Anchors of Truth

The Champion of Love

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Greg & Jill Morikone (Host), Pr. Taj Pacleb

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Series Code: AOT

Program Code: AOT000177A


00:12 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth,
00:14 live from the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:22 Hello friends, and welcome to Anchors Of Truth.
00:25 This is the second part of a five part series
00:28 by Pastor Taj Pacleb.
00:31 And his five part series is entitled, Almost Home.
00:34 Which we know that's heaven.
00:35 And of course, all of us are looking forward to heaven.
00:38 We welcome our audience here that's local,
00:40 but also those of you that are joining us around the world.
00:43 You know, it's amazing how technology works.
00:44 It's amazing how we can be in little bitty Thompsonville,
00:47 and by God's grace all this technology goes out by
00:50 satellite, internet, radio waves.
00:53 So how ever you're getting this, praise the Lord for that.
00:56 It's a blessing to be a part of 3ABN.
00:58 Now Pastor Taj Pacleb, he was the conference evangelist
01:03 for California for 11 years.
01:05 That's pretty awesome.
01:06 But just recently, actually this year, he told us
01:09 he and his wife, Wati, who is here with us,
01:14 they felt the call of God to start their own ministry
01:17 called, I want to make sure I get this right,
01:19 Revelation of Hope Ministries.
01:22 They just started it this year, and it's a faith-based ministry.
01:26 So that's really neat how God has called them and they've
01:28 stepped out in faith doing this ministry.
01:31 And I know God is going to bless them in a powerful way.
01:33 Amen, they're an incredible couple, a godly couple.
01:36 Just when you talk to them and when you meet them,
01:38 they care about people, they love other people,
01:42 they love the Word of God and spreading the gospel message
01:45 around the world.
01:46 So we are so blessed to have them with us here tonight.
01:49 I know my own heart was blessed by the message Pastor Taj
01:52 brought last night.
01:53 I was taking notes, looking up those Bible verses
01:56 about the face behind the veil, and how God wants to bring us
02:00 back into that unity and oneness with the Father.
02:04 Tonight's message is entitled, The Champion of Love.
02:08 But before we hear the message from Pastor Taj,
02:11 we're going to be blessed by a special music number
02:14 by Jacqueline Jewel.
02:15 She's a precious woman who travels with them a lot
02:18 with their ministry.
02:19 She is a musicianary.
02:21 Is that such a word?
02:22 You know, I don't know. But I like it.
02:24 - Musicianary. Amen. - A musicianary for Jesus.
02:26 Her song tonight is, Amazing Grace.
02:29 But before she plays, let's go to the Lord in prayer.
02:32 Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus.
02:35 And we thank You that truly we are almost home.
02:39 And Father, we just ask right now for the anointing
02:42 of Your Holy Spirit to give us ears to hear
02:46 what Your servant has to share.
02:48 And we thank You in the precious and the
02:51 holy name of Jesus, amen.
02:54 Jacqueline will play, Amazing Grace,
02:56 and then the next voice you will hear is that of our
02:58 pastor and friend, Taj Pacleb.
03:12 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
03:23 that saved a wretch like me.
03:35 I once was lost, but now I am found;
03:46 was blind, but now I see.
03:57 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
04:09 and grace my fears relieved.
04:19 How precious did that grace appear
04:30 the hour I first believed.
04:41 Through many dangers, toils and snares
04:52 I have already come.
05:02 'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
05:13 and grace will lead me home.
05:24 The Lord has promised good to me,
05:34 His word my hope secures.
05:45 He will my shield and portion be
05:55 as long as life endures.
06:05 When we've been there ten thousand years,
06:16 bright shining as the sun,
06:26 we've no less days to sing God's praise
06:36 than when we've first begun,
06:49 than when we've first begun.
07:07 Amen, amen.
07:08 Aloha. Good evening, everyone.
07:11 I want to welcome you to our second night here at
07:13 the Anchors Of Truth broadcast.
07:15 We're so glad that you're here.
07:17 Our theme for this weekend is entitled, Almost Home.
07:20 And truly, as we consider the condition of the world
07:22 that we live in, in comparison to the prophecies that God
07:25 has revealed to us, all the prophecies are pointing
07:28 to the reality that we're almost home. Amen?
07:31 And we've been studying the Bible night after night
07:34 discussing topics that will better prepare us
07:37 for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
07:39 Our message this evening is entitled,
07:41 Champion of Love.
07:43 So I hope you brought your Bibles,
07:44 I hope you have your notebooks ready,
07:46 I hope you have a writing utensil,
07:47 as we feast upon the bread of life tonight.
07:49 I invite you to bow your heads as we pray together.
07:52 Father in heaven, we thank You so much for Your goodness
07:54 and Your grace.
07:55 The amazing grace that saves us, not only from the
07:59 penalty of sin, but also the power of sin,
08:02 and soon the very presence of sin,
08:05 as You take us to our heavenly home.
08:07 Lord, as we have gathered here tonight here in this
08:09 sacred studio, as well as the countless others online and
08:13 at home, we pray that Your Holy Spirit would
08:15 be with us in a very special intimate way.
08:18 That You would speak to our hearts and our minds,
08:20 and that You would instruct us and inspire us
08:23 as to what You're calling us to do in these last days
08:27 in preparation for the Promised Land.
08:30 This is our prayer.
08:31 And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen, amen.
08:35 Our message is entitled, Champion of Love.
08:37 I invite you to take your Bible and open with me to the
08:39 book of Revelation.
08:41 We're going to begin tonight in the 17th chapter
08:44 as we have a very simple, at the same time, profound
08:47 study from God's prophetic Word.
08:49 Ladies and gentlemen, as many of you already know,
08:52 we are all in the midst of a war;
08:54 a great controversy between good and evil.
08:57 A cosmic conflict, a supernatural battle,
09:00 where the forces of good and evil are
09:02 fighting against one another.
09:03 And we are in the midst of this.
09:05 This war has been raging on now for over 6000 years.
09:09 It began in heaven, then moved to the earth.
09:12 And it's still being fought to the present day.
09:15 And in the 17th chapter of the book of Revelation,
09:17 it describes Satan's final charge, his last push,
09:21 in the conflict of the ages.
