Key Passage: Luke 19: 28-30

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Jesus, knowing that he had accomplished the mission God sent him to do on the earth said, “It is finished”. He meant that by his sacrifice, every price for man’s redemption had been paid; the demand of God for man’s salvation had been met; the atonement for man’s sins had been made; the battle for man’s deliverance had been gallantly fought and won and the verdict of the Garden of Eden where man was conquered had been reversed. He then bowed his head, breathed his last and gave up the spirit.

By his death, Jesus destroyed Satan who had the power of death over man, thereby freeing man from his dominion (Heb 2: 15-16). He spoiled principalities and powers, disarming them of the power to torment man and keep him under bondage (Col 2:15). He condemned sin in man’s flesh and set man free from its law (Rom 8:2-3). He destroyed the enmity between God and man, reconciling them by his blood (Rom 5: 10). He also redeemed man from the curse of the law and healed him by his stripes (Gal 3:13, 1 Pet 2:24). He accomplished it all, died, was buried, and on the third day, rose again. By his resurrection, Jesus made the victory he obtained for man permanent and irreversible.

The great thing about true Christianity, which distinguishes it from mere religion, is that it depends solely on the things which God had done through the finished work of His Son. Mere religion involves acts, devotions and rituals that men commit themselves to in their efforts to reach God; but these ends up as efforts in futility, because even the righteousness of men are like filthy rags to God (Is 64:4). True Christianity involves faith in the finished work of Christ; for it is by grace that we are saved through faith, which is the gift of God; and that, not of works, lest anyone would boast (Eph 2: 8-9).

What should we then do? It is to stand in faith on the finished work of Christ and assert our victory in every area of our lives. The same work Christ “finished”, which paid for our salvation also paid for our deliverance, healing and restoration. It has also given us unrestrained access that we can always come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need (Heb 4:16).

Pray: Lord, help me to understand that Jesus has finished it all for me; grant me the faith and grace not to accept anymore defeat in my life.

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi