Victory Belongs To Jesus

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We’re about to give the devil a black eye!

Introduction

Victory

We live in a competition-based society.

Sports are as competitive as they have ever been. (ILLUSTRATION: Posts that say “W”)

Our economy in America is what is called a “capitalist” economy. That basically means competition, competition, competition...

You may have noticed that within the last five years, our entertainment industry has took a sharp turn toward competitions. (Singing, cooking, creating…)

Even political news shows us a great big competition. Recently we’ve heard of this “government shutdown” and sides were blaming each other for all of it. And it became a great big stare-down to see who would become the victor.

And this is exactly what a competition is: a test to see who can come out with the victory.

We admire the victor. We adore the victor! We IDOLIZE the victor!

It gives us satisfaction to see a winner win. We crave that moment when we see the athlete or the competitor crush the opposition and win it all! (Particularly when the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs!)

It’s our nature to be drawn to competition. And to be drawn to someone who is victorious.

Who Is The Ultimate Victor?

But, if you will, I want you to jump into a time machine with me today and let’s go to the future.

At the end of days, when all the score has been settled, and the dust is cleared, who then, on that day, will be the victorious one in your eyes?

For you, will the ultimate victor be… Lebron James? Donald J. Trump?!

What I’m asking is this: who is it going to be that holds victory in their hands on that day?!

I’m going to tell you what the anointed Word of God has to say about it:

Philippians 2:9–11 NKJV

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9

When it’s all said and done, and the great competition has concluded, there’s only going to be one person standing in the glory and in the power in ultimate, final victory, AND HIS NAME IS JESUS!!!

And I want to tell somebody that even though we’re not standing on judgement day right now… Even on a Sunday Morning at New Life, when you’ve got problems that need answers, and you’ve got ailments that need healing, and you’ve got finances that need a miracle, HE’S JUST AS VICTORIOUS TODAY AS HE’LL BE ON JUDGEMENT DAY!

I didn’t come to preach today on behalf those who can afford to wait ‘til next Sunday to get a blessing… But I came to speak on behalf of those who can’t wait another day!!!

I have never understood those who say I have been deprived because of going to church so much… I have been deprived of this world!

Don’t tell me not to get excited!

YOU CAN FIND THE VICTORY IN JESUS THIS MORNING!

VICTORY BELONGS TO JESUS!!!!!

Body

Today we’re going to see in the Word of God just how victorious our God is!

Adam + Eve

From the very beginning, we have been sinful beings.

God created us and His motives were pretty simple: He wanted to love us, and He wanted us to love Him. (That’s still what He desires today!)

But sin crept in. As it has in all our lives at some point.

And that sin presents a problem because it cuts us off from our creator.

And this is essentially what happened with Adam and Eve. There was a cutting off that was not supposed to happen because they disobeyed God.

So God has been presented with a challenge. Between God and humanity stood sin and Satan.

The winners in the competition at this point were: sin and Satan. Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit.

What did God do?

First, He had to give punishment to each party that was involved. And He did.

But that was not God’s victory.

SIDE POINT: Punishment and Judgement is not God’s form of victory.

The victory of God came after the punishment, in verse 21

Genesis 3:21 KJV 1900

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Genesis 3

When you picture it in the way that it actually happened, it’s grotesque. It’s gruesome!

But what God wondrously did in that moment was create a sacrifice for their sins. He covered them with the blood of a sacrifice! And He saved them! He made a way for salvation!

Ain’t you glad that the real victory of God isn’t in His wrath and judgement - it’s in His salvation!

Jesus On The Cross

Fast-forward several hundred years, and you’ll find another situation where sin and Satan had continued to separate God and His people.

And these people were so blinded to the fact that God manifested in flesh stood before them, that they proceeded to make plans to have Him killed on a cross.

ONCE AGAIN, as Jesus hung from a cross, bleeding out, it appears that the winners in this competition are sin and Satan… the victory would go to evil...

But hang on just a minute...

We just said that in the book of Genesis, from those sacrificed animals came bloody skins that covered Adam and Eve in their sin. And that salvation was the victory of God!

Now we’re looking at a bunch of people, who are standing in the middle of their own sin and hatefulness! But they don’t even understand that the blood that is flowing down the wood of that cross is the same blood that’s going to cover their sins!!!!!

Genesis 3:15 KJV 1900

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

In other words, God was saying there would come a day when a man named Jesus would get the victory over ALL SIN!

Can I tell you something, today, saint?! VICTORY BELONGS TO JESUS! VICTORY BELONGS TO JESUS!

And if victory belongs to Jesus, it can belong to you, too!!!

“It Is Finished”

John 19:

John 19:30 KJV 1900

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

He said, “It is finished.”

What was finished?

To some standing around it would appear that Jesus had just accepted death and defeat. “I’m done! I tried, but they finally got me, and now there’s no hope!”

No, that’s not what He meant!

When He said, “It is finished,” He meant that He had just completed the single, most important act in history! He had finished the sacrifice for our sins!!!

And now victory was bigger than just over sins!

When He said, “It is finished,” He was saying...

That sickness you’ve dealt with for five years, by the help of me, IT IS FINISHED!

