Victory in Christ's Blood

Well, thank you very much, gentlemen. That was just lovely. Beautiful melody, beautiful words. Here we are. It is the Festival of Atonement. For some, you have been here many a year to hear this message or parts thereof. And for some of you, for some of you, it'll be the first time that you have heard this message. And, or thirdly, let's bring everybody in. It is going to be the first time that you're listening more carefully than ever, recognizing your need for God's revelation and what He is doing. The Festival of Atonement is a stunning reaffirmation of the sacrificial role of Jesus Christ set within the framework of the autumn festivals. In one sense, it affirms the substance of the first spring festival, a Passover. And yet, there are two elements of interest that are added. The role of the exalted Christ as our heavenly high priest.

And the future absence of the major obstacle of God's purpose, Satan.

Thus, to make this very simple to all of us, we're, in the course of this message, going to be discussing the role of Jesus the Christ, the Savior of humanity. We're going to be discussing His additional role, seamless in nature, as far as being the exalted high priest in heaven above.

And we will also be discussing the aspect of the last obstacle between God and man being removed.

The question that we need to ask ourselves this afternoon is simply this. Why does this festival, with all that I have mentioned, come into play now in the sequence of annual biblical festivals? I'd like to provide some scriptural framework and then provide some direct answers. We will come to point, and then I'm going to be on that. Once we come to point, we will discuss that within three different segments. Let's appreciate and begin with this, that Scripture reveals that since before creation, since before creation of humanity, there's been continual conflict between two spiritual forces. To make it simple, to draw the contrast, one is uncreated. That is the Godhead. The other is created, spiritually created, called at one time the sons of God, biblically, and yet rejected God and had conflict with God and became known as the devil, Satan, one that had once been known as Lucifer, the light-bringer, an appointed archangel, also in Bible speak, called the dragon. That was before man. But upon man's creation, as well, there has been never-ending conflict towards thwarting God's divine initiative, to fully make humanity into His ultimate likeness of holiness. I appreciate it, Mr. Schimetz, hymn selection. Holy as you are holy. The ultimate likeness was not just simply to be that which is in clay and mud out of the Garden of Eden, but was always designated, always designed, that we in the sense might be as He is, holy as He is holy, and to worship Him in holiness. And yet we note in Genesis 1 and in Genesis 2, here God pours out His creative glory, gives all that this special creation would need, but was stymied, in a sense, by the serpent's deceitful luring of God's two prime creations, Adam and Eve. From the very beginning, Satan has been an obstacle. Later, Jesus burst on the scene, as a man known by many signs and many wonders, to magnify His anointed role as God's Messiah. But then, only then, to be seemingly stamped out by the religious and the civil authorities of His day, one can only imagine the sheer wonder of many in Judea, as they had a joy and they had a wonderment that Messiah had come, that there would be a deliverance to the degree that they understood deliverance, and that might be questionable between physical and spiritual for all man. But nonetheless, to see their joy turn to bitter disappointment. He comes, He lives, God is winning, He dies. No hope. But the first prophecy in the Bible, uttered in Eden, said it would be just like this. Join me if you would in Genesis 3.15. Always, always back to the beginning, lest we misunderstand the story that comes along. Even as humanity was being ushered out of Eden, and even as the guards were being put at the gate of Eden, those caribs came this, the first prophecy. A prophecy that ultimately is embedded with hope. In speaking to the serpent, the prophecy comes forth. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and hers. He shall bruise your head. That is, the seed of the woman will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. So it kind of tells us right here what was going on. That in a sense, for that moment, for a time, it would seem as if the serpent, as it were, would lock onto the heel of the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ. And that the serpent would be victorious. But God says right here, from the very beginning, He called the shot thousands of years ago. Hold on. Don't put the book down. Don't leave the movie set. There's more that is going to come. And why is that today? And I'm happy to mention something today on this, the Festival of Atonement, because Jesus rose from the dead. At the lowest ebb came the fullest victory. At the lowest ebb came the fullest victory. Satan's momentary triumph through human pawns caused Jesus to suffer death and to enter Satan's dark, confining kingdom of the grave.

But because Jesus entered that dark, confining kingdom of the grave belonging to Satan, this allowed Him, the only one who could perform the task at hand, to break the stranglehold of Satan's kingdom of death over humanity, to do it from the inside out rather than the outside in. Join me, if you would, in Hebrews 2. In Hebrews 2. And let's pick up the thought in verse 14.

