Bind Satan Now

We'll title the sermon today, Bind Satan Now. Ask any church member what the Day of Atonement pictures, and they will immediately respond, binding Satan. Ask any church member who the scapegoat or a zozel goat represents in Leviticus 16, and most will say that it represents Satan. Ask any church member who introduced sin into the universe, and most will probably say Satan. Ask any church member who the high priest represents, as in Leviticus 16, and they will probably say, respond, Jesus Christ.

Ask any church member why they're here today, and they might say because it is a holy day, and it is a commanded assembly. Now, all of the above answers are correct, but what does that knowledge really mean to you and me? What impact does that have on our lives? Is the Day of Atonement just an intellectual experience and a cultural experience, or is it far more? Is it just something that we observe once a year, somewhat like Mr. Savideo mentioned in his sermon, a day that we sort of get out of the way so we can go really have a good time? So what impact does this day have on your life every day of the year? So by intellectual, I mean it is commanded, and you know that you should fast and that you should observe it. The Bible commands us to have a solemn and holy assembly on this day. By cultural, I mean it's just what we do on this day. All my friends are doing it. My social network is the church, and so I'm here. It's what we do on the Day of Atonement. The knowledge of the Day of Atonement, as we have reviewed it so far, deals primarily with the past, where the high freeze went into the holy of holies once a year, sprinkled blood on the mercy seat. First of all, he sprinkled the blood of a bullock on the mercy seat for himself and for his house. Then he went in again after slaying the goat upon which the lot fell as a sin offering, took the blood of the goat into the holy of holies, and he sprinkled it on the mercy seat for the people. Then he went in a third time and he sprinkled blood on the tabernacle for the tabernacle itself to cleanse it. Jesus Christ, our sacrifice, cleans the heavenly sanctuary with sacrifices far more perfect than these. Just think of how many sins have been confessed before the tabernacle and before the throne of God. Most of us probably confess sins before the throne of God before we came here today. After his work in the tabernacle, then the high priest confessed the sins of the people on the head of the azazel goat, and a fitting man, it says, led that goat out into the wilderness to bear away the sins of the people and into the wilderness. Symbolic of Satan having his head bruised, as we'll read at the very end today, his head bruised, and him being responsible for sin entering the universe and for the one who influences us so much as we heard in the first sermon. When we know that sometime in the future, that when this day is literally fulfilled, that Satan is going to be cast into the bottomless pit.

But what does all of this mean for you and I as we live our lives today? So what does this day really mean for us right now? We can rehearse the symbolism of a past, which is very meaningful, because it has a fulfillment spiritually for us today. We can look forward to that time in which Satan is bound and cast into the pit. But what about right now? What about you and I as we live our lives today? The binding of Satan in the future will be of little value to those of us who have been called into God's marvelous light today. That's the future event. It would be a wonderful thing for the people who live in the flesh in the millennium. But Satan has not been cast into the bottomless pit right now. And in fact, as you read in Revelation 12, just before the end of this age, he will come down with great wrath, knowing he has but a short time, and his attacks will increase and will intensify, especially upon the Church of God and the nation of Israel.

If we wait till the great angel comes down and binds Satan with change and casts him into the bottomless pit, it will be too late. Our battle with Satan and the forces of evil is going on right now, and the battle is fierce, and it is for our life. Let's go to Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6, verse 10, where the real enemy is identified here. Of course, the unfortunate thing about Satan and the demons and his minions is that they are great spirit beings, and they have the power to influence people in their minds and hearts in ways that they might never even realize. It says in Hebrews 3 that sin is deceitful, and of course, one of Satan's great strategies is deceit. He is more subtle, more deceitful than any beast of the field. In Ephesians 6, verse 10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might, put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We know who the real enemy is, but at times we are our own worst enemy, and we tend to forget that we must bind Satan and cast him out of our lives now. We can't wait till this day is literally fulfilled by the great angel who cast Satan into the bottomless pit where he's bound for a thousand years. The battle for us is right now. The day of fulfilling the day of atonement for us is right now. The day of atonement represents freedom. It was the day of release in the seven-year cycle and the day of release in the seven times seven-year cycle. Let's note that in Leviticus 25. Leviticus 25 and verse 8. For those of you who have gone to Philadelphia and you have toured Freedom Hall and the surrounding grounds there where the Liberty Bell is located, on the Liberty Bell, which does have a crack in it, are the words near there, the inscription, proclaim liberty throughout the land. And on the Jubilee year, liberty was proclaimed throughout the land, the 50th year after the seven times seven cycle. Leviticus 25 and verse 8. Usual number seven Sabbaths of years unto seven times seven years, and the space of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be unto you forty-nine years. Then shall you cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound in the tenth day on the day of atonement in the seventh month, and you shall make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. It shall be a Jubilee unto you. You shall return every man unto his possession, and you shall return every man unto his family.

