian you weren't raised a Christian no one has raised a Christian in the sense that God does not have grandchildren God only has children does that make sense everyone we make our own decision our personal choice to entrust our case to Christ and so when Christ died there on the cross 2,000 years ago that is in a historical event but we must accept that historical event personally in order for it to benefit us in the ultimate sense can someone say Amen we are not Universalist the bible does not teach universalism that everyone will be saved hardly in fact Jesus on one occasion said there's a great big wide way and many people are going that way and it leads to destruction and then there's a narrow way and it leads to eternal life are we all on the same page everyone that's Eden to eden restored now you go to the third page there of your study guide now this is awesome hang in there this is where things really get amazing I'm reading here from the study guide not only are there two Eden's like bookends on the entire Bible there are also two battles to what everyone battles that act very much the same way now you can go ahead and fill in the blanks they're all explained it without looking at the study guide now just imagine with me for illustration sake that over here on this side of the stage this is Genesis ok then we'd walk all the way through the Bible through Psalms to Isaiah through the New Testament and over here's Revelation so what's over here every one Revelation and what's over here every one Genesis so here we have Eden and over here we have even restore it you've got it now over here Eden is Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 a perfect God in perfect communion with a perfect people in a perfect environment now if I stepped one chapter this way one chapter this way from Eden what chapter would I be in Genesis chapter 3 that's exactly right open your Bible to the book of Genesis Genesis chapter 3 Genesis chapter 3 beginning in verse 1 a familiar story now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made and he said to the woman has God indeed said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden Genesis chapter 3 verse 1 now I'm in for - and the woman said to the serpent we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said you shall not eat it neither shall you touch it lest you die then the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die God had said in the day that thou eatest thereof for words thou shalt surely die but Satan here inserts the word doesn't he thou shall not surely die verse 5 for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God knowing good and evil here the serpent basically says to the woman God is keeping something away from you that would it be in your best interest to have never forget this that is the oldest lie in the book the devil wants you to believe that God is a with holder but the Bible teaching is that God is a giver can someone say Amen I mean that's the first lie so no no no no no God is keeping something back from you and this is frankly what keeps many people out of making a full commitment to Christ a full commitment to God a full commitment to the Bible they think well you know I'm not sure I'm afraid of what I'll have to give up we love it it's not about what you give up it's about what God gave up when he sent his son can you say Amen the great truth of the Bible is not that God as a with holder he's not trying to keep things back from you anything that is in your best interest to have he will give to you but Satan says no no no he knows that you'll become as God's knowing good and evil verse 6 when the woman saw that the tree was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise she took of its fruit and she ate she gave also to her husband with her and he ate you know the story Adam eats of the tree Eve eats of the tree God comes down into the garden and we read verse 8 and they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden of the cool of the day and Adam and his wife what did they do everyone hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden where normally they would run to God to greet him as their father now they're running from God terrified in fear now God comes down into the garden and there are three parties there how many parties everyone you have Adam you have Eve and you have the serpent God turns his attention to Adam he some three questions where are you who told you that you were naked and yeah yeah who and and I'm fixing it here where is it at yeah yeah yeah why did you eat of the tree there it is then he turns to Eve and he asks her one question what is this that thou has done and then he turns to the serpent and he doesn't ask any questions why because the serpent already knew the answers he preaches a sermon to the serpent look at it in verse 14 Genesis chapter 3 verse 14 so the Lord God said to the serpent because you have done this you are cursed more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field on your belly you will go and usually dust all the days of your life now notice verse 15 because it's the first promise of Jesus in all of the Bible the first messianic prophecy verse 15 God speaking to the devil he says I will put hatred between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he will bruise your head and you will bruise his heel fascinating isn't it here basically what's happening is that Adam and Eve had changed loyalties they had changed what everyone loyalties God had said in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die the devil had said you will not surely die question who did Adam and Eve believe they believe Satan that's exactly right and in in believing the words of saints and over the words of God they had effectively changed their loyalties and changed their allegiance so God comes down into the garden and he sees there and this is the picture I'll try to paint in your mind so you can sort of understand it the devil's got his arm around Eve he's got his arm around Adam and all they're just hanging out good old buddies God comes into the garden and he asks out on the three questions he asked Eve the one question then he looks at the devil he says you know what you think you've won the day it looks as though my children my beautiful dear children are all your friends now they believed you more than believing me but I'll tell you what a day is coming I'm going to put enmity between you and this woman you you think she's your best bud now you think she's your best friend now but I'm going to put enmity between you and