Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 289

October 16;      I Corinthians 2:8;       135/260(III);        ‘The Trap’

1 Corinthians 2:8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The crucifixion was part of the mystery of God.  When the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, the devil thought he won.  God’s Son was dead and He would no longer preach, teach, heal and cast demons out of people.  Little did satan know, that he fell right into the trap of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Lord Jesus raised from the dead, three days later, in spite of the futile efforts of the devil and his demonic hordes to stop this.  The Lord Jesus then ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower the church, so that we could continue the ministry of Jesus all over the world. Imagine the horror the devil experienced when on the Day of Pentecost 120 believers were baptized in the Holy Spirit, empowered to minister and went forth.  Then as time went on more and more people became born again and Spirit filled, and they too began to share the gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and make disciples of the new converts.  The Lord is never outdone by the devil.  The authority Adam and Eve had, which they gave away to the devil when they sinned, was given back to the church as Jesus commissioned us, telling us “as the Father sent Me, I send you” (John 17:18).  Our adversary, satan, knows that he will be in the Lake of Fire forever.  Perhaps he tried to convince himself after Jesus was crucified, that it wasn’t going to happen.  Now he knows his doom is sealed. Live your life in the authority given you and free from satan.