Finished Work - Take Him At His Word!
A few days ago, I found myself with thoughts of despair which I left unchecked. This was a mistake as we always have a choice of what we think on. I allowed my body and my circumstances to talk to me - rather than the truth in the Word - and that is never a good thing. This conversation made me feel hopeless - like the distance to victory is a long and difficult hike vs the short step it will take to just give up. Somehow defeat seemed quicker and easier. It is like gravity can just help you freefall down the staircase into darkness without any real effort. Fortunately, past experience has taught me that the difference between defeat and victory is only one thought away and it is always within my control. Also, knowing that I have my Heavenly Father’s DNA helped me to get my focus back on victory.
1 John 5:4-8 NKJV - 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
All that being said - and this is why you should never entertain thoughts or conversations with and about your circumstance and your body - I started to question if God really loved me. I should have known better, but let him or her who has never done this, cast the first disappointing glance.
You might recall that I shared a post early in 2024 called “Love’s Challenge”. I wrote about a class I attended where the instructor said we should ask the Lord daily to show us how much He loved us. The instructor also said that she and her sister were walking in the dark countryside one evening when the Lord showed off with a huge flying multicolored meteorite to display His love for her.
He showed me that I don’t need a special display or even a special reminder. All I need to do is to believe the Word - it is there on every page - if I have eyes to see it. I can also just look to the inside with my spiritual eyes to where the “Greater One” lives and I will find that He is always ready and pleased and loving towards me. His ultimate sacrifice on the cross shows a love that is far beyond anything He can display in the skies or in any other way. The Word about the finished work of the cross doesn’t need anything more - it can stand alone. It is enough!
This doesn’t mean that we can’t appreciate a beautiful sunset or a rainbow or a special stone shaped like a heart and be reminded of God’s love for us. But, the image of the finished work of the cross should be edged in our conscience to the extent that if we never get to see the sunset again, there will be no doubt of His great love for us.
Many people do not have a revelation of God loving them. They think that He only loves them when they are living perfect lives or when God Himself has “a good day”. Oftentimes our perception of God and our impressions of His character is shaped by what we have been taught by people in spiritual authority over us. If you have been taught that God sends hardships, sickness, disasters and tragedies over your life to teach you things, then this will change the way you see God and it can cause damage to your relationship with Him. If you doubt the goodness of God because you believe He is the one causing your hardships, you will not run to Him for help or affection - human logic won’t permit that.
Rom 2:4 NKJV - 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
God’s goodwill and His affection is always towards you, in fact He is your biggest Cheerleader any day of the week... You need to get that fact settled once and for all. It is very hard - if not impossible - to have faith in someone if you don’t know their will or their heart towards you.
Faith begins where the will of God is known - F F Bosworth - Author of Christ the Healer.
It is not hard to know the will of God. His will is in His Word. His will is also permanently on display through the life of Jesus when He walked the earth. Jesus said if you have seen Me, you have seen the Father (John 14:9). He never showed anyone away who came to Him for help. He was never disappointed with them, nor did He make them feel condemned. He never told them to come back another day after they learned their lesson. He was always compassionate and loving and He always helped and healed and was quick to set people free.
It is also interesting to note that Jesus never - not even once - told people to first repent for a sin before He healed or delivered them. There were plenty of opportunities where people were in known sin, yet He was always full of compassion and just told them not to continue in a sin. He never condemned them or made them feel bad.
I have often read the scripture in Gal 5:6 where it says that faith works by love and I was taught that if your love walk towards others is not perfect, then you will not see the promises of God manifest in your life as your faith just won’t work. But, think about it, everything about salvation is a free gift by grace and when you receive Jesus, you receive His faith (Gal 2:20, Gal 5:22). Yes, we are called to walk in love with Him and with one another. But if you are focusing on getting your love walk perfect, then this can become a work of the flesh that will profit you nothing. I want to put it to you that your faith works once you realize how much God loves you - it is about getting our minds renewed to the truth of being loved by God.
Finding Jesus in the Old Testament
We can look and find Jesus all around us, but the most trustworthy way is in the pages of the Word. He is after all the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
As we go through the Bible, it reads like a love letter written especially to us. The beginning of the Bible identifies Jesus as the One who was to be born as Saviour of the world. It then culminates in the end of the Book when Christ our victorious Bridegroom is revealed as He comes back to rule and reign as the Everlasting King. Jesus Himself said that the scriptures testify of Him.