this woman and that enmity is going to crush your head but you will bruise his heel that enmity the promised enmity that would crush the head of Satan is Jesus Christ himself can someone say Amen now naturally every one of us in our own hearts in our natural condition we are the friend of Satan and the enemy of God you're saying what did he really just say that that's exactly what I just said when we are born we have built into us an inward selfishness and inward what everyone selfishness it's a carnality that is against the principles of God and of his law and of his love this is easily illustrated I have two beautiful little boys in the room just across the hallway and I love them very much and they are innocent but you know what I mean when I say innocent they're only relatively innocent those little boys are as selfish as the day is long and they didn't learn it from their papa and they didn't learn it from their mama they learned it from Adam are you with me now think about that you might have had the best child in the world but what do you have to teach your children do you have to teach them how to share or how to keep some back from them for themselves because they're so busy giving everything away you have to teach them how to share that's exactly right so you put little Sammy and little Sally's crib and if little Sally has a banana little Sam you don't have to teach him how to pick up the Tonka truck hit her over the head and take the banana that's that's right in the hard drive she knows that he knows that that's part of of what it means to be a child well where did he get it from the answer is he got it from his parents who got it from his parents from his parents from his parents all the way back to the first parents who changed their allegiance and their nature was basically transformed to put it in the words of the Apostle Paul he said the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be in another place the Apostle Paul Ephesians 2 he says that by nature by what everyone by nature were the children of Wrath that is to say when we are born the most important thing in the world is me does that make sense everyone yes or no I'm the most important thing in the world and this world basically exists to serve me and my desires and my purposes that's what happened there in the Garden of Eden there was a transformation in the nature of man and so God comes into the garden and he says you think that she's loyal to you Satan you think that he's loyal to you Satan but I'll tell you what I'm going to put hatred between you and the serpent I'm going to put hatred between the woman and the serpent and that hatred will crush your head if this makes sense say Amen now I want you to notice that this is the first battle between Christ and Satan the first battle on planet Earth now let's go back to our illustration remember over here what's on this side of the stage everyone Genesis that's right Eden and what's over here everyone revelation and so here in Eden Genesis 1 and 2 if we step one chapter this way we're in Genesis chapter 3 and here we find the first battle between God and Satan on planet Earth the first battle go with me now to Revelation chapter what chapter would we be in if we stepped one chapter this way from revelation 21 and 22 revelation 20 open your Bible to Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 and notice this absolutely remarkable Revelation chapter 20 it says in verse 9 Revelation chapter 20 and verse 9 they went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the Saints and the beloved city fire came down from God out of heaven and what did it do it devoured them now look at verse 10 the devil who deceived them was cast into the what everyone lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever thus ends the history of Satan now do you see it yes or no it's so powerful over here we have Eden over here we have Eden restored these are like two bookends on the Bible but if we come just one chapter this way we have the first battle between Christ and Satan and if we come just one chapter this way we have the one every one last battle and so here we have a big-picture overview of how to understand the Bible the Bible is best understood against the backdrop of Eden - Eden and the first conflict and the last conflict if that makes sense say Amen everything in between everything in between is God trying to get his people back to the Garden of Eden where he can live with them in face to face communion can someone say Amen fact that's one of the great promises in Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 it says and they shall see his face powerful living in face-to-face communion with God so we have Eden - Eden but more than that there is this battle theme and all through the Bible we find this wrestling not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world to quote Ephesians 6 now go back to your study guide did you get all of those blanks filled in there should be pretty easy look now with me at the six stages of Revelations great battle I'm reading there now we will trace six distinct phases of this great battle and the eventual and promised victory of Jesus Christ right through the entire Bible you will be amazed as you see this unfold right before your eyes this is no make-believe battle it is as real as the chair you're sitting on right out the six stages and give the Bible references for each one we'll do our very best here to try and walk you through the six stages we've already said the Bible is best understood with the backdrop of an eID - Eden perspective and with a first battle last battle perspective I just want to hear a resounding Amen if that makes sense okay fantastic then let's look at the six stages of the great battle number one the victory is declared the scripture text we've already looked at genesis 3:15 the victory is declared that's where God stepped there into the garden and he says you have won the battle but you will not win the war and so here the first stage of the battle is that the victory is what everyone declared that's right now the second stage is the victory is begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus open your Bibles with me to Luke chapter 11 Luke chapter 11 third book of the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke Luke chapter 11 there are several passages that could be cited we'll look at one Luke chapter 11 beginning in verse 14 Luke chapter 11 beginning in verse 14 what verse everyone 14 and he was casting out a demon and it was mute so it was Luke 11 14 when the demon had