09:23 Now time is not going to permit us to go through all the
09:26 intricacies of this prophecy.
09:29 But I just want us to highlight and introduce the contenders
09:33 in this conflict.
09:34 Notice what the Bible says in Revelation chapter 17
09:37 beginning with verse 12.
09:39 The Bible says...
10:00 Here we find in this very awesome prophecy,
10:03 it's pointing to a time when the nations and the kingdoms
10:06 of the world are going to unite together.
10:09 Not in a one world government or some type of new world order,
10:13 for the Bible is clear that the feet with the ten toes
10:17 part of iron and clay will not cleave or adhere one to another.
10:22 There's not going to be so much a one world order
10:24 or a one world government.
10:25 However, there is going to be a unity amongst the
10:28 nations of the world.
10:29 And the nature of their unity is that they're going to have
10:33 one mind, one intent, one resolve, one goal,
10:38 one ideology.
10:39 Rather than a one world government, it will be
10:42 an ecumenical universal unity that's based upon shared goals
10:47 and ideology.
10:48 It's a time when theological differences are going to be
10:51 put aside for the common good of all.
10:54 And at that time, the prophecy tells us that the papacy,
10:57 the beast, will be looked upon as the leader
11:00 that can bring all the world together.
11:02 It's going to be a time, friends, that will
11:04 try men's souls to the uttermost.
11:07 And that time is here.
11:09 Prophecy is fast fulfilling right before our very eyes.
11:14 Now unity does sound good in a world that is
11:16 fragmented and divided.
11:18 But I want us to notice the next verse
11:20 and what's going to happen as a result of this unity.
11:24 The Bible says in verse 14, it says...
11:32 And that's none other than Jesus Christ.
11:34 This unity sounds good.
11:36 But the inevitable result of this unity is that it's going to
11:40 lead in the world making war against God,
11:43 against the teachings of God, the truth of God,
11:45 and ultimately the people of God.
11:48 This prophecy, friends, is Satan's last attempt
11:51 to victory in this long standing conflict;
11:55 the great controversy between good and evil.
11:57 But I want you to notice who is the victor in this war.
12:01 The rest of verse 14 tells us,
12:03 "These shall make war with the Lamb..."
12:17 I'm so thankful, friends, that in this controversy
12:19 between good and evil, as the beast and all the
12:23 kingdoms of the world unite together to make war against
12:25 the Lamb, the Lamb is going to come out on top.
12:28 Jesus is the victor in the controversy
12:31 between good and evil.
12:33 Now this Lamb may look meek and lowly,
12:35 but this Lamb has the power to slay the beast
12:38 and to slay the dragon.
12:39 Can you say amen?
12:41 The Bible tells us that those who are with Him
12:44 are called and chosen and faithful.
12:46 I like to call this, victory by association.
12:50 In other words, because those who are with Him
12:53 associate with the Lamb, because He wins,
12:57 they win as well.
12:58 You see, those who are with Him don't have the power
13:00 in and of themselves to win the war.
13:02 The Lamb is the one that wins. The Bible is clear.
13:05 But since they are with Him, because He wins,
13:07 they win as well.
13:09 We call that, victory by association.
13:11 It's just like those who have sports teams.
13:15 They associate themselves with a specific team.
13:18 Or they're individuals who like boxing, and they associate
13:22 themselves with a specific fighter.
13:25 Now my wife and I were in the Philippines earlier year.
13:27 We had some meetings there.
13:28 And we couldn't help but notice that all over the Philippines,
13:31 there was a poster of the Filipino superstar.
13:34 Many of you know who I'm talking about.
13:36 Manny Pacquiao.
13:38 He is the fighter of the Philippines.
13:40 And it's interesting that whenever Manny enters
13:42 into the ring, those who are Filipino especially,
13:46 and those who like him, they feel like they're the ones
13:49 getting into the ring as well.
13:50 When Manny throws the punch, those who are with him
13:54 feel like they've thrown the punch.
13:55 When Manny receives a blow, they fell like
13:57 they are the ones that received a blow.
13:59 If Manny loses, they feel like they lose.
14:01 But if he wins, all of the Philippines rejoice.
14:05 That's what we call, victory by association.
14:09 They feel like they won, even though they did not
14:12 step foot in the ring.
14:13 They did not throw one blow.
14:16 But they feel like they won because they associate
14:19 with that specific fighter.
14:20 Same thing with sports teams.
14:22 Victory by association.
14:24 And that's what we're reading here in Revelation 17.
14:27 The Lamb wins.
14:28 And if we're with Him, we win as well.
14:30 Can you say amen? How many want to be with Him?
14:33 But friends, I want you to notice that victory is not only
14:37 going to be gained by corporate association...
14:45 Because the Bible says that they that are with Him
14:47 are called, chosen, and faithful.
14:52 Victory by corporate association
14:55 as well as individual assimilation.
14:59 And the reason why, friends, is because the great controversy
15:02 is not only a universal war, it's also an individual fight.
15:07 Over and over again in the Bible, God likened salvation
15:10 to that of a fight.
15:11 It's called, the good fight of faith.
15:14 Make no mistake about it, friends, faith is the only thing
15:17 that is worth fighting for.
15:19 And tonight we're going to find out how we fight
15:22 the good fight of faith.
15:23 It's not with physical brute force,
15:26 but it's by another force that's far more powerful
15:29 than anything that's physical in this world.
15:32 Today we're going to learn that this boxing match
15:35 called, the great controversy, only has three rounds.
15:39 We are now in the third and final round
15:42 of the great controversy boxing match.
15:45 And in this last round, prophecy tells us that
15:48 Satan is preparing a knock-out punch for the people of God,
15:52 a fatal blow.
15:54 But God will have a people who will endure that last blow
15:58 in the final round.
15:59 A people who will remain standing until the very end.
16:03 And we have a nice fancy theological word that
16:05 describes those who endure to the end.
16:08 We call them, the remnant.
16:10 That's the word the Bible uses.
16:12 Those are the last ones standing.
16:15 And friends, I want to be a part of that remnant group of people.
16:18 And I know you do as well.
16:20 And so today we want to find out what will it take
16:25 for us to remain standing in the final round
16:27 of the great controversy.
