In this sermon, the speaker discusses the historical context of the time of Jesus and his disciples, specifically the rule of the Romans and their response to rebellions. The speaker emphasizes that the tearing of the veil in the temple was not done by human hands, but by God's power from heaven. The sermon also highlights the importance of relying on God's power to overcome the devil, rather than our own strength. The speaker shares personal anecdotes, including a story about a German missionary lady and a man accused of theft, to illustrate the importance of obedience to God even in difficult circumstances.

Let us pray. Thank you Lord for this privilege that we can once again read and hear your word. We pray that your word would be living and sharp to reach the bottom of our hearts. Amen. We will read out of Colossians chapter 2 verse 14 and 15. By cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. A great battle was fought at the cross at Golgotha. There are many battles fought but none can be compared to the one that was fought on the cross. And it was the first of its kind and the last of its kind. They were heaven and hell clashed. Not one demon was absent in this battle. Satan trying his uttermost to win the battle over our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan trying his uttermost to win the battle over our Lord Jesus Christ. All hell was in open arms putting their best forces into the battle to overcome our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To such an extent that even the sun hid its face and it was pitch black. Darkness on earth. Rocks were rent open. Satan tried his uttermost throwing in all his power to overcome this hero, the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan who was an angel of the north and walked amongst the burning coals. But pride was found in him and he turned to become Satan. And a third of the stars of heaven were taken and whisked away with him by his tail. So that means one out of every three angels sided with Satan. Isn't that amazing? We cannot grasp that. We cannot grasp that. So unthinkable that a third of the angels should lean on and side with Satan. But it's perhaps understandable that even today so many people side with the devil. But we are not shocked if people take the devil's side because that is what happened of old when they chose Satan. So going back to our text which is found in Colossians 2 verse 14 and 15. By cancelling the record of death that stood against us with its legal demands, this he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in him. Here we hear of rulers and principalities, authorities and even those in their heavens. Even in the New Testament we read of Satan as being the god of this world. But Jesus overcame him on the cross, disarmed him and displayed him to open shame. Some things in the Bible are difficult for us to understand nowadays because we do not use their terminology anymore. But during the time of Jesus and his disciples what is spoken about was a well-known occurrence. The time of our Lord Jesus the Romans ruled a great part of this earth, ruling the world. Then it would happen that a rebellion would take place. In one part or the other part of the earth, rebelling against the Roman authorities. And then Caesar would send his general to go and quench that uprising. That uprising in that certain country or part of the world. And then he would set out with his army to go and quench that rebellion. To quench that fire and to take captive the leader of that rebellion. And then he would fight against this opposition and strip the leader of all his arms. Some would go with their chariots and with their wagons. And when they had overcome him in battle, then they would take this leader, this usurper, and would take and disarm him. And strip him of his clothing. And then they would tie him to their chariots. And then he would be dragged behind this wagon until they reached Rome. And two officers would go ahead on their horses carrying the incense, the burning incense. And then they would hasten back with the good news to Caesar that the uprising had been quenched and that the rebeller, the leader, had been taken captive and was being dragged home to Rome. There would be great rejoicing that the enemy has been overcome. So there would be great rejoicing already by the message arriving by the word of these officers and the burning incense that the victory has been won. The people would believe that which was announced to them. And they would expect now the arrival of the army and the chariots to see this leader of the rebellion. And they would proceed to their stadium. And they would proceed to their stadium. And then this evil man who caused the uprising would be taken to this pillar and bound hands and feet. And then they would pour into the stadium and their thousands, everyone wanting to see this evil man. So then they would pass and see this man spit at him, lash out at him, slap him in the face, or even just mock him. Even children could come with their rotten tomatoes, throw it at him, even into his very face. Others coming with their rotten eggs and smashing them against him. And then it would be said this man was exposed to open shame. Disarmed. Although he was a feared man during the uprising, now he was bound, open to public shame and disgrace. Everyone could pinch him and do whatever he wished to him because he was helpless. The Bible says that there was a great battle between Jesus and Satan on the cross. That Jesus overcame him. He disarmed him and put him to open shame, shouting out, it is finished, I have overcome. It is heartbreaking that many people fear Satan. Satan has no power, but he receives power because of you enabling him in your life through your sin. Satan ought not to have any power over you, but he has got that power and that strength over you because of what you give him and play in his hands. Satan was overcome on the tree of Golgotha. Even though all hell attacked, although he rose up in his fierce anger, but our hero overcame. At