Christus Victor!

My Auburn-Tiger grandkids
2010 College Football National Champions!

"...but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Cor. 15:57)

       Who doesn't prefer to be on the winning team as opposed to being a loser. I must say that it is always great to be an Auburn tiger; but it's much more fun with this year's 8-1 record as opposed to last year's 3-9!

       In Gustaf Aulen's 1931 book, Christus Victor, the author wrote, "The work of Christ is first and foremost a victory over the powers which hold mankind in bondage: sin, death, and the devil." In other words, by Jesus Christ's atoning death on the cross and His resurrection, the powers of evil were defeated! 
       First John 3:8 states: "The Son of God [Jesus Christ] came to destroy the works of the devil!" When Jesus Himself commissioned Paul, He said, "I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness...I am sending you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God" (Acts 26:16-18)! 

       O Christian, we are on the winning team! Christ won the victory, and the devil was defeated. Let us us boldly pray that the devil's evil work in precious lives around us will be destroyed! Let us go forth in the authority of the victorious atonement of Christ's shed blood, death, and resurrection to set the captives free! 

       (What does that look like in everyday life? I have a dear friend who is a single mom living in the projects with a teenage son in big trouble! We are praying fervently for Jesus to destroy the works of the devil in that young man's life, for Jesus to save him, redeem his life, and for that boy to live for God and fulfill God's purposes! 
        May the Holy Spirit show you how to walk out "Christus Victor" in your circle of influence!)