16:28 And in order to find out what it's going to take
16:30 in the final round, we have to first study the history
16:35 of the first two rounds.
16:37 And as we understand the issues in the first two rounds,
16:39 we will know how we can stand firm in the third
16:43 and final round.
16:44 And so let's go now to round number one.
16:48 It begins in heaven.
16:50 Described in Revelation chapter 12,
16:52 notice what the Bible says in verse 7.
16:55 Revelation chapter 12, round number one begins
16:58 in heaven itself.
16:59 The Bible says...
17:25 Here we see in round number one, Lucifer the glorious angel
17:29 came out swinging.
17:31 He started jabbing the Lord with his evil insinuations
17:34 and false accusations.
17:35 And the question we then ask is, why did Lucifer call out
17:39 the Lord in heaven?
17:41 What was his issue?
17:42 Why did he want to fight against his kingly Creator?
17:46 Well we read in other places that Lucifer,
17:49 the covering cherub, became dissatisfied with his high
17:52 and privileged position.
17:54 While in heaven, he began to covet God's power,
17:57 but not God's character of love.
18:00 He began to resist the love of God in his heart.
18:02 This, my friends, created a vacuum that was then
18:06 filled with his own self love.
18:09 Make no mistake about it, friends, the origin of sin
18:12 is selfishness that comes as the result of rejecting
18:16 the love of God.
18:18 And the Bible says that pride goes before a fall.
18:20 So as Lucifer begins to exalt himself and love himself
18:24 more than God, the Lord delivered a blow to Satan,
18:28 to Lucifer, that sent him reeling from heaven
18:31 all the way down to earth.
18:33 And I often get the question when we do evangelistic
18:35 meetings, why did God not destroy Lucifer when he first
18:41 began the rebellion in heaven?
18:43 Tell me, friends, was God strong enough
18:46 to deliver a TKO, a complete total knock-out,
18:49 to Satan in round number one?
18:51 Was God strong enough to do it?
18:53 Of course.
18:55 The reason why He did not do it is because the other angels
18:58 in heaven, not understanding and discerning the nature of sin,
19:04 would not have been able to comprehend the justice
19:08 and the fairness in the punishment for sin.
19:11 And why is that?
19:12 Because Satan hid his lies under a pretense
19:16 of academic freedom.
19:18 You see, Lucifer did not openly challenge God.
19:21 He simply questioned the authority of God.
19:25 And the Lord could have given him a TKO, a total knock-out,
19:28 in round number one, but that death blow would have been
19:32 looked upon by the other angels as a very harsh penalty.
19:36 And so ever after that, they would have begun to serve
19:39 God out of fear and no longer out of love.
19:43 And so God, with wisdom, infinite wisdom,
19:47 chose a different course.
19:49 God, instead of knocking out Satan, He knocks down Satan
19:53 from heaven to earth.
19:55 God must give sin time to mature that all might see its
19:59 true horrific nature.
20:01 And so Satan is cast down to the earth
20:03 on probationary time.
20:05 And now round number two begins
20:08 in the arena of planet earth;
20:10 in the ring called, the Garden of Eden.
20:13 And you know the story.
20:15 God did all He could to warn and protect His children
20:19 from the tempter.
20:20 But the record tells us that Eve, our first mother,
20:23 ventured on forbidden ground.
20:25 She began to dialogue with someone she should have
20:27 never have spoken to in the first place.
20:30 And as she listened to the lies of the serpent,
20:32 he planted seeds of doubt in her mind.
20:35 And as she listened, Eve, just like the other angels,
20:39 began to question and doubt God's word and God's authority.
20:43 She partook of the fruit, she ate.
20:45 And now the tempted becomes a temptress.
20:48 She gives to her husband Adam, and he eats.
20:50 And as a result of sinning and joining Satan in rebellion
20:54 against God, now the wind of the Holy Spirit is knocked out
20:59 of the human race.
21:02 Satan knocked down humanity in the Garden of Eden
21:05 in round number two.
21:06 And now the dominion of the world was forfeited
21:09 into the hands of the enemy.
21:10 And ever after that, Satan would claim planet earth
21:13 as his territory, as his kingdom.
21:16 He would claim to be the ruler over the world.
21:19 Humanity was knocked down, but not out.
21:23 We were down for the count, but thank God that as soon
21:26 as there was sin, there was a Savior.
21:28 Thank God that there was someone in our corner
21:31 that was there to rescue us.
21:33 The Lord Himself came in the Garden in the cool of the day
21:36 to resuscitate humanity from the devastating and fatal blow.
21:40 Jesus would come to breathe new life into us
21:43 by announcing the coming of the Champion of love.
21:48 And this was the first gospel prophecy,
21:52 the first promise, that God gave to humanity.
21:55 He was speaking to Satan, but He said it in the
21:58 presence of His children.
22:00 And this gospel promise in the book of Genesis 3:15
22:03 was a threat to Satan, but it was a promise to you and me.
22:07 Notice what the Bible says.
22:08 Genesis 3:15 says...
22:25 Here we find the first gospel promise.
22:27 God says to Satan, "I'm going to put enmity
22:29 in the hearts of My children."
22:31 And that word, "enmity," simply means, the ability to hate evil.
22:35 So this enmity that God placed in every human heart
22:38 would continue to grow and climax in the battle
22:41 between the Seed and the serpent.
22:45 The Seed is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.
22:48 You can find that in Galatians 3:16.
22:51 The Seed is Christ coming through the loins of humanity.
22:53 You see, friends, this prophecy in Genesis is telling us
22:56 that the Seed would bruise the serpents head,
22:59 but at the same time, the serpent would bruise
23:03 the Seed's heel.
23:05 This prophecy is a shadow pointing us to the showdown
23:09 that took place at Mount Calvary at the cross.
23:14 You see, Satan, in the Garden of Eden,
23:16 delivered a deadly blow to the human race.
23:18 And so Jesus would then come in another garden,
23:21 in the garden of Gethsemane, to deliver a deadly blow
23:24 to the head of Satan.
23:27 And simultaneously, Satan would bruise the heel of Jesus.