Hebrews 2 verse 14, And inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of the flesh and the blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, notice, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death. That is the devil. See, one of the reasons why Jesus Christ came to this earth was not only to be Savior, not only to found the church, His spiritual body, but it was to destroy the works of the devil. Please jot down. 1 John 3.8. He came to destroy the works of the devil. And we're going to focus on that a bit in the course of this message. Notice verse 15. And release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

It is at the point, this point, when to the world and to Satan himself it seems as if he was slam-dunking on God, pushing it down, holding the court. The Messiah is dead.

But at this point, when Christ shed His blood and died, it is a holy moment in time. And that is why a Passover, that is why the festival of atonement is a holy moment of time that you and I are observing, of recognizing the majesty and the purpose of God's plan.

To understand it fully and completely and to understand that Satan, because Jesus rose from the dead, came from the inside out, came out of that tomb, lifted forth, ascended to the right hand of God Almighty, that Satan was robbed of his authority over man. And over man's future. And that a way was made for man to return to the garden. At this point, there's going to be a few at this points as we go forward. Let's consider the words of Revelation describing the impact of this victory. And if there's anything that I can describe today, any word that I might describe to all of you as people of God is simply this. Are you ready? This is a day of victory. This is not just simply a day of empty tummies.

This is a day of victory. And the empty tummy that you have does indeed serve a purpose. Join me if you would, again, in the book of Revelation, Revelation 12. And again, let's pick up the thought in verse 5. Revelation 12 verse 5, which kind of is an apocalyptic overview of the story of God and how it would deal with the Christ and how it would affect the church. In Revelation 12 and verse 5, she bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and his throne. Speaking of the Christ.

Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days. And now notice verse 7, And war broke out in heaven. Michael, his angels, fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought. But they did not prevail, neither was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out. One thing we need to begin to recognize because of what God's work performed through Christ accomplished, that when he lived this perfect life as that perfect Lamb and as he died that death of sacrifice, and then as he was lifted up out of that grave, one of the results of all of this was there was no more room in heaven.

For Satan to banter. For Satan to roam. You see how the story unfolds.

No room left after Christ's victory over death. Sometimes, even as Christians, we hear these words so often that they can kind of become like a like a familiar hum or an easy tune, other than to recognize that God the Father has allowed His Christ, our Savior, to have victory over death. Have a question for you. When is the last time you saw somebody else have a victory over death? Thought so. There is only one victory over death at this point, and it's none other than Jesus Christ. Because of that, let's drop down to verse 10. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ has come. For the accuser of our brother who accuses them before our God day and night has been cast down. Verse 11, which points to the title of this message. And they overcome Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life to the death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you who do all in them. And woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea. For the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time. But again, let's turn our attention to verse 11. It says, And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb.

That is poignant to our discussion as we move into the fall festivals. Sometimes within the Church of God mindset, we move Spring Festival, there's a sacrifice, and Passover of the Lamb. And then we move to, as you know, through the cycle of the Holy Days. We move through the days of Unleavened Bread through Pentecost. Here's what I want to share with you, and it is simply this. And I think as you incorporate this thinking in your thoughts now, it will make these coming festivals of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day Festival even more poignant. 28 times the word lamb is used in the book of Revelation.

28 times it is used in Revelation. It is as the slain lamb that he has gained victory over Satan. He is then welcomed into heavenly exalted position and sits on the throne.