Yes, the kind of financial system we have today in which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to increase, that's going to come to a screeching halt. I read just yesterday that one out of seven Americans now live at the poverty level.

In addition to that, there are millions of Americans right now who mainly subsist with regard to their sustenance on food stamps. Yes, the land of the free and the home of the brave, and the most prosperous land, the most prosperous nation in the history of the world, they've been able to gather the wealth together, and we see so many people struggling today with millions out of work, and most of them now have exhausted their unemployment, even though the government has extended it several times, record times. But that time is coming in which that will no longer be the economic system, that is the Babylonian system of this day, and every person if they've lost their land through debt or whatever circumstance will go back to his own possession and return every person to his family. At that time, some people were called slaves or indentured servants. They would sell themselves into slavery to pay off their debts.

A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you. You shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of your vine undressed. In other words, you'll live off the land that fiftieth year. You don't have to work, you don't have to plant your crops. What a wonderful time that would be to be able to have quote a year off. Sometimes we strive and think if we could just get a day off sometimes or a week off, much less a year. So as wonderful as it is to have debts cancelled, be able to return to your own land, those who have been sold into slavery or voluntarily went into slavery to pay a debt, will be able to go back to their families. To have a year of rejoicing and fellowshifting, a day in which you just, it's hard to imagine living in that kind of situation, that kind of that kind of economy and that kind of a freedom. But that day is as nothing, is as nothing in comparison to the release that our high priest bought for us when he provided a means for us to be free from sin and death. There is no comparison.

See, the wages of sin is death. Being in debt or losing your land is not necessarily death. Or living under a dictatorship in the political sense is not necessarily death.

And to have that kind of system, that is God's system, political, economic system of the millennium, that'll be a wonderful time. But it does not compare to being set free from fear, ignorance, superstition, and the dogmas of man. To be set free indeed, as Christ says. If you continue in my word, then you shall be free indeed. Know the truth and the truth shall set you free. So more importantly is to be set free from sin and death. Let's notice Psalm 68. Psalm 68, the kind of spiritual freedom and the freedom that leads to eternal life and the price that was paid for that cannot be measured in dollars and cents. It is the ultimate freedom. It is the freedom that the philosophers perhaps have dreamed about and written about, but their method of trying to get there, the philosophers, the political leaders, the religious leaders, the leaders of this world do not know that way. And there's only one way whereby this freedom can be attained.

And there is only one force that is God in Christ, that is the spiritual realm of God in Christ and the Holy Spirit that can defeat the minions of Satan the devil. In Psalm 68, in verse 18, what does that mean? You have ascended on high. You have led captivity captive.

You have received gifts from men, yes, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Now, the Apostle Paul quotes this scripture in Ephesians. So let's go to Ephesians. What does it mean you have led captivity captive? God might dwell among us.

In Ephesians chapter 4, beginning in verse 7, we'll read into that quote. Paul quotes from Psalm 68 verse 18, But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. So we have various gifts, as you can read about in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And God, of course, expects us to fully use our gifts, whatever it might be, to glorify Him and to serve one another. Every one of us is given grace according to measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore, he said, when he ascended up on high, now here's Paul quoting Psalm 68 verse 18, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. So what does that mean? Well, what that means is that Christ defeated the author of captivity because humankind has been taken captive by Satan the devil, and Jesus Christ has come and he has paid the price, and he has, in essence, he has defeated Satan already and given us the power to defeat Satan. Yes, Satan still walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but God has given us through Christ and the Holy Spirit the power to bind Satan, the power to cast Satan out of our lives now. And he will give us that power, and we can have that power unless we permit it to be taken away from it, unless we give place to something else. So Christ defeated the author of captivity, and Satan can't do anything that God and Christ do not allow them to do. He talks about in Colossians that he has power of all forces, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, principalities, that Christ has all power. Continuing here, let's read that verse again. Wherefore he said, he ascended on high, he led captivity. Satan is the author of captivity, and he has captured humankind, beginning in the Garden of Eden.

