Three

There is no way that we could ever begin to comprehend all that the events of the preceding studies stirred up in the pure and loving heart of God. Could this mean that His most carefully laid plans to accomplish His perfect will for man and the creation were irrevocably lost? No! In His infinite love and wisdom, God had already formulated the only plan that could totally reverse both the victory of Satan over man and the consequences of that victory, which included Satan being able to claim dominion over all of the creation.

It is vital to remember that in His perfect holiness and justice, such a plan to reverse that victory and its consequences had to uphold all of the spiritual principles in which God had established this spiritual and moral universe.

As God looked at the defeat, He took into account certain vital factors. First, that this defeat was inflicted on one who was the exact representative of God, being in the very image and likeness of God; one who was acting as God's representative in the very area that involved this attack, which was claiming dominion over God's creation, which dominion was lost to Satan.

Therefore, the One who could be commissioned to act as God's representative in this crucial mission must be able to fully fit in with this description. He must be able to intervene as the exact representative of God, being in the very image and likeness of God, in full and perfect harmony with God, and thus be able and qualified to seek to reclaim the dominion from Satan.

Also, God took into account that the one who was defeated was man. He was pure and sinless, a spiritual being capable of entering into the closest, deepest fellowship with God. Whoever was commissioned to undertake this responsibility of reclaiming the dominion, must also be a man, pure and sinless, capable of the closest fellowship with God.

As we look at these essential requirements, it becomes immediately obvious that there was no man who could measure up to such stringent requirements, for all are sinners and come short of the glory of God. No angel could meet the need because an angel is a different creation; he is not a man.

There was only One Person who could possibly fill those qualifications, and that was the Eternal Son. He was, and is, in the exact image and likeness of God. There was never the slightest shadow of variation. The Son was in complete harmony of heart and mind with God, perfectly able to act as God's representative in any and all areas.

God had the answer to that issue as well. The Son, who was, and is, God, would become man -- sinless pure man, a spiritual man, capable of entering into the fullest, deepest fellowship with God so as to undertake this responsibility of reclaiming the dominion.

So "He made Himself of no reputation." He emptied Himself of all of those distinctive things that made Him God, "taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of man." Philippians 2:7

The Lord Jesus knew exactly all that it was going to cost Him to come into this world as a man in the image and likeness of God, and to accomplish the victory that was required of Him. He knew that He faced the most violent and costly spiritual conflict that has ever or will ever be seen.

Again, there are far too many Christians who have no comprehension of the seriousness of the spiritual conflict that the Lord Jesus faced. Most Christians today reveal only the slightest interest in what that conflict involved, and have no desire to study the matter any further. This attitude reveals why so much so- called Christianity today is so utterly devoid of vital power and effectiveness. And, most specifically, why so many prayers, including intercession for missions are ineffective and unfruitful. We must get far more serious about our commitment to understand more fully all that is involved here before the Holy Spirit will be able to really use us in this crucial spiritual conflict.

Jesus fully understood the significance of the many references to this spiritual conflict that are revealed in the Old Testament. For example, when God said to Satan, speaking of the Lord Jesus as seed of the woman, "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15), He knew that to bruise Satan's head involved defeating Satan and destroying his power and authority, and that the cost to Him would be extremely great.

In His reference to Isaiah 53, which includes "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5), the Lord Jesus made this strong statement, "For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me; And He was numbered with the transgressors: for the things concerning Me have an end." Luke 22:37

"This... must still be accomplished in Me!" He knew it. He accepted the fact that all of this would be a part of the spiritual warfare that He must enter into with Satan. The same applies to every other similar prophecy in the Old Testament. He knew them all perfectly, and still He fully accepted the implication of each one in regard to the spiritual warfare He must face.

We today must take time to seriously consider all of the implications of this truth for us and for our ministry, especially in the area of Missionary Intercession. To fail to do so, is to fail to be intercessors who have power and authority -- in Heaven, on earth, and in hell.

Just prior to the birth of Jesus, the angel instructed Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) As soon as they referred to saving His people from their sin, they were referring to the reality that He had come to engage in spiritual warfare of the most awesome nature. The same truth applies to that moment when John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Behold the One who has come as a sinless man to represent God in His image and likeness. He does so that He can confront the god and prince of this world, and enter into the most astonishing spiritual warfare with him. In so doing, He is able to take away the sins of the world, reclaim the dominion, and set all those who are held in bondage by Satan at liberty!