Let me again make that even more cogent for all of you. 28 times. But let's understand something. In that 28 times, 1. He has gained victory over Satan. It is used in that realm. 2. It is used in the realm that the Lamb is now in a heavenly exalted position. 3. The Lamb sits on a throne. Revelation 21, verse 3. This idea of the Pastoral Lamb, this idea of the Sacrificial Lamb, may I dare say, a forever thought. It is not a thought just simply for the beginning. It is a thought for always. It is how God views his relationship with the body of Christ through the Lamb and through the blood of the Lamb. And it is through that blood of the Lamb that gives us our victory. That's why today on this day of Atonement, I do want to focus on sacrifice. How the sacrifices of old are in alignment for a new covenant Christian to experience today by giving three important points regarding the understanding of simply this, the title, Victory in Christ Blood. Let's go to first point so that we can move along. Number one, and the first point I'd like to share with fellow members within the body of Christ this afternoon, so that we can be encouraged with what our Father above is performing on our behalf through Christ. Number one, the blood of Christ brings victory once and for all. The blood of Christ brings victory once and for all. Yes, it's complete. It does not need to be repeated ever again, and we need to indelibly understand. Scriptures indicate that Satan had a wrong attitude, not only a wrong attitude, but he also had white latitude in God's over-alt realm. You know, we can go back to the book of Job. We're not going to go back there right now. That's just we could go back. We could go back to the book of Job, and it speaks of Satan presenting himself before God, having a discussion with God's servant Job. Also, the Scriptures speak about Zachariah, the prophet Zachariah, speaks of Satan standing at God's right hand and opposing an angel and a high priest. Again, in Revelation 10, just as we went through it, it describes Satan accusing the brethren before God day and night. That shows in one sense, if I dare say, may I, that Satan, the adversary, is not stationary. He is active. God has a work. God has a work. And God works at that work, and he is active. Satan also has a work. He also has his form of the Gospel, good news, but it's underlined of self. And the results are not like the same results of the Gospel that God brings to us. In his appearances before God, he does not appear as a troll or a three-horned goat, but an angel of light, as Paul describes. But God sees right through it. But humanity does not always see right through the guise of Satan. Unfortunately, Adam did not. Initially, when God created Adam, he was given dominion over this earth. Just imagine, given complete dominion over all of the earth. When Adam and Eve were defeated by Satan's guile, and yes, by their own choices, this fallen and perverted archangel, victoriously assumed man's kingdom. God allowed this and recognized its reality. He allowed humanity to be largely subjected to Satan's dominion. Why is that? Why did not God intervene? It is a part of the story of the Festival of Atonement. God chose not to grab back such dominion for humanity, but chose to abide by the way of law and righteousness. This is why Jesus had to come to this earth and meet Satan on his turf.

I say I know that already, Mr. Weber. Will you stay with me? Because I'm going to share something with you that is going to impact you in a minute or two. Yes, he had to come back. He had to come back to this earth. See, God is true to his own purposes, and he abides by law and righteousness. Now, Jesus had to come back to this earth, and it began his ministry with facing and mastering the temptations of the wilderness thrown at him by Satan. Now, you and I have been perhaps fasting for 17 or 18 hours, maybe some of you longer. But can you imagine when we think of the fasting that was going on in the wilderness 40 days and 40 nights? And yet, he met Satan head on. But here's what I want to share with you, which will draw in the Festival of Atonement. That was not enough simply to be selected of God, to be the champion of humanity, and it was not enough to even confront Satan on his own home turf here on earth.

Victory over Satan could not be had until the righteous demands of the law were perfectly fulfilled. Scripture clearly proclaimed, the wages of sin is death. What we buy into is what we receive. There had to be a ransom. There had to be a payment. From the Garden of Eden to the sands of Sinai, it was always understood by shedding and sprinkling of blood alone, could redemption and reconciliation come. Join me, if you would, again to the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews 9, the reason why I am going through some very basic things with you is because this is the foundation of Christianity. This is the foundation of the festivals that God gives us, and we need to understand this. In Hebrews 9, in verse 7, please note, but into the second part, breaking into the Scripture, the high priest went alone once a year, speaking of this festival, the Day of Atonement, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sin, committed in ignorance. Always, as it says in the Living Translation, always with blood, always with blood. Again, chapter 9, verse 18. Therefore, not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.

Blood is something that we normally don't like to think about.

As a pastor, I have an opportunity to visit many a hospital, many a skilled nursing center. I show up on the scene of many in an accident.

Blood is not something that I look forward to seeing, probably something that you don't look forward to seeing. And yet, if we really wanted to talk about the Bible, the Bible, many a handle can be put on the Bible. It's a book of law. It's a book of love. We could very much say that the Bible is also simply a book about blood. Blood is germane to the meaning of this day and the hope and the power and the enthusiasm they can give us as followers of Jesus Christ. The goat of Atonement found in Leviticus 16.

I'm not going to turn there today. But the goat of Atonement of Leviticus 16 is chosen by divine appointment, by lots, to be sacrificed for the Atonement of Israel. There is a purpose why God had lots chosen. Two goats were placed before the high priest, the priest. Those goats, they all look alike. Only God and God alone in type could choose that which was to be an offering. Just as later on, God alone would choose who would be the sacrifice for humanity. Because, again, His appearance was like every Jew of that day. There was nothing about Him that would have drawn us to Him saying, Oh, He's the one! He's the one! And thus, 1500 years beforehand, lots were chosen that God's favor might be put upon the one that would be the sacrifice. But here's the point I want to share with you today that maybe you've never thought about. It was not enough simply to be selected by God and stand before the tabernacle. The goat was selected after the bullet had been killed, and then the goats came out and they selected the... It was not enough for the goat to simply stand before the tabernacle and say, or whatever a goat does, I am chosen! I am selected! I am the one! No, not at all! The goat had to be slain, and his blood had to be sprinkled over the mercy seat. That covering that was over the the ark of the covenant, symbolizing kapur, symbolizing the covering of broken law. Thus, type to anti-type that would come, when Christ shed His blood, He had devoted His whole life to this end, to the fulfilling of the law. And when the law had perfectly been fulfilled by Him, the authority of sin and the sway of its author was brought to an end. The Lamb won, the dragon lost. Thus, death could not hold Jesus in the grave. And if not He, then not we, if we accept and believe in that sacrifice. Join me, Hebrews 13 verse 20.

