Tape 5 - The Cross & the Power of Darkness

Good evening. Always is. You can be in a million and one places. You can be in the Baton Rouge Parish Jail. You can be in the hospital. You can be in any number of places. But there's no better place to be than the house of the Lord with God's people.

God's people. If you have your Bible, please, let's move right along. And if you'll open with me, two passages of Scripture. 1 John chapter 3 and in Colossians chapter 2. We are now in some of the critical areas of our walk through some thoughts concerning the crucified life.

Tonight, very crucial area that I understand that you've had some, of course, in your own studies. And then you've also had a workshop concerning it. And, but yet I think it's important that we just fit it into what we're doing this week.

And then tomorrow evening, we'll be looking at the subject and how to be. What do we mean by and how do we accomplish being crucified to the world? There's nothing that allures us more than ourselves than the world.

I mean, let's face it. We are confronted every day. You're bombarded in every avenue of your life and you're thinking by the things of the world. The enemy knows how to entice us. We don't want them, but the pull is there nevertheless because of what is within us.

And there is something within us that seems to just want to go the way of the world. And it seems like there's a war going on all the time. But you and I both are aware and we agree that we can be crucified with Christ.

And we also can be crucified to the world. So that that allurement, that enticement, not that it removes itself, but it does not affect us as it once did. And we can have the victory in our lives concerning those matters.

And then Friday evening, we'll look to the call to the cross. Now, I'll not make a strong plea or play upon it. But because some of you have asked and I mentioned it this morning. If you'll permit me to take just a couple of minutes, not more than that.

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You can order them two the next Monday. You can order them two the next Monday. You can order them as often as you like. But you may only order two tapes at one time. If you order more than that, then I'll write you a letter and say I'm sending you these two.

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The tapes become your property. They are not a library. They are yours to keep. We simply ask people always endeavor to do simply four things. We ask you one, to study the tape carefully. Study the Scriptures very carefully.

Stop the tape. Read the Scripture that we're reading with you. See if that Scripture says that to you. See if it's communicating to your heart the same thing that I'm saying it does to mine. And then you start to take back up and you listen.

Study carefully. Secondly, if you can possibly, study together in your family. Or if you have a friend or neighbor, let them study with you. Share the material that you have even though it is your material.

I will kind of encourage you, don't let it get out of your hands. Because once you let the tape get away, they get broken. Someone forgets to return them. And then it's alright if you write me, I'll try to replace the tape for you.

There's no problem with that. But you want to make sure you keep them yourselves. And you can build you a resource library. Thirdly, I ask that you pray for us when you think about us. Obviously, if you get a tape from me that has our name on it, then you're going to think about us.

And just utter a prayer for us that God would bless us. And that God would watch over and care. And that He would help us extend our lives out. And the fourth one is the financial end. We simply ask you by taking the tapes, when you fill this out, what you're going to say to me is, that I am now open to God concerning your ministry.

We're open to God that if God ever lays on my heart to send you some financial help, we'll do it. We'll send how much He says. We'll send it when He says. And we'll send it under the circumstances that He says send it.

And that's what you're saying to me. As I said this morning, I've told your pastor. And I said to you publicly, you will never, no one in your church will ever get a letter from me saying, we need $10 from you within 10 days.

You'll never get a letter from me saying, if you don't send us $25, we're going out of business. As long as God is God and Jesus is Lord, we're not going out of business. We don't get all that we want, but sometimes I have trouble figuring out what a want is and what a need is.

But whenever we have needs, God meets them. But I will write you a letter from time to time and say, we have this need. Will you join us in praying about this need? And many times I will say in that letter, this letter is not a letter, a solicitation of funds from you.

We want you to pray for us. Please pray for us. I believe if you study the material, God will lay on your heart somewhere down the line that you will share with us financially. Because the Bible says you support those who teach you God's word.

But we leave that with you and you and the Lord. And you do as the Lord leads you to do, and that's what we'll do about that. The other one is we have a home Bible course. It's the same four-year Bible course you'd get in any Bible college of a good, strong, biblical, conservative nature.