The Lord Jesus knew, "... how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." Matthew 12:29

Frequently, this is one of the many vital statements that the Lord gave to us as a most serious warning that has been so totally trivialized by many Christians. For what appears to be some 'spiritual self-aggrandizement', those pseudo- Christians have claimed to have the power to be able to bind Satan at their own will, and thus they present themselves as some kind of spiritual giants with power and authority that far surpasses in effectiveness and glory the rest of the Christian family.

This kind of attitude not only trivializes the Words of the Lord, but it also greatly dishonors His actions and their results when He actually did come to bind the strong man. For in this statement, the Lord was primarily speaking about that which He Himself had to accomplish.

Jesus had come specifically to "plunder the strong man's goods", and to set all of those who were held in bondage to the strong man at liberty. As the Lord Jesus faced this demanding responsibility, He knew that the strong man was not about to allow himself to be 'bound' without a most determined and ferocious fight so as to ensure that not one of his captives was to be set at liberty by anyone, and his dominion would not be lessened in any way.

The move to bind the strong man would unleash all of the most awesome elements of spiritual warfare. The Lord was fully prepared for this to happen, even as He was fully committed to pay the most awesome price to achieve His goal of binding the strong man.

Every Christian who is involved in intercession for missions, first must recognize that their responsibility inevitably includes binding the strong man. If it cost the Lord Jesus so much to bind Satan, we must ask ourselves these questions: "Have I really counted the cost? Am I really willing to pay the price? Or am I busy convincing myself that there must be an easier way?" Remember, every suggested 'easier way' always comes as the result of Satan's suggestion.

There is no 'easier way'. The enemy would like you to believe that you are so spiritual that you can find an easier way -- but it is a delusion. Too many Christians belittle Jesus and the cost of His commitment in binding the strong man by wanting to claim that their way is better and involves less cost. It is a lie. We must take that fact seriously.

Jesus knew all that was involved before He accepted this commission. At every point and in every way, every step He took involved spiritual opposition and warfare. Think, for example, about what happened so soon after He was born.

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men." Matthew 2:16

If there are those Christians who want to pretend that the maliciousness and murderous hatred that filled the evil heart of Herod did not flow from Satan and his determination to destroy the Lord Jesus, and thus retain his dominion, so be it. That fact is so patently obvious, it cannot be taken any other way. It was Satan who filled Herod's evil heart with hatred and anger against the Lord Jesus. It was he who motivated Herod to murder so many helpless innocent infants in his attempt to destroy this One Person who had come as such a strong threat to Satan and his dominion.

As we attempt to understand the heart of this man, Jesus Christ, who came as a true man to be the representative of God in the image and likeness of God, to face the spiritual warfare that inevitably waited Him as He pressed on in His mission in the world, there is one aspect that we must mention because of the vital significance that it has on everything that is to follow.

John reveals a confrontational interview between Jesus and those Jews who were so greatly incensed by the fact that He had healed a man on the Sabbath. "For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill, Him because He had done these things on the Sabbath." John 5:16

In response to the Jews, Jesus focused on His close relationship to the Father and His total dependence on the Father. He said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do." (Vs. 19) Later He added, "I can of Myself do nothing." (Vs. 30) In this He was acting and speaking as He was appointed to act -- which was as the true representative of God in the image and likeness of God.

It is in a similar context that He said to these very Jews, "For I always do those things that please Him." (John 8:29) It is this statement that is most vital to understanding everything about all that Jesus said and did throughout every aspect of the spiritual conflict, that is, "FOR I ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM!"

When we make the statement that this is most vital to understanding everything He said and did in the spiritual warfare that followed, we are not overstating the importance of these words, even though many may think that we are.

To illustrate the importance of that statement, notice the following: If Lucifer could have faithfully given that testimony, "For I always do those things that please Him,” would there have been a revolt in the heavenlies? Never. If man in the beginning could have made and remained faithful to that testimony, "For I always do those things that please Him," would there have been the disastrous fall into sin with all of its horrendous consequences? Again, certainly not!

How vital it is for us to continue with this personal commitment and attitude of the Lord Jesus clearly in mind as we pursue these studies. Also, if you would be victoriously effective as a true intercessor for missions, this testimony must also be yours "For I always do those things that please Him!" We must be able to witness that this is actually true in every area of our hearts and lives.