Now, may the God of peace, who brought up, just think of the words and the imagery, the power of the language. Now, and this is mentioned at the end of Hebrews, when the book of Hebrews is basically an exhalation of Christ, over Moses, over Joshua, over the angels, over the old tabernacle, over that which had been given before. It's a systematic argument that being in Christ, believing in Christ, knowing that He's God's gift to humanity, is so much more, so much better than anything that could humanly be devised. With that thought then, verse 20, here we are at the end of Hebrews now, with all of this said and argued through, may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant. This is spoken about more in chapter 9, verse 11. Chapter 9, Hebrews, thereof. As we turn to chapter 9 and we begin in verse 11, but Christ came as a high priest and is of good things to come with the greater and the more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. That is not of this creation. I hear Solomon's words whispering in my ear that even as I build this temple, that God above, you cannot be bound by it, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood. He entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

He entered the holy place, the ultimate holy place, with not somebody else's blood, not somebody else's donation, not some dumb animal's slaughtered blood that He brings in as a substitutional sacrifice, but He comes in as the Savior, as the high priest, and with His own blood.

This is an incredible verse. For if the blood of bulls and goats, verse 13, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling, then clean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, verse 14, here goes the argument, friends, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

That blood of Christ not only covers, but it literally sinks in. It not only covers the sin, but it begins to move and agitate with our conscience and with our feelings and with that burden that, you know, even though we know we're forgiven, we hold on to these thoughts, we hold on to these feelings, and our conscience just kind of weighs us down. This is what we might call a twofer. It's not only the covering, but this blood not only covers, but it literally, as water is drunk into the earth, thus the blood of Christ is drunk into our spirit and into our lives, that it not only covers the sin, but it literally heals and deals with, as we allow it in faith, the conscience that sometimes just simply does not let us go. And for this reason, verse 15, He is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death, not by means of selection alone, not just simply by means of facing a tabernacle or a temple alone, but had to go through death, notice, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. God chose not to push His way, and again, remember, God is true to His law and abides in His righteousness, and something had to be satisfied, and Jesus satisfied it. Thus, we see all of this. It is fantastic. But the story expands. As I said today, it is not only a story of sacrifice, but Jesus is our High Priest. Christ is our High Priest. Join me in Hebrews 7, verse 22. In Hebrews 7, verse 22, and I know most of you out there probably have the New King James English, but I'm going to read out of the New Living Bible translation for a moment, because I just want you to hear about what not only our Savior, but what our High Priest is literally doing today, not the one that kind of goes in and out of a tabernacle and Sinai or Shiloh, not one that just simply goes up and down the steps of the temples that were on the temple mound, and they would come and they would go. But notice what I want to share with you is you might want to jot down a word, and then we'll build upon that. The activity that Jesus is performing on our behalf right now.

Hebrews 7, verse 23. Another difference is that there are many priests under the old system. When one priest died, another had to take his place. But Jesus remains a priest forever. His priesthood will never end. Therefore, he is able, notice, once and forever, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf.

He's the kind of high priest we need because he's holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has now been set apart from sinners, and he's been given the highest place of honor in heaven. He does not need to offer sacrifices every day like the other high priests. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. On this day of atonement, years ago, they would first offer up the bullock for themselves, and they would speak to God upon themselves before they would petition on behalf of the people. But Jesus did this once for all. When he sacrificed himself on the cross, those who were high priests under the law of Moses were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his son with an oath, and his son has been made perfect forever. Chapter 8, verse 1. Now, here's the argument. You can see this in a lawyerly manner being. Here's the point, as it says in my translate, here's the main point. Our high priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven at God's right hand. There he ministers. Think about this for a moment. He ministers the activity, the dynamism, the share on the spot for you and for myself. He ministers the power of the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands. And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our high priest must make an offering too. And he does. What I want to share with you today to understand the role of Savior and high priest, all encapsulated within Jesus Christ, is to recognize that he is always on the job. We must see him in the sense of the partial lamb glorified in God's presence. And forever the lamb, as it says in Revelation, it says in Revelation 22, it speaks of the throne of the lamb. The lamb is sitting on the throne, Revelation 21.3. So we must use the Spirit of God in us to bring two pictures into seamless function that over here we have that sacrifice and that we can come before God the Father and claim that blood and claim that sacrifice because he didn't only face the tabernacle but he was sacrificed and he died. At the same time, he is our high priest. And we think of the high priest, all of the... just go through the book of Exodus and go through the book of Leviticus, all the things that the priest did, all of the sacrifices, all of the washings, all of the prayers, all of the praises that had to go up before God. It'd really be good reading for you because that is only a type of what is going on right now, this very second in the eternity that you and I are being welcomed to through Christ's name because we have that victory in the blood. Now, when our prayers go up to that heavenly temple, that which is above the throne room of God, as that high priest, as we say in Jesus' name, we understand that as a high priest, he brings our attitude of sacrifice, our thoughts of contrition, he brings them before the Father as our high priest. He's active. He's alive. He does this forever for all that will call on his name.

