In this sermon, the preacher shares a story of a person who had a near-death experience and saw people in hell stuck to their sins. The preacher emphasizes that even lies that are successfully hidden on earth will be exposed on the day of judgment. The sermon then shifts to discussing the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection, highlighting how he removes our fears and anxieties. The preacher also emphasizes the love of God towards us, despite our insignificance, and encourages listeners to submit to God's will.

Let us pray. Lord, we thank on behalf of the parents that you've given them another child. And we pray that you would bless this child so that it would grow up with blessing as those children grew up with blessing when you blessed them of old. When you are still walking this earth. Help the parents, the father and mother to bring up the child in the fear of God. So that this child may live for you forever. So that you would remove the curse and place blessing in your grace. Amen. The word of the Lord we open to in the gospel according to Mark. So it's Matthew, then Mark. And we look at chapters 16. From verse 1 to 8. Now when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices that they might come and anoint him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us? But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. For it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe, sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. But he said to them, do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him as he said to you. So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Let us pray. On this day, Lord, of your resurrection, as we are gathered here today, we pray that you would reveal yourself to us through your holy word. Work mightily by your Holy Spirit, touching our hearts, making this day to be a great day in our lives. So that we can leave this place being invigorated and having new zeal and life from you. Feeling revived. Be with us, O Lord. Amen. In English, we know this as Easter time, this period of time. In Zulu, it means more the rise of the sun, the rising of the sun. So these three ladies got up early in the morning before the sun had risen. Because the text says that the sun rose when they were at the grave already. Not knowing that the sun had risen indeed, that the eternal sun was already up. That is why the theme of Easter is that he has risen, the sun has come up. This sun which chases away all darkness. The sun which we have in our world isn't the same as the real sun which we have in Jesus Christ. He is that sun which dawns and it is eternally risen. In our text, we find the story about the resurrection of Jesus. It is a marvelous story. We see that he has risen with the glory of the eternal one. With eternal life, life everlasting. With the power of life. The chains of death, and the gates of hell, and the locks on graves were broken. We observed Jesus in his lowest, deepest humiliation, being despised. Remember those of you who saw the Passion film, how he was utterly despised at the lowest level. But today we see him in the height of his power and glory. Today we see him as the king of kings, the omnipotent God. All power having been given unto him in heaven and on earth. He now rules supreme. There is no other ruler but the Lord Jesus. He holds the keys of death and hell. He holds full control. He had wrestled against Satan there in the garden of Gethsemane. He wrestled against sin there on the cross. But his battle did not end there, for he descended even lower to the depths of hell to continue the battle. It wasn't just there on the cross, but down below there was a cosmic battle as he wrestled against the powers of darkness. In Ephesians 2 verse 8 it says that he took captive the captives. And it says, what does his death mean except that chapter 4 verse 9, now this he ascended, what does it mean but that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth. He who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. He assailed the gates of hell with a mighty battle. He attacked hell and death. Removing the weapons of the rulers and powers according to Colossians 2 verse 15. He poured shame upon them and exposed their nakedness to the world. And having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, he has taken it out of the way. Having nailed it to the cross. For we had been under condemnation, judged, cast off. Each one of us was condemned to death, to hell. And if we die then it is only right that we should go to hell. Receiving the result, the consequence of our sins. With the wrath of God upon us, it being eternal death. It was those chains he broke, those rulers and powers. Jesus descended down into hell breaking the power of death and hell. So that sin, death, hell and Satan no longer has any power over us. He went down in weakness despised. The Bible says no one was as despised as he was. And even as hell was rejoicing. And being so glad that it was the victor over Jesus. At that very moment Jesus arose with that power and the shine of the eternal one who is omnipotent and the one who is God. Everything about Jesus is so marvelous. It is so awesome that words fail us. Because no language is fit to describe his majesty and what he did for us. He descended to the place of the dead. Remember the women they were coming with their spices to anoint his body. It was because of the corpse to embalm him. It was a wonderful thing, a great act of devotion that they did for him. It is just that they had forgotten that the most holy one will not see decay. It missed them that they had been told Jesus had said the son of man must die. And he would rise again. That these women forgot and the disciples but not his enemies they remembered. So those religious leaders and Pharisees and them they went to the highest authorities and said and demanded that they should have men of war. People to watch over and soldiers to stand there lest