Victory In Jesus Foretold

Victory In Jesus Foretold Gen. 3:15

INTRO.: Tell the story of the fall of Adam and Eve leading up to the text. The introduction and presence of sin in our world has caused many changes. All the diseases, problems, and even death are the result of sin’s influence.

Stern penalties were imposed upon Adam, Eve and the serpent.

A great promise was also made. Verse 15 tells us God promised a Deliverer to come through the seed of the woman. There may be much Moses didn’t understand when he wrote these words, but from our perspective, we can see a threefold promise:

I. A promise of perpetual hostility:

A. God started a war between good and evil:

1. “I will put enmity . . .”

2. This is much more than just hatred of snakes. Satan was using the snake.

3. God wants us to hate evil.

4. This enmity is our personal experience. Rom. 7:21

B. We see this enmity working itself out in history:

1. Cain hated Abel and killed him

2. Jacob and Esau spent most of their lives in conflict because Esau chose the profane way of life.

3. All of Israel’s history is one struggle after another against pagan neighbors and evil infiltrators.

4. Today there is no peace in our world as God and evil are in constant conflict.

C. Make no mistake, we are also part of the conflict.

1. Our foes are fearsome. Eph. 6:12

2. Everyone hates sin. Good men hate the sin in themselves. Evil men hate the sin in others.

3. God’s warning to the Churches of Galatia: “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Gal 5:15

4. We can always use a good fight in the Church, but let it be a fight against evil.

II. A promise of a Deliverer:

A. This is the first of many prophecies about the coming of Jesus. There are hundreds.

1. The descendent of the woman will crush evil under His heel.

2. His birth and birthplace, his suffering and resurrection are all forecast in minute detail.

3. There is even a hint of the virgin birth in that the promise was made to the woman and not the man.

B. Jesus is that Deliverer: the seed of the woman.

1. Gal. 3:16, speaking of the promise to Abraham, identifies Christ as the seed.

2. He came to oppose and destroy the work of the devil. I Jn. 3:8

3. Thousands of years passed before fulfillment of God’s promise. It came at the right time. Gal. 4:4

C. He came to do battle:

1. Luke 4:1ff - He entered the conflict in earnest. Met the devil on “his” turf.

2. Next, He went to the synagogue to confront false teaching. Vv. 18, 28

3. The enemy becomes serious. Lk. 4:29

4. Then to Capernaum, where He is confronted by a demon.

5. We are not alone in life’s conflicts. Jesus knows our plight and stands by us.

III. The promise of victory: “He will crush your head.”

A. This is the first promise of victory in Jesus:

1. He came to destroy Satan’s works.

2. Our hope for personal victory over sin is thru Jesus. Rm. 7:25

3. Heb. 2:14 - death no longer holds us in bondage.

B. Jesus gives victory over:

1. Sin and personal inner conflict.

2. The threat of death and hell

3. Anxiety and insecurity coming from trying to control our own lives.

C. God doesn’t promise an easy automatic victory:

1. He warns us & offers spiritual armor. Eph. 6:13-18

2. Imagine a soldier in full battle gear just to lounge around the house.

3. We are in a serious battle for the minds of men. We have all the equipment and help we need, but must realize the strength of the enemy.

CONC.: there is another great promise of victory in Jesus in Rom. 16:20. It reminds us of the first promise in Gen. 3:15. God will keep His promise to give us victory in Jesus. Sin is in the world today and, for the time, seems to reign but God’s time is coming. The victory was guaranteed on Calvary.