And then he is not there to basically say, well, by the way, Robin has prayed this prayer to you, Father, and mentioned my name and is repentant. Now, I want you to understand, I'm not here to tell you that Robin didn't sin. I'm not here to tell you that he is in a sense not guilty of what he did. Now, I want you to understand something too, Father. He's one of your saints down there below. He's one that has given his life to you through me. He's a Christian. He's a member of the body of Christ. His heart is bent towards you. His manner leans towards your righteousness, and he's trying to be holy like you're holy. But you know what? He's got those human legs and that human heart, and he's still stumbling down there, and he's going to sin from time to time. But, Father, I'm not here to talk you out of that Robin didn't do it, but I am asking you to apply my sacrifice, my holiness, and I'm asking you to cover that on behalf of your servant Robin, your servant Bill, your servant Robert, your servant David, your servant Liz, your servant Everett. See, brethren, it's not even what we are doing. It's what Christ has done, because our works alone merit nothing. But our faith in that sacrifice can indeed produce wonderful things. Let's go to point number two. Victory in Christ's blood demands personal conflict. Victory in and through Christ's blood demands personal conflict, dash hours.

Let's take a quick reality check and remember and recognize, even as we speak about these glorious matters that are occurring right now in heaven above, we remain in enemy territory. And while the victory in the greatest sense was won agogatha by the slaying of the Lamb, the details must be yet worked out here below. And you and I are in those details. I've already mentioned in Revelation 12 verses 12 through 13, we won't go back there, that Satan is one that has had a history of accusing the brethren night and day. Oh, yes, he is alive and well. And again in John 12 and verse 31, out of the Gospels of John, just to make the point, let's go to John 12 verse 31. Jesus said it pretty plainly here in John 12 and verse 31. It's a short verse, as I remember, where it says, now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. We still remain in enemy territory. Even as we're citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we remain in enemy territory. And it says here, he is the ruler of this world. And he's not talking about Pluto or Uranus, he's talking about earth. He can't reach Christ now. He did his best. He did his death stab at the heel of the seed of woman. But it failed. Create it cannot ultimately overcome the will of the uncreated. So he lashes out today at his spiritual body, the church, the saints, the elect, to get to Christ. Think about it. All that is in this world is at his beck and call, ready to serve his purposes to dissuade us, to dissuade us from breaking the rule of Christ in us. Simply put, and I share this, hopefully rather than the very simplest of terms, Satan wants us to be unfaithful to him that is the embodiment of faithfulness.

Let me make it even simpler. He wants us to be untrue to our champion, who gave his everything for us. See, Jesus gave his everything for us. Satan is a terrorist. What is the definition of a terrorist? A terrorist is an individual who is willing to give your all for his cause. Jesus gave his all for his father's cause that you might forever be a part of an eternal purpose. Let's remember that while we are down here, that we will not only that Satan will use not only overt sensual temptations that many of us would recognize. I see that. Oh, I would listen, Satan, you better try better when I see that one coming. No way am I going to do that. But he will also use his twisted spirit to warp our sensibilities regarding everyday cares of life, at work, at school, at home, even at the upcoming festival of tabernacles. I want to share five D's with you and how they work. Are you ready? You haven't written anything down. Let's try this one down. I'll try to keep on trying to bring you into this message. Here are ways that Satan will try to work his way and pull you out of the joy of the Lord, pull you out of the victory that is in the blood of Christ, pull you away from doing our Father's business. Just five D's. Very simple. He will try to distract a Christian. He will try to disappoint a Christian. He will try to embed within our hearts despair. That distraction that leads to disappointment that creates despair will ultimately ultimately move us to depart and thus to destruction. Allow me. It's simple. It's short. Distraction, disappointment, despair, departing, destruction, and destruction is his game. Let's start with the power of the air. And not only that, but let's also remember as the apostle Peter put so eloquently in 1 Peter 5 and verse 8 where it says in 1 Peter 5 and verse 8. You don't need to turn there. I'll just read it to you. Hope you'll trust me a little bit here. Be sober. Be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

