Aug 01

Jesus, the Son of God, said that he has set us free from sin and death, and then added that if the son sets us free, then we are indeed free (John 8: 36).

Jesus understood that Satan, who wields death as a weapon to destroy, did, indeed, have great power through this part of reality. But he also knew that this was not the ultimate reality. Satan is not God, though he desires to be. Jesus is God. And he proved it by overpowering Satan and destroying his power to hold human beings captive by death.

"When a strong man, fully armed, gurards his own house,his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils" (Luke 11:21,22).

That is what Jesus did. Though he is God and therefore completely beyond the limitations imposed by the physical reality in which we as human beings live, out of love for us he also became a human being and died to free us from all those limitations, including that of sin and death.

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him holds the power of death -- that is, the devil -- and free those who were held in slavery by their fear of death" (Heb. 2:14,15).

This is the good news of the gospel.

Scripture for today: Hebrews 2
Thought for today: Jesus is stronger than the devil and death.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, may I always trust in you and your strength, and not my own.

AUG 01