something should happen and he should arise. And they insisted on a seal so the stone that was rolled in front of the sepulcher had a seal of the highest authority in the world that nobody dares to touch the stone. The grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was a grave that Jesus was buried in was buried in was unlike our graves where we dig a hole in the ground. It was more like a simple car digging into the side of the hill and had a little entrance and then they'd push the stone which was specially made to block it and some estimate between three to five tons in weight. It was the sepulcher of a rich man. Nobody had been buried in it yet. It was a very big stone in front of the sepulcher. You can ask some of the choir members as high as from the floor to a ceiling, a huge stone. And they show one into it and there's a place, actually there's place for quite a few more but there was just a place for Jesus and he had not gone into it. Nobody else had been laying in that grave before. And when he arose it was with a mighty awesome power that cracked, there was an earthquake around it and it was a huge shaking. There was no... The stone was not removed for Jesus to be released, no, it was removed for the sake of these women who were weak. Jesus arose with his glorified body, with his immortal body. He could now walk through a wall. Now he needed no door or window as an entrance so even when the disciples were locked up behind closed doors he could walk straight through. We don't have time to really dig deep and to ponder upon these wonderful truths. When you get home you take the scripture and study it carefully for yourself. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and there on the cross he removed them for us. He paid the price of our guilt so that we might be forgiven. His resurrection you could say was like the receipt, the payment has been made, like you'd go to shop and receive proof of payment that he had paid the price for our sins to be totally forgiven. But let's have a brief glimpse at just a few points. As to what his death and especially his resurrection has accomplished for us, let's consider the three ladies, Mary and them. Firstly, Jesus removes all our fright and anxiety and our worries and our fears. Isn't it amazing that he, being so great, he the eternal one should come down for us little things and remove our sins and our anxieties? What are we but maggots and here the eternal one comes down to us to care for us and remove our fears? It's like a person, if you own a business and somebody comes and says, please help me, help me and you say I'm busy but what is the problem? And he says I've got a thorn in my toe. And you may respond but what is that? The things I have to do with are so important, how can you come to me with a thorn in your toe or with telling me that you've lost a ranch, somebody stole it, such an insignificant thing for me and I've got a plane to catch or I've got to do this, I'm too busy for that. But isn't it marvellous to think that he, the sovereign one, the eternal one should come down to us, to our level and care for us, it must be a great love. One thinks of the love of a parent. A little baby rules supreme in any home, even a palace, because of the love of a parent. If the child wails all night, the mother will be up all night caring for the baby. You might even see the father trying to rock it to sleep because of the great love which they bear towards their infant. And the love of God towards us is a love that we don't deserve. We are insignificant. We really are nothing. Even if we might puff ourselves up and be haughty, we are absolutely nothing. Being arrogant and being proud, vaunting yourself, how can one? What are we? Even if we think we're big, and it's usually those who are really nothing that think that they are great, but we are absolutely nothing. We'll be eaten by maggots even if we think that we're strong and healthy. But Jesus cares for us. So as these three were on the way to the tomb, they began to discuss among themselves, who will roll away the stone for us? They considered that option. They just came not thinking about the possibilities that you and I would have thought about, such as these soldiers are defending the tomb. There is a seal. We will be beaten up if we try and approach the tomb. But they went to anoint the body of Jesus. And Jesus cares for them. They were anxious and scared and worried about who is going to roll away the stone in front of the tomb. And when they got to it, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away and was a distance from the tomb. If you want to do something for Jesus, don't be an alarmed person, one who is anxious, frightened, scared, because Jesus will take care of you completely. He will go before you. Oh, how we are troubled by the stress factor to say that person is stressed out, or that person's BP, their blood pressure has gone sky high. Their anxiety grew as they approached the tomb. One saying, but we didn't think of that, and what about this, and they just, as they shared their problems, it became one stone upon another on them. That's what we are like, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability, we have the distinct ability But when they got there, the stone was already gone. It had been rolled away. Jesus had arisen. By his resurrection, he had removed their stress, their anxieties. For Jesus is arisen. All fear and cowardice and being frightened is brushed away. For Jesus is alive and with us. For Jesus is alive and with us. For Jesus is alive and with us. See how some people are anxious about what they are going to eat, what they are going to wear, who is going to pay the medical bills. Jesus said, that is the mind of a pagan, those who worship the ancestral spirits, that's how they think, that's the heathen mind. Those who go to the witch doctor or the fortune teller to get told their fortune or the future and they only get told more lies. The