We've adapted this course to where you can take it in your home. It won't take you four years to go through it. It's broken into semesters and the semesters are by books. The first six books of the Bible is one semester.

It costs you $50 a semester. We send you the questions, cover sheets, instructions. We send you dates and all these things. So all you have to do is look up the meat of the book and you answer the questions.

You return those questions to me. I will grade your questions. I will go over them personally. I will make comments concerning them. I'll draw circles and underline and check and I'll do the whole bit for you.

I'll send them back to you with a grade on it. Now, you don't get any college credit for it, but you do get the information and you do get the same study as if you went off to a Bible college. With any kind of application at all, you can do these studies and go through every book in the Bible in about a year and a half at the maximum if you just apply yourself a little bit.

Just do a little bit each day. So they're available for you if you want to. I'll have these forms after the service and we'll lay some down here and you can take them. Now, let me just say this because we have young people.

Young people cannot fill these out. Your parents can, but young people can't. For the simple reason, not that I don't want you to have it, but Uncle Sam is very, very concerned whenever you start sending teenagers and children things in the mail.

Uncle Sam gets after us about that and so we want to stay kind of up on that. And I say to you that we are the only evangelistic association in the state of Texas that has been audited by the IRS according to their own statements in the last seven years that they've not been able to recommend one change to our organization financially.

Everything we have is completely out in the front and we don't hide anything. Our books are open financial records. They could not believe it. We say we have open financial records. Any person that wants to come and examine our books is free to do so.

You may come to Fort Worth. We'll send you to our accountants and they'll explain to you where every nickel has been spent. We have nothing to hide about it. And they're amazed at that and I boast about it a little bit.

I thank God that we don't have anything to hide about those things. And you see it, you don't have to worry about it if you got it all up front. You only have to worry about it when you kind of play with it.

But Uncle Sam's smart. They got guys, they don't do anything but find stuff, you know. That's all they do is go around and find it. And they're going to find it sooner or later. You might as well just keep it out in the open, be honest, and just let God take care of it.

Now, so we talked about money there and you're still relaxed. I don't understand that. Some of you are. All right. It's been a good day. It's been a good day. It's Wednesday. And we're in the middle of the week.

We have Thursday and Friday evening together as far as these studies are concerned. And then we'll have an interlude where Saturday morning we'll meet together and discuss some of the things in the Middle East.

What's going on in Israel today. What's about to happen in Syria. Syria is looking for another war. Syria's statements came out and they're making the statement that they believe there's war. But we believe otherwise right now.

But anything can trip up and happen. It's very explosive. And then we will throw it open and let you ask some questions concerning what is going on in the Middle East. We'll answer your questions Saturday morning.

Saturday night, a very beautiful portrayal here in the auditorium, I suppose. And we'll have the table up here on the platform. The pulpit will be removed. And we'll go through the Passover demonstration as it's done in Jewish life and has been done for thousands of years.

And we'll show you how the entire Passover speaks about the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll have the entire Passover table set for you and everything. And so it's a very beautiful display. And you'll not want to miss that.

It'll make the Old Testament and the New Testament just come into place for you. And it'll make you appreciate the Lord's Supper. And it'll make you appreciate what God has done for you through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And then Sunday morning during the Bible School hour, we'll pick it back up again. And we'll talk about proclaiming the message of the cross. And how it is possible for a Christian to go out and share the message of the cross.

But make that message of no effect whatsoever. Just make it of no effect even though they share it. And we will correct this idea that no matter what you do, just if you just go out to Scripture. And just go out and quote the people of Scripture.

That God will cause a positive reaction that that's not what the Word of God teaches at all. Paul says that you can make it of no effect whatsoever even though you go out and share the truth. And so we'll do that and then we'll close our time together Sunday morning.

Alright, you have all that information now. So let's look at 1 John chapter 3. Tonight we want to talk about the cross and the powers of darkness. The cross and the powers of darkness. This is a very familiar passage.