	Granest Publications Site Index Study Archives Prayer and Spiritual Warfare! One \| Two \| Three \| Four \| Five \| Six Chapter Three Spiritual Warfare and Intercession for Missions. E. THE MISSION OF THE LORD JESUS There is no way that we could ever begin to comprehend all that the events of the preceding studies stirred up in the pure and loving heart of God. Could this mean that His most carefully laid plans to accomplish His perfect will for man and the creation were irrevocably lost? No! In His infinite love and wisdom, God had already formulated the only plan that could totally reverse both the victory of Satan over man and the consequences of that victory, which included Satan being able to claim dominion over all of the creation. It is vital to remember that in His perfect holiness and justice, such a plan to reverse that victory and its consequences had to uphold all of the spiritual principles in which God had established this spiritual and moral universe. As God looked at the defeat, He took into account certain vital factors. First, that this defeat was inflicted on one who was the exact representative of God, being in the very image and likeness of God; one who was acting as God's representative in the very area that involved this attack, which was claiming dominion over God's creation, which dominion was lost to Satan. Therefore, the One who could be commissioned to act as God's representative in this crucial mission must be able to fully fit in with this description. He must be able to intervene as the exact representative of God, being in the very image and likeness of God, in full and perfect harmony with God, and thus be able and qualified to seek to reclaim the dominion from Satan. Also, God took into account that the one who was defeated was man. He was pure and sinless, a spiritual being capable of entering into the closest, deepest fellowship with God. Whoever was commissioned to undertake this responsibility of reclaiming the dominion, must also be a man, pure and sinless, capable of the closest fellowship with God. As we look at these essential requirements, it becomes immediately obvious that there was no man who could measure up to such stringent requirements, for all are sinners and come short of the glory of God. No angel could meet the need because an angel is a different creation; he is not a man. There was only One Person who could possibly fill those qualifications, and that was the Eternal Son. He was, and is, in the exact image and likeness of God. There was never the slightest shadow of variation. The Son was in complete harmony of heart and mind with God, perfectly able to act as God's representative in any and all areas. But, there was that other factor. The Son was not man, He was God. "Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God." Philippians 2:6 God had the answer to that issue as well. The Son, who was, and is, God, would become man -- sinless pure man, a spiritual man, capable of entering into the fullest, deepest fellowship with God so as to undertake this responsibility of reclaiming the dominion. So "He made Himself of no reputation." He emptied Himself of all of those distinctive things that made Him God, "taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of man." Philippians 2:7 He was made true man in the image and likeness of man as God first created him. The Lord Jesus knew exactly all that it was going to cost Him to come into this world as a man in the image and likeness of God, and to accomplish the victory that was required of Him. He knew that He faced the most violent and costly spiritual conflict that has ever or will ever be seen. Again, there are far too many Christians who have no comprehension of the seriousness of the spiritual conflict that the Lord Jesus faced. Most Christians today reveal only the slightest interest in what that conflict involved, and have no desire to study the matter any further. This attitude reveals why so much so- called Christianity today is so utterly devoid of vital power and effectiveness. And, most specifically, why so many prayers, including intercession for missions are ineffective and unfruitful. We must get far more serious about our commitment to understand more fully all that is involved here before the Holy Spirit will be able to really use us in this crucial spiritual conflict. Jesus fully understood the significance of the many references to this spiritual conflict that are revealed in the Old Testament. For example, when God said to Satan, speaking of the Lord Jesus as seed of the woman, "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15), He knew that to bruise Satan's head involved defeating Satan and destroying his power and authority, and that the cost to Him would be extremely great. In His reference to Isaiah 53, which includes "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5), the Lord Jesus made this strong statement, "For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me; And He was numbered with the transgressors: for the things concerning Me have an end." Luke 22:37 "This... must still be accomplished in Me!" He knew it. He accepted the fact that all of this would be a part of the spiritual warfare that He must enter into with Satan. The same applies to every other similar prophecy in the Old Testament. He knew them all perfectly, and still He fully accepted the implication of each one in regard to the spiritual warfare He must face. We today must take time to seriously consider all of the implications of this truth for us and for our ministry, especially in the area of Missionary Intercession. To fail to do so, is to fail to be intercessors who have power and authority -- in Heaven, on earth, and in hell. Just prior to the birth of Jesus, the angel instructed Joseph, "You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) As soon as they referred to saving His people from their sin, they were referring to the reality that He had come to engage in spiritual warfare of the most awesome nature. The same truth applies to that moment when John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Behold the One who has come as a sinless man to represent God in His image and likeness. He does so that He can confront the god and prince of this world, and enter into the most astonishing