Delivered from Bondage

In our previous study we found that the Lord took the children of Israel by the way of the wilderness so that He could show Himself as an able protector. This was so important especially because the land they were going to occupy was already inhabited and there was no way of getting it without a fight. Though the Lord knew they would face war on their way to the Promised Land, He wasn't sure they would be able to fight at that time for He said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt." So the Lord decided to accomplish one more victory against Israel's greatest enemy at that time, Pharaoh. And the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart to pursue Israel, and as He gained honor over him, the children of Israel would see His great power and trust Him for future battles.

Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD." And they did so.

Exodus 4:14 (NKJV)

So what was so important about the Lord gaining honor over or at the expense of Pharaoh? Up to that time, the strongest person and the mightiest army Israel had known was Pharaoh and his army. So Pharaoh and his army were greatly honored in the eyes of Israel, and could always be looked upon for safety. It was therefore necessary for the Lord to take that honor to Himself. The only way was to overthrow Pharaoh from that place of honor. So Psalm 136:15 tells us that the Lord overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. And so the Lord gained honor for Himself over Pharaoh for we see in Exodus 14:31 that the people feared Him and believed in Him and His servant Moses. And that is what led to the two great praise songs in chapter 15.

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV)

Before the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, men were living all their lifetime in bondage, that is the fear of death. But thanks be God the Lord Jesus came and triumphed over him who had power over death. Colossians 2:15 tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ, having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it and in 1 Corinthians 15:54 that death has been swallowed up in victory, just like the armies of Pharaoh were drowned in the Red Sea. The Lord Jesus has gained honor at the expense of the devil. The atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection has swallowed up death and sin, and so the devil has no more power and influence over us. The devil's power is of no effect in the life of a believer, unless he himself allows the devil to rule over him.

The Israelites had shamefully elevated Pharaoh and his armies as both lord and saviour. That's why every time they encountered a challenge the first thing that came to their minds was how they'd go back to Egypt. What a sad state of affairs! Now the Lord Jesus came and overthrew the devil from his place where he could rule and lord it over men at will. We just read in Hebrews 2:14 that the Lord Jesus Christ through his death destroyed him who had the power of death. Despite the fact that Israel saw the Lord overthrow Pharaoh in the Red Sea, they never allowed him to be overthrown in their minds. They continued to regard him highly. It was up to them to dethrone Pharaoh from their lives, just like it is up to you to dethrone the devil from every area of your life and enthrone God.

It's YOU who will decide whether the devil will rule you or not. The Lord Jesus has already disarmed all the powers and principalities and made a public show of them through the death of the cross. And so every encounter we have with the enemy is from a point of victory. We are not trying to win, we already have victory, our work is to enforce it.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Col. 1:13-14 (NKJV)

Notice the word "has" has been used. The Lord will not deliver us from the power of darkness, He already has. The Lord has already delivered us from the power of sin and death. Unless you allow him, the devil has no power and authority to torment you with sin, sickness, depression, poverty, death or any form of bondage in your life. Satan is no longer your lord if you are born again, Jesus Christ is. And if you are not yet born again you can turn your back to Satan and your face to Jesus today.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

Romans 6:12 (NKJV)

YOU is the understood subject of that statement and YOU is told not to let sin dominate him, which means YOU is able to do it since according to Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust. Sin cannot dominate you unless you let it, that is if you are born again. If the cause of death no longer has authority over you, then death cannot. There could never have death if Adam had not sinned.

"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)

Once again, YOU is addressed here, and YOU is told not to sin, which means YOU can not sin because Christ Jesus has saved YOU and cleansed YOU from his old sins and made YOU a new creation, putting to death the old YOU and bringing forth a brand new YOU (2 Peter 1:9; 2 Cor. 5:17). And that tells me that YOU has the power to chose to sin or not. Before the new birth YOU had no choice but now he has. Another thing that YOU is told to do is to give the devil no place. That means that the devil has no place unless YOU decides to give him.

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