Conquering the Powers of the Enemy

Acts 20:1-28 Luke 22:15-20

This passover took place at night. Jesus gathered His people together for the feast. It was the remembrance of the deliverance from the land of sin, the land of oppression and the land of darkness. God gave them a schedule to follow at the feast. The first passover feast was held in the land of Egypt. A spotless lamb was to be taken and roasted. No bone in it was to be broken. The blood of the lamb was to be smeared on the door-posts. That night was a critical night for all the land of Egypt. It was a regular fight between the powers of darkness and the people of God. Wherever the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not preached the prince of this world reigns and darkness rules. "... the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). When Jesus was moving about in this world He had just enough power to keep the devil away from Him. The devil could find nothing of sin in Him. But now the prince of the world was coming and had power to attack Him, because He was taking on Himself the sin of the world. If there is sin in us the powers of darkness can overcome us. The powers of darkness when disturbed can kill men who are not protected against them. People who practice black magic are ultimately killed by the powers of darkness. The Blood is a complete protection against the powers of darkness. Then they were to eat the flesh and gain strength for the long journey defying the armies of Egypt and the powers of darkness. Their waists were girded and they were fully dressed and ready to start on the journey and they were to eat standing. Jesus was celebrating this great deliverance for the people of God. What bondage they were in! They were laboring for a foreign king, not for themselves or their children. They were building treasure-cities for Pharaoh, and the worst part of their bondage was that their male children were to be thrown into the river. They labored and they labored in vain. Men of this world labor in vain - not for the Kingdom of God. It is a kingdom destined to fail.