We've even used the term, kidnapped the world, and Jesus Christ has come and set us free, and he is captured, as it were, the author of captivity, and he has given us gifts.

Now that he has ascended, what is it but that he has also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? And of course, Jesus Christ was crucified, and he was placed in the tomb, and he was there for three days and three nights. He also, at one point, went into the lost spirits in prison and preached unto them. I don't have it in my notes, but let's go there for just a second. I believe it's 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3. I believe at this point is where Christ placed additional restraints on, if my eye doesn't fall on this exactly right now, then I'll go on because I don't have it in my notes.

1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3. 1 Peter 3. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by which he also went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of Noah waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing.

This is speculation, of course, but at that particular time, my speculation is that God and Christ, then it was the Word before He became Christ, placed additional restraints on Satan the Devil because you remember that within, according to the genealogy of Genesis, within a period of about 1650 years, things had become so bad on the earth that God had to bring it back in tow.

And so the great flood was sent and the only people that were spared, Noah, his wife, three sons, and their wives, eight people, were spared. So perhaps additional restraints were placed on them at that time.

It talks about in Peter also about a condition or restraint called Tartarou in the Greek.

Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The figure where unto even baptism, and so there is a symbolism here for us today, that as Noah's ark was on top of the water, we are to live on top of the water, that is, the new life, having come up out of the water regraved to live the resurrected life unto Christ.

The like figure where unto baptism does also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, that is, not being under the water as we are when we are buried with Christ and our old man is buried, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So we are to live on top of the water, keeping the old man down at the present time.

Now back to Ephesians chapter 6. We'll read verse 9 again. Now that he ascended, that is, it is, but that he also descended first in the lower parts of the earth.

He that descended is the same also that has ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. He has led captivity captive.

And we can make Satan captive today. We can cast him out so that he has none effect on our lives.

Notice what Christ says in Matthew 16 verse 33.

Of course, these are beginning in Matthew. I'm sorry, I said Matthew. I believe it's John. We want John. My notes say I'm in Matthew, but I'm sure it's John. John 16. Remember at Passover we read John 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

And in John 16 and the last verse in that chapter 33, These things have I spoken unto you, that you might have peace.

In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good share. I have overcome the world. Christ has led captivity captive.

He's defeated the author of captivity and took him captive. Now let's notice Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 through 18. Hebrews 2, this will to some degree summarize what we've just been talking about here, how that Jesus Christ came and he has already defeated Satan in the spiritual sense.

And given us the power to bind Satan and cast him out of our lives right now. In Hebrews 2 verse 14, For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same Jesus Christ, that through death he might destroy him that has the power of death, that is, the devil.

Wages of sin is death, so Jesus Christ comes to our perpetuation. He pays for our sins so that we don't have to die. He takes captivity captive, destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

See, the greatest bondage is spiritual bondage because the wages of sin is death and spiritual bondage. And also, the great guilt trip can be on a person unless their conscience has been seared. If their conscience has been seared, then perhaps some of these murders that you hear about every morning on the news here on the local stations in Houston, to me your conscience has to be seared to do that.

Now, this story this week, where somebody went into this assisted living home, and here's this 74-year-old woman who has cerebral palsy. They beat her to death and ramshackle. I don't guess that's a word, but anyhow, they'd tear up her apartment, take whatever they can, television, whatever else, and kill the poor woman. What kind of mind do you have to have to do that? You talk about satanic influence and what the world is coming to. Continuing here, verse 15, Yes, we have such a high priest, and he has led captivity captive. And yes, Satan still walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But as we've already noted, God in Christ has given us the power to overcome him and to bind him and to cast him out of our lives.

So, brethren, today is our day of salvation. When the millennium rolls around and Satan is bound, if we haven't done our job and bound him, we won't be there. You heard in the first sermon that this day for us has to be fulfilled really, or the millennium, we won't be there. So, the day of atonement and what it pictures is to be lived 24-7, 365 and 1-4th days out of the year, all the time, every day, casting Satan out so that he has no effect on our lives. There's really no downtime when it comes to the observance of the day of atonement. And through the sacrifice of Christ, his intercessory work, we can live in the Holy of Holies, that place in that tabernacle and then in the temple where the priest could only go once a year, even in this earthly representation of the heavenly.

