One On One: 100 Days With Jesus--Ministry YearsSample

Set Free: The One who breaks the chains   

There’s another story, older than earth itself, happening alongside Jesus’ teaching and healing ministry in Galilee. A sinister, spiritual battle with Satan and his demons exploded on the scene when Jesus arrived to preach about eternal life. 

Demons were originally created by God as holy angels. Their home was heaven where they served and worshiped God. At some point in eternity past, pride took over and they rebelled against God with their leader, Lucifer/Satan. As punishment, Jesus threw Satan and millions of demons out of heaven and prepared an eternal place of torment, “the lake of fire,” for them. They know their fate. They also know they’re working against time. 

It happened on a day when Jesus was preaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. The place was packed as He read from Isaiah 61 and announced “today, this prophecy is fulfilled. I am the Messiah whom the Spirit sent to preach the good news that will set the prisoners free.” In essence, “I am here to rescue the spiritual prisoners held by the devil and to destroy his works.” 

Then from the crowd, a man possessed by a demon screamed out in bloody terror. 

“We know who you are, Jesus of Nazareth! You’re the Holy One of God. Are You here to destroy us? Is this the time? Is it now? Have You come to send us to the lake of fire?"

And Jesus pointed right at him: “Shut up and get out of him!” And the demon shook and trembled and threw the man down in front of them . . . and left. With just a word across the room, Jesus overpowered the demon. (If Jesus threw Satan out of heaven, He could throw a demon out of a man.) He can also deliver us from sin and death and Satan and hell. 

That’s how powerful Jesus is. His good news shatters the stranglehold Satan has on this world; it smashes prison walls. It breaks the chains sin wraps around us. It sets free every sinner who calls out His name. That is the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

As Jesus traveled around Galilee, people begged Him to rescue them from demonic control. The war with evil was on and Jesus proved Himself the victor again and again. We only know a few accounts, but it happened all the time. 

The same is true today. Demons know who Jesus is, and it makes them shudder. They read the Bible. They know the end of the story. It terrifies them to know their time is short, so they work their subtle craft to keep as many in prison to sin and death as they can. 

If Jesus is your Savior, then God has “delivered you from the domain of darkness and transferred you to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” You have nothing to fear from the spiritual darkness. Fortify your confidence in Jesus by filling your mind with God’s Word about Satan’s strategies and the victory that is yours in Christ. Equip yourself with a shield of faith and the sword of truth: 

• John 16:33                   
• Romans 8:37-39
• 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
• Ephesians 6:10-11
• Colossians 1:13-14       
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Tomorrow: One on one with Jesus and a mom who wouldn’t quit