Jesus Christ: The Eternal Savior and Head of the Church
The name ‘Jesus Christ’ is far above every other name in heaven and on earth. The name still speaks to every church today. Jesus walked in the midst of the seven churches in Asia as recorded in the book of Revelation chapters two and three.
‘And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle… The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks, which thou sawest are the seven churches’ (Revelation 1:12-13, 20).
Jesus Christ is the head of His living church. His splendor and power reverberated through the entire Book of Revelation as written here:
‘Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks… And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive… And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass’ (Revelation 2:1, 8, 18).
The Power of the Word and the Promise of Deliverance
Christ speaks to the angels of all living churches together with the ministers, pastors, teachers and overseers. He speaks to them through His Word. If you want to hear Christ speak to you, spend enough time in His Word. You will certainly hear Him speak directly to your heart. Also, if you desire real deliverance from the devil and his agents, listen to God’s Word as well; obey His Words and keep His commandments.
His Word is a panacea for far-reaching and enduring deliverance. Therefore, any minister, saint, bishop, shepherd, high priest, pastor, etc., that wishes to experience genuine deliverance must find time to immerse him or herself in God’s Word.
No power in heaven and on earth can reverse whatever Jesus does, approve, or confirms. If He confirms your deliverance, the devil, his agents and all your enemies put together cannot change it. You have no need bothering yourself about your problems, enemies and activities of the devil. What God expects from you is to come to Him through Jesus His only begotten Son. If you need deliverance, go to Jesus. If you need prosperity, liberation or anything, meet Jesus. He introduced Himself in the verse below as the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The immediate promise to you right now is that if you are thirsty, He can quench your thirst and give you anything you want freely.
‘And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely’ (Revelation 21:6).
‘Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body. When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said’ (John 2:19-22).
It is good to pray for deliverance from devil, his agents and problems but one of the more efficient ways to do so is to believe in the written Word of God concerning your deliverance, act on it and your deliverance will manifest. While many will argue that it is not out of place to seek for deliverance through any means that does not contradict the scriptures but if you would remain faithful with God, study His Word, pray and believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior, your deliverance will surely come from Christ directly.
‘Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father’ (John 10:17-18).
‘For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures’ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
The Resurrection: Victory Over Death and Darkness
At the garden of Gethsemane, the devil mobilized his agents to cut short the life of Jesus Christ (see Matthew 26:36-68). Hardly did they realize that Jesus laid down His life on His own. The devil and his agents rejoiced over the betrayal, subsequent death and burial of Jesus for three days. Judas used all the witchcraft he knew. He received money, got rich over night by the powers of witchcraft and betrayed Christ. Christ laid down His life and his unfriendly friend, Judas, betrayed Him for the sake of money. How sad!
In this world, it is possible to lose your life, your marriage, business, ministry or even part of your organs to witches, wizards, unfriendly friends and household enemies. Always remember that Christ suffered and lost his life too. Devil, his agents and wicked people attacked Christ. Devil mobilized a band of men and officers from the chief priest and the Pharisees to arrest and humiliate Jesus. They came at night with lanterns, torches and weapons. They took everything away from Him including His ministry. Imagine what it means to suffer such humiliation.
On the day, the band of captains and officers of the Jews who are also His own relatives led Him away in bounds to Anas, the father-in-law to Caiaphas, the high priest.
Before the morning, Peter, James, John and the rest of the disciples had run away and abandoned Christ. Alone in the battlefield of life, those soldiers dealt with Jesus, struck Him with the palms of their hands and Anas bound Him unto Caiaphas the high priest. They took Him from one place to another, and finally, to the judgment hall where Pilate judged Him and condemned Him to death by crucifixion. Christ carried His own cross to a place of skull, called Golgotha and they crucified Him in between two criminals after mocking and humiliating Him. Later, they took His body down from the cross and handed Him over to the powers of the grave and demons in-charge of dead bodies. These demons have never lost a single dead body committed to their care from time immemorial.
Keeping dead bodies intact was an assignment from the devil, the head of the angels that could not keep their estate in heaven; the god of this world and the adversary of brethren. The first and second day passed and the first day of the week came, which was the day of the greatest battle since creation. The devil, his agents and demons in-charge of dead bodies were all aware of what Jesus had said. Jesus had told them that no matter what they did, they would not be able to operate on the third day, the first day of the week. It was an open challenge to the powers of darkness.
On the third day, as heavily built Roman soldiers guarded the grave, something happened. All the powers of darkness with their head, the devil, were there. Witches and wizards were there. Before the altars of darkness and the sepulcher of all sepulchers on earth, where a heavy stone of hindrance was placed on top of the grave, something happened. The linen and grave clothes that bound Christ’s hand and foot could no longer perform their purposes. There was a suddenly release of high power from heaven. The earth shook. The Son of God, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, defeated death and rose again to life eternal. Immediately a word went forth:
‘He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word’ (Matthew 28:6-8).
On that day, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary met an empty tomb because there was a release of the power of the resurrection. That power came from the third heaven, entered the grave, quickened Jesus and He that was dead, under the watchful eyes of the dark kingdoms and human agents, rose up gallantly and His glory knocked down the devil, his agents, the Roman soldiers assigned to shoot at sight every moving thing that neared the grave on the third day. As they fell on the ground defeated, Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, walked out of the grave, marched upon the devil, his agents, the Roman soldiers and walked boldly into Jerusalem. All the dead saints who were dead before Him that were buried and handed over to the grave and demons in-charge of them walked out of their graves and followed Christ to Jerusalem.