blessing of the resurrection of our Jesus is that our fears come to an end. Jesus said, don't be worried about what you are going to wear and eat and be covered with. Look at the birds and see how carefree they are. Or a person is worried, what will it be like when I die, I don't even have the money to buy a coffin and my children are off in the world, there is nobody to care for me. Maybe you are right here in the service and Jesus has been speaking to you, but nevertheless you are already frightened. You are thinking about tomorrow or getting home, about enemies there and difficulties which are just waiting for you to get you. You are so scared and so worried about those who you consider your enemies and how you will manage to survive. But Jesus through his resurrection has already stripped them of their weapons. Maybe you are anxious about night time because when night comes you are so worried. Maybe you are so worried and scared that you cannot sleep or maybe you feel that you are haunted, that ghosts come, well let them trouble you until you repent. Maybe you are so anxious you cannot eat properly, you are bulimic and you are so scared of everything. Whereas Jesus says, I have taken those troubles, I have taken those cares upon myself. Some people actually become ill, seriously ill because of their anxiety. They are so stressed out they are sick and they have to go to a doctor. Different scenarios, maybe one is scared to go home because of that enemy or that person might attack me and I can't even go home anymore you say. There are different types of worries and people are nervous of different things asking who is going to roll the stone away for me. Cousins from mother's side, they distinguish. A cousin from father's side and a cousin from mother's side. Edward and Judy lost their son Neil, he passed away today. This morning, today, I thought, well Lord you have chosen a wonderful day to take Neil. Before the sun came up, the real sun of glory had taken Neil to be with him. I don't think there was a day which I missed in having contact with Neil through all this difficult time. Every day somehow or by phone or by getting to him even when he was far away and he was continuously busy with the Lord and cleansing his garments, dealing with anything that might be offensive to his Lord. We tried with all our strength to help him and in every possible good way, praying Lord if it is possible we would be happy if he would be healed. But God arranged differently and who are we to argue with God, we can only bow and submit to his will. And we were happy that in the last few weeks he was able to be there at my home. And we were happy that he was able to be there at my home. He often said how nice it was to be there, how wonderful to be there, saying to his brother who was so sympathetic regarding his pain when he did have real pain, Neil would rather say it is wonderful to be here. He would rather say it is wonderful to be here. And one sense that he was in another world, often one would feel he is experiencing something else in another world, one saying I can see these boards with verses going around me. Others said well perhaps it is better if it stops you seeing things maybe in the mumblings of a person who is dying but no he said it should not stop, I love to see these verses. Through him Jesus who rose from the dead we are confident to speak in this manner otherwise we would not be able to speak so confidently. We are confident to speak in this manner otherwise we would not be able to speak so confidently. Without that hope we would be like those who say well you wife you are now widowed you are so young what is going to become of you and your little baby and to the parents I am so sorry for you what is going to become of you and the home and the business. That is how people talk who do not have a resurrected Lord, the one who has conquered all these cares and worries. One might bewail and be pitiful and say to his wife who is actually from overseas from France that she is here in a distant country all this has come upon her how can she bear it. But no we have the one who is the risen Lord she has him. Here are the guards the soldiers and coming across the soldiers at the grave now what is going to become of our spices we have wasted money on these things we bought. And the thought the stone how will it ever be removed we do not have the strength to do it but it just moved by itself by God's power. In another gospel it is related that they found and saw an angel sitting upon the rock. Jesus cares and removes all the cares and anxieties and the things that stress his people Jesus has removed it. Jesus has risen and you need to keep your eyes fixed on him he has promised I will be with you forever even till the end of the age. Jesus has risen and you need to keep your eyes fixed on him he has promised I will be with you forever even till the end of the age. Now we can have communion with the heavenly beings, with the saints, with the angels. Of course that doesn't mean that you can contact the dead, it doesn't mean that you should try and communicate with the dead, that's occultish. Jesus once said to his disciples from henceforth you will see the angels descending and ascending from heaven. What he means is that we have communication, contact with heaven because of being united with God. For when you repented there was joy in heaven, they are touched and moved. God has his invisible angels where if our eyes would be opened we would see a lot more. The Lord said the angels of those who guard over the little ones they behold the face of God every day. God is able to send angels as messengers and is able to send a protecting angel. Remember the Old Testament. Remember the Old Testament prophet who was with his right hand man. He was a man who beheld the enemies and he saw how massive the enemy build up was so that he was frightened. And then the prophet prayed and said Lord open his eyes to see that those who are with us