OCCUPY TIL I COME
Luke 19:13

Occupy =       pragmateuomai=to do business, go about your business (of the Kingdom=basileia=reign of the King, kingdom reign; beginning in my heart and the hearts of others)

Jesus didn’t say build fortresses, walls and buildings and hold off the enemy till He comes back again!  Jesus said to take back the territory the enemy has stolen!  And to do that you have to go where the demons are! Jesus did not call us to defend(defensively) the faith but to fight (offensively) the good fight of faith!(I Timothy 6:12)  We seem to have made a truce with the enemy: “We won’t bother you if you won’t bother us?”  The sad thing is, we keep our part but the devil never has and never will!  We’re like children rolling over and playing dead and taking what the devil dishes out to us! Jesus didn’t tell us to “Circle the wagons and hope that He returns while there are still some of us left!”

  1. Matthew 16:18 “I will build(oikodomomeo=to build a house) my church (ekklesia=called out ones) and the gates=pule=wing of a double gate) of hell Hell=hades= the unseen world…demonic spirit world: Ephesians 6:12 will not prevail(=ischuo=to be very strong against it).”
  2. Jesus conquered hell and took the KEYS(kleis)of death and hell(Revelation 1:18) We don’t need keys to the gates of hell…Jesus has already unlocked their gates and simply commands us to storm them for they cannot prevail against His Church(ekklesia).  What He did give us as His CHURCH (ekklesia)are the KEYS TO THE KINGDOM of heaven and earth!  The famous missionary, C.T. Studd, said, “I don’t want to live ‘neath the sound of church bells; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell!” Matthew 11:12  “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence(biazomai=to be forced), and the violent(biastes=forcible, violent) take it by force (harpazo=to seize, to snatch away).”
  3. Satan as a thief came to steal(klepto=to steal), kill(thuo=slaughter)  and destroy(apollu-destroy)!John 10:10
  4. Jesus put Satan on display and paraded him about for us to see what the devil really is…a defeated foe!  Colossians 2:15: “Having spoiled (apekduomai =to strip off, unclothe) principalities(arche=beginning) and powers   (exousia=authority), he made a shew(deigma=to make a show or example) of them openly(parrhesia=freely, openly), triumphing(to lead in triumphant procession) over them in it(cross).”
  5. Jesus met the devil head on in the wilderness “The Holy Ghost descended upon Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, led by the Spirit into the wilderness being tempted of the devil and he departed from Jesus for a season.  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit.” Luke 3:22; 4:1,14
  6. “For all that is in the world, the 1)lust of the flesh, and the 2)lust of the eyes, and the 3)pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” I John 2:16(Same temptations faced by Adam & Eve in Genesis 3.)
  7. “Fight(agonizo=agonize, contest publicly) the good(kalos=beautiful, pleasing) fight(agonizo) of faith(pistis)!” I Timothy 6:12.  “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;” I Timothy 1:18
  8. “Submit(hupotasso=to set in array under) to God and resist(to set self over in array against) the devil and he will flee(pheugo=run away)” James 4:7 “Put on the whole armor of God=panaoplia(for offensive battle not defensive for there is no armor on the back side.  Your brothers and sisters stand behind you).  “Stand(histemi=to set, place our feet) against the devil… withstand (anthistemi=to set or place against the evil day… having done all to stand…stand therefore.” Ephesians 6:11-18.”
  9. “For though we walk(peripateo=to walk around) in the flesh(sarx), we do not war(strateuomai-wage war) after the flesh(sarx): For the weapons (hopla=arms, instruments) of our warfare(strateia=military service) are not carnal(sarkikos=fleshly), but mighty(dunatos=able, powerful) through God(theos) to the pulling down(kathairesis=a taking down) of strong holds(ochuroma=a fortress); Casting down(kathaireo=to put down) imaginations(logismos=reasoning), and every high thing (hupsoma =high thing) that exalteth itself against(epairo=to lift up against) the knowledge(gnosis) of God(theos), and bringing into captivity(aichmalotizo = to take by the spear) every thought(contrivance, understanding thought) to the obedience(hupakoe=obeying submissively) of Christ(anointed);” II Corinthians 10:3-5
  10.  “And they overcame(nikao=to gain the victory) him(accuser)by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word(logos)of their testimony(marturia); and they loved(agapao) not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11

Illustration: “My Daddy can whup your daddy.  In fact, my Daddy has already ‘whupped’ your daddy.  You go tell your daddy who my Daddy is and he will remember the whupping my Daddy gave him!”

“OCCUPY TIL I COME!”

© Copyright 1999 New Testament Church