1 John 3 verse 8. Now I mentioned to the ladies this morning. So you go ahead and pass the word around. We're not going to really have a test Friday. I've just sort of been saying that to you. And the reason I say that, I was in a church not too long ago.

And one of the ladies came up and said there were some ladies wasn't going to come on Friday. Because they were afraid I was going to really give them a test. And but we might. But we don't plan on it.

1 John 3 verse 8. He that committed sin is of the devil. Now if you just read that like it is, it'll throw you, wouldn't it? You say well I'm not of the devil. I'm a child of God. But I know that I commit sin.

But you and I both know what that means is in the Greek language. He who continually commits sin. It becomes the perpetual attitude of the life. It's an attitude that's not repentant. Has no remorse concerning it.

I mean it just becomes the attitude of life. They can just comfortably continue in sin. No Christian can comfortably continue in sin. A born again child of God can sin. But they cannot continue in that sin and be comfortable in it.

And so he that is able to do that is of the devil. For the devil sins from the beginning. He continually sins. Keeps on sinning from the very beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested.

That he might destroy the works of the devil. Now turn with me to a marvelous passage in Colossians chapter 2. This again is familiar to us. It's one of the more familiar ones. Verse 14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us.

Which was contrary to us. And took it out of the way nailing it to his cross. Now verse 15 is what I want you to notice. And having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it.

Now look at that verse 15. And let me read that verse to you out of the Peshitta. Which is the Syrian version. It's the Syriac version of that passage of scripture. And I think it will help us understand it a little more.

You look at verse 15 in the King James. And I'll read it to you. He blotted out the handwriting of our debts. He affixed those to his cross. And by yielding up his body. He showed open contempt for principalities and authorities.

And put them to shame openly in his own person. So when we put that together. We have another aspect of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. And the cross of Calvary that comes before us here. By his death it says.

He spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly. Paul writes to the Colossians. Now these principalities and powers we'll look at in a moment as you well know. Are described for us in Ephesians chapter 6.

In a very vivid and graphic way. As the world rulers of darkness and wicked spirits. Are spiritual hosts of wickedness in high or heavenly places. And Paul declares that on the cross. Jesus Christ the Lord spoiled these principalities and powers.

He triumphed over them. And once again we get a clear vision of that which was accomplished. By our Savior on our behalf on the cross of Calvary. And also what is available to you and me as a Christian.

Once we get on the resurrection side of the cross. Once we die to ourselves and move out into that particular area. Because it is not until you and me as a Christian. Until a believer apprehends Christ's death for him on the cross.

And until a Christian also understands. That they too have died with Christ on the cross. You must apprehend those two things. That we actually pass into that sphere of living. That Paul calls walking in the light and walking in the spirit.

Until we understand that not only did Christ die for us. But that we died in Christ. And we have been crucified with Christ. Only then do we pass out in that sphere. Where we are able to walk in the spirit and walk in the light.

And this is what Paul is telling us. Now in this sphere a Christian who has moved into that sphere. This Christian knows the actual existence of the forces of evil. Are the spiritual hosts of wickedness.

And they are unknown by those who walk after the flesh. And they are not recognized by people who walk after the traditions of men. Christians who do that and walk in the flesh. They do not recognize these forces of darkness.

Now there's the twofold message of the cross we've said. Your past sins are forgiven. And as far as your present sins. There is not only forgiveness. But we can have victory over our present sins. Now listen to me carefully.

It is therefore to the highest interest of the powers of darkness. That a Christian never understand the truth of the twofold message of the cross. He does not want us to understand that our past sins are forgiven.

And that we can have victory today. He doesn't want that. So we enter into this sphere where our eyes are open. He doesn't want to be recognized. And if we move into that sphere. Then our eyes are open to the wiles of the devil.

We're able to understand what he's trying to do. And we can see that our wrestling is not against flesh and blood. But against the powers and the principalities of the darkness. And so he doesn't want us to recognize that.

