Greetings in the name of Jesus. Allow me to share on a subject entitled " SATAN'S HOUR" A Moment of Betrayal and Denial! The Bible says, " When I was daily with you in the temple, you stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
Brethren, as we reflect on Christ's agony in Gethsemane, it becomes apparent that just as Adam's disobedience in a garden brought ruin upon mankind, so the obedience of 'the last Adam' in this garden was essential for mankind's salvation.
One writer says, " Gethsemane supplies the medicine for the ills which followed upon the forbidden fruit of Eden." When the Saviour, having eaten the Passover and instituted the Holy supper, went accross the brook Kedron to Gethsemane, not only was he going to a spot where he loved to go for prayer and rest, but also to a place where his enemies could easily find him.
The Book of John also tells us, ' "Judas.....also knew the place' ( JOHN 18:2). Let me hasten to mention that this moment of midnight hour of solitary confinement and betrayal is faced by almost all living beings, regardless of status and colour. It is a time of untold agony and suffering that is meant to elevate one from a position of nobody to somebody. Jesus Christ's suffering and humility brought salvation to mankind. ( Philippians 2:5-11, Acts 4:12).
This was the most unkindest cut of all............That kiss was a stab in the heart, a dastardly (wicked) act of disloyalty on the part of one who had been treated as a trusted friend. Don't trust a person, but trust God alone. A human being can change and betray you anytime. God never changes His plan for your life ( Jeremiah 17:5-7, Psalms 20:7, Proverbs 3:5-6, Malachi 3:6, Numbers 23:19-20, Jeremiah 29:11).
" I am not speaking of all of you, said Christ, I know whom I have chosen. But the scripture will be fulfilled," He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me"' (JOHN 13:18). Soldiers arrested Jesus while he stood calmly without reacting, when Judas sold him to the enemies. Christ's hands were firmly bound, but not before they had once again been stretched out in mercy as he healed Malchus' s war ( Luke 22:51).
What amazing love and mercy by our Savior. Regardless of the situation Christ was in, he continued to extend his loving healing hand to those who were agsinst him. He knew that vegeance is of the Lord and for not us. ( Romans 12:14-21). Wooow! The last thing the Lord Jesus did before His hands were bound was to heal! It was at the moment of arrest, that the Saviour made the profound statement, " This is your hour, and the power of darkness."
A PREDETERMINED HOUR! The hour of Christ's arrest, trial and crucifixion was determined in the counsels of the Godhead from all eternity. Although slain by 'wicked hands ', Christ's suffering and death was ' according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God' ( Acts 2:23). This hour was predestined and it was prophesied: prophecy depends on predestination. Thus both Matthew and Mark, in their account of Christ's arrest, quote his saying, ' All this has taken place, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled' ( Matthew 26:56).
Clearly, Christ saw his captivity in terms of God's sovereign schedule. All of history had moved unerringly and inexorably to this hour. The statement of the Saviour attributing his arrest to 'the power of darkness' shows that initially the plan of God, enemies would succeed, not just because they came to him under cover of darkness, but essentially because in this hour Satan and his forces were permitted by God to subject Christ to further suffering and humiliation.
God reserved this hour for Satan. In all of time this hour was especially his. Heeeey! Imagine God allowing the devil to do what was done to His only begotten son ( Job 1:7-21). Sometimes our shuddering and tribulations are allowed by God to take place as a way of testing us and strengthing our faith. Some trials and tribulations are meant to test our faith and trust in God ( 1 CORINTHIANS 10:7:13. John 16:33).
The darkness of which Christ spoke was the darkness of evil and of the prince of darkness. In this dread hour Satan had free rein. In the case of Job God set a limit to Satan's activity. In the experience of Christ there were no limits to Satan's onslaught He was free to do his worst , and he did.
Instead he continued as usual to go to a place of solitary confinement and prayer to worship His Father whom he knew had solutions and and anwers to all his challenges and problems. ( Psalms 91:1-3). But in the spirit of voluntary self-surrender he met his enemies. Despite challenges and storms of life you may be facing, don't give up on prayer, fasting and reading God's word.
Usually when people have challenges and problems they do not have strength and courage to stand up and pray. But the people who know their God would be strong and take action. You do not give up or surrender because of storms of life. ( Daniel 11:32, Hebrews 10:35-39).
