DRAWING NEAR

December 30

Satan's Conqueror

"Since . . . the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself
likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might
render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the
devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were
subject to slavery all their lives" (Heb. 2:14-15).

Christ came to break the power of Satan which He did by conquering
death.

To be free to live with God and share in all His blessings, someone
had to shatter Satan's death grip on us. Sin is what gives Satan his
powerful hold on us, but the power itself is death.

Satan knew that God required death for us because of sin. He knew
that all died in Adam--that death became a certain fact of life. And
he knew that men, if they remained as they were, would die and go out
of God's presence into hell forever. So he wants to hang onto men
until they die because once they are dead, the opportunity for
salvation is gone forever.

To wrest the power of death from Satan's hand, God sent Christ into
the world. If you have a greater weapon than your enemy, then his
weapon is useless. You can't fight a machine gun with a bow and
arrow. Satan's weapon is death, but eternal life is God's weapon, and
with it Jesus destroyed death.

How was He able to do it? He rose again, proving He had conquered
death. That's why He said, "Because I live, you shall live also"
(John 14:19). His resurrection provides the believer with eternal
life.

Nothing terrifies people more than the fear of death. But when we
receive Christ, death in reality holds no more fear for us since it
simply releases us into the presence of our Lord. We can say with
Paul, "To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21).
Rejoice that you have placed your hand into the hand of the conqueror
of death, who will lead you through death and out the other side.

Suggestion for Prayer:

Ask God to give you a greater realization that He has conquered death
to help you live life more fully to His glory.

For Further Study:

Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. How are we to live our lives based on
what we know about death?

Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.


All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org

~~~

1 Corinthians 15:50-58
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed;
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For
the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal
has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord.

These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.

In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.

If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.

You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:

http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/

and

http://www.gty.org.uk/

You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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In Christ,



Peter

Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com

STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner
was you. -Alistair Begg