the beginning of the work of the Holy Spirit, the revival, I had a dream. I saw all the demons coming together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, but I saw all the demons come together, lightning, it may be too small, And then I saw the Lord, seeing the Lord on the side, and then this, so to say, ball of these angered tadpoles. But our Lord just stood firm, quiet, and it was as if this ball was completely under his control. And I could just cry out, Oh Lord, you have overcome all the evil powers and even those angels that were swept away by the tale of Lucifer. They are overcome. It was not even necessary for him to speak or to move a finger, but they were overcome by the power of the Lamb. They were overcome by his victory on the cross. Today, there are people who call themselves Christians, but they fear and tremble before Satan. If that be the case, you don't know Jesus. You don't understand who he is. But the word says, he who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. But nowadays you find people, maybe for years, they are under Satan's power. They don't know that victory. They don't know the power of Jesus. It is by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Our records, our books, he took them upon himself and he nailed them to the cross. He not only nailed our sins to the cross, but he also nailed our sins to the cross. But he drank them and he became sin for our sakes and was forsaken by God. As we heard this afternoon that he cried out, my God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? And we also heard that it was the Father's pleasure to chastise him and that even through his stripes, we are healed. There are those records that were nailed to the cross. I don't have time this evening to speak about all those records. It would take up too much time. When you sin, Jesus records it. And in that way, all your sin was nailed to the cross so that the power of sin, he was made sin. And through his being crucified, that the power of sin can be overcome in your life. And hatred that maybe for 15 years you are sitting with that. How can that happen other than that you have been bewitched? I have been bewitched. And while he was getting together that wood and putting on the fire, that snake attached itself to him. He was an ancient snake. He was the only one that was dead. And he said, So the people said he must have been a grave sinner, because although he escaped the storm, now he will die because of this snake and the poison of it. The Pole was undisturbed he just shook that snake into the fire and people were expecting him to fall down dead but nothing transpired. The Pole was undisturbed he just shook that snake into the fire and people were expecting him to fall down dead but nothing transpired. The Pole was undisturbed he just shook that snake into the fire and people were expecting him to fall down dead. The Pole was undisturbed he just shook that snake into the fire and people were expecting him to fall down dead but nothing transpired. The Pole was undisturbed he just shook that snake into the fire and people were expecting him to fall down dead but nothing transpired. How easily can we be infected by it but how can you trust men? Well there was a man a woman who had got married to a man who was really like a madman. You young girls when you are wooed there are nice words and many promises are made but once you are married well then it's a different story. Now this husband said listen my wife I don't allow I forbid you to go to the service if you go again I kill you. Not allowed to visit that service again. But the wife was But she was wise she took her cane knife and said well I'm just going out to collect wood. But then she turned from her wood collection and went to the service. And on the way back from the service she quickly gathered her wood and went back home. But the husband smelt a rat. And then she said no I was busy gathering firewood here is the wood. She kept it from him that she also went via the service. And the husband said remember my words I said if you venture again to the service I will kill you. And the wife said I need to obey Jesus more than man more than my husband. And she visited the service again. But when she came back home well hell was lit loose. And he said what did I tell you. He said come in so she came in. And then he closed the door and locked with a key. Took his SSA guy. And his sticks. His knob kiri. And then. So when he sat down on his small stool he said now kneel down here pray your last pray after you've said amen I will pierce you with my SSA guy and it will be your end. You like to get married but maybe marriage will fix you up. And this wife said well then I knelt down and I prayed a prayer that I've never prayed before knowing this would be my last. She prayed forgetting everything else and just saw the Lord before her. I don't know how long she prayed for at the end. If you really truly pray you don't look at time. You don't even hear a car hooting outside because you are before God. After finishing her prayer. She opened her eyes. Looked. In daughter. Then a deep sleep had come over her husband. He was fast asleep. And then she. What. And then she slowly stretched her hand to the key that was on the ground and on tiptoes went to the door and locked and ran for her life. What. And she ran ran till she found a place of refuge and eventually. She came here to see. He looked for a couldn't find her. And then after a while he announced my wife please come home I won't harm you. So he was dealt with. Delt with. He was dealt with while his wife was gone so he had to cook for himself fetch water from the river etc. And I said well wife what are you going to do now. He said well now I hear that the anger has subsided I will go back home. And she got back home well he treated her like a princess he treated her very well. Never again did he mistreat her. Right as our hero he has the whole world in his hand and he says all power has been given to me in heaven and on earth. God can work