23:31 As I mentioned, this prophecy was a promise to God's children,
23:35 but it was a threat to Satan.
23:36 The Lord was essentially saying to the devil,
23:38 "I'm going to come and I'm going to knock you out.
23:41 Go ahead, bite My heel.
23:42 I'm going to crush your head."
23:45 Though this threat was given, Satan was still defiant.
23:49 He still claimed this world as his territory,
23:52 holding us in captivity,
23:55 claiming to be the victor in the battle.
23:58 So what happens next?
23:59 Round number two begins as the Champion of love
24:04 steps into the ring to put Satan in his place.
24:09 The Champion of love would come to destroy the contender
24:13 and to redeem the condemned; you and me.
24:16 And friends, I'll never forget when I was in high school
24:19 the enmity that I felt towards bullies.
24:23 These are cowards who use their size and their strength
24:27 to pick on weaker kids.
24:29 And something interesting, I noticed that whenever
24:31 the smaller kids could not defend themselves
24:33 against the bully, they would resort to threatening the bully.
24:37 And one threat that generally worked was,
24:40 a child or a kid would say to the bully,
24:44 "You better leave me alone, or else I'm going to
24:46 call my older brother."
24:48 Now I always envied those kids.
24:50 And the reason why is because I didn't have an older brother.
24:54 I was the only child.
24:56 And so I could never say that.
24:57 I was on my own to defend myself.
25:00 And I never really understood that until when I was
25:02 19 years old and my only sibling, my baby brother,
25:07 was born into the world.
25:09 Same mom, same dad.
25:11 Notice, same ears.
25:13 It was an overwhelming surprise.
25:15 We're 19 years apart. It's just he and I.
25:17 His name is Micah.
25:18 Now I'll never forget, I now became the older brother.
25:21 Most of my life I was the only child, but now I'm
25:23 an older brother and I wanted to do all I could
25:25 to give my little brother the best advantages,
25:28 to teach him all I know and protect him from all the
25:31 things that I wasn't protected from when I was younger.
25:35 And I'll never forget picking my little brother, Micah, up
25:38 from kindergarten after school one day.
25:40 And I asked him, he got into the vehicle, I asked him,
25:43 "How was school today, man?"
25:44 You know what he told me?
25:46 He told me something that stirred my heart.
25:49 He said, "Some of my classmates are making trouble to me."
25:53 Let me tell you, friends, when I heard those words,
25:57 feelings and emotions began to stir in my heart
25:59 that I had never experienced before.
26:02 I was so upset, I was ready to go to that kindergarten class
26:06 and straighten up those 5 and 6 year olds
26:08 and let them know that they better not mess with this boy.
26:12 You see, friends, there's a natural instinct
26:14 in an older brother to protect the younger brother.
26:17 Isn't that right?
26:19 And in the same way, friends, in the great controversy
26:22 between good and evil, as Satan is bullying us around,
26:25 now our elder brother, Jesus Christ, steps
26:29 into the ring in round number two.
26:31 He came to deal with that bully, Satan.
26:34 He leaves is home town of New Jerusalem
26:37 and He enters into the arena of planet earth.
26:39 Jesus would lay aside His robe of divinity
26:42 and put on the boxing gloves of our humanity.
26:45 He came to deal with the accuser and the adversary.
26:48 You see, friends, we are no match for Satan.
26:51 But thank God, Satan is no match for Jesus.
26:54 The devil is mighty, but God is Almighty.
26:57 And so if that bully, Satan, comes bothering you,
27:00 you've just got to tell him, "You better leave me alone
27:02 or else I'm going to call my older Brother, Jesus Christ."
27:05 Amen?
27:06 And so Jesus steps into the ring in round number two;
27:10 resuscitating the human race by the gospel promise.
27:14 And then He Himself would crush the serpent's head.
27:20 We read about this in Revelation chapter 12.
27:23 Now notice the next verse.
27:25 Verse 9, Satan is cast down from heaven.
27:28 Now verse 10, he's cast down in the earth.
27:31 Notice what it says.
27:46 Jesus is our older Brother.
27:57 So here we find something interesting.
27:59 Satan is cast down from heaven in round number one;
28:03 verse 9.
28:04 But then it says he's cast down the second time in verse 10.
28:08 Now what event is verse 10 pointing us to?
28:12 In order to find the answer to that, we just have to
28:15 ask the question, when did strength, salvation,
28:19 and power actually come?
28:21 When the Bible says, "Now is come strength,"
28:23 when was, "now"?
28:24 Well friends, we don't have to guess,
28:26 because the Bible tells us.
28:27 Notice what is says in the book of Romans 5:6.
28:39 So before that, we had no strength.
28:42 Jesus dies, and now is come strength.
28:45 This verse in Revelation 12:10 is pointing to the cross
28:48 when Jesus would die.
28:50 In fact, notice another one.
28:51 In John 12:31-33, Jesus said, it says here...
29:12 And so, when was Satan cast down the second time?
29:16 It's when Jesus was lifted up on the cross.
29:19 As Christ goes up, Satan goes down.
29:23 "Now is come strength, and power, and salvation."
29:27 But friends, let's pause here for a moment.
29:29 What exactly took place at the cross?
29:33 There was a conflict.
29:35 There were the two most powerful forces in the universe
29:40 clashing at the cross.
29:42 When you look at the cross, friends, you see the power
29:45 of sin, which brings death, fighting and going up against
29:50 the power of love that brings life.
29:53 At the cross, you see the ugliness of sin;
29:56 sacrificing others for the sake of self.
30:00 But at the same time, at the cross you also see
30:02 the beauty of love sacrificing self for the sake of others.
30:06 At the cross you see humanity at their worst,
30:10 crucifying their Creator.
30:13 But at the same time you see divinity at its best,
30:17 the love of God embracing a world that could
30:21 care less about them.
30:23 And so at the cross, as we see these two forces,
30:25 the power of sin and the power of love,
30:28 colliding against one another in a cataclysmic climactic clash,
30:32 one will be eternally defeated.
30:35 The other will remain as an eternal victor.
30:38 Who will win in round number two as these forces clash together?
30:42 Is love stronger than death?
30:44 Is life stronger than death?
30:46 Is Christ stronger than Satan?
