It's finished

It's Already Finished

Author: Pastor Gary Keesee | Posted: Friday, August 10, 2012 - 2:10pm
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Hiroo Onodo was a Japanese soldier in WWII. He was highly skilled, having been trained to gather intelligence and in guerilla warfare. In 1944, he was sent to Lubang Island in the Philippines. Just months later, the island was conquered and the remaining Japanese soldiers headed into the jungle to hide.
But the soldiers had a problem. The war was over and they were hiding. Despite several attempts to let them know the war had ended, they continued to hide. Several of the men finally came out, or passed away, but Onodo stayed in the jungle. He just couldn’t believe that the war had ended.
Twenty-nine years later (yes, 29!) a student found him living in a cave. He still believed the war was going on. He had even killed and injured people mistakenly. When the student tried to get him to come home, he said his commanding officers were to come and retrieve him no matter what happened, and they hadn’t done that. It took tracking down his retired leader to come and tell him the war had long been over. Twenty-nine years of Onodo’s life had been wasted!
Terrible story, huh? Here’s the saddest part: Onodo was living like a lot of Christians live—in survival mode—not knowing the battle is already finished.
In Luke 10:17-20, Jesus sent out 72 disciples and it says they returned with joy.
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
See, they realized that the demons were subject to them. They understood that the battle was finished.

The minute you understand that it is finished is the day you can live joyfully. It’s not enough for your pastor to say you can have victory. It’s not enough for you to hear, or read, that you can have victory. It’s only when you experience the victory that your life will be changed. That’s when you’ll realize you’re free, and that you have a future.
Jesus said He’s given you authority. That’s in red ink in my Bible. I don’t care what your favorite Bible teacher says on the radio or what your circumstance is telling you,Jesus said nothing will harm you. Put the word “me” at the end and say it out loud, “Nothing will harm me.”
Most people are looking outside of themselves for the answer, but YOU have been given the power to trample on the enemy’s schemes. This is what the Bible is trying to tell us—What did David kill Goliath with? How many men did Gideon lead against the Midianites only to stand by as they started killing each other because of confusion? How many pick axes did Israel need to break down the wall of Jericho? How many fertility specialists did Abraham and Sarah have to visit? How did Lazarus come out of the grave? Look at what God is showing us in His Word!
God woke me up three nights ago with these words, “My people must change their mindsets. They’re not thinking right. Their thoughts are holding them hostage. They’re not thinking the thoughts of Christ. They’re not thinking as victors think.”
God wants you to know the war is over! There is victory!
In college, there was a guy who lived in the room next to me who had a severe lazy eye. He had no depth perception. Every night I would see him reading his Bible. One night, I walked by his room and he asked me to come in. He said, “I’ve discovered that Jesus paid for my healing!” He asked me to pray with him. We prayed and he received his healing. That was great, but he could have been set free from that earlier! He had just discovered the battle was over.
How many things have you lost or missed out on because you didn’t know the battle was over?
So many people live under the lie that Satan is in charge, but you’ve been given authority to bind and to loose. You don’t have to beg or cry. There doesn’t need to be any hype. You just have to understand God’s government. God is going to back up His Word. Then you can step into that government and enjoy the benefits of that kingdom.
Any bondage in your life is simply a lack of truth. You’ve believed a lie.
The devil doesn’t mind you knowing Matthew 28:18: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” That doesn’t scare him a bit. He remembers when Jesus came out of the tomb. But Jesus isn’t here.
Everyone knows God is powerful. That’s not the key to your victory. No, what the enemy is scared spitless that you’ll realize is Mark 11:22-24:
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Notice it says, “If you say to this mountain…” but how do most people pray? They say, “Father, we come to you in the name of Jesus and ask you to ____________.” We’ve got it wrong. Religion has taught us to go to God.
Now, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. Jesus is teaching us how His government works. A mountain is something that stands in opposition to His government. Jesus didn’t pray to God. He spoke to Lazarus. He spoke to the Centaurian. He spoke to the leper. He spoke to the wind and the waves. He didn’t speak to God. He spoke to the demons. He spoke to the paralytic. Do you see what I’m showing you?
There isn’t one time recorded where He asked God to do it. Jesus operated in delegated authority and heaven backed it up! He is our example!
These stories are written to show us how the Kingdom of God operates. So read the Word. Learn how the government operates. It will completely change your life! God’s already done it all! What are you putting up with that you don’t have to? What have you learned to live with? God doesn’t play favorites! The battle is already finished.

great post,, and it really spoke to me i needed to be reminded as to how to approach things,, after reading this, i remember reading all those things in the Bible but until now it never sunk in,, all those yrs wasted,, when there was so much more i could have done,, again thanks,, better late then never i suppose,, a song by petra,, "It is finished"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuFvhjEO0Ao

​I remember Petra well. Worked as an evangelism councilor for 13 years at a Christian concert hall. They preformed there numerous times.
Thanks for the memory Pat.

i know this is a little off the topic but i couldn't resist this one to post, it kind of fits for the south west here in Az,,,,lol,, they are a great Christian band with a very wide style for western to rock..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OmzJcV9iEk

:thumbup: :iwo:

Our God is such an awesome God!!!!!!