Here’s something they probably never taught you in Sunday school.   When Jesus died, several supernatural events were reported occurring in diverse locations, which seemed to collectively testify that a major revolution had occurred in the spiritual realms.   1. The veil of the Jewish Temple was torn from top to bottom. This occurred on Crucifixion Day.   2. The dead awoke and walked around in Jerusalem. This also occurred on Crucifixion Day.   3. The Roman historian Plutarch recorded that around the time of Jesus’ death, and certainly before 37 AD, it was publicly announced near the island of Paxi that “the Great Pan is dead”. Eusebius of Caesarea interpreted this as meaning that the whole pantheon of pagan gods had been overthrown.   4. Plutarch also recorded that, for the first time ever, the legendary oracles of Rome’s famous temples went silent after Christ’s death, asserting that the risen Christ had driven them out. The last Delphic oracle itself announced that its shrine had gone silent.   5. Back in Israel, immediately after Christ’s Crucifixion, four supernatural Jewish Temple rituals suddenly stopped working, although they had previously never ever failed to do so. (1) the lot for the Lord no longer came up in the high priest’s right hand, (2) the crimson thread tied to the Yom Kippur scapegoat ceased turning white, (3) the westernmost lamp of the menorah would not stay lit, and (4) the doors of the Hekhal would open by themselves at night. These unprecedented supernatural changes were all recorded in the Babylonian Talmud Yoma 39b. These signs are described in the Talmud as beginning right around the death of Christ, and then consistently continuing for the remaining 40 years until the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. The Talmud views these events as portents of impending destruction and loss of divine favor, which aligns nicely with both the announcement of the death of Pan and the silencing of the Roman oracles, which both occurred right around the same time as these supernatural changes in the Jewish Temple rituals.

What's the land God wants to give you in your life? What victory do you need to have over your shortcomings, weaknesses, and failures? I'm always learning about my own particular faults. For example, it can be hard for me to do the right thing, to swallow my pride at times, to humble myself and apologize. I sometimes struggle with fear of being unneeded, under-valued, or redundant. As a leader I am trying to step back and let others take the limelight, but I'm often distracted by my own fragile ego, and plagued by concerns of being overshadowed by others. These are ugly and embarrassing sins in my life, but I trust God to give me victory in each one. And then it won't stop there, as He will reveal more and more areas in which he wants to have His way! What about you? How can you be strong and courageous? What enemy does Jesus need to conquer in you?