Victory in Jesus

Ephesians 1:15–17 “This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”

If you read all of verses 15-23, you are going to see that Paul says a mouthful. Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians while he was in prison, but it is not a book of despair.

The book of Ephesians is a book of victory.

In the verses I shared, verses 15-17, Paul’s prayer for the Church at Ephesus and for us is for us to know why we have the victory. Paul says, “I remember you always in my prayers, and my prayer is that God would reveal the knowledge of Jesus Christ to us through the Holy Spirit and through revelation. Now, since we have the completed Word of God, Paul would say to us through the illumination of God’s Word.

If you and I are going to have victory in Jesus, by victory in Jesus I mean a victorious lifestyle, we must study God’s Word.

The Ephesians loved God, were saved, and heaven bound, but Paul, in these verses, is praying for their wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

If you think you know all the Bible has to say, you do not, but if we could understand everything packed in these few verses in Ephesians, we would be better prepared to live in victory.

If you are going to live in victory, you must understand that victory is in your DNA.

You were designed for victory, dominion, and mastery. Mankind was created to rule and reign.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.””

God gave man the right to rule, to control and master this world and its resources. Man was to have dominion.

Psalm 8:6 “You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:”

God made mankind to have dominion or rule, but if you watch the news or look around, it is easy to see that man does not have dominion. Mankind is not living in victory. Mankind has not overcome. Mankind has been overrun. Instead of dominion, mankind is dominated.

What has gone wrong?

There are two absolute truths involved, and if you have an understanding of those two things, you will be better prepared to live in victory. As a matter of fact, those two truths were what Paul was praying that Ephesians and you understand.

1. Man’s dominion was legally lost.

Adam legally lost mankind’s dominion.

Ephesians 2:1–3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.”

Mankind is not the ruler. Satan is the ruler of the power of the air.

How did Satan get dominion from Adam? God gave it to Adam. How did Satan end up with it?

If you know the Bible, you know that Lucifer rebelled against God in heaven. In Isa. Chap 14, Lucifer says that he will be like the Most-High God, and as he said it, God’s judgment thundered through the corridors of heaven as Lucifer became Satan and was kicked out of heaven with 1/3 of the angels.

Being kicked out of heaven did not change Satan’s desire to be worshipped.

When did Satan get kicked out of heaven? Many Bible scholars believe between Chaps 2 & 3 of Genesis.

Since he was kicked out of heaven, Satan turns his attention to God’s treasured creation, mankind.

I had never thought about this, and I guess it proves that there is always something to be learned from God’s Word.

Before he was expelled from heaven, Lucifer said he was going to be like God. It did not work in heaven, but as he is banished to earth, what does he tempt Adam and Eve to be? ______________________

Genesis 3:5 ““In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.””

Satan wanted to be God, and he tempted Adam and Eve with being God or knowing what God knew. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to be on earth what he could not be in heaven. Adam believed Satan’s lie and dethroned God and enthroned himself.

Adam, however, did not enthrone himself.

Adam placed himself in bondage as he became Satan’s servant.

Satan lost the war in heaven, but he gained a victory on earth. Satan had no throne in heaven, but he legally gained one on earth legally in the heart and mind of mankind. Why do I say that?

What did Adam and Eve start doing immediately that proves Satan had their minds and hearts?

They lied.

They tried to make excuses.

They tried to cover their own sin.

John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”

When Adam had dominion, he never lied, but as soon as Satan became his master, he started lying.

******This is very important. If you ever learn and understand this truth, much of the Bible will be unlocked for you. Here is the truth.

******* The entire universe is ruled by God’s Divine Law.

You have heard me say it like this. God cannot act outside of who He is. What Adam lost in the garden, he lost legally.

Satan did not take it from him; Satan could take what God gave, so Adam gave it to him.

When God gave Adam dominion, there was only one string attached, the string of obedience. As long as Adam was obedient, dominion was his.

Since dominion belonged to Adam, he could give it to whomever he wanted, so Adam did. He gave it to Satan. Adam gave his right to dominion to Satan, and as a result, Adam became Satan’s slave.

Romans 6:16 “Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?”

Adam became Satan’s slave and gave him dominion of this planet. “Jimmy, do you mean Adam gave earth to Satan?” Absolutely!!!! Do you want me to prove it? Do you remember when Satan tempted the Lord Jesus Christ?

Luke 4:5–8 “So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.””

Jesus never questioned Satan’s dominion or authority because He knew that Satan was legally given dominion by Adam.

The devil legally gained dominion from Adam, but God is still God, and God had a plan.

2. Man’s dominion was righteously reclaimed.

Don’t forget!!!! The ultimate truth to remember is that the universe is run by God’s Divine Law. Adam, the first man, legally lost dominion, so it had to be regained legally.

The first Adam legally lost it, so the second Adam would have to righteously recover it.

It is God’s mighty plan in the universe. It is the battle of the ages. God rightfully and legally reestablished and recovered Adam’s lost estate.

Now, here is where our lack of understanding of God’s Law bites us. That is why if we understand Divine Law we are going to be more apt to live victorious lives.

Can I ask you a question?

Why did not God just rip dominion from Satan and give it back to Adam? Why did not God just destroy Satan, overlook Adam’s sin, and give back dominion to Adam?