Now it is true that the adversary of souls, Satan. He opposes the gospel in any way you preach it. Any way you sing about it. Any way you talk about it. He opposes the cross and the gospel in every aspect that it is ever presented.

But all the powers of hell are aroused to prevent a Christian. To prevent a believer's knowledge of the victory of Calvary over the prince of darkness. Satan wants to cloud the minds of a Christian. To keep us from understanding that Satan is a defeated foe.

And that we have victory over him in Jesus Christ. Because of the cross of Calvary. He wants to keep that from us. And even on the earthward side of the cross. The power of darkness has even been able to convince some people.

That he doesn't even exist at all. There are preachers. There are men of God they claim to be. And the pulpits of this country and around the world are filled with people. Seminaries are filled with teachers.

Colleges and universities are filled. I'm talking about denominational schools who do not believe that Satan exists today. They believe that he's chained and that he has no influence today. But that blows my mind because I can't figure out who causes me all my problems.

If he's chained. We ought to really be on easy street. We ought to be in the millennium. Why this earth ought to be like the Garden of Eden. If Satan's chained. You and I know that isn't true. Many times he magnifies his power.

And he holds a Christian in the thralldom of their habits. And they just can't get victory over it. They can get victory over everything in their life except this one thing. And they just can't get rid of him.

And then he comes to their mind and he tries to convince them. That they'll never have victory in their life. They'll never have any deliverance in their life until death comes. And then they'll have it when they see Jesus.

And that's why many Christians are considering suicide as a valid alternative to living. And suicide as a valid alternative to living. Is being taught in the major universities of this country today. As a valid alternative.

Young people are actually taking courses. And in my recent days I've talked to so many people. Who've talked about contemplating suicide. Simply because they just don't believe. They believe this lie that Satan puts in their mind.

That you're not ever going to have any victory in your life. Until you go to be with Jesus. Yeah when you die you'll get it. But you're not ever going to get it on this side of the grave. And many times in service for God.

Also Christians go about and serve the Lord. They will carnal weapons that are of no avail to the real foe. Other Christians are filled with earnest plans. And they go out in labor with their heart and their soul.

And they do the best they can to win the people to the Lord. But behind and around always and ever is the evil one. And the real but unseen host of wickedness. Who laugh and just delight at every weapon of the flesh.

For nothing but the power of the finished work of Christ. When manifested by the Holy Spirit of God. Through men and women who have actually become crucified messengers of the living Lord. It will avail nothing.

Only that will avail. Only when the Holy Spirit is manifesting his life. The life of Christ. Through a person who's actually become a crucified messenger. Then and only then is the church of Jesus Christ.

Going to have an impact on the planet earth. Like God wants it to have. Since this is true. I do not marvel to you. That the prince of darkness hates the cross. And isn't it interesting. That even in churches today you hear them talking very little about the cross.

Very few sermons on the blood of Jesus. Very few sermons on the cross. They're all moral lectures. And they're in programs and promotions. And the three B's of the Baptist. Buildings, budgets and baptisms.

And they just run the course. Run the course. Run the course. We have very little of it. Why? He has duped us in getting us sidetracked into civil issues and social issues. Rather than changing the lives of people.

Rather than changing these lives in the power of Jesus Christ. And Satan does, spares no effort to nullify the messages of Christ. He hides its full message from the children of God. And he hesitates at nothing to keep a Christian from understanding the power of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ himself was tested in the wilderness. Satan used Simon Peter to slow Jesus down. Simon Peter stood out in the road. You know the story. And he said, Lord you're not going to Jerusalem and let them kill you.

Lord you're not going. And Jesus said, get thee behind me Satan. Well he knew Peter's name. If he talked to Peter, he'd have said Peter. He called him all the time. He's the one that named him. But in the seminary they don't tell you that.

They said, well what he was saying, not really talking to a person named Satan. I'm talking about Southern Baptist seminaries. They say he's not talking about Satan. What they're talking about, he just called him his adversary.