are more than those who are against us. And God opened his eyes so that immediately he could see the hosts of heaven encircled around them far greater and far mightier than the enemies. But But But But But Remember that if you go off the rails spiritually no longer on God's way the angels would say to God we cannot be with this person protecting them any longer. You expect protection from God's angels when you go to a prostitute, when you steal, when you lie, when you busy with your sin. That is insanity. Or going into a bathroom and doing your thing. Do you think the angels can look graciously upon that while you are busy with your sin? But let's leave the angels aside. Think about our Lord God Almighty Jesus Christ himself. So when they arrived there and saw that the stone had been rolled away they entered the tomb. And here was this young man clothed in a long white robe sitting there. He says in verse 5 and entering the tomb they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side and they were alarmed. And the angels spoke graciously to them saying don't be alarmed you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. See the place where they had laid him. But go tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. There you will see him as he said to you. Here is an angel from heaven giving direction, information, telling them what to do. It is wonderful to be in accordance with heaven. To be in harmony with the heavenly ones. To listen to those who are sent by God. Not those who are the devil's messengers. Recently I came across an instance where a person was telling me of their experience. The Lord had touched them. This person was healed. But when they got back home they wanted to use certain fetishes and occult things. They said then you will get properly well. But she said she conquered in the name of Jesus. He who is risen. Satan will try every trick in the trade to try and tempt you and to conquer you. But Jesus will never allow it for he is the conqueror, the omnipotent one. One can think of many instances like in the life of Paul when he was suffering and he was jailed where a messenger from heaven came and said be courageous Paul. You will be going to that place where you will testify for me. It is wonderful to be in harmony with heaven. But when you are out of sorts with heaven you are handed over to the devil. You will be troubled and haunted by the powers of evil which will make you sweat even in winter. There are so many achievements for us that Jesus did by rising on that day, the resurrection day which he did for us. He who is the eternal son. And just as he put on immortality and had a new body so too we who believe in him will have immortal bodies when he comes on that day when even a few white bones in the grave you will rise. When Jesus was lying in the tomb his body remained there but his spirit went down into the depths of hell. Till he came back into that body now changed to become immortal and released and resurrected. That which he wants us to know he will let us know but he being God and all wise knowing what we can handle. What we do know is that the dead in Christ will rise when Jesus comes and they will rise with an immortal body. A body like his. In the instance of Lazarus who was dead in the tomb or they said he is dead Jesus said no he is not dead he sleeps. When the daughter of Jairus was being carried her body was being carried they said she is dead he said no she sleeps. We Christians we saints we who have been washed in the blood and the Holy Spirit has dealt with us we do not die we only sleep. When Jesus was being carried his body was being carried they said he is dead he sleeps. When Jesus was being carried his body was being carried they said he is dead he sleeps. Like a mother is not afraid when her little child being laid down in the cot to sleep then is unconscious she is not frightened of that she is even thankful for that. And that is what happens to the Christian to the saint the one who is washed in the blood his body stays there and will be changed when Jesus returns his spirit has been with the Lord when he died and his new body will be united with his spirit. And it's worth it as he did every day he cleansed his life and prepared himself for that great day. That's the greatest miracle that can happen to you. Greater than that a person is raised from the dead and awakes in this world but that he leaves this world. It is the ultimate miracle to be taken from this life and to enter into heaven. It's worth it to spend all your energy into that. That you'll partake of that glory. And meet with him in heaven. That you'll partake of that glory. When he passed away one of my children asked, has Neil already seen our mother? I said, well I don't know. We don't know exactly how things will be. Except that what's on earth is nothing. His attention is on what is happening. The delights of heaven. I was once very ill in hospital and I dreamt that I entered into heaven. I cannot describe to you what a beautiful... What a beautiful picture. What a wonderful experience. How marvellous, how inexpressibly beautiful it is to go into heaven. That is why I say it is a miracle if you are taken and moved from this place on earth into heaven. That is why Paul said it is better for me that I go for death is gained to me. But for your sakes, said Paul, I said Lord can I remain? Because I still need to help them with different things. A certain person from overseas asked me a question. And by the way, overseas people ask many questions. But he asked me, when you die, Olo, what will happen to the work, to the mission? When you die, Olo, what will happen to the work, to the mission? And I replied, it will go a thousand times better. I trust fully that the work, the ministry will go forward because of those who stand with me. And they will be energised by God to do the work that he has set before them. If however I am in heaven and see that you are not doing the work that God