Remember, Paul and Silas in their midnight hour in prison they did not keep queit, but sang a song and prayed instead of mourning and crying, Like what others do. You have to be strong in the Lord in times of trouble and tribulations. ( Ephesians 6:10, John 16:33).
Jesus even warned us that in the world we will always face tribulations and trials, but we should not be moved and shaken. ( Psalms125:1-2). Be strong in the Lord and His might power.
It was at Gethsemane where Judas, in the company of soldiers, gave the prearranged signal whereby they might identify the Nazarene - an ostentatious kiss of apparent affection. It was an act of black treason.
CHRIST'S HOUR! Because God sovereignly chose this hour, there is a sense in which it must also be seen as Christ's hour, the hour appointed for his sacrifice. Thus it is called Satan"s hour on one place and Christ's in another.
There is no contradiction in this. The same event is viewed from different angles. Throughout his earthly ministry Christ was conscious of an hour which would be peculiarly his as as well as perculiarly Satan's.
This aspect of his Messianic consciousness receives prominence in John's gospel. Repeatedly the Lord declares, ' My time is not yet come.' Gethsemane and Calvary marked high noon in the world's long day, and God's permission was absolute as Satan mustered his legions for the decisive encounter.
As Satan entered the battlefield he did so fully conscious of the Word of God: ' He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.' When tempting Christ in the wilderness, Satan had done his utmost to deflect him from this hour, to take some other road than the way of the cross, but all in vain.
Now the battle has commenced in earnest. Nothing could stop it . This is your hour, Satan!
Christ was well aware when his hour had not yet come. He was equally aware when it had. Thus in his great high priestly prayer he could say, " Father, the hour has come; glorify your son that the son may glorify you........."There is a note of finality about the perfect tense here - ' the hour has come and remains.' ( John 17)
Yet as he prayed in the very shadow of the cross , Christ saw his death as the means to true glory, and He saw his own glory closely connected with that of his Father. Indeed they merged as one. ' So the name of soldiers .....arrested Jesus and bound him' ( John 18:12). In modern parlance, Christ the King, was led away handcuffed. No longer had he free passage in his own world.
Voluntarily he submitted to captivity - he who in all this was to lead captivity captive! As Judas led the soldiers into the garden, the Saviour was advancing to meet him. ' Rise' he said, ' let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand' (Markb14:42 (. For the moment the storm had passed and Christ's whole bearing was marked by total self- possession and sublime composure. He knew what awaited him and as he went his steps were firm. ( Hebrews 12:26-29). He could not be shaken because his Kingdom is unshakeable.
When on one occasion, the Jews tried to arrest him, there were unable to do so: 'No one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come' ( John 7:30). The time for his arrest and death was not yet, and no matter how might his enemies could not advance it by so much as a second.
Predestination keeps perfect time ( For similar expressions to ' My hour ' in John's Gospel, ( John2:4, John7: 6,8 John8:20, John 12:23, 27l, John13 :1, John 16:32 and John 17:1). John makes clear that from the very beginning there is an appointed hour for the Saviour and before that time he could not be harmed. In your own life there is an hour for Christ, when you shall receive your blessings, deliverance, marriage, job and financial breakthrough ( Galatians 6:9-10, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11).
As I conclude I want to mention that, the garden was empty again, this lonely garden that time-which is situated mid - way between Eden and a greater garden than Eden, that is so beautifully described in Revelation 22. It is where it flows for ever' river of the water of life.'
The strugle in Gethsemane had been fierce. Soon the struggle would be fiercer still. ' That old serpent, called the devil and Satan' had uncoiled and had bared his fangs, poised to strike again and again with all the venom of which he was capable.
Trampling on serpents is a most painful experience, especially for the heel. ( Luke 10:19). Jesus Christ overcame Satan's hour on the CROSS. So you can also overcome that hour as a born again Christian. ( 1 John 5:4-5, Romans 8:31-39). You can overcome challenges and storms of life, as well as sicknesses and diseases. Because of Christ we can face challenges in life.
May God help you overcome dark hours and storms of life.
God bless you all for reading this message!
Evangelist Fanuel Masikati
Email:Divinerevelations7@gmail.com
Cell:263778495363