He just kind of momentarily was trying to slow him down. He didn't understand. There wasn't a real devil. If Jesus didn't know a real devil. I mean he didn't call Peter his adversary. He told Peter, in the kind of faith you've got Peter.

That's the kind of faith I'm going to build my church on. He commended him. Peter wasn't an adversary. He just had displaced love. He didn't understand. But there was one that was using Peter to try to keep Jesus from the cross.

And that was Satan, Satan himself. Diabolos, the devil, the rulers of hell. I like what one great black preacher said. He said, we need to put the devil back in our preaching. When people are too high and haughty, we need to pull them down.

You've got to get the devil back in the preaching. I believe we need to understand that there's a real enemy running around loose. He attacked Jesus Christ time and time again. Satan and the demon hordes raged against him.

He raged against him with demons who possessed the men, the bodies of people around. And all these wicked spirits knew that this Holy One of Israel would ruin their rule. And would stop their rule and reign over the people.

And would break their authority and their power over mankind. So at last the final conflict arose. And the adversary of souls failed to stop Jesus Christ from getting to the cross. And so seeing that he could not stop him from going.

He just turns around and becomes the bitter instigator of it. He does whatever he can do. And the words of the Son of God as he drew nigh to the time of his sufferings. Show that he clearly knew what the purpose of his death was.

It was not just for ransom for people. That wasn't the only thing. But it was a complete triumph over the powers of darkness and the powers of hell. There was a two-fold purpose, if you want to say that.

For going to the cross. He said, now is the prince of this world cast out. And he foretold the power that would be centered in the cross of Calvary. And I share with you that you don't have anything in your repertoire of weapons.

That is more powerful against the forces of evil than the cross of Calvary. The cross of Calvary. He hates it with all that he is. Because it is the crippling and paralyzing force to throw against the enemy.

And that is the cross and the blood of Jesus Christ. You basically have four weapons. That's the cross of Christ. The blood of Christ. The name of Christ. And the word of God. And you use that by prayer.

But prayer is not a weapon. Prayer is a method of using the weapons that God gives you. And you and I need to utilize these weapons. And so failing utterly in an attempt to keep Jesus Christ from the cross.

Satan comes and enters into one of the master's own disciples. To lead him to the cross. And it is a solemn fact that the spirit of evil must have human bodies. To accomplish his purpose on the planet earth.

Just like the Holy Spirit must have bodies. Yielded people in order to accomplish the purpose of God upon the planet earth. In Luke chapter 22 verse 53. Luke chapter 22 verse 53. Luke 22 53. When I was daily with you in the temple you stretched forth no hands against me.

And then he says but this is your hour and the power of darkness. He knew that the powers of darkness were going to come into display. And when he was led to the judgment hall. He was given over to the world rulers of the darkness.

Who were permitted to exercise their power against him to the fullest. And by the hands of wicked men through whom these demons work their will. They killed their prince of life. And then we come to Colossians 2 15.

It seemed like an hour of tragedy but it's actually an hour of trial. You see this tragedy in Colossians 2 15. It views the tragedy of Calvary from the divine viewpoint. Because at that very moment before the eyes of the world.

The prince of this world Satan had succeeded in putting to open shame. Nakedness and beating and scourging and mockery and now crucifixion. Open shame and humiliation. The Christ of God triumphing over his body even to the point of death.

But at that same moment before heaven and the eyes of the angelic host. And all those who dwell in the heavenly realms. It was actually a moment when the demons of hell and the powers of darkness themselves.

Were being put into open shame and humiliation. And the triumph actually occurred over them by the very Christ whom they were crucifying. Paul says they were put to open shame. They were displayed as trophies are displayed.

As the captives would be displayed in a triumphal procession. As the great conqueror would go out and he would herd those slaves before him. And would indicate the great victory. And that's what Jesus Christ did to them.