30:48 Who will be the last one standing when the
30:49 round is over?
30:51 Who will remain when the dust settles and the smoke clears?
30:54 Oh friends, the gospel record makes it clear
30:56 that Jesus wins, love wins.
30:59 He is the victor in round number two.
31:01 Just like the song says,
31:03 "Higher than the highest, greater than the greatest.
31:05 His height exceeds the heavens, His weight outweighs the world.
31:09 His reach reaches everyone, His age is evermore.
31:12 He is the all-time, undisputed, undefeated, unrelenting,
31:17 unfailing Champion of love."
31:20 And He won a mighty victory.
31:22 Love was stronger than death.
31:25 Love was stronger than sin.
31:28 And friends, in this battle between good and evil,
31:31 love wins because Jesus wins.
31:35 He won the victory on the cross for you and me.
31:39 But the question is, has Christ won the victory over Satan
31:44 in your heart?
31:45 Has your heart, friend, been conquered
31:49 by the Champion of love?
31:53 In round number two, the serpent bruised the Seed's heel,
31:59 but at the same time, the Seed was crushing
32:02 the head of the serpent.
32:04 And friends, something amazing happened on Mount Calvary.
32:07 At the very moment that Jesus died, there was an outward
32:10 natural sign pointing to this inward supernatural victory.
32:15 The Bible tells us that Jesus died on Mount Calvary.
32:19 And if you look up the word, "calvary," in the Greek,
32:21 it literally means, cranium.
32:24 That has to do with your head.
32:26 Jesus died in the garden of Golgotha.
32:30 Which interpreted simply means, the place of the skull.
32:34 You see, my friends, Mount Calvary was like the citadel
32:37 of Satan's kingdom.
32:38 This was the place that Satan thought he would conquer
32:41 and destroy Love forever.
32:45 But on that skull-shaped hill, Love laid down His life,
32:51 and then was lifted up on the cross.
32:54 His body was crushed with the load of guilt and shame.
32:58 But just like a rose trampled upon the ground,
33:01 whose fragrance fills the air, was the love of Jesus
33:05 permeating and penetrating the filth of the atmosphere.
33:09 And then Jesus looked into the faces of His murderers
33:14 and He prayed a prayer that embraces you and me tonight.
33:18 He said, "Father, forgive them.
33:22 Forgive them.
33:23 They know not what they do."
33:26 Jesus did not stop loving us even when we were
33:30 nailing Him to the cross.
33:32 Then He declared, "It is finished."
33:35 He dropped His head in the hollow of his shoulder,
33:37 He exhaled His breath of life in an atmosphere of
33:40 pain and death.
33:41 And at that very moment that Jesus died,
33:43 a great earthquake rent the rocks of Golgotha.
33:47 The place of the skull was broken by the cross.
33:50 Satan's cranium, Satan's calvary, was crushed
33:53 by the power of the infinite love of God.
33:56 Christ had come and cracked the devil in his head.
34:00 Oh my friends, I'm here to tell you tonight
34:02 that love wins, because Jesus wins.
34:05 And because He wins, we win too.
34:09 Victory by association.
34:13 And so what does it mean?
34:14 In Revelation 12:10 when the Bible says that Satan is
34:17 cast down, it's referring to what happened at the cross.
34:21 But friends, what does this mean?
34:23 You see, in round number one, Satan was cast down
34:27 from heaven, the kingdom of God, the place where God dwells.
34:32 But after that, he still had access
34:34 to the heavens, in the plural.
34:36 That's the realms of illuminable space, the unfallen worlds.
34:39 And that's why the Bible calls Satan, the prince
34:41 of the power of the air.
34:45 So round number one, he's cast out of heaven.
34:47 But round number two, at the cross he is now
34:49 cast out of the heavens.
34:51 No longer could he taunt the angels.
34:55 No longer could he bother unfallen worlds.
34:57 Now his work is restricted to planet earth.
35:00 I want you to notice the book, Desire of Ages, describes it
35:03 in these words.
35:05 Desire of Ages, page 761, says...
35:37 And so the Bible says that he is cast down.
35:41 Confined to this world.
35:43 No longer able to bother the unfallen worlds.
35:47 And that's why if you notice the next verse,
35:49 jumping down to verse 12, it says in Revelation 12:12,
35:53 "Therefore rejoice, ye..."
36:09 After the cross, the devil knows that the war
36:12 has already been won.
36:14 He knows that his days are numbered.
36:16 He knows that he has but a very short time.
36:19 And so as he's cast down the second time
36:22 in round number two at the cross, notice what he does next.
36:27 Jumping down to verse 17.
36:30 Now Satan turns his attention against the beloved
36:34 bride of Christ.
36:36 Revelation 12:17, "And the dragon was wroth
36:39 with the woman..."
36:50 You see, the devil can no longer touch Christ.
36:52 Jesus knocked him down in heaven,
36:55 and he knocked him down on earth at the cross.
36:57 Jesus goes back to heaven,
36:59 so Satan can't touch Christ anymore.
37:01 So in order to hurt Christ, he turns his attacks
37:04 against the beloved bride of Christ.
37:08 Now why would he do this?
37:10 If the war has already been won at the cross,
37:13 then why is Satan still defiant?
37:16 Why does he still want to fight?
37:19 Especially against the bride.
37:21 Here's the reason, friends.
37:24 If you are in a twelve round boxing match,
37:27 and you lose eleven of the first rounds,
37:32 you go to your corner, what is your trainer going to tell you
37:36 in preparation for the twelfth round?
37:40 The trainer is going to tell you, "The only hope you have
37:43 is a knock-out.
37:45 It's not going to help if you win the twelfth round
37:48 if you've already lost eleven rounds.
37:50 The only chance you've got to win this fight
37:55 is a TKO, total knock-out."
37:59 Well friends, we're not in a twelve round boxing match.
38:03 We're in a three round boxing match.
38:05 Satan lost the first two rounds.
38:08 We are in the third and final round.
38:11 And the devil knows, he thinks to himself that the only way
38:15 he can actually win the great controversy
38:17 is to knock out the people of God.
38:22 And that's why it says in the book, Great Controversy,
38:25 page 618, notice what it says.
