2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 161
Captives: captivity, a captive multitude
The Lord's Captives
Ephesians 4:8
Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Our Triumphant Leader
Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners. (cf. Luke 4:18)
Hebrews 1:9
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You above Your companions with the oil of joy."
Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
Psalm 68:18
You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.
Proverbs 30:4
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son--surely you know!
Matthew 1:20, 21
But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Colossians 2:15
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3744
Fragrance: smell, odor, savor
The Fragrance Spread Everywhere
2 Corinthians 2:15, 16
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ezekiel 1:20
When I bring you from the peoples and gather you from the lands to which you have been scattered, I will accept you as a pleasing aroma. And I will show My holiness through you in the sight of the nations.
And how does God show His holiness through us to the nations?
Jeremiah 3:15
Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Ephesians 4:11-13
And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.
Acts 8:1-4
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (2) God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. (3) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. (4) Those who had been scattered preached the Word wherever they went.
Acts 10 tells us that the Word of God is for the people of every nation. And not just the Word of God, but also the Holy Spirit of God. To all who hear the Word and receive it, God pours out His Spirit.
Knowing in advance that believing in Jesus Christ will cause some people to hate, to kill, to attempt to destroy the message of salvation and the deliverers of this message may cause some people to pause in their making a decision to follow Christ. But to those who truly believe and follow the Word on a daily basis, the knowledge of being persecuted for what we believe will confirm that we are on the right path.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for being my Lord and Savior. Thank You for taking me captive with Your Love and Your Grace, for holding me close to Your heart. Thank You for saving me from the clutches of death and the destruction of my soul: for filling me with Your Word of Life and Your Holy Spirit.
Lead me not only beside still waters, but through the storms of my life and bring me to the other side of this life, even to the crystal sea where Your throne is nearby. Walk with me and help me to share Jesus Christ with everyone You lead me to. May I be a fragrant aroma to You, Lord God.
In Jesus' Name, I pray,
Amen
I Speak Jesus by Here Be Lions
