A Conquering Church

I. Introduction

Be finding the book of Ephesians chapter 2, and put a bookmark there and hold that page because we will flip over there in a moment, if you would, and then turn to the book of Genesis chapter 1, where in a moment, we will look at verse 26....so Ephesians 2 and hold that spot, and then in a moment we will Genesis 1:26. I’ve been preaching a series of messages out of the Book of Genesis as we have come back to church and are seeking to “keep the Bible Number1” and at the center of everything we do....and as we seek to have a strong foundation in life with our feet planted firmly in the only place they should be: and that is God’s Word.

I’ve been thinking about the kind of church that I have endeavored to teach this church to be in our last four years together…though we have been through some painful times together in the past year and a half to two years, I think we have seen the Lord move regardless in that time....but in the last several weeks, I’ve talked to you about a praying church…one with a firm foundation, and other things like that. Today, I want to talk to you about a church of conquest—a conquering church.

I don’t know what God’s plan for America is....I don’t know what His plan for the world is in the most immediate future....we know what it will be ultimately one day according to God’s Word....but in the next 3 months to 12 months, I have no way of telling you what His plan is for the world with any certainty.....that is WELL above my pay grade....but I can tell you this with confidence this morning: God’s plan for Morningside is that we move forward, not backward. God’s plan for US here in this place is that me, you, and this church Body learn how to be victorious day by day....raise your hand up high if you believe that today, that God wants you to share in His victory every day, do you believe that, raise em’ high!

a. Scripture: Genesis 1:26

And as always, I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

Now, why did God make man in the first place? God made man to have dominion. God made man to have victory. God made man to have mastery. Look in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

Now, when God made Adam and Eve, He made them king and queen of His domain, and God gave them rule. David, in the Psalms, said the same thing. Put in your margin Psalm 8 and verse 6: “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put …”—now, listen, church—“thou hast put all things under his feet.” (Psalms 8:6) That was God’s plan. That’s why God made man. Man was designed for dominion. He was made for mastery. Do you think that is true today? Read any newspaper. See the rape, the murder, the war, the riots, the famine, the disaster, the heartache, the tears, the fears, the failures of mankind. Man, given dominion, has lost that dominion. Our message this morning is this: We’re going to look at how it was lost, and how our dear Lord has bought it back for us and given it to this wonderful church—to Bellevue, and to every Bible-believing church—and to every Spirit-filled Christian, that we might live and walk in victory.

Here are the three things I want to lay upon your heart about Man’s Dominion:

II. Major Points

Legally Losy by Adam

Rightfully Recovered by Jesus

Gloriously Given to the Church

III. Point #1: Legally Losy by Adam

Explanation

Now, go to Ephesians with me, and I want you to see what happened to this dominion. First of all, I want you to see that this dominion was legally lost by Adam. Now, underscore the word legally—legally lost by Adam. Now, look, if you will, in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 1 and 2: “And you hath he quickened,”—that literally means “were made alive”—“who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:1–2) Did you see that? “The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience.”

My friends listen to me this morning: There’s a dark, malevolent force at work in the world today. And you can look around for just a moment and SEE that it is the power of Satan.

Now, how did this come to pass? Well, Satan is a created being. He’s not coequal or coeternal with God the Father. God created him, a perfect angel, the highest of the high. He was the vice-regent in heaven. He received worship and passed it on to the Father. He was like a high priest. But the Bible says that he fell “by the multitude of his merchandise.” (Ezekiel 28:16) That is, what passed through his hands began to stick to his fingers. He took this praise and looked at it and said, “You know, I ought to have some of that. I’m too great, too strong, too wise, too beautiful not to be worshipped. I will be like the Most High.” And Lucifer, the son of the morning, became Satan, the father of the night. And no sooner had he unsheathed his sword of rebellion against Almighty God than the thunders of Jehovah’s wrath came down the corridors of heaven, and Satan was banished from heaven. He fell from heaven, and a third of the angels fell with him and became demon spirits. Now Satan, having lost the battle in heaven, comes to this earth hoping to win the battle on earth. Failing to enshrine himself in heaven, he wants to enshrine himself here upon this earth and receive worship from humankind, because it has always been his dark, devilish motive to be worshipped. And so Adam was conned, seduced by Satan to turn it all over to Satan.

Now, you see, God gave to Adam dominion....and when God decrees something, it becomes law....so Adam had it....but Adam, in His fallenness and weakness was derelect in His duty…and when he stepped out of His rightful place, He created a power vacuum....and Satan was more than Happy to step in and take it....