That addiction that you can’t seem to kick no matter how hard you try, by my help - IT IS FINISHED!

That past that you feel guilty about and can’t seem to get over, IT IS FINISHED!

Those spirits that torment you in the night and keep you from sleep, IT IS FINISHED!

That depression and worry, IT IS FINISHED!

Those cigarettes, IT IS FINISHED!

Those family quarrels, IT IS FINISHED!

YOUR SINS, IT IS FINISHED!!!

Because ALL victory belongs to ME!!!!!!

Let me tell you something, friend: You can’t get through it by your own power. Victory over the things you go through isn’t gonna come through you.

Zechariah 4:6 KJV 1900

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the Lord of hosts.

And I would have you know today that when he died on that cross, His Spirit was released to us.

The mighty power of the Holy Ghost was now available to you, and to me.

Plan of Salvation

And let me say this: If you don’t have the Holy Ghost… You NEED the Holy Ghost. And I wouldn’t leave this building today until I was sure I had it!

Soon after the resurrection of Jesus, that Holy Ghost DID come down!

He told them:

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

And then, just a little while later:

Acts 2:1–4 KJV 1900

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1

And every time somebody received the Holy Ghost in scripture, the Bible says that they spoke with other tongues! Hallelujah!

Now - remember, we said earlier that the victory of God is in His salvation, right?

Okay, well you better get ready to rejoice, because I’m about to read the very victory and triumph of Jesus Christ! Are you ready???

Acts 2:27–39 KJV 1900

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Acts 2:37–39 KJV 1900

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

If you want to be saved, the plan of God has not changed at all - and this church still believes it! You STILL have to: Repent, be baptized in Jesus name, and receive the Holy Ghost, as you speak with other tongues!!!!!

The reason America has a bad attitude toward religion is because for the most part, they haven’t received the Holy Ghost!

But once you get this thing, it’s more than just another religion, it’s more than just a little bit of faith..... IT’S AN EXPERIENCE!

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

It’ll make you walk right, talk right, act right! You’ll be so right you won’t remember what it is to be left!

And you can’t afford to miss out on how that feels!

Romans 15:13 KJV 1900

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

The only way you can interpret this scripture is that if you don’t have the Holy Ghost, you don’t have hope. But if you’ve got the Holy Ghost, you’ve got hope!!!

When In Revival, Victory Still Belongs to Jesus

Now I’m fixing to really get down and preach, and then I’m gonna close.

But let me speak this to the church today...

Revival is HERE and NOW. If you hadn’t realized it, God sent me here today as a messenger to let you know - we’re in REVIVAL… RIGHT... NOW!!!!!

You are just well as to believe it and walk in it.

But I want you to hear and understand this: when there is revival happening, the Devil isn’t going to let it happen without giving you a fight.

And he is ALREADY at work right now as God is moving in our church.

But how we respond to what is going on is going to make all the difference as to whether we continue to grow and have revival or not.

And I’ll show you how that works in scripture:

Verse 6 - Joseph has died..

Verse 7 - Revival! Growth! (and CORPORATE revival started with PERSONAL revival!)

Verse 8-9 - Hell is worried!

Verse 10-11 - Hell takes action!

Verse 12 - Hell miscalculated!

Verse 15-16 - Hell comes back with a vengeance!

Verse 17 - The Church takes a stand!

Verse 18 - Hell doesn’t understand!

Verse 19 - The Church explains it to Hell!

Verse 20-21 - God blesses the Church!

Exodus 1:6–21 KJV 1900

And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

Exodus

shows us that when Revival and growth takes place, there will soon after be a response from Satan.

That’s when we get a Midwives Spirit on us! And we say, “Not today, Devil! You’re not going to stop this thing! You CAN’T prevent what God is doing in my church! In my family! In my life!

And we double down on our faith and our boldness in God!

We’ve got to do like those Midwives and draw Satan out of hiding, and serve him with DEFEAT!!!

Fellow saint, arm yourself! My brother, be bold in the Holy Ghost! My sister, be used of God in the Holy Ghost!

GET LIVELY, BROTHER! GET LIVELY, SISTER!

WE CAN’T AFFORD TO LET THIS THING DIE OUT TODAY!!!

Conclusion

Victory In The Name

You can have the Holy Ghost today!

You can have victory over what you’ve been going through today!

I’ve got one more scripture!

And if all of that ain’t enough to help you’re faith that victory belongs to Jesus, and that you can have victory today, let me read this scripture to you:

Romans 16:20 NKJV

And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Let me tell you something today: Satan has significant power to affect people in this world...

…But when it comes to a Holy Ghost-filled saint of God who has the courage to take him on, YOU CAN CRUSH HIM UNDER YOUR FEET!!!

Hallelujah!

Hey - I’m not interested in letting this revival thing go like it was just a few strong services that happened and now we’re going to move on!

And I just wonder if there’s a few saints who can take a stand today, and say, “I’m gonna push the limits! I’m gonna put pressure on Satan! I’m gonna get more on fire for God than I’ve ever been in my entire life!”

“And as Satan is crushed under my feet, we’re going to see revival!!!!!!!”