See, at that time he said, well, when did Peter visit a zoo? I didn't know they had lions. Well, back in days of yore they did have lions in the Middle East. They did have lions in Asia Minor. They did have lions in the river valleys of Mesopotamia. Different time. People knew about lions. I like to share a little bit a few stories with you about lions. This is what we call the wake up time in the message for the sermon. That's to get your attention. And if your blood sugar is going just a tad low because you're fasting out there for a moment, this will wake you up. But why does why does Peter say understand that in a sense Satan the adversary is like a lion? Let me just tell you a little bit about lions. There are fascinating stories detailing the way a lion will stalk his human prey. They will creep silently into a camp while men are sleeping. And by the way, women too. Pick their victim from among several who may be sleeping around a fire and then sink their teeth into the skull. It has been known for a lion to choose a person. Think this one through. To choose a person and have been known to stalk them for days waiting for the right moment when their guard is down and then walk into a sleeping camp, step over other close bodies, and pick the one they have been watching and kill them and drag their bodies out. One man and one woman were outside a hut in Kenya when the man was attacked by a lion. Anybody going to Kenya? In Kenya, when the man was attacked by a lion, the woman grabbed a burning stick and beat the lion off, drug her husband into the hut. He died from his wounds. He was in the hut, but the lion broke down the door and walked past the woman to take the man. Another story about lions is that sometimes what happens is, and going back to the indigenous cultures when they used to try to trap a lion over in Africa or perhaps over in parts of Asia, what they would do is say would encircle the lion. There'd be a circle. There'd be a snare of humanity slowly, slowly closing in the lion. You say, well, you know, the odds favor the men that are gathered around the lion. But what that lion does, he doesn't have to worry about 10 or 12 men. He's only looking for one because they can sense and they can smell fear. And that is the gateway to release. Brethren of Los Angeles, this is why God gives us the Feast of Atonement. To buck us up. To know that we have victory in Christ. To know that the Father is about his business. To know that this one lived, he died, the earth could not hold him. He feared not doing his Father's will and neither should we. For what he has done for the first of the first fruits, he will do for us. And yet we also have skin in this game. We too must understand Satan's wiles. We must understand that as Jesus said to Peter, by the way, Peter, Satan has asked for you, the sift you will be given, and you will be sift you like so much wheat. Peter says, who me? And yet he says, but when you return, feed my sheep. Why do I share all of this? It leads us to our third point and our last point.

Victory by the blood of Christ comes by faith. Yours.

Victory by the blood of Christ. That which is spoken of in Revelation, that how were they able down through the ages to our time to stay strong in the Lord? It was by understanding what that blood was all about and that it had been shed for us and continues to be administered for us in the heavenly of heavenlies. Are we to remain aware and vigilant? Absolutely. The victory has been won. It started at Golgotha. But the details are still being worked out. We need to appreciate that there is truly a wide gulf, though, between worry and concern. And I want to explain how and why. I share that with you. I kind of have to smile for when we're looking at my wife because with my mother now dead, my mother was a... do I dare say it? Like many a person, was a worrier. Even though she was a wonderful Church of God mom and warrior of faith, she could worry with the best of you ladies. Worry. And men can worry, too. And it was very interesting. One of the last things that Susie and I kind of worked with my mom over the last few years is that she didn't have to worry. She could be concerned. It's all right to be concerned. Christians can have concerns. And there are concerns that we need to have, but we don't need to worry. The victory has already been won. And when you believe that, and when we understand that, when we drink in the Scriptures and we understand what our God is doing for us, all of these things that seem to weigh us down, all of these things that just continue to whirl around in our hearts and our minds, they will dissipate. They will be transformed from worry. To worry is to be without God.

And a Christian without their God is a very lonely item. Christians can have concerns.

But you look through all of the Scriptures that says, don't be troubled. Don't be troubled. Don't be troubled. Fear not. Fear not. You've heard the list before 350 times that says, fear not in the Scripture. I have a question for you. Do you think God's trying to tell us something?