38:29 Talking about Satan.
38:51 See, the devil thinks, he actually believes
38:54 that he can still win the great controversy.
38:57 He lost the first two rounds, but if he can knock out
38:59 the little company, the people of God,
39:01 in round number three, he thinks he can actually win.
39:04 And for this cause, my friends, Satan is preparing a knock-out
39:08 punch for God's people in these last says.
39:11 And what we want to find out, what exactly is this final
39:14 and fatal blow?
39:16 Well, the context answers that question.
39:20 For when you read
39:22 about how the dragon is warring with the woman,
39:25 the war described in verse 17 is actually expounded upon
39:30 when you follow the context in the next chapter,
39:34 chapter 13.
39:35 Because in the 13th of Revelation,
39:38 it describes what Satan is going to do in the last days,
39:41 as it discusses the union of two beasts coming together
39:45 and how this unholy union will result in the enforcing
39:49 of the mark of the beast in the form of a national Sunday law.
39:55 And that those who refuse to go along with
39:57 the mark of the beast, this national Sunday law,
40:00 they're going to be stripped from every earthly comfort.
40:04 The Bible says that they will not be able to buy or sell.
40:07 Religious intolerance will spring up, flowing into a
40:11 rushing river of persecution.
40:13 Eventually a death decree will be passed,
40:15 threatening the lives of God's faithful people.
40:20 We don't have time to study Revelation 13,
40:22 but I want to challenge you, friends, take a look into that.
40:24 If you don't understand it, read it and study it,
40:27 and you will see that this prophecy
40:29 is being fulfilled right before our very eyes.
40:32 This is Satan's final blow to the remnant church,
40:35 to God's bride, in round number three.
40:39 And in response to this union, in chapter 14,
40:45 following the context, we see a loud cry message
40:49 heard in the next chapter in response, crying out
40:53 against this unholy union.
40:54 It's the three angels' messages, of which the third angel
40:58 warns against the worshiping of the beast
41:01 and receiving the mark of the beast.
41:02 That's Revelation 14:9-11,
41:07 which shows us very simply that this is the final test;
41:11 the final knock-out punch.
41:14 Time will not permit us to explain the intricacies
41:16 of this issue in detail.
41:18 And so allow me, friends, to read you just a brief
41:20 summary of it.
41:22 In the book, Great Controversy, and on page 605, it says this...
41:58 Friends, we've been told very clearly that a
42:01 national Sunday law will be passed.
42:04 The religious right will propose that this is the solution
42:07 to the many problems of our world.
42:10 That the reason why we are suffering all these calamities,
42:13 natural disasters, and terrorism,
42:15 and economic instability, and international unrest,
42:18 the world needs to be healed,
42:21 global warming, and all these things,
42:23 all the problems, and people are going to be saying that
42:26 the solution to these problems is that
42:28 we need to get back to God.
42:30 And so let us pass a national Sunday law
42:33 to heal the world.
42:35 But a national Sunday law is not going to heal the world
42:37 and make it a better place.
42:38 A national Sunday law will heal the deadly wound.
42:42 And friends, things are just going to get worse and worse.
42:44 Natural disasters will continue to increase
42:47 in intensity and frequency.
42:49 Terrorism, economic instability; it's just going to get
42:51 worse and worse and worse.
42:53 And so the people are going to look around
42:54 and they're going to realize, "Our plan did not work.
42:57 I wonder why?
42:59 We passed this national Sunday law, and yet
43:01 the world is still terrible.
43:04 What's the problem?"
43:05 And they're going to look around and they're going to see
43:07 that there's a small minority, a little flock,
43:12 that have not chosen to go along with it.
43:15 A small minority who wants to remain faithful
43:18 to Jesus Christ and the Word of God,
43:21 that will not violate their conscience in going against
43:25 the national Sunday law.
43:27 And the people will say, "That's the reason it's not working."
43:32 And God's people will be looked upon as terrorists,
43:36 as extremists.
43:38 Like Elijah was looked upon by Jezebel;
43:40 troublers of the people.
43:42 And that's why is says in the book, Great Controversy,
43:44 page 615, notice what it says...
44:27 And friends, that sounds scary.
44:29 But Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock.
44:33 It is your Father's good pleasure
44:35 to give you the kingdom."
44:36 God's people will be looked upon as troublers.
44:39 Just as the religious leaders united with political powers
44:43 to crucify Jesus, the same will happen to God's people.
44:47 You see, back in Christ's day the religious right said,
44:50 "It's better that one die than the whole nation perish."
44:54 And so what they did to Jesus in round number two
44:57 is going to be repeated in round number three.
44:59 History is going to be repeated, friends.
45:01 The stage is set for this final crisis.
45:04 Yes, it sounds scary.
45:06 But thank the Lord we have nothing to be afraid of.
45:09 Because the Bible says, "Perfect love casts out fear."
45:14 This is not a message of fear and doom and gloom.
45:17 It's a message of love, friends.
45:19 All we need to do is learn to love the blessed Christ.
45:23 And we love Him because He first loved us.
45:26 And as His love is poured into us, fear dispels.
45:33 We don't have to worry about the mark of the beast issue
45:36 as long as we have the seal of God.
45:39 You see, my friends, it is the seal of God
45:42 that is placed in the forehead, that's the head gear,
45:46 that enables us to endure and stand the final
45:49 mark of the beast blow.
45:52 So don't so much worry about the mark of the beast,
45:55 just pray and seek for the seal of the living God.
45:59 Amen?
46:01 As long as we have that head gear, we've been told that
46:04 none but those who have fortified their minds
46:07 with the truths of the Bible will stand through the
46:09 last great conflict.
46:11 And tomorrow night we're going to talk about the seal of God.
46:14 But I want us to notice, what does it take
46:18 to receive the seal of God?
46:20 What do we need in order to stand during the final blow
46:25 in the last round?
46:27 The book, Great Controversy, page 621, says this...
46:47 "The period of probation is granted to all
46:50 to prepare for that time."
47:24 But God will have a few, He will have a people
47:30 that prize salvation more than anything else,
47:33 that love Jesus more than they love their own lives.
47:39 We need that faith, friends.