The high priest could only go into that earthly sanctuary, into the Holy of Holies where God had placed his presence, his shekin of glory above the mercy seat, because no man can live and look upon God's presence.

So, on the day of atonement, I assume that God lowered the lights, as they might say, so that Aaron could go in and out. But today, we can come every day. We can live in the Holy of Holies because we can come into the presence of God. And not only can we come into the presence of God, we have the presence of God within each one of us.

In Hebrews 9, forward a bit, Paul gives us a glimpse of the day of atonement, as far as the Old Covenant was concerned. Remember what the book of Hebrews does? It compares and contrasts the elements of the Old Covenant with the elements of the New Covenant. The day of atonement, under the Old Covenant, the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies once a year.

Under the New Covenant, we can live in the Holy of Holies all the time. We'll note that here.

Hebrews 9, verse 1, "...then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary made by men, for there was a tabernacle made the first wherein was a candlestick, the table to show bread, which is called the sanctuary, and after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden center and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna and errand rod that butted in tables of the covenant, ten commandments, and over it the caravium of glory, shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priest went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, the day of atonement.

Not without blood, we've already talked about, he went in three times, once for himself, his house, then for the people, and then for the tabernacle. Not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people. The Holy Spirit also signified him that the way in the holiest of all is where we can be. It is where we are if we have God's Spirit.

And we need to be awakened to that and stir it up as Paul and Monty's Timothy.

It is high time to wake out of slumbering.

The holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was the figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him, that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience, which stood only in meats and drinks and different washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of Reformation. So those things made them ceremonially clean. They could come into the presence of God and be a part of the congregation, but it did not purge them of an evil conscience, as we see in just a moment.

But Christ, being come and high priest of good things to come. Remember, we said at the first, nearly everyone in here could say, yes, the high priest, Leviticus 16, represents Jesus Christ, our high priest.

But Jesus Christ, our high priest, did something that Aaron could not possibly do.

See, Aaron could go in there three times on the day of atonement and make sacrifice for himself, his house, the people, the tabernacle.

But he could not make a way for you and I, the common person, to be in there.

But Jesus Christ has made a way for us to be there.

But Christ, being come and high priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats and calves, nor by his own blood, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. He bought us back from sin and death.

He destroyed the author of sin and death. His power over us, if we will, utilize that power.

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh, it made them ceremonially clean so they could be a part of. The congregation would not be cut off, but it did not purge the conscience. It did not make it possible for them to have their sins purged in the ultimate sense.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offer himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

So that is why you can live the Day of Atonement every day of the year.

Now, a little bit more direct in Hebrews 10, beginning in verse 17, of living in the holy of holies. Hebrews 9 and 10 should be read in tandem, focusing on what I said up front. That is comparison between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant.

The sacrifices, the priesthood, the offerings, the sacrifices, the promises.

All of those things are compared and contrasted in Hebrews.

In Hebrews 10 and verse 19, having therefore, brethren, boldest to enter into the holiest, you can go into the holiest by the blood of Christ.

Under the Old Covenant, they cannot go. Only the high priest, by a new and living way, which he had consecrated for us through the veil. And there's Dublian Tandray here in that there was a veil separating the outer sanctuary and the inner, the holiest of all, sanctuary. And remember, you read from the Gospels that when Christ died, that veil was rent in the temple, and there was a great earthquake, and people came out of their graves.

There was a great witness and testimony at that particular time, and there is the veil of his flesh. As it says here, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. He gave himself. And having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkle from an evil conscience, you can be thoroughly purged. You don't have to go around with guilt hanging around your neck. Now, this kind of freedom far exceeds the financial freedom, the political freedom, or any other kind of freedom you want to name, to have your conscience purged, to have guilt removed, to have our sins removed as far as the east is from the west, to be viewed by the eternal, almighty, glorious God as sinless without sin. We should be so sobered by this. Having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkle from an evil conscience, and our bodies wash with pure water.