exceedingly. We heard in the three o'clock service that the veil was rent from the top to the bottom. Three inch. Seven point five centimeter. That veil was not as we know the veil of curtains but they say it was three inch thick that veil of the temple. Seven point five centimeters. I'm a centimeter. I'm a millimeter. I'm a kilometer. I'm a mile. I'm a feet. The older generation knows the old imperial system not the new metric system. We know of the miles. The tickies and the half crowns and crowns and pounds. I'm as good as you thought you knew. Well during the changeover from the imperial to the metric system somebody went to the bowser to fill up and they asked him how much do you want to be filled up he says well I really don't know how many kilometers need to be filled in. Things change in this world from one day to the other. If any now. This veil that was three inches thick was not rent from the bottom up but from top to the bottom right down. What does this signify? It was. It was. That tearing did not come about through man's hand but through God from heaven through God's doing through heaven's power through God's power. And salvation comes through God's through God's working. No. We don't overcome the devil through our power but through God's power. I remember years ago a German missionary lady visiting us. You can't take it to freak us from clearage. Peter Marisburg might remember. Can't take it. She was unmarried. What's that? She used to travel by scooter being a German lady. In German. If you say no you say nine. She was working raised up amongst the Indians and coloreds of the area. Miss Tzik. And then they questioned her, Miss Tzik, how many children do you have? she says oh nine so but so they said oh she's got nine children you know that lady traveling on the scooters nine children what's a bedroom cool I'm seven some cool lemon tea a de coco nava food is have an Indian I'm Sanja between do gone I ever seen God so she had a rich ministry amongst the Indians they they are pastors that got converted through her getting it on our feet I give me what a do given Tia a Nikolai a attend a la la fa you should show more you'll be one day she came to me and said you know there's an Indian man at Edendale he's very sick troubled by evil spirits I said can I bring him I said she said can I bring I said yes please bring him my name is Kista Pilei his name was Kista Pilei and then she went to him and said listen Kista I want to take you to Guasizabantu that you can be prayed for there's a reverend Stegan so that you will be helped what yes and he agreed that he would come his wife wept tears and said please don't go to that place if you go there you'll die but he did a good thing in not listening to his young bride what yeah so he left her behind crying because she was fearing for his life well when he arrived he was really so thin his legs like mere matchsticks and I said well Kista please tell me your story said I was a policeman in Pretoria my mother always wrote letters and begged me to come back home I'm the only son and I should rather find a job here in Peter Merrittsburg he said mom if I go back to Peter Merrittsburg there won't be a job for me there's no vacancy in the police force here even if you don't have a job as a policeman find another job maybe waitering in this hotel or whatever as long as you come back home and are close to me till eventually he put a notice there in Pretoria and then returned back home and then he looked for a job eventually he found a job at a hotel then he was instructed to work in the kitchen and also take care of the pantry have his eye on that having not worked for very long the manager came to him and said Mr. Pille you are not trustworthy and faithful you have things getting lost in the kitchen and he warned him and said if things continue like this sugar tea meal and things get lost you will lose your job he said boss it's not me it must be someone else after a few days the manager came again and said you've again stolen things are missing he said boss really you must believe me truth God I haven't taken anything then he said this is your last warning and then Kista said now I will look till I find the thief and so one day unexpectedly he went into the pantry and caught the culprit and then he went to the manager and said I caught the thief here he is and so the manager immediately gave him his money and he expelled him from his job and he said you are not trustworthy and faithful you have things getting lost in the kitchen and also take care of the pantry and he said boss really you must believe me and when this thief was sent away he turned around and said I will still get you back and from that time on it started spooking at his house and this thief was using witchcraft medicine one day he was in his home and the in-laws were outside on the yard and then suddenly he heard stone throwing on the roof and he thought my these are the naughty children of the neighbors I will get out and beat them up these naughty ones he went out of his house he didn't return and then the wife quickly ran to her family and notified her my husband isn't back yet he heard the stone throwing on the roof and said he will get the neighbors children but he doesn't come back but when they came they found him at the doorstep unconscious so it wasn't the neighbors children but it was the evil spirits that when he went out of the house he was struck down and so he was taken to the hospital to Edendale doctors examined him they couldn't find the cause and from that day on he couldn't keep any food in his stomach whatever he ate he brought up again that's why after you he was just skin and bones and the doctors examined him one after the other till they even got a specialist from Cape Town who would come once a month and couldn't find the cause to this disease that now had taken hold of him but he was plagued by evil spirits then another specialist from Cape Town came and he said I have heard of your case but I will surely find your problem and Kista said no you won't