John 5:38-40 NKJV - 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
The Pharisees knew the scriptures better than most. Yet, when Jesus arrived on the scene, they didn’t recognize Him. Their hands and their heads were serving Him, but their hearts were far from Him.
I have recently come across a list of scripture references from every book of the Old Testament pointing to Jesus - who He is and what He was destined to do - in a way, it was pointing to the finished work of the cross that was to be fulfilled. I am sure the author wouldn’t mind me sharing it here. May it help us all to increase our knowledge of who He is.
Genesis 3:15 - First reference to Jesus in the OT. He was going to come and soundly defeat the enemy and take care of our stolen authority through the cross.
Exodus 12:3, 5 - Christ is our Passover lamb. See also 1 Pet 1:18. 19 - He is the Lamb without blemish.
Leviticus 17:11 - Life of the flesh is in the blood. Jesus is the sacrifice, our atonement that can only come by the shedding of blood NOT in keeping the law.
Numbers 20:8, 11 - Jesus is the rock that was smitten at Calvary. He brought forth living water.
Deuteronomy 18:18 - He is the faithful Prophet
Joshua 5:14, 15 - Captain of the Lord's hosts.
Judges 2:18 - Jesus is the Divine Deliverer who will bring them out.
Ruth 3:12 - Jesus our Kinsman-Redeemer. We are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. He is like a near relative willing and able to redeem us.
I Samuel 2:10 - He is the Anointed One.
II Samuel 7:12-14 - Jesus the Son of David who will reign forever and ever. The reference here is talking about Solomon, but in the spirit it points towards Jesus.
I and II Kings - He is the coming King.
I and II Chronicles - He is the Builder of the temple. We are the temple that is being built.
Ezra 7:10 - He is the faithful Scribe.
Nehemiah 2:4, 5, 17 - The Rebuilder of broken walls or broken hearts
Esther 4:1 - He is our Mordecai. He shows compassion to us.
Job 19:25 - Our living Redeemer.
Psalm 23:1 - My good Shepherd.
Proverbs 8:22, 23 - Jesus is the Wisdom of God.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-11 - He is the good Teacher.
Song of Solomon 2:1, 2; 5:10 - Rose of Sharon, lily of the valley, fairest of ten thousand, our Bridegroom.
Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (This verse is a personal favorite and is too good not to share in its entirety).
Jeremiah 31:31 - The maker of the New Covenant based on better promises.
Lamentations 3:28-30 - The Man of sorrows - carrying our griefs and sorrows.
Ezekiel 43:2 - He is the Glory of God, the acknowledged presence of God. He reveals God to us. He gave us the glory, the presence to be seen in us. We will all reflect His glory and it will be like the waters covering the earth - completely. Christ in you, the hope of glory..
Daniel 3:24, 25 - He is the fourth Man in the fire.
Hosea 3:1 - Lover of the unfaithful. He loved us when we were yet sinners.
Joel 3:16 - The hope of His people and their strength.
Amos 9:13-15 - The Husbandman who will tend over Israel.
Obadiah 17, 21 - Jesus is the Saviour.
Jonah 2:10 - He is the Resurrection. See Mat 12:40. Just like Jonah found himself in the belly of the fish for three days, Jesus was in the grave for three days before being raised victorious.
Micah 5:2 - Jesus is the Ruler of Israel.
Nahum 1:2, 7 - He is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble - our Avenger. You don’t need to defend yourself, the Lord is your Defender. He will make it all work out.
Habakkuk 3:2 - Bringing revival in the church.
Zephaniah 3:15 - He is the King of Israel.
Haggai 2:7 - He is the desire of nations.
Zechariah 3:8 - He is the Righteous Branch.
Malachi 4:2 - He is the Sun of Righteousness.
While all these scriptures have a natural application for the time they were written, they are all referring to Jesus our soon to come Bridegroom and King.
God is faithful
When I first read these scriptures in the OT, what struck me was the faithfulness of God the Father. He set things in motion and started speaking and prophesying through Prophets and writers of old, making known that a Saviour would be born. And even though it took thousands of years to be fulfilled, God kept His Word and the Saviour was born - just as He said. If God can keep His Word in a big thing like changing the eternal destiny of the entire world, how much more is He able to keep His Word to you. He was and is and always will be - faithful to you.
