Engaging the Powers of Darkness”
(More than a Prophet)

“….What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?...(9)  But what did you go to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.”

Jesus asks, did you go out to John’s ministry to see a reed shaken by the wind?  He says no, but you went out to see a prophet.  But, you saw more that a prophet.  You saw he of whom it is written:  “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.”

John the Baptist was chosen by God for the historic ministry of preparing the way for the Messiah.  No other prophet was chosen for the ministry but John.  He was not just a prophet, but “The Voice of one crying in the wilderness:  MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said.  He strongly and violently (forcefully) opposed hills, valleys, crooked places, rocks, bumps and even the evil monarch, Herod.  These are a depiction of evil forces.

In Matthew 11:11, Jesus says, “assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  Jesus is speaking of us when He says, “he who is least.”  The least of us, or the ones of us who are the least esteemed, are greater in ministry and effectiveness than John the Baptist who has been honored by Jesus as being greater than those born of women.

In His letter to the Corinthians, Paul says in the 1 Corinthians 6:1-4, “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?  Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  Do you not know that we shall judge angels?  How much more, things that pertain to this life?  If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do not appoint those who are ‘least esteemed’ by the church to judge?  Likewise, those who are ‘least in the kingdom of heaven are greater in the ministry than those of the old covenant.  John is greater than those born of women, but we are born of God!  “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world…”  (1John 5:4)  (To be continued…)

                                                                                  In Christ
                                                                                  Pastor Don