But He doesn't just say that. He replaces it with something that allows us, then, not to fear Him. And that's why we have the Festival of Atonement. 1 John 5. 1 John 5. And let's pick up the thought in verse 4.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. The world does not overcome that which is born of God or has, as we would understand, a new life in Christ. It's not that way. It's this way. For whoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world.

Our faith. Our faith. Now, biblically, we need to add something to that. We need to understand that faith is a gift from God. Ephesians 2 and verse 8 says that faith is a gift of God. And He gives that to us. He implants it to us by the giving of His Spirit. And then it is our responsibility to believe and to hold on to that deposit and to believe and to have that faith. Faith in the statement of Christ found in John 1633. Kind of got there, but let's go to John 1633.

In the Gospel thereof.

These things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. Peace is not the absence of conflict.

It is a way of handling conflict. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

Friends, let's understand something. In Christ's viewpoint, Satan is already a conquered enemy. The victory is underway, and we have to believe in that. Furthermore, Satan can't attack us at will with indiscriminate tampering. Why? Because we and you belong to Christ. Let's remember the words of Christ's prayer on the night He was betrayed. John 17 and verse 6. John 17 and verse 6.

I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Verse 15. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. Why? Because they're not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Let's understand something on this festival of faith. That you and I, and we do not always understand all of God's purposes and all of God's ways in that moment. But to understand, brethren, that as the flock of God, we are kept.

Susan and I, we live out in Riverside County. We kind of live up in the high plains, and we often, as we did today, see the dust off in the distance as we go down the freeway. We know exactly what it is. The sheep are on the move, and sometimes there's not only dust, sometimes they're just settled. And you look around for a moment, because where you see sheep, you're going to see something else. You're going to see the shepherd. And if you don't see the shepherd immediately, you'll always see a little a little a little trailer where the shepherd lives. The shepherd is always with the sheep. Maybe some of you today feel as if your shepherd above has lost you. He has not. And that's why we have these festivals. You say, well, well, well, how do I know that I'm not lost? When you have died for somebody, when you've given your own blood for somebody, when your whole purpose of existence forever is to plead their cause, you're not going to forget their name. You're going to know them. You're not going to lose them out there. You may be being molded. You may be being tested. You may be being groomed absolutely. And by the way, so am I. But to recognize that it's for a purpose. Join me if you would in John 6, 38. John 6 verse 38.

For I have come down from heaven, Jesus speaking, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given me, I should lose nothing. Nothing. Not a one. Nobody is going to fall through the cracks that has faith in my life, my death, my resurrection, and my ascension as I do the bidding and the will of our Heavenly Father, but should raise it up all at the last day.

John 5 and verse 18 again. First John, first John.

Verse 18.

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. It's God's Word.

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may know Him, who is true, and we are in Him who is true in His Son Jesus Christ.

This is the true God and eternal life. The language of verse 18 speaks to those who keep themselves. And then again in verse 20 speaks of those we that are in Him. Let's think about this for a moment. We have skin in this game as well. Yes, the victory is Christ for the Father, but we also have skin in this game. We are to be like Him. It is not just simply as members of the body of Christ, those called ahead of season, those that are firstfruits, simply to be chosen and selected. Here we go. Are you ready?

A tome in parallel here. The goat was, lots were cast, selected and chosen, but the goat didn't get to stand outside of the tabernacle too long. Why? It had to be sacrificed. You and I, as God's flock, you and I have been selected and chosen. But it is not only selection for being up on the grandstands, we too are called to a life of sacrifice. Paul said it so eloquently in 1 Corinthians 15, 31, when he says, I die daily. Romans 12 and verse 1 said that we are to be a living sacrifice unto God, holy and acceptable. After all, it says that is our reasonable service for all that God has done in the victory being His.

Thus, we see the sacrifice of old and Sinai. We see the sacrifice from Bethlehem in the first century, and we see ourselves that there is a seamlessness. There is selection, and indeed, there is sacrifice. While we appreciate the role of Christ's blood in place for us and His continuing active role as our High Priest, we must understand we too must have a life of sacrifice, of consecration. I wrote to you all last night, I'm just going to keep a moment here, I wrote to you last night in the updates reminders about the great echo that comes out of Scripture.

You hear it come down through the ages, and it is from the voice of God. He just simply says, Be ye holy as I am holy. That is our calling. You today that are in the range of my voice and hear these words have not just simply been called to a corporate church. You are not just simply filling up a pew. You are not just simply on an organizational list. You are the people of God. You are in part members of the body of Christ, known but to Him.