I guess what I am learning is that I should never look at my life and my present circumstances or even at my emotions to tell me if God loves me or not. Emotions are fickle and cannot be trusted as they are up and down just like the weather. Also, our circumstances can be affected by things around us and even by the enemy who will try to send cares in order to steal the Word from our hearts (Mark 4:18-19). He is always looking at ways to get us to doubt God and the truthfulness of the Word. We need to make it a habit to only look at Jesus and the finished work of the cross and to the Word that speaks about it. It reads the same every day. God’s love will never go out of fashion. He loves us and always will. That is who He is. He is love!
I don’t need Him to write it in the sky in flashing lights. He has already written it in the Word and on my heart. Over the last few months my perception of who God is, has changed dramatically. I have learned that I cannot do anything more to have Him love me more, just as I can’t do anything bad that can make Him love me any less or cause Him to remove His blessing from me. He loves me, period! That is just who He is.
And Finally..
I want to add a quick comment about my previous post about the Rapture of the Church. The situation in the Middle East is escalating with war seeming more possible as the days go by. Jesus confirmed that it would be this way and that we will hear of wars and rumours of wars but that we should not be troubled or afraid. He said that we won’t know the day or the hour (Mat 24:36), but that when we see these things start to happen, we should not be afraid but look up and see our redemption as it draws near.
Luke 21:25-28 NKJV - 25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
I have recently heard a well known Christian author say that when the 911 terror attacks happened in 2001, he immediately went to get his three daughters from school to keep them safe from the terror and destruction that was happening all around. He said that God the Father is as protective over us as he as a father is with his daughters. God will remove us from the coming wrath and destruction that is to come. He will keep us safe. We just need to keep our minds stayed on Him and make sure that we have a growing daily personal relationship with Him.
Is 26:3-4 NKJV - 3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.
I hear criticisms aimed at those who believe in a Rapture before the start of the Tribulation, saying that they just want to escape from difficulties and prophecies of destruction that were foretold. You better believe it. When the evil one is ruling and reigning and God is pouring out His wrath on all the earth is no time to sit and reflect and ponder your options. This world will be a really dark place. The good news is that if you have received Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, then you have already escaped the wrath of God that is to come (1 Thes 1:10). There will still be time to make right with God during the Tribulation, but it is going to be so much harder then.
Believing in a soon coming Rapture doesn’t mean that you should wrap up your life and stop pursuing what you were called to do. No one knows the date or time - it could be months, even years. Jesus called us to occupy until He comes (Luke 19:13) and to keep praying for the Jewish people and the peace of Jerusalem (Ps 122:6). We need to keep praying for our own governments as well, that their eyes will be opened in support of the Jewish nation. It is dangerous to go against the “apple of the Lord’s eye” - it may not end well.
Gen 12:2-3 NKJV -
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Here is the link again to my previous post:
https://findingthemore.blogspot.com/2024/08/finished-work-great-escape.html
If you are facing hardships or impossibilities today, I want to remind you that God loves you and that He has already made a way. Don’t be afraid, look to the finished work of the cross. You can read about it in His Word - it is reliable, trustworthy and true - it will not disappoint.
Salvation prayer
Choosing to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior is the most important decision you’ll ever make!
Rom 10:9-10, 13 - If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
By His grace, God has already done everything to provide salvation. Your part is simply to believe and receive.
Pray out loud:
Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!
The very moment you commit your life to Jesus Christ, the truth of His Word instantly comes to pass in your spirit. If you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, there’s a brand-new you!
Find a church that believes and preaches the Word of God where signs and miracles follow the preaching and where the sermons leave you with hope and not despair. Get to know God - not just knowing about Him but knowing Him. It will soon become the greatest joy of your life.
Resources
Salvation
If you have prayed the salvation prayer above, or if you want to know more or have someone help you, then you can contact Andrew Wommack Ministries. They have offices worldwide and would love to pray with you. They also have lots of free materials that can help you to grow in your walk with God.
https://www.awmi.net/contact-us/
End Time Prophecy Information
www.tipofthespearministry.com/
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**I added bold format to text in some scripture references.
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