I WILL MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET

05-19-17

I WILL MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET

Proclamation:

“The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’”  Psalm 110:1 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  This messianic psalm begins with God, The Father, talking to God, The Son.  This is confirmed by Jesus, The Christ, when He spoke to the Pharisees (Matthew 22:41-45) and by the apostle Peter speaking on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:32-35)  David referred to Jesus, The Christ, as “my Lord” and “The Lord” as God.  Jesus is the only one to sit at the right hand of God.  This sets forth the deity of Christ.

Application:

Jesus, The Christ, had many enemies and included among them are all of the enemies of His people.  Some of them have already been conquered, like sin, Satan, and the world, but there are others which remain to be conquered like the antichrist.  All of the kings of the earth will bow down to Him as The King of kings.  When the time comes, He will judge all nations and all people. (Psalm 110:6)  This will be to the joy of all believers and to the chagrin of everyone else.  That is when we will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

WE HAVE THE VICTORY

Proclamation:

"But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of The Apostle Paul written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God to the believers in Corinth.  Paul was encouraging them to stand strong and be unmovable with respect to their faith in The Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)  He told them that not only would they have the victory in this life but they would also have the victory over death. (1 Corinthians 5:54)

Application:

As believers we already have the victory.  Some of us act like we don't know that yet.  It doesn't matter what it is that we are dealing with, we've already won!!!  The God that is within us has already defeated the world, the devil, and death.  When He rose from the grave He said, “All power in given to Me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)  With Him we are victorious conquerors. (Romans 8:37)  So, it does not matter what it is that we are going through, things will work out for our benefit. (Romans 8:28)  We may have to suffer for a while, and even cry, but in the end we will win, our joy is coming. (Psalm 30:5)

Knocked Down But Not Destroyed

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;  perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned;  struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."  2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NIV)

These Holy Spirit inspired words were written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in The Church at Corinth in order to provide them with words of encouragement during difficult times.  He told them that even though things were bad for them at that time, they were knocked down, but not knocked out.  He told them that because they had Christ within them, The Lord God who raised Jesus up from the dead, would also raise them up. (2 Corinthians 4:14)

We need to understand that we have already been assured of the victory. (1 Corinthians 15:57 and 1 John 5:4)  Satan and his demons may attack us, and we may fall, stumble into sin, or get knocked down by the storms of life, but we will not stay down. (Psalms 37:24)  The Lord God said that He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  We are more than conquerors through Jesus, The Christ. (Romans 8:37)  So, we may be hard pressed, but we will not be crushed.  We may get knocked down, but we will not be destroyed.  We have The Spirit of The Lord God within us, and we will rise up again.

Christ Has Overcome The World

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  John 16:33 (NIV)

After Jesus told His disciples about His upcoming departure (John 16:16), the Apostle John recorded these word which Jesus spoke to them.  Jesus said, I told you this so that you would be at peace and not worry when it happens.  The He said to them, in this would you will have trouble, but don't worry because He had overcome the world.

As present day disciples of Jesus, The Christ, we should understand that we will have troubles, trials, and tribulations.  (Job 14:1 and John 16:33)  However, this should not concern us,  because He is with us, and He has assured us that if we believe in Him, will be victorious.   He has already conquered the world. (Romans 8:38, Hebrews 13:5, 1 John 4:4)   With Him, and only with Him, will we be victorious.

We Are More Than Conquerors

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."  Romans 8:35-37 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to know that they already had the victory.  They were more than just mere conquerors over whatever, they were special because of the love of God.  Nothing could separate them for the love of God. 

We need to understand that as Christians, the same applies to us today.  We may go through trouble and hardship, but in the end will conquer it, whatever it is, because we are in Christ and He is in us, and He has already conquered the world and everything in it.  If we truly believe in Him, then nothing can separate us from the love of God.  No matter what the world or the devil throws at us, we will defeat it and be victorious.  Because of Jesus The Christ, and His love for us, we are more than conquerors.

The Love Of God

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)

In this chapter of Romans the Apostle Paul identifies what The Holy Spirit does for us. He frees us from sin and death, enables us to follow God's law, grants us victory over our unredeemed flesh, confirms our adoption as children of God, and guarantees us our ultimate glory with God. He writes from his personal experiences stating that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

We can all look back over our lives and see what God has brought us through and kept us from. The love of God is like a protective shield around us. We may be attacked by demons, but we will not be defeated. Trouble, hardship, and persecution may come our way, but we will get through them by the grace of God. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. God loves us and nothing can separate us from the love of God.