You have not been called to join a church. You have been solicited to be molded by none other than God the Father and Jesus Christ for holy service, to learn holy ways, to be a part of a holy vocation, that you are going to teach the ways of righteousness now and in the future when those people come up to the mountain of the Lord and they say, and we will go up and they will teach us His ways and we will walk in His paths. We are not just being called right now, brethren, for information. See, we could get up today and the Day of Atonement we could talk about two goats.

We could go through this and that and all the points and all the all the the Rolodex and all the Almanac and and fact, fact, fact, fact. And I hope I've alluded enough to what the Day of Atonement is about because we're going to conclude with that. But to recognize that you're here today not just to fill a seat.

You're not just here to collect information like a bee collects pollen on a flower. Information will only take you to the grave. Inspiration, oven by itself, will only take you to the grave. It is only transformation into that which is holy and the righteousness of God, living and breathing and abiding in our hearts and our minds and our lungs and our actions that that alone will take us to the next step of what these festivals that we're about to commemorate do show us. You and I are looking forward to a time in the future when Satan is going to be put away. We know and know the story of the Azazel goat that was taken out in the wilderness.

And as we understand it, it is a type of what is going to be in the future. And I think I would be remiss that if I did not go to Revelation 20 in verse 1 to recognize that there is a time in the future when this obstacle, this thorn in the spirit to God is going to be bound. Revelation 20 in verse 1, then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

And he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years.

Satan is not going to get out of this one. He's not going to be a chameleon or chameleon, however you want to pronounce it. He's not going to have enough disguises or guises to get away because God sees him. God knows. And God is just. And he's going to send his angel down. He's going to grab the dragon. And the dragon is going to be put in the bottomless pit.

You see, it is not just simply enough. It makes no spiritual logic for Jesus Christ to come to earth and Satan to remain on earth at that time. He is going to be put away. And then when that happens, what is going to occur? Let's go to Isaiah. Last scripture I'll give you. Isaiah 25.

Wonderful. You know, Isaiah is often called the prophet with the new mind, with the new visage, with the new outlook, looking out a new window as to what is going to occur in Isaiah 25 verse 7. And he will destroy on this mountain. Now, let's go up to verse 8. And in this mountain, and a mountain is a type of kingdom or government, the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wine on the leaves, of fathings full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the leaves. And he will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over, notice, all people. And the veil that is spread over all nations.

And he will swallow up death forever. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. The rebuke of his people he will take away from all the earth, a time of jubilee, for the Lord has spoken.

It is in this millennial prophecy. Satan is removed. Peace can emerge. It is very interesting. It says here in verse 9, it speaks to those that we have waited for him, and he will save us. I think the people of God have been waiting a long time as well, and we want to see things. God has lifted the veil from our eyes. We too, as the first fruits of God's spiritual creation, wait upon him. We wait today in a spirit of fasting and humbling ourselves as we seek and explore, submitting ourselves to the divine will. The Day of Atonement puts in full focus that it is not by our works or anything by our merit that we will accomplish salvation for ourselves, for others. You can go back tonight and go to Leviticus 23. In those small few verses dealing with Atonement, there is more wording about thou shall not... I'll use Old King James English. I don't usually speak this way. You shall not work. You shall not work. You shall not work. This is a time of Jubilee, too. I believe, as I sense the Scripture, that God is telling us something very profound about this, the Festival of Atonement. The Festival of Atonement brings us into utter alignment with God's will, that it is only He that is Savior. It is alone by His work. It is alone by the work of Jesus as Savior and as High Priest, that it is nothing of and by ourselves apart from God that allows us in America's salvation.

We look into the future and we look now. What do we see as we conclude this service of the Day of Atonement? Let's open up our eyes for a moment and allow me to fill in the portrait. What do we see on this day, Day of Atonement 2012? We see Christ's blood, no, not simply a goat or a lamb, but the Son of God's blood coming down on coarse wood of a man-made instrument of death on Golgotha.

We see Him being raised from Satan's kingdom of death, confined in the grave for three days and three nights, raised by a heavenly Father, to whom He said in Atonement, Father, into Your hands I commit my soul. We see Christ's ascension and being exalted as the heavenly Lamb of God. We visibly and knowingly see Satan thrown out of heaven. There is simply no room for Him up there. Thank God! We see this same Lamb wearing indescribable garments of radiance as He sits and stands and walks and talks and before God Almighty as our High Priest and offers His own blood. We see Satan the dragon being bound by the angel and thrown into the pit. And we see the veil lifted off the nations and they're rejoicing in His salvation.

What a glorious picture that God gives us through His festivals. Now, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and let us be taught His ways and let us say, let us walk in His paths. And let's learn the rest of the story at the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day Festival.