What a contrast to the scene that is normally painted by people when they deal with Calvary. Would you look with me please at the book of John chapter 16. The book of John chapter 16. A very familiar passage again verse 7.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away the comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart I will send him unto you. And when he has come he will reprove the world of sin.

And of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin because they believe not on me. Of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more. Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged. On the very evening of his cross and passion.

He told the disciples of the coming of the spirit of truth to dwell in them. To bear witness of him and to glorify him. After his death and resurrection the testimony of the spirit would be. The prince of this world is judged.

And the son of God accomplished this of course for us. Oh the powers of hell on the cross of Calvary. And the Holy Spirit is given to you and me. To convince the world of that victory. And to bear witness of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Now how few Christians know how to meet the wiles of the devil. And yet fewer know how to attack him in an aggressive warfare. And participate in this victory of which we speak of. And the triumph of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Most Christians believe because they are saved. Satan cannot intrude in their life. And they can't do. You know he can't bother them. And they go and they spend all kinds of money. And yet there are many things that you and I.

Attribute in our daily life to just natural phenomena. And we just say they're little coincidental things. And they're just little things that happen in the family. Little things happen with the children.

And little things happen with this. Little sicknesses and all these things. And most of the time. They are fiery darts from the enemy. To cause you to spend money. That you would be able to spend somewhere else.

Or somehow to frustrate your home. Somehow to frustrate your children. Ladies and gentlemen. You are the spiritual protectors of your children. Just like you are the physical protectors of your children.

And you have to keep a wall around them. And you have to pray for them. And you have to stand in between them and the enemy. Because there is no automatic protection. Even though they are children. You are to provide for them.

That in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's amazing to me that men can find time to do everything on the sun. But take care of their children. They leave that job to the wife. The wife raises the children. She teaches them the scripture.

She teaches them the word of God. She teaches them how to pray. The man doesn't have time. But he's got time to fish. He's got time to bowl. He's got time to eat in a cafe with the kids. He's got time to go down there with the buddies.

He's got time to go to the clubs. He's got time to go to the lions. He's got time to do all those things. But he doesn't have time to teach the children the word of God. So that Satan takes hold of those children.

And causes all kinds of problems with them. It's amazing to me. How many people call. And how many people write. And how many people want to talk about. Problems that they have in their homes. And in their lives.

That could be stopped very easily. If they would just understand. And general praying doesn't work. When you pray with the enemy. You have to pray very, very specifically. Very specifically. And yet there are prayer declarations.

That can be used. That I could sit and give you example after example. After example after example. But most of the harassment. That comes into your life and mine. Are fiery darts of the enemy. To frustrate and to discourage your Christian life.

And he's set about to prove to you that Christianity won't work. That God cannot do for you what he says he will do. And the testimony of the Holy Spirit is to the opposite. Would you turn me please to Revelation chapter 12.

Revelation chapter 12. I had a captain. Professor at Air Force Academy. Spoke to me and he said Rocky I have a 12 year old daughter. Who's having nightmares. And I don't understand it. We shared with him some spiritual truths from the scripture.

How to prayerfully declare. And these things and so forth. And the young lady hasn't had one since. We had a 16 year old girl came to us a few years back. She went to the high school. And she was there and they asked her to make a book report.

And so she made a book report on witchcraft. And she just made a book report on it. And her mother brought her to us. And some 65 miles away. Began to talk to that young girl. And I began to question her about what she'd been reading and so forth.

She'd been having blackouts. She'd have blackouts. She'd just pass out. Took her to two doctors. They could find no reason for the blackouts. And we found out she had made this book report. We showed her how to confess that.

And how to stand against that. And she hadn't had a blackout since. And now she's married doing just fine. I can give you all kinds of examples. Simple things like that. And some get more complex from that.

But what I'm saying to you dear people. Is something that you already know. That there is no automatic blanket immunity to you. Because you're saved. You have to use the weapons that God has provided for you.

And they are provided for us through his word. And we understand it. In Revelation chapter 12. We look at verse 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb. And by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto the death.