gone out that the mute spoke and the multitudes were amazed but some of them said he casts out demons by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons others testing him sought from him a sign from heaven but he knowing their thoughts said to them now listen carefully to the words of Jesus this is incredible verse 17 every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation and a house divided against a house falls verse 18 if Satan also is divided against himself how will his kingdom stand because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub if I cast out demons by Beelzebub by whom - your sons cast them out therefore they will be your judges but if I cast out demons with the finger of God notice this surely the kingdom of God has come upon you and then he tells a story a parable verse 21 when a strong man fully armed guards his own palace his goods are in peace verse 22 I love this but when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him he takes from him all his armor in which he has trusted and he divides his spoils do you follow Jesus analogy here yes or no very simple jesus heals this boy who was demon-possessed he was mute he couldn't speak and Jesus walks up and he casts the demon out he was a tall you're doing this in the in the name of Beelzebub you're doing it by Beelzebub 'he's power jesus says you're not even thinking I mean think it through if I was casting out demons by Beelzebub that would mean that the devil is against the devil and a house divided against itself cannot stand he says when a strongman guards his house his goods are safe but when a stronger than him comes and overcomes him then you know that but what Jesus is saying is that the devil is being overcome the devil is being what overcome and so that's what we see in the earthly Ministry of Jesus here the victory that was promised in Eden is begun Jesus was healing the blind Jesus was casting out demons Jesus was saying to the paralytic rise take up your bed and walk and what I see in my mind's eye here is a picture of Jesus reclaiming what's the word everyone reclaiming what was rightfully his powerful in fact we actually looked at this in Luke chapter 13 verses 10 to 6 we don't have to look at the whole chapter the whole passage because we've already read it remember jesus heals that woman there in the ruler of the synagogue said what there are six days on which men ought to work come and come and heal on one of those days and not on the Sabbath and remember what Jesus said you hypocrite that's not every one of you loose your ox or donkey on the Sabbath and then he said ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham do you remember those four words whom Satan has bound think of it he says whom Satan has bound these many years be loosed from this burden on the Sabbath day and so what we find in the earthly Ministry of Jesus is that the victory that was promised in Eden Jesus is reclaiming a brother Jesus is reclaiming a woman Jesus is reclaiming a child he in John chapter 11 goes there to Lazarus tomb he says Lazarus come forth he was reclaiming even from death the victory was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus if this makes sense say Amen okay Jesus reclaiming his own but the third stage of the victory is that the victory was achieved on the cross the victory was achieved on the cross open your Bibles to the Gospel of John John chapter 12 John chapter 12 the victory was declared in Eden the victory was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus and the victory was achieved on the cross achieved on the cross I'm in John chapter 12 and I'm reading in verse 31 John chapter 12 verse 31 jesus speaking he says now is the judgment of this world now the ruler of this world will be what cast out now for you Bible students who are really paying attention you're saying well that's interesting that sounds just like Revelation chapter 12 remember five times he's cast out he's cast out he's cast out he's cast out maybe I got to move like that okay so I'll be careful not to go here okay so he's cast out five times there in Revelation chapter 12 notice now what Jesus says here look at it again John chapter 12 you don't worry about me all in bucket buckle my suit here maybe that'll help so I'm not running into it okay does that help at all Joel okay so John chapter 12 verse 31 jesus says now is the judgment of this world all hold still that's going to be very difficult okay Lord Jesus help me now the ruler of this world will be kept look at verse 32 bring me up that microphone and I'll just use that thing verse 32 Jesus says and I if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw peoples unto myself Oh Nathan you're a saint look at that okay all right we good to go there ah there we go all right I feel like I'm straightjacket and now I got so thing in my hand okay notice what he says now is the judgment of this world right here right now Satan is cast out and then he says in verse 32 when I'm lifted up on the cross the devil is judged the devil is cast out if that makes sense say Amen now there are several passages that I could quote here but just write these down very quickly John 14 verse 30 John 14 verse 30 and John 16 verse 11 so all of them in John 14:30 and 1611 so notice the victory was declared in Eden the victory was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus the victory was achieved on the what everyone on the cross in fact let me show you a text to that effect when Jesus cried out on the cross according to John chapter 19 and verse 30 he said it is finished that's right the victory was achieved at the cross Satan was dealt a death blow and we're going to be talking a lot more about that in fact we're going to see something in Revelation 12 that is so totally powerful we'll see how much of it we can get into tonight and we'll finish up what we can't tomorrow night look at this Colossians chapter 2 verse 15 I really appreciate this particular translation Colossians chapter 2 verse 15 notice what Paul says and the hostile princes and rulers he shook off from himself and boldly displayed them as his what conquest look at this when by the cross he triumphed over them is that powerful yes or no the imagery here is absolutely incredible basically what he's saying is on the cross Jesus made a fool out of the devil can you say Amen powerful they say oh how how what happened on the cross well let's try and unpack that but before we do that let's go to the rest of the six stages so the victory was declared in Eden it was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus