Three Most Powerful Words in the Bible

These three words are probably the most powerful of the last seven sayings of Jesus. While all of them have deep meaning and eternal impact, these three words reached beyond the bounds of time and space, and reached out to us who were not even though of yet.

Leonard Ravenhill asked as he started to preach on this on one occasion, "How would you start to handle a text like this?

I feel as though I am trying to catch the wind in my arm.

I am trying to pick up the Atlantic Ocean up in a sieve.

How do you deal with it?

Its magnitude staggers me,

Its mystery staggers me,

Its majesty staggers me."

I think part of the staggering effect of these words come from the realization and revelation of what those three little words mean and contain.

This phrase "It is finished" while a sentence in English is just one word in the Greek. "Teleo" it could literally read, "Jesus cried with a loud voice: "FINISHED" and I believe when he cried those words all of hell trembled, and rejoicing resounded throughout the heavens.

Finished, accomplished, complete, done,

But if it works on you like it does me I ask myself, "What is 'it'?" What was finished? Well I think there are at least three things I want to bring to our attention tonight with God's help of what was finished that day.

It is finished for the unsaved -

his death on the cross provided forgiveness and cleansing atonement. His death opened the way to God through Christ -

We are born with 1 nature either carnal, or spiritual. Jesus has two natures, 100% God and 100% Man - he can therefore bridge the gap between God and man.

Hebrews 10:20 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Forgiveness and entrance to the presence of God was on the day of atonement sacrifice Can you imagine the chaos that day as the priests were ministering in the temple, and there would have been hundreds of them as it the next day was a high and holy day, and just as they were putting on incense, or setting the table of shewbread or whatever they were doing, there was a tremendous shaking and roaring, and they watched in horror as the huge veil, the veil that would take machinery 100 times more powerful than humanity to try to pull apart tears in two and pulls apart revealing the HOLY OF HOLIES While they were tearing his flesh as he died outside he was tearing away the divide between man and God.

It is finished for the saved. -

He provided sanctification - both initial and instantaneous Hebrews 13:12 (KJV)

12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

He provided promises -

2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV)

20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

He provided Victory

Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hathblessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Two types of blessings

Material - money, clothing, jobs, homes, etc Spiritual - Anything it takes to get us to heaven- The Father through Jesus Christ has provided every thing it takes to get us to heaven, and it is already at our fingertips.

It is finished for the devil.

Even in Genesis it was promised that the bruised heel of he seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of Satan. - I think some of that has happened. I don't think the church has wakened up to that yet, but it is finished. It is so. I believe that when Jesus cried with a loud voice it echoed down every corridor in hell. IT IS FINISHED!! I can almost hear the demons in hell say, "What? He's broken our power." "You mean that Satan doesn't have...?" "No, no, no. Satan is bound. He has always been on a leash, look at Job, but now he is hindered even more. Yes he has lots of power, but JESUS FINISHED IT AT THE CROSS. And not only that, death has lost it's sting." "What?" "Yes, death has lost it's sting. And more than that... 'The vilest offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus his pardon receives.' But we know there is coming a day when Satan won't just be bound and on a leash… but he will be doomed to the Lake of Fire that was prepared for him and his cohorts.

Tonight I wish you could hear as Jesus cried, he didn't whisper, mumble, or stutter, it was loud, clear, strong, and powerful as he cried that means shouted, "IT IS FINISHED." He hung his head and died. The three most powerful words man has ever heard.

Sing: Jesus Paid It All.