And that pure water is analogous to the Word of God that we are cleansed and cleaned up by the water of God, the Word of God. Let us hold fast profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised. And let us consider one another to provoke one another to love and to good works. Not assembling, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

So Jesus Christ has shown us the way into the holiest of all and we can live in the holiest of all. What a wonderful blessing and promise that is for us. Notice further in Hebrews chapter 4, Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. We've already mentioned this, of coming before the very throne of God. The Word of God. This is the pure water that can cleanse us.

Christ says in John 15 about, you're washed, you're made clean through the words that I have spoken.

For the Word of God is quick, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to, dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and the marrow. It is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open under the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was at all points tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly under the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. We can have that continual communion with God and Christ through the Holy Spirit.

We can live in that Holy of Holies all the time.

Now let's go to Hebrew 7.25. Hebrew 7.25 to me is one of the most encouraging scriptures in the whole Bible. As our High Priest and Intercessor, Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us. In Hebrew 7.25, let's read 24 as well. But this man, man is in italics, it's referring to Christ, because he continues ever hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing that he ever lives to make intercession for them.

Satan the devil is on the job 24-7 as they say, but Jesus Christ is on the job 24-7. He ever lives to make intercession for us. And as we note here, let's turn forward now to 1 John 1.

1 John 4, verse 1. 1 John 4, verse 1. We'll see here that we have a greater power. I've already quoted from Colossians a paraphrase where it says that Christ has power over all authorities, powers, invisible, visible, thrones, dominions. And notice here in 1 John 1, verse 1, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are going out into the world. Hereby know you the spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.

And of course, we talk about that is come, being progressive, that is coming in the flesh, not just a one-time event where he came, but is a continual thing that Jesus Christ living in us.

And every spirit confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God. So unfortunately, that eliminates most of the Orthodox Jewish world.

They do not confess that Jesus Christ has come. They're still looking for a Messiah. And this is that spirit of Antichrist, where we have heard that it should come. And even now, already it's in the world, you are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he that is in the world.

That is a direct promise and declarative statement from the Bible. Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. That God has given us the power to bind Satan now, to cast him out.

In Ephesians 6, we read verses 10 and 11. In Ephesians 6, let's rehearse the weapons of our warfare, our armor, our weapons.

In Ephesians 6, we read through verse 12, identifying the real enemy.

Paul says in verse 13, wherefore, in view of this, you've identified the enemy. How are you going to defeat him? In view of this, put on the whole armor of God, not just a little bit of pieces here and there, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore, period. Of course, some man punctuated this. I don't know how many hundred years ago, but that's my preferred punctuation. Having done all to stand, stand therefore. Then, probably verse 14 begins, having your loins gird about, how are you going to stand? Here's how. Having your loins gird about with truth, your word is truth. The psalmist says in Psalm 119 verse 11, your word of the hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.

How much of God's word are we hiding in our hearts on a daily basis so that we may not sin against God? And the more of God's word and spirit and power that we have within Him, the less effect that Satan will have on our lives. So the very first thing, having your loins gird about with the truth, your loins, the biggest part of your body, the most vulnerable part in the sense of the target, of course the main thing that Satan wants is your mind. And having on the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness defines Psalm 119 verse 172, all your commandments. So doing the will and work of God, obedience. Your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. That is, that you are ready, willing, committed to taking the truth, taking the Gospel to the world. It's always been a part of the Church of God's history. That is, to go into the world as Christ commanded in the Great Commission. Go you therefore and to all the world, disciple all nations. Above all, taking the shield of faith, whereby you'll be able to quench all, not some, the fiery darts of Satan of the wicked. How is that so? You see, if you have faith that you know and you know that you know that God will deliver you, no matter what the situation or circumstance is, you know that God will deliver you and he cannot get one of his fiery darts to lodge in your mind to war against you. Principally, the four enemies of faith, anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning, they will fall harmlessly at your feet and not have impact on you. You'll be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan. Take the helmet of salvation, identified in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 8, as hope, the helmet of salvation, hope. Paul says, if you have hope only in this world, you're of all men most miserable. So take the helmet of hope, the big picture burning brightly in your mind. This is what life is about. This is the purpose of life that we can live eternally in the kingdom of God. The helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, once again, the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Brother, we have been given this great power. We've been given the great armor that's described here. Satan is waging war against us 24-7. We have the power to resist him if we exercise that power that God has given us, if we put on this whole armor that's described here. Now note the temptations of Christ. Mr. Servideo briefly referred to this, Matthew chapter 4. How did Christ defeat the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life? As he mentioned here, these three great temptations turned the stone into bread, the lust of the flesh. Dottlessly, after having fasted 40 days and 40 nights, I fasted now here somewhere around 21 hours. I'm about to drop 40 days and 40 nights. If I could turn the stone into bread, maybe we'd turn this lectern, or the microphone.