it was achieved on the cross and the victory was proclaimed in the resurrection proclaimed in the what resurrection go to Acts chapter two you there in John it's the very next book Acts chapter two here we find the Apostle Peter Acts chapter two what's his name everyone Peter and he's preaching on the day of Pentecost the word Pentecost means fifty fifty days after the crucifixion we'll pick it up in verse 22 Peter preaching preaching about the resurrection he says men of Israel acts 2:22 men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves know verse 23 him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you have taken by lawless hands and have crucified and put to death verse 24 whom God what's the next words raised up not it says whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it for David says concerning him and now he quotes from David in the Old Testament I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is at my right hand that I should not be shaken therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad moreover my flesh also will rest in hope for you will not leave my soul in Hades nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption you have made known to me the way of life you will make me full of joy in your presence powerful basically here Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost and he begins to preach yes Jesus was crucified yes he was buried but God raised him up can he say Amen powerful powerful in fact G be Hardy in his book countdown said this he said there are only two essential requirements number one has anyone ever cheated death and number two is it available to me he said let us survey the historical record Buddha's tomb occupied Confucius tomb occupied Muhammad's tomb occupied stoom empty and then he said argue as you will but for me and my purposes there is no point in following a loser now when he said the word loser he wasn't calling names like nanny nanny booboo what he was saying is this there's this great enemy called death called what everyone death and we all will face it and he wants to know has anyone ever cheated death when he says that Buddha was a loser and Confucius was a loser he's saying they lost the battle with death but Jesus was victorious over death as Peter says it was not possible that death could hold on to him why because he never sinned and so death had no rightful claim to him can he say Amen powerful and so the victory was declared in the Garden of Eden he said one day I will crush your head the victory was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus when he as a stronger man began to take back the goods that Satan claimed as his own number three the victory was achieved on the cross when he made a fool out of the devil number four the victory was proclaimed in the resurrection fifth stage of the battle fifth stage the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the victory proclaimed here's the fifth stage of the battle the victory is continued in the church the victory is continued in God's church you're still there in acts go to Acts chapter 26 what chapter every one 26 and I know you're trying to keep up with me do the best that you can if I go too fast tonight go out there tell them I went too fast and get yourself a free CD okay you say I couldn't follow that message no problem hey listen I want you to understand this can you say Amen so if you don't get it come back tomorrow night so hey listen he went too fast I need a free CD that won't give you a hard time they'll give you a free CD okay here we go Acts chapter 26 I'm reading in verse 16 here the Apostle Paul is recounting his conversion experience when he was on the road to Damascus and he was knocked off of his horse by Jesus of Nazareth acts 26 and verse 16 but rise and stand on your feet up in verse 15 I said who are you lord and he said I am Jesus whom you are persecuting but rise and stand on your feet for I have appeared to you for this purpose Saul to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will reveal to you I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you now look at verse 18 this is the powerful verse to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to what everyone light and from the power of Satan to God why so that they may receive the forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by putting their faith in me isn't that powerful you see what he's saying he says get up off your feet I got a plan for you you're going to be a minister and a witness I need you to go tell these Gentile folks that I'm real that I'm alive that I'm raised that I'm resurrected turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God and so the victory is continued in the church and if I could be very very very frank with you the victory is to be continued in your life the victory is to be continued in your life God has called you in the very same way that he called Paul God has called you to communicate the great good news of the risen Christ to your co-workers to your family members to your friends to your grocer to your banker to whoever let them know that Jesus is alive victory declared hallelujah the victory was declared there in Eden I will crush your head the victory was begun in the earthly Ministry of Jesus the victory was achieved where everyone on the cross that's right never forget that the victory achieved on the cross the victory was proclaimed in the resurrection the victory is continued in the church and the victory is concluded the victory is concluded in Revelation and we already read that when the devil himself is calf just in to the lake of fire there are the six stages of the great battle can you say Amen powerful the victory declared and begun and achieved and proclaimed and continued and concluded the end of Satan and the victory will be concluded you say who we made it through no my timer says I got seven and a half minutes left look at the last page there go to the last page Youth you thought we were stopping and you were wrong last page of your study guide buckle your safety belts here we go back to Revelation chapter 12 revelation what chapter every one 12 I told you we had a lot to cover but by the grace of God you're going to understand it amen you're going to like it whether you like it or not Revelation chapter 12 now look at this did you catch the significance I'm reading directly from the study guide here did you catch the significance of the third-stage it is essential that you do remember Revelation chapter 12 verse 9 what word occurs three