Ever since I got to Mindinao last week I’ve been meditating on the power we have in Jesus Christ. It’s a power that heals, a power that frees us from death, from shame, pain, guilt, regret, sickness and disease. Most importantly, it’s a power that offers peace, and to have that peace we have to believe He’s already carried our burdens to the cross. There is no need for both of us to carry around all that junk. He died ONCE and for ALL for our sins and now we are FREE to be the person He called us to be – not the person the world says we should be.
“He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was OUR weaknesses HE carried; it was OUR sorrows that weighed HIM down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God for His own sins! But he was WOUNDED and CRUSHED for OUR SINS. He was beaten that we might have PEACE. He was whipped, and we were HEALED!” – Isaiah 53:3-5
Notice “healed” is past tense. The King James version says, “By His strips we were healed.” Healed in every sense folks – emotionally and physically. And not only have we been healed, but we’ve been given great power.
“And I have given you AUTHORITY over all the power of the enemy, you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.” – Luke 10:19
All Christians have this real power and freedom, yet so few radiate it – myself included. We seem to sit in a jail cell and all the while the dang door is wide open, but for some reason we don’t leave. For me, it’s like I don’t really believe this life giving power lives inside me. It’s like I don’t believe I can ask for anything In Jesus’ name and it will be granted. I mean how ridiculous is that?! Jesus says 6 different times in John 14, 15 and 16 we can ask for anything and it will be given to us. Instead, a lot of us chose to sit in our prison and listen to the lies of the Devil, thus GIVING him our power in Christ. The devil doesn’t TAKE anything from us folks. (See above verse) So when we get weighed down by the worries and cares of this world, what we’re really doing is giving away God’s power. BUT, the flip side is when we chose to believe we are righteous, holy and true in God’s eyes, we keep the power. In fact this power allows us to walk out of the stinkin’ jail cell and freely taste of the fruits of the Spirit.
Living in Christ first and foremost means freedom. But is also means experiencing love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. Do I live like this everyday? HECK NO! However, I am experiencing these fruits much more than ever before in my life. My love for random people continues to blow me away. And that’s not of me my friends, that’s from the Spirit of God within me. But thru the work of the Holy Spirit I’m becoming more and more like Christ. And when that happens it gives our heavenly Father glory. (2 Cor. 3:18b) And right now by God’s power, I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Ozamiz City, Philippines and my full time job these days is serving the Lord. For those of ya’ll that REALLY know me that’s nuts ain’t it?!