But Christ said, it is written, He thought of the spiritual first.

You shall not live, man, it is written, you shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. So He defeated the lust of the flesh. Next, the lust of the eyes. Take Him up there, and He said, look, it's written that you jump off this temple, no harm will come to you. Just jump off, because it's written, His angels will bear you up.

And Christ said, no, it's written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. Then He took Him up and showed Him the kingdoms of the world. He said, look, the kingdoms of the world, as it says in 2 Corinthians 4, 4, Satan is the God of this world. Christ said, Satan, well, Satan said, I'll give you all of this if you bow down and worship me. And that's what Satan is on, this insatiable quest to be worshiped, the pride of life. And Christ says, it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you worship. So He resisted Satan. And just as it says in James 4, 7, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. How do you resist him?

And the power of his might, the power of God. Jesus says in John 6, 63, the flesh profits nothing. It is the spirit that quickens the words that I speak. They are spirit, and they are life. So Christ has given us the power to overcome Satan. As I mentioned earlier, the Bible makes it clear that Satan is going to intensify his attacks as the end of his age draws near, as he knows that he has but a short time. He's read the Bible. He knows where he's going.

He's going to do everything he can to take as many with him as they say, as he possibly can before that time. So, brethren, we have been given the knowledge and the power to live the day of atonement every second of every day, week, month, and year. As I stated earlier, we've got to bind Satan now. Now to 1 Peter chapter 5. Remember that Peter was told that no matter how he lived his life, he was going to die crucified.

When you're old Peter, you remember Peter, Christ talked to John about John, and then Peter said, well, what about me? And Christ told him, I think I reversed that, but anyhow, you know that Peter was told that he would be crucified. He lived all of his life knowing that in the end he would not get out of this world alive and he would die through crucifixion. And Peter is an example of one of the, I call him the Apostle of Hope, and truly exemplifying what you heard in the first sermon, that of humility. In 1 Peter 5.5, Likewise, you younger submit yourselves unto the elder, Yes, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, gives grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore into the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon him for he cares for you. He is led captivity captive. What did it cost? It cost him his life. Be sober, be vigilant, be watchful, because your adversary, the devil, is a roaring lion, walks about seeking whom he may devour, whom resists steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, established, strengthened, settle you.

To him be glory and dominion forever. Please go to Isaiah 27 now. Soon the day is coming in which the great trumpet will be sounded, and liberty will be proclaimed throughout the land, that liberty, that jubilee year. No, you can speculate. Of course, I don't know. I don't even know when the jubilee year is.

I'm sure that someone knows what year it is.

But there is a great jubilee trumpet or a great trumpet that's going to be blown, and Satan the devil is going to be bound for a thousand years, and the nations are going to learn peace and not learn war anymore.

In Isaiah 27.1, in that day, that day is a prophetic utterance that indicates as you merge into the millennium, in that day, the Eternal with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan, the piercing serpent, that old serpent, Satan the devil who is deceiving the whole world. Revelation 12.9, even Leviathan, that crooked serpent, and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. Of course, this is a constant symbolism, but it becomes clearer. In verse 12, it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and you shall be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, the outcast in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Eternal in the holy mount of Jerusalem.

Satan is going to be put away forever. Of course, you know about him being loosed a little season.

But now is our day. Now is the day of salvation for us. Judgment is now on the house of God.

We either bind Satan and cast him out and render him of non-effect in our lives today, or we won't be there. Christ said, Be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. He said, Greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. He has provided the ways and the means and the power to overcome Satan and overcome the things of this world.

He has provided the ways and means for us to live the day of atonement, 24-7, 365 days and a fourth for the rest of our lives. So I leave you with the inspired words of the Apostle Paul. In Romans 16, 20, Paul writes, And the God of peace shall brew Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. May God hasten that day.