August 16, 2020 Living Water CAC Daily Devotional Guide :- TOPIC : CHRIST DIED TO RENDER THE DEVIL FEEBLE
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Sunday, August 16, 2020
CHRIST DIED TO RENDER THE DEVIL FEEBLE
Read: Hebrews 2:14-18
Hebrews 2:14-18 Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—
And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.
For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand].
So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) and faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people’s sins.
For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].
MEMORISE: Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil— (Hebrews 2:14).
EXPOSITION
The author of Hebrews has been arguing that it is crucially important for Christ to suffer and to be made man or share in the flesh and blood among humans, so that He can be effective in His redemptive work. He needed to relate to man by blood ties, for Him to achieve His mission for salvation. To describe the blow that Christ struck the devil with, the Hebrew’s author used a Greek word katargeo meaning, “to nullify,” “to condemn to inactivity,” “to put out for use,” “to destroy,” or “make ineffective.” So, Christ makes the devil ineffective and inactive as He nullifies his power if death. Though, the devil is made futile, death and evil still exists (Hebrews 3:12; 9:27), that destruction is not yet complete. Ironically, Jesus defeated death with death. Jesus took the place of those who deserved death, but because Jesus is divine, that would have been impossible, if he had not taken human form. Therefore, Christ because man to set in motion His mission to “bring many sons and daughters to glory”, by rendering the devil powerless.
If the devil has been nullified and his ability to use death as a weapon of mass destruction over human beings has been made ineffective by Jesus, then, how come many people still see him (the devil) as someone so powerful everywhere? The fact of the matter is that he likes to make himself bigger that he really is. It’s like that animal, cheetah, which by comparison with other cats like lion, tiger or leopard, it is relatively smaller in body, so while chasing it’s prey, it bounces on the ground and tries to magnify itself! Child of God, don’t let the devil harass or frighten you with fear of death, he has no control over it.
Halleluyah! What a Saviour we have! Jesus has swallowed death through His death and has permanently disgraced the devil. Halleluyah.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Give praises to the Lord for rendering Satan powerless!
2. Pray that God activate the purpose of His death and resurrection over your life, now and always.
3. Ask for the grace to enjoy the victory that Christ’s death has brought to you over death and devil.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Psalms 37-38; Revelation 8-9