14 INASMUCH then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL,
15 AND RELEASE THOSE WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE."
Hebrews 2:14,15 (NKJV)
• The devil uses the weapon of fear to attack and hold people bound.
- This fear of not being harmed, fear of being protected from death, leads people to occultism and idolatry; they are looking or searching for protections.
- People go from one place to another, looking for power to protect themselves—they would not want to die.
- Fear of death, sicknesses and diseases, poverty, oppressions of witches and vampires or wizards, and demonic afflictions; makes people looking for power to protect themselves.
- There is no protection somewhere else, except in God, through Jesus Christ. Whoever is not in Christ, who has not accepted Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Saviour, is a potential prey in the hand of the devil.
• Some are in one occult group or another, where they had made covenant with the devil, through their blood; in the name of having protection or being protected.
- When you come to the Lord Jesus Christ, acknowledged and accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour; It is then your life is secured.
- You have a covenant of protection in Christ Jesus that makes you free from the fear of death and every oppression of the devil and his cohorts:
14 " . . . THAT THROUGH DEATH HE [Jesus] MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL, 15 AND RELEASE THOSE WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE ALL THEIR LIFETIME SUBJECT TO BONDAGE" (Hebrews 2:14,15 NKJV). - There are many in the bondage of the devil, because of the fear of death. They wanted a protection, and they went to the devil to seek for it; they did not know they were complicating the problem when they went to the devil for protection. They are now in his, the devil's, bondage!
- Protection is no where else, except in God, through Christ Jesus (Acts 4:12).
• Understanding covenant
- Jehovah God establishes a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:6-18).
- The covenant was sealed by circumcision, the cutting of the foreskin (Genesis 17:9-14).
- When this covenant was cut or established with Abraham, by God, the Israelites nation came into being as a covenant people; because of the covenant God established with Abraham their forefather.
- This covenant was limited to the Israelites, the children or descendants of Abraham; and they had behind the covenant, the promise and the oath of God (Genesis 22:16-18). Remember, the seal of the covenant was circumcision.
• Note:
I. God is a covenant keeping God.
II. The Israelites are blood covenant people.
III. The priesthood and the law were given to them (Hebrews 5:1).
a. The priesthood will teach them the precepts of God, take their matters to God in prayer (Hebrews 9:6).
b. The law was given to guide and tutor them, for them not to veer off or deviate from the ways and precepts of God (Galatians 3:24,25).
• What are the blessings of the covenant?
I. God had the responsibility to shield and protect them from the attacks of other nations (Deuteronomy 28:7,10).
II. Their land brought forth large crops, bountiful harvests, as long as they abide with the terms and conditions of the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:8,11).
III. Multiplication of their herds (Deuteronomy 28:4,11).
IV. Blessings in different or all ramifications (Deuteronomy 28:11,12).
V. They became the head of other nations, and their wealth surpasses that of others (Deuteronomy 28:13).
VI. They have physical strength and power. Their militaries or armies are made strong—empowered by God, because of the covenant (Deuteronomy 28:7).
VII. They have divine protection (Deuteronomy 28:10).
• When a covenant is broken, It brings a judgement.
- If a covenant is broken, Judgement will follow; that is, curses would be the lot of the person or people, instead of blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1,2,15).
- Whenever the Israelites erred, or broke the covenant, protections are removed from them, and other nations would be raised as their adversaries (Deuteronomy 3:7,8; 4:2; 6:1,2).
- God is a good God, and a covenant keeping God, as earlier said; but His goodness and loving kindness should not be taken for granted (Romans 2:4-6).
• The New covenant
- When you became born-again, you entered into a covenant with God, through the blood of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18,19).
- Believers are redeemed not with the blood of Bull or animals, but the precious blood of Christ Jesus (Hebrews 9:11-15; 1 Peter 1:18,19).
- Through your faith in Christ Jesus, you become a partaker of God's divine nature, through the blood of Jesus Christ—via His death and resurrection.
- Jesus Christ is the High Priest of the new covenant (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14,15; 5:10; 6:20; 8:1; 9:11).
- What the priesthood, the high priest, does in the old testament, is what Christ came to do (Hebrews 8:3); and the Sacrifice He made was not with the blood of animals, but His own blood, because the blood of Bull or animals cannot purge or cleanse the conscience of Man or humans (Hebrews 10:4-14).
- The law in the old testament was a shadow of the real things to come, and not the very image of the real things (Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; Galatians 3:23).
- A shadow of anything would never be like the real thing, thus, the shadow, which is the old testament system or pattern of worship—cleansing from Sin and walking with God—is obsolete because It is faulty (Hebrews 8:7,8,13).
- After the faith, through Christ Jesus, had come, we are no longer under the law (Galatians 3:24,25).
- Thus, through Christ Jesus our High Priest we access God the Father (Hebrews 4:14-16).
TO BE CONTINUED
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
- Whatever the hold of the enemy, the devil, over your life, such is completely broken now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
- That ailment in your body is rebuked and uprooted totally in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
- And whatever is not planted in your body by God that is working against your health and wellness, such is cursed and uprooted totally in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED
STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).
- If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!