but I know of one who can help me and he said Kista if I can't help you nobody in South Africa can help you and he says who is this man and he says I will go to Sissabantu mission he said no I'm not trying to be funny I will go there and I will be healed there and he said alright we will have to see and so he was brought here by Tante Kete and he said I will go to Sissabantu mission and he said I am a priest and he said if you go to Sissabantu mission you will be healed but he did not go meantime she had go to the priest and had told him what Kista was envisaging and then he he said no please he shouldn't go there he'll just die there and the wife said yes I also told him he'll die there. So his wife really cried. Well and some people say well if your wife starts crying tears then you must be on the, you must be weary, but then he said listen and I will go with Tante Kete so we entered here into the building which was the first one where the hospital building is and we spoke there. And then I said told him Kista Jesus can liberate you and heal you but you need to cleanse your life come out with every sin don't leave one sin if you leave one sin behind Satan will cling to that and we'll get power through that well you probably know the Hindus. I once spoke to a Hindu. I said you must confess your sin. He said no I have no sin. I said because the Bible says we all have sin. But then he is a Hindu yes he acknowledged he said yes that's right if I just go out of my house and I tramp on an ant well then I have already got a sin because I killed that ant. Well if you want to worship the ancestors then go to the Hindus they will teach you how. They will really give you all the details that it is necessary for ancestral worship. I said no it's no sin tramping on an ant but it is steaming. And I mentioned a few he says yes I have got sin and he confessed. I prayed for him. I left him and then went to my home. And at night suddenly somebody came and said well Kista is now very ill again. When he was lying on his bed it was as if someone would come and sit on his chest and beat him slap in his face left and right left and right till he lost consciousness. And eventually I slept with him in the room. And we took turns with the other co-workers. That we took turns sleeping with him. So that when this would start happening then we would quickly pray and it would end. Eventually I said Kista this has now been continuing for weeks maybe months there must be something wrong. Maybe something is still left behind in your life. I say we can't accompany you wherever you go whether you go to the toilet or sleep we cannot always be with you. There's something that maybe you are hiding you need to bring that out. And then he started crying and I thought oh I felt pain and I said maybe I've been too hard on him. And I went close to him to speak and comfort him. When I draw near to him suddenly I got the whiff of tobacco. I said Kista are you smoking? He said yes. Is that a sin? I know many Christians who smoke and even ministers who smoke. I said forget about others. You are ailing. You are in need. Maybe Satan gets power through this smoking of yours. And then he got out his packet of 20s and said take it and pray that the Lord would forgive me. And then we prayed and said Lord please forgive him set him free from the power of Satan. Then I went home. And the next morning when I came from home I asked Kista how did you sleep? He slept like a small baby. And then I said you see Satan got power over you through your smoking there was this one thing that was still left. And the next day he slept again. I came in the morning. How are you Kista? He said oh I'm not so well. I was troubled last night. What troubled you? He says a very well-dressed gentleman came into my room smoking and he sat down on my bed. Took out his packet of cigarettes and said smoke Kista. Then I said no I'm not smoking anymore. He said just once. Smoke just once. It won't be a sin if it's just once. Don't smoke a few times. Just once. Here is a cigarette. He said no I don't smoke. He said why not? He said I don't smoke because I'm a Christian now but you smoke because you're an underleader. Heathen. I have surrendered to Jesus. And he says when he mentioned the name of Jesus this man got up went around the door and he just could still see the tail. He said I wonder where he hid his tail. I only saw it when he was exiting at a speed out of the room. So the next morning when I came. And many people said who was running up the roof from one end to the other but it wasn't somebody it was this demon. He says at night when I went down the passage to go to the toilet there was a round table and suddenly I saw this man standing before me who said that I will get you back. And before which he nearly lost his job. And he says he was stiff cold. Didn't know what to do but then saw the Bible and he just pointed the Bible at this figure and the demon. Jesus has overcome Satan but if there's still sin in your life then the devil will have a hold on you and he will lead you like a goat tied with a with Jesus. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I'm going to go. I The Bible says if we are to partake of the Lord's table, we should examine ourselves. That we should not partake of it in an unworthy way because if we partake of it in an unworthy way it will be to our detriment. If we and it will cause death and that's why we need to cleanse ourselves. The Bible says if we unworthily partake of it, some of you are sick and some have already died. Therefore you who are fathers and mothers, this will be a time that you cleanse your life. The younger children, they are maybe still too too young for that. Let us close our eyes and pray. Lord work and continue working even if we leave this service. Thank you to hear that you overcame the devil and showed him to public display before heaven and earth and you disarmed him. That through you Lord we can be on victory ground. How can we thank you enough Lord for that which you accomplished on the cross.