times cast or cast out note also that the same word appears in verses 10 and 13 as we've already said five times clearly this is an important truth now when did this event take place we already read that in John chapter 12 verses 31 and 32 I'll quote it for you again jesus said in john chapter 12 verse 31 now what's that word everyone now let me ask you just a real quick question so we can be clear on this who wrote the Gospel of John John good for you who wrote the book of Revelation John that's exactly right and if you read revelation and you read the Gospel of John you'll see there are many similarities in the language have you noticed that yes or no and so notice this here it says Revelator pardon me John chapter 12 verse 31 now is the judgment of this world now the Prince of this world will be cast out when Jesus and I when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Jesus says in the context of the cross the devil was cast out heaven does that make sense you say wait a minute wait a minute I thought he was cast out of heaven long before that look at Revelation chapter 12 Revelation chapter 12 verse 9 so the Great Dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole the the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him verse 10 then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven what's the next word now same word now what has come now salvation question when did salvation come on the cross of course salvation comes to us from the cross he goes on to say salvation and strength and the kingdom of God and the power of his Christ have come to think about it when did all of those things come salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ where were all of those things manifested on the cross that's exactly right salvation strength the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ it goes on to say have come for the accuser of our brethren who accused them before our God day and night has been cast down now look at this verse 11 and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb where was the blood of the lamb shed on the cross you're getting it and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives to the death now verse 12 begins with the word therefore does everyone see that yes or no now beloved when you see the word therefore in the Bible ask yourself hey what's that there for did you get that when you see the word therefore say hey what's that therefore the word therefore is a concluding remark it's a what every one concluding remark think about it if I say point number one point number two point number three therefore you know that what I'm going to say after that is based on what I said before that if this makes sense everyone say Amen so look at verse 12 what's the first word of verse 12 therefore watch this Ridge or be careful don't rejoice yet rejoice who according to that verse who rejoice o heavens and you who dwell in them but woe to the inhabitants of the earth how many people here today live on earth raise your hand okay anybody here anybody here live in heaven I didn't say in heavenly places I said in heaven now according to that verse then should we be rejoicing or should we be saying whoa according to that verse it says rejoice o heavens but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea why because the devil has come down to you having great wrath why because he knows he has a short time question how does he know he has a short time because of the cross he died on the cross Jesus was raised and he suddenly knows uh-oh this game is almost over now look at verse 13 powerful it says now when the dragon saw that is when the dragon perceived that he had been what everyone cast to the earth he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child he went with all of his energy with all of his vigor with all of his enthusiasm after the church and in verse 17 this satanic attack reaches its logical and pathetic climax and the dragon was enraged with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus can you say Amen now did you get all of the blanks filled in there in the first paragraph look at the second paragraph ha ha ha I'll help you fill them in it says because at the cross perfect love and perfect hate stood face to face the holy character and nature of God stood in direct contrast with the selfish character and nature of Satan perfect love and perfect evil had a staredown and perfect love in the face of Jesus Christ prevailed any say Amen now here's what we're going to do we're going to pause you're going to say what he can pause yeah I can pause until tomorrow night we're gonna hit the pause button because remember this is the war behind the wars what were those next two words part 1 and tomorrow night is the war behind the wars part 2 but beloved let's be crystal clear on what we're saying tonight number 1 there is a great cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan can you say Amen that war began in heaven and will be finished on earth we saw the Eden to Eden and the battle to battle perspective then we looked at those six stages but what we're doing now is we're honing in on that third stage the victory achieved on the cross at the cross Satan was cast out you say well what does that mean for me today tomorrow night we will unpack this still further in Revelation chapter 12 will literally come alive but as for me tonight I want to say with Joshua as for me and my house we will serve the Lord can you say Amen amen let's pray together as we close father in heaven tonight you've been with us it's been a high energy meeting but father we've made it through and and many of us have a clearer understanding now of this great cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan we see that it's not some manufactured battle not some make-believe battle it's a battle that we are right in the center of father in heaven we want to be victorious and we believe by faith in Jesus Christ that we will be victorious but father bring us back tomorrow so we can understand still more thoroughly more completely more biblically and more powerfully just what this war behind the wars entails we ask it in the wonderful righteous holy name of Jesus our Savior your son let all of the people say Amen you

Channel: hopemedia

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Keywords: David Asscherick, Prophecy, Revelation, Christianity, Discover Prophecy, Hope Media Ministry, hopevideo hopemedia, end of the world

Id: oiGs5ID6vc4

Length: 59min 23sec (3563 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 01 2011