Paid In Full: An In-depth Look at the Defining Moments of Christ's Passion (9 page)

Think about the mentors and influences God has brought into your life through the years to teach and train you so you can fulfill your divine purpose. What are some significant ways you can express honor to these mentors for their role in your life? Have you allowed an offense to separate you from any of these individuals? If so, what steps can you take to mend that breach?

Chapter 9:
Paralyzed by His Presence

Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were preparing to arrest Jesus, a supernatural power was suddenly released that was so strong, it literally threw an entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers backward and down onto the ground! It was as if an invisible bomb had been detonated. So much explosive strength was released that the force of that power knocked the soldiers flat on their backs! Where did this discharge of power come from, and what released it?

After Jesus received Judas’ kiss of betrayal, He stepped forward and asked the crowd of militia, “…Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he…. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he,
they went backward, and fell to the ground”
(John 18:4-6)
.

Notice how Jesus identified himself. He told them
, “I am he.”
These mighty words come from the Greek words
ego eimi
, which is more accurately translated, “I AM!” It was not the first time Jesus used this phrase to identify Himself; He also used it in John 8:58 and John 13:19. When the hearers of that day heard those words
ego eimi
, they immediately recognized them as the very words God used to identify Himself when He spoke to Moses on Mount Horeb in Exodus 3:14.

But let’s look at the two additional examples of the word
ego eimi
in the Gospel of John. In John 8:58, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Those final words in the verse, “I am,” are the Greek words
ego eimi
and should be translated, “I AM!”

In John 13:19, Jesus said, “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” If you read the
King James Version
, you will notice that the word “he” is italicized, meaning it was supplied by the
King James
translators and is not in the original. The Greek simply says, “...Ye may believe that I AM!” In both of these cited texts, Jesus strongly and boldly affirmed that He was the Great “I AM” of the Old Testament.

Now in John 18:5 and 6, Jesus uses the words
ego eimi
again. The soldiers wanted to know,
“Who are you?”
They probably expected him to answer, “Jesus of Nazareth” — but instead, He answered, “I AM!” John 18:6 tells us, “As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” A more accurate rendering would be
“As soon then as he said unto them, I AM, they went backward and fell to the ground.”

The words “went backward” come from the Greek word
aperchomai
. In this case, the words depict the soldiers and temple police
staggering
and
stumbling backward
, as if some force had hit them and was pushing them backward. The word “fell” is the Greek word
pipto,
which means
to fall
. It was often used to depict
a person who fell so hard, it appeared that he fell dead or fell like a corpse.

The members of this militia that came to arrest Jesus were knocked flat by some kind of invisible force. In fact, the verse says they went backward and fell “to the ground.” The words “to the ground” are taken from the Greek word
chamai
, which depicts these soldiers falling abruptly and hitting the ground
hard
. Some force unexpectedly, suddenly, and forcefully knocked these troops and temple police flat!

Think of it — 300 to 600 Roman soldiers and a large number of trained temple police had all come laden with weapons, swords, and clubs to help them capture Jesus. After they announced that they were searching for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered them with the words, “I AM,” thus identifying Himself as the “I AM” of the Old Testament. And when Jesus spoke those words, a great blast of God’s power was unleashed — so strong that it literally thrust the troops and police backward, causing them to stagger, wobble, and stumble as they hit the ground hard.

What a shock it must have been for those military men! They discovered that the mere words of Jesus were enough to overwhelm and overpower them! The tales they had heard about Jesus’ power were correct. Of course He really was strong enough to overcome an army. After all, He was the Great “I AM”!

After Jesus proved He couldn’t be taken by force, He willfully surrendered to them, knowing it was all a part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind. But it’s important to understand that
no one took Jesus.
It was His
voluntary choice
to go with the troops.

When the Great “I AM” opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground!

The Jesus we serve is powerful! There is no force strong enough to resist His power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force —
absolutely nothing
has enough power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ! When the Great “I AM” opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground! Yet although the soldiers couldn’t take Jesus by force, He willingly went with them for you and me.

. What is your need today? Why not present those needs to Jesus, the Great “I AM”? Let Him speak to your heart, directing you to His Word. Once you see the promise you need for the specific situation you’re facing, get your mouth in agreement with His Word. As you do, you, too, will see the mighty power of God unleashed against the evil forces that try to defy you!

Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Are you faced with a situation — sickness, lack, confusion, or sin — that is defying the will of God in your life? See that problem as a mountain before you, and then speak God’s Word to unleash the mighty force of His power against the forces of the enemy trying to oppose you.

Jesus boldly affirmed who He was, and His attackers fell backward. When you boldly affirm who you are in Christ, attacks against your life will fall backward as well. Consider some ways in which you can be bolder in your affirmation of who God is — and who He is in you.

Consider the supernatural power that is released when you speak Jesus’ name. How can you actively release that power into your life, as well as into the lives of others? Are you being faithful to do that?

Chapter 10:
The Danger
of Taking Matters
Into Your Own Hands

Can you think of a time when you became so impatient while waiting on the Lord that you decided to take matters into your own hands to get things moving a little faster? When you later realized that you had made a big mess of things, were you regretful that you didn’t wait a little longer before taking action?

At one time or another, all of us have been guilty of acting rashly and thoughtlessly. For example, just think of how many times you’ve said something you later regretted. Oh, how you wished you could retract those words, but it was too late! Or perhaps you’ve been guilty of acting spontaneously on an issue before you had enough time to really think things through.

Or have you ever gotten so angry at someone that you popped off and vocalized your dissent before the other person was finished talking? When you later realized that the person wasn’t saying what you thought, did you feel like a fool for reacting too quickly? Did you have to apologize for making a rash statement, all the while wishing you had just kept your mouth shut a few minutes longer?

Hotheaded moments rarely produce good fruit. In fact, when we act rashly, we usually end up loathing the stupidity of our words and actions. The truth is, we all need a good dose of patience — a fruit that is produced inside us by the Spirit of God. We desperately need patience in our lives!

Perhaps no story better demonstrates the mess that impatience produces than that night in the Garden of Gethsemane when Peter seized a sword, swung it with all his might, and lopped off the ear of the high priest’s servant.

When Jesus spoke and identified Himself as the great “I AM,” the soldiers and temple police were knocked to the ground — their eyes dazed, their heads whirling and spinning, and their bodies stunned by the power of God. The power that was released hit them so hard and so fast that they were on their backs before they knew what happened!

While these soldiers were still flat on their backs, Peter suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands. He must have seen it as his great chance to show himself brave and to take advantage of the moment, but what he did was simply shocking! It is the perfect picture of someone acting before thinking things all the way through.