has called you to, how disappointed I would feel. I was really astonished to see some people whom I taught and preached to going off the track. I thought, well, it's a possibility that some might go off the track when I'm dead and take another road. I'd never dreamt, never thought that while I'm still alive, while I'm still preaching, that there are those who go astray and take another way. It is utter foolishness. And follow others who are totally off the track, where it's the blind leading the blind. Is it that they are totally blind, that they cannot see and they don't understand this person is off the track? But remember that Jesus said that there is the time when your body will come out of the grave. The saints The saints will hear the triumphant shout of Jesus as he returns on the clouds. And the saints who have been in graves already, they will receive new immortal bodies and will be with their Lord forever. But those who do not belong to the Lord, who have lived in rebellion to him, although they will arise in judgment, and that the Lamb of God, whom they rejected, will stand in judgment against them. And their resurrection will not be to glory, but in fear of the Lamb's anger. For it says that they will shout for the hills and the mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from the face of him who is in judgment. And a lamb doesn't get angry, but there is the day when the Lamb of God will be angry. And those who do not believe will stand before God in judgment with all their sins sticking to them like a tick that sticks to you and you can't brush it off. All the miseries of your sin will cling to you. If you had an earring because of pride, or decorated yourself because of haughtiness, all your sins will be shouting against you, they will be with you. If in pride you have done different things to your body, dressed in ways to allure others into lust, all of that will be before you, because you will stand before the One whose eyes blaze with fire. Even if you have dressed like Jezebel, decorating yourself in every way possible, you will stand with that thing before Jesus. All your sins of whatever type, and the secret sins, will be revealed. Those very things that you are ashamed of will be like hooks into you, like the Hindus who put hooks into themselves. Those sins will remain with you. Just think of what it would be like if that day of judgement comes and you have not repented. And if you have not repented, you will not be able to go to school. You will not even be able to go to school. One day will be as a thousand years of judgement. You will sweat on that day. If you have not been forgiven all your sins will cling to you. Those secret things. Those discussions that you had. Things about the world where you weren't able to discuss and share about the resurrected Christ, but rather the sins of this world. A certain person who experienced hell, he got converted, but he said what he saw was people stuck to their sins, and their sins stuck to them. People who smoked with cigarettes clinging to their fingers, not being able to get rid of it. He said, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke, I'm not going to smoke. Even your lies which you successfully got away with will be exposed on that day. Here at Mapamula, there was a certain person who had committed a crime, and they stood in the in the books and it's father shouted from the back tell lies because this is a house of lies but even if you succeeded in lying on earth everything will come to light all that is hidden will be exposed even if courts are houses of lies much more so in churches where people are specialists at lying and acting and keeping away the truth from the pastor that's where real hypocrisy takes place you may have lied in the way that you've been singing choruses you sing I will follow Jesus forever meantime when you leave the service you're following your lover well that will happen to you that will be revealed and it will be on open display you'll feel and smell hell even as you go into it even if these sermons haven't touched you at all that final day will touch you indeed except it'll be too late to repent here is Jesus the resurrected one the one who's been into hell who has vanquished the enemy and death for you but if you don't accept him and you don't receive what he has done for you then hell it will be forever your even if you as as an If you are an unbeliever, die today and you go to hell, there will be the final great day of judgment when hell and death is thrown into the eternal fire. Who of you have been sitting through these services and you haven't really repented? You've only been half a Christian. Jesus is not satisfied with just a little piece of you. If you don't give all, then he will not take all of you. He rejects a partial giving of yourself. He wants all of you. Jesus has arisen. He is the resurrected one. He shines forever as the eternal sun. Have you received him? Do you want to live with him every day experiencing this where the Bible says, and they shall shine like stars? And like the sun. But then you will have to become like the sun. S-O-N. Hear it during this life. And not like the devil. I wish that the resurrection of Jesus would bring help and relief and life to you and healing. May his resurrection be to you the fragrance of life, not the stench of hell and death. Let's stand to our feet and we'll pray. We thank you, Lord, that those who are forgiven their sins will have an eternal inheritance with you. We thank you, Lord, for the good news that you have conquered Satan, stripped him of his weapons, exposed him to open shame, and that hell has no power over us, neither death has any power over us, and Satan and the world. Lord, may you be before our eyes forever, not only that, but in us, living in us, making us to be truly upright and honest Christians. That there wouldn't be found a trace of deception or hypocrisy or rebellion, but that we would be your true disciples. Amen.