47:41 What we need is a faith that can endure
47:42 weariness, hunger, and delay.
47:44 And friends, there's only one faith that can
47:45 endure those things.
47:47 It is the faith of Jesus.
47:50 You see, friends, in order to wrestle with Satan and win,
47:55 we first have to wrestle with God and lose.
48:00 Just like Jacob.
48:02 In order to face his time of trouble, in order to face Esau
48:06 and win, he first had to face himself with the Lord and lose.
48:12 You see, friends, victory over the antichrist
48:16 is found in surrender to Jesus Christ.
48:21 Victory is found in surrender.
48:27 Will God have a people that will surrender all?
48:31 Will God have a people that will remain standing
48:33 at the end of the final round?
48:35 It's interesting, friends, that immediately after
48:37 the mark of the beast issue is brought before the
48:39 attention of the world, in Revelation 14:9-11,
48:42 the very next verse describes a group of people
48:46 who have a faith that has endured the final blow
48:51 in round number three.
48:52 And notice how they're described.
48:54 Revelation 14:12.
49:05 They have not gone along with the mark of the beast.
49:07 They keep the commandments of God, why?
49:09 Because they have, what else?
49:11 The faith, not only in Jesus, but the faith of Jesus.
49:16 Here is a group of people, they not only have faith
49:19 and they not only have works, but they have a faith
49:22 that works because they love Jesus.
49:24 It's an enduring durable faith.
49:27 Of course they have faith in Jesus.
49:30 But more than that, they have the faith of Jesus.
49:32 The same faith Jesus had is theirs as well.
49:37 Here is the remnant that remains standing
49:40 until the bell rings.
49:42 They refuse the mark of the beast.
49:43 They love God enough to keep all of His commandments.
49:46 And what makes them strong to stand is their faith
49:49 in Jesus, and the fact that they have the faith of Jesus.
49:52 And let me tell you, friends, the Bible is clear that faith
49:56 is the victory that overcomes the world.
50:00 Faith is the victory, 1 John 5:4.
50:05 And so if they have faith in Jesus,
50:09 then they will also have victory in Jesus.
50:12 Victory by association.
50:15 But if they have the faith of Jesus, then that means
50:19 they will also have the victory of Jesus.
50:23 Victory by individual assimilation.
50:28 And friends, what was the faith and the victory of Jesus
50:33 in round number two?
50:35 Let's go back there for a moment as we get ready to close.
50:39 The victory that Jesus won was a victory of love.
50:43 A love that never failed.
50:46 In the garden of Gethsemane,
50:48 Jesus was taking a beating for us.
50:51 He was getting hit from all sides.
50:54 And in that garden, He clung to the cold ground.
50:57 Great drops of blood began to flow from His brow.
50:59 And in that very moment, Jesus did not feel like dying.
51:04 He did not feel like fulfilling His mission.
51:08 He felt like giving up.
51:09 The devil was there tempting Christ,
51:12 "Don't waste Your love on the human race.
51:16 Stop loving them.
51:18 They don't want You.
51:19 Go back to heaven."
51:20 And Jesus, His humanity,
51:22 felt like He could not drink the cup.
51:23 He prayed, "Father, if it's possible,
51:25 let this cup pass from Me."
51:28 He felt like tapping out.
51:29 He felt like throwing in the towel.
51:31 He was down for the count.
51:33 And as He looked in His corner, He looked for someone
51:35 that would be willing to pray for Him.
51:38 But when Jesus needed us the most,
51:43 the corner was sleeping on Him.
51:45 Jesus longed to know that there was someone
51:47 that cared about His sacrifice.
51:49 He longed to hear a word of encouragement.
51:51 Longed for someone to wipe the blood off His brow.
51:54 But we were not there for Him.
51:56 He was in the ring by Himself.
51:59 Knocked down, but surely not knocked out.
52:03 For He got back up, friends.
52:05 He got back up and took our beating to the very end.
52:10 He kept fighting the fight of faith.
52:12 He said, "Nevertheless, not as I will.
52:15 Thy will be done."
52:16 And despite His feelings, He moved forward by faith.
52:20 This is the faith of Jesus that won a mighty victory of love.
52:24 He got back up only to face the false accusations and
52:28 beatings of the Sanhedrin.
52:29 He got back up to be crowned, not as King of glory,
52:33 but criminal of death.
52:34 He got back up, and instead of hearing the cheers,
52:37 He heard the taunts of the frenzied crowd
52:39 who said, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
52:42 We don't want this Man."
52:43 He got back up to carry the heavy cross up on Mount Calvary.
52:47 He got back up to raise His hands, not in triumph,
52:50 but to receive the nails.
52:53 He got back up to be raise, not on the shoulders of people,
52:57 but to be raised on a cruel torturous Roman cross.
52:59 And despite the tauntings from the spectating crowd,
53:02 He looked into the face of His murderers
53:04 and He prayed, "Father, forgive them.
53:07 They don't know what they're doing, Lord.
53:09 Forgive them."
53:10 You see, Jesus would not stop loving us.
53:13 He loved us to the very end.
53:15 And as Satan was bruising Christ's heel,
53:17 Christ was crushing Satan's head by His sacrifice.
53:21 Jesus was proving that love is possible
53:24 despite the circumstances.
53:25 That love bears all things, believes all things,
53:28 hopes all things, endures all things.
53:31 For love never fails.
53:35 He is the Champion of love.
53:38 And though the cross was like a physical defeat,
53:42 it was a spiritual victory.
53:44 And because He won, we won.
53:48 Victory by corporate association
53:51 will then turn to victory by individual assimilation.
53:55 For notice what the Bible says in Romans 16:20.
53:59 It says, "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan..."
54:02 Under who's feet?
54:11 That verse is an echo of the victory that Christ won
54:15 over Satan in round number two as Christ was crushing
54:19 the head of the serpent.
54:21 But here, this passage says that Jesus would do that same thing
54:25 under the feet of His people.
54:28 The victory that is won by association
54:32 will also be won by assimilation.
54:36 As persecution arises in the last days,
54:39 and as every earthly thing is stripped from God's people,
54:43 they will have a love that's stronger than death.
54:47 A love that remains faithful unto death,
54:49 and a love for people.
