IT IS FINISHED

By Rick Mathes

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, ” It is finished!” And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.

Tetelestai! This was the one word that dropped me to my knees. I had always prayed, “Dear Lord, bless my wife and children. I deserve the punishment for my sins so bring it on! I understand I have it coming.” I had been a token Roman Catholic and had that “balance sheet” mentality that if I do more good than bad, I’ll be ok. So the revelation that His right to punish my sins was laid on His Son, was too much for me to resist.

In that one word, Scripture was fulfilled and Satan was defeated right where he stood. The veil of the Holy of Holies was torn open from top to bottom and God’s answer to sin’s assault was open to all. Everyone with a breath that moment on had direct and immediate access to Jesus and salvation from sin and God’s judgment.

Death stung Jesus and died.

The rein of death came to an end when He stepped from that tomb three days later as He said He would. I would have loved to have seen the Satan’s face when He learned that he did not kill God’s Son. The devil is a created being. Neither he his demons nor even the angels in glory know any more that what we do in the written Word and life of Christ. We all know that the power of sin is broken and the punishment of sin will be inflicted on unbelievers only.

Our sin infested imperfect lives have been exchanged for His perfect life that certainly includes the salvation from our sins. The Dove has landed on your shoulder and peace has come to mankind. There is no price that can put on the freedom except the price God’s Son paid on that Cross: paid-in-full!

The death penalty we deserve was paid by Him and His sacrifice. The freeing of man through Christ demonstrates the incredible wisdom and justice of God the Father. Therein is the healing for every nation whose knee bows to the name of Jesus. This then releases the fullness of God the Holy Spirit as has never happened since nor will happen again. The old government is about to collapse and the new is on the horizon. I can hear the hoof-beats, the Lord is near; nearer that you think because, It is finished!