spiritual warfare with him. In so doing, He is able to take away the sins of the world, reclaim the dominion, and set all those who are held in bondage by Satan at liberty! It is this reference to 'setting at liberty all who are held in bondage to Satan' that introduces another crucial aspect of our consideration. The Lord Jesus knew, "... how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." Matthew 12:29 Frequently, this is one of the many vital statements that the Lord gave to us as a most serious warning that has been so totally trivialized by many Christians. For what appears to be some 'spiritual self-aggrandizement', those pseudo- Christians have claimed to have the power to be able to bind Satan at their own will, and thus they present themselves as some kind of spiritual giants with power and authority that far surpasses in effectiveness and glory the rest of the Christian family. This kind of attitude not only trivializes the Words of the Lord, but it also greatly dishonors His actions and their results when He actually did come to bind the strong man. For in this statement, the Lord was primarily speaking about that which He Himself had to accomplish. Jesus had come specifically to "plunder the strong man's goods", and to set all of those who were held in bondage to the strong man at liberty. As the Lord Jesus faced this demanding responsibility, He knew that the strong man was not about to allow himself to be 'bound' without a most determined and ferocious fight so as to ensure that not one of his captives was to be set at liberty by anyone, and his dominion would not be lessened in any way. The move to bind the strong man would unleash all of the most awesome elements of spiritual warfare. The Lord was fully prepared for this to happen, even as He was fully committed to pay the most awesome price to achieve His goal of binding the strong man. Every Christian who is involved in intercession for missions, first must recognize that their responsibility inevitably includes binding the strong man. If it cost the Lord Jesus so much to bind Satan, we must ask ourselves these questions: "Have I really counted the cost? Am I really willing to pay the price? Or am I busy convincing myself that there must be an easier way?" Remember, every suggested 'easier way' always comes as the result of Satan's suggestion. There is no 'easier way'. The enemy would like you to believe that you are so spiritual that you can find an easier way -- but it is a delusion. Too many Christians belittle Jesus and the cost of His commitment in binding the strong man by wanting to claim that their way is better and involves less cost. It is a lie. We must take that fact seriously. Jesus knew all that was involved before He accepted this commission. At every point and in every way, every step He took involved spiritual opposition and warfare. Think, for example, about what happened so soon after He was born. "Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men." Matthew 2:16 If there are those Christians who want to pretend that the maliciousness and murderous hatred that filled the evil heart of Herod did not flow from Satan and his determination to destroy the Lord Jesus, and thus retain his dominion, so be it. That fact is so patently obvious, it cannot be taken any other way. It was Satan who filled Herod's evil heart with hatred and anger against the Lord Jesus. It was he who motivated Herod to murder so many helpless innocent infants in his attempt to destroy this One Person who had come as such a strong threat to Satan and his dominion. As we attempt to understand the heart of this man, Jesus Christ, who came as a true man to be the representative of God in the image and likeness of God, to face the spiritual warfare that inevitably waited Him as He pressed on in His mission in the world, there is one aspect that we must mention because of the vital significance that it has on everything that is to follow. John reveals a confrontational interview between Jesus and those Jews who were so greatly incensed by the fact that He had healed a man on the Sabbath. "For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill, Him because He had done these things on the Sabbath." John 5:16 In response to the Jews, Jesus focused on His close relationship to the Father and His total dependence on the Father. He said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do." (Vs. 19) Later He added, "I can of Myself do nothing." (Vs. 30) In this He was acting and speaking as He was appointed to act -- which was as the true representative of God in the image and likeness of God. It is in a similar context that He said to these very Jews, "For I always do those things that please Him." (John 8:29) It is this statement that is most vital to understanding everything about all that Jesus said and did throughout every aspect of the spiritual conflict, that is, "FOR I ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM!" When we make the statement that this is most vital to understanding everything He said and did in the spiritual warfare that followed, we are not overstating the importance of these words, even though many may think that we are. To illustrate the importance of that statement, notice the following: If Lucifer could have faithfully given that testimony, "For I always do those things that please Him,” would there have been a revolt in the heavenlies? Never. If man in the beginning could have made and remained faithful to that testimony, "For I always do those things that please Him," would there have been the disastrous fall into sin with all of its horrendous consequences? Again, certainly not! How vital it is for us to continue with this personal commitment and attitude of the Lord Jesus clearly in mind as we pursue these studies. Also, if you would be victoriously effective as a true intercessor for missions, this testimony must also be yours "For I always do those things that please Him!" We must be able to witness that this is actually true in every area of our hearts and lives. As we now continue to look at The Mission of The Lord Jesus in this context, we need to give close attention to The Cost of His Mission to Him. in Chapter Four Prayer and Spiritual Warfare! One \| Two \| Three \| Four \| Five \| Six Back to Top Site Index