Illustration

When I was in college, I heard about this kid around my age who recieved a brand-new automobile as an 18-year-old beginning college. You know, it’s an amazing thing. These college kids think they all need brand new cars. The boy apparently said to his dad, he said, “Dad, all the kids have a new car except me.” The dad said, “Well, all right,” bought him a new car, and then went to see him. He said, “Son, what about all these older cars on the parking lot?” “Well,” the son said, “those belong to the professors.” <laugh> My friend’s dad gave him a brand-new automobile. And since the father gave it to him, he legally put it in his name, then it was legally his to do with as he pleased... Do you know what that boy did? He gave it to another college student—gave it to him! Now if you were his dad, I don’t know how you’d feel. I think I’d know how I would feel if I gave somebody something as valuable as a brand new car and he then gave it to somebody else....but it was too late…the title was signed over, for some crazy reason, to somebody else.

Application

God gave Adam dominion, and Adam turned it over to Satan. It was legally given, and it was legally lost.

Who is running this world right now? It’s certainly not man....Look it up, 2 Corinthians 4:4 calls Satan“the god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)…Now Satan is not God....There is no real comparison between Him and God. BUT, the Bible says that Satan is currently ruling this world....and if you look around at the condition of the world, is there any question about that?

Two things we need to know about that church:

1.) Satan rules over w worldly Kingdom....People who are lost are under Satan’s worldly Lordship...It’s very interesting. You know, I’m preaching every Sunday to some people who are blind, and they’ve been blinded by Satan, don’t even realize it, and it is Satan who is legally in dominion over this world, and that’s the reason that we need to pray that God will open eyes that they might see, that they might understand. Satan rules this world…

2.) Jesus is rules over an eternal Kingdom....Satan rules over something finite and that will not last....Jesus rules over HIM, in something that is infinite and eternal. So understand this: when we take our rightful place in the church and in Christ Jesus, we are not subject to the Lordship of Satan that Adam lost to him....but when we don’t…we are....and the ONLY thing the Devil brings in life is misery....destruction…and death.

So listen to me this morning: Dominion was given to Adam, and legally lost to Satan…and that brings us to point number 2:

IV. Point #2: Rightfully Recovered by Jesus

Explanation

Second thing: This dominion was rightfully—and may I say righteously—regained by another man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now God’s mighty plan was to righteously and legally take back Adam’s lost estate and give it to the sons and the daughters of men. But now, listen very carefully, church. It was legally lost legally…and a rightous God does things judiciously....that is, he does them legally…so if it was lost legally, then it must be legally restored. God owes Satan nothing, but He owes Himself very much....God owes to Himself that sense of righteousness and justice. So God didn’t just dismiss Satan, He did things according to His own sense of justice.

Now God has a plan to get back what Adam lost, and God’s plan is centered in a man. Now dominion was given to a man, dominion was lost by a man, and dominion must be regained by a man. And so God says, “Who can regain what Adam lost?” Well, none of the sons of men can do that, because all of the sons of Adam have the sinful nature of Adam. And a sinner can redeem no one; he’s a sinner himself. He can offer no innocent sacrifice. And besides that, the men of this world and the women of this world since Adam were born slaves—slaves of Satan. And, you see, the sons and daughters of a slave are slaves themselves. And no son of Adam, sinner and slave, could redeem mankind. Yet the redeemer must be a man. This is the reason for Christmas, that God became a man. Jesus Christ, who had dwelt from all eternity in the bosom of the Father—the eternal Son with the eternal Father—stepped out of the ivory palaces, came into this world of woe, became a man, that He might redeem us.

He did this important thing for us on the cross…Now think about those agonizing moments....beating....betrayel....hatred....tremendous physical and spiritual pain placed on Jesus....and imagine the hounds of hell now are heckling after Jesus all the way to the cross. Surely, Satan must have thought, after ALL of that....He will turn His back now. Surely, He will not allow Himself to be put on the cross. Surely, He can call twelve legions of angels, and they will come and save Him. They laughed at Him when He was on the cross. They said, “He saved others. Himself, He cannot save.” But they were wrong. Friend, it was Himself He would not save. He said, “No man taketh my life from me. I lay it down of myself.” (John 10:18) The only man that Jesus ever refused to save was Himself. And Jesus, in agony and blood, bowed His head, paid the price, and said, “Tetalestai ! meaning: It is finished! It is paid in full!” (John 19:30) And THEN: Satan’s back was broken.

