[center]The Good Thing about This Friday[/center]

Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs (sickness), and carried our sorrows (pains): yet we did esteem (consider) Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes (whip-lashes) we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53: 4-6, emphasis added).

Who His own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree (cross), that we, being dead to sins, should live to righteousness: by whose stripes (lash-wounds) you were healed (1 Peter 2: 24, emphasis added).

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3: 13-14).

When Jesus therefore has received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost (John 19: 30).

Today is the day referred to worldwide as Good Friday. It marks the day Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, not for His own sin, because He committed none, but for the sins of the whole world. On that day, He carried the sins of the whole world, their griefs or sickness, their sorrows or pains, and nailed it on the cross. He became our substitute on the cross and was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. For the sake our peace, He was chastised. He was whipped 39 times that we might be healed. On that day the curse of the whole world – sin, sickness, poverty, spiritual death – was nailed to cross because, according to Jewish law, cursed is every one that hangs on a tree. Because every curse has being nailed to the cross, all who believe in Jesus can now have the full blessing of Abraham.

On the cross also, Jesus destroyed death and him that has the power of death i.e. the devil. He (Jesus) spoiled satan and his demons and made a public show of them triumphing over them. By His blood, He redeemed humanity from sin, satan, sorrow, sickness, and obtained eternal salvation for us. All these happened on that fateful Friday. Before Jesus finally died on that Friday, He said, it is finished. What was finished? Death is finished, satan is finished, sin is finished, sickness is finished, curse is finished, and sorrow and everything satan afflicted the world with is finished! What good news! And that is the good thing about this Friday we are marking today. Jesus by His death on the cross shed His blood to reverse and destroy satan’s plan for humanity and He brought about salvation, redemption, peace, joy healing and every good thing for humanity. Will you be saved? Will you be healed? Will you experience God’s blessings? Do you accept the finished work of salvation? If so, pray this prayer out loud: Lord Jesus, come into my heart, wash away my sins. I confess you as my Savior and Lord. I accept the finished work of salvation. Thank you for this Good Friday in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

For prayer and counseling: write, call or e-mail: Prevailing Word & Prayer Ministries Inc. P.O. Box 11875, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. Tel. 2348033155417. E-mail: josey500@yahoo.com