The War Is Over

How could He just storm the gates like that?” “Do we have a plan?” “Is the
war over?” Hundreds of questions attacked from all sides as we stared at
the broken gate. “This was a fortress—no one should have been able to break
through.” “Today we were supposed to revel in our victory!” “Didn’t we all
hear the Savior cry out for the last time? Didn’t we see Him take His last
breath? He was dead.” “So, how could He have broken through the gate and
stolen the key?” “Not only that, but He stared us in the face and declared
victory—over death itself!”

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“ENOUGH! Not another word,” the Great Darkness ordered. Then the voice
dropped dangerously quiet. The Great Darkness was not in the mood for
questions. “Today, the Chosen One from above thinks He has won, but we will
wreak havoc on all His land until the end. If we cannot defeat Him
personally, we will attack that which is most precious to Him His
people.”

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As we prepare for war, we can’t help but shudder. The gates were breached,
and the so-called Savior took the keys. The Great Darkness declared there
are more battles to fight. Yet today, there is another who is more worthy
of our fear. This Chosen One who defeated death and darkness certainly
isn’t afraid of us.

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Yes, there may be more battles to fight, but the war is over. The Savior
has stolen the victory. Nothing we do now could ever change that. And the
Great Darkness knows it. • Kayla Miller

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• Today’s story is an allegory, showing Jesus’s victory over sin, death,
and all the forces of evil and darkness. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus,
we get to celebrate that our Savior holds “the keys of death and
Hades” (Revelation 1:18). Now, even though we will experience suffering as
the forces of darkness wage war on God’s people, we can know that nothing
will ever “be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). How could pondering these truths help us
rest in Jesus’s undefeatable love for us?

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• As Christians, we don’t need to be afraid of death or evil. Instead, God
calls us to come to Him with all our worries, and He empowers us to resist
the enemy and stand firm in His true grace, which He has given us in Jesus
(1 Peter 5:6-12). When you’re facing hard things, who are trusted
Christians in your life who can pray with you and help you follow our Lord?
How can you be this kind of friend to others?

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“I [Jesus] am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever
and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Deuteronomy 3:22; Revelation 1:4-Revelation 1:18