But was that enough for Satan? No....He didn’t give up there…Under the inspiration of Satan, they took the Lord Jesus Christ and put Him in the grave, and Pilate said, “Make it as sure as you can.” (Matthew 27:65) And they put the seal of the Roman government on it. They rolled a stone in front of it, and nature made it as sure as she could. (Matthew 27:66) And then death wrapped the Son of God in the chains of death and made it as sure as death could.

And the proud Pharisees said, “He’s dead.” And sneering Sadducees said, “He is dead.” And delighted demons said, “He’s dead.” But three days later, the Son of God woke up, stretched, took off the grave clothes, put His heel on the neck of death, pulled the sting out of death, took the crown of death and put it on His head, and walked out of that grave.

Illustration

In his famous sermon, S.M. Lockridge wrote of Jesus: “You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. Well, Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilot couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.”

Application

Listen to me this morning church: Jesus legally recovered OUR birthright as men....and though Satan is still running a smuck in this old world let me tell you what Jesus did on that cross and when he came out of the grave: 1.) He saved you and I as believers from our sin and 2.) He NUMBERED Satan’s days as he destroys this world....His days are coming QUICKLY to an end.

And as Christians we need to spread that message to anybody who will listen....because we have our eternity fixed with Jesus, and therefore we can live in VICTORY forever because of that.

How many of you are glad Jesus is coming to put the Enemy in his place one day?

Amen....

Finally:

V. Point #3: Gloriously Given to the Church

Explanation

Now the third and final thing I want you to see—and very quickly I want you to see—what I’m going to call the dominion that is now gloriously given to the Church. Look, if you will, here in Ephesians again, chapter 1, verses 22 and 23. The Bible says, “And [God] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22–23) I have a feeling that I need to back up and go to verse 17. Paul is praying. He says, “[Oh,] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him …”—Paul says—oh, church, don’t miss this! Morningside, don’t miss this!—“[have] the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,”—look at it—“which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:17–23) Skip over to chapter 2, verse 6: “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)

Illustration

Question: How many of you are in Christ Jesus? You don’t have to raise your hand if you don’t want to but think about it....how many of you have been saved from your sins by Jesus?.... Okay. That means that spiritually, you are seated heavenly places. You are in Christ. When God raised up Christ, He raised up you. You see, Jesus by death destroyed him that had the power of death. And now He is seated in the heavenlies, far above all principalities and powers that ever were. He is there living, risen, victorious! And guess who’s there with Him? You are! You say, “Well, you make me sound like an egomaniac if I say I am.” Well, friend, I’ll tell you, you are spiritually dull if you say you’re NOT in Christ and NOT seated in the heavenlies. Understand, friend, that His death, burial, and resurrection had your name on it.

Application

Church, what doe sthat mean to us? I want to ask you a question. Has Jesus ascended? Have you ascended? Let me ask you another question. Does Jesus have all power? Do you have all power? Now the word power means “authority.” It doesn’t mean that you fly through the air or walk on water. Authority. Were demons subject to Jesus? Are they subject to you? Well, friend, you’ve got to learn this—you’ve got to learn this. The devil doesn’t want you to learn this.

One demon said to another demon, “If those liberal theologians really ever let Jesus Christ out of that grave, hell help us, all heaven will break loose.”

You see, Paul is saying, “Oh, God, open their eyes! Oh, God, help them to see it! Oh, God, give them understanding that they have been co-crucified, co-buried, co-raised, co-ascended, and co-seated with Jesus in the heavenlies, and dominion has been given back to them!”

VI. Conclusion

a. Church: THAT…is how we become a conquering church....one that stands head and shoulders even above the powers of Satan. If you don’t have dominion…if you aren’t living with a smile on your face of victory.... if you’re not living in dominion and victory, it is not because the devil is so powerful. Morninigside, listen: if you are in Christ today....Satan has no power over you. Are you listening? I said no, none, none, none—none does he have over you—none! Jesus said, “I give you authority over all the power of the enemy—all, all, all, all!” Now you say, “Then why don’t I have it? Why am I fighting depression? Why am I not feeling like I have victory?” Paul said, “Oh, God, open their eyes! Oh, God, give them the wisdom of understanding that they might know what they have in the Lord Jesus Christ!” Church, God wants you to be a victorious church, not stampeded by the devil. The devil is like old Saddam Hussein down in that hole, and the worst is yet to come for Satan. And the next time Satan reminds you of your past; you remind him of his future.

Adam lost it. Jesus, as a man, bought it back. And now He has given it back to you, church, through His cross.

Start living with victory…dominion....it’s yours. Bought and paid for.

b. Let’s Pray