Because if God had done that, He would have violated His own Divine Law, and He cannot do that because He cannot and will not operate outside of who He is.

God could not destroy Satan, and He could not give dominion back to Adam because He would have violated His own Divine Law.

Dominion was legally lost; therefore, it had to be legally recovered. If it was legally recovered, Satan could never question God’s righteousness and justice.

******Man’s dominion was lost by a man, so it had to be recovered by a man. It could not be recovered by God acting as God alone because it would have violated God’s Divine Law.

I promise you I am going to get to a point in here in a minute that will show you why you should live a victorious life. It is the understanding for which Paul prayed for all Christians.

A man of Adam’s race must be found to recover what was legally lost, but that man had to be someone that Satan had no legal claim to. What does that mean?

Since Adam was a slave to Satan, all of the sons and daughters of Adam were legally slaves too. Satan had mastery and dominion over all mankind.

Genesis 5:3 “Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.”

Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.”

Satan has dominion over everyone who has a human father. It seems that God has a problem. God must have a man, but that man cannot be a son of Adam.

Adam’s lost dominion could only be regained by a man, and that, dear friend, is the reason for the incarnation and virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

****Hebrews 2:14 “Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—”

Galatians 4:3–5 “In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin named Mary to redeem what Adam lost.

You have heard me say it like this. Jesus had to be a man to die for mankind.

On that night in Bethlehem, the Lord Jesus Christ is born. Satan is shocked. One has born that Satan has no legal claim to because even though Jesus is mankind, He did not come from Adam. He came through Mary and the Holy Spirit and did not have Adam’s nature to sin.

Jesus Christ was undeniably man and unquestionably God.

Now, Satan has a problem. One is now on the scene who can reclaim what Adam lost. So, what does Satan do? He tries to gain dominion over Jesus by getting Him to sin.

Luke 4:5–7 “So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.””

Satan just wanted Jesus to bow down one time. The whole plan of redemption would unravel if Jesus would bow just once. Satan fired everything he had at Jesus tempting Him in all points. “Worship me Jesus, and I will give it to you.”

But remember, Satan is the father of lies. He knew if Jesus bowed to him he would have maintained dominion because Jesus would have become his servant, but Jesus did not sin, could not sin.

Luke 4:8 “And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.””

*****Now, I can imagine Jesus saying something like this: “Satan, I am God in human flesh, and as God, if I wish, I could speak a word and obliterate you right now, but I am not going to overcome you as God. I am going to overcome you as man.”

Man lost it; Man had to regain it, and Jesus used the same two weapons available to Adam and to Anita Uselton, and that’s is what Paul was praying to be revealed to the Ephesians and to us.

What are those two weapons?

Luke 4:1–2 “Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.”

Luke 4:8 “And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.””

The two weapons used by Jesus were the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the authority of God’s Word, and you and I have access to the same weapons.

Ephesians 5:18 “And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:”

John 20:30–31 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

If you and I would make the choice to be filled with the Holy Spirit and deeply engage in God’s Word, you better believe we would be living victorious lives.

God’s plan is not complete yet.

Fast forward to Calvary. You see, when Satan legally gained dominion, he was given as part of that dominion death and the grave, and this led to his greatest blunder.

Satan used religion and Rome to push Jesus to Calvary, but it was God’s plan the entire time.

Romans 8:32 “He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?”

The hounds of hell were howling for the blood of Jesus Christ, but Satan could not kill Jesus. Jesus submitted Himself to the Cross. (John Chap 10:18)

After several excruciating hours passed, Jesus bowed His head and surrendered His life, but not before shouting from the cross, “Tetelestai” which means it is finished.

What was finished? Satan’s claim to mankind.

The transaction was complete. Satan’s legal claim to mankind was cancelled, and Satan’s dominion died. Jesus rendered the Devil powerless, but the battle is not complete yet because Jesus was dead and placed in a grave.

Satan’s strategy changes. This is last opportunity. He still is claiming dominion over death and the grave. He orders all the demons in hell to guard that grave. He moved the Pharisees to guard that grave. He moved the Romans to guard that grave, but nothing worked.

Acts 2:22–24 ““Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.”

Satan could not keep Jesus in that grave. The last bastion of hope Satan had was the grave, but Jesus overcame death as if it were an overnight stay at a fancy hotel. He overcame death by the power of God. As He rose to life, He took the sting out of death, and He ripped the keys of dominion from the hands of Satan.

Revelation 1:18 “and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Jesus paid the price. He took the wages of our sin and died, but He was raised again forever defeating Satan.

Colossians 2:15 “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.”

The Resurrection stripped away Satan’s power and dissolved Satan’s dominion.

Why is all this important to living a victorious life?

We give Satan too much credit. He is done. He is defeated. If you are saved, you have Christ in you and what Christ did to Satan so can you. Satan cannot defeat you. He cannot overcome you. Jesus Christ has made it possible to resist Satan in everything that comes your way.

James 4:7 “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.”

Mankind has been redeemed. The transaction is complete. Earth will be redeemed. Earth was included in Adam’s dominion. When will earth be reclaimed? Immediately after the Rapture.

Revelation 5:5–8 “Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth.

He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne. When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”