What does it mean to be "rescued from the hand of our enemies"? Setting the Scene “to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, to enable us to serve Him without fear” (Luke 1:74) Who Are “Our Enemies”? • Political oppressors—Israel longed for freedom from Rome, reflecting God’s historic pattern of liberating His people (Exodus 3:8). • Spiritual tyrants—behind earthly powers stands “the ruler of the authority of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). • The triumvirate of sin, death, and the devil—“The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). • Anything that hinders wholehearted service to God—fear, guilt, bondage, addiction, shame. The Nature of the Rescue • Decisive action: “He delivered me from my powerful enemy” (Psalm 18:17). • Personal intervention: “He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). • Costly victory: Christ “shared in our humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14). • Ongoing experience: the verb tense of “rescue” carries a present result—what Christ accomplished once is continually effective. The Purpose Behind the Rescue • Freedom to worship—“serve Him without fear” (Luke 1:74). • Lifestyle change—“in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days” (Luke 1:75). • Fearless mission—bold witness like Peter and John, who declared, “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). • Fulfillment of covenant—God kept “the oath He swore to our father Abraham” (Luke 1:73), showing that salvation is rooted in His unbreakable promises. Living Out the Reality Today • Reject fatalism—Christ’s rescue means no enemy has ultimate control over you. • Walk in holiness—the rescue is not an end in itself; it empowers obedience. • Serve confidently—fear is displaced by faith; the rescued become rescuers. • Celebrate assurance—the same God who conquered your greatest foes will guard you to the end (Jude 24). Supporting Scriptures |
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