54:51 God's people will be able to look into the face of
54:53 their persecutors and look at them just like
54:55 Jesus looks at them.
54:57 "Lord, forgive them.
54:59 They don't know what they're doing."
55:01 Christ in us, who won the victory at the cross for us,
55:08 will deliver the final knock-out blow to Satan through us
55:14 in round number three.
55:16 As the character of Christ is reproduced in His end time
55:20 saints, Satan's accusations will be proven false.
55:25 The universe will see that love is possible.
55:27 And now Satan can be forever destroyed.
55:31 TKO, total knock-out, for eternity.
55:37 And after that final knock-out punch,
55:40 because we have received the seal of love
55:44 in our foreheads, now we can wear the crown of life.
55:50 And then we will reign forever with Jesus,
55:53 our undisputed, undefeated, unrelenting, unfailing,
55:58 Champion of love.
56:01 And they that are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.
56:10 How many of you want to be with Him?
56:13 How many of you want Jesus to be in you?
56:17 You want to be called, chosen, and faithful.
56:21 My friends, in this great controversy between
56:23 good and evil, if the devil knocks you down,
56:27 just make sure he doesn't knock you out.
56:29 Get back up, my friends.
56:31 You may have fallen today into drugs or alcohol,
56:34 or sexual perversity, or lying, or cursing.
56:37 You may have failed God today.
56:39 But it does not matter how many times you fall,
56:42 but how many times you get back up.
56:45 And friends, victory is assured as long as we continue
56:49 to get back up.
56:50 The Bible says, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy.
56:53 When I fall, I shall arise.
56:56 And when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me."
57:02 That's grace. Amazing grace.
57:06 As our heads are bowed and eyes are closed,
57:09 would you listen to the words of this song
57:12 and commit your life to the Champion of love
57:16 and His amazing grace?
57:17 Listen carefully.
57:20 My faithful Father,
57:27 enduring Friend;
57:31 Your tender mercy is like a river with no end.
57:41 It overwhelms me,
57:48 covers my sin;
57:52 each time I come into Your presence...
58:07 Your grace still amazes me,
58:14 Your love is still a mystery.
58:20 And each day I fall on my knees,
58:29 'cause Your grace still amazes me.
58:36 Your grace still amazes me.
58:55 Allow me to share this last story,
58:58 as we get ready to close in prayer.
59:01 A story about a young lady by the name of Denise.
59:05 She's 27 years old, newly married.
59:09 Her whole life was ahead of her.
59:11 Just a few weeks ago from today, she went to work
59:16 like she had always done before.
59:18 She worked at the Inland Regional Center there in
59:21 San Bernardino, California.
59:24 And as she went to work that day, it was a day that
59:27 seemed to be like any other day.
59:30 And at first, the day was very uneventful.
59:33 She had a co-worker by the name of Shannon Johnson.
59:36 Her friend and co-worker.
59:38 They were sitting together in the conference room
59:40 and they were joking with each other about how the
59:42 clock on the wall must have been broken,
59:44 because time was moving so slowly.
59:47 It seemed like the clock was barely moving,
59:49 and it seemed like it went on for eternity.
59:51 But a few minutes later, all of that would change.
59:55 Chaos broke loose as two terrorists walked into that room
01:00:00 and unloaded over 60 rounds of bullets toward
01:00:03 everyone in that room.
01:00:05 And as the bullets whizzed through the air like
01:00:07 messengers of death, both Shannon and Denise
01:00:11 hit the floor and took refuge under a table.
01:00:14 And as the rounds were unloaded, Denise thought that for sure
01:00:18 she was going to die.
01:00:19 But then, all of a sudden, her co-worker, Shannon,
01:00:21 grabbed her and held her close using his own body
01:00:25 as a shield to protect her from the bullets.
01:00:29 And as Denise was screaming and shouting and fearful,
01:00:32 Shannon just said the words, "I got you. I got you.
01:00:37 I got you."
01:00:39 Those were Shannon's last words.
01:00:43 He laid down his life so that Denise could live.
01:00:49 That happened just a few weeks ago in San Bernardino.
01:00:52 But friends, I'm here to tell you, that is exactly
01:00:54 what God is like.
01:00:56 Satan is a demonic terrorist seeking to
01:00:58 steal, and kill, and destroy.
01:01:00 But Jesus came to give us life.
01:01:02 And the way in which He gave life was laying down
01:01:05 His life for us.
01:01:08 He took all our blows just like a rock wall,
01:01:12 taking the beatings of the waves so that the ships in the
01:01:15 harbor are safe.
01:01:17 It was Christ.
01:01:19 And when He was on the cross, it was if Jesus was saying
01:01:23 to the human race, "I got you.
01:01:27 I got you.
01:01:28 Yes, you face a brutal enemy, but I got you.
01:01:32 Yes, you live in a scary world, but don't worry.
01:01:34 I got you.
01:01:36 Yes, the future seems dark and uncertain,
01:01:37 but I got you."
01:01:39 Love laid down His life so we could live.
01:01:42 So you could live.
01:01:44 Jesus died for you.
01:01:47 Will you live for Him?
01:01:50 If so, why don't we surrender our hearts tonight
01:01:53 to the Champion of love.
01:01:55 Let us pray.
01:01:57 Oh Lord, You're so good.
01:02:02 Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude.
01:02:06 Thank You, God, for not giving up on us.
01:02:10 Thank You, God, for not leaving us down for the count.
01:02:15 Thank You, Lord, that You stepped in
01:02:17 and You took our beating for us.
01:02:22 You took our beating so that we might have Your blessing.
01:02:27 You took our curse so that we could be blessed.
01:02:32 You were smitten that we might be saved.
01:02:36 You were cut off so that we might be reconciled.
01:02:40 Lord, tonight we pray that You will please
01:02:44 just take our hearts.
01:02:46 We pray that You'll sit upon the throne of our lives
01:02:50 as the Champion of love.
01:02:52 That the victory You've won at the cross for us,
01:02:55 that You'll also win that same victory in us
01:02:58 and through us in these last days.
01:03:01 This is our prayer.
01:03:03 We thank You for Your love